Albanian Language Media:

• Osmani on Association: I support any initiative with no executive powers (RFE)
• Major General Angelo Ristuccia takes over command of KFOR (media)
• Osmani: Thanks to NATO, Kosovo a peaceful and prosperous country (media)
• Kurti: Maintaining security, a shared objective with NATO (media)
• Osmani meets Joint Force Command Naples Commander Munsch (media)
• Kurti signals solution for 24 hectares of Decani Monastery (Gazeta Blic)
• Kosovo to attend and address CoE plenary session for first time (Express)
• Abdixhiku: During Kurti’s governance, some of worst economic records broken (Kallxo)
• AAK’s Lekaj sceptical about visa liberalisation, says process linked to dialogue (EO)
• 23rd anniversary of PDK: Ready to make Kosovo more modern and developed (media)
• Mustafa says Abdixhiku ashamed of LDK’s past (Teve1)
• Bislimi condemns attack on Kosovo bus travelling through Serbia (Lajmi)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic: Kosovo recognition in exchange for EU membership proposed (media)
• Petkovic: Kurti spreads ‘frightening’ disinformation (Radio KIM)
• Visoki Decani Monastery: Unfounded accusations endanger security of Serbian Orthodox Church (Radio KIM)
• Serbian Ministry of Culture and Information: Pristina continues to misinform the public (Blic, NMagazin, Politika)
• For 85% of citizens important Kosovo’s preservation within Serbia; cooperation with the EU supported but not the membership (KoSSev)
• KFOR concerned about the weak interest of Serbs in re-registration (Politika, Tanjug)
• Selakovic: Out of 200.000 internally displaced Serbs, less than two percent returned in Kosovo (Kosovo Online)
• Hill on sanctions to Russia, Kosovo issue (RTV, Kosovo Online)
• Schmidt: Vucic’s opinion completely different than Dodik who thinks like Putin (Beta, N1)
• Vucic: I am not worried about pressure groups (Tanjug)

Opinion:

• German-French document; referendum (Danas, N1, KoSSev)
• “Kosovo’s recognition by Serbia is baseline” (Albanian Daily News)

International:

• Serbian Orthodox Monastery Demands Land Awarded by Kosovo Court (Balkan Insight)
• Belgrade, Pristina Confirm German-French Proposal for Kosovo Deal (Balkan Insight)
• Kamberi: Some MPs want my arrest; I said Kosovo independent (Euronews Albania)
• Lenny Emson: Women’s rights and LGBTQ+ rights are on the frontline (Kosovo 2.0)
• Russia’s sham Ukraine vote undermines Serbia’s Kosovo claims (Kyiv Post)
• ‘Remembering Yugoslavia: Further than thought’ (BIRN)
• Albania moves towards declassifying communist-era security files (BIRN)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Brnabic: EU has provided 200 million euros to Serbia for migration management (Tanjug)  

Albanian Language Media  

Osmani on Association: I support any initiative with no executive powers (RFE)

President of Kosovo, Vjosa Osmani, said that in her recent meeting with the presidents of France and Germany, she was asked to intensify the dialogue for the normalisation of relations with Serbia. In an interview with Radio Free Europe, she argued that Serbia wants “to delay the process indefinitely”. 

Asked about the Association of Serb-majority municipalities, Osmani said she will support “any initiative that does not go against the Constitution of the Republic of Kosovo”. “The municipalities are allowed to join in multiethnic associations, without executive competencies, namely as a non-governmental organisation,” she said.

Asked about the failure to implement the decision of the Constitutional Court of Kosovo about the land of Decani Monastery, Osmani said the decision is based on “discriminatory decisions made during the time of Milosevic” and added that “Kosovo needs to be careful about the precedent caused by such a decision”.

Major General Angelo Ristuccia takes over command of KFOR (media)

All media report that Major General Angelo Ristuccia of Italy has taken over the post of commander of KFOR peacekeeping troops after Major General Ferenc Kajari of Hungary concluded his mandate. The change-of-command ceremony was held at KFOR headquarters in Prishtina today. President Osmani, Prime Minister Kurti and international diplomats and representatives attended the event. The new COMKFOR said he will be highly committed to carrying out his duties set out by the UN mandate and the mission of KFOR. “KFOR is a success story and this success is a result of the commitment of all those that both politically and on the ground contributed to stability, security and the freedom of movement, for the good of all communities living in Kosovo, and who have also supported the constructive dialogue between the parties,” Ristuccia said.

