• Kosovo police officer wounded in volatile northern region (Reuters)
• President’s Office reacts to Petkovic’s statement (media)
• Government: Regular police in north, not special units (Radio Free Europe)
• Chollet: Elections in north should be delayed (media)
• Svecla on elections in north: We coordinate with allies; President decides (RTK)
• Konjufca: Main person of justice has file on gangs in north, doesn’t act (media)
• Trajkovic: Alarming situation in north; Vucic caused security vacuum (media)
• Kurti: Green agenda remans our priority (media)
• Dozens of Kosovo Serbs protest customs’ confiscation of illegal alcohol (BIRN)
• Kosovo holds march against abuse of disabled (Anadolu Agency)

Kosovo police officer wounded in volatile northern region (Reuters)

A police patrol was attacked on Thursday in Kosovo’s volatile north, injuring an officer, two hours after police troops were sent in the region in an attempt to replace hundreds of Serb cops who resigned last month over a car plate dispute.

Kosovo announced it was sending more police officers to its northern region on Thursday, a move that may fuel more tensions between Belgrade and Pristina as the Serb majority in the north consider themselves part of Serbia.

In a statement, police said a group of armed people with long weapons in an Audi-type grey vehicle attacked a police patrol.

“As a result of the incident a police officer was injured and considerable material damage was caused to the police car,” the statement said.

Police said it would continue to increase its presence over the next few days to maintain order. Only few troops were in the area since hundreds of police officers from the overall Serb minority quit their jobs last month.

President’s Office reacts to Petkovic’s statement (media)

Chief of Staff to Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani, Blerim Vela, took to Twitter on Thursday to react to a statement by the head of the Serbian Government’s office for Kosovo, Petar Petkovic, who said that Serbia was considering sending 1,000 security troops to Kosovo after the latter stepped up its police presence in the north. Vela wrote in a Twitter post: “Serbia’s regime is moving from covert violent actions of its illegal structures in Kosovo to overt threat to use pol-mil forces to conduct aggression against Kosovo”. He also argued that “this is a blatant threat to endanger peace and stability in Kosovo and the wider region.”

Government: Regular police in north, not special units (Radio Free Europe)

Kosovo Police announced on Thursday that it has stepped its presence in the four Serb-majority municipalities in the north of Kosovo. Serbian media meanwhile reported that members of Kosovo Police special units were being sent to the north. A spokesperson for the Kosovo government however refuted the reports. “This includes only regular police, and no other units,” the spokesperson told Radio Free Europe.

Kosovo’s Minister of Interior Affairs, Xhelal Svecla, said on Thursday that the increased police presence was necessary after the recent incidents in the north of Kosovo. “We call on all citizens to maintain calm and to cooperate with Kosovo Police who are engaged for order and security for all citizens without any differences,” Svecla wrote in a Facebook post.

Chollet: Elections in north should be delayed (media)

Counselor to the U.S. State Department, Derek Chollet, said in an interview with Voice of America on Thursday that the U.S. thinks the elections in the north of Kosovo should be delayed. “We have been clear that we think the time is not right for elections just given the sensitivity of the moment and we have seen some violence in the last 24 hours. It’s a very tense time and we want to make sure that the conditions are right for having these elections free and fair,” Chollet said.

Watch the interview at: https://bit.ly/3YapCwf

Svecla on elections in north: We coordinate with allies; President decides (RTK)

Kosovo’s Minister of Interior Affairs, Xhelal Svecla, said in an interview with RTK on Thursday that Kosovo Police and the Central Election Committee will give their recommendations about elections in the four northern municipalities and that President Vjosa Osmani then decides if the elections will be held.

Asked to comment on calls from the U.S. to delay the elections, Svecla said the Kosovo government coordinates with its allies and that the final decision rests with the President. “We absolutely coordinate with all our allies and we will treat with the greatest seriousness the calls coming from the U.S., but the decision rests with the President of the country,” he said.

