Albanian Language Media:

• Kosovo PM Kurti meets UK envoy, Sir Stuart Peach (media)
• Osmani: United Kingdom, among Kosovo’s key allies (media)
• British Embassy: Sir Stuart’s priority support for Kosovo-Serbia dialogue (RTK)
• AAK calls on Government to repeal energy price decision (media)
• Vetevendosje pays tribute to its activists on anniversary of their killing (media)
• Albania’s Peleshi warns Ukraine’s invasion could affect Kosovo-Serbia relations (Klan)
• COVID-19: 717 new cases, four deaths (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• 54 newly infected in Serbian areas in Kosovo (Radio Mitrovica sever)
• US Ambassador releases memory video before leaving Serbia (N1)
• Ambassador Godfrey in interview with Nedeljnik talks on media freedom, Open Balkans, EU (N1, Nedeljnik)
• COM KFOR visits Visoki Decani Monastery (Kosovo-online)
• Serbian Parliament approves constitutional amendments (Tanjug)
• Russian envoy to Serbia: Pristina should implement all agreements, including CSM (N1, Politika)
• Zuroff said he was proud to help the project of restoration of Deva’s house to stop (KoSSev)
• Mihajlovic: It was mistake Belgrade didn’t insist upon return of displaced persons (Radio KIM)

International:

• Publication of MPs Costly Travel Expenses Draws Fury (Prishtina Insight)

Albanian Language Media  

Kosovo PM Kurti meets UK envoy, Sir Stuart Peach (media)

Sustainable peace, long term stability and regional security were topics of discussion in the meeting between Prime Minister of Kosovo Albin Kurti and the United Kingdom’s Envoy to the Western Balkans Sir Stuart Peach and Ambassador Nicholas Abbott, the Government of Kosovo said in a press release.

Kurti is said to have thanked the UK for support to Kosovo noting that the United Kingdom is Kosovo’s partner. He also welcomed the appointment of Peach as envoy, a move which, Kurti said, would contribute to political processes in the Western Balkans.

“He expressed the commitment to preserving and developing relations with the United Kingdom, with emphasis on the Diaspora, as a connecting bridge to deepening cooperation.”

Noting that the future of Kosovo is in NATO and the European Union, Kurti said that the role of the United Kingdom in accelerating Kosovo’s integration process is crucial.

“The Government of the Republic of Kosovo is in the process of dialogue in Brussels. Dialogue must be principled and respect the equality of the parties with the ultimate beneficiaries being the citizens and not politicians,” Kurti is quoted. “He reiterated that territorial integrity, sovereignty, the functioning of the state, constitutionality and legality, at all times and anywhere, should remain unimpaired.”

Osmani: United Kingdom, among Kosovo’s key allies (media)

President of Kosovo, Vjosa Osmani, met today the United Kingdom’s Special Envoy to the Western Balkans, Sir Stuart Peach, and congratulated him on his new tenure and on his country’s active role in the region.

President Osmani stated that the United Kingdom is among the main allies, with a key role in the liberation, independence and state-building processes that Kosovo went through. According to her, the greater the role of this country is in the important processes of the region, the greater and more beneficial will the results be for the citizens of Kosovo, a press release issued by Kosovo’s presidency notes.

 Osmani is also said to have congratulated the British Embassy in Kosovo for its valuable work in supporting projects which include those on rule of law and victims of sexual violence.

In connection to the current political developments, President Osmani stressed that “Kosovo is committed to dialogue, as a process focused on mutual recognition.”

 She said the dialogue should treat the parties involved in an equal manner and “reiterated the position that the Kosovar side is constructive in the dialogue and that it is Serbia that is causing obstructions by not implementing the signed agreements. In this context, she also mentioned Russia’s negative influence in the region as an open tendency to destabilise the region.”

British Embassy: Sir Stuart’s priority support for Kosovo-Serbia dialogue (RTK) 

The British Embassy in Kosovo welcomed Sir Stuart Peach, the UK Prime Minister’s Special Envoy to the Western Balkans, to Kosovo for his first visit in the new role. 

It said that Sir Stuart met today the Kosovo President and Prime Minister and is also meeting representatives of different political parties to hear their priorities and concerns first-hand.

“Sir Stuart is working to promote stability and prosperity in this region. His priorities include working with our partners in support of the EU-facilitated Kosovo-Serbia dialogue, encouraging the resolution of legacy issues such as war crimes and missing persons, and promoting economic development,” the Embassy said.

AAK calls on Government to repeal energy price decision (media)

The Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) issued a statement calling on the Government to repeal the decision of the Energy Regulatory Office (ERO) to increase tariffs.

