• Osmani on Ukraine situation: What we’re seeing is a flagrant abuse of power by Russia (media)
• Citing rise of tensions, Kosovo advises citizens to leave Ukraine (media)
• Biden writes to Vucic: Dialogue with Kosovo to end with mutual recognition (media)
• Palokaj: Pressure for Kurti-Vucic meeting before elections in Serbia (Koha)
• Parties to meet this month in Brussels to discuss license plates (Kosovapress)
• Former Croatian President visits Mitrovica under tight security measures (media)
• Silajdzic: There is an Intention to compensate RS for Kosovo (Sarajevo Times)
• Sexually assaulted woman during the Kosovo War sues 3 Serbs (euronews.al)
• Kosovo athletes compete in Balkans tournament in Belgrade (Klan)
• COVID-19: 602 new cases, six deaths (media)

Osmani on Ukraine situation: What we’re seeing is a flagrant abuse of power by Russia (media)

Vjosa Osmani, President of Kosovo, said that Kosovo was deeply concerned over the events in Ukraine and expressed support and solidarity for the people of Ukraine and the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

“We strongly believe what’s going on is a flagrant abuse of power and violation of international law and practices by Russia,” she said, adding that Ukraine is a free and independent country and it is up to its people to make decisions on their future.

In an interview to UK’s Times Radio, Osmani also noted that the events in Ukraine are not only about it but also about what kind of world people want to live in. “If we allow a neighbor who simply has a much bigger and stronger army that builds up around your border to decide about your future because it’s aggressive, because it’s autocratic, and if we allow appeasement towards these kinds of policies, then we are creating spill over effects with the rest of the world where autocrats, through the use of force, whether physical or digital, can decide on the future of other sovereign people which should not be the case.”

Osmani warned that the situation in Ukraine could have wider repercussions, namely in the Western Balkans where, she said, Russia actively tries to destabilise the region “through its proxy Serbia.”

Citing rise of tensions, Kosovo advises citizens to leave Ukraine (media)

Kosovo’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora on Sunday advised Kosovo citizens to leave Ukraine immediately and not to travel to the country.

“Following the dramatic rise of tensions between Russia and Ukraine, caused by the presence and large movements of Russian troops near the border with Ukraine, the start of an open armed conflict can no longer be ruled out,” the Ministry said.

Biden writes to Vucic: Dialogue with Kosovo to end with mutual recognition (media)

The President of the United States of America Joe Biden has sent a letter to the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic on the occasion of the Day of the State of Serbia.

In the letter published by the Serbian presidency, Joe Biden reminded Vucic that Serbia’s European path depends on progress towards full normalization of relations with Kosovo, relations which Biden reiterates should be based on mutual recognition.

Biden told Vucic that the European Union is not complete without Serbia and all its neighbors. “Serbia’s aspirations towards the EU also depend on progress towards the full normalization of relations between Belgrade and Pristina, which, as you know, should be based on mutual recognition. The United States stands ready to support you in working in good faith to achieve this goal. The European family is not complete without Serbia and without all its neighbors,” Biden wrote, among other things, in his letter to the president of Serbia.

Palokaj: Pressure for Kurti-Vucic meeting before elections in Serbia (Koha)

In a span of ten days, envoys of the European Union, the United States, and the United Kingdom visited Kosovo with the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia at the focus of their discussions with institutional and party leaders, Koha Ditore writes on the front page. This is seen as pressure for continuation of talks, namely for a high-level meeting to take place before Serbia’s elections in April.

Augustin Palokaj, correspondent from Brussels, said in such a meeting Kosovo will be faces with the request to change position on Serbia’s elections and allow them taking place in the territory of Kosovo. “The EU has offered this to be discussed in the framework of the dialogue so there will be pressure on Kosovo to agree to such an arrangement so that it is presented as a success. The other reason is that it will soon be two years from when Miroslav Lajcak began his mandate and should at least prove that meetings are continuing because there are not much results to present success,” Palokaj said.

Parties to meet this month in Brussels to discuss license plates (Kosovapress)

Kosovapress reports that this month the delegations from Kosovo and Serbia are expected to meet this month for the fifth time to discuss a permanent solution for the license plates issue.

Officials at the Government of Kosovo said they expect a final solution based on European standards while those at the European Union said the last meeting of the working groups created more clarity on the possible options and results to promote and guarantee an effective freedom of movement for citizens in the region.

“So far, the working groups have met four times. In these meetings, proposals and arguments on different solution models were discussed that would be acceptable for the two sides. In the coming weeks and months we expect other meetings to take place in an effort to come to a final solution based on European standards and models,” Kosovo Government spokesperson Perparim Kryeziu said.

