Albanian Language Media:

• Open Balkans invite Kosovo, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina to join (RTK)
• Open Balkans member countries sign five cooperation agreements (RTK)
• Varhelyi urges WB countries to return the Common Regional Market initiative (Express)
• Ten people arrested, among them former mayor of Shterpce (media)
• Qelaj: ERO’s decision to pay for electricity in the north is discriminatory (media)
• 300 cells foe 210 million euros, complete agreement document (RTK)
• COVID-19: Nine new cases, no deaths (media)
• Albania, Kosovo sign agreement to use joint ABC textbook in schools (Express)

Serbian Language Media:

• Covid-19: 12 new cases registered in Serbian areas (Radio KIM)
• Vucic on possible participation of Pristina in “Open Balkans” initiative (Kosovo-online)
• Varhelyi: Any regional cooperation based on EU values is welcome and useful (NMagazin, Beta)
• Protest in Tirana against ‘Open Balkan’ Initiative (KoSSev)
• Serbian PM says protest in Tirana had support from Belgrade (FoNet, N1)
• Reactions on setting Serbian flags on fire in Tirana (media)
• Ten persons arrested in Strpce, including former mayor; Petkovic reacts (RTS)
• Serbian List: We condemn brutal demonstration of force in Strpce (Kosovo-online portal)
• Journalist on the Strpce case: Possible arrests of people from the Kosovo government and ministries (N1)
• Vucic on action in Strpce: “Kurti did it because of Open Balkans” (B92)
• US set to name Resident Legal Advisor for Western Balkans (N1)
• N1 documentary on Kosovo Serb “Asphalt Kings” (N1)

Opinion:

• Legal framework for Kosovo Serbs tailored to Pristina (part four): Regional and/or Albanian integration (KoSSev)
• Hill’s Return to Belgrade Spells Challenge for Serbia (Balkan Insight)

International:

• Rival Albania Opposition Leader Leads Protest Against ‘Diabolical’ Serbia (Balkan Insight)
• Leaders of “Open Balkans” seek Germany’s support (Albanian Daily News)
• Kosovo Arrests Ten for Corruption, Including Ex-Mayor (Balkan Insight)
• Former UN Spokesperson Writes Novel About Kosovo Guerrilla (BIRN)

Albanian Language Media  

Open Balkans invite Kosovo, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina to join (RTK)

The three regional leaders of the “Open Balkans” have again invited Kosovo, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina to join this initiative, with the support of the European Union.

At the Tirana summit, the Prime Minister of Albania, Edi Rama, said that the “Open Balkans” is a comprehensive initiative in an effort to advance the economy of the Western Balkans.

Rama said in a joint press conference with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and the Prime Minister of Northern Macedonia, Zoran Zaev, that the “Open Balkans” is only a unit for the implementation of the Berlin Process.

“The Open Balkans is a unit for the implementation of the Berlin Process and a unit for the realization of a common regional market. That is why we are committed to this initiative. That is why we announced from the first day that this initiative is comprehensive. That is why we invite the other three countries of the region to join us for the good of each party and the good of the citizens of each of the six participants in the effort to advance the economy of the Western Balkans. It is clear today that the European Commission fully supports the ‘Open Balkans’ and invites the other three countries to join,” he said.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic also called for inclusion in the “Open Balkans” for the three rejecting countries.

He said that this regional initiative has nothing to do with any theory of “Greater Albania” or “Greater Serbia”, but only for regional cooperation.

“This initiative has nothing to do with anyone, not even with a great Macedonia, let them not get lost in these discussions that have to do with the past, because by talking about these things we will do nothing for the future. We want these three capitals to become part of us in this initiative and to make some tangible things,” he stressed.

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister of Northern Macedonia, Zoran Zaev, said that the six countries of the Western Balkans should contribute together to develop the economies of countries without barriers.

“We encourage all countries to contribute together to connect with each other, to develop economically without barriers to the needs of our people. We seek to contribute to the Open Balkans Initiative being an initiative of the Western Balkans through a common regional market,” he said.

The three regional leaders welcomed the achievement of today’s agreements and said that their positive effect will be seen as early as 2022.