AAK said there is no transparency on how the subsidy funds, pledged by the Government to cover for the additional costs of the increased price, are being used.

“Your money, dear citizens, is being used by Kurti to cover up for this failure and to say that ‘electricity price for the first 800 kilowatts is not getting increased’. It is true that this part will not appear in the bill, but the increase will occur, and the difference will be paid by the government, but with your money. Furthermore, this subsidy will be lifted at the end of next year and again the burden will be yours individually. As of yesterday, the state will be poorer and with this you will be poorer, too,” AAK said.

Vetevendosje pays tribute to its activists on anniversary of their killing (media)

Prime Minister of Kosovo and leader of the Vetevendosje Movement Albin Kurti, accompanied by Assembly Speaker Glauk Konjufca, paid tribute to two activists, Mon Balaj and Arben Xheladini, on the 15th anniversary of their killing.

Kurti said while visiting Mon Balaj’s grave in Podujeve that presidential medal of merit would be awarded for the two activists who died from rubber bullet wounds fired by the members of the Romanian police of UNMIK during a protest against the UN envoy Martti Ahtisaari’s status package in 2007.

In his remarks at the Pristina square that was the site of the 2007 protest, Kurti said that on this day 15 years ago they demanded self-determination. “We said that justice doesn’t come from outside. Because when it comes from outside it is no more than simply police. We demanded self-determination for the people and opposed ethnic decentralisation and religious extraterritoriality.”

Assembly Speaker Glauk Konjufca said Mon Balaj and Arben Xheladini have been “ingrained in our memory for embodying and representing the highest values of freedom, equality, and democracy.” 

Interior Minister Xhelal Svecla also paid tribute to Balaj and Xheladini. In a Facebook post he said the February 10 protest was organised against the Ahtisaari’s package “which put limitations towards legitimate aspirations of the people of Kosovo.”

“The people of Kosovo were entitled to independence and there was nothing more we could give. Thousands of peaceful protesters demanding self-determination encountered the unrestrained violence of UNMIK’s police. Over 232 rubber bullets with expired date were fired on protesters leaving tens of citizens wounded, killing on Balaj and Arben Xheladini and seriously wounding Mustafe Nerjova, Zenel Zeneli and Hysni Hyseni,” he wrote, adding that Balaj and Xheladini are today remembered as “martyrs of the people for freedom and self-determination.”

Albania’s Peleshi warns Ukraine’s invasion could affect Kosovo-Serbia relations (Klan)

Niko Peleshi, Albanian Defence Minister, said that the possible Russian invasion of Ukraine could have implications in the domestic policies of several countries in the region, including the political processes between Kosovo and Serbia.

In an interview with Euronews Albania, Peleshi spoke of “hot” and “open” topics in the Balkans such as the north of Kosovo, the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue, that could be affected by a possible military intervention in Ukraine.

“I don’t mean a clash of armies and positioning of countries but I mean deterioration of the situation, influence of the situation in the domestic policies in countries like Serbia that are influenced by Russia,” Peleshi said.

“I am referring to political conflicts, disruption of political processes. We have the dialogue in Kosovo, the Open Balkan. All these would not progress but regress from such a conflict,” he added.

COVID-19: 717 new cases, four deaths (media)

717 new cases of COVID-19 and four deaths have been recorded in Kosovo in the last 24-hour period, the Ministry of Health said. 2,370 persons recovered during this time.

There are 16,849 active cases of COVID-19 in Kosovo.

Serbian Language Media

54 newly infected in Serbian areas in Kosovo (Radio Mitrovica sever)

According to the latest data from the Institute of Public Health in Kosovska Mitrovica, 54 cases of Covid-19 infection have been registered in Serbian communities in Kosovo, out of a total of 127 samples tested, reported Radio Mitrovica sever.

In North Mitrovica 15 cases were recorded. in Zvecan 5, Leposavic 10 and in Zubin Potok one. 

There are 23 newly infected people in central Kosovo, 15 from Gracanica, seven from Priluzje and one from Strpce.

US Ambassador releases memory video before leaving Serbia (N1)

US Ambassador Anthony Godfrey said on Wednesday that “representing the United States in Serbia was the greatest honour of his life”, N1 reports.

The ambassador included a video in his Twitter post saying that he wanted to share the memories of his time in Serbia at the end of his term in office.

The YouTube video included photographs of Godfrey’s activities across Serbia.

Godfrey will be replaced by Christopher Hill as ambassador to Serbia.

