Albanian Language Media:

• Kurti: No need for an Association that increases tensions (RTK/Telegrafi)
• “CEC has advanced in organising elections” (Kosovapress)
• Kosovo Government appoints members of boards in “Trepca” and “KEK” (media)
• Rukiqi: Arbitrary intervention in “Agrokosova Holding”, negative precedent (Zeri)
• AJK condemns arrest of Ekonomia Online cameraman (media)
• COVID-19: 2,110 new cases, five deaths (media)
• Krasniqi: No new COVID-19 measures expected today (Telegrafi)
• Committee meets to discuss modification of COVID-19 measures (Klan)

Serbian Language Media:

• Covid-19: 96 new cases, one death registered in Serbian areas (Radio KIM)
• Vucic discusses dialogue, regional stability with Escobar, Lajcak (Tanjug)
• Lajcak: Discussion with Vucic about dialogue constructive (Tanjug)
• US embassy: We want Serbia to succeed (Tanjug)
• Dacic: The key issue for the envoys is holding elections in Kosovo and Metohija (Kontakt plus radio, Tanjug)
• Selakovic with Escobar and Lajcak: Pristina has not fulfilled main part of Brussels agreement – ZSO (Kosovo-online)
• Escobar and Lajcak will try to convince Vucic to meet with Kurti before the elections (Danas)
• ”Oslobodjenje” movement activists covered Belgrade center with posters against Vucic, Lajcak, Escobar and Schmidt (Danas, Beta)
• Covic: If Brussels agreement is constantly blocked, one should turn to Resolution 1244 (Radio KIM)
• Orthodox cemetery in Djakovica cleaned up (Radio KIM)
• Serbian PM tells Moscow’s envoy Belgrade expects Russian PM’s visit soon (N1)
• Brnabic: Serbia hopes for opening cluster 3 during French EU presidency (N1)
• Stano: Legally binding agreement on normalisation goal of dialogue (Tanjug)
• Ministers Stefanovic, Vulin with General Mojsilovic on the situation in the Ground Security Zone (Kosovo Online, Vecernje Novosti)
• Serbian minister calls KFOR to prevent incursions by armed gangs from Kosovo (Beta, N1)
• Bisevac: Additional exam term in March approved due to anti-Covid measures and restriction of movement (Radio Mitrovica sever)
• Lawyer on Pristina University and SOC dispute: Eparchy requests lawsuit be revoked (Kosovo-online)
• Vucic receives Bundestag rapporteur for Western Balkans (Tanjug)

International:

• US aircraft carrier visits Adriatic to take part in a NATO-led military exercise (Hina, N1 Zagreb)
• Serbian opposition parties unite against Vucic’s populists (AP)
• Big Tech Has Engineered the Triumph of Click-Bait in Media (Balkan Insight)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Central European, Balkan, Athletes Dream of Glory in Beijing (Balkan Insight)

Albanian Language Media  

Kurti: No need for an Association that increases tensions (RTK/Telegrafi)

Prime Minister of Kosovo Albin Kurti said that the Association of Serb-majority municipalities did not pass the Constitutional Court test.

Speaking to reporters after the decision of the Government to appoint members of the board to public enterprises, Trepca and KEK, Kurti said: “The Constitutional Court has stated that none of the chapters of the Association is in line with the Constitution of Kosovo, therefore it has not passed the test of the Constitutional Court. Serbs in Kosovo like Albanians, Turks, Roma, Bosniaks, Egyptians, Ashkali and others need justice and employment and not an Association that would increase tensions, damage our relations, and rejoice someone in Belgrade.”

Kurti added that the Government of Kosovo is committed to fully upholding constitutionality and lawfulness. He reiterated the position that the dialogue with Serbia should result in mutual recognition. 

Kurti also said that he is ready to attend talks in Brussels. “When the office of the European Union representative Mr. Borrel calls us to the meeting, we are ready to take part in the talks there. We want principled dialogue, where the equality of the parties is a given and indisputable fact. We want dialogue as dialogue for agreement and not dialogue for the sake of dialogue and this means an agreement on the status of our relations, not the status of Kosovo.”

“CEC has advanced in organising elections” (Kosovapress)

Kreshnik Radoniqi, head of the Central Election Commission (CEC), said that they have made progress in organising elections.

