Albanian Language Media:

• Konjufca: No Association without Serbs returning to institutions (Koha)
• Kurti: Judicial and prosecutorial system must be freed from political influence (Koha)
• Gervalla: The region doesn’t need another Republika Srpska (media)
• Krasniqi: Elected mayors will exercise their mandate according to law (media)
• New mayors of northern municipalities expected to swear in this week (RTK)
• EULEX on swearing-in of mayors: We are on standby 24 hrs to react (Front Online)
• Citaku: This government acts as a weak administrator of our taxes (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Radio Gorazdevac: House of a returnee in Vitomirica demolished despite Supreme Court ruling in his favour (Radio Gorazdevac, KoSSev, Kosovo Online)
• US Senators: Good faith should be a demand of negotiations, while joint action is key to the implementation of the agreement (KoSSev)
• Dacic: There was no pronounced pressure on Serbia (Tanjug)
• Former North Mitrovica mayor: Situation in north Kosovo extremely difficult (Tanjug, TV Pink)
• KP: Three minors arrested for shooting in Ugljare (Kosovo Online)

International:

• UK Ambassador Urges Kosovo to Draft Statute for Association (BIRN)

Humanitarian/Development:

• From the fields of Nivokaz (Kosovo 2.0)

Albanian Language Media  

Konjufca: No Association without Serbs returning to institutions (Koha)

President of the Kosovo Assembly, Glauk Konjufca, said today that the Association of Serb-majority municipalities will not be formed without Kosovo Serbs returning to the institutions. He said that the Quint countries too have said this. “I have heard the Quint countries say that there is no Association without Serbs returning to the institutions. Let them tell us if this position has changed. Ask them. I can give you their statements when they said that there is no Association without Serbs returning to the institutions. You cannot condition the Association by blackmailing Kosovo from Belgrade. You can come to Kosovo, register in Kosovo, take part in the elections in Kosovo and have representatives in the institutions. What happened? They did not do this, and we continued our path with the election of the new mayors of the municipalities in the north. You are asking who is responsible. Responsible are those that did not register,” he argued.

Konjufca also said that the Serbian List has decided to remain outside of Kosovo’s institutions. “The Serbian List chose another path and that was to remain outside of the institutions, to organise a rebellion or I don’t know what, according to orders from Aleksandar Vucic. We cannot agree with this scenario; we have our democratic tools. The mayors were elected, they will swear in. One mayor has already sworn in, and the others will do too. This is how we will be moving forward, there is no other way,” he said.

Konjufca said that the agreement reached in Brussels and the implementation plan accorded in Ohrid must be fully implemented. “I think that the agreement doesn’t have conditions. It is wrong to have a condition as a starting point. The agreement, if you read it carefully, the sequencing of the agreement, the steps that have been foreseen, are only those that start after Article 2, so there is sequencing for other aspects. Article 2 of the agreements enters into force once the parties agree on the agreement, and what is Article 2, that states function as sovereign states with mutual rights toward one another. Serbia is challenging this. It is shutting its eyes and pretending as if nothing happened with this agreement. If it weren’t for Article 2 that will enter into force immediately, Prime Minister Kurti would not have signed the agreement. For the agreement to start with the Association, the Kosovo Government would have no interest to sign the agreement. The agreement was signed because it says that Article 2 enters into force when the parties agree and maybe this was the reason why [Serbian President] Vucic did not sign it. What kind of approach is this as two sovereign states, when Serbia writes to other countries against visa liberalisation for Kosovo. Please, this is too much. This goes to show that for Serbia that agreement is zero, the agreement does not exist for Serbia, and yet it has accepted it,” he said.

Kurti: Judicial and prosecutorial system must be freed from political influence (Koha)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti said in the first working meeting on drafting the state strategy against corruption today that society should have zero tolerance for corruption, bribes, and contracts in exchange for money. He said that the Transparency International index is the best indicator about the fight against corruption and that the government’s fight in this area has led to economic growth.