Open Balkans member countries sign five cooperation agreements (RTK)

Five cooperation agreements were signed in the framework of the “Open Balkans” summit, which is taking place today in Tirana.

Prime Minister Edi Rama, Prime Minister of Northern Macedonia Zoran Zaev and President of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic signed an agreement on conditions for free access to the labor market in the Western Balkans, as well as an agreement on interconnection of electronic identification schemes for citizens of Western Balkans.

Meanwhile, the third agreement signed by the Ministers of Agriculture of the three countries is the one for cooperation in the field of veterinary, food safety and phytosanitary in the Western Balkans.

Another bilateral agreement on “Mutual recognition of authorized economic operators for security and safety authorizations” was signed between Albania and Serbia.

The fifth agreement was signed by the Ministers of Finance and Economy of Albania and Northern Macedonia on “Mutual recognition of authorized economic operators for security and safety authorizations”.

Varhelyi urges WB countries to return the Common Regional Market initiative (Express)

EU Commissioner for Neighborhood and Enlargement, Oliver Varhelyi, addressed Tuesday through video link the Open Balkan summit taking place in Tirana hosted by Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama and attended by Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and North Macedonia Prime Minister Zoran Zaev. Varhelyi said that it would be ideal for the Western Balkan countries to find a way back to return to Common Regional Market and invited the other three WB countries to back in the process.

“At Open Balkans Summit today: based on EU rules, any regional cooperation is not only welcome but is also to the benefit of Western Balkans and EU. It would be ideal to find a way back to return to Common Regional Market. I invite the other three partners back in the process,” Varhelyi wrote on Twitter.

Ten people arrested, among them former mayor of Shterpce (media)

The Basic Prosecution in Ferizaj has announced that it has arrested the former mayor of Shterpce and nine other officials during an action for illegal constructions.

The announcement states that the action is going on in the Municipality of Shterpce.

“The Basic Prosecution in Ferizaj, informs you that by its order and in full coordination with the Kosovo Police – Serious Crimes Directorate in Pristina are conducting an action in the municipality of Shterpce.

In relation with this action, so far by order of the State Prosecutor, ten (10) suspects have been arrested, among them the former mayor of Shterpce, the director of Urbanism, several other officials and owners of companies, due to the suspicion of criminal offenses “receiving bribes”, “bribing” and “abuse of official position or authority” of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kosovo (CCRK),” the notice states.

Further, the Prosecution announces that other details will be made public after the end of the operation. 

Qelaj: ERO’s decision to pay for electricity in the north is discriminatory (media)

Kosovo’s Ombudsperson Naim Qelaj presented the preliminary statistics of the one-year work of the Institution to the media. He also presented some of the reports worked on during this year that deal with the pandemic, children’s rights, environment and others.

The Ombudsperson, Mr. Naim Qelaj said that statistical data on the number of complaints and their nature shows that citizens continue to face delays in court proceedings (26% of complaints) violation of the right to effective remedies (20%), and also remains concerned about protection of labor rights where 12 percent of complaints are related to the violation of this right.

The created state of the pandemic has also affected the well-being of citizens, and without a doubt has also affected the deterioration of the economic status, further deepening the gap of social inequality between families, said Qelaj.

He noted that the economic situation of families is reported to be further aggravated by the risk of increasing poverty. A very worrying aspect that has had an impact on the life and health of children, especially those with disabilities, has been the lack for certain periods of essential medicines. And as if the lack of these drugs alone was not enough, for many parents the provision of these drugs through illegal means has been a high-risk challenge, he added.

Speaking about the energy crisis in Kosovo and the decision of the government to support KEK, Qelaj said that they still do not have a position but emphasized that if they find that there are human rights violations they will react.

Qelaj said they continue to consider the decision of the Energy Regulatory Office to pay for electricity in the north, discriminatory.

“The court decision in the first instance approved the lawsuit and obviously we have waited for such a decision, we have not waited for another decision because we continue to consider any unequal treatment of citizens in this case as discriminatory and as illegal and unconstitutional,” Qelaj said.

