Albanian Language Media:

• Kurti: Kosovo to apply this year for EU membership (media)
• Kosovo adopts sanctions against Russia (RFE)
• Kosovo MPs discuss dialogue with Serbia (media)
• COVID-19: 140 new cases, three deaths (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• New session of Serbian National Security Council takes place today (RTS)
• Ponos: Military resolution of Ukrainian crisis unacceptable, Serbia went through such experience in 1999 (KoSSev)
• Serbian political parties continue reacting to situation in Ukraine (Danas, media)
• Serbia, Morocco to celebrate 65 years of diplomatic relations (RTS)
• Rakic-Andric: Announcements of spillover of violence in Balkans and Kosovo unfounded (Danas)
• Milivojevic: Pristina lobbies for new recognitions with US support (Kosovo-online)
• Serbia ranked partly free in Freedom House report (N1)
• Serbian opposition named another presidential candidate (N1)

International:

• Balkan Countries Evacuate Citizens From Ukraine, Assess Security Threats (Balkan Insight)

Albanian Language Media  

Kurti: Kosovo to apply this year for EU membership (media)

Kosovo’s Ministerial Council for European Integration held its fourth meeting today.  Prime Minister Albin Kurti said that this year they will apply for membership in the European Union.

He said that the implementation of the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) is a state process and requires the commitment of all institutions of Kosovo, stressing that the prioritization and implementation of SAA measures within the timeframe is a goal derived from the process of European Integration.

Kurti also spoke about the commitment he has taken for Kosovo to apply for membership in the European Union during this year.

“Kosovo is a potential candidate country and has been promised the prospect of membership in the European Union. Therefore, we are committed to implement our mandatory part and intensify cooperation with member states and EU institutions to advance to the next stage of advancement,” Kurti said.

Kosovo adopts sanctions against Russia (RFE)

The Government of Kosovo approved a package with sanctions against Russia following its invasion of Ukraine, Radio Free Europe in Albanian reports. 

Prime Minister Albin Kurti said the decision aligns Kosovo with the United States and European Union in responding to the Russian assault in Ukraine while the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora Donika Gervalla said that the action of Russia constitute “one of the most dangerous blows to the European and international security in the last decade.” 

“The sanctions include freezing the assets of banks, financial institutions and individuals, banning them from financial markets and other restrictive measures targeting key Russian companies, elites and political actors involved in deciding on the Russian invasion of Ukraine,” Gervalla said.

Earlier in the day, President of Kosovo Vjosa Osmani met representatives of opposition parties – Lumir Abdixhiku, leader of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), Vlora Citaku, deputy leader of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), and Muharrem Nitaj, deputy leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK). The meeting focused on the current security situation in Kosovo in light of the recent Russian military operation in Ukraine.

A press release issued by the Kosovo President’s Office notes that Osmani informed the opposition parties about the measures taken by the institutions of Kosovo and about the coordination with international partners.

Kosovo MPs discuss dialogue with Serbia (media)

The Assembly of Kosovo held a session today to discuss the dialogue for normalisation of relations with Serbia. 

Kosovo’s Deputy Prime Minister and chief negotiator in dialogue with Serbia, Besnik Bislimi, said the Government of Kosovo has treated the process with utmost seriousness. “This has proven a fundamental difference in relation to the approach of the Serbian side, as well as that of the previous government. In the framework of the dialogue, we have established some basic principles which we have adhered to during the rounds of talks, both at the level of heads of state and that of chief negotiators,” Bislimi said today at the Assembly, Klan Kosova reports. 

He said the principles that the Government of Kosovo maintained include discussing only remaining issues of the comprehensive agreement that aims to fully normalise relations with Serbia. “These agreements ought to tackle outstanding issues between two countries and built around mutual recognition,” he said, adding that Kosovo’s internal issues or those undermining its sovereignty will not be at the table of negotiations. “The issue of missing persons derives from this principle due to the urgency it carries and this has been discussed in every round of negotiations.” 

Enver Hoxhaj, MP from the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), said at the Assembly debate on the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia that he recognises the difficulty of the process. “Had it been easy, we would have finished it and we know it is not easy for you,” Hoxhaj told the Government representatives. “However, I would advise you to get rid of some of the mistakes you have been making recently.” 

“We expect the dialogue to end with mutual recognition but beyond expectations we have as a country, this process has to do with peace in the Balkans,” Hoxhaj is quoted by Kallxo. 