Speaking about transparency and administration of elections in Kosovo on a roundtable marking the Global Elections Day, Radoniqi said that a new piece of legislation on elections is necessary in order to address many issues identified by election observers. 

“Of course we have an old law and there is a need for intervention or perhaps change of the election system [but] this remains an issue to be treated by political parties, together with us or also with the civil society but a new law is necessary.” 

Ismet Kryeziu from the Kosovo Democratic Institute noted that this would be a good time for Kosovo to begin election reform. He said that irregularities and challenges that accompany election processes in Kosovo need to be addressed through an election reform which he said should be comprehensive and “not include only certain segments that may be favourable to one particular political entity.” 

Kosovo Government appoints members of boards in “Trepca” and “KEK” (media)

The Government of Kosovo appointed members to the board of directors of public enterprises “Trepca” and “Kosovo Energy Corporation/KEK”. 

The British Embassy in Kosovo has welcomed the appointment of members of the Board of Directors of the Kosovo Energy Corporation (KEK).

“We welcome the decision of the Government of Kosovo and congratulate newly appointed members of Board of Directors of KEK. The recruitment process for Board of Directors of KEK was supported by the Recruitment Project and the members appointed were recommended as appointable by the British experts,” the Embassy said in a statement. 

It went on to encourage all professionals, particularly women, to “apply for senior positions to increase accountability and diversity of governance in Kosovo.”

Rukiqi: Arbitrary intervention in “Agrokosova Holding”, negative precedent (Zeri)

Berat Rukiqi, chairman of the Kosovo Chamber of Commerce, said that the police operation in the former publicly-owned enterprise in Suhareka, “Agrokosova Holding”, represents a negative precedent that will reflect in foreign investments in Kosovo.

“Arbitrary intervention via the police, without exhaustion of constitutional and legal mechanisms, is unacceptable and can serve as extremely negative precedents in the future. These actions need to stop,” Rukiqi wrote on Facebook. 

Privatisation Agency of Kosovo, accompanied by Kosovo Police, today took over administration of the enterprise, privatised in 2007, citing non-fulfillment of agreement and serious breaches of contract conditions.

AJK condemns arrest of Ekonomia Online cameraman (media)

Association of Journalists of Kosovo (AJK) has condemned the arrest of Albion Selitaj, cameraman for the Ekonomia Online news outlet demanding his immediate release. 

“AJK strongly condemns the unprofessional behaviour of Kosovo Police officers,” said AJK in a statement, adding that it expects the police to enable journalists to perform their duties and not obstruct them. 

Selitaj was part of the crew following a police operation in a company in Suhareka whereby the Privatisation Agency of Kosovo took it under administration. 

Media meanwhile report that Selitaj has been released. Police said the arrest was made for failing to heed orders and obstructing officials from exercising their duties.

COVID-19: 2,110 new cases, five deaths (media)

2,110 new cases of COVID-19 and five deaths have been recorded in Kosovo in the last 24 hours, the Ministry of Health said in its daily report. 3,772 persons recovered during this time.

There are 30,871 active cases of COVID-19 in Kosovo.

Krasniqi: No new COVID-19 measures expected today (Telegrafi)

Elbert Krasniqi, Minister of Local Government Administration, said that no new COVID-19 measures are expected to be introduced by Kosovo authorities today.

Krasniqi confirmed that the recommendations of health professionals will be presented today and that possible proposals that may emerge would be forwarded to the Government for review. 

“So there will be no change, relaxation or restriction, of measures at this meeting,” Krasniqi told a local radio station. 

Committee meets to discuss modification of COVID-19 measures (Klan)

The committee for the management of the coronavirus pandemic is meeting today to assess the epidemiological situation and possible new measures, Klan Kosova reports.

It quotes sources saying that the options considered include halving or lifting the curfew entirely with cafes and restaurants being allowed to operate until 23:00. At the border crossings there will be no need for citizens to prove that they have received three doses of vaccine, as it will be enough to cross the border with two doses of vaccine and without a test.

In addition, the Ministry of Health may decide to allow wedding parties and celebratory events on condition that they strictly adhere to measures stipulating that no guests without two doses of vaccine attend. 

Serbian Language Media

Covid-19: 96 new cases, one death registered in Serbian areas (Radio KIM)

Out of 202 tested samples in the Serb-populated areas in Kosovo, 96 were positive for Covid-19, Crisis Committee of Mitrovica North announced, Radio KIM reports. At the same time one person passed away.