While from the complaints submitted by citizens, 665 cases have been opened for investigation and this number includes 44 cases opened ex officio and 12 cases which were opened after media reporting.

According to the People’s Advocate, this institution has closed 753 cases during this year and 29 of them have been closed due to the complainant’s lack of interest.

300 cells foe 210 million euros, complete agreement document (RTK)

RTK news portal has published the entire agreement signed between Kosovo and Denmark which states that the government of Kosovo will provide to the Kingdom of Denmark, the capacity of the prison, ie the correctional facility located in Gjilan for 300 prisoners, for the purpose of execution of Danish sentences and will make adjustments, necessary for any facility to ensure that it complies with Danish laws and standards.

“We confirm the close and long standing cooperation between Denmark and Kosovo. Denmark has had a significant presence in Kosovo in the past and contributed to peacekeeping and the democratic development of Kosovo. We affirm the historically close ties between our two countries, and we share a desire to strengthen our existing bilateral relations.

We are committed to shared fundamental values and are jointly determined to further strengthen the rule of law, democracy and human rights. We will also join forces in accelerating the energy transition and promote energy efficiency and renewable energy,” is said among others in this agreement.

“The government of Denmark intends to pay an annual fee for the use of the prison of 15,000,000 euros, depending on the number of inmates the facility has been made suitable for in accordance with Danish rules and regulations, with a reduced fee for the first 12 months of use of the prison as a transition period. The government of Denmark furthermore intends to pay an initial fee of 5,000,000 euros to cover the transition period until the prison has been adopted and staffed. These fees will cover all costs related to such an agreement.  

The Kingdom of Denmark will be responsible for the execution of Danish sentences in the prison and provide the necessary management to ensure that sentences are executed in accordance with the laws and international obligations of the Kingdom of Denmark. The government will take the necessary measures to ensure that the execution of sentences will be carried out in accordance with the international obligations of the Kingdom of Denmark.

The Kingdom of Denmark’s usage of prison capacity in the Republic of Kosovo should be further specified in a treaty between the two governments.

The governments will explore the possibilities of broader cooperation between Kosovo Correctional Service and the Danish Prison and Probation Services,” the document reads further.

COVID-19: Nine new cases, no deaths (media)

Nine new cases with COVID-19 were recorded in the last 24 hours in Kosovo, the Ministry of Health said in its daily statement. Six persons recovered from the virus during this time.

There are 314 active cases with COVID-19 in Kosovo.

Albania, Kosovo sign agreement to use joint ABC textbook in schools (Express)

Kosovo and Albania signed Tuesday an agreement on use of reading and spelling book for beginners by 2022. The Agreement was signed by ministers of educations Arberie Nagavci of Kosovo and Evis Kushi of Albania.

The initiative for a new joint ABC textbook was launched during a joint meeting of Albania and Kosovo governments held in Elbasan and the goal is to introduce the new textbook for beginners during 2022-2023 school year.

Kosovo minister of Education, Arberie Nagavci, said that she is confident the new joint book will start used at the beginning of next schoolyear. She said that education cooperation between the two countries is very important adding that they are committed to further strengthen the cooperation.

Albanian Education minister, Evis Kushi, who came to Pristina to sign the agreement said that using a joint ABC textbook is necessary for both countries. She said that both countries have a good cooperation and mentioned the agreement signed during joint meeting of the two governments on facilitation of procedures for recognition of mutual diplomas and cooperation for publication of the Albanian Language and Culture book for Albanians living in diaspora.

Serbian Language Media

Covid-19: 12 new cases registered in Serbian areas (Radio KIM)

Out of 94 tested samples in the Serb-populated areas in Kosovo, 12 tested positive for Covid-19, Crisis Committee of Mitrovica North announced today, Radio KIM reports.

New cases were registered as follows: four in Zubin Potok, three each in Mitrovica North and Leposavic, and one each in Zvecan and Strpce. 

Vucic on possible participation of Pristina in “Open Balkans” initiative (Kosovo-online)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said today Belgrade and Pristina have different stances on the “Open Balkans” initiative, however it is not a reason not to talk, Kosovo-online portal reports.