Kurti said that an environment must be created where judges and prosecutors are freed from political influence and make decisions based on their professional skills. “We have shown that a public servant works to serve the citizens and not to get rich. In the last two years in government, we have shown tangible results in the fight against crime and smuggling, with the arrest of over 3,200 persons, more than 300 of whom are public officials, and 38 of them were arrested only in the case of subsidies,” he said.

Kurti said that reforms are continuing with the vetting of senior positions in the judicial and prosecutorial system and fighting unjustifiable wealth through the State Bureau for the confiscation of unjustifiable wealth. He argued that “results with these powerful tools against corruption could have been seen today but that the delay falls on the responsibility of opposition parties which disguise the obstruction of all reforms by referring to the Constitutional Court”.

“Corruption has hurt our society for a long time, by undermining our democracy and progress as a state. But we are gathered here today to implement what we have been trusted with. It is our duty through institutional reforms to safeguard state wealth and the budget of the state by creating the legal infrastructure to reveal the beneficiaries of funds. We need to shift our attention to public procurement and make sure that every irresponsible company is blacklisted. We are obliged to create an environment where the judicial and prosecutorial system is freed from any kind of political influence and works only based on personal conscience and the professional skills of judges and prosecutors,” Kurti said.

Gervalla: The region doesn’t need another Republika Srpska (media)

Kosovo’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Donika Gervalla, said on Monday in Brussels that Kosovo has looked into numerous models for the protection of minority communities but that “the Constitution of Kosovo offers to the minorities way more rights than all other models”.

“We have considered models, and we have seen which are those that are out of the question for us, because they cross the red lines that we have in this dialogue. No kind of formation, no kind of Association, no kind of mechanism, can be implemented in Kosovo if it violates the sovereignty of the country, the Constitution, and the functionality of the Republic of Kosovo, because these are the three basic elements for the functioning of the state. What we have seen in Bosnia and Herzegovina through the Republika Srpska that was installed there, is a total blockade of the functioning of the state. This will not happen in the Republic of Kosovo. This region doesn’t need another Republika Srpska,” Gervalla argued.

Krasniqi: Elected mayors will exercise their mandate according to law (media)

Kosovo’s Minister for Local Government, Elbert Krasniqi, said on Monday that the newly elected mayors in the north will exercise their mandate according to law. “The elected mayors will be there, and they will exercise their mandate according to mandatory laws, and they will have all competencies as mayors of municipalities. [Mitrovica North] Mayor Erden Atic is more privileged because he has more delegated rights,” Krasniqi said.

New mayors of northern municipalities expected to swear in this week (RTK)

The dates for the swearing-in of the new mayors of three northern municipalities are expected to be decided this week. While Kosovo’s Ministry for Local Government says it is coordinating activities on the matter, the opposition says there should be no improvisations during the swearing-in ceremonies of the new mayors of Zvecan, Zubiin Potok and Leposavic. 

The Ministry for Local Government told RTK in a written response that they are waiting for proposals from the mayors. “The dates for the other sessions and the swearing-in of mayors are expected to be announced by the end of the week. We are waiting for proposals from the mayors. Minister Krasniqi has had regular meetings with the four newly elected mayors, and we are coordinating the necessary preparations and the timelines as foreseen by law,” the ministry said.

Head of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) parliamentary group, Abelard Tahiri, said on Monday that the swearing-in of the new mayors should not be improvised and that the ministry and security institutions must create conditions for the sessions to be held according to the constitution.

EULEX on swearing-in of mayors: We are on standby 24 hrs to react (Front Online)

The EU Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX) told the news website that it is closely following developments in the north of Kosovo through its Formed Police Unit (FPU) and its Reserve Unit. They said they are conducting the monitoring with their senior police advisors and other staff present in the region, in coordination with Kosovo Police and KFOR. 