New cases were registered as follows: 30 in Leposavic, 19 in Gracanica, 18 in Mitrovica North, 13 in Zvecan, seven in Strpce, five in Zubin Potok, two in Priluzje and one each in Pec and Gnjilane. Deceased person was from Mitrovica  North. 

Currently there are 1.352 active cases of Covid-19 in the Serbian areas in Kosovo.

Also a total of 203 persons have died in the Serbian areas due to Covid-19 related complications since the outbreak of the pandemic. 

Vucic discusses dialogue, regional stability with Escobar, Lajcak (Tanjug)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic met with US Deputy Assistant State Secretary Gabriel Escobar and the EU special envoy for the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue and other Western Balkan regional issues Miroslav Lajcak in Belgrade late on Wednesday.

At separate meetings with Escobar and Lajcak, Vucic discussed further steps in the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue while, at a trilateral meeting, the three officials touched upon crucial topics of significance for a sustainable future and stability of the region as well as for economic progress of Serbia and the Western Balkans, an official statement said.

Vucic thanked Escobar and Lajcak for their personal advocacy of a continuation of the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue, noting that Serbia respected their efforts aimed at stabilisation in the region and that, through their pragmatism and commitment, both officials were greatly contributing to ensuring an atmosphere of neutrality in the dialogue process itself.

Vucic underlined that Serbia, as a serious and dependable partner in all valid and signed agreements, was acting responsibly and fulfilling its commitments but that this was met with continued attempts by the Pristina authorities to avoid fulfilling their commitments through unilateral provocations and unrealistic expectations from facilitators, which he said was a major obstruction to further dialogue.

Escobar and Lajcak noted that they were supporting a continuation of constructive dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, as well as EU integration of the Western Balkans, and added that it was crucial that both sides met all commitments from the dialogue.

Lajcak particularly noted that the EU and the US were cooperating closely and sharing the same vision when it comes to the dialogue process and an EU future of the entire region and added that their efforts were aimed at reaching a comprehensive agreement and at implementation of all agreements signed to date.

Once again thanking the two officials for their commitment, Vucic said he was confident it was only through additional efforts invested in a responsible manner by both sides in the dialogue that a compromise solution and common ground could be found in the interest of both Serbs and Albanians, as well as in the interest of a European future of Serbia and the entire region.

See at: https://bit.ly/3unVL7p

Lajcak: Discussion with Vucic about dialogue constructive (Tanjug)

The EU special envoy for the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue, Miroslav Lajcak, said late on Wednesday his meeting with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic about the way forward in the dialogue had been “constructive and substantive”.

“Just finished a constructive and substantive discussion with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic in Belgrade about the way forward in the EU-facilitated Dialogue on normalisation of relations,” Lajcak wrote in a Twitter post.

Vucic had meetings with Lajcak and US Deputy Assistant State Secretary Gabriel Escobar on Wednesday, after which a trilateral meeting was held as well.

US embassy: We want Serbia to succeed (Tanjug)

The EU-US partnership is stronger than ever, and its objectives are common, the US embassy in Belgrade said following Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic’s meeting with the US and EU special envoys, Gabriel Escobar, and Miroslav Lajcak, late on Wednesday.

“The EU-US partnership is stronger than ever, and the objectives are common – we want Serbia to succeed,” the embassy posted on its official Twitter account.

The post also included a photo from Vucic’s meeting with US Deputy Assistant State Secretary Escobar and Lajcak, the EU special representative for the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue and other Western Balkan regional issues.

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

Dacic: The key issue for the envoys is holding elections in Kosovo and Metohija (Kontakt plus radio, Tanjug)

“We will not change our principled positions, and those positions are such that any direct or indirect recognition of Kosovo as an independent state is absolutely out of the question. Everything else is something that can be discussed,” said Serbian National Assembly Speaker Ivica Dacic.

Speaking to Tanjug, Dacic talked about his conversation with the special envoy of the United States of America, Gabriel Escobar, last night, where bilateral relations were discussed. 

He expects that the issue of dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina will be raised during the trilateral meeting. 

