• U.S. expresses “unwavering support” for Kosovo (RFE)
• Osmani: Strengthening existing alliances and forging new ones remains strategic objective (media)
• Roth: EU to keep promise, grant Kosovo visa liberalisation (media)
• Haziri: Kosovo Government did not ban Serbian elections, it conditioned them (Kallxo)
• Gjini: AAK is against Serbia’s elections in Kosovo without prior agreement (Kallxo)
• PDK: Inquiry committee to determine how €100 million were spent (media)
• Germany striving for independence from Russian gas, commends Kosovo (Koha)
• Montenegro declares border demarcation issue closed (media)
• Panel dismisses Krasniqi and Selimi appeals against detention (media)
• Kosovo man, detained by Serbian authorities, released (media)
• Kosovo Albanian indicted for 1999 war crimes (AP)
• War Criminals Campaign for Ruling Parties in Serbian Elections (BIRN)
• Konjufca: Shameful if members of LGBTI are not considered as human beings (Koha)
• COVID-19: 32 new cases, no deaths (media)

U.S. expresses “unwavering support” for Kosovo (RFE)

The United States remains committed to working with the Government of Kosovo to advance common priorities, a U.S. State Department spokesperson told Radio Free Europe. RFE adds that the statement comes in light to criticism that Quint countries voiced towards the Government of Kosovo, for not allowing Serbia’s elections.

The U.S. commitment to advancing common priorities implies supporting Kosovo to develop a responsible, effective governance, built a sustainable, vibrant, economy and “achieve better relations with its neighbours as it joins them in Europe and Euro-Atlantic institutions,” the spokesperson said. The United States continue to believe, the spokesperson said, that the best way for Kosovo and Serbia to achieve this is “through the active and flexible engagement” in the EU-facilitated dialogue, that would result in a comprehensive agreement on the normalisation of relations centred on mutual recognition.

Osmani: Strengthening existing alliances and forging new ones remains strategic objective (media)

At the conclusion of her visit to Qatar, President of Kosovo Vjosa Osmani said this was an excellent opportunity to put Kosovo on the international discussion map as a factor of peace and stability concerning global challenges.

“Kosovo may be a small country in size but our voice is powerful and our history important to be heard in every corner of the world,” she said. Osmani noted that Kosovo foreign policy’s strategic objective remains strengthening of existing alliances and forging new ones.

Roth: EU to keep promise, grant Kosovo visa liberalisation (media)

Michael Roth, former German Minister of State for Europe and MP, met Miroslav Lajcak, Special Representative for Kosovo-Serbia Dialogue.

Thanking Lajcak for his work, Roth said on Twitter: “The Western Balkan states belong to us and deserve more than lip services. EU must keep its promises: starting accession talks with Albania and North Macedonia, visa liberalisation for Kosovo.” He added: “Democracy and rule of law matter.”

Haziri: Kosovo Government did not ban Serbian elections, it conditioned them (Kallxo)

Deputy leader of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) Lutfi Haziri commented on Serbia’s elections in Kosovo and said that the Government of Kosovo “did not ban April 3 elections but conditioned them and there is a big difference here.”

“Conditioning was through letter exchange. Our Prime Minister has told QUINT that we seek in the absence of an agreement reached, correspondence on the issue of the April 3 elections and this is a novelty in the process. The letter exchange is an innovation that can break the principles [of negotiations],” Haziri said. He noted that the principles of negotiations included Kosovo and Serbia not communicating directly, without a guaranteed mediator.

Gjini: AAK is against Serbia’s elections in Kosovo without prior agreement (Kallxo)

Ardian Gjini, deputy leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) and mayor of Gjakova, said the party is against the option of Serbia’s elections in Kosovo taking place without a clear agreement in place beforehand.

“The prime minister may have more information than we and he should take responsibility for the decisions he makes… in normal circumstances when such decisions are made all the effects must be weighed, both positive and negative,” Gjini said.

PDK: Inquiry committee to determine how €100 million were spent (media)

Memli Krasniqi, leader of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), accused the Government of Kosovo, led by Albin Kurti, for rejecting an initiative to set up a parliamentary committee which he said would reveal the way over 100 million euros, intended for electricity supply during the crisis, were spent.

“This is not only an attempt to avoid transparency as a principle, but also a direct attempt to hide the truth and avoid transparency as an obligation. The citizens of Kosovo, to whom ERO [Energy Regulatory Office], with the blessing of the Kurti government, has increased their electricity bills, have the right to know and should know on which lines, specifically how and where over 100 million euros of their taxes were spent on,” Krasniqi wrote on Facebook. He said the PDK MPs and other representatives of the opposition parties would collect signatures calling for the establishment of an inquiry committee to look into the issue.

