Albanian Language Media:

• Osmani: Decision on elections in north, in a matter of days (Koha)
• Osmani: Progress made with non-recognisers; compromise needed in dialogue (media)
• Borrell invites Kurti and Vucic to Brussels (media)
• Kurti in Vienna: ‘Perspective in EU’ not enough, accelerated process is needed (Koha)
• Varhelyi: Kosovo imminent application to start membership process discussed (media)
• Kosovo gets €57.6 million in grants from WBIF media)
• Gjoshi: Kurti decided to leave Kosovo at a critical moment (media)
• Customs: Confiscated 42,000 litres of alcoholic drinks in village near Rahovec (media)
• Two months without Minister of Health; opposition says government is negligent (RTK)
• Haxhiu: Dehari’s blood samples missing from Institute of Forensic Medicine (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic discusses with Hill security situation in Kosovo (RTS)
• Vucevic: Events in northern Kosovo and Velika Hoca message that Serbs are unwelcome (Tanjug)
• Confiscation of wine from a Serb family in Velika Hoca (RTS)
• Giuafret: ZSO must be formed, I am convinced that the talks will continue (RTS)
• Zarazzin: Pristina knows there must be talks on ZSO (Tanjug)
• A strong blast of a pyrotechnic device disturbed Bosniak Mahala residents, another device thrown in Mikronaselje (KoSSev)
• Hoxha: Svecla should be more careful in his statements (Kosovo Online)
• The special Kosovo police entered the yard of the kindergarten in Leposavic with combat vehicles (Kosovo Online)
• KFOR clarifies situation, extends apology over accidental entry to kindergarten yard in Leposavic (Tanjug)
• Popovic calls for rejection of Kosovo HCCH membership bid (Tanjug)
• Stano: Borrell invited Vucic and Kurti for a meeting (Kosovo Online)
• DiA invite President Osmani to start the consultations on the postponement of elections (Kosovo Online)
• The latest version of the Franco-German proposal: What the top-secret document says? (Danas, N1)
• Serbian Ministry of Justice: Albanian who died in prison refused treatments (N1)

Opinion:

• Mihajlovic: ”ZSO a colorful lie that Belgrade uses to cover up the sale of Serbian interests in Kosovo” (Beta, Danas, KoSSev)

International:

• EU, US, Civil Society, Query Conditions for North Kosovo Elections (BIRN)
• Kosovo president: Progress made in lobbying non-recognisers (Euractiv)
• New Underground Carpark in Prishtina Creates ‘Above-ground’ Dilemma (BIRN)
• Study Reports 25,000 Violent Pushbacks at EU Borders (BIRN)

Humanitarian/Development:

• A candidate for deputy ombudsman with views that are against human rights (gorazdevac.com, Kallxo)

Albanian Language Media  

Osmani: Decision on elections in north, in a matter of days (Koha)

Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani said today that the decision on whether to postpone the extraordinary elections in the northern municipalities will be made within days. Osmani said she is waiting for a report from security institutions about the situation in the north and that she will meet today with some of these institutions. 

Osmani: Progress made with non-recognisers; compromise needed in dialogue (media)

All news websites cover an interview that Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani gave to Euractiv, highlighting her remarks that progress has been made in lobbying with the five EU member states that currently don’t recognise Kosovo’s independence, and that compromise is needed in dialogue with Serbia “but never in a way that would make Kosovo a non-functional state. That is the red line”.

Read full interview at: https://bit.ly/3hcwngz

Borrell invites Kurti and Vucic to Brussels (media)

EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, has invited Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic to a meeting in Brussels, a spokesperson for the EU said. The date of the meeting has not been announced

“We have said on several occasions that there will be high-level meetings between Prime Minister Kurti and President Vucic. The High Representative has invited them to come to Brussels and we will announce a date in due time,” the spokesperson said.

Kurti in Vienna: ‘Perspective in EU’ not enough, accelerated process is needed (Koha)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti said on Thursday that the Western Balkans need an accelerated process for membership in the European Union. In his address at the Socialists and Democrats Western Balkan Leaders Summit in Vienna, Austria, Kurti welcomed the EU’s reconfirmed commitment for the membership of the Western Balkans during the recent summit in Tirana, Albania. 

“We need an accelerated process for membership in the European Union, ‘the perspective in the EU’ is not enough. It is difficult to mobilise people if there are no clear timelines toward membership,” Kurti said. “Now is the time to accelerate the enlargement process, with more initiatives and investments in the region so that the people can benefit”.

