Albanian Language Media:

• Tanin calls for reducing of tensions: Responsible leadership to be shown (media)
• Kosovo Police rejects reports that its officers beat up three Serbs (media)
• Svecla on situation in the north: We do not expect escalation (media)
• EU with diplomatic commitment to reduce tensions in the north (RFE Albanian)
• The situation in Brnjak, tense (Kallxo.com)
• Serbian gendarmerie vehicles patrol near the Kosovo Police in Jarinje (Koha)
• Police give details on situation in Jarinje and Brnjak (Express)
• ARC has administered 6375 license plates after establishing reciprocity (media)
• Police are not allowing anyone to cross the barricade leading to Brnjak (Klan)
• Vucic sets four conditions to return to dialogue, Kurti sets one to remove reciprocity (Express)
• Municipal mayors to discuss new anti-COVID measures with Health Minister (media)
• PSD files charges against Minister Vitia (media)
• Meeting of Assembly chairmanship fails, due to lack of quorum (media)
• Geopolitics expert: Kosovo’s two messages to Brussels (euronews.al)
• COVID-19: 7 deaths, 173 new cases (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• UNMIK chief: All sides to take steps to avoid tensions in Kosovo (media)
• Protests at Jarinje and Brnjak continues (RTS)
• Petkovic: Three Serbs beaten near the Brnjak crossing (KiM radio, Radio Mitrovica sever, TV Most)
• Stefanovic: Combat readiness of Army of Serbia garrisons in Raska and Novi Pazar raised (RTS)
• Vucic: No talks until Pristina withdraws forces from north Kosovo (N1)
• Petkovic: Situation to return to the one prior to September 20 (Radio KIM)
• Civil sector and media call for urgent de-escalation; discuss freedom of movement in Brussels (Radio Kontakt plus, KoSSev, RTK2, Kosovo Online)
• Kosovo police arrest three Serbs over poster; Serbian officials condemned the act (N1, Radio KIM, Kosovo-online)
• What message billboards “Welcome to ZSO” convey? (Radio KIM)
• Selakovic to Borrell: Belgrade committed to dialogue, but doesn’t accept unilateral acts (media)
• A book by Albin Kurti’s wife promoted in Belgrade (Tanjug, Kosovo Online)
• Covid-19 in Serbian communities: 24 new cases (KiM radio)

Albanian Language Media  

Tanin calls for reducing of tensions: Responsible leadership to be shown (media)

The Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of UNMIK Zahir Tanin joins international partners in urging all parties to address issues over the implementation of measures on licence plates through established dialogue mechanisms, in support of the free movement of persons and goods and in the interest of the populations.

SRSG Tanin reminds all parties that unilateral actions carry the danger of escalation and must be avoided in the interest of peace, security and the safety of populations. “I call on all parties to show responsible leadership and take immediate steps to avoid tensions through the political dialogue process,” SRSG Tanin said.

Kosovo Police rejects reports that its officers beat up three Serbs (media)

The Kosovo Police issued a statement refuting reports of Serbian media outlets which said that Kosovo police officers beat up three Serb protesters near the border crossing point of Bernjak.

The police said that such reports are false and are aimed at misinforming the public opinion and instilling the feeling of insecurity. “It is worth noting that the Kosovo Police as a law enforcement institution undertakes all actions in all cases in line with the Constitution of Kosovo and applicable legislation to guarantee public law and order, including free movement of people and goods in all border crossing points. As a result, following official verification, it was concluded that such an information is not grounded as there was no detention or contact with any protesters at the border crossing points, but the police unit on the road verified three trucks, respectively the drivers, who drove behind the police convoy thus endangering the safety of police officers and the police operation.” 

The police said upon verification, the drivers were let go and instructed to report to the police station in the southern part of Mitrovica. 

Svecla on situation in the north: We do not expect escalation (media)

Kosovo’s Minister of Interior Xhelal Svecla, told A2CNN that there is a calm situation on the border with Serbia and there are no expectations for tension or escalation of the situation.