Osmani: Thanks to NATO, Kosovo a peaceful and prosperous country (media)

President of Kosovo, Vjosa Osmani, said today that “thanks to NATO, Kosovo today is a peaceful and prosperous country”. During the change-of-command ceremony at KFOR, Osmani thanked “thousands of women and men from NATO member states and partners who contributed and continue to contribute to freedom of movement, security and peace in Kosovo for 23 years now”. She also said that while KFOR has downsized its presence, Kosovo has stepped up its defence capacities and at the same time is furthering the partnership and coordination with peacekeeping forces. “In 1999, NATO intervened to stop the genocide against the people of Kosovo. 23 years later, our army is serving alongside the U.S. Army and other partner countries and is contributing to peacekeeping missions all over the world,” Osmani said.

Kurti: Maintaining security, a shared objective with NATO (media)

Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, met today in Prishtina with Admiral Stuard B. Munsch, Commander of the Joint Force Command Naples. Kurti reconfirmed the readiness to further the inter-institutional cooperation between the Kosovo government and KFOR in the service of security for all citizens of Kosovo. He expressed appreciation for the work, role, and importance of KFOR in Kosovo and added that maintaining security is a shared objective with NATO.

Osmani meets Joint Force Command Naples Commander Munsch (media)

President of Kosovo, Vjosa Osmani, met today with Admiral Stuard B. Munsch, Commander of the Joint Force Command Naples, and thanked him for NATO’s continued support in maintaining stability and peace in Kosovo and the region.

Osmani said Kosovo’s institutions remain committed to cooperation with NATO and KFOR against security threats and to contribute successfully to peace and security throughout the territory of Kosovo.

Osmani informed Munsch that the Kosovo Security Force (KSF) is in a transitional phase and that it is developing professionally in line with NATO standards. She said KSF enables Kosovo to be an active contributor to regional and global security.

On the Russian aggression in Ukraine, Osmani said that Kosovo stands fully in line with EU and U.S. sanctions against Russia.

Kurti signals solution for 24 hectares of Decani Monastery (Gazeta Blic)

Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, signalled on Sunday that a solution can be found for the 24 hectares of land of the Decani Monastery. In his address to the 102nd Rose-Roth Seminar of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly in Prishtina, Kurti said he was optimistic for a solution. “I believe the issue will be resolved, I am optimistic. I am the first Prime Minister of Kosovo that is not welcomed in a meeting by the Orthodox priests of Decani Monastery. They met my predecessors, but they don’t want to meet me. I have asked for a meeting, but they refuse it. I believe we can engage in dialogue and solve the problems we have,” he said. Kurti also said that the Decani Monastery is a cultural heritage of all citizens.

Kosovo to attend and address CoE plenary session for first time (Express)

Members of the Kosovo Assembly are taking part in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. MP from the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), Arben Gashi, who is there with several MPs from other parties, said that Kosovo for the first time attends and has the right to address the plenary session of the Parliamentary Assembly. “Good news for the country. Kosovo for the first attend and has the right to address the plenary session of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly. Our Kosovo deserves this respect. It deserves its place in international organisations. Kosovo is a story of success and freedom. It is a success story of Western democracy. Proud with our Kosovo and with our natural Western allies,” Gashi said.

Abdixhiku: During Kurti’s governance, some of worst economic records broken (Kallxo)

Leader of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), Lumir Abdixhiku, criticised on Sunday Prime Minister Albin Kurti for the economic situation, arguing that during Kurti’s two years in office some of the worst economic records were broken. Abdixhiku highlighted the 20 percent increase in prices. “However, he [Kurti] doesn’t see this increase. He even views inflation as a success, claiming that the turnover of businesses has increased by 20 percent and that there is a 20 increase in budget incomes,” he said. 

AAK’s Lekaj sceptical about visa liberalisation, says process linked to dialogue (EO)

Pal Lekaj, MP from the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK), told the news website today that although Kosovo has long met the requirements for visa liberalisation, the international community has not been serious in the process. He said he is sceptical about visa liberalisation arguing that the process is linked to progress in the dialogue with Serbia.

“As far as visa liberalisation is concerned, it is well known that Kosovo has met all the requirements … but so far, the international community has not been serious in giving us visa liberalisation. I think this is more a political issue because we have met the requirements, and I think this is more linked to progress in the dialogue. I really hope we will get visa liberalisation but I am sceptical,” he said.

23rd anniversary of PDK: Ready to make Kosovo more modern and developed (media)

Leader of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), Memli Krasniqi, said today on the 23rd anniversary of the formation of the party, that the PDK was the leader of processes of freedom, independence, and state-building in Kosovo. “Our historic founders and leaders, in the fight for freedom of independence, together with the people, achieved the century-long dream of many generations. The PDK worked restlessly in building the state and for the well-being of the people,” he said in a video message.