Varhelyi: Kosovo’s imminent application to start membership process discussed (media)

EU Commissioner for Neighborhood and Enlargement, Oliver Varhelyi, said today after meeting Kosovo’s First Deputy Prime Minister Besnik Bislimi that “Kosovo’s imminent application to start the EU membership process” was the topic of their meeting. 

Kosovo gets €57.6 million in grants from WBIF (media)

The Operational Board of the Western Balkans Investment Framework (WBIF) has adopted three applications for funds from the Republic of Kosovo, enabling grants at a total value of €57.6 million. This includes the grant for drafting the social housing project worth 2.08 million, which will be used to prepare for investments with a total value of 47.5 million; an investment grant for the solar park at the Kosovo Power Corporation (KEK) worth 33.07 million, as part of investments with a total value of 103.33 million; the investment grant for central heating in Pristina worth 22.47 million, as part of investments with a total value of 76.368 million.

Gjoshi: Kurti decided to leave Kosovo at a critical moment (media)

Member of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), Betim Gjoshi, criticised Prime Minister Albin Kurti for travelling to Austria, saying that he decided to leave Kosovo at a critical moment. “Today, an irresponsible Prime Minister will stay in Austria, in useless events with leftists that are not important for the state of Kosovo. Today, this Prime Minister has given up control of the north. There is nothing more urgent and of greater interest for the Republic of Kosovo than sovereignty and territorial integrity,” Gjoshi wrote in a Facebook post.

Customs: Confiscated 42,000 litres of alcoholic drinks in village near Rahovec (media)

Kosovo Customs said on Wednesday that during a routine check in a store in the village of Hoca e Madhe in Rahovec municipality, they found that alcoholic drinks without authorization were being sold. During the operation, customs officers confiscated 42 thousand litres of alcoholic drinks. Customs officials said the owner of the store also produces alcoholic drinks without an authorization from the customs and that the business is not registered in the Business Registration Agency. “Being that the nature of this work constitutes a criminal act, Customs have notified the State Prosecution for further action,” they said. Customs also said that in the same village there are businesses authorised for the same products and owned by Kosovo Serbs. “They pay all the legal obligations. The activity of illegal businesses is an unfair competition against legitimate businesses,” the statement notes.

The news website notes that the head of the Serbian government’s office for Kosovo, Petar Petkovic, reacted to the confiscation of the products calling it “another attack by Kurti against Serbs south of Ibar”. “He sent his police to the centre of Velika Hoca to confiscate 40 thousand litres of wine from one of the oldest wines of Petrovic. The locals gathered to protect their neighbor, because they will not allow Kurti’s terror,” Petkovic wrote on Twitter. Kosovo Customs reacted to his claims saying that the customs operation was fully legitimate. “Yesterday some media quoted posts with false allegations by an official of the Serbian Government about the alleged unilateral actions of the Kosovo Customs for the confiscation of alcoholic drinks that were produced unlawfully,” the customs said in their reaction.

Two months without Minister of Health; opposition says government is negligent (RTK)

The post of the Minister of Health has remained vacant since October, while the opposition and civil society are criticising the government about the healthcare sector saying that the situation is alarming. They say that the government needs to undertake immediate measures in the sector.

MP from the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) and former Minister of Health, Armend Zemaj, blamed the government for the degradation of the healthcare sector, arguing that the government lacks a program and has not set out any priorities in the sector. “Problems have increased, there is institutional chaos in terms of accountability, and this shows the true face of this government,” Zemaj said in an interview with RTK. “Results in the healthcare sector are catastrophic and unfortunately the patients and citizens of the Republic of Kosovo are paying the costs”.

MP from the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) and university professor, Shemsedin Dreshaj, highlighted the government’s failure to appoint a new minister. “The situation in the healthcare sector has never been worse … The lack of a minister in these circumstances is a negligence and failure to keep the promises that the ruling coalition made,” he said.

Diana Metushi from the Kosovo Democratic Institute said the sector has never had a worse performance.

The news website contacted the government asking when a new minister will be appointed but received no response.

Haxhiu: Dehari’s blood samples missing from Institute of Forensic Medicine (media)

Kosovo’s Minister of Justice, Albulena Haxhiu, told an extraordinary press conference in Pristina today that the blood samples of Vetevendosje activist Astrit Dehari, who died in prison in 2016, have gone missing from the Institute for Forensic Medicine. She said that only three persons had access to the premises, she knew their names, but did not mention them. “This is a grave criminal act. Last night, I notified the State Chief Prosecutor Besim Kelmendi and Police Director Fehmi Hoti,” she said.

Haxhiu argued that whoever followed the case of Astrit Dehari “knows that for six years now, there have been attempts to distort or eliminate the data, evidence and witnesses. The same happened with anyone that was willing to resolve the case.” 

