Albanian Language Media:

• “Civil Protection” and “Northern Brigade” declared terrorist organisations (media)
• Kurti on measures: EU finds in Kosovo most honest ally and partner in region (media)
• Kusari-Lila reacts to the measures that the EU may eventually impose on Kosovo (RTK)
• Borrell: If there is no contribution for de-escalation, there will be costs (media)
• Stoltenberg: Situation in Kosovo demonstrates importance of NATO-EU cooperation (Koha)
• Charles Michel supports Rama’s idea for an international conference (RTK)
• Svecla: Kosovo’s borders are being protected better than ever before (media)
• Scholz calls for new elections in the municipalities of northern Kosovo (DW, media)
• Svecla: Vucic is a chronic liar; his son was stopped only once (Koha)
• Explosive device thrown at KP in north, a static point/container burned (Express)
• Abdixhiku: We’ll soon present LDK plan to overcome isolation and crisis (media)
• Haradinaj: Government should listen to Secretary Blinken’s advice (media)
• Weapons and licence plates of Novi Pazar in North Mitrovica confiscated (Kallxo)

Serbian Language Media: 

• Situation in northern Kosovo calm but tense, Patriarch Porfirije visits Pec Patriarchate (RTS)
• Serbian List reacts to Kurti’s visit to north (Radio KIM, media)
• Molliqaj: Kosovo police arrested Serbs without court order (Kosovo Online)
• Pristina declared “Northern Brigade” and “Civil Protection” as “terrorist organisations” (KiM radio, Danas)
• Arsenijevic: “Civil Protection” and “Northern Brigade” do not exist in the north of Kosovo (KiM radio)
• NGOs Aktiv and KIPRED published report on institutional responses to incidents targeting non-majority communities in Kosovo (media, social media)
• Pyrotechnic device with “inflammable material” thrown at police kiosk in Mitrovica North (KoSSev)
• Kosovo special police pursued a car in Mitrovica North, disturbing local residents (KoSSev)
• Vucic says guns pointed at his son, his jersey was not taken off (Kosovo Online, social media)
• Lawyer: The Pristina court extended Dusan Obrenovic’s detention for another two months (NMagazin, Beta, Kosovo Online)
• The EU demands de-escalation in northern Kosovo, warns of negative consequences (Radio Mitrovica sever, RTS)
• A new international conference on Kosovo? (Danas, FoNet)
• Ilazi: Equating protests with criminal gangs means you don’t know the situation in the north (KiM radio)

International:

• BIRN Presents ‘Telco Accountability Research Using Ranking Digital Rights Methodology’ (Balkan Insight)
• Balkan Mobile Users Roam Freely – Unless They’re in Kosovo (BIRN)

Albanian Language Media  

“Civil Protection” and “Northern Brigade” declared terrorist organisations (media)

The Kosovo government today declared as terrorist organisations the “Civil Protection” and the “Northern Brigade” which operate in the north of Kosovo. The two organisations, according to Radio Free Europe, include hundreds of members from the Serb community.

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti said in today’s government meeting: “Based on the assessments of the security institutions of Kosovo, the illegal formations ‘Civil Protection’ and its component ‘Northern Brigade’ constitute a serious and direct threat to the constitutional order and security of Kosovo”.

The legislation in Kosovo provides that when organisations are declared terrorist, their activity ceases immediately and any further activity is met with serious legal consequences.

Minister of Interior Affairs, Xhelal Svecla, explained who is affected by the government’s decision. “This decision does not affect anyone that until the moment when they were declared terrorist organisations, were members of these two organisations and did not commit any criminal offence,” he said. “It does not affect members that were integrated or amnestied earlier”.

RFE notes that the ‘Northern Brigade’ reacted to the government’s decision through a post on Telegram, saying that the organisation was formed a year ago and that its members include “volunteers that help Serbs and the Serb people, ready to protect our people and state”. The organisation also noted that the government’s decision will not stop them from fighting for “Serbia and unity” and that due to security reasons they will no longer make public announcements about their movements.

Kurti said that the two organisations have carried out actions “with terrorist elements” including armed attacks against members of Kosovo Police, EULEX officers and KFOR soldiers. He said the two organisations have also called for resistance and disobedience, forced people to take part in protests and barricades and “recruited and trained members on the use of weapons and military methods in military bases in Serbia, with the aim of carrying out attacks against local and international missions in Kosovo”.