However, the Minister of Interior of Kosovo emphasized that the protests are organized by Serbian structures. He insisted that Kosovo’s decision on reciprocity is fair and lawful and anyone who questions this would question Kosovo’s sovereignty and statehood.

“We do not expect an escalation. There does not seem to be a pronounced energy by the parallel structures to escalate the situation. We are determined to enforce the law in this matter, by enforcing the law to serve the citizens there as well. What Serbia has been doing since the liberation of Kosovo, is fighting Kosovo’s statehood. Its every decision is not a surprise to us. We are determined that Kosovo is an independent and sovereign state. We are ready for neighborly relations with all those neighbors who are constructive in mutual relations,” said the Minister of Interior of Kosovo.

EU with diplomatic commitment to reduce tensions in the north (RFE Albanian)

The European Union since the beginning of the escalation of the situation in northern Kosovo has been engaged in the diplomatic aspect to help the parties to reduce tensions. The High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, and the EU Special Envoy for Dialogue, Miroslav Lajcak, have been in contact with the leaders of Kosovo and Serbia and have offered to help reduce tensions, said the EU spokesman Peter Stano.

“We prefer to do our work through political and diplomatic channels and not through public comments. We have said what we needed to say publicly through press statements, including yesterday from the communications of High Representative Borrell,” Stano said.

Asked if the EU has any evidence that Kosovo has violated the agreement by establishing reciprocity in the case of license plates, the EU spokesman added that calls are being made to avoid unilateral actions and provocations from either side.

“The whole situation is not necessarily related only to the violation of a specific agreement. It is also about unilateral actions without consultation. So, we want to avoid unilateral actions and provocations “, said the EU spokesman, reiterating the readiness of the European Union to mediate a meeting in the framework of the dialogue where the dissatisfaction of the parties would be addressed.

EU sources also said that the situation in the north of Kosovo and the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia were part of the talks in the meeting held in New York by the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borell with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. According to the same sources, the American side has expressed full support to the EU in its role in the dialogue and in the current efforts to reduce tensions. The United States has also been involved in consultations with the parties within the Quint group.

On Monday, the government of Kosovo decided that drivers from Serbia, upon entering Kosovo, change or cover their license plates and obtain a temporary registration in Kosovo.

With this decision, the government of Kosovo has said that it has imposed the measure of reciprocity for Serbian license plates, as a similar thing Serbia has applied for cars from Kosovo for more than ten years.

Jarinje and Brnjak, the two border crossings in northern Kosovo – where the population is Serb majority – have been blocked by locals opposing the reciprocity decision.

Special units of the Kosovo Police are stationed there.

The Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti said on Wednesday that Pristina and Belgrade should completely remove the temporary license plates to resolve the situation.

The President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic said on Tuesday that Kosovo should change its “bad” decisions or, on the contrary, his state will take measures, without specifying what measures are in question.

The situation in Brnjak, tense (Kallxo.com)

The situation in Brnjak, as reported by the KALLXO.com team, is tense and journalists are not allowed to go to that border point.

Serb citizens gathered in the area, as reported by the Kallxo.com team from the scene, are constantly provoking and behaving inappropriately towards Kosovo Police officials.

Kosovo Police, which is taking care of security near the border point in Brnjak, has decided not to allow all journalists to go to the border point. Due to security, the police have allowed only 5 journalists to go to the border point.

The rest of the media are at the first police cordon which is located a few kilometers away from the border crossing in Brnjak.

EULEX is located just a few meters from the border crossing in Brnjak.

Serbian gendarmerie vehicles patrol near the Kosovo Police in Jarinje (Koha)

The road to the Jarinje border crossing continues to be blocked on the fourth day of the local Serb protest.

The protests are taking place after the reciprocity measure for license plates from Serbia, imposed by the government of Kosovo.

According to the police officers of the Kosovo Special Unit, two vehicles of the Serbian gendarmerie were spotted patrolling at close air distance with the Kosovo Police, but on the side of Serbian territory.