Speaking in a joint press conference with Edi Rama and Zoran Zaev, following the signing of the agreement within “Open Balkans” initiative, Vucic said it would be easier for both, Albanians and Serbs if there would be no administrative lines and if they could move freely, without stops and other mistreatments.

“I think there is no person in Pristina, Mitrovica, or Tirana who would not agree to this”, he said.

Vucic also said he won’t invite anybody to join, in order not to get rejected at the very start. 

“If you ask me if I have anything against them appearing, I do not. We are ready to talk and work together through the Open Balkans and we have no problem with that. I extend an invitation to Podgorica and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Those who do not join, are only wasting time. It is a matter of low political intrigues”, he added.  

He also said he was told by his advisers he should not be going to Tirana because of protests and burning of Serbian flags, but he reminded them it also happened that Albanian flags got burned in Belgrade.

“How come we always forgive ourselves, but not to others. I am against competition who will burn more flags to whom. I am for building bridges. I know people will be satisfied because of this cooperation. There is a million of areas we will cooperate in. We must not flatter daily politics and caprice of any political leader”, Vucic said.

He recalled that the “Open Balkans” initiative is a project of peace and accelerated economic development. 

Varhelyi: Any regional cooperation based on EU values is welcome and useful (NMagazin, Beta)

EU Enlargement Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi said today that he supports the Open Balkans initiative and called on its members to leave it open and the remaining partners from the Western Balkans to join it, reported NMagazin.

Addressing the summit of the initiative, which includes Albania, Northern Macedonia, and Serbia, being held in Tirana, he said that any regional cooperation based on EU rules and values is not only welcome but also useful for the region and the EU.

Varhelyi, who addressed the participants via video link, stressed that he remained committed to the common regional market of the Western Balkans and asked the three countries involved in the Open Balkans to leave the initiative open to the remaining Western Balkan partners that he invited to join.

He said that only through the common regional market, the region of the Western Balkans can increase GDP growth by a third.

The second third of GDP growth, he said, could be achieved through an economic investment plan drawn up by the EU, but it is also based on the existence of a common regional market and regional integration.

“Because there is no point in connecting the region with railways and highways if every truck and every train has to stop at every border … There is no point in creating an investment climate if there is no mutual recognition of diplomas and no free flow of services, goods and capital,” he added.

Announcing his address, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama accidentally broke the glass, which he, the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, interpreted as a “good sign”, reported NMagazin.

Protest in Tirana against ‘Open Balkan’ Initiative (KoSSev)

On the eve of the ‘Open Balkan’ summit in Albania, protests against this initiative were held in Tirana, led by former Prime Minister Sali Berisha and supporters of Berisha’s Democratic Party. The Serbian flag was set on fire, and the opponents of the ‘Open Balkan’ initiative from Kosovo also took part in the protest. Vucic and Zaev arrived in Elbasan tonight, while 6 agreements are expected to be signed tomorrow, KoSSev portal reports.

As announced, the protests in the Albanian capital started at 4 pm and ended at 6 pm with the song “It’s the final countdown“. As the Top Channel reports, Berisha and his supporters were stationed in front of the building of Prime Minister Edi Rama, who is hosting the summit.

The protesters initially gathered in front of the seat of the Democratic Party, then made their way to the Prime Minister’s building. The building door was barricaded in order to avoid any incident, while water cannons could also be seen on the site.

While Top Channel reported that the protest was attended by several hundred people, the activists themselves claim that several thousands of demonstrators actually came to the rally.

On the other hand, approximately two thousand police officers were deployed to maintain order and peace, in addition to the Republican Guard.

According to former Prime Minister Berisha, the Open Balkans summit is “a malicious initiative against Kosovo and Albania“.

Sali Berisha is on the US list of people involved in corruption. When the US Secretary of State revealed the news that Berisha was sanctioned on May 19th of this year, the former Prime Minister immediately announced that he was filing a defamation lawsuit in a Paris court, which he did in August.