The mission also said that it has stepped up its level of readiness “given the swearing-in ceremonies” of the newly elected mayors in the north.

“The Formed Police Unit and the Reserve Unit are ready to support the Kosovo Police as the second security responder, if requested and needed, to maintain stability and security for all communities in Kosovo,” the mission said.

Citaku: This government acts as a weak administrator of our taxes (media)

Deputy leader of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), Vlora Citaku, said in a Facebook post today that “this governing class is mostly defined by the lack of ambition and courage to make decisions”. “They act as weak administrators of our taxes. Without any concrete ideas how to help the citizens of Kosovo, how to help the private sector, how to fight barriers so that everyone can have more opportunities to realise their potentials. Without capital investments. Without a vision,” Citaku argued.

Serbian Language Media 

Radio Gorazdevac: House of a returnee in Vitomirica demolished despite Supreme Court ruling in his favour (Radio Gorazdevac, KoSSev, Kosovo Online)

House of Milorad Djokovic, a returnee to Vitomirica village, that he legally reclaimed at the court has been demolished in the last couple of days. Although there was a final court verdict passed, the house had not been re-registered under his name, while Djokovic got arrested last summer and accused of allegedly committing war crimes, KoSSev portal reports citing Radio Gorazdevac.

Radio Gorazdevac journalists did not find the house on the spot, but a pile of soil and preparation for what the journalists said will most probably be reconstruction of a local road. In front of that land parcel a bus stop has been arranged.

Vasilije Arsic, Milorad Djokovic’s lawyer, told Radio Gorazdevac that Djokovic’s house had been confiscated in violation of all legal norms and despite a decision of Kosovo Supreme Court.

“As far as the house is concerned there is a dispute before the court, the municipality has confiscated property of Djokovic in violation to all legal processes, disrespecting court’s decision and also decisions of its own bodies, only because, I assume, Djokovic is of other ethnicity. What the municipality is doing is shameful. The only returnee who came back to Vitomirica and to have his property, acquired in a legal way, destroyed in such a manner is tragic”, Arsic said.  

Arsic also said that Djokovic is currently in a detention unit in Podujevo, with his detention being extended for the fifth time, adding they continue to fight to prove his innocence.

“Milorad Djokovic is currently at a detention unit in Podujevo. His detention was assigned until May 26. This is the fifth extension. We used all legal means to prove the innocence of Djokovic, however special prosecution still insists that Djokovic is kept in detention. His family, closer relatives and I as his defence lawyer can visit him. I am in contact with his brother, and we met recently in Belgrade. He is also threatened if he comes to Kosovo and he is afraid of being arrested too, because of the alleged stories that he is involved in some situations during the war in 1999”, Arsic told Radio Gorazdevac.

Milorad Djokovic returned to Vitomirica, near Pec, 15 years ago. For longer than ten years he was pursuing legal proceedings requesting his property to be given back to him.

By the final verdict of the Kosovo Supreme Court decision was made to give back to him a house and a land parcel, subjects of the dispute and to register him as the owner. The court decision had not been implemented by Pec municipality up to date. The house under reconstruction that was located next to the road was demolished a few days ago.

Milorad Djokovic was arrested on June 27, while returning from Gorazdevac, where he worked as civil register, to Vitomirica where he lived. He is accused of allegedly committing war crimes against the civilian population in Pec.   

US Senators: Good faith should be a demand of negotiations, while joint action is key to the implementation of the agreement (KoSSev)

“There’s a reason why there’s demand for the Association of Municipalities. And there’s a real belief that the Association can, at the same time, provide important services to the people of those municipalities while not undermining the sovereignty of the government in Pristina,” a US senator Chris Murphy said in a statement for KoSSev.

“So, I think there are legitimate issues that Serbs living in Kosovo present. But the good news is we have a solution. Right? There are some problems where you’re still searching for a solution. We have a solution here that is not unfamiliar to us in the United States. We have a devolved government, we have a strong federal government, and then we have states and municipalities with powers. So, to me, this is an elegant solution to a difficult problem,” he said in response to our portal’s question.