Dacic believed that the key question should be answered by the envoys and that was whether the elections of the Republic of Serbia, scheduled for April 3, will be held in Kosovo. The referendum on changes to the Constitution of Serbia, 16. January, was not held in Kosovo as per the decision of the Kosovo government

“But I think that the central question they need to answer is what will happen with the elections on April 3, because if they don’t have an answer to that question, then I really don’t know what to talk about anymore,” Dacic added.

”If they now say that there should be elections, and Kurti says that it is out of the question, we come to a situation where we really need to believe that they cannot influence Kurti. It’s all a little funny and we are fair, but we are not fools,” he concluded.

Selakovic with Escobar and Lajcak: Pristina has not fulfilled main part of Brussels agreement – ZSO (Kosovo-online)

Serbian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nikola Selakovic had a trilateral meeting with US Assistant of State and Western Balkans Envoy Gabriel Escobar and EU Special Envoy for Belgrade-Pristina talks Miroslav Lajcak in Belgrade today, Kosovo-online portal reports.

During the meeting Selakovic said that Serbia remains fully committed to the process of reforms and advancement of all segments of the society, adding he hopes such commitment would result in opening new negotiating clusters, in the EU’s accession process.

Regarding the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue, Selakovic stressed that Serbia remains committed to continuing the dialogue, and remains open to reaching a comprehensive agreement that will be mutually acceptable. He recalled that Belgrade fulfilled almost all obligations deriving from the dialogue, while Pristina, after almost nine years since the Brussels agreement was reached, has not fulfilled its main part – to establish the Community of Serb-majority Municipalities (ZSO).

He also warned of, as he said, constant attempts of Pristina to disown the dialogue and destabilise the region.

Talking about upcoming Serbian elections Selakovic emphasised the importance of resolving the issue of its holding in Kosovo as a priority, recalling that over the last two decades all election cycles organised by Belgrade were conducted in the territory of Kosovo and Metohija with OSCE’s assistance. 

Escobar and Lajcak will try to convince Vucic to meet with Kurti before the elections (Danas)

Daily Danas reported yesterday that there would be no revolutionary messages, except for the repetition of the request for the renewal of the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, when in fact there is none. The second will be an attempt to persuade President Aleksandar Vucic to meet Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti in Brussels before the elections in Serbia, in February or early March, a well-informed source from diplomatic circles told Danas, commenting on the visit of the US special envoy for the WB, Gabriel Escobar and Miroslav Lajcak, the EU’s special envoy for dialogue, who are staying in Belgrade after Pristina.

According to Danas sources, the two envoys will try to form the mechanism envisaged by the Brussels Agreement, which refers to the formation of the Community of Serbian Municipalities.

– There is this new moment that is more related to the American envoy Escobar. This is related to sanctions against politicians and businessmen from the north of Kosovo, who are the backbone of the Serbian List. So, an agreement must be reached on that: whether they participate or not in the elections. I think that the recommendation will be that they are no longer in the elections, or on the lists in Serbia, and especially if there are early elections in Kosovo – says a source to Danas.

He reminds that Gabriel Escobar was visiting primarily as a representative for the Western Balkans, and that even though Kosovo was the main topic, as well as the issue of the Serbian List and the Community of Serbian Municipalities, it is just as important and possible the issue of political consequences in Serbia and weighing whether and when to continue the sanctioning process.

– All in all, I think the message will be that Vucic and the authorities in Serbia are expected to do their job regarding the already imposed sanctions, but also possibly others, and that the American side will then wait, so as not to influence or prejudge the elections with possible new sanctions – believes source of Danas.

”Oslobodjenje” movement activists covered Belgrade center with posters against Vucic, Lajcak, Escobar and Schmidt (Danas, Beta)

Danas daily reported that last night activists of the Oslobodjenje movement with posters in the center of Belgrade that had photos of Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, US Special Envoy to the Balkans Gabriel Escobar, EU Envoy for Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue Miroslav Lajcak and High Representative to BiH Christian Schmidt, with messages written “Triple Pact against Serbia” and ”Triple Pact against Republika Srpska”.

The president of the movement, Mladjan Djordjevic, said that the action “sent a clear message to Aleksandar Vucic and his Western mentors that their behind-the-scenes agreements on the final recognition of the false state of Kosovo by Serbia will not pass”.

“The destruction of the Republika Srpska will not be allowed, despite the fact that Vucic publicly recognized Christian Schmidt as the High Representative in BiH, although Russia, China and the RS leadership did not do that,” Djordjevic said, the movement announced. 