Krasniqi said the PDK is ready to create conditions for a fair society for all and to help youth have a good future in Kosovo. “We are the first that will implement the 50-50 representation for women and men. We have restructured our organisation from the branches to the central level. We have formed the Office for Good Governance with proven experts, and we have given the youth more room in decision-making processes,” he said.

Krasniqi also pledged that the PDK will offer a governance alternative for all and without any differences. 

Mustafa says Abdixhiku ashamed of LDK’s past (Teve1)

Regardless of their friendship once, Isa Mustafa, former leader of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), is not pleased with the leadership of now party leader, Lumir Abdixhiku. According to Mustafa, Abdixhiku is ashamed of the LDK’s past. “Vetevendosje has planted its seeds in the LDK too, and even with people in the LDK who feel ashamed of what the LDK has done in the past,” Mustafa said in an interview with Teve1 TV station.

Mustafa argued that the LDK must as soon as possible use every mechanism to bring down the Kurti-led government.

Agim Veliu, former deputy leader of the LDK, too seems not satisfied with the party’s current leadership. He said that he will not change his position about the Vetevendosje Movement. “I have said long ago that the Vetevendosje Movement is not the solution for Kosovo. Back then very few people believed me but today my position is being confirmed,” he said.

Bislimi condemns attack on Kosovo bus travelling through Serbia (Lajmi)

First Deputy Prime Minister of Kosovo, Besnik Bislimi, took to Twitter today to condemn the attack against a Kosovo bus that was travelling through Serbia on Saturday evening. “We strongly condemn the planned attack towards a Kosovar bus, while exiting a highway in Serbia. Serbian authorities have been informed about the attack, but no actions were taken. This action could be easily interpreted as an implicit invitation for such horrible acts,” Bislimi tweeted.

Serbian Language Media 

Vucic: Kosovo recognition in exchange for EU membership proposed (media)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said, during his address to the public on Saturday, that at the moment Serbia has eight notes on the withdrawal of recognition of Kosovo, but he pointed out that the process of Kosovo’s admission to the Council of Europe is expected to begin in November. 

“What awaits us is that on November 2 or 3, the procedure for Kosovo’s admission to the Council of Europe will begin. They are waiting for the Hungarian member to leave the Bureau of the Committee of Ministers and be replaced by a Lithuanian member, and then they will start the procedure that lasts a long time, but with a clear outcome that Kosovo joins the Council of Europe, which would exert additional pressure on Serbia,” Vucic said.

The goal of that pressure, he said, is for Belgrade to allow Kosovo’s independence in the formal sense as well.

“At this moment, there is no will in the Serbian leadership, and while I am the President, there will be no will to accept Kosovo’s independence and Kosovo’s membership in the UN,” he said.

International law has long since been violated

Vucic said that the Americans are increasing their military presence in Kosovo.

“And what’s interesting is that they say they are coming to protect the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Kosovo,” he said.

This should be a signal to us and to the Serbs in the north of Kosovo that they should not dream of respecting the UN Charter and UN decisions, including Resolution 1244, but that the policy of force that is being implemented even today must be respected, Vucic added.

“We understand that international law has long been violated and that there is only the right of force, greater and stronger force, but we have no choice but to refer to international law and perhaps be the only ones adhering to it completely,” he said.

The proposal of Germany and France for Kosovo is on the table

The Serbian President noted that the country’s position related to Kosovo is becoming increasingly complicated.

“Western countries will try to, as they think, solve the problem of Kosovo in one way or another, by Kosovo’s entry into the UN and because they think that in this way they are solving intra-European problems, and the second reason is, without any doubt, to take away the argument of Kosovo from Vladimir Putin and the Russian Federation,” he said.

“When I said that the architecture of the talks was changing, the EU denied it, I did not understand what the purpose of that denial was. Today, we have a proposal on the table from the two largest European powers, Germany and France, and that proposal is a proposal that we have to discuss,” said Vucic. 

He pointed out that it was irresponsible and frivolous to throw that proposal out the window, but that he was not sure that Serbia could even accept it.

“I can’t go into the details, because it’s still not public, but the essence is that if Serbia allows Kosovo to enter all international institutions and organizations, including the UN, for that, although it’s not specified, Serbia would receive a quick entry into the EU and probably significant economic benefits,” the President said.