Former prime minister and MP from the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) Avdullah Hoti said that they do not know what topics are being discussed in Brussels and that the future of the process will depend on the dialogue with the international factor.

“I urge the Government to be very careful, to focus on dialogue for recognition. The Government of Kosovo should not bring itself in the situation of being under international pressure,” Ekonomia Online quotes Hoti as saying. 

At the same time, Telegrafi and RTK quote the leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) Ramush Haradinaj accusing the Government of Kosovo for, as he said, mocking Kosovo by transforming the dialogue with Serbia into a process of ‘technicians’. 

“It is not a technical dialogue but of technicians who frequently travel to Brussels and whom the parliament has to wait for when they come back and tell Kosovo what is happening in the dialogue. After all these years of dialogue, our government today calls the dialogue of technicians a success for reaching an agreement on stickers on license plates. The government and political leaders who for years have opposed the dialogue without criteria, according to them, and opposed the prolonged technical dialogue, are now continuing to mock Kosovo through the dialogue of technicians and through the recycling of once already resolved issues,” he said.

Haradinaj said his party has proposed a motion for establishing a framework for the continuation of the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue whereby the Government would be obliged not to continue the technical dialogue but move to the final agreement. “We called this the big fix which would also achieve mutual recognition between Kosovo and Serbia in existing borders and based on three principles already agreed on with international negotiators: territorial integrity, sovereignty, and constitutionality.” 

COVID-19: 140 new cases, three deaths (media)

140 new cases with COVID-19 and three deaths from the virus were recorded in the last 24 hours in Kosovo, the Ministry of Health said in a statement. 370 persons recovered from the virus during this time. There are 2,763 active cases with COVID-19 in Kosovo.

Serbian Language Media

New session of Serbian National Security Council takes place today (RTS)

A new session of the Serbian National Security Council, third in a row this week, will take place today at 16.00 hrs, RTS reports. The situation in the region and Ukraine will be the main topics discussed, while President Aleksandar Vucic is expected to address the public this afternoon and present Serbia’s stance on the Ukrainian crisis.

Vucic will address the public slightly after 18.00 hrs this afternoon, RTS added.

After the session and prior to the address, Danas daily reports Vucic will meet with the Serbian Orthodox Church Patriarch Porfirije. 

Yesterday, Vucic chaired the National Security Council session, and as RTS said, exchanged information with the members of the council regarding the situation in Ukraine and the region. After that he attended the session of the Serbian Government.

Vucic also spoke with ambassadors of Quint states and head of the EU Delegation to Serbia about the crisis in Ukraine. He held consultations with many presidents and prime ministers from around the world, in order for Serbia to make the best decisions in line with its own national interests.

Serbia is preparing a precise document in which stances and policy of Serbia on this matter will be clearly defined, RTS said.  

Ponos: Military resolution of Ukrainian crisis unacceptable, Serbia went through such experience in 1999 (KoSSev)

Opposition United Serbia candidate at upcoming Serbian presidential elections and former Chief-of-Staff of the Serbian Army, retired general Zdravko Ponos said that military resolution of the Ukrainian crisis was unacceptable because of the sufferings of the civilian population and because it represents a violation of the territorial integrity of UN member state, KoSSev portal reports.

Ponos also said Serbia should advocate for the respect of international law and recalled traumatic experiences Serbia went through in 1999 and 2008.

“Serbia went through such a traumatic experience in 1999, then in 2008, when we opposed the powers snatching Kosovo away from us”, he said.

That is why, he said, Serbia has moral grounds to “stand upright today, as it did then, and advocate for the respect for international law, and not the law of the strongest ones in international relations”.

He also said Serbia should not join NATO.

“It is unacceptable, in terms of virtues, emotions, call it the way you want, for generation that endured aggression, bombing. They have not bombed military forces, bridges were destroyed, civilians killed, and who can now accept entry to such military alliance”, Ponos said.

This however, doesn’t mean that one should not work to establish the best possible relations, which are in the interest of Serbia, he added. 

Serbian political parties continue reacting to situation in Ukraine (Danas, media)

Serbian political parties’ representatives continue reacting to the situation in Ukraine and the military attacks there, Serbian media report. The stances differ from those saying that military intervention should be condemned to the appeals to the government not to take sides and not to introduce sanctions to Russia.