“We believe this is a grave criminal act, which took place in premises that were supposed to be safe, and has the following motive: to further damage the process and to put the responsibility on us.”

Haxhiu said the situation places a shade of doubt over the entire Institute for Forensic Medicine and its activity, “not only in the present but especially in the past”. “The authors will be found and the case will be resolved,” she said.

Serbian Language Media 

Vucic discusses with Hill security situation in Kosovo (RTS)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic met US Ambassador to Serbia, Christopher Hill and discussed with him the security situation in Kosovo and Metohija, RTS reports.

In a post on his official Instagram account, Vucic also said they also spoke about possibilities and EU proposals for continuation of the dialogue on normalisation of relations with Pristina.

“I pointed out the importance of US engagement in preventing further escalations caused almost daily by unilateral and illegal acts of provisional Pristina institutions and highlighted the necessity of establishing a Community of Serb Municipalities”, Vucic said.

He recalled Serbia remains committed to preserving peace and stability but is also clear in defence of its people and national interests.  

Vucevic: Events in northern Kosovo and Velika Hoca message that Serbs are unwelcome (Tanjug)

Serbian Minister of Defense, Milos Vucevic said that recent events in northern Kosovo and Velika Hoca were the messages of PM Albin Kurti to the Serbs that they are unwelcome and that they would carry out elections by force, Tanjug news agency reports.

He added the investigation into pyrotechnic device blasts in Bosniak Mahala and Mikronaselje was underway, adding that blasts caused no injuries or significant material damage.

He also said the situation in Kosovo and Metohija was continuously tense. 

Confiscation of wine from a Serb family in Velika Hoca (RTS)

RTS reports today that the situation in the Serb-majority village in Velika Hoca, near Orahovac was very tense with police units present and a tanker supposed to be used to confiscate 42.000 litres of wine from the Petrovic family. According to RTS the son of the winery owner threatened to jump off the roof, while his wife was laying in front of a tanker. The pouring of wine to the tanker has been meanwhile suspended until a new decision of the prosecutor. RTS reported later in the day that the pouring of wine to the tanker continued. 

Residents of Velika Hoca opposing confiscation gathered in front of a winery. Office for Kosovo and Metohija Director Petar Petkovic said the situation in the village was tense and it was clear that (Kosovo PM) Albin Kurti wanted incidents.

Strpce Mayor Dalibor Jevtic said events from yesterday and today in Velika Hoca disturbed every Serb living in Kosovo, adding that “wine is not a problem to Albin Kurit” but “rather determination of Petrovic and other Serbs to remain in their home places”. He called upon the international community to react and prevent violence of Albin Kurti against the Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija.

Srdjan Petrovic owner of the winery told Kosovo Online portal yesterday when the customs officers came to his property accompanied by special police members that he has no registered company, never hid the wine but neither was selling it, because he passivised his company when a coronavirus pandemic broke out.

“We are the sixth generation producing the wine, and I passivised my company in line with the law, when the coronavirus pandemic broke out and the company was not activated afterwards. The wine I was producing I produced for my own needs. I was not selling this wine, neither in the south nor in the north. I was making reserves to be competitive once going to the market”, Petrovic said.

He said he planned to report the quantity of wine he had as per the deadline which was January 15. However, he continued, inspectors came and concluded that he had 40.000 litres of wine and three tonnes litres of rakia. He said he asked them what he needs to do in order to have everything done in line with the law and re-register again and was told that he needs to pay 35.000 euros which he accepted, hired the lawyer and the customs agreed as well. Later on, they decided to confiscate the wine. He argued that he has 10 sorts of wine, all different and if all that is poured in a single tanker, the wines would get mixed and ruined.  

Giuafret: ZSO must be formed, I am convinced that the talks will continue (RTS)

The head of the EU delegation in Serbia, Emanuele Giuafret, was convinced of the continuation of the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina. He did not reveal to the RTS the details of the amended German-French proposal but said that the Community of Serbian Municipalities must be formed. He also evaluated yesterday’s summit in Tirana, reported RTS last night.

Giuafret said that the Tirana Summit was very important, and an important political message was sent.

“Let’s not forget that the Summit was held in the shadow of Russian aggression against Ukraine, which threatened both European and global security, so we have to stick together. Yesterday, European leaders sent a very clear message to the countries of this region and emphasised that the Union is fully committed to the countries of the Western Balkans becoming its members,” said Giuafret.

In Tirana, the leaders also discussed energy, security, and migration. The final declaration was also signed.