European Union foreign policy spokesperson, Peter Stano, recalled that the last meeting of the parties took place on 28 January. “The working group meets regularly to present the concrete findings during six months from the first meeting on 21 October 2021. The Working Group will meet this month again,” he said.

Former Croatian President visits Mitrovica under tight security measures (media)

Former Croatian President Stjepan Mesic visited the northern part of Mitrovica on Sunday under tight security measures.

Asked by the KosovaPress if the security escort made him feel safer, Mesic responded that he would feel safe even he was to visit alone. “I’ve been very curious. I wanted to see the two sides of Mitrovica. In fact, there is only one Mitrovica. I see that everything is fine and quiet… I’d be safe even if I were to travel alone here”, Mesic said.

According to him, full control of the territory by Kosovo’s institutions will depend on the agreement with Serbia.

Mesic ruled out possibilities of a renewed war and urged people from both sides of the border to cooperate. “It will all depend on the agreement. The war brought repercussions. Everyone needs to understand that there will be no war and people need to cooperate because that is the only way for all to be satisfied”, said Croatia’s former head of state.

Mesic arrived in Kosovo on Saturday and together with former Albanian President Bamir Topi met President Vjosa Osmani, and Prime Minister Albin Kurti.

Silajdzic: There is an Intention to compensate RS for Kosovo (Sarajevo Times)

Amendments to the Election Law and announcements by domestic politicians about the possibility of postponing the elections have been a top topic in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH)lately. Former member of the Presidency and former Minister of Foreign Affairs and Prime Minister of BiH, and also the former founder and president of the Party for BiH – Stranka za BiH (SBiH) spoke about this issue, as well as Milorad Dodik’s attempts to appropriate state property and register it as the property of the Republika Srpska (RS) entity.

Since he has been active on the political scene, he pointed out the importance of state property, and through a conversation with Anadolu Agency (AA), he explained its importance, saying “by questioning state property, the survival of BiH is also in question.”

“For me, the state property of BiH has always been crucial. I was the Prime Minister of the Republic of BiH in 1994 when we turned the social property into state property. I believe there are two aspects, one is economic which is obvious and very significant. The second is key, and that is territorial integrity and sovereignty, and state property plays a big role in that. People think these are some barracks. State property is everything, from water, ores, land, forests… It is something that BiH is consisted of and that is why it should be taken most seriously. It is a question of the survival of the state of BiH, “ Silajdzic stated.

Also, he warned that the dispute over state property was initiated by those who attacked BiH.

“There is a calculation to take enough of what is important in BiH, hydroelectric power plants, Trebinje, agricultural land, forests, so that it can be said ”here we have Serbian land‘ and thus justify what they call the loss of Kosovo. I think that thepossibility of such a calculation, the entity of RS for Kosovo, really exists,“

The United Nations (UN) and the international community have an instrument to stop secessionism

Speaking about mechanisms to prevent confiscation, Silajdzic noted Dayton protects state property.

Read more at: https://bit.ly/36b3FqB

Sexually assaulted woman during the Kosovo War sues 3 Serbs (euronews.al)

80 criminal reports against Serbian armed forces during the Kosovo War, were filed Friday at the Kosovo’s War Crimes Department, euronews Albania reported.

It adds that one of these these reports involves a victim of sexual abuse during the war, who is filing a lawsuit against 3 Serbian officers.

Criminal charges were filed by the Association of War Crimes Gjakova 98-99.

“This time, we’ve filed a total of 80 criminal reports that typically revolve around murders, tortures, and collateral damages caused during the war,” – said Shkendija Hoda, head of the association.

The same association has filed other pieces of evidence and documents in the past, which provide a detailed report on hundreds of war crimes committed in Kosovo during the late 90s.

Directors from this association have explained that the files they have submitted possess important materials and witness reports, which will help investigators uncover cases of murder and abuse committed by Serbian forces against Albanian civilians.

Gjakova is widely recognized as one of the cities which has suffered the most during the Kosovo War from 1998-99.

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

Kosovo athletes compete in Balkans tournament in Belgrade (Klan)

Klan Kosova reports that for the first time Kosovo athletes competed in an international event in the territory of Serbia.

Kosovo’s Athletic Federation on Sunday competed in the under 20 category of the Balkans Championship in Belgrade, an event which the coach of the team called historic. “Everything went okay, the reception and the technical side were okay, we were introduced as a country, equal to the rest,” he said.

COVID-19: 602 new cases, six deaths (media)

602 new cases of COVID-19 and six deaths have been recorded in Kosovo in the last 24-hour period, the Ministry of Health said. 2,584 persons recovered during this time.

There are 12,651 active cases of COVID-19 in Kosovo.