Albanian Language Media:

• Kurti: We’re working on aid packages after rising prices (media)
• “Agency for verification of wealth to be formed through law” (media)
• Decision annulled on expropriation of lands for Prishtina-Peja highway (media)
• Government sanctions seven persons and a company tied to Hezbollah (media)
• COVID-19: 22 new cases, one death (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Selakovic: More than ten countries ready to revoke recognition of Kosovo (RTS)
• Vucic on Valac power station in northern Kosovo, Community of Serbian Municipalities (KoSSev)
• Trajkovic: Third intrusion to northern Kosovo over Valac and Gazivode will lead to conflict (Kosovo-online)
• Vucic on Kosovo boxers, Rohde’s statement (KoSSev)
• Petkovic reacts to Osmani’s remarks about Serbia being ‘cancer of Europe’ (Danas)
• Head of Chinese diplomacy Wang Yi arrives in Serbia today (RTS)
• Serbian sport clubs to join federations or will be sanctioned (RTK2)

International:

• Historical revisionism is Serbian state policy, report claims (BIRN)

Albanian Language Media  

Kurti: We’re working on aid packages after rising prices (media)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti commented today on the rising prices saying that Kosovo is dependent on imports and that this is a clear message for the economy to be reoriented on production. “The campaign of blaming the government can only lead to bigger terrain for manipulators to increase the prices and at the same time cause fear, nervousness and panic among the people as customers. From today we are working on a package of measures for the people to overcome this situation as easily as possible,” Kurti said.

“Agency for verification of wealth to be formed through law” (media)

Kosovo’s Minister of Justice, Albulena Haxhiu, said today that the concept document for the bill for the confiscation of unjustified wealth foresees the formation of an independent agency that will verify the wealth of public officials in Kosovo in cases of discrepancies. Haxhiu said the independent agency would report to the Kosovo Assembly with the aim of preventing possible abuse.

Decision annulled on expropriation of lands for Prishtina-Peja highway (media)

The Kosovo Government today annulled a decision dating from 2018 for the expropriation of lands affected by the construction of a segment of the Prishtina – Peja highway. Prime Minister Albin Kurti said the auditor found numerous violations in the expropriation process and that the decision is annulled in order to stop the abuse of public funds.

Government sanctions seven persons and a company tied to Hezbollah (media)

The Kosovo Government decided today to impose sanctions against seven individuals and a company with ties to the terrorist organisation Hezbollah. Foreign Minister Donika Gervalla said the decision would contribute to Kosovo’s partnership with the United States.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora proposes sanctions against seven individuals and a company with ties to the terrorist organization Hezbollah. The proposal is based on their ties with the terrorist organisation and their role in financing activities in the Arabian Peninsula. With the aim of protecting peace and human rights, the decision will contribute to our partnership with the U.S. and other important partners,” Gervalla said.

COVID-19: 22 new cases, one death (media)

22 new cases with COVID-19 and one death from the virus were confirmed in the last 24 hours in Kosovo. 20 persons recovered from the virus during this time. There are 428 active cases with COVID-19 in Kosovo.

Serbian Language Media

Selakovic: More than ten countries ready to revoke recognition of Kosovo (RTS)

Much more than ten states are ready to reconsider their decisions on Kosovo and Metohija, Serbian Foreign Affairs Minister Nikola Selakovic said, RTS reports. In an interview to Belgrade-based Vecernje Novosti daily Selakovic spoke about retracting recognitions of unilaterally declared Kosovo independence.

“We shall not make the move first, as we would immediately be declared provocateurs. Moreover, we are ready to continue the moratorium on lobbying for recognitions and de-recognitions as agreed by the Washington agreement, however, there is no good will in Pristina to honor any agreement”, Selakovic said.

He added Belgrade at any moment acts as if Pristina would request admission to the international organizations, such as UNESCO tomorrow, so it would be ready to face such a surprising factor and in accordance with that take appropriate measures and make appropriate moves.

Selakovic warned that anyone thinking that the Kosovo issue can be resolved “by twisting Serbia’s arms” and forcing it to recognize unilaterally declared independence “was gravely mistaken”.

“It will neither solve this problem, nor will Serbia do something like that. No matter how manoeuvring room for our country was narrow and small, the greater our determination is to fight by all strength available for the protection of our state interests in Kosovo and Metohija, for the rights of Serbs and other non-Albanian people, rights of the Serbian Orthodox Church, for the preservation of our religious, cultural and historic heritage”, Selakovic said.

Asked whether information that major Western powers, and the US in particular, want Kosovo issue be resolved by the end of 2022 were accurate, Selakovic responded that anything one considers a solution implies consent of the official Belgrade.

“Our stance on this issue was clearly made by the President Aleksandar Vucic, and we as members of the government and the prime minister follow that stance. If someone thinks that a compromise solution is the one by which we will accept something as resolved status, then this is neither a compromise solution nor solution at all. And we do not agree to that”, he added.

Vucic on Valac power station in northern Kosovo, Community of Serbian Municipalities (KoSSev)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, said in a press conference yesterday that he is “a little concerned“ over “threats“ of Kosovo Albanians that they will not establish a Community of Serb-majority Municipalities, KoSSev portal reports.