He added that in the coming period, the movement will organise a series of actions in Serbia and RS, which, as he stated, will draw attention to the creeping betrayal of key national interests of Serbia.

“If Vucic thinks that he will manage to extend the mandate of his criminal and treacherous government by fulfilling the demands of the West and betraying Serbian national interests, selling territory for the sake of surviving in power, and creating a “Greater Albania”, he is grossly mistaken,” said Djordjevic, reported Danas.

Covic: If Brussels agreement is constantly blocked, one should turn to Resolution 1244 (Radio KIM)

It is evident that Pristina blocks any deal and doesn’t implement a single agreement, including the Brussels agreement relating to the Community of Serb-majority Municipalities, former head of the Serbian Government Coordination Centre for Kosovo and Metohija, Nebojsa Covic told RTS, Radio KIM reports.

He assessed if blocking of the Brussels agreement continues, one should turn to something everybody supports and that is UN SC Resolution 1244.

Commenting on yesterday’s talks of President Aleksandar Vucic with US and EU officials Gabriel Escobar and Miroslav Lajcak, Covic said that both diplomats have made great effort and it is to be seen if Serbia should be grateful to them once results surface.

“What is evident is that Pristina constantly blocks any deal and doesn’t implement any single agreement, and there are more than 40 of them. In this case the Brussels agreement when it comes to the Community of Serb-majority Municipalities’ ‘, Covic said.

He added this has become clear to Washington as well and that they (Pristina) “have bored Washington”.

“I have noticed that in one statement of Ramush Haradinaj who said that 20 hectares of land should return to Decani Monastery based on the decision of the so-called Constitutional Court of Kosovo and Metohija, given that this decision is not being implemented, and then there is an implementation of a decision on some sort to ban establishment of the Community of Serbian Municipalities, which is absolutely not true, given that the local self-governance law and Ahtisaari’s plan allow Community, and there is also Brussels agreement, guaranteed by international community”, Covic opined.

According to him, if the Brussels agreement is constantly blocked, one should turn to something everybody supports and that is UN SC Resolution 1244.

“The Resolution 1244 doesn’t foresee unilateral declaration of Kosovo independence. They have disavowed it, and now they are trying to further disavow the Brussels agreement. It is not a partnership, it is, to use the old Serbian word, very mean”, Covic said.

He stressed that what Lajcak said in Pristina, that an entire European Union supports independence of Kosovo was not true, recalling that five member states do not recognize Kosovo.

Resolution 1244 and Serbian Constitution as ‘red lines’

He also said Belgrade’s red lines are UN SC Resolution 1244 and Constitution of the Republic of Serbia, and we should not go back as to who trampled over entire international law in the world, given that this was a testing area where it took place for the first time, and now there are attempts to continue in line with that pattern.

Commenting on Lajcak’s statement that “no one sane wishes Republika Srpska in Kosovo”, Covic asked does it mean that those (signing) the Dayton Peace Accord (which ended the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina) were “insane”. 

Orthodox cemetery in Djakovica cleaned up (Radio KIM)

Orthodox cemetery in Piskote settlement in Djakovica has been cleaned up ahead of All Souls Day with the efforts of Djakovica Provisional Municipal Authority and Office for Kosovo and Metohija, Radio KIM reports.

Djakovica Provisional Municipal Authority said the cemetery spreading to an area of one hectare was in very bad condition, covered with weeds and bushes. It also added that the majority of the tombstones were broken down, following withdrawal of the Serbian security forces in 1999, and that the Church of Saint Lazar and a chapel at the entry of the cemetery have been demolished.

They also recalled that during March 2004 pogrom a Church of Holy Trinity in the centre of the town was also demolished. In a renovated Dormition of the Mother of God Monastery in a settlement earlier known as Serbian street, two nuns and one novice live currently.

“We expect it will be possible that displaced Serbs from Djakovica following several years-long incomprehensible ban, would be able to visit the cemetery at upcoming All Souls Day and light the candles to their loved ones”, the statement reads.

In June last year, Dragica Gasic, first Serb woman returnee came back to the town, facing numerous obstacles. 