It is also reported that the situation continues to be calm.

Police give details on situation in Jarinje and Brnjak (Express)

The Kosovo Police (KP) continues its presence near border points of Jarinje and Brnjak in northern part of Kosovo, where local Serbs are protesting for four consecutive days now by blocking the traffic, after Kosovo authorities’ decision on Monday to introduce reciprocity on use of vehicle plates.

The situation on the night between Wednesday and Thursday was calm, but Serb protestors have dumped piles of gravel along the road leading to Brnjak crossing. The Kosovo Police spokesperson, Baki Kelani, said the situation remains calm in northern Kosovo and no incidents have been reported overnight. “The situation remains unchanged. There are obstacles on both sides of the road. There is a segment of the road where protesters have dumped piles of gravel as barricade,” Kelani said.

On Monday the Government of Kosovo introduced reciprocity measures on use of vehicle plates with Serbia, prompting a protest of local Serbs who blocked the roads leading to border crossings of Jarinje and Brnjak in the north of Kosovo. The Kosovo Police deployed Monday its special units in the north to implement the new decision. The move was criticised by Belgrade who ask withdrawal of Kosovo Police special forces from the Serb-majority municipalities in the north. 

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti addressing media on Wednesday called on local Serbs not to block roads reiterating that the decision on reciprocity on vehicle plates was just and not directed against Serbs, He said the decision is taken based on the Brussels Agreement on freedom of movement reached with Serbia during the EU-facilitated dialogue in Brussels.

The EU foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, urged the leadership in Kosovo and Serbia to take a responsible approach and to work through the EU facilitated Dialogue to avoid any further escalation, restore a peaceful atmosphere and to work on viable solutions.

ARC has administered 6375 license plates after establishing reciprocity (media)

On Monday, the government of Kosovo imposed a reciprocity measure for temporary vehicle license plates from Serbia.

“During the period 20 – 22 September 2021, the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA), respectively the Civil Registration Agency (ARC), has administered a total of 6375 temporary license plates at all Border Crossing Points (PPK) and Vehicle Registration Centers throughout the territory of the Republic of Kosovo “, announced the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Police are not allowing anyone to cross the barricade leading to Brnjak (Klan)

Police today are not allowing anyone to cross the barricade placed on the bridge of Lake Ujman, that connects the road that leads to Brnjak.

Police did not provide any details as to why the passage is not allowed in that part, but stressed that there can be no approach even for a meter beyond the trucks.

The change of police officers also occurred with a slight delay due to the barricades, reports Klankosova.tv.

Local Serbs have blocked the roads leading to the border crossings in Jarinje and Brnjak in northern Kosovo, for four days now, after the Kosovo government imposed a reciprocity measure on license plates.

Vucic sets four conditions to return to dialogue, Kurti sets one to remove reciprocity (Express)

According to Belgrade media, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has presented four conditions to Kosovo and the international community to return to dialogue. Meanwhile, the Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, has only one condition to remove the measure to not allow vehicles with Serbian license plates to enter Kosovo, writes Gazeta Express.

After sending ROSU armed police units to northern Kosovo in order to monitor the implementation of the government’s decision on reciprocity in the issue of vehicle license plates, the President of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic made it clear that there was no reason for the dialogue to continue at this time. He set out some conditions for the continuation of the dialogue: for the European Union to show whether the Brussels agreement is still in force or not, for the armed police to withdraw from the north, for the decision against Ivan Todosijevic to be annulled and for the two Serbian electricity companies to be licensed, writes Novosti, a media close to the Serbian head of state.

Serbia is demanding the formation of an Association of Serb-majority municipalities, so the Serbian head of state has asked the European Union if the agreement on it is still valid. This agreement was also ratified by the Assembly of Kosovo. However, the Constitutional Court had found violations in some points of the agreement for the formation of the Association. This is considered unacceptable for Belgrade.