Ambassador Godfrey in interview with Nedeljnik talks on media freedom, Open Balkans, EU (N1, Nedeljnik)

Without free media, there is no sustainable growth and development, and that is why we are “quite concerned about the state of the media,” in Serbia, the outgoing US Ambassador to Belgrade Anthony Godfrey said in an interview with the Belgrade Nedeljnik weekly Thursday’s edition, N1 reports.

He added that the US supported regional integration and that the ‘Open Balkan’ initiative was helpful in that direction and “in many other processes“.

He said the concerns about the media were not “only because of polarisation, but also because the media is used to gain an unfair advantage, attack political opponents, spread inaccurate information or misinformation“.

“And that should not be tolerated, and we must not tolerate it, especially not in the run-up to the elections“. Godfrey said.

He added he was “especially disappointed” when Prime Minister Ana Brnabic accused a dozen organisations from the US and Western Europe, including USAID, of financing environmental protests.

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COM KFOR visits Visoki Decani Monastery (Kosovo-online)

KFOR Commander Major General Ferenc Kajari visited Visoki Decani Monastery yesterday, Kosovo-online portal reports.

“We had a distinct honour today to welcome at Visoki Dečani Monastery the KFOR Commander Major General Ferenc Kajári https://jfcnaples.nato.int/kfor/about-us/whos-who-at-kfor/com-kfor @NATO_KFOR”, Monastery wrote on its Twitter account. 

SOC Patriarch Porfirije met UK Envoy Peach (SOC website, Radio KIM)

Serbian Orthodox Church (SOC) Patriarch Porfirije received yesterday United Kingdom Special Envoy for the Western Balkans, Sir Stuart Peach in Belgrade, SOC wrote on its official website.

In friendly and cordial talks, as the statement reads, Porfirije recalled the versatile development of Serbian- British relations, which in particular strengthened cordial traditional relations between Serbian Orthodox Church and Anglican Church.

The two interlocutors discussed the current situation in Serbia and the region as well as expressed mutual support to the dialogue, both between the church and religious communities, and all other political and social structures.

“We perceive the dialogue as Evangelical duty and a mission, because as Christian we perceive each man as a brother, close one, and that is why we are always ready for the dialogue”, Patriarch Porfirije said in a statement.

British Ambassador to Serbia, Sian MacLeod, political adviser in the British Embassy, Srdjan Gligorijevic and chief of cabinet of the SOC Patriarch Bishop of Marca Sava, took part in a meeting. 

Serbian Parliament approves constitutional amendments (Tanjug)

At a special parliamentary session, Serbian MPs on Wednesday approved constitutional amendments related to the judiciary, Tanjug news agency reports.

They approved the Act on Amendments to the Serbian Constitution and the Constitutional Law on Implementing the Act on Amendments to the Serbian Constitution. The session was also attended by Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic and members of her cabinet, foreign diplomats and judicial officials.

Russian envoy to Serbia: Pristina should implement all agreements, including CSM (N1, Politika)

We will continue close cooperation on Kosovo to ensure the legitimate interests of Belgrade from the UN Security Council Resolution 1244, Russian Ambassador to Serbia Alexander Botsan Kharchenko said on Thursday.

He told the Belgrade Politika daily that Pristina should implement all previous agreements, primarily on the formation of the Community of Serb Municipalities (CSM), and stop trying to deprive the model, which should ensure the rights of Kosovo Serbs.

The ambassador also said he highly appreciated that Belgrade shared Moscow’s vision in terms of key international topics.

“We will continue to cultivate friendship and trust between Russia and Serbia and improve all dimensions of the bilateral strategic partnership, determined by frequent dialogue at the highest level,” Botsan Kharchenko added.

Zuroff said he was proud to help the project of restoration of Deva’s house to stop (KoSSev)

Holocaust historian and director of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, Efraim Zuroff said that he was proud to have helped to stop the restoration project of Xhafer Deva’s house in South Mitrovica, reported portal KoSSev.

“The renovation of the house of the Nazi ally in Kosovo has been stopped. I am extremely proud of our role in helping to stop this horribly wrong project, which would glorify the notorious fanatical Nazi collaborationist responsible for the deaths of many Jews and Serbs,” wrote Zuroff on Twitter last night, with sharing the BIRN’s text that the works had been stopped, reported KoSSev.

Mihajlovic: It was mistake Belgrade didn’t insist upon return of displaced persons (Radio KIM)

Journalist Milivoje Mihajlovic said authorities in Belgrade have made ‘a fatal mistake’ because they had not insisted on the return of displaced persons in Kosovo and Metohija following the signing of the Kumanovo agreement, Radio KIM reports.

Mihajlovic who was RTS and BBC correspondent in the nineties, Radio Pristina editor and director of Kosovo Media Centre told Novi Magazin, that based on UNHCR figures around 225.000 Serbs, Bosniaks, Roma and others were expelled from Kosovo.