Berisha is Rama’s opponent, as well as an opponent of the Open Balkans. He is a vocal advocate of the unification of Albanians into one state. Berisha has repeatedly and publicly spoken about unification. In several sources, his name is brought into connection with the arms trade during the ’99 war in Kosovo. In the 1990s, in several articles published in the Western media, it was alleged that his family farm was a KLA base, as well as that Berisha thus “manipulated the crisis“ for a “political comeback“.

Read more at: https://cutt.ly/JUrRzHG

Serbian PM says protest in Tirana had support from Belgrade (FoNet, N1)

Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic said that the protests in Tirana prior to a summit of the Open Balkan initiative had support from Belgrade, reported N1.

A crowd of several hundred people protested the Open Balkan initiative and the presence of Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic in the capital of Albania. The crowd tore down and burned a Serbian flag flying in a central square, prompting Prime Minister Edi Rama to move the working dinner to the city of Elbasan. The Serbian authorities customarily blame opponents, both explicitly and implicitly, for any opposition to their plans.

“The protests certainly had support from Belgrade,” Brnabic said in a live talk show on the pro-regime Happy TV without specifically naming anyone. “There are people dragging up forces from the past and there are people pulling into the future … because some people simply can’t imagine a future different to the past of the region,” she said

According to her, the Open Balkan initiative is opposed by people “stuck in some stereotypes that they can’t get out of” and added that there are people who fear that the initiative will reveal all their weaknesses.

Brnabic echoed Vucic’s view that the initiative does not run counter to European Union principles. She said that Vucic is a visionary who saw a different future for young people and added that regional cooperation will bring faster economic growth and development.

See at: https://bit.ly/3EiAT2B

Reactions on setting Serbian flags on fire in Tirana (media)

Serbian media reported that during the protest organized in Tirana against the “Open Balkan” initiative Serbian flags were set on fire.

“I know that most of the people are interested to hear what I will say about burning the flags, however, when rationally observed we must look to the future and understand that they were angry when we burned their flags and that happened before the arrival of Edi Rama in Serbia. It happened here last night, and I will not go into their internal party reasons. But, of course, it is inadmissible to desecrate state symbols and I think Albania reacted promptly, seriously and responsibly”, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic told RTS commenting on the burning of the Serbian flags in Tirana.

Serbian List Vice President Igor Simic said it was completely unacceptable for the international community to remain silent on the incidents in Tirana.

“It is absolutely unacceptable that democratic world, especially Brussels, Berlin and Paris, remain silent while radical elements in the Balkans attack Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and the prime ministers of Albania and North Macedonia, Rama and Zaev, while trying to pull the Balkans out of the past and conflict, leading it to a better future without borders, without hatred and with a strong economy that will keep young people in this area. Dear Europe, the Balkans have decided to move forward, where are you?”, Simic wrote on social media.

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama in his reaction said that during his visit to Belgrade there were Albanian flags on the squares and police arrested those burning them down.

“It is true that on a day I was visiting Belgrade, the Serbian capital was full of Albanian flags and that police arrested hooligans who burned the flag”.

Behgjet Pacolli, AKR leader, said it doesn’t go to the honor of Albanians as people to burn the Serbian flags in Tirana, adding he supports the “Open Balkan” initiative.

“I don’t believe that anyone went there to burn the flags, but some people there were certainly agitated and did it out of emotion. Of course, it doesn’t go to our honor to burn the flags. The destruction of flags was happening in the past. Let’s leave it to the past”, Pacolli said.

Pacolli also said he supports the “Open Balkans” initiative, claiming that Kosovo is treated as equal in this initiative.

Meanwhile, Serban media reported that Albanian police arrested two persons and processed six underage persons for burning the Serbian flags in Tirana. Undreage persons were released after being interviewed. The case has been sent to prosecution. 

Ten persons arrested in Strpce, including former mayor; Petkovic reacts (RTS)

RTS reports that ten persons, including former high municipal officials were arrested in Strpce this morning in an action of Kosovo police and prosecution.

Prosecutor’s office in Urosevac said that those arrested include former Strpce mayor, director of urbanism department, several officials and owners of the companies, “under suspicion of committing the criminal act of receiving bribery, giving bribery and misuse of official authority and position”.