Serbia’s position, he added, is that we must talk and work on reconciliation with the Albanians and the normalisation of our relations.

“I said that for Serbia and because of the Constitution, but not only because of the Constitution, it is unacceptable for Kosovo to be a member of the UN and that will bear its consequences,” he added.

The Serbian President explained that the whole idea is based on Kosovo becoming a member of the UN “one way or another, without our recognition”. He stressed that Serbia would thus not be “further humiliated and forced to formally recognize Kosovo” but by not reacting thus giving a silent signal that it agrees with it, reported N1. 

Petkovic: Kurti spreads ‘frightening’ disinformation (Radio KIM)

“When Albin Kurti dares to talk that Belgrade wishes ‘territory without others on it’ he probably starts from himself and his predecessors who have ethnically cleansed Kosovo and Metohija from Serbs, and once again attempts to equalise the victims and executioners”, Office for Kosovo and Metohija Director Petar Petkovic said in reaction to the statements Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti made at 102nd Rose-Roth Seminar of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly in Pristina, Radio KIM reports.

Petkovic said that Pristina along with its foreign mentors “carried out secession of Kosovo” and recalled expulsion of the Serbs following the end of the conflict in 1999. 

“It is because of planned and systematic expulsion of the Serbs by political structures in Pristina, that almost all cities and most of villages in Kosovo and Metohija, century-old places of the Serbian people have been ethnically cleansed and it remains a reality to the date in a province, which Kurti attempts to conceal by nefariously uttering red herring fallacy”, Petkovic said.

He also said that Kurti “spreads frightening disinformation, and adds an insult to the wounds of expelled Serbs who had to leave their homes”, adding that 212.000 Serbs left Kosovo.

“The case of Dragica Gasic illustrates the best relation of Pristina towards the Serbs, the only Serb returnee woman in Djakovica who is still banned from buying the bread in a local store while returns rate in Kosovo and Metohija is still below two percent. This is the image of Kosovo Albin Kurti wishes and creates by his acts”, Petkovic said.  

Visoki Decani Monastery: Unfounded accusations endanger security of Serbian Orthodox Church (Radio KIM)

Unfounded accusations by Pristina officials, who said publicly over the last couple of days that they refuse to implement Constitutional Court decision on Visoki Decani Monastery’s land case, endanger security, property and religious freedoms of the Serbian Orthodox Church, Visoki Decani Monastery said in a post on Twitter, Radio KIM reports.

The Monastery also said that Serbian Orthodox Church Eparchy in Kosovo and Metohija has always been open for dialogue with Pristina institutions, but not when it comes to legality of the Kosovo Constitutional Court decision from 2016, confirming the ownership of the Monastery over 24 hectares of land.

“This is a firm position of EU/OSCE/Quint Ambassadors”, the Monastery added. 

“Undermining a final and irrevocable decision of the Kosovo Constitutional Court on Decani Monastery and interference of politicians into court decisions seriously undermines rule of law and order in Kosovo, deteriorates religious freedoms and trust between communities”, the Monastery concluded.  

Serbian Ministry of Culture and Information: Pristina continues to misinform the public (Blic, NMagazin, Politika)

The Ministry of Culture and Information assessed that Pristina continued with unscrupulous disinformation of the public, as well as abuses in the fabrication of non-existent statehood and cultural identity, reported daily Blic, citing the ministry’s statement. 

The Ministry of Culture reacted to the Albin Kurti’s statement that he was confident that the land issue of the Visoki Decani monastery would be resolved, with the claim that ”the priests in that monastery do not come forth to meet him, because they do not want to meet with him”.

As announced by the Ministry, this was another attempt to use every opportunity to appropriate Serbian cultural heritage, at least that part of it that was not destroyed in countless previous desecrations and pogroms, cited the daily.

“In addition to regular attacks on the rights, security and heritage of the Serbian people in Kosovo and Metohija, which are practically daily, along with attempts to destroy and falsify cultural heritage, for the umpteenth time an extremely malicious and sinister thesis has been put forward about how, allegedly, the Serbs themselves are to blame for the destruction of their own cultural heritage, not those who burn, break and steal it,” the statement said.

On this occasion, the Ministry of Culture and Information reminded that Visoki Decani was the only monument in Europe that has been continuously under the strong military protection of KFOR for more than 20 years, that it was a monument of universal world cultural importance, and on the UNESCO list of endangered world cultural heritage, and which last year was included on the list of the seven most endangered cultural heritage sites in Europe.