According to the government, the two organisations intimidated and prevented political candidates and parties from running in the elections in the north of Kosovo. “The level of threat and danger from these illegal formations is high. Kosovo’s institutions are making continued efforts to oppose the activities of these formations, with the aim of preventing consequences for both the citizens and members of the institutions of our country and the international presence in Kosovo,” Kurti said.

Kosovo’s Minister of Interior Affairs, Xhelal Svecla, told a press conference today that Kosovo’s authorities “coordinated with the partners” when declaring the “Civil Protection” and the “Northern Brigade” as terrorist organisations. “We continuously coordinate with all our allies. Sometimes we agree, sometimes we don’t,” he said.

Svecla also said that members of non-majority communities that have applied to join the Kosovo Police in the first vacancy announcement are nearing the end of training before they start working in the north. He added that the majority of them are Serbs.

“There are two vacancies. We announced a vacancy for non-majority communities. A certain number have applied. The training for the first contingent is nearly over. The majority of them are Serbs. They will soon become part of Kosovo Police and will work in the north,” he said.

Svecla also said that the second vacancy is almost final before the training commences and that this is expected to fill the vacuum created after the resignations of Serbs from Kosovo’s institutions in November last year.

Most news websites note in their coverage that Kosovo’s Minister for Communities and Returns, Nenad Rasic, said the government’s decision is hasty and that it could have grave consequences in relations with the Serb citizens in the north of Kosovo. Rasic argued that it has become “increasingly difficult to find interlocutors among the citizens in the north” and that it is even more difficult to convince them that what the Kosovo government is doing is in their interest. “We need to be much more careful [with steps] toward enforcing law and order throughout the territory of Kosovo,” he argued.

Kurti on measures: EU finds in Kosovo most honest ally and partner in region (media)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti, at the start of today’s government meeting, commented on the measures that the European Union said it will introduce against Kosovo. “The European Commission presented to the European Parliament yesterday a list of measures against Kosovo. The European Union finds in Kosovo its most honest partner and ally in the region of European values, democratic principles and long-term interests. Kosovo’s government is such, such is its people, first the people and then the government,” he said.

Kurti said that they have criticised the EU in several cases but that they were not cynical or angry. “There were cases when we criticised the European Union, but we were never cynical or angry, and we are not today either. When we submitted our membership application last December, we did this believing that in the foreseeable future we would be part of this union because we believe in this union, and we still have that belief today,” he said.

Kurti noted that “the latest report on our country drafted precisely by the European Commission describes and assesses Kosovo in the most positive light … And regardless of developments, we appreciate the support and assistance all these years”. He also said that Kosovo looks forward to getting the membership questionnaire. “Europe is our continent and the European Union is our destiny,” he said. 

Kusari-Lila reacts to the measures that the EU may eventually impose on Kosovo (RTK) 

Mimoza Kusari-Lila, head of the Parliamentary Group of the Vetevendosje Movement (LVV) has reacted today regarding the measures announced by the EU that are expected to be applied to Kosovo, as a response to the tense situation in the north. She stated that these measures will happen for the first time in the history of the Union.

“It will be the first time in the history of the EU and perhaps the last that the European Commission imposes measures against democracy for reasons they cannot articulate”, Kusari-Lila said.

“Or, it could be because: Kosovo tried to expand the rule of law in its territory; Kosovo held the elections and respected the results”, she wrote.

The general director for enlargement of the European Commission, Jan Koopman, has warned that the EU, during this week, will announce the punitive measures prepared against Kosovo due to “not taking the steps that have been requested to reduce tensions in the north of the country “.

Koopman said that a number of measures are being prepared for Kosovo.

Borrell: If there is no contribution for de-escalation, there will be costs (media)

The EU High Representative for Foreign Policy, Josep Borrell, has said that he will seek support from the member states to continue the pressure on Kosovo and Serbia to ease the situation and return to normality. If there is no de-escalation, Borrell has warned of consequences for both countries.

“I will inform the leaders about all the work of these days. And will ask for support to continue putting pressure on the parties, to avoid escalation and return to normality. The member states have decided at the last meeting of the Council that measures must be taken, economic and political, to make it clear to them that if they do not contribute to the de-escalation, then there will be costs”, Borrell said.