Police action in Strpce started early this morning, before 6 a.m.

KoSSev portal reported at around 10.30 that the municipal building was still blocked, and current Strpce mayor Dalibor Jevtic was in front of the building, same as municipal workers who were not able yet to enter their offices.

The portal said the population in this Serb-majority municipality was in distress, in particular due to lack of information, adding that the situation remains calm so far. Journalist from local TV Herc in Strpce, said he knows nothing about the action, only what Albanian media in Pristina had published on it. 

Petkovic: Yet another brutal attempt to intimidate Serbian people

Serbian Government Office for Kosovo and Metohija Director, Petar Petkovic reacted to the arrests said “action of Kosovo police, with heavlly armed ROSU members, that intruded several Serbian villages and arrested number of Serbs represents yet another brutal attempt to intimidate the Serbian people in the province and new terror by Albin Kurti”.

“Strpce municipality is blocked since this morning, access is prevented, streets closed, many Serbian houses searched, people intimidated and prevented from carrying out their basic activities. Under the pretext of some sort of fight against corruption, Albin Kurti sends ROSU members, under full war-ready equipment to the Serbian areas, with one goal only – to criminalize the Serbs who remained the barrier of the defense of our national interests in the province”, Petkovic added. 

He also asked “how come Kurti doesn’t see the crime and corruption within his ranks, given that all international stakeholders are aware that all channels of dirty money go through Albanian areas”. 

Serbian List: We condemn brutal demonstration of force in Strpce (Kosovo-online portal)

Serbian List in the strongest terms “condemns excessive use of force and brutal action carried out today in Strpce municipality by heavily armed members of Pristina special units”, Kosovo-online portal reports.

Serbian List added it was particularly concerning that “during this action, based on testimonies of the people on the ground, police prevented movement, entry and exit of ordinary people in Strpce municipality, including those who were on their way this morning to the health institutions and in need of medical assistance”.

“If you take as an example similar actions, which are of course rarely conducted in the Albanian areas, in those situations exit and entry to the towns are not blocked of course, no one storms family houses and no one mistreats household members. All this provides us with a reason to raise our voices against brutality and demonstration of force in the Serb-majority municipalities and to demand an end to provocations which endanger peace and tranquility of the citizens”, Serbian List said in a statement. 

Journalist on the Strpce case: Possible arrests of people from the Kosovo government and ministries (N1)

The Basic Prosecutor’s Office in Urosevac announced that the former president of the municipality of Strpce and nine other officials were arrested due to, as it is stated, illegal construction, reported N1.

The Kosovo police started the operation in Strpce this morning, and Kreshnik Gashi, a journalist from the Internews Kosova, who has been investigating this case for more than a year, told N1 that the action is not over, that it will probably be continued and that arrests of people at the level of the executive power in Kosovo can be expected, that is, governments and ministries.

“Kosovo police and the prosecutor believe that they have enough evidence against the former mayor and other suspects from the municipality of Strpce for taking bribes at a time when many people from Kosovo invested in villas in Brezovica. There is evidence that individuals paid a lot of money for building permits in that zone,” Gashi said

He reminds that it is a protected zone in which the construction of houses and hotels is not allowed

“After 1999, many such facilities were built there and many were built thanks to bribing people from the municipality or the government,” he says.

Gashi states that it was “a silent operation, but where the door was locked, the police had to break it down.

“To clarify, this is a very dangerous group of people who are highly ranked, suspected of gaining millions through bribery and corruption. The group is not composed only of Serbs, there are also many Albanians in that group, and I expect that the next step will be the arrest of Albanian members and the confiscation of their property,” Gashi told N1.

Vucic on action in Strpce: “Kurti did it because of Open Balkans” (B92)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic commented on Kosovo police action in Strpce that took place this morning, B92 reports.

“At first they told us criminals live in the north of Kosovo and Metohija. They run that campaign for years. Now it looks like there are criminals in the south. They arrested ten people, and all criminals, I do not know how come they didn’t find anybody else, somewhere in between, in Urosevac for example, and only Serbs were criminals”, Vucic said ironically.