As stated, the Ministry of Culture and Information will not allow such reckless actions to go unanswered. “We will continue reminding of the unacceptable situation in which the Serbian heritage is in Kosovo and Metohija and that we work dedicatedly to preserve it, despite all the indiscriminate attacks that the Serbian heritage is facing,” it was said in the statement.

For 85% of citizens important Kosovo’s preservation within Serbia; cooperation with the EU supported but not the membership (KoSSev)

Over 85% of citizens believe that keeping Kosovo a part of Serbia is an important national interest. Almost three out of four respondents – out of a total of 1,186 interviewed face-to-face from August 5 to August 15 by the scientific team of the Faculty of Political Science, as part of the three-year project “National Interests of the Republic of Serbia: from Contestation to Legitimation” – believe that the normalisation of relations between Belgrade and Pristina is an important national interest. The majority of citizens reject any compromise proposals that imply the recognition of Kosovo, reported portal KoSSev.

Almost 50% of respondents rejected a proposal that makes no mention of recognition – Kosovo’s membership in the UN without formal recognition in exchange for the formation of the Association of Serb-majority Municipalities. On the other hand, only 19% approved of this proposal.

Maintaining the safety of Kosovo Serbs is also a top priority for the citizens of the Republic of Serbia (91%), highlighted assistant professor Stevan Nedeljkovic.

According to the results of the initial research of this three-year project, presented on Friday at the Media Center in Belgrade by the young scientific team of the Faculty of Political Sciences, led by Professor Milos Hrnjaz, Serbia does not belong to either the East or the West. While 13% of respondents believe that Serbia belongs to the West, 20% – to the East, but the largest percentage of citizens – over 50% – say that it belongs neither to the East nor to the West. At the same time, 69% support Serbia’s policy of military neutrality and would not change it.

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

KFOR concerned about the weak interest of Serbs in re-registration (Politika, Tanjug)

Deputy political adviser to the commander of KFOR, Aleksandar Almo, said that it was worrying for KFOR that very few Serbs have decided to re-register their cars with RKS plates. Almo said this at the seminar of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, which was being held in Pristina, reported Tanjug agency on Saturday. 

“KFOR will remain in Kosovo as long as necessary. The role of KFOR is still necessary and irreplaceable”, said Almo.

The deadline for re-registration is October 31, recalled Tanjug.

Selakovic: Out of 200.000 internally displaced Serbs, less than two percent returned in Kosovo (Kosovo Online)

Serbian Foreign Affairs Minister, Nikola Selakovic said today that 200.000 Serbs from Kosovo were forced to leave their homes, seeking security and protection from systematic persecution, which members of non-Albanians ethnicities are constantly exposed to, adding it was a devastating fact that only less than two percent of internally displaced persons managed to return to their homes in Kosovo, Kosovo Online portal reports.

Selakovic made those remarks addressing participants of the 73 Executive Committee of UNHCR High Commissioner’s Program, and thanked this organisation for its help in implementation of the Regional Residential Program for refugees and people in displacement following the conflicts in the territory of former Yugoslavia.

Selakovic also said Serbia remains one of the countries in Europe with the highest rate of internally displaced persons and one of the five in the world with a long-term displacement crisis.

Hill on sanctions to Russia, Kosovo issue (RTV, Kosovo Online)

US Ambassador to Serbia, Christopher Hill said today Serbia was under specific circumstances when it comes to imposing sanctions on Russia, mainly because of a strong energy dependency, adding it is about a rather complex picture for one just to say “join the sanctions”, Radio Television of Vojvodina (RTV) reports today.

“If it were up to us only, and not up to Serbia, we would say – you must join the sanctions, however, we understand that there are specific circumstances for Serbia”, Hill is quoted as saying.

Hill voiced expectations that they will have “Serbia by its side”, adding everything starts with energy independence and that Serbia should have a different choice.  

Asked about resolving the Kosovo issue, Hill said whether it happens in this or the next century “when Serbs wake up and see that Albanians took Kosovo”, he hopes the normalisation will be reached in the meantime, to continue with matters important to ordinary people.

He also said Western countries request Belgrade and Pristina to resort to the dialogue process and try to reduce tensions, as well as create the room to talk to reach normalisation of relations. 

Schmidt: Vucic’s opinion completely different than Dodik who thinks like Putin (Beta, N1)

International community’s High Representative in BiH, Christian Schmidt, said Saturday evening that he spoke with the Serbian President about Bosnia’s territorial integrity and the statements of politicians from its Republika Srpska (RS) entity, referring to its autonomy.