US Senators, Democrat Chris Murphy for Foreign Affairs, and Gary Peters, from the Armed Forces Committee, are currently on tour of Kosovo. They met with the top Kosovo officials, as well as representatives of civil society, including those from the Kosovo Serb community. In a short interview for several newsrooms from Kosovo, they confirmed that they had very good discussions with the officials in Pristina about the dialogue with Serbia.

They expressed hope and belief that the Ohrid agreement will be implemented this year. However, they could not predict whether this would happen. One of them revealed that he is concerned that the Association of Serb-majority Municipalities would be discussed for another year or two, without the implementation of Article 7 of the Agreement on the Path to Normalisation of Relations between Kosovo and Serbia.

“I think there is a worry in the United States that there’s been a lot of talk without action since the Brussels agreement. And I worry about the impact of going another few years without seeing real tangible steps towards implementation of the agreement,” Senator Murphy said in response to a question posed by KoSSev’s Editor-in-Chief.

Read more at: https://cutit.app/fjeKb

Dacic: There was no pronounced pressure on Serbia (Tanjug)

Serbian FM Ivica Daric said in Brussels on Monday there had been no pressure on Serbia at his meeting with EU and Western Balkan FMs earlier in the day and that he was pleasantly surprised that nearly all EU FMs had spoken about a need for the Western Balkans to join the bloc as soon as possible within concrete timeframes.

Daci explained that, however, no specific timeframes had been discussed at the meeting.

He added that Pristina representatives had once again demonstrated “a consistently extremist behaviour”.

“They talked about Serbia being a danger to peace and stability, that we are a disturbing factor and that they are a factor of peace and stability, which seems really unreal,” Dacic told reporters in Brussels.

He noted that he did not understand how, as many as ten years after he had signed the Brussels Agreement, Pristina was still able to make extremist statements and how there was no talk about the reasons for its failure to form a Community of Serb Municipalities.

He said alignment of Serbia’s foreign policy with the EU had been discussed as well and that he had called for a fair treatment of Serbia.

He said Serbia was not neutral in terms of values when it comes to the violation of the territorial integrity of Ukraine and added that Belgrade had demonstrated this by voting in favour of various resolutions.

He added that Serbia had not joined the sanctions on Russia because it did not believe such measures were correct and also because it had been guided by its own interests, specifically, its territorial integrity and sovereignty.

He also said Serbia would not be a place from which sanctions would be violated.

“What we can be glad about is that there was no pronounced pressure on Serbia – on the contrary, I think that everyone was able to see what the extremist policy pursued by Pristina looks like,” Dacic said.

Former North Mitrovica mayor: Situation in north Kosovo extremely difficult (Tanjug, TV Pink)

Former North Mitrovica Mayor Milan Radojevic said on Monday the situation in the north of Kosovo was extremely difficult and that this had especially been the case since local Serbs left Pristina’s institutions last November and noted that no one in the international community was concerned about when Pristina’s PM Albin Kurti would stop a repression against the Serbs.

Speaking to Pink TV, Radojevic said pressure by Kurti and his institutions was growing.

“We have been warning international representatives that the situation is difficult and that it was a matter of time when an individual would take justice in their own hands to protect their family. The Serbian List stands with its people and all decisions we will make will be made with the people,” Radojevic said.

He said the appointment of Pristina’s mayors in four Serb-majority municipalities in the north of Kosovo showed Kurti’s true intentions.

“The new North Mitrovica mayor came in a bulletproof vehicle, which shows whether he belongs in North Mitrovica and the people. We are with the people, and we are determined to defend our way of life and institutions,” he said.

He said Serbs in the north of Kosovo-Metohija had no intent of rapprochement with Pristina or South Mitrovica.