Leader of opposition Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) and NADA coalition presidential candidate, Milos Jovanovic said “that he doesn’t condemn acts of the Russian Federation” relating to Ukraine as it “would run contrary to our national interests”, Danas daily reports.

“As far as the NADA coalition is concerned and me as its president, no condemnation of Russia would be considered. I am not going to cut the branch I am sitting on. Russia is an important foreign policy partner, it is our ally and on our side in the Security Council of the United Nations”, Jovanovic told N1.  

NADA also urged the Serbian Government not to take any sides in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine and to prepare the state budget for subsidising the citizens in case of the gas price increase.

The Freedom and Justice Party (SSP) called for an end to military conflict in Ukraine and return to the dialogue as the only way to resolve international disputes, adding that Serbia should support the sovereignty of Ukraine.

“The crisis in Ukraine confirms the rightness of Serbia’s struggle for respecting international law in 1999 and 2008 and that is why we consider that Serbia should support territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine, same as of any other UN member state”, SSP said in a statement.

SSP said it truly sympathies with the sufferings of Ukraine and urged the Serbian state, that in line with its possibilities, send humanitarian aid to the endangered population as soon as possible.   

Opposition Free Citizens Movement (PSG) said it “condemns military aggression of Russia on territory of Ukraine”, and urged official Belgrade “to do the same”. It also said that Serbia in line with its possibilities “should offer all needed support to the Ukrainian citizens”.

Former Serbian president and leader of Social Democratic Party (SDS) Boris Tadic said that “Serbia should advocate for mediation”, adding that years and many events preceded the current situation.

“One of them is that the West violated the agreement with Russia and (former president Boris) Jelcin that there would be no NATO enlargement to encompass the states bordering Russia”, Tadic said.

He added that prior to that a fight related to the energy prices took place and that “there Russia and US have opposing interests”.

Social-Democratic League of Vojvodina (LSV) said “it was concerned over Russia’s aggression against Ukraine”, assessing “the act will have unforeseeable and far-reaching consequences”.

The It Is Enough Party (DJB) said “the war in Ukraine was a consequence of the geopolitical conflict between major powers over the last thirty years in the East of Europe”, adding “that Serbia should not take sides in this conflict and should not impose sanctions”. It also said Serbia should revoke sanctions it introduced to Belorussia.

DJB added “that NATO by organising and carrying out attempts to separate Kosovo and Metohija from Serbia has opened Pandora’s box of abandoning principles of inviolability of the borders of sovereign states. In pursuing the policy Serbia should exclusively consider its own interests, foremost the interest to preserve Kosovo and Metohija”.

Serbia, Morocco to celebrate 65 years of diplomatic relations (RTS)

On the occasion of the 65th anniversary since establishment of diplomatic relations between Serbia and Morocco, Ambassador Mohammed Amine Belhaj told Radio Belgrade that an extensive cultural program is being prepared.

Talking about Kosovo and Metohija he said Morocco does not support separatism and opposes all attempts to endanger national unity and integrity of the states, therefore Morocco considers Kosovo part of Serbia.

He also said that Morocco supports and encourages political dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina conducted in Brussels, aiming at finding a lasting and peaceful solution to this issue.

“Unfortunately, I did not have the opportunity to visit this picturesque part of Serbia, rich in history and numerous monuments, but I watched a high number of documentaries about the beautiful mediaeval monasteries that adorn the south of Serbia”, he said. I would definitely like to visit Kosovo and Metohija as soon as the opportunity arises, the Ambassador added. 

Rakic-Andric: Announcements of spillover of violence in Balkans and Kosovo unfounded (Danas)

“I do not see the logic behind the fears that Serbia can, based on its own initiative, provoke unrest in the Balkans. The situation is unpredictable and dangerous enough for anyone to experiment with additional conflicts at this time. In addition, Aleksandar Vucic has been sticking to the policy of balancing between the EU perspective of Serbia and friendship with Russia and China for a decade. If he did that in peacetime, I don’t understand why he would give up that policy now that the risk from the consequences for taking a clear stance towards one side is more obvious than ever before”, Milica Rakic- Andric from Mitrovica North-based non-governmental organisation New Social Initiative told Belgrade-based daily Danas.