“Vucic has a completely different opinion from (Serb member of the BiH Presidency Milorad) Dodik. Dodik and (Russian President Vladimir) Putin think alike,” Schmidt told Sarajevo-based Face TV, stating that he spoke with Vucic on Saturday, cited N1. 

The High Representative added that “he will soon do something about state property, which will relate to the RS” because the RS will also be part of the EU integration.

“I’d suggest Dodik go back to the period when we cooperated intensively,” Schmidt noted adding that no one still knows what the election result will be in the RS and added that he has confidence in the Central Election Commission.

The High Representative emphasized that the neighbouring countries, Serbia, and Croatia, play an important role when it comes to BiH, as well as Turkey.

“It’s not just about Sarajevo and Banjaluka coming to an agreement. We must also have the support of the European Union and that, in fact, is the essence of these talks and discussions,” said Schmidt, adding that he is an optimist when it comes to moving things in BiH in a reasonable direction.

See at: https://bit.ly/3ELB6PV

Vucic: I am not worried about pressure groups (Tanjug)

Our job is to build and protect Serbia and look after it, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Monday, noting that he was not worried about “pressure groups” formed on various sides to exert pressure on the Serbian leadership to influence its decision-making, Tanjug news agency reports.

Responding to questions from reporters about criticism he was facing over Serbia’s failure to impose sanctions on Russia, Vucic said media and political nomenclatures in Serbia constituted special pressure groups, but noted that he was not too worried about them.

“Their only policy is to attack me. Their attacks and statements are usually contradictory. They accused me that I would impose sanctions on April 3 and that I do not care about friendships, and then they came along on April 3 and said: ‘Impose the sanctions, Vucic’. Now they are criticising me for not having done so, tomorrow they will be asking why I have done so, and the day after tomorrow, why I have not.

It does not matter at all, there is no policy in that at all,” Vucic said in Novi Pazar, southwestern Serbia, at the opening of a Novi Pazar-Tutin road section.

Opinion 

German-French document; referendum (Danas, N1, KoSSev)

Vojislav Milovancevic, Nova daily journalist, who had access to the document of Germany and France in which a model solution to the Kosovo problem was proposed, told N1 that, according to their sources from Brussels, the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, was  told verbally that ”if Kosovo became a UN member, Serbia would immediately become a member of the EU”. The document itself, he added, mentioned the accelerated entry of Serbia into the EU, but without specific dates mentioned.

Milan Krstic from the Faculty of Political Sciences states that the proposal was based on the model of two Germanys and implied Belgrade’s yes to Kosovo’s entry into the UN, without formal recognition. 

“I have the impression that this is the moment where we will have to make a decision, because every subsequent offer will be worse than the one, we got now,” said Milovancevic in N1’s Novi Dan morning show, but he doubted that the president would accept this agreement.

Krstic explained that if Kosovo joins the UN, Serbia’s recognition would no longer be of essential importance to them and reminded that the two Germanys have never formally recognized each other, even though both were members of the UN.

In fact, as he added, with ”the admission to the UN, Kosovo receives serious external recognition, which would be a serious verse for Pristina and getting what it wants”.

When asked if the document mentioned the formation of the Community of Serbian Municipalities (CSO), Milovancevic answered “no”, but said that it implied the implementation of everything agreed in Brussels, which included the CSO.

As for whether Russia and China, as permanent members of the UN Security Council and until now opponents of Kosovo’s independence, will veto the decision for Pristina to join the UN, Krstic believed that if Belgrade will agree to such a solution, it is possible that Russia would not be either against it, while China would probably abstain.

He also assessed that the Europeans would probably give up on some essential issues “if they get a solution to the issue (Kosovo), which they perceive as Russian influence in the region”.

Milovancevic believed that the proposal of Germany and France should go to a referendum and that the question could be: Are you in favor of accelerated membership in the EU, and for Kosovo to join the UN.

Krstic said that, according to the FPN survey, at this moment the majority of citizens would be against it.

Sociologist Jovo Bakic would not be surprised if President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic called a referendum. He told daily Danas that ”people would choose Kosovo instead of the European Union; and Vucic would get an excuse to turn to the right. That would lead to a literal return to the nineties and tragic outcomes possibly,” believed Jovo Bakic.

On the question whether Vucic’s address seemed as ”preparing public opinion to accept Kosovo’s entry into international institutions and the introduction of sanctions against Russia”, Bakic answered that Vucic also left that as a possibility, reported Danas.