Stoltenberg: Situation in Kosovo demonstrates importance of NATO-EU cooperation (Koha)

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that the situation in Kosovo proves the importance of cooperation between NATO and the European Union. He said that they have appealed to Kosovo and Serbia to escalate the situation.

“The situation in Kosovo demonstrates the importance of NATO-EU cooperation. NATO strongly supports the EU’s commitment to dialogue engagements, with our presence on the ground with KFOR. We have increased our presence and called on the parties to de-escalate the situation, to refrain from actions that could increase tensions”, he said, adding that we should engage in good faith in the dialogue between the two countries.

Charles Michel supports Rama’s idea for an international conference (RTK)

The President of the European Council, Charles Michel, has supported the idea presented by the Prime Minister of Albania, Edi Rama, for holding an international conference on Kosovo and Serbia.

According to him, the leaders of the two countries would have participated in this conference, the leaders of those EU countries that are actively dealing with the mitigation of tensions, as well as the USA.

“I think the time has come to have a global approach, then to take clear steps towards normalisation”, Charles Michel said.

He spoke before the start of the European Union summit, where the Western Balkans will be discussed during the working dinner, with an emphasis on the tensions between Kosovo and Serbia. At the end of the summit, which will be held today and tomorrow, the 27 EU leaders will adopt conclusions by which the incidents in the north will be condemned and steps towards de-escalation will be sought.

Svecla: Kosovo’s borders are being protected better than ever before (media)

Kosovo’s Minister of the Interior Xhelal Svecla, has said that the borders of Kosovo are currently being protected better than ever before.

“My duty is to ask the Kosovo Police to fulfil their constitutional obligations. One of them is guarding the border. The Police itself makes operational evaluations. The border is being guarded better than ever. There are somewhere around 60 illegal roads which the state of Serbia, various criminals, smugglers have used earlier without any obstacles. Now this does not happen or maybe it happens in extremely small proportions compared to before. We can say that that part of the border in the north is as protected, in terms of anti-smuggling, as the border with North Macedonia, Albania and Montenegro”, Svecla said.

Asked if he has information about the entry of Russian citizens into Kosovo, Svcela said that Russian citizens need a visa to enter Kosovo. However, he does not rule out the possibility that some destabilising criminal element has entered the territory of Kosovo.

“At the exhibition of weapons, explosives and military equipment in Mitrovica, you noticed that one of the bulletproof vests had the logo of the Russian special unit. It is evidence that either someone from Russia has come and is operating illegally in the north of Kosovo, or someone from the extremists of that side has been engaged either in the war in Ukraine or in Russian special units”, said Svecla.

He said that the negative and destructive influence of Russia in the region is universally known. And that “the democratic world is doing everything to eliminate or minimise it”.

Scholz calls for new elections in the municipalities of northern Kosovo (DW, media)

The German Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, hopes that Serbia and Kosovo will manage to implement the Ohrid Agreement. In the framework of a press conference with his counterpart from North Macedonia, Dimitar Kovacevski, Scholz also spoke about possible sanctions against Kosovo.

“There is an agreement proposed and negotiated by the two countries that reflects a contract that will regulate the basis of the relationship and that must now be implemented. This includes a whole series of agreements and they must now be implemented. From our point of view, it is important that everyone contributes to the de-escalation, that elections are held as soon as possible in the Serb municipalities in Kosovo, that there is a high participation and that the elected are not only formally elected, but that they are active municipal and legitimate municipalities, to implement the part of the agreement on the Association of Serbian Municipalities. This must be done now”, the German chancellor stated.

He said that they are making efforts so that everyone understands this.

“This applies to the European Union and the Commissioner of the Commission. This applies to France, Germany, Italy and the USA, which are very intensively involved in this process. Therefore, I also remain hopeful that we will all succeed together and that all the participants in the field will give their contribution for good neighbourliness between the two countries”, stated Scholz.

Explosive device thrown at KP in north, a static point/container burned (Express)

A static point (container) of Kosovo Police was burned early this morning in Mitrovica North. The information was confirmed by deputy director of Kosovo Police for the north, Veton Elshani. He said there were no injuries and only material damage.