“Very concrete steps have been taken so that the citizens of the region can feel the first benefits as soon as possible. First, in the field of energy, which is a global problem today due to the large jump in prices. A large aid package in the amount of one billion euros was announced for the region, 500 million euros were allocated for direct needs – mitigating the consequences of the energy crisis. Of that money, 165 million will be for Serbia alone. That money will arrive very quickly, already in January,” said Giuafret.

He added that these were funds intended for families who faced price increases and difficulties caused by the energy crisis, which they will receive through the Government.

He told RTS that the second part of the package was intended for the improvement of the energy infrastructure, diversification. On the signed declaration in Tirana by the telecommunication operators and the Union, he said that it would reduce roaming costs next year with the intention of eliminating it in the coming years. 

”And that is a very important step, citizens of Serbia will already feel the benefits next year when they travel to EU countries,” said the head of the EU delegation in Serbia.

Commenting that the amended proposal from Brussels arrived in Belgrade and Pristina, Giuafret said these were diplomatic negotiations, which were very delicate.

“The presidents will give their comments. I think we should underline that we have the possibility, as the EU has already said, that everything that has already been agreed must be implemented, including the Community of Serbian Municipalities. But in terms of urgency, we have the opportunity to take a step towards a legally binding agreement on the normalisation of relations between Belgrade and Pristina,” he said. 

As for further steps, he noted that the dialogue will continue.

“EU special envoy Miroslav Lajcak, who was in Belgrade and Pristina a few days ago, will submit a report in Brussels. I am convinced that the talks will continue,” said Giuafret.

Zarazzin: Pristina knows there must be talks on ZSO (Tanjug)

German Special Envoy for Western Balkans, Manuel Zarazzin said in Brussels Pristina knows there must be talks on the Community of Serbian Municipalities, Tanjug news agency reports.

“ZSO was agreed upon in 2013, in Brussels agreement and I think it is clear to Pristina that this discussion must be held”, Zarazzin told Tanjug.

Commenting on the current situation in the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue, Zarazzin who took part in a panel discussion EU-WB Summit, organised by Friends of Europe in Brussels said the situation was tense.  

“We have a very tense situation in the dialogue, in particular concerning North Mitrovica. Of course we want the situation to be stable and safe. It means that everything should be done by both sides, to be flexible not to have an escalation”, he said.

Asked if priority was to resolve institutional crisis, meaning participation of Serbs in Pristina institutions in order to avoid security crisis and sides to focus on other issues then, Zarazzin said it was very important for the current situation to resolve and Serbian side returns to the institutions and offer services to the citizens in northern Kosovo. He added that however, the issue of Serbs returning to the institution should not be an “excuse” to halt dialogue on other problems.  

A strong blast of a pyrotechnic device disturbed Bosniak Mahala residents, another device thrown in Mikronaselje (KoSSev)

KoSSev portal reported that a loud explosion was heard in the Bosniak Mahala in North Mitrovica last night at around 9pm. According to preliminary information from the Kosovo Police, a pyrotechnic device or a stun grenade was activated, the exact type of which has yet to be confirmed, but the device produced a stronger detonation. A similar device was also thrown in Mikronaselje tonight. KP claims that no one was injured and that no material damage was caused.

In the meantime, members of the Kosovo Police arrived at the scene. A Carabinieri vehicle is also stationed at the intersection in the Bosniak Mahala.

Dozens of residents of this neighbourhood also gathered, who say that they were upset by the detonation.

Several of them told KoSSev that the pyrotechnic device was allegedly thrown from a moving vehicle, which then headed towards the northern part of the town.

They also testified that the detonation allegedly caused minor damage to a parked vehicle, and that they immediately notified the Kosovo Police, who investigated.

The police also confirmed for KoSSev that a detonation was heard in Mikronaselje tonight and that no one was injured, and no material damage was caused.

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

Hoxha: Svecla should be more careful in his statements (Kosovo Online)

Former Kosovo internal affairs deputy minister Valdet Hoxha said if claims of Interior Minister Xhellal Svecla that former members of the Kosovo police “carried out terror attacks in the north” were accurate they should be arrested immediately, Kosovo Online portal reports.

He added Svecla should be more careful in his statements regarding northern Kosovo. These are the most severe acts as per Criminal Code, however, it would be a scandal if this was about political statements of the minister and ungrounded information.

He also noted that such Svecla’s statements additionally complicate the situation in northern Kosovo.

“It was concerning because we were in a phase of defusing the tensions and the return of police officers who recently resigned was expected, which additionally complicates the situation. If it was about terror acts or acts against constitutional order by former police members, then they would have to start with arrests”, he said.