NGO ACDC office opened in Pristina (KiM radio)

The Center for the Advocacy of Democratic Culture (ACDC) officially opened an office in Pristina on February 1st. “The main goal is to be more present in the central institutions,” the executive director of this organisation, Dusan Radakovic told RTV KiM. 

The fight for the rights of Serbs and other communities in Kosovo is also one of the reasons for opening this office in Pristina, Radakovic said.

“The presence in the central institutions where the biggest decision-makers are, was the goal, in order to put even greater pressure when it comes to the rights of the Serb community in Kosovo,” he said.

The Center for the Advocacy of Democratic Culture was established in 2011.

”The organisation was founded with the aim of fighting for the rights of the Serbian community in Kosovo through the rule of law, free legal aid, transparency, work on anti-corruption, monitoring elections through Democracy in Action, fighting for human rights … These are things we have been doing successfully for 10 years. We have over 40 memoranda of understanding with almost all institutions in Kosovo, and that leads us to want to help the Serbian and other communities in the fight for better rights,” Radakovic said.

Free legal aid and monitoring of the work of courts, police, prosecutors’ offices, and social work centers are activities that this organisation is constantly engaged in. Currently, among other things, they are implementing the project in four municipalities in Kosovo (Vucitrn, Srbica, Ranilug and Zvecan).

“We are conducting training for young people aged 15 to 24, followed by the awarding of grants. The program is funded by the World Bank through the Community Development Fund (CDF). We are one of the partners in four municipalities, out of 10 that are operating in Kosovo. We are also working on an internal dialogue between Serbs and Albanians in Mitrovica, in the northern and southern part of this city. A large project concerning anti-corruption in the north is underway,” Radakovic concluded.

The expansion of the Center for the Advocacy of Democratic Culture (ACDC) to the regional level began last month with the opening of an office in Belgrade, recalled KiM radio.

Serbian PM tells Moscow’s envoy Belgrade expects Russian PM’s visit soon (N1)

Serbian Prime Minister, Ana Brnabic and Russian Ambassador to Serbia Alexander Botsan-Kharchenko discussed relations between the two countries, joint projects and other current topics, N1 reports.

The Prime Minister’s office statement quoted her as saying she hoped for further intensification of economic cooperation and officials’ visits from the two countries, adding Belgrade was looking forward to seeing Mikhail Mishustin, Russian Prime Minister, in Serbia soon.

The statement added the two also talked about digital connection projects, exchange of ideas, experiences and strategies within high-tech components, traffic infrastructure and medicine.

Brnabic: Serbia hopes for opening cluster 3 during French EU presidency (N1)

Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic said Thursday that her country hoped to open cluster 3 (Civil security for society) in accession talks with the European Union during the French 6-month presidency over the bloc, N1 reports.

The topics in her meeting with the French Ambassador to Serbia, Pierre Cochard, included French priorities during the presidency, strengthening of democratic institutions and the rule of law in Serbia, and Belgrade’s role in stability and perspective of the Western Balkans.

Cochard said Paris planned to organise a conference on the Western Balkans during which it would support projects for better cooperation, primarily in nourishing regional cooperation and stability.

The head of the EU Delegation in Serbia, Emanuele Giaufret, also attended the meeting.

Stano: Legally binding agreement on normalisation goal of dialogue (Tanjug)

EU spokesperson Peter Stano was on Wednesday “unwilling” to give a direct answer to a Tanjug question whether the EU was pushing for mutual recognition as the outcome of the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue, Tanjug news agency has said.

Earlier in the day, an official of Kosovo opposition PDK party said that, during closed-door meetings in Pristina that were also attended by US special envoy Gabriel Escobar, the EU special envoy for the dialogue, Miroslav Lajcak, had said the EU was advocating a mutual recognition between Serbia and Kosovo.

Stano said the ultimate objective of the dialogue was the signing of a legally binding agreement on normalisation of relations between Serbia and Kosovo.

When asked about the official position of the EU and its foreign policy and security chief Josep Borrell – the main facilitator in the dialogue – on acceptable modalities for an agreement on normalisation, Stano said Brussels did not comment on “speculations or alleged leaks to media from internal conversations”.

He said the mandate of Lajcak and the EU was to facilitate the reaching of a legally binding agreement on normalisation of relations between Serbia and Kosovo.