Konjufca: Main person of justice has file on gangs in north, but doesn’t act (media)

Kosovo Assembly President, Glauk Konjufca, said on Thursday that “the main person of justice in Kosovo, who now wants to become chief prosecutor” has the complete file about the actions of the criminal gangs that operate in the north but that he does not act. Referring to the chief prosecutor of the Kosovo Special Prosecution, Blerim Isufaj, Konjufca said: “I have accurate information that the main person of the judiciary today, since September last year, has the complete file on the criminal gangs in the north. There hasn’t been a single action from his side. The main person of the judiciary, he wants to become chief prosecutor … For 15 months now, he has the lengthy file on his desk, with all the names and photos and videos of persons that are in charge of organising crime in the north of Kosovo. I guarantee he has the file since September last, including all the details. Why he is not acting on it? You should call him and ask him,” he said.

According to Konjufca, the same office had decided to withdraw the arrest warrant against Milan Radoicic, who according to Konjufca, is “the head of the gangs in the north”.

Konjufca also said that the violence in the north is a result “of the last battle that Serbia is fighting over Kosovo” and “Serbia will lose this battle”.

Trajkovic: Alarming situation in north; security vacuum caused by Vucic (media)

Kosovo Serb political representative, Rada Trajkovic, warned in a Facebook post on Thursday about “an alarming situation in the north”. “Local Serbs don’t have police protection. In the security vacuum caused by Vucic’s immature decision, we are already witnessing looting efforts and a total collapse. Political representatives are secondary, but Kosovo Serb police officers must return to service urgently,” Trajkovic said.

Kurti: Green agenda remans our priority (media)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti thanked on Thursday, “Germany and the European Union, our key partners in the advancement of Kosovo’s development agenda”. “With the signed financing agreement, Kosovo receives over 100 million € for projects on environmental protection, solid waste, and wastewater management. The green agenda remains our priority,” Kurti tweeted.

Dozens of Kosovo Serbs protest customs’ confiscation of illegal alcohol (BIRN)

Confiscation of over 40,000 liters of illegally produced alcohol opposed by dozens of Kosovo Serb villagers in south.

Many Kosovo Serbs protested on Thursday in the village of Hoce e Madhe/Velika Hoca in Rahovec as Customs officers confiscated 42,000 liters of unreported alcohol from a local citizen.

On Wednesday, Kosovo Customs seized the beverages after raiding a store where alcohol is sold in the village of Hoce e Madhe.

According to Customs, the drinks were produced in an illegitimate manner.

“Officials have found that in addition to the store, the responsible person also operates the production of alcoholic beverages without authorization from Kosovo Customs, contrary to the relevant norms of the Customs and Excise Code,” Customs said.

The police spokesperson for the region of Gjakova, Sheremet Elezaj, said the action was continuing on Thursday but Customs had asked for help from the police due to the gatherings of citizens.

Read more at: https://bit.ly/3h9tDR2

Kosovo holds march against abuse of disabled (Anadolu Agency)

Dozens of wheelchair users marched in Kosovo’s capital Thursday to raise awareness about abuse of the disabled. Demonstrators carried banners that read “Enough is enough”, “My disabilities do not give you the right to abuse”, “Don’t neglect our skills” and “Stop the violence just because I am disabled.” Demonstrator Prensje Rahmani said the march wants to be the voice of rebellion that opposes and condemns misogyny, racism, sexism, harassment and all forms of violence. “We can only fight violence and inequality together. Only together can we be closer to social and gender equality. It is enough. Abuse cannot be hidden within walls,” he told reporters at the rally.

Kosovo state institutions declared 2022 as the year of the disabled. There are approximately 200,000 disabled people in Kosovo, which corresponds to 10% of the population. The country’s laws stipulate that one out of every 50 positions in state institutions should be filled by someone who is disabled. Deputies in the Assembly of Kosovo often point out that the law is not implemented.