Germany striving for independence from Russian gas, commends Kosovo (Koha)

German Foreign Minister Analena Baerbock said at the Berlin Energy Transition Dialogue Conference 2022 that Germany’s goal is for Europe to be the first energy independent continent. She noted that Germany wants to end its dependence on Russian gas and will do so by starting the import of gas and oil from other countries. She also mentioned Kosovo in her remarks, recalling the recent inauguration of a wind park in Mitrovica.

Baerbock said the energy generated at the wind park will provide electricity for around 100,000 households in Kosovo. She further commented the work plan of the wind park and urged experts to help Kosovo in the energy and security aspect.

Montenegro declares border demarcation issue closed (media)

Montenegrin Foreign Minister Djordje Radulovic received in Podgorica Kosovo’s new ambassador to the country, Ariana Zherka-Hoxha.

According to a statement issued by the Montenegrin Foreign Ministry, Radulovic is said to have expressed trust that open cooperation with Kosovo will continue. “As the smallest country in the region, Montenegro is very much committed to good regional cooperation, stability and inviolability of jointly defined borders. To this end, the head of Montenegrin diplomacy underlined the good example of cooperation, the signing of the Border Agreement in June 2018, which successfully completed the issue of demarcation between Montenegro and Kosovo.”

Panel dismisses Krasniqi and Selimi appeals against detention (media)

Court of Appeals Panel, of the Kosovo Specialist Chambers, denied the appeal submitted by former KLA senior officials, Jakup Krasniqi and Rexhep Selimi, against their continued detention at The Hague. The panel concluded that ongoing detention remains reasonable and proportionate.

Kosovo man, detained by Serbian authorities, released (media)

A Kosovo man, detained by Serbian border authorities on Sunday, has been released, his attorney said. The 66-year-old from Decan was detained at the Hungary-Serbia border as he was returning to Kosovo from Germany.

Kosovo Albanian indicted for 1999 war crimes (AP)

Prosecutors on Tuesday indicted an Albanian man for war crimes over his alleged participation in the killings of 130 people in Kosovo 23 years ago.

The special prosecutor’s office accused the resident of Belgrade, Serbia – identified only by the initials M.A. – of “war crimes against the civilian population,” according to a statement.

A 12-month investigation indicated that in March 28, 1999, the suspect was a member of Serb police and military units that executed 130 civilians in Izbice, 80 kilometers (55 miles) west of the capital, Pristina. Twelve of the civilians survived.

Read more at: https://bit.ly/3uDb3Ui

War Criminals Campaign for Ruling Parties in Serbian Elections (BIRN)

The Youth Initiative for Human Rights NGO said in a report published on Monday that four war criminals have been involved in political campaigning ahead of the April 3 parliamentary and presidential elections in Serbia.

Vladmir Lazarevic, Veselin Sljivancanin and Nikola Sainovic have all supported candidates from the Serbian Progressive Party or the Socialist Party of Serbia, the main parties in the governing coalition, said the report entitled ‘Attitudes Towards War Crimes in the 2022 Election Campaign’.

Ultranationalist Serbian Radical Party leader Vojislav Seselj is standing for parliament himself, but has also publicly supported Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic’s run for a second term in office.

Vladimir Lazarevic, a retired general, commanded the Pristina Corps of the Yugoslav Army during the 1998-99 Kosovo war and was sentenced to 14 years in prison by the Hague tribunal for the murders, deportations and inhumane treatment of Kosovo Albanians.

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

Konjufca: Shameful if members of LGBTI are not considered as human beings (Koha)

Kosovo Assembly Speaker Glauk Konjufca commented on the failure of the legislators to pass the draft civil code and that it is “unforgivable” and “shameful” if members of hte LGBTI community are not considered as human beings.

Koinjufca said that what happened at the Assembly of Kosovo that day when the bill was put up for discussion can be divided into two aspects: the normal and the unforgivable aspect. He said the normal aspect is that the society is divided on this topic, because this is a very specific topic and only a few highly developed societies of democratic countries, have passed the harsh division. “The session had another unforgivable aspect, when one is not satisfied with the word ‘I do not agree’, but  keeps saying ‘do you know why I don’t agree, because I think these are not people at all’, this category of people who choose their sexual orientation, or you say they are half-human, or they are sick. This is unforgivable, even shameful in my opinion, because I consider that with the most fundamental human values ​​first, second with the most consolidated international conventions that protect without any dilemma human integrity, I think that the dignity and integrity of those people is violated and attacked through this language,” he said.

COVID-19: 32 new cases, no deaths (media)

32 new cases with COVID-19 were confirmed in the last 24 hours in Kosovo. 36 persons recovered from the virus during this time. There are 593 active cases with COVID-19 in Kosovo.