Ministers Stefanovic, Vulin with General Mojsilovic on the situation in the Ground Security Zone (Kosovo Online, Vecernje Novosti)

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Nebojsa Stefanovic, together with Interior Minister Aleksandar Vulin and Chief of the General Staff of the Serbian Army General Milan Mojsilovic, arrived at the “Toplica Uprising” (Toplicki Ustanak) barracks in Kursumlija, reported portal Kosovo Online and Vecernje Novosti daily.

A meeting is underway, the topic of which is the situation in the Ground Security Zone, which is attended by the officers of the Serbian Army and the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

The last incident in the Ground Security Zone happened on January 30, when several dozen unknown persons, in the area of the village of Rastelica near Kursumlija, fired several shots from automatic weapons at police officers from the Prokuplje Police Department, recalled Kosovo Online. 

Serbian minister calls KFOR to prevent incursions by armed gangs from Kosovo (Beta, N1)

Serbian Internal Affairs Minister Aleksandar Vulin said on Thursday that more than 50 cases of armed groups crossing into Serbia from Kosovo were reported in the Ground Safety Zone in 2021 and called KFOR to secure the administrative boundary, reported N1.

“We had 56 incursions by those gangs who are organised to rob the property of our citizens last year alone in the Ground Safety Zone,” Vulin said after a meeting with Defence Minister Nebojsa Stefanovic and Chief of Staff General Milan Mojsilovic in the southern city of Kursumlija. He said that the “organised Albanian gangs” crossed the boundary into Serbia proper to cut lumber illegally and often opened fire at Serbian security forces.

He said that KFOR is responsible for security in Kosovo including along the administrative boundary adding that the international forces should prevent incursions by illegal loggers. According to Vulin, the Serbian police and military deployed in the Ground Safety Zone are prepared to enforce the law and protect the population and added that he expects KFOR to do its job and take responsibility for security along the administrative boundary line.

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

Bisevac: Additional exam term in March approved due to anti-Covid measures and restriction of movement (Radio Mitrovica sever)

Due to the steep increase in numbers of coronavirus-infected people Kosovo government adopted stricter measures, which came into force on January 22 and are still applicable. The implementation of those measures prevents the entry in Kosovo for those who have not received three doses of the vaccine so far, and among them are numerous students from the Serbian University from Pristina, temporarily dislocated to Mitrovica North who come to attend classes from central Serbia and the region, Radio Mitrovica sever reports.

According to student vice-rector Nemanja Bisevac through the Student Conference and the letters they sent to the relevant Serbian ministry, an agreement was reached and a recommendation to organise an additional exam term in March was approved.

“Students who live outside the territory of Kosovo and Metohija, who have not received three doses of the vaccine, are not able to perform their students’ duties and take the exams in February. We initiated the procedure and sent a request for the approval of an additional term. The Student Conference of the University of Serbia had expressed their complete understanding and they immediately sent a letter to the Ministry of Education”, he said.

Unfortunately, we cannot influence the decisions of the authorities in Pristina, which directly affect all students coming from central Serbia, but we received a recommendation from the relevant ministry that for all students who are unable to come to faculties and take their exams, additional the exam deadline will be in March, Bisevac added.

“We hope that the anti-COVID measures for entering the territory of Kosovo and Metohija will soon be abolished, which include confirmation of three doses of the vaccine, so that our students can start their regular activities and attend exercises and classes from February 17, when the second semester begins within the school year 2021-22, and that we can organise an additional exam period for all of them who were not able to attend in March”, he explained.

Lawyer on Pristina University and SOC dispute: Eparchy requests lawsuit be revoked (Kosovo-online)

A hearing on the Pristina University “Hasan Prishtina” lawsuit against Serbian Orthodox Church (SOC) over alleged usurpation of the land, on which the Christ the Saviour Temple was built in Pristina was postponed, as the plaintiff’s side didn’t appear, Kosovo-online portal reports.

“At today’s hearing a plaintiff’s side, respectively representative of the University, has not appeared. Representative of Raska-Prizren Eparchy therefore requested to make a decision on revoking the lawsuit over unjustified absence of the plaintiff, and also deliver such decision in writing to the Eparchy”, legal representative of the Eparchy, Aleksandar Radovanovic said.

The new hearing has not been scheduled, and according to Radovanovic the process will continue after procedural issues are resolved.