Hoxha stressed that for any action in the north, Pristina has to consult with the international community. 

The special Kosovo police entered the yard of the kindergarten in Leposavic with combat vehicles (Kosovo Online)

Portal Kosovo Online reported that the vehicles of the special units of the Kosovo Police entered the yard of the kindergarten in Leposavic around 1:00 p.m., and that they left after a short stay under the window of the building where preschool children are located.  

The portal wrote that ”interesting that before members of ROSU, members of KFOR with their all-terrain vehicles “went astray” in the same place yesterday”.

The portal added that Leposavic’s citizens have been under ”some kind of siege for several days and are very upset”.

Around noon today, there was also a shooting in the city centre during the failed robbery of a money transport vehicle of the Payment Service, reported portal.

KFOR clarifies situation, extends apology over accidental entry to kindergarten yard in Leposavic (Tanjug)

By carrying out their regular operational and security duties, East Regional Command KFOR patrol with their vehicles accidentally entered the parking space of a kindergarten in Leposavic, because of which KFOR command issued a statement clarifying the situation and apologised, Tanjug news agency reports.

The statement said that KFOR vehicles, enroute to their destination “by accident took a wrong turn, a blindalley”.

“Given that the road ended suddenly, KFOR patrol wanted to enter the parking lot of the nearby kindergarten in order to turn the vehicles and go back to the way it came from”, the statement said. 

Popovic calls for rejection of Kosovo HCCH membership bid (Tanjug)

At a meeting with the Secretary General of the Hague Conference on Private International Law (HCCH), Christophe Bernasconi, Serbian Justice Minister Maja Popovic called for rejection of requests by Kosovo to accede to HCCH conventions and be admitted to the organisation, noting that Kosovo is “no state under international law, but a territory that is a part of the Republic of Serbia”, Tanjug news agency reports.

She noted that Kosovo accession to HCCH conventions that were open to accession by all states was unacceptable to Serbia and that the organisation was expected to act entirely in line with the UN Charter and respect the legally binding nature of UN SC Resolution 1244, the Ministry of Justice said in a statement.

The meeting also addressed ways of advancing the cooperation between Serbia and the HCCH as the most significant international organisation engaging in unification of private international law.

The parties also noted that Serbia actively participated in the work of the HCCH plenary assembly and the organisation’s other permanent bodies.

Stano: Borrell invited Vucic and Kurti for a meeting (Kosovo Online)

EU Spokesperson Peter Stano said that High Representative Josep Borrell invited Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti for a meeting, and the date will be announced soon, Kosovo Online portal reports.

“We said several times that there will be a meeting between President Vucic and Prime Minister Kurti. High Representative Josep Borrell already invited them to come to Brussels. The exact date will be announced in due time”, Stano told journalists. 

DiA invite President Osmani to start the consultations on the postponement of elections (Kosovo Online)

NGO Democracy in Action announced yesterday that the insistence on holding elections in the four northern municipalities of Kosovo would be tactless under the current circumstances, reported portal Kosovo Online.

“Ever since the announcement of the dates for the elections in four northern municipalities by the President of the state – as a result of the resignations of the mayors of the municipalities in the north – the process of organizing the elections has been accompanied by numerous problems.

This was followed by a boycott of the election process by candidates from the Serbian community, which actually constitutes the absolute majority of the population in these municipalities. Cases of incidents and violence in the northern part made it difficult to continue the administration’s preparations for the elections. The adequate organisation of these elections was made even more difficult by the resignations of the relevant election officials in these municipalities. 

DiA reminds that one of the main principles of elections is free voting. The development of all procedures with the help of numerous security forces, under direct threat to the lives of election officials, as well as citizens and candidates, contradicts such a principle. On the other hand, it is more than evident that the Central Electoral Commission considers it almost impossible to carry out the relevant electoral actions for the regular and normal holding of these elections. In fact, the CEC was unable to do such a thing even with the help of the police. Based on this situation, it is hard to believe that it is possible to guarantee the security of hundreds of people who will be engaged as election headquarters on Election Day or even thousands of citizens who have the right to vote. In addition, there may be problems with the opening of polling stations.

Under the current circumstances, where there is a lack of security for members of the election commissions, a lack of candidates from the Serbian community in the election process, as well as a low probability of citizen participation in the elections, DiA calls on the President of the state to start consultations with the relevant actors in order to postpone the elections in the four northern municipalities,” read DiA’s statement, posted on social media. 