“Kosovo’s recognition by Serbia is baseline” (Albanian Daily News)

The fact that the West has not confronted Serbian President Vucic over this open interference in neighbors – especially BiH, Montenegro and Kosovo – radiated weakness. There seems a deluded hope of not “losing Serbia’ – but just feeds Vucic’s geopolitical arbitrage model. I have to say that (Albanian) Prime Minister Edi Rama has effectively assisted Vucic by arguing that Serbia should not be cornered; his echoing of Vucic’s messaging about relations among peoples, as opposed to states, is also distinctly unhelpful. So long as Srpski Svet lives, Rama’s joint pursuit with Vucic of “Open Balkans” is stuck.”

This comment was made by Dr. Kurt Bassuener who is co-founder and senior associate of the Democratization Policy Council, a Berlin -based think-tank established in 2005, in an exclusive interview with Albanian Daily News. Dr. Bassuener received his PhD in 2021 from the University of St. Andrew’s Centre for Study of Terrorism and Political Violence, after successfully defending his dissertation, “Peace Cartels: Internationally Brokered Power-Sharing and Perpetual Ologarchy in Bosnia and Herzegovina and North Macedonia.”

Read more at: https://bit.ly/3T6pDOD

International 

Serbian Orthodox Monastery Demands Land Awarded by Kosovo Court (Balkan Insight)

The Visoki Decani Monastery said that before it fulfills Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti’s request to visit, the Pristina authorities must implement a court decision awarding it land that was confiscated by the Yugoslav Communist regime.

The Visoki Decani Serbian Orthodox monastery said on Monday that the Kosovo authorities must implement a 2016 Constitutional Court decision granting it 24 hectares of land that it says was confiscated by the Yugoslav-era Communist authorities before it allows Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti to visit.

Read more at: https://bit.ly/3rO4EUY

Belgrade, Pristina Confirm German-French Proposal for Kosovo Deal (Balkan Insight)

Officials in Belgrade and Pristina confirmed the existence of a new German-French proposal for a deal on Kosovo’s final status, but disagreed about what the document actually says.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic on Saturday confirmed the existence of a German and French proposal for a deal on Kosovo’s status, claiming by the plan suggests that Kosovo should get UN membership without Serbian opposition while Serbia should get financial aid and a fast-track to EU membership.

Vucic told a press conference that “we have a proposal from the two powers Germany and France on the table, and we have to discuss and think about it”.

But he said that Serbia’s position is that it is unacceptable for Kosovo to become a member of the UN, as this would contravene Serbia’s constitution.

Kosovo’s Foreign Minister Donika Gervalla confirmed the news.

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

Kamberi: Some MPs want my arrest; I said Kosovo independent (Euronews Albania)

Shaip Kamberi, the only MP in the Serbian Parliament, said in an interview with the news website that some Serbian MPs are calling for his arrest after he said that Kosovo is an independent country, and that Serbia needs to accept this reality. “I will continue to highlight the problems of the Albanians in Presevo Valley. There have been negative reactions from the majority in parliament. They called for my arrest, but the request has no legal ground. Some MPs from the opposition and an MP from the ruling party called for my arrest because I said that Kosovo is independent and that Serbia needs to accept this reality,” he said.

According to Kamberi, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic wants to put pressure on internationals by making statements about Kosovo. “Vucic says he will not recognise Kosovo. This has been a continuous rhetoric by the Serbs, in an attempt to put pressure on the internationals. Serbia stays on Putin’s side increasingly. I have said openly that Serbia needs to accept the reality when it comes to Kosovo; there is no going back for Kosovo’s recognition,” he argued.

Russia’s sham Ukraine vote undermines Serbia’s Kosovo claims (Kyiv Post)

Vladimir Putin proclaimed Russia’s annexation of the Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhia Regions of Ukraine on Friday, Sep. 30, stating that they “are becoming [Russia’s] compatriots forever.” Russian authorities had earlier held sham referendums on joining the Russian Federation, where the results manufactured by the Kremlin showed them overwhelmingly voting to join Russia.

Notably, in justifying the annexation, the Russian government referred to Kosovo as a model for annexation and called out the West for their perceived double standards.  While Serbia is generally seen as an ally of Moscow, it has so far refused to recognize the referendums as legitimate.

At the same time, Bosnian Serb Milorad Dodik, an influential secessionist, has backed Putin’s referendums. Now, with the Russian government stepping on a sore spot of Serbia’s by holding up Kosovo as an example of proper secession, given that Belgrade considers Kosovo “the heart of Serbia”, the West should take this opportunity to use information operations in the Balkans to show that Russia is not a credible ally.