“We are just defending our way of life. Our ultimatum (that Kurti stops the repression by June 1) is an extremely forced move we were compelled to make. No one in the international community is wondering when Kurti will stop the repression, withdraw special forces and respect laws under which land owned by the Visoki Decani monastery should be returned to it. That is what their (Pristina’s) constitutional court ordered seven years ago. It seems that the constitution need not be respected in that case,” Radojevic said.

KP: Three minors arrested for shooting in Ugljare (Kosovo Online)

The General Investigation Unit of the Pristina Region of the Kosovo Police arrested three 17-year-old minors for possession of a gas revolver, suspected of having committed the crime of causing public danger due to the shooting in the village of Ugljare, reported portal Kosovo Online. 

On May 16, near the school yard of Elementary School in Ugljare near Kosovo Polje, there was a shooting from a moving car, and three children aged 13, 15 and 17 were in the yard at that time.

“The identification of the suspects, as well as the localization of their crime, are the result of the excellent investigative work of the police, who with deep expertise processed all the information and evidence found, which then led to the implementation of the action and the arrest of the suspects, minors,” the statement read. 

The suspects were remanded in custody for 24 hours and an investigation was launched against them for the offences of causing general danger and unauthorised possession and carrying of weapons.

International 

UK Ambassador Urges Kosovo to Draft Statute for Association (BIRN)

In an interview with Jeta Xharra for Kallxo Pernime show, British Ambassador Nicholas Abbott said he urges Kosovo to propose a draft statute for the Association of municipalities with a Serbian majority, based on the Prime Minister’s vision.

Nicholas Abbott, the Ambassador of Great Britain in Kosovo, has stated that it is time for the Government of Kosovo to officially submit a draft statute for the Association of municipalities with a Serbian majority.

“At this point in time, considering the current context of land war in Europe, the agreement’s importance lies in ensuring progress and practical advancements. In my view, particularly regarding the Association, it is time for the Kosovo Government to present the draft statute, which should be based on the Prime Minister’s vision, if they wish to proceed in that manner,” Abbott stated during an interview on the Kallxo Pernime show on Monday.

On the other hand, Kosovo PM Albin Kurti, following the EU-mediated high-level meeting between him and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic in Brussels on May 2, has proposed a draft vision that outlines the values, principles, and framework for regulating issues concerning non-majority communities.

“I believe that my proposal will be taken seriously by the mediators, as it will allow us to create something good, fair, and beneficial for everyone, not only for the Serbs, who should be able to live in our country and be members of our society,” Kurti expressed.

Read more at: https://cutt.ly/kwqdSkur

Humanitarian/Development

From the fields of Nivokaz (Kosovo 2.0)

Ax Alijaj’s Vidasus distillery is creating unique alcohol out of local products.

The sun was high over the shallow valley where the village of Nivokaz sits. The snow was still visible on the peak of Shkëlzen Mountain. A road veering off from the Gjakova-Junik highway passes over the Erenik River and leads to the Nivokaz, where houses have now replaced the traditional stone kulla.

The kulla, once the defining feature of this village, are now few but you can still enjoy the view of what’s left. A characteristic door, small and surrounded by stone walls, leads to the Alijaj kulla.

Ali Alijaj, 47 years old, is known as Ax Alijaj. He recalls that when he was small his family had many members, like most of the families who lived in these buildings. When he was four or five years old, there were 20 other children his age in the extended family. They were small, but they helped their fathers in the fields, which were surrounded by plum trees in order to distract crows from feasting on the grain. What they harvested during summer ensured their winter would be easier, as this region is known to face hard winters.

“When we were done with the harvest, we put the corn in the basket and then we used to organise a dinner. It’s called the ‘Lama Dinner,’” said Alijaj. “We used to call close and extended family and friends. We used to roast a sheep that was injured or old, while the brandy from plums that had fallen to the ground was being prepared,” he said, before recalling that they lost the distillery cauldrons during the war.

Read more at: https://cutt.ly/FwqdiTNO