Belgrade has also repeatedly requested the licensing of two Serbian companies, Elektrosever and EPS Trgovina, to supply electricity to northern Kosovo.

Municipal mayors to discuss new anti-COVID measures with Health Minister (media)

The executive director of the Association of Kosovo Municipalities, Sazan Ibrahimi, announced that mayors and municipal health directors will meet today at 14:00 hours with Health Minister Arben Vitia to discuss new anti-COVID’19 measures.

The Minister of Health Arben Vitia announced on Wednesday that from September 27, all persons who want to enter bars and restaurants, must have a vaccination certificate or negative PCR test. In the report of the Parliamentary Committee for Health, Vitia said that Gastronomers Association has been cooperative regarding this measure.

He also announced that the National Institute of Public Health has recommended that schools continue to be closed after September 26, when the current anti-COVID measures expire.

PSD files charges against Minister Vitia (media)

The Social Democratic Party has filed a criminal report with the Basic Prosecution in Prishtina, against the Minister of Health Arben Vitia.

Dren Kukaj from this party said that Vitia does not know how to manage the pandemic and that the decisions taken have been fatal for the people.

According to him, he acted in a completely irresponsible manner and abused his official duty.

Meeting of Assembly chairmanship fails, due to lack of quorum (media)

After the failure of the meeting of the Presidency of the Assembly due to lack of quorum, the head of the Parliamentary Group of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK0 Besnik Tahiri said that there is no logic for the Assembly and the Government to be penalized due to the election campaign.

“We have to do our job,” he said. “It is clear that there is a lack of coordination on what needs to be coordinated. The electoral process should not penalize the work of the government and the assembly. So, there is no logic because of the campaign not to hold the meeting of the presidency,” Tahiri said.

Geopolitics expert: Kosovo’s two messages to Brussels (euronews.al)

The application of the reciprocity principle on Serbian license plates crossing into the territory of Kosovo led to rising tensions between Pristina and Belgrade, as well as an intervention from top officials in Brussels.

Blerim Reka, former minister for European integration, blames Serbia for inducing crises in the Western Balkans.

On Balkan Talks, he suggested that if Serbia doesn’t change its outdated mentality, there can be no prosperity for the region.

“Even in the second decade of the 21 Century we have a problem which is generating these crises, and that is Serbia. The Balkans cannot become democratic, civilized, and pro-Western with a Serbian mentality dating from the 19 Century”, he said.

Professor Reka said that Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic is acting similarly to Slobodan Milosevic, which according to him, aspired to unify the Balkans under the umbrella of ex-Yugoslavia.

“When I say that, I mean, that now that the Serbian establishment, led by Vucic, is trying to do what Milosevic also tried to do by the end of ’90s, unifying the Balkans under the Serbian umbrella, but through an invasion, now is doing it with a new strategy, calling it the “Serbian world”, he said.

He said that Kosovo, by applying the reciprocity principle, did what every other sovereign state that respects its own laws would do.

During the interview with Franko Egro, the former minister said that the European Union must urge Serbia to respect the agreement signed in their presence at the roundtable of talks.

“The government of Kosovo did what every sovereign state would do, applying the law within its own territory. The EU, instead of addressing both sides, should turn to Serbia”, he said.

Asked on the messages sent by Kosovo to European chancelleries on enforcing reciprocity, professor Reka argued:

“Except for the technical message, which is over the reciprocity on license plates, reciprocity wasn’t invented by Kosovo, is one of the most common and functional principles in interstate bilateral relations. The government of Kosovo emitted a clear political message to Brussels, telling them that it’s no longer willing to engage in the so-called Brussels dialogue that’s been going on for 10 years, which has taken an asymmetrical shape, and that the government of Kosovo will no longer accept being treated differently from Serbia”, he concluded.

COVID-19: 7 deaths, 173 new cases (media)

Seven deaths from COVID-19 and 173 new cases with the virus were recorded in Kosovo in the last 24 hours. 1,434 persons recovered from the virus during this time. There are 7,635 active cases with COVID-19 in Kosovo.