Elshani also said that before midnight, members of Kosovo Police special units in Mitrovica North tried to stop a vehicle. “The driver did not obey the orders to stop and kept driving. The police chased him and then found an abandoned vehicle on Sutjeska road. The vehicle was checked and then police left the site,” he said. Elshani also said that no arrests were made.

Abdixhiku: We’ll soon present LDK plan to overcome isolation and crisis (media)

Leader of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), Lumir Abdixhiku, said in a Facebook post today that the LDK will soon present a plan to overcome the isolation and crisis. “For this road we need everyone’s help. The help of those that believe in the Republic, in the Euro-Atlantic path and in the basic fundamentals of this society. Therefore, in the coming days, I will call on civil society actors, academia, private sector, diaspora, media and opinionists, political parties, Albanians in the region and Kosovo’s friends throughout the world to build the true road. I will also present to them the LDK’s plan to overcome isolation and crisis. In these meetings, I will seek support to build a critical mass and alternative voice that the western world needs to hear from us now. Our country has a future that is different from what is being projected today. Kosovo can do better. Kosovo deserves much more,” he said.

According to Abdixhiku, Kosovo never had a worse international standing and he blamed Prime Minister Albin Kurti and “his ideological group from Tirana”. “Albin Kurti cannot make Kosovo a European state. He, his ideological group from Tirana, the paid analysts and the media of the government are on a mission of the final confrontation of the state. In synchronicity, the first takes us toward confrontation while the latter makes this insanity seem beautiful. The truth is frightening. Kosovo was never in a worse international standing than today. Serbia never had greater international support than today. They are winning. We are losing. Their cause for territorial autonomy in Kosovo is taking shape while we suffice in our right to confront the whole world. Kosovo has a new road. One that takes our society, present and future generations toward the Euro-Atlantic family. One that wins faced with Serbia, domestically and internationally, without any difference. This road has no Albin Kurti in it. We need to take this road,” he said.

Haradinaj: Government should listen to Secretary Blinken’s advice (media)

Leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK), Ramush Haradinaj, called on the Kosovo government to listen to the advice of U.S. Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, and all allies to restore normality in the north of Kosovo. He said in a Facebook post that this implies the immediate withdrawal of Kosovo Police special units from the municipal buildings in the north. He also said that the new mayors of the four northern municipalities must immediately resign. “Free elections must be announced in these four municipalities, in line with Kosovo’s legal framework, with the participation of all, without conditions and with international guarantees. Prime Minister Kurti must also return to the implementation of the Brussels and Ohrid agreement, in line with the Constitution of Kosovo,” Haradinaj added.

Weapons and licence plates of Novi Pazar in North Mitrovica confiscated (Kallxo)

A suspicious car was encountered on the road known as “Three Skyscrapers” for misuse of licence plates. After the identification and control carried out by police units, a firearm was found and confiscated. In relation to the case, the basic prosecutor’s office in Mitrovica was also notified, and by order of the guardian prosecutor, the weapon and licence plates were confiscated.

On the other hand, a suspect was taken to the police for an interview. The case was confirmed for KALLXO.com by the deputy director of the police in the north, Veton Elshani.

Serbian Language Media 

Situation in northern Kosovo calm but tense, Patriarch Porfirije visits Pec Patriarchate (RTS)

The situation in northern Kosovo is calm but tense, RTS reports today. It recalled that Saint Vitus Day because of security concerns was marked in Gracanica Monastery yesterday instead of the usual spot at Gazimestan, with a message that Serbs will not give up on their tradition and identity. Serbian Orthodox Church Patriarch Porfirije served the liturgy in Pec Patriarchate today. 

“This morning, #Serbian #Orthodox #Patriarch Porfirije served the Holy Liturgy at the Patriarchal Monastery in Peć, #Kosovo, the historical seat of Serbian archbishops and patriarchs since the 13th century. The Serbian Orthodox Patriarch holds the venerable title of the Archbishop of Peć”, Visoki Decani Monastery wrote on Twitter. 

Serbian List reacts to Kurti’s visit to north (Radio KIM, media)

Serbian List reacted to the visit of Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti to some settlements in northern Kosovo by saying that Kurti “as if he were an illegal wood logger, or a thief enroute to steal, surrounded by dozens up to teeth armed henchmen, came to the outskirt of northern Kosovo and Metohija to demonstrate in practice to the main EU chief mediator, Mr. Miroslav Lajcak and the EU High Representative Mr. Josep Borrell what de-escalation on the ground looks like”, Radio KIM reports.