She made those remarks after being asked by the daily if the fear that the war in Ukraine could have consequences on the situation in Kosovo and Metohija as well as the region were realistic, given the relations between ruling parties in Russia and Serbia.

“Unfortunately”, she pointed out, “as of this morning, Ukraine serves as an example of what can happen in countries that are sort of a link between Europe and Asia and which because of that, but also because of their limited defense capabilities, simply have to learn to balance the scales – between West and East”.

“As for public opinion among Serbs in Kosovo, at this moment I cannot assess the general reactions to the attacks, but in the previous days the community was preoccupied with what they saw as hypocrisy of the West after reactions to Putin’s recognition of independence. There is also concern about how the situation will develop in Kosovo, what reactions the Kosovo and Serbian governments may follow, and they are mostly fed by numerous, in my opinion unfounded, announcements of violence spilling over into the Balkans”, she said. 

Milivojevic: Pristina lobbies for new recognitions with US support (Kosovo-online)

Former high-ranking Serbian diplomat Zoran Milivojevic said that continuation of lobbying by Pristina for new recognitions, Kosovo president Vjosa Osmani spoke about yesterday, takes place with support from Washington, regardless of verbal statement from US that they insist on honouring previously undertaken obligations, including the Washington agreement, Kosovo-online portal reports.

Milivojevic added that given the circumstances a question arises if Serbia has an obligation to continue honouring the moratorium from the Washington agreement on its de-recognition campaign.

According to him, Serbia should seek clarification from Washington regarding Pristina’s disrespect of the agreement, in the part relating to lobbying for new recognitions.

“Absence of US reaction confirms the thesis that it supports current politics of Kurti, not only when it comes to disrespecting the Washington agreement, but also disrespecting the Brussels agreement and preventing dialogue on normalisation. It demonstrates that in essence Kurti’s politics is supported by Washington, regardless of verbal statements and insistence on honouring previously undertaken obligations”, Milovijevic said.

He also said if Kosovo already lobbies for new recognition and it is certainly doing so, then he personally believes that Serbia has no obligation to stick to the moratorium either and should get actively engaged in a de-recognition campaign, while seeking at the same time clarification from Washington regarding Pristina’s violation of moratorium.  

Serbia ranked partly free in Freedom House report (N1)

Serbia’s partly free ranking on the annual Freedom in the World 2022 report remained unchanged, with the country scoring 62 out of a total of 100 points on the Freedom House scoring system, N1 reports.

Serbia’s score on the 2021 report was 64 out of a total of 100. It scored 21 out of 40 points for political rights and 41 out of 60 for civil liberties. The annual report lists Serbia as “partly free” but among the 30 countries in which freedom has deteriorated dramatically in the past year. This year’s Freedom in the World report is the second to list Serbia among the countries in which rights and liberties have deteriorated significantly. 

The report ranked the rest of the Western Balkans – Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro, Kosovo and North Macedonia – as partly free as well.

Serbian opposition named another presidential candidate (N1)

The ‘Boris Tadic – Let’s Go, People’ opposition coalition named Goran Radosavljevic, an economics professor, for a candidate in the upcoming presidential elections in Serbia due on April 3, N1 reports.

The coalition, led by former President Boris Tadic and current Social Democratic Party (SDS) leader, said it would gather the most respectable people from different social strata. It added it would be the “most serious organisation“ in the forthcoming elections.

Radosavljevic said the last decade’s economic policy made Serbia one of the European poorest countries with a personal income average 40 percent lower than in the European Union member states.

“On the other hand, the destruction of institutions, abuse of public property and state resources, corruption and crime, illegal businesses and money laundering led to the enrichment of a small number of people close to the authorities“, he said.

He underlined the coalition’s goal was to build a strong market economy based on economic freedoms, strengthen the welfare state with inclusive growth and enable citizens to work and live on their earnings.

So far, the leading opposition ‘United Serbia’ coalition named retired general Zdravko Ponos as its presidential candidate.

International

Balkan Countries Evacuate Citizens From Ukraine, Assess Security Threats (Balkan Insight)

Following Russia’s all-out assault on Ukraine, Balkan countries are stepping up the evacuation of their citizens, convening their security councils and, in some cases, stockpiling resources.

After mostly condemning Russia’s all-out attack on Ukraine, Balkan governments on Thursday said they are working on evacuating their remaining citizens from the embattled country, assessing the security situation and even boosting reserves of food and fuel.

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