Serbian Language Media

UNMIK chief: All sides to take steps to avoid tensions in Kosovo (media)

The Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of UNMIK, Zahir Tanin, today, on the occasion of the crisis caused by the implementation of the regulation on license plates in northern Kosovo, called on all parties to address the implementation of measures through established dialogue mechanisms, reported Serbian media, citing the statement.

In a statement, Tanin said he noted the continuing stalemate in the implementation of license plate measures and said he was joining international partners in calling on all parties to resolve issues through established dialogue mechanisms, in support of the free movement of people and goods, and in the interest of the population.

He reminded all parties that unilateral actions carry the danger of escalation and that they must be avoided in the interest of peace, security and safety of the population.

“I call on all parties to show responsible leadership and take immediate steps to avoid tensions through the political dialogue process,” Tanin said.

Protests at Jarinje and Brnjak continues (RTS)

People dissatisfied with the decision of Pristina relating to the vehicle license plates continue their protests at Jarinje and Brnjak crossing points for a fourth day in a row, RTS reports. The traffic over the crossings remains blocked and it is possible to pass them on foot only.

RTS further said several hundreds of people are staying next to the trucks and vehicles, in convoys several kilometers long and continue insisting on withdrawal of Kosovo special police units ROSU and cancellation of decision on temporary plates.

There are no incidents reported at Jarinje, while police and gathered citizens stay at their positions.

Gathered people are also setting up the tents, thus showing persistence to protest. The helicopters occasionally fly over the area.  

Major Belgrade-based media, including RTS and N1, reported about the incident at Brnjak crossing point, citing Kosovo-online portal which learnt unofficially that ROSU members had beaten up three Serbs at this crossing. The portal said ROSU members attacked the three local Serbs, and one of them sustained serious injuries. He is being treated at Zubin Potok health house. Later, during the day, RTS reported the three beaten up Serbs were transferred to Mitrovica North Clinical Health Center. 

RTS also said its crew was banned from entering Kosovo for the fourth day in a row. The police cite two reasons for it, one is that they cannot guarantee security and the other is that journalists didn’t announce their visit to the respective ministry in Pristina. They say the crew may enter Kosovo but without equipment.

Petkovic: Three Serbs were beaten near the Brnjak crossing (KiM radio, Radio Mitrovica sever, TV Most)

The director of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija, Petar Petkovic announced that today, near the administrative crossing Brnjak, members of the special unit of the Kosovo police have beaten three Serbian young men, reported KiM radio.

Petkovic stated that Zoran Tomovic, Jovan Takov and Dragisa Vlaskovic were attacked and beaten without any reason, reported KiM radio.

“They did not provoke anyone but became targets only because they are Serbs. Belgrade has been calling for restraint and peace since the beginning of the crisis, and Serbs from the north of Kosovo and Metohija, who only defend the right to freedom, have never given any reason for this use of force,” the statement said.

He noted that physical violence, harassment and attacks on the Serbian people will not be tolerated.

“Let me be quite clear. Albin Kurti is directly responsible for today’s horrific incident, whose only goal since the beginning of the crisis has been violence and revenge against the bare-handed people in the north of the province, who are only defending their right to life.  As we have repeatedly warned, this is a man ready for non-disguised violence in order to achieve his political goals,” Petkovic pointed out.

He added that it was clear that Kurti was not interested in dialogue, nor in resolving the crisis caused by non-compliance with the Brussels agreement, “but was interested in trying to conquer northern Kosovo by force.”

“That is why I am asking Serbs to stay calm and peaceful, not to fall prey or respond to provocations that will surely happen, because that is the goal of those who carried out such an act of insanity today,” the director of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija said in a statement.

Stefanovic: Combat readiness of Army of Serbia garrisons in Raska and Novi Pazar raised (RTS)

The Army of Serbia (VS) unites in Raska and Novi Pazar garrisons are in a state of raised combat readiness as the Serbian state wants to send a clear message that the pogrom of the Serbian people will not happen again, Serbian Minister of Defense, Nebojsa Stefanovic said today during the visits to these two cities, RTS reports.