“Of course, (Albin) Kurti did it today because of the Open Balkans”, he added. Vucic also said that Serbia “will provide legal aid to all its people”.  

US set to name Resident Legal Advisor for Western Balkans (N1)

The US Justice Department is set to appoint a Resident Legal Advisor for the Western Balkans to help enhance the judiciary and law enforcement capacities of the countries of the region.

The Advisor will be assigned to the US Embassy in Croatia and will represent the Justice Department and its Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training (OPDAT).

“The mission of the Criminal Division’s Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training (OPDAT) is to develop and administer technical and developmental assistance designed to enhance the capabilities of foreign justice sector institutions and their law enforcement personnel. This assistance is administered to enable those institutions and their personnel to combat terrorism, transnational organized crime, corruption, financial crimes, and other types of crimes more effectively in a manner consistent with the rule of law. The assistance is also administered to enable those institutions and their personnel to more effectively cooperate regionally and with the United States in combating such crime,” the Justice Department website said.

It said that the Resident Legal Advisor will provide technical assistance (funded by the Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs) to raise capacity to investigate, prosecute, and adjudicate cases involving corruption and organized crime throughout the Western Balkans, including Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia.

“Assistance will focus on, but is not limited to, procurement fraud, corruption, money laundering, organized crime, FinTech, gender-based violence, and trafficking. This will involve technical assistance, mentoring, and advice on the investigation, prosecution, and adjudication of cases. It will also involve analysis of, and advice on, current or pending legislation,” it added.

OPDAT helped establish specialized police and prosecutor anti-corruption units in Serbia, provided direct case-based mentoring to local prosecutors on high-profile corruption cases in Kosovo; and leads the Bosnia-Herzegovina anti-corruption inter-agency working group tasked with corruption issues.

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

N1 documentary on Kosovo Serb “Asphalt Kings” (N1)

The documentary by N1’s Mladen Savatovic shows how Kosovo Serb businessmen have been winning lucrative government construction jobs long before they were named by the US Treasury as people involved in crime and corruption.

The lives of residents of two villages outside the central Serbian town of Paracin turned into a nightmare in 2019 when the construction of the Morava corridor began. A businessman from Kosovo opened a quarry right next to the village of Lesje and Plana making blasting, dust and heavy trucks their new reality. Something similar happened to the village of Ba with the opening of a quarry owned by men targeted as perpetrators of corruption by the US Treasury, especially during the construction of the Milos Veliki highway section between Ljig and Lajkovac. Six years later and they still have no peace.

Read more at: https://cutt.ly/jUrT6XV

Opinion

Legal framework for Kosovo Serbs tailored to Pristina (part four): Regional and/or Albanian integration (KoSSev)

By Dragutin Nenezic

Last work week ended with the news that Pristina failed in its endeavor to be represented in CEFTA without UNMIK’s mediation. The same week started with the announcement of the meeting within the “Open Balkans” initiative in Tirana. A couple of days earlier, the Pristina Minister of Transport promoted the project of a railway between Duress and Pristina, while standing in front of the picture of something that resembled so-called “Greater Albania“.

At the moment, at least three integrative processes are underway that directly affect the Serbs in KiM, however, as in other areas, their essence is lost in sensationalist headlines, announcements, and press releases. Therefore, this text is an attempt to determine the position of Kosovo Serbs within these integrative processes, as well as to assess their impact on them – to the extent this is possible within such a text.

Read more at:  https://cutt.ly/1UrWQpo

Hill’s Return to Belgrade Spells Challenge for Serbia (Balkan Insight)

By Vuk Velebit

Veteran US diplomat’s likely return to Balkans means the end of an easy ride for Serbia in Washington – and the start of sustained pressure to distance itself from Moscow and Beijing.

The spotlight of both domestic and international public is resting firmly on Christopher Hill, who has been nominated as next US ambassador to Serbia.

As one of the most experienced US diplomats, the potential arrival in Belgrade of the 69-year-old will affect the political dynamics in Serbia and the Western Balkans. His nomination is being carefully analyzed in Moscow and Beijing, unsurprisingly given that his long career included assisting negotiations to stop the wars in Yugoslavia in the 1990s, disarmament negotiations with North Korea, time spent in Iraq, and, finally, heading back to where he started his career decades ago in Belgrade.