Serbian List added that this is how Kurti perceives the concept of defusing the tensions “by dragging several dozens of heavily armed parapolice units, in addition to hundreds of them already present in the north, all of them staying there illegally. Some would say a strong slap to the face of the international community, and yet another threat to the Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija, and what international community would say, we shall see. Who will be the other party responsible for this provocation?”.

As Serbian List said Kurti for the sake of scoring cheap political points, instead of salaries, employment opportunities and economic development to his own constituencies offers brutality, violation of the rights and freedoms of the Serbian people, adding that this “Kurti’s excursion is evidently a proof of his occupying ideology”.

At the end they said Kurti after few hours had to go back where he came from and that “he failed to provoke the Serbs and present himself as a victim”, adding that “Kurti was not the only occupier who was on those lands, but has left as all those had prior to him”.

Molliqaj: Kosovo police arrested Serbs without court order (Kosovo Online)

President of the Social Democratic Party Dardan Molliqaj said Kosovo police over the last days were arresting Serbs without court order, Kosovo Online portal reports citing RTV Dukagjini.

The portal said Molliqaj made those remarks in a broadcast “Debate Plus” on RTV Dukagjini.

“And those days there are arrests of the Serbs, some of them are arrested without court order”, he is quoted as saying.

Asked who he referred to, Molliqaj declined to say the names. 

Pristina declared “Northern Brigade” and “Civil Protection” as “terrorist organisations” (KiM radio, Danas)

Pristina government declared “Civil Protection” (Civilna zastita) and “Northern Brigade” (Severna brigada) as “terrorist organisations”, which operate in the northern part of Kosovo, populated mostly by Serbs, saying that ”they are responsible for the recent tensions in this area”, reported KiM radio, citing Gazeta Express.

“Based on the assessments of the security institutions in Kosovo, the civilian formation Civil Protection and its unit “Northern Brigade” represent a serious and direct threat to the constitutional order and security of Kosovo”, Kurti said.

He also mentioned actions taken by these groups, such as he said attacks on KFOR, journalists and other citizens.

“Attacks on citizens and KFOR soldiers, dangerous damage to public and private property, coercion of violent protests, and so on, are actions undertaken by these groups. Therefore, the Civil Protection and the Northern Brigade have been declared terrorist organisations”, he said.

On Saturday, Kosovo Interior Minister Xhelal Svecla announced at a press conference that he will invite Prime Minister Kurti to declare these two organisations ”terrorist at the government session”, recalled KiM radio.

Arsenijevic: “Civil Protection” and “Northern Brigade” do not exist in the north of Kosovo (KiM radio)

Civic Initiative “Serbian Survival” President Aleksandar Arsenijevic said today decision of Pristina government to declare “Civil Protection” and “Northern Brigade” as “terrorist organisations” represents another form of pressure and the announcement of new arrests of Serbs in northern Kosovo, reported KiM radio.

Arsenijevic told the BETA news agency that “Civil Protection” was disbanded in 2013 after the signing of the first Brussels Agreement, and that the so-called “Northern Brigade” never existed.

“Civil protection, which employed about 350 Serbs, was disbanded in 2013 after the signing of the first Brussels Agreement, when all Serbian institutions from the north of Kosovo were integrated into the Kosovo system. The so-called ‘Northern Brigade’ is the name for a non-existent organisation, so this decision of the Kosovo Government represents another form of pressure and the announcement of new arrests of innocent Serbs in the north of Kosovo”, said Arsenijevic.

He said that there is not a single Serb in the north of Kosovo who aims to change any government by armed means.

He stressed that the Pristina authorities put pressure on all citizens of Serbian nationality every day.

“Some civilians of Albanian nationality visit the municipalities in the north of Kosovo every day and inquire about individual citizens of Serbian nationality who have nothing to do with any activities. They thus bring unrest and fear of arrest, so many Serbs are forced to move out”, pointed out Arsenijevic.

