Albanian Language Media:

• After KFOR withdrawal, Kosovo Police in front of municipality of Zvecan (media)
• Kosovo rejects political representation at meeting on Dinar in Brussels (Koha)
• PDK: Kurti made CBK regulation a topic in the dialogue (Kosovapress)
• Vetevendosje: Hundreds of facts for Banjska attack, still no indictment (media)
• Serb businessmen complain about economic conditions in Kosovo (RFE)
• Unknown persons set Kosovo flag on fire in Zvecan (media)
• Police find drug lab in Leposavic, suspect arrested in Jarinje (Kosovapress)
• Osmani in Qatar: Economic diplomacy in action! (media)
• Geerts: Certain Kosovo will become a member of Council of Europe ASAP (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Petkovic leads the Belgrade delegation at the new round of dialogue in Brussels (KiM radio, Tanjug)
• A priest physically attacked in the center of Prizren; the suspect detained (Radio Gorazdevac, Kosovo Online, media)
• Eparchy of Raska-Prizren condemned the attack on a priest in Prizren (KiM radio, KoSSev)
• Vokrri on the V. Decani’s land: The CC made a mistake, the decision cannot be “cruelly implemented”, needed a dialogue with the SOC (KoSSev, Slobodno Srpski)
• KFOR members withdrawn from securing the Zvecan municipality building (KiM radio)
• Knife threats and harassment of Serbian boys in Laplje Selo (RTS, Kontakt plus radio, Kosovo Online, media)
• Office for KiM: The attack on Serbian young men direct consequence of the politics of hatred generated daily by Pristina (Danas, FoNet)
• Impressions from the north: “Terribly scared and disappointed people, who talk about leaving, but they are also an opportunity in and of themselves” (KoSSev, N1)
• REKOM: Region far from truth and reconciliation (KoSSev)
• Serbia’s PM rejects a possibility of international investigation into December 17 elections (N1, FoNet)

Albanian Language Media

After KFOR withdrawal, Kosovo Police in front of municipality of Zvecan (media)

After the withdrawal of KFOR units from the building of the municipality of Zvecan, Kosovo Police units are now there, Telegrafi news website reports. An armored vehicle of Kosovo Police special units and several regular police cars can be seen in front of the building. The news website notes that two KFOR vehicles were seen patrolling last night from Mitrovica North to Zvecan. KFOR units withdrew from the municipal building after an assessment that the situation on the ground is stable. KFOR said in a statement on Sunday that they will remain in the area and conduct regular patrols to provide a safe and safe environment for all citizens.

Koha Ditore on the front page quotes Zvecan Mayor llir Peci as saying that in line with security assessments, municipal services will be restored in the municipal building. The daily also notes that earlier KFOR withdrew its units from the municipal buildings in Zubin Potok and Leposavic.

Kosovo rejects political representation at meeting on Dinar in Brussels (Koha)

Klisman Kadiu, media advisor to Kosovo’s chief negotiator in the talks with Serbia, Besnik Bislimi, referred Koha Ditore on Sunday to an earlier statement that the political level, namely the chief negotiator or members of the negotiating team, would not take part in a meeting called by EU facilitator Miroslav Lajcak in Brussels to discuss the issue of the Serbian Dinar on February 27. Bislimi had earlier accused Lajcak of violating his own principles when he decided to call a meeting without a prior agreement between the parties.

Serbian media meanwhile report that Serbia’s chief negotiator, Petar Petkovic, will attend the meeting on February 27.

PDK: Kurti made CBK regulation a topic in the dialogue (Kosovapress)

Zenun Pajaziti, member of the chairmanship of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), in an interview with the news agency on Sunday, criticized Prime Minister Albin Kurti for making the Central Bank of Kosovo’s regulation a topic in the dialogue with Serbia. He argued that because of Kurti’s wrong and populist approach, Kosovo’s internal issues are becoming a topic in the dialogue in Brussels.

According to Pajaziti, the government’s uncoordinated actions with the allies are costing Kosovo a high price. “As in previous cases, they [the government] has gone into topics without an agreement with our partners, and we used to have full coordination with our partners. Now we have to pay a high price for withdrawing,” he said.

Vetevendosje: Hundreds of facts for Banjska attack, still no indictment (media)

The ruling Vetevendosje Movement said in a Facebook post on Sunday that hundreds of pieces of evidence and all participants in the attack in Banjska in September last year have been revealed, but that the Special Prosecution of Kosovo has not filed an indictment yet.

Serb businessmen complain about economic conditions in Kosovo (RFE)

While the Kosovo Government announces new job opportunities for members of the Serb community, investments in infrastructure and other forms of support aimed at their economic empowerment, several Serb businessmen are skeptical. Vitomir Jacimovic from Leposavic and Dusko Gudjic from Gracanica told the news website that what the Kosovo Government offers to the Serbs is not enough, and that the free movement of goods and people is key for economic empowerment.

RFE recalls that in March last year, the Kosovo Government decided to stop the import of goods from Serbia citing security reasons. This happened after three Kosovo police officers were arrested by Serbian forces. Although the police officers were later released on bail, the ban remains in force. Commenting on the issue, Kosovo’s Deputy Prime Minister Besnik Bislimi said the measure is such “because there is a threat that in addition to goods weapons too could enter Kosovo [from Serbia]”.

Unknown persons set Kosovo flag on fire in Zvecan (media)

Several unknown persons set a Kosovo flag on fire in Zvecan on Saturday afternoon. Kosovo Police Deputy Director for the north, Veton Elshani told Koha news website that no arrests have been made yet. He also said that the persons that set the flag on fire were underaged. Police meanwhile have initiated a case “for inciting hatred, division and intolerance”.