Stefanovic together with the Army of Serbia Chief-of-Staff, General Milan Mojsilovic attended the presentation of army members’ readiness to respond to assigned tasks and protect all citizens of Serbia.

“Our Army is not provoking, but it is ready to protect the people if something that endangers their lives occurs. It is important to see that these people are willing and ready. The equipment and technology we acquired came to the right hands”, Stefanovic said.

He also assessed that Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic makes “excellent moves aiming at deescalating the current situation in Kosovo and Metohija”.

Commenting on the EU calls to both sides to restrain from provocations, Stefanovic said that Belgade did nothing, and each provocation came from the side of Pristina, including what could be seen at Jarinje and Brnjak, as well as the latest event in which three Serbs were beaten up. 

Vucic: No talks until Pristina withdraws forces from north Kosovo (N1)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said Wednesday that there will be no talks with Pristina until it withdraws its armed forces from the north of Kosovo, N1 reports.

Speaking during a visit to Budapest, Vucic said the withdrawal of those forces is the only solution. He said that KPrime Minister Albin Kurti’s statements on the license plates issue means that Pristina will revoke its decision when Serbia recognizes Kosovo. The Kosovo government is refusing entry to vehicles with Serbian license plates, forcing drivers to replace them with temporary plates.

“They can organize whatever they want but I won’t agree to what they think I’ll agree to. Go back to how things were and we can talk”, Vucic said, commenting on reports of a possible meeting on the license plates issue.

See at: https://bit.ly/3EFR8IB

Petkovic: Situation to return to the one prior to September 20 (Radio KIM)

Office for Kosovo and Metohija Director Petar Petkovic said the current situation in northern Kosovo was caused by unilateral and violent Pristina’s moves, while the crisis caused by Albin Kurti “threatens to evolve into something much bigger”, Radio KIM reports.

“Belgrade always insists on peace, dialogue, to resolve all open issues in Brussels, to respect the Brussels agreement, and freedom of movement. During the last round of technical dialogue (Pristina chief negotiator) Bislimi didn’t want to hear a word about freedom of movement”, Petkovic said.

He added Belgrade and President Aleksandar Vucic will insist “that no one can humiliate Serbia”.

He also said the situation should return to the period prior to September 20, and only after that to go to Brussels and talk.

“It is absolutely necessary that ROSU withdraws and Serbia will not accept the policy of ‘a fait accompli’,” Petkovic said. 

Civil sector and media call for urgent de-escalation; discuss freedom of movement in Brussels (Radio Kontakt plus, KoSSev, RTK2, Kosovo Online)

Serbian media in Kosovo reported that a group of NGOs gathered within the OPEN initiative and other organizations and media warned that the unannounced start of implementation of the Kosovo government’s decision to replace vehicle license plates of cities in the Republic of Serbia with temporary RKS test plates, simultaneously with ambiguities regarding Kosovo government plans for vehicles with license plates KM, PR, PZ, UR, GL, PE, ĐA issued by the relocated police administrations of the Ministry of the Interior of Serbia, caused tensions and confusion among the citizens.

“Not only that the introduction of new measures was not preceded by an open social debate that would determine all the risks and challenges of such measures, the needs and views of all communities in Kosovo, but the implementation of these measures was accompanied by a demonstration of force, i.e. the engagement of Kosovo Police Special Units,” read the statement, Serbian media cited. 

”The general confusion among the citizens of the Serb community in Kosovo is contributed by scanty and vague information on the implementation of the decisions of the Government of Kosovo, especially in the part concerning the procedures regarding vehicle license plates of cities in Kosovo issued by Serbian institutions (KM, PR, PZ, UR, GL, PE, ĐA) do not provide clear instructions to citizens on what will happen to their vehicles after the confiscation of license plates.”