The latest version of the Franco-German proposal: What the top-secret document says? (Danas, N1)

In the new version of the Franco-German proposal for the solution of the Kosovo issue, there are no deviations from a couple of basic principles – Kosovo gets recognition under international law, i.e., membership in the Council of Europe, which is certain, as well as membership in the United Nations, while Serbia gets the Community of Serbian Municipalities – learns Danas from diplomatic circles.

Danas recalls that in the last few months, several versions of this French-German proposal for the final normalisation of relations between Serbia and Kosovo appeared under the label “confidential”.

The content remained unavailable to the public, except for the information from the EU leaders that the document was delivered to the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, and the Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti.

Danas wrote that unlike the President of Serbia, the Prime Minister of Kosovo did not have so many significant objections to the proposal. Among other things, he emphasised that, according to that agenda, the final agreement should be signed no later than March next year, which, according to his interpretation, would also mean mutual recognition of Kosovo and Serbia.

No ”reward” membership, only additional money

Diplomatic sources of Danas say that it is certain that in that document there is no “award for both countries”, i.e., full membership in the EU, but yes, there is certainly additional money, funds, and so-called “pushes”.

Interlocutors of Danas say that in the document of the French-German proposal, the original idea of forming the Community of Serbian Municipalities has been changed and that it will not be the community provided for in the Brussels Agreement.

As Danas unofficially learned, and reported, Aleksandar Vucic has only a few weeks to express his opinion on this proposal.

This is not and will not be a historical document

The interlocutors of Danas also add that the planned legally binding agreement will be reduced to a binding instruction and will certainly not be a historical document that will be a turning point in the construction of the long-awaited permanent peace between the two societies.

– The fact that Vucic and Kurti not only do not prepare their societies for such a historic step, but do the opposite, antagonise relations, make provocative decisions, and ignore the implementation of already reached agreements, thus suggesting that even if they sign such a document, under pressure, its sustainability would be at least questionable – they explain.

In the end, they interpret and predict the outcome, the responsibility for the long negotiations lies with the EU and its member states, which repeatedly undermine their own legitimacy by delaying the adoption of the final solution and indecisiveness in relation to the populist regimes in Belgrade and Pristina, wrote the daily.

Serbian Ministry of Justice: Albanian who died in prison refused treatments (N1)

The Serbian Ministry of Justice told Radio Free Europe that A.Z. a Norwegian citizen originating from Kosovo, who died in prison in Serbia on November 27 “was refusing treatment of the disease he suffered from”, and refuted allegations of ill treatment, N1 reports.

Kosovo based media over the last days reported that members of the deceased person’s family, who was 28 years old, expressed doubt that he was killed because of tattoos on his body, including the one depicting Adam Jashari and KLA emblem.

The Ministry of Justice said A.Z. was serving a three-year and eight months sentence in Sremska Mitrovica prison from February 3, 2022 because of unauthorised production and distribution of narcotics.

The Ministry also said A.Z. during his arrest said he was being treated for a “certain type of illness”, but that due to the Law on Personal Data and Protection and the Law on Health Care, it was not possible to specify what kind of illness it was.

The Ministry added A.Z. did not have any medical documentation with him, but he was examined by a doctor several times and that, based on his condition, he received adequate therapy. The Serbian Ministry noted that he had “full medical care” and “regular examinations”.

As further stated, A.Z. was sent to a special prison hospital in Belgrade several times during his time in prison. It was also said that he refused medications and food on several occasions. The last time he stayed in the special hospital was from July 28 to September 17, 2022.

“It was also discussed with the convict several times that by refusing therapy, he is intentionally endangering his health”, the Serbian Ministry of Justice said in a written statement.

Opinion 

Mihajlovic: ”ZSO a colorful lie that Belgrade uses to cover up the sale of Serbian interests in Kosovo” (Beta, Danas, KoSSev)

Journalist Milivoje Mihajlovic estimated today that the withdrawal of the Serbs from the Kosovo institutions suspended the Brussels Agreement, wrote daily Danas, citing portal KoSSev. 

“3,500 people who were forced into Kosovo’s institutions ten years ago have lost their jobs. They will receive salaries from the Serbian budget, claim in Belgrade, until one day, at the request of those who decide who will be in power in Belgrade, are forcibly returned to the institutions of Kosovo,” Mihajlovic said for KosSev portal, cited the daily. 

Mihajlovic pointed out that after the signing of the Brussels Agreement in 2013, the police, judiciary, energy, postal code “were absorbed” into the Kosovo system.

“The Community of Serbian Municipalities (ZSO) was a colorful scarf that Belgrade used to cover the eyes of the public whenever it sold Serbian interests in Kosovo. Pristina referred to the Constitution of Kosovo. Belgrade behaved as if Serbia did not have the Constitution,” stressed Mihajlovic.