Read more at: https://bit.ly/3yo0irB

Lenny Emson: Women’s rights and LGBTQ+ rights are on the frontline (Kosovo 2.0)

In 2012, LGBTQ+ people in Ukraine faced one of the biggest threats to their fundamental rights since the collapse of the Soviet Union. Legislators were taking aim against “gay propaganda” and pushing for a bill that would outlaw the promotion or advocacy of LGBTQ+ issues as well as impose fines and jail time for supposed offenders.

Amid widespread anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric and threats of violence from far-right groups, Lenny Emson, executive director of KyivPride — the biggest pride organization in Ukraine — joined forces with other LGBTQ+ activists to organize a protest and Ukraine’s first ever Pride march.

“That’s how KyivPride was born. It was a protest against this attempt to introduce this law,” Emson said.

The first Pride, what became known as the Equality March, was to be held in Kyiv in 2012 but was called off at the last minute due to backlash.

“Right radical activists and right radical organizations united and went out to where the Pride march had to take place and it was overcrowded with these guys with masks and bats in their hands ready to beat us up,” Emson recalled. “The police said they didn’t have the capacity to protect us. We didn’t risk our people and we decided to step away.”

Read more at: https://bit.ly/3fSB7XF

‘Remembering Yugoslavia: Further than thought’ (BIRN)

An English-language podcast is part of a trend of Yugo-nostalgia spreading to younger generations and abroad.

Like many things from the Balkans, “Yugo-nostalgia” defies simple explanation.

A combination of the words “Yugoslavia” and “nostalgia”, the term might at first appear to refer to little more than a harmless, wistful longing for socialist Yugoslavia by some people living in its former constituent states. Yet, Yugo-nostalgia is a complex and ever-evolving phenomenon.

When the phrase was coined in the early-1990s, it was as a term with largely negative connotations, used by nationalists to disparage those with a hankering for the federalist past.

Today, Yugo-nostalgia means different things to different people: according to Dr Milica Popovic, a political scientist specialising in Memory Studies, Political Sociology and Higher Education Studies at the Central European University in Vienna, it could be “counter-identity” to the prevailing narrative; an alignment with the values of anti-fascism, solidarity and internationalism that were central to the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia; even a sort of “safe space for ambivalent emotions”; or a simple longing for a return to better, happier times.

There are different facets to it, too – commercial, memorial and cultural. And research has suggested it tends to exist least in states like Slovenia and Croatia where the process of nation-building has been most successful.

“In my research, we have identified two key elements influencing Yugo-nostalgia,” says Popovic. “One, of course, is the generational lens, the positionality depending on which generation we belong to. The second element that is always crucial for understanding Yugo-nostalgia is the political positionality – the content of Yugo-nostalgia is coloured by the political identification we carry,” she explains.

Read more at: https://bit.ly/3fVhU7O

Albania moves towards declassifying communist-era security files (BIRN)

The passing of legislation declassifying documents from the former State Security Directorate when Albania was under Communist dictatorship from 1944 to 1991 came closer after the draft law was approved on Friday by the parliamentary legal affairs committee.

The law would declassify former Sigurimi files, except in cases that involve national security or relations between Albania and other states.

It was backed by lawmakers from the ruling Socialist Party and the opposition. But Socialist MPs rejected an amendment that said that every public institution should publish a list of all the former State Security documents it has, and that anyone should have the right to request a copy of these documents.

For the draft law to come into force, it now has to be approved by parliament, but given the cross-party consensus reached at the parliamentary committee, this should not pose a problem.

But historian Erald Kapri said that despite good intentions, there will be problems in the implementation of the law because of a lack of resources and staff.

“I don’t believe it will bring about fundamental changes,” Kapri told BIRN.

Read more at: https://bit.ly/3SNG9mQ

Humanitarian/Development

Brnabic: EU has provided 200 million euros to Serbia for migration management (Tanjug)

Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic said Friday that, since the outset of the migration crisis in 2015, the EU had provided a total of 200 million euros to Serbia to assist migration management and capacity-boosting, Tanjug news agency reports.

Brnabic was speaking to reporters after a meeting with European Commission Vice President Margaritis Schinas. The amount includes an agreement on a new, 36-plus million euros grant, signed earlier in the day. 

“Together with our team from the Commissariat for Migration, the EU commissioner had an opportunity to visit a (migrant accommodation) centre and to see in person how we are using European funds and how we are fighting against legal and illegal migration in Serbia”, Brnabic said.

She said over 1.5 million people had passed through Serbia since the outset of the crisis, generating over 10 million overnight stays.

“The migrants mostly come from Syria, Afghanistan and Pakistan”, she said.