”This level of unknowns, three days after the entry into force of the new decision, is unacceptable and is against the interests of citizens. Such issues require political solutions, and a group of organizations gathered around the Open platform are calling for urgent de-escalation and returning the issue of freedom of movement within the framework of negotiations on the normalization of relations between Belgrade and Pristina.”

”The escalation occurred in the midst of dialogue and in the midst of frequent meetings between the two sides at the political and technical level, which indicates that in the latest phase of the Brussels dialogue, there were no talks on essential topics such as freedom of movement. Therefore, we call on the Government of Kosovo to use this channel of communication and stabilize the situation on the ground in order to prevent further collapse of the dialogue process and all its results so far.”

”Finally, a possible new joint agreement on freedom of movement, whether it involves re-registration of KM vehicles or a new movement protocol for these vehicles must be accompanied by a broad information campaign, fast and cheap procedures but also systematic support to the citizens who face difficulties in obtaining personal and travel documents.”

Kosovo police arrest three Serbs over poster; Serbian officials condemned the act (N1, Radio KIM, Kosovo-online)

Kosovo police arrested three Serbs in Gracanica for putting up a billboard poster saying ‘Welcome to the Community of Serb Municipalities (CSM) on Wednesday, in the move that seemed like a response to Kosovo decision to introduce a reciprocal measure regarding licence plates on vehicles coming from Serbia, media report.

The billboard poster was taken down and the three young men who put it up were taken to the local police station in the town of Gracanica and released after giving statements. The police also said that anyone putting up a similar billboard poster would get the same treatment.

The CSM was agreed under the Brussels Agreement in 2013 as a group of Serb-majority municipalities in Kosovo, but has never been implemented due to Pristina’s refusal.

President Aleksandar Vucic said late Wednesday that the billboard was put up in line with the CSM and condemned Pristina for arresting people who did it.

“We can argue about the CSM jurisdictions, but there is no argument about who those ten municipalities belong to“, he said.

Vucic asked the European Union how Pristina “could behave like that – abuse fully armed troops in the north to implement something, while when the Serbs try an undisputable part of the Brussels Agreement, they arrest people? That is not written in the Agreement.”

Earlier, Office for Kosovo and Metohija also reacted to the arrest asking “on what grounds Pristina arrests people who only advocate for establishment of Community of Serb-majority Municipalities that Serbian people in Kosovo and Metohija wait for 3077 days, and whose establishment was ratified by the Kosovo Assembly”, Office for KiM said in a statement.

Serbian List also reacted saying it “condemns in the strongest terms ungrounded arrest of the Serbs who, in line with the Brussels agreement, that is a part of the legal system of Pristina, called for implementation of Pristina’s obligation and establishment of Community of Serb-majority Municipalities”.  

Also, a billboard with the same message “Welcome to Community of Serb Municipalities” placed earlier in Ranilug was removed. Kosovo-online portal reported that banners with the same message were placed at the entry of Gornje Kusce and Koretiste villages, Novo Brdo municipality. RTS said those banners were also removed. 

What message billboards “Welcome to ZSO” convey? (Radio KIM)

Apart from erecting barricades in northern Kosovo, one of reactions to Pristina’s introduction of reciprocity measures relating to licence plates was to put up the billboards with a message “Welcome to Community of Serb Municipalities (ZSO)”, Radio KIM writes today.

This act caused reactions of the institutions in Kosovo, there were arrests made and billboards removed at certain places south of the Ibar River, the Radio continues, adding it makes one wonder – what message do billboards convey? And why does it bother some that much?

“The first and basic question is why would anyone be bothered by that? Does it insult anyone? Who gets insulted by that? This word (ZSO) has been repeated over a million times, over the last I do not know how many years. This is the second most repeated word, right after the word ‘independence’. ZSO is a term that lives parallely in our lives, and unfortunately it remains in that parallel reality as it remains a dead letter on paper, one big and empty nothing”, President of the Association of Journalists of Serbia, Zivojin Rakocevic said.