“If you are not subject to international legal acts that are in force even as per their constitution – which does not affect us in any way, but even according to their normative system, these international legal agreements are above local legislation. They say that they do not respect them, or that they are not interested in something like that, while the international community is failing to react to it or reacts very mildly – then we are certainly in trouble”, Vucic said.

Commenting on other threats the portal continues Vucic also spoke about possible “intrusion into Valac“, power station in northern Kosovo.

“For some specific reason, they are waiting for November 6th. They think that they will join the Turks, the whole thing with the KEDS and KoSTT, which only you know about, our Belgrade journalists don’t know or follow it, but you understand it. And they plan to seize Valac in the next period, that would be catastrophically bad news for us, terrible news for our entire nation, but I’m not sure that it would be very good news for them either”, Vucic was quoted as saying.

In his words, whoever thinks that they should do that, needs to reconsider their actions, as well as the arrest of Ivan Todosijevic. The president reminded that Todosijevic is a family man who is not guilty of anything.

Read more at: https://bit.ly/3CnScPM

Trajkovic: Third intrusion to northern Kosovo over Valac and Gazivode will lead to conflict (Kosovo-online)

President of the Serb European Movement from Kosovo and Serbian politician Rada Trajkovic in a series of posts on Twitter said today that “eventual third intervention to seize Valac and Gazivode will mean conflict”, Kosovo-online portal reports.

As Trajkovic said “the first intervention of the Kosovo police special units was well security controlled”.

“In the second intervention against smuggling live ammunition were used. Eventual third intervention to seize Valac and Gazivode will mean conflict”, Trajkovic said.

She also said that “Pristina’s authorities were not up to the serious task of integrating the north and are acting as arrogant teenagers”.

“Osmani in an undiplomatic manner calls Serbia cancerogenous, and minister Ceku announces closure of “parallel” sports associations used by his already marginalized Kosovo citizens, the Serbs. The cracks are already noticeable in the Kosovo security system. Kurti’s hiper-ethnic approach and open Albanization of the institutions resent Serbs who are part of the Kosovo police turning them into second-class police officers, while nationally styled photos of their Albanian colleagues are shared on social media”, Trajkovic said.

She added “it was ironic that Kurti and Osmani, two young people who we hoped will bring European spirit to us, return Kosovo to ethnic tribalism and mistrust, and what is the most dangerous, take it to security destabilization. For the eight months of their rule there was regression for more than eight years”, Trajkovic wrote. 

Vucic on Kosovo boxers, Rohde’s statement (KoSSev)

“It was so nice of the German ambassador not to react when the Red Star footballers and our junior team, who just wanted to play football (in Kosovo) were prevented from doing so“, President Aleksandar Vucic said yesterday commenting on the statement by the German Ambassador in Pristina, Jorn Rohde, that politicizing sports is never a good idea, KoSSev portal reports.

In the last couple of days, official Pristina and Belgrade traded accusations and presented contradictory claims about the reason why boxers from Kosovo are not participating in the World Boxing Championship which is being held in the Serbian capital.

While Pristina and the boxers claim that they were not allowed to cross Konculj and Merdare crossing points on three occasions as per a decision of the Serbian Government, the President of the Serbian Boxing Federation, Nenad Borovcanin, stated that the Kosovo boxers have not even applied to participate.

In a press conference held in Belgrade yesterday, the Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said he does not know what this issue was about, noting however that the Kosovo boxers “made a spectacle at the crossings“.  He also underlined that he “does not care“ if they participate in the championship, especially keeping in mind that Kosovo is a member of the AIBA.

“If I understood the gentlemen from the Boxing Federation well, they did not apply. They just made a spectacle at the crossings, I don’t care either way. If they had asked me, I would have said that I don’t see why they couldn’t participate in that competition, especially since they were recognized by the AIBA“, Vucic said.

Read more at: https://bit.ly/3GnwKNf

Petkovic reacts to Osmani’s remarks about Serbia being ‘cancer of Europe’ (Danas)

Office for Kosovo and Metohija Director Petar Petkovic reacted today to the statement of Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani who, as reported by the media, said that “Serbia was cancer of Europe” by saying that “Osmani’s statements were in fact cancerogenic and demonstrate a true nature of Pristina authorities as well as their malignant influence on peace and stability in Kosovo, but also the region”, Danas daily reports.  

In a press statement, Petkovic added that “Osamni’s clear intention was to try to provoke a new crisis in Kosovo with inflammatory rhetoric and impose herself as an important political factor in Pristina with her anti-Serbian statements and actions”.

“Serbs from Kosovo and Metohija, as well as official Belgrade, will not be hostages of her political ambitions, nor will they allow new actions in Serbian communities”, he pointed out.

According to him, the formation of the Community of Serbian Municipalities (A/CSM) with executive powers is not only Pristina’s obligation undertaken by the Brussels Agreement, but also the obligation that Pristina assumed before its own institutions.