International 

EU, US, Civil Society, Query Conditions for North Kosovo Elections (BIRN)

Doubts are growing about the viability of holding extraordinary mayoral elections in northern Kosovo on December 18 in the current unstable atmosphere.

Kosovo authorities face a race against time to create conditions for mayoral elections in the tense Serb-majority North on December 18 with civil society groups and international diplomats pondering whether a vote can be held after a series of violent incidents.

On Thursday, Pristina-based NGO Council for the Defence of Human Rights and Freedoms, CDHRF, called for a postponement of the elections until “a time when the conditions [for them] are created”.

“Elections are held to ensure political representation which guarantees fulfilment of conditions for citizens without threats to a free vote no matter the ethnic background… in the current circumstances, these conditions are not met,” CDHRF said in a press release.

The European Union called for a careful consideration of circumstances as the authorities try to organize extraordinary mayoral elections in the North following the mass resignation of Serb officials from the Belgrade-backed Srpska Lista party in a dispute over car registration plates. The party has submitted no candidates for the upcoming elections.

“When considering the organisation of the by-elections in the north, Kosovo’s authorities need to consider carefully all security, administrative and political factors to ensure that elections are inclusive and held only in peaceful conditions,” Peter Stano, from the EU Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, told BIRN on Wednesday.

Stano said the EU had received an invitation to deploy an election observation mission for the elections for mayors of four municipalities – North Mitrovica, Zvečan, Leposavic and Zubin Potok, scheduled on 18 December 2022, and for early elections for the municipal assemblies of Zvečan and Leposavic, scheduled on December 25.

“Unfortunately, the very short deadlines do not allow the EU to send an electoral mission on this occasion,” Stano said.

Read more at: https://bit.ly/3Y8CkMg

Kosovo president: Progress made in lobbying non-recognisers (Euractiv)

President Vjosa Osmani told EURACTIV she is hopeful about EU membership and changing the mind of hesitant member states. 

After Kosovo unveiled plans to apply for EU membership before the end of the year, its president told EURACTIV in an interview that progress is being made in lobbying the five EU member states that currently do not recognise the country.

Cyprus, Greece, Spain, Romania, and Slovakia do not recognise Kosovo’s independence from Serbia, declared in 2008 following a brutal 1998-99 war that saw 13,000 people killed and up to 1.4 million ethnic Albanians displaced.

For Kosovo to be granted EU candidate status and membership, it requires the unanimous approval of the 27 member states, which remain divided on the matter.

“But we want to use these years on two fronts, one, in making sure that we push forward for important reforms in our country that would bring us closer to the EU. And secondly, in convincing all EU members to support Kosovo’s membership and give us a candidate status,” President Vjosa Osmani said.

She explained that they chose to file the application in December, still during the Czech presidency of the EU Council, because Prague has given a lot of support to Kosovo and the region, and because of the hopes that visa liberalisation will be finalised by the end of the month.

Read more at: https://bit.ly/3h6WfKT

New Underground Carpark in Prishtina Creates ‘Above-ground’ Dilemma (BIRN)

The cheapest price was the determining criterion for the selection of the company to build an underground parking lot in the center of Prishtina. But, before the project was inaugurated, prices went up.

The underground parking lot inaugurated in Prishtina a few days ago has more expensive prices than those determined in the initial contract, BIRN has found out.

In the contract signed in 2019, the “Parking Center” consortium and the Municipality of Prishtina agreed that the price for parking a car for one hour would be 0.80 euros. This has become 1 euro, an increase of 25 per cent.

The entire investment in 1.4 hectares of land of the municipality in the centre of the capital was over 10 million euros by the  company; 15 per cent of the revenues go to the Municipality.

The municipality has not participated in any part of the investment, except for leasing the property for 35 years.

Work on the parking lot and in the two business premises started, and is continuing in the green space. At the end of November, inauguration of the city’s first underground parking lot with a public-private partnership contract was due.

Read more at: https://bit.ly/3Fcc5fh

Study Reports 25,000 Violent Pushbacks at EU Borders (BIRN)

A new study from the Border Violence Monitoring Network, published on Thursday, documents 25.000 violent pushbacks at EU borders, saying the real number of pushbacks is likely even higher.

A new study, “Black Book of Pushbacks”, compiled by experts from the Border Violence Monitoring Network, BVMN, has monitored and mapped border violence to migrants. The report was launched on Thursday in Brussels.

“It documents how almost 25,000 people were beaten, kicked, humiliated and arbitrarily detained before being illegally pushed back, both at the EU’s external borders and from deep within the territory of its member states”, BVMN said in a press statement.