DW correspondent MIlica Andric-Rakic thinks that billboards are in fact a message to the international community and EU mediator in Belgrade-Pristina dialogue, Miroslav Lajcak. She said she believes the move was made in Belgrade, recalling that the President Aleksandar Vuic mentioned (it) in a press conference on Monday.T

“Then, few hours later the billboards appeared, so I think it was designed there and foremost it was a message to the international community because we see, and now some articles have appeared that one of Serbia’s demands to return to negotiations is formation of the Community of Serb-majority Municipalities and I think they will most likely use this argument, which Kurti also used. He (Kurti) claims that the agreement on freedom of movement has expired and he can therefore set new conditions for freedom of movement without negotiations on both sides. Also there was a deadline to establish a Community of Serb-majority Municipalities”, Andric-Rakic said.

While Kosovo high-ranking officials say ZSO will not be established, professor and political analyst Belul Beqaj recalled obligations of the Kosovo government towards the Brussels agreement.

“I have said it publicly, and I would say it once again, the ZSO issue is our institutional obligation and in this context I think this message should be taken seriously by current authorities in Kosovo. I think the issue of the blockade is related to the agreement on the beginning of implementation, the moment the parties agree to start implementation, I think that the license plates on both sides will be unblocked and that would be a rational solution,” Beqaj believes.

Selakovic to Borrell: Belgrade committed to dialogue, but doesn’t accept unilateral acts (media)

Serbian Foreign Minister Nikola Selakovic told European Union High Representative Josep Borrell in New York that official Belgrade does not accept statements calling both it and Pristina to ease tensions, N1 reports.

A Foreign Ministry statement said that Selakovic told Borrell that Belgrade is committed to the dialogue with Pristina but will not accept unilateral steps, especially what he said are “criminal activities” which render the dialogue meaningless.

Selakovic said during the meeting with the EU’s top diplomat at the UN in New York that Belgrade wants to continue the dialogue but that things need to be taken back to the situation prior to the latest events in Kosovo.

The Kosovo government banned the entry of vehicles with Serbian license plates, forcing drivers to replace them with temporary Kosovo plates.

A book by Albin Kurti’s wife promoted in Belgrade (Tanjug, Kosovo Online)

The book “The Idea of Freedom and Self-Determination” by Rita Augestad Knudsen, the wife of Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti, was promoted today in Belgrade, and on that occasion the Helsinki Committee for Human Rights, which translated the book in Serbian language, organized a conversation on self-determination, reported agency Tanjug. 

The author, who joined the conference through zoom, thanked the organizer for translating and organizing the conversation on the topic of the right to self-determination.

In addition to the president of the Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Serbia, Sonja Biserko, the director of the Forum for Ethnic Relations, Dusan Janjic, and the professor of the Faculty of Political Sciences in Belgrade, Dragan Djukanovic, also took part in the conversation.

The director of the Kosovo Institute for Research and Development (KIPRED), Dr. Lulzim Peci, the professor of the Faculty of Political Sciences in Sarajevo, Nerzuk Curak, and the professor of the Faculty of Law in Podgorica, Srdjan Darmanovic, joined online.

Among other things, the author said that she expects that the concept of self-determination, the meaning and concept of which are changing, will return to international politics.

Among other things, the book, as it is written in the introduction, talks about how important statements in the 20th and the beginning of the 21st century on the topic of “self-determination” reflected the struggle led over the international meaning of freedom and were part of it.

Covid-19 in Serbian communities: 24 new cases (KiM radio)

Out of a total of 68 tested samples in Serb areas in Kosovo, according to the latest data, another 24 people are infected with coronavirus. No deaths were registered, the Crisis Staff of the Municipality of Kosovska Mitrovica announced.

The cases by municipalities: Leposavic (11), Gnjilane (4), Zubin Potok (3), North Mitrovica, Zvecan and Strpce (2) each.

Currently, 283 cases of infection are active in Serbian areas.