The University of Pristina sued the Serbian Orthodox Church claiming that four hectares of land where the temple was built belong to the University. The sued party in this dispute was also the City of Pristina, however the court dismissed this lawsuit in 2015.

In 2017, the Kosovo Court of Appeals upheld the decision of the first-instance court that the Serbian Orthodox Church has a right to land around the unfinished Christ the Saviour Temple in Pristina. This decision for the second time dismissed the lawsuit of the University of Pristina, which since 2012 has been trying to dispute the right of the SOC over the land.   

After this decision, the University of Pristina had the right to initiate new proceedings from the beginning and to file a new lawsuit regarding ownership rights to the land.

Vucic receives Bundestag rapporteur for Western Balkans (Tanjug)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic on Thursday received Adis Ahmetovic, a Social Democratic Party representative in the German Bundestag and the legislative body’s rapporteur for the Western Balkans, to discuss potentials for strengthening the bilateral cooperation between Serbia and Germany, Serbia’s EU path and regional affairs, Tanjug news agency reports.

Vucic said he appreciated Ahmetovic’s intent to back a strengthening of cooperation in the Western Balkans and noted that this would help maintain peace and stability in the region, the presidential press office said in a statement. Ahmetovic said his objectives for the future included helping the Western Balkans find its way into the EU.

He noted Serbia’s exceptional economic development, helped to a significant extent by German investors. Vucic said German investors and economic cooperation with Germany were of the greatest significance for Serbia’s development.

He also said Serbia would continue reforms aimed at creating a safe investment environment, such as rule of law reforms, and noted the recent success of a referendum on constitutional amendments concerning the judiciary.

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International

US aircraft carrier visits Adriatic to take part in a NATO-led military exercise (Hina, N1 Zagreb)

US aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman is currently leading a battle group conducting a military exercise in the Adriatic, Croatian state agency Hina reported on Thursday, adding that the group’s commander “declined to speculate on what would happen after the exercises end in the coming days because rules forbid talking about future operations.”

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Biden formally approves new US troops to Europe amid Russia threat (CNN, N1 Zagreb)

President Joe Biden has formally approved additional US military deployments to eastern Europe, and the Pentagon is expected to announce Wednesday morning that the troops will deploy “in the coming days,” US officials told CNN.

The deployments are a show of support to NATO allies feeling threatened by Russia’s military moves near Ukraine, the officials said.

The Pentagon is expected to announce that thousands of additional US troops will deploy to forward locations in Europe. The deployments will include roughly 2,000 US troops to Poland and an additional few thousand to southeastern NATO countries, including Romania, the sources said.

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Serbian opposition parties unite against Vucic’s populists (AP)

BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — Serbia’s main opposition alliance on Wednesday presented its candidates for top posts ahead of a general vote in hopes of mounting a serious challenge to the long-ruling populist President Aleksandar Vucic.

Serbia’s presidential and parliamentary elections, along with a municipal vote in Belgrade, the capital, are expected in early April. The vote will be held amid heightened political tensions over Vucic’s increasingly authoritarian rule.

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Big Tech Has Engineered the Triumph of Click-Bait in Media (Balkan Insight)

In the Balkans, as elsewhere, the local media’s dependence on global internet browsers and social networks like Google and Facebook has damaged the quality of what they print.

Facebook and Google algorithms have changed the way we are informed. Borderless digital newsstands, which can be used to inform readerships all over the world, have become new age media oligarchs.

As browsers and social networks became the gateways to the Internet, most media outlets have shifted focus to the digital world. Some focus more on digital publications, while others have closed down print operations altogether. Newcomers in the media now don’t even bother with print editions but start operations directly on the net.

While media organizations have welcomed the possibility to expand their readerships almost indefinitely, the opportunity has also proved a double-edged sword.

What has changed is both how journalism makes money, and how articles are produced and shared.

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Humanitarian/Development

Central European, Balkan, Athletes Dream of Glory in Beijing (Balkan Insight)

Their delegations vary hugely in size, but all competing countries from the region hope for at least some medals in the Winter Olympics.

With the winter Olympics in Beijing around the corner, athletes have already flown to the Chinese capital where they will compete under the five interlaced rings, symbol of the International Olympic Committee.

In total, 2871 athletes 1,581 men and 1,290 women will compete over the 16 days of the games from February 4 to February 20. Central and Southeast European competitors will be among the athletes hoping for medals.

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