NGOs Aktiv and KIPRED published report on institutional responses to incidents targeting non-majority communities in Kosovo (media, social media)

Aktiv and Kipred NGO’s with UNMIK support published a report on security incidents targeting the members of non-majority communities in Kosovo and institutional responses to it.

“This research was focused on the analysis of criminal offences, including bodily injuries, theft, aggravated thefts, robberies, and property damages, that occurred during the pandemic period of 2020-2021, with a specific emphasis on cases where members of the Serb Community in Kosovo were affected. The objective was to shed light on the institutional response to these incidents and enhance public accountability at the local and central levels, ultimately fostering trust in institutions, improving inter-ethnic relations, and enhancing the sense of security within the Serb Community.

Unfortunately, the research faced severe limitations due to the failure of Kosovo Police to provide requested information, thus forcing the researchers to rely solely on publicly available data and data collected by the Rapid Response Civic Group (RRCG), led by NGO Aktiv. Nonetheless, analysis of these data revealed a significant number of reported cases during the specified period, with 76 cases in 2020 and 87 cases in 2021, as documented by the RRCG. These figures drew international attention, including concern of the US Department of State, as highlighted in the Kosovo 2020 and 2021 Human Rights Reports.

Despite these considerable numbers, there has been a lack of systematic response from the rule of law institutions, specifically the Kosovo Police and judiciary, regarding these matters. This further contributes to the erosion of trust among members of the Kosovo Serb community”, read the segments of the report published on Visoki Decani Monastery Twitter account.

Read the full report at: rb.gy/p8tez

Pyrotechnic device with “inflammable material” thrown at police kiosk in Mitrovica North (KoSSev)

Late last night an explosive material was thrown at Kosovo police kiosk in Kolasinska Street in Mitrovica North, KoSSev portal reports.

Deputy commander of the police region North, Veton Elshani told KoSSev it was about a stronger pyrotechnic device, adding that along with it, as police suspect, a material that can cause flames was also thrown.

The kiosk was empty when the device was thrown, material damage was caused and no one was injured.

The portal also said that Kosovo police in its 24-hour report termed the act as a “terrorist act”. 

Kosovo special police pursued a car in Mitrovica North, disturbing local residents (KoSSev)

Kosovo special police pursued a car through North Mitrovica late last night after the driver allgedly refused to pull over. The same vehicle was then found empty on a road near a local cafe. The deputy commander of the Kosovo police for the region north, Veton Elshani confirmed that after a brief stop on that street, the police retreated, KoSSev portal reported.

Elshani said that the police signalled the car to pull over, without specifying exactly where this occurred, which the driver allegedly ignored, the portal reports. The police then started pursuing the car through the town, ending in Sutjeska Street – near a well-known local cafe.

Two younger locals whom KoSSev reported encountered in Sutjeska Street, confirmed that the special forces stayed there for no more than 15 minutes.

In a statement for KoSSev, they testified that although the police did not conduct any search, other than dealing with the abandoned car, the whole event was scary and unpleasant.

Out of fear, they say, many customers soon left the nearby cafe.

Vucic says guns pointed at his son, his jersey was not taken off (Kosovo Online, social media)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said Kosovo police pointed guns at his son Danilo, who was visiting Gracanica on the occasion of Saint Vitus Day yesterday, asking him to take off his jersey with a message “Surrender is not an option” but that he didn’t do it, Kosovo Online portal reports.

In a post on Instagram written after midnight Vucic said he had only found out then what was happening in Kosovo, adding those were Albanian police officers who stopped Danilo near Podujevo.

Office for Kosovo and Metohija Director Petar Petkovic in a post on Twitter wrote that “after (Albin) Kurti’s police officers attempted to force him (Danilo) change the jersey with a message they didn’t like, he showed them that he is a Serb, when he says “Surrender is not an option” he thinks that”.

Rada Trajkovic, president of the Serb from Kosovo European Movement and an adviser to the Kosovo Minister for Communities and Returns, Nenad Rasic in her reaction posted on Twitter wrote “Unacceptable behaviour and another unnecessary provocation by Kosovo Police. What does this have to do with the rule of law?

Is their job to police the hearts, minds and bodies of Serbs (both local and visiting)? Or to uphold the law”.