“Around 40.000 Serbs used to live in Pristina, and today only 136 of them live there. Metohija was ethnically cleansed. Serbs remained in the north, enclaves in central Kosovo, in Strpce and Pomoravlje region. When the return of displaced persons could move ahead, a March pogrom in 2004 took place. The authorities in Belgrade responded to the pogrom by organising a prayer and thus sending the message to the Serbs in Kosovo – you are in God’s hands”, Mihajlovic said.

According to him, the biggest mistake of Belgrade was that Belgrade prior to the Kumanovo agreement allowed itself to be “dragged into a war with Kosovo Albanian militant groups”.

“Perhaps the biggest mistake was that it failed although it had silent consent of the international community to fight terrorist groups, and instead it started campaign with action in Prekaze village, against Adam Jashari, killing more than 50 members of his family. This event amassed the uprising of Kosovo Albanians and ensured them support of the Western countries. It was also a mistake, that along with the actions against terrorists, there was no honest and well-prepared dialogue with political representatives of the Kosovo Albanians”, he said.

Mihajlovic also said that Serbia over the last two decades ‘brags about’ spending more than half a billion of euros in Kosovo annually from its budget, however the largest portion of that money ends up in the private pockets of political-criminal cycles.

“For Serbs in Kosovo, as they say in jokes, only ‘the change’ is left”, he added. “Instead of a massive return of displaced persons, we had a great robbery”.

Talking about Brussels dialogue, Mihajlovic said that Boris Tadic (former Serbian president from Democratic Party (DS) until 2012), didn’t agree to allow the transfer of Serbian institutions to the Kosovo system, and “that is why German Chancellor Angela Merkel brought for him in Belgrade ‘a silk rope’ (a reference used to describe elimination of opponents).

Asked to assess the policy of the current Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic towards Kosovo, Mihajlovic said that while in opposition Vucic was criticising authorities mostly about Kosovo.

“When he took power, he handed over to Pristina, judiciary, police, energy, telecommunications, and recently Brezovica as well”, he said.

Asked why the Community of Serb-majority Communities has not been formed yet, Mihajlovic responded that Pristina refuses to talk about it, referring to its Constitutional Court decision.  

“It is interesting that Kosovo authorities ‘respect’ the decision of the Constitutional Court when it comes to the Community of Serb-majority Municipalities, but it does not respect the decision of the very same court when it comes to the Visoki Decani Monastery land. All concessions made to the Kosovo side are the product of Aleksandar Vucic’s policy”, he said.

According to Mihajlovic, Vucic achieved what his predecessors could not even dream about.

“He brought the Serbian List to the Kosovo Parliament, as part of ruling majority in several compositions, and in the Kosovo government. Serbian List is a branch office of Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) and could bring down all Kosovo governments from 2013 onwards. Why didn’t Vucic do it when Serbian interests in Kosovo were in jeopardy, for example when meaningless tariffs on Serbian goods were introduced? He could bring down the government in Pristina back then or force it to revoke the decision. Same in many other cases. And the real reasons for it the public still don’t know”, Mihajlovic said.

Asked why there is no Serb in Kosovo politics, who is not a member of Serbian List or SNS, after the murder of Oliver Ivanovic, Mihajlovic said it is difficult to explain why there was no influence of several hundreads of university professors in Mitrovica North.

“Oliver’s murder intimidated people and warned how dangerous it is to deal with politics in Kosovo”, he said.  

International

Publication of MPs Costly Travel Expenses Draws Fury (Prishtina Insight)

The cost of MPs’ travels in recent years has been published, drawing angry complaints of extravagance, at a time of economic hardship for ordinary people.

Members of the Kosovo Assembly spent over 1.1 million euros on travel over 11 years, data published by the Assembly of Kosovo on Tuesday on MP’s travel expenses from 2011 to 2021 show.

According to the data, the costliest year in terms of travel expenses was 2012, when they spent 173,470 euros on trips.

The Assembly published the deputies’ travel expenses a few days after publishing their fuel expenses.

“Based on the interest and numerous requests of the media for access to the travel expenses of the deputies of the Assembly … for the period 2011-2021 … you will find the travel expenses of the deputies for this period,” the declaration says.

The expenditures have been criticized given the poor economic situation in Kosovo and a general assessment of the work of MPs over the years as often unsatisfactory.

Reimbursement of travel expenses of MPs was made based on a decision of the former Speaker of the Assembly, Jakup Krasniqi, in October 2011, issued pursuant to Article 20 of the Law on the Rights and Responsibilities of MPs.

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