The current US ambassador to Belgrade Anthony F. Godfrey has built his image mainly as a fan of Serbian food, clearly trying to alleviate the US’s bad image in Serbia over its policy towards the regime of Slobodan Milosevic during the 1990s.

Hill’s likely arrival in Belgrade on the other hand has already evoked memories of his diplomatic activities with the late Bosnian peacemaker Richard Holbrooke in the 1990s.

Read more at: https://cutt.ly/lUrZODn

International

Rival Albania Opposition Leader Leads Protest Against ‘Diabolical’ Serbia (Balkan Insight)

As turmoil within Albania’s main opposition Democratic Party deepens, former leader Sali Berisha led a protest on Monday against the meeting in Tirana of the Open Balkan Initiative, uniting Albania, Serbia and North Macedonia.

Protesters supporting a rival leader of Albania’s main opposition Democratic Party gathered at party headquarters on Monday and marched towards Prime Minister Edi Rama’s office, denouncing a meeting in Albania of the three leaders of countries supporting the “Open Balkan” initiative.

Some of them burning Serbian flag, they called it a “diabolical” attempt to establish Serbian hegemony over the Balkan region. “The diabolical project of the Open Balkan is an adventurous attempt to oppose the Berlin initiative,” Sali Berisha said referencing an earlier move by Germany to revitalize Balkan-EU ties.

Meantime, the three leaders, Albanian PM Rama, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and North Macedonian PM Zoran Zaev were having dinner far from Tirana in the central Albanian town of Elbasan.

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Leaders of “Open Balkans” seek Germany’s support (Albanian Daily News)

The Prime Minister of Albania, Edi Rama, the Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and the Prime Minister of North Macedonia Zoran Zaev, seek the support for their initiative called “Open Balkans”.

The German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung published a text that Rama, Vucic and Zaev have compiled together to seek the support of the new government in Berlin.

“We hope that the new government in Germany will accept the Open Balkans initiative as a contribution to the full implementation of the Berlin Process”, reads the text signed by the three heads of state.

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Kosovo Arrests Ten for Corruption, Including Ex-Mayor (Balkan Insight)

Ten people, including the ex-mayor of the Shterpce/Strpce municipality, have been arrested in an operation against corruption connected to the alleged illegal construction of villas at a tourism site in Brezovica.

A former mayor, municipal directors and heads of private companies were arrested on Tuesday morning in a Kosovo police and prosecution raid over alleged illegal construction at a tourist resort in eastern Kosovo.

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Former UN Spokesperson Writes Novel About Kosovo Guerrilla (BIRN)

German journalist Mechthild Henneke, who worked for the UN mission in Kosovo for several years, has published a novel about a medical student who joins the Kosovo Liberation Army as a volunteer fighter. Mechthild Henneke, a former spokesperson for the UN mission in Kosovo, has used her experiences in the country as material for her recently-published first novel, set during the late 1990s war, entitled ‘Ach, Mein Kosovo!’ (‘Oh, My Kosovo!’).

Henneke, who is now a freelance journalist and PR consultant in Berlin, became spokesperson for UNMIK after violent unrest erupted in Kosovo in 2004, and worked for the mission for four years.

But she initially went to Kosovo in 1998 as a volunteer for an NGO in the western Kosovo city of Gjakova/Djakovica.

“It was almost war. I saw people killed, displaced people, and was touched by the brutality and the feeling that something bigger, something worse is coming, which happened after NATO started its air campaign [against Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic’s regime in 1999],” Henneke told BIRN.

Her book, which she said is “largely based on real events”, tells the story of a Kosovo Albanian medical student who leaves his life and job in Germany to join the newly-established guerrilla Kosovo Liberation Army in 1998.

Based on a real character, it is a poignant chronicle of wartime violence and the dilemmas faced by the medic who decides to go to war.

The book is mainly based on a real character who worked for the Kosovo Protection Corps’ medical unit in the post-war period.

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