Lawyer: The Pristina court extended Dusan Obrenovic’s detention for another two months (NMagazin, Beta, Kosovo Online)

The court in Pristina extended the custody of Kosovo Serb Dusan Obrenovic for another two months, his lawyer Predrag Miljkovic confirmed.

“I received a decision on extending Dusan Obrenovic’s detention for another two months. I will file an appeal with the Court of Appeals, and I hope that they will more properly evaluate the conditions for his release pending trial,” Miljkovic told portal Kosovo Online.

Obrenovic was arrested before the riots broke out in Zvecan on May 29. Members of KFOR handed him over to the Kosovo police together with Rados Petrovic.

As the media reported, Obrenovic was brutally beaten during his detention by the Kosovo police, and after being detained, he was transferred to the prison in Gnjilane, where he is still being held.

According to the media, Obrenovic still has visible traces of beatings.

Belgrade liaison officer Dejan Pavicevic, recently reminded that Rados Petrovic and Obrenovic, whom he visited in the prison unit, were detained although there is evidence that they did not in any way participate in the May 29 riots in Zvecan, because KFOR took them 20 minutes before it all started.

“They have absolutely nothing to do with anything. KFOR took them away twenty minutes before the riots started. There is surveillance camera footage, media footage for that. Dusan Obrenovic still has visible traces of the beating. He has scars. We are talking about things that specifically in his case happened three weeks ago”, Pavicevic told the media, cited NMagazin.

The EU demands de-escalation in northern Kosovo, warns of negative consequences (Radio Mitrovica sever, RTS)

At the two-day summit starting today in Brussels, the EU leaders will support the membership of the WB in the EU and call for an immediate de-escalation of the situation in the north of Kosovo and the formation of the Community of Serbian Municipalities, according to the draft conclusions that RTS had access to.

Referring to the declaration of the Western Balkans-EU summit in Thessaloniki in 2003, as well as the conclusions of the June 2022 enlargement summit, the EU leaders emphasize “full and unequivocal commitment to the perspective of the membership of the Western Balkans in the EU and support for the acceleration of the accession process and with the related reforms.”

In the text of the conclusions to be adopted on Thursday evening, the heads of state and government condemn the recent violence in the north of Kosovo and call for an immediate de-escalation of the situation, based on the elements set out in the European Union’s plan, warning that otherwise there could be “negative consequences “.

In the conclusions, the EU leaders state that it is necessary to “continue the dialogue under the auspices of the EU and quickly implement the agreement on the road to normalization and the annex on implementation”, which, as stated, includes the formation of the Community of Municipalities with a Serbian majority.

A senior EU official involved in the preparations for the summit says that by including this position in the text of the conclusions, the leaders will send “a strong message about de-escalation.”

Speaking about the support for the membership of the Western Balkans in the EU, the official states that the member countries considered that it is necessary to send a message to the Western Balkans at the summit dealing with Ukraine and Moldova.

Therefore, in the conclusions, we send a message that our commitment to the region remains unchanged, especially considering the anniversary of the summit in Thessaloniki, when the Western Balkan countries were offered the prospect of EU membership, said the EU official.

The main topics of the two-day summit will be the continuation of military and financial support to Ukraine, European migration and asylum policy and relations with China. At the beginning of the summit, EU leaders will meet with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, and the adoption of a joint EU-NATO declaration is also expected.

A new international conference on Kosovo? (Danas, FoNet)

Danas daily portal reports that the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, said today that he supports the idea of organizing a conference with the members of the European Union as soon as possible in order to support all mediation efforts between Belgrade and Pristina, in cooperation with the United States of America.

The time has come for a global approach, to take clear steps towards normalization, said Michel, claiming that the EU wants to do “all the best for the Western Balkans, with the Western Balkans”, reports Danas. 

“We support the idea of organizing a conference, as soon as possible, attended by the most active member states, in order to help all EU efforts regarding the dialogue between the two sides. We see that in recent months, certain problems have become a reason for inflaming tensions, and I think it is high time for a global approach to the problem and for clear steps towards the normalization of relations,” said Michel, according to N1.

N1 reports that the idea of holding such a conference was presented the day before yesterday by the Prime Minister of Albania, Edi Rama, after a meeting with the head of EU diplomacy.