“Therefore, it is clear that by disrespecting both the Brussels Agreements and its own institutions, Vjosa Osmani actually puts hatred towards Serbia before any other motive, and that she is not interested in the search for the missing, normalization of relations or building mutual trust through dialogue, but only in inflammatory political agenda”, Petkovic said.

Stating that the formation of the Community of Serbian Municipality will be the main topic at the next meeting in Brussels, as confirmed by the European Union, Petkovic pointed out it was a high time “that Vjosa Osmani and other Albanian politicians accept that reality as soon as possible and start procedures for establishing Community of Serb-majority Municipalities”.

Head of Chinese diplomacy Wang Yi arrives in Serbia today (RTS)

Chinese State Advisor and Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi will arrive in Serbia today. His Serbian counterpart Nikola Selakovic will welcome him at the “Nikola Tesla” airport in Belgrade, RTS reports.

Their bilateral meeting will take place on Thursday, October 28, at 9.00 hrs at the Palace of Serbia in Belgrade. Prior to the meeting,  a Protocol on Cooperation between two foreign ministries will be signed.

Head of Chinese diplomacy, in the period from 27 to 29 October, will visit Greece, Serbia, Albania and Italy, RTS added. 

Serbian sport clubs to join federations or will be sanctioned (RTK2)

The National Council of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports of Kosovo calls on Serbian clubs to join the federations, because, as stated, otherwise they will be sanctioned, reported RTK2, citing the announcement.

“Based on the law on prevention of violence and negative phenomena in sports, official sports activities on the territory of Kosovo can be organized by sports federations, sports associations and sports clubs, formed in accordance with Kosovo laws. The Council warns all clubs, which are not part of the Kosovo’s National Federation, that in the case of illegal activities, will be obliged to apply sanctions against persons or entities that do not comply with the law.”

The captain of the volleyball club Partizan from Lipljan, Aleksandar Rasic, told RTK2 that this decision is a consequence of the events related to the non-departure of Kosovo boxers to the World Championship in Belgrade. Rasic notes that this decision was delivered to Serbian volleyball clubs from Kosovo a month ago.

 “Another detriment for the sport in which politics has obviously influenced, especially after the recent events. However, this is nothing new, because we got this decision from the Kosovo Volleyball Federation a long time ago and since then, all games when we are the hosts, we play outside Kosovo. That same decision was forwarded to the Serbian Volleyball Federation, currently that is the compromise, but the question is what it will look like later in the season and whether the clubs will be able to bear the financial cost. In our case, it will be very difficult,” said Rasic.

We remind you that at this moment, most sports clubs from the north of Kosovo that compete in the Serbian system, such as the Mokra Gora Handball Club, FC Trepca and the Mitrovica Volleyball Club, are already playing their matches as hosts on a neutral field in Raska.

International 

Historical revisionism is Serbian state policy, report claims (BIRN)

Official policies on the memorialisation of the 1990s wars downplay or deny crimes committed by Serbian forces and glorify war criminals, says a new report by the Belgrade-based Humanitarian Law Centre.

The Serbian authorities are using memorialisation of the 1990s wars to manufacture a populist narrative of national pride and victimhood for political advantage, says a new report by the Humanitarian Law Centre which was launched on Tuesday evening in Belgrade.

“Historical revisionism is state policy,” says the report, entitled ‘Memory Politics of the 1990s Wars in Serbia: Historical Revisionism and Challenges of Memory Activism’.

It claims that since the Serbian Progressive Party came to power in 2012, “the wars of the 1990s became the focal point of official memory politics”, with politicians utilising a populist discourse of a “return to national pride”.

Officials have also used the argument that “previous governments and international community coerced the Serbian nation to feel ashamed about its heroes and victims of the 1990s wars”, the report says.

“The heroes are the Serbian armed forces, including convicted war criminals, and the only victims in the Serbian culture of remembrance are the Serbian ones,” it adds.

The Serbian Progressive Party was founded in 2008 by politicians who were previously members of the ultra-nationalist Serbian Radical Party, which is led by Vojislav Seselj, a convicted war criminal.

Some of the Progressive Party’s members were prominent figures during the rule of Slobodan Milosevic in the 1990s, like President Aleksandar Vucic, who was the Serbian minister of information during the Kosovo war.

The report says that the Serbian authorities focus on two main issues for memorialisation – the Kosovo war and the 1999 NATO bombing of Yugoslavia, and the Croatian Army’s Operation Storm, which ousted Serb rebels and caused many Serbs to flee Croatia in 1995.

“The commemorations of these events include large-scale events and solemn ceremonies, attended and jointly organised by the Republic of Serbia and [Bosnia’s Serb-dominated entity] Republika Srpska, with the support of the Serbian Orthodox Church,” the report says.

The televised state commemorations are “accompanied by a programme of re-enactments, poetry, theatre, folklore and testimonies of victims and soldiers”, it adds.

“These are some performances of various events, such as the performance of a convoy of refugees on the bridge in Sremska Raca [in 2020], or this year in August when we had actors lying on the stage, playing dead bodies, Serbs from Krajina [in Croatia], which is a very distasteful abuse of the victims,” Jelena Djureinovic, the author of the report, said at the launch in Belgrade.