It added that the report includes 1,635 testimonies that impacted 24,990 persons and that 15 countries were involved: Austria, Italy, Greece, Slovenia, Croatia, Poland, Hungary, Romania, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Kosovo, Bulgaria, North Macedonia and Albania.

BVMN said these pushbacks are not sporadic cases but that violence, torture and humiliation are growing and being normalized.

Read more at: https://bit.ly/3VXdf4U

Humanitarian/Development

A candidate for deputy ombudsman with views that are against human rights (gorazdevac.com, Kallxo)

The list of candidates for the post of deputy ombudsman from non-majority communities was submitted to the Assembly of Kosovo for voting. The Parliamentary Commission for Human Rights reviewed the list of candidates on Wednesday. Esmir Kasi was among the candidates for deputy ombudsman Naim Qelal, the portal gorazdevac.com reports, citing Kallxo.

According to the media, one of the candidates, in the past, expressed views that contradict the position for which he was aiming. He expressed these views mainly on Facebook, which he then deleted from this social network.

According to the information available to kallxo.com, ombudsman Naim Qelaj, was aware of the announcements and views expressed by Esmir Kasi. Kallxo.com asked Qelaj for an explanation about how a man who condemns human rights was nominated as deputy ombudsman, cited gorazdevac.com. ”Evidence of Esmir Cassi’s posts was also sent with the question,” reported the portal, citing kallxo.com. 

The controversial posts on FB concern the indignation towards the marking of March 8, May 1, and Pride Day.

“Neither I nor the Commission had the information that you sent us, except for the information that the candidate Esmir Kasi was part of the cabinet of the Deputy Prime Minister Emilia Redzepi” – Naim Qelaj answer stated. He added: 

“We will officially inform the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo about the information you sent us and the facts you attached, which we did not know about,” he added, among other things.

Qelaj said that the competition for the selection of deputy ombudsman from among non-majority communities foresees several criteria for candidates, starting with legal criteria and conditions that are sought in the competition and continuing with an open, transparent process by a five-member Commission composed of persons of high integrity, as he said.

“In fulfilling its legal obligations, the Commission developed employment procedures fully in accordance with the Law on the Protector of Citizens and Regulation no. 01/2022 on the method of competition and the procedure for selecting candidates for the position of deputy ombudsman,” he added.

At the session of the Commission for Human Rights and Gender Equality, consideration of this proposal-decision was also on the agenda.

Duda Balje, the president of this Commission, told kallxo.com, reported gorazdevac.com, that she convened this meeting after receiving an email from kallxo.com with questions and information about the case.

She indicated that they had a good discussion at the meeting, but the Commission cannot change the list and it remains to be seen in the Assembly whether the deputies will vote on it. The meeting ended, as she said, with the receipt of information and each of them will decide for themselves when voting in the Assembly.

Eliza Hoxha from the Democratic Party of Kosovo, a member of this Commission, told kallxo.com that she and several others expressed concern about Kasi’s political involvement, referring to his work in Emilia Redzepi’s cabinet as well as his beliefs, cited the portal.

Representatives of the OSCE, the EU and representatives of the Office of the Commissioner for Media Rights monitor the process of this competition, said the ombudsman. 

Alban Bajrami, also a member of this Commission, said that he will consider all the information he received on this issue, considering it very important. He said that the Commission cannot remove Kasi’s name from the list, and that he cannot say who he will vote for in the Assembly.

Kallxo.com attempted to contact other members of the Human Rights Commission, but they were not available at the time of publication of this article.

The commission for receiving and interviewing candidates for the position of deputy ombudsman from non-majority communities in Kosovo consisted of Naim Qelal – Ombudsman and president of this commission, Arta Rama – former president of the Court and constituent member of Kosovo, Enver Fejzullahu – director of the Law Academy, Luleta Demolli – executive director of the Kosovo Center for Gender Studies and Dusan Radakovic – activist for the protection of human rights.

On the list of candidates, in addition to Esmir Kasi, who won 60.8 points, are also Srdjan Sentic with 89 points, Senad Ibishi with 84.4 points, Marija Radulovic with 76.6 points, Ardijan Maksuti with 70.4 points and Admir Rama with 55.8 points.

In the Assembly on June 14, 2022, 4 ombudsman deputies were elected, while for the position of deputy ombudsman from the ranks of communities that are not the majority, was not elected because none of the proposed candidates received enough votes, the competition was announced, i.e., repeated.

This competition was announced on August 26. In which 7 candidates applied, one of whom dropped out, while the other 6 are on the final list sent to the Assembly, cited gorazdevac.com.