“I hope that the idea of a conference at the highest level will arouse interest, in order to bring the leaders of both sides to the table with their teams, also the EU and USA teams, and not let them leave without reaching an agreement or to, otherwise, bear all the consequences that would be very sad for all of us,” suggested Rama then, recalled N1.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said today in Brussels, before the Summit of EU leaders, that the situation in Kosovo shows the importance of cooperation between the alliance and the Union.

Stoltenberg called on Belgrade and Pristina to refrain from moves that contribute to tensions.

According to Stoltenberg, NATO supports the diplomatic efforts of the EU through dialogue, while the alliance is militarily present on the ground.

“We call on both sides to refrain and approach the EU-led dialogue in good faith,” Stoltenberg said, Danas daily recalled.

Ilazi: Equating protests with criminal gangs means you don’t know situation in north (KiM radio)

The researcher for foreign policy and security in Kosovo, Ramadan Ilazi, in a guest appearance at the first episode of the “Aequitas” podcast, run by NGO Center for Affirmative Social Actions (CASA), pointed out that the crisis in the north of Kosovo is slowly moving to the south. According to him, these events are not in line with the long-term effort of all actors to achieve some kind of general integration in Kosovo, reported KiM radio.

KiM radio reports that Ilazi told the podcast that the ”the key factors that want the Balkans outside of the EU and NATO are Russia and China and the movements of the extremist right within the Balkans, as well as other extremes. However, in recent years we have seen that the European Union’s promises to countries in our region have also faded. When various movements began to promote other alternatives in relation to integration, we cannot at the same time say that we want to integrate into the European Union, and on the other hand, do actions that underestimate the values of the European Union. And those are the values at the core of which is the respect for every citizen and civil state”.  

Ilazi views with concern the statements of Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti, in which he mentions the “fascist militia” in the north, then the presence of “criminal groups” and the ”Wagner group”, reports KiM radio. 

“Equating all these protests only with the idea that they were self-organised by criminal groups means that you do not know the situation that is happening in the north, in the civil aspect, and you underestimate the democratic capacity of the citizens, the “agency” of the citizens. I don’t know if this is well translated from Albanian, the word “agency” in Serbian, but the idea is about citizens’ own potential to act. If we stubbornly continue to put all Serbs in the same basket, I don’t think it’s the right way,” says Ilazi.

In the first episode of the Aequitas podcast hosted by journalists Zorica Vorgucic (Radio KiM) and Leart Hoxha (TVA), Ilazi spoke about the possibilities of escalating the situation, the role of the special police forces in the crisis and other topics, announces KiM radio.

International 

BIRN Presents ‘Telco Accountability Research Using Ranking Digital Rights Methodology’ (Balkan Insight)

BIRN’s latest report presented at the Internet Freedom Meet in Belgrade reveals that telecom customers in Balkan countries and Moldova struggle with privacy rights due to language barriers, lack of transparency, and secrecy around data sharing with authorities.

On the third day of the Internet Freedom Meet in Belgrade, BIRN presented its months-long research report titled “Hidden in Plain Sight: Telco Accountability Research Using Ranking Digital Rights Methodology”.

The research showed that the customers of telecom companies in five Balkan countries and Moldova face challenges in making sure their rights to privacy are respected.

Read more at: https://rb.gy/slq66

Balkan Mobile Users Roam Freely – Unless They’re in Kosovo (BIRN)

Hopes were raised by a EU-brokered agreement in 2021 aimed at standardising internet data roaming prices across six Western Balkan countries – but Kosovo’s troubled political situation has meant that mobile users there are suffering significant problems.

During the second Western Balkans Digital Summit in the Serbian capital Belgrade in 2019, six Balkan nations committed themselves to providing their citizens with a consistent mobile internet experience throughout the region. 

This commitment pledged equivalency in cost, quality and speed of mobile internet services with domestic services, with a clear stipulation of no surcharges. The ultimate goal was to render mobile data usage within the region effectively free of extra cost – essentially mirroring domestic retail rates for calls, messages, and data.

The Regional Roaming Agreement – a so-called ‘roam-like-at-home’ scheme like the one that operates within the European Union – is considered to be a significant achievement of the Digital Agenda for the Western Balkans, the EU-backed digital transformation project for the region, because it promotes regional cooperation and alignment with the EU’s regulatory framework on roaming.

Read more at: https://t.ly/4ciG