Police find drug lab in Leposavic, suspect arrested in Jarinje (Kosovapress)

Kosovo Police said in their report on Sunday that during a raid in a house in the municipality of Leposavic they found a drug laboratory. The suspect was identified and arrested at the Jarinje border crossing.

Osmani in Qatar: Economic diplomacy in action! (media)

Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani is staying in Doha, Qatar, with a delegation of Kosovo businesses. “We are in Doha, Qatar with a dynamic delegation of thriving Kosovar businesses, focused on forging partnerships, boosting trade relations, and unlocking economic potential through increased investment,” she wrote in a post on X.

Geerts: Certain Kosovo will become a member of Council of Europe ASAP (media)

Wim Geerts, Human Rights Ambassador for Netherlands, said in an interview with Kallxo on Saturday that he is certain that Kosovo will become a member of the Council of Europe as soon as possible and that “we are looking forward to this development”. “We, the Netherlands, are very much in favor of Kosovo becoming a member of the Council of Europe. It is very important organization when it comes to the protection of human rights,” he said.

See more at: https://shorturl.at/mqtF0

Serbian Language Media 

Petkovic leads the Belgrade delegation at the new round of dialogue in Brussels (KiM radio, Tanjug)

The delegation from Belgrade, led by the director of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija, Peter Petkovic, will participate in the new round of dialogue in Brussels scheduled for Tuesday, February 27, Tanjug learns.

The delegation is traveling at the invitation of the EU’s special envoy for dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, Miroslav Lajcak.

Lajcak invited Belgrade and Pristina to discuss the abolition of dinar payments in Kosovo, adopted by the Central Bank of Kosovo at the end of December, reported KiM radio, citing Tanjug agency.

A priest physically attacked in the center of Prizren; the suspect detained (Radio Gorazdevac, Kosovo Online, media)

Yesterday, in the morning hours, an incident occurred in the center of Prizren, during which a priest was physically attacked. According to the Kosovo Police, the suspect in the attack on the priest has been detained, with a detention period of forty-eight hours imposed, reported Kosovo Online, citing Radio Gorazdevac. 

As reported by the media outlet, the incident took place when pilgrims from central Serbia arrived by bus in Prizren and headed towards the Seminary to attend the Liturgy. On that occasion, the suspect parked his vehicle nearby, initially hanging a ‘KLA’ flag on the front of the bus and then starting to provoke and verbally attack the pilgrims. The priest, who was also heading to the Liturgy at the Seminary, approached to see what was happening, warning the pilgrims not to respond to provocations and to enter the Seminary as soon as possible.

At that moment, he was physically attacked by the suspect, who assaulted him, pushed him, bent his arm, and then, upon seeing that a police officer guarding the Seminary was approaching, fled in his vehicle. All this happened in the sight of the pilgrims who recounted the event but wished to remain anonymous.

Shaqir Bytyqi, the spokesperson for the Kosovo Police in the Prizren region, confirmed to Radio Gorazdevac that an attack on the priest had occurred, that the suspect had been arrested, and that a forty-eight-hour detention had been imposed on him.

“Today, around nine o’clock in Remzi Ademi Street in Prizren, it was reported that, while the bus with license plates from Vranje was stopped, near the bus, a priest approached to greet the visitors, and someone grabbed the priest’s arm and then fled from the scene. The police stopped the suspect, and he was detained for forty-eight hours,” Bytyqi stated.

Bytyqi also mentioned that the priest did not sustain any injuries and had not requested medical assistance.

The priest declined to provide a statement or comment on today’s events.

Eparchy of Raska-Prizren condemned the attack on a priest in Prizren (KiM radio)

The Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Raska-Prizren condemned yesterday’s incident in Prizren and the physical assault on a priest in the centre of Prizren, reported KiM radio.

The statement of the Eparchy read that the incident occurred in front of the Teranda Hotel, when a Kosovo Albanian male hung a KLA flag on the windshield of a Serbian bus and then started verbally provoking pilgrims from central Serbia. 

“The pilgrims had come to Prizren by bus with Vranje license plates to attend the Holy Liturgy and afterwards visit the holy sites of Prizren. When the Prizren priest J.R. approached the bus to welcome the pilgrims and advised them not to respond to the provocations, the mentioned individual physically assaulted the priest, twisting his arm harshly. A policeman and a local Kosovo Albanian citizen immediately came to the priest’s aid, after which the attacker fled with his vehicle. This incident occurred in front of the pilgrims. After the incident, the faithful participated in the liturgy and venerated the holy sites of Prizren. The spokesperson for the Kosovo Police for the Prizren region, Shaqir Bitci, has officially stated to the media today that the suspect in the attack on the priest has been detained and placed under arrest for 48 hours. The Diocese of Raska-Prizren condemns this incident as an act of intimidation based on ethnic and religious grounds and expresses sincere hope that such events will not be repeated. It is clear that this was an isolated case in Prizren, where our clergy and theology students otherwise live peacefully, and our pilgrims regularly visit the holy sites of the city,” it was said in the statement of the Eparchy Raska-Prizren, reported Kim Radio.

Vokrri on the V. Decani’s land: The CC made a mistake, the decision cannot be “cruelly implemented”, needed a dialogue with the SOC (KoSSev, Slobodno Srpski)

Eight years have passed since the Constitutional Court of Kosovo, after a 16-year long court process, confirmed the decision of the Supreme Court of Kosovo on the Visoki Decani’s land ownership, reported KoSSev portal. 

Although the decision exists and despite numerous requests from the ambassadors of Western countries, the SOC and the Diocese, the Municipality of Decani refuses to register the land in the cadastre. Representatives of the central government, on the other hand, do not require the local one to fulfill their obligation, but even publicly express their disagreement with it, questioning its legitimacy, citing that the land was allocated to the monastery during the Milosevic regime.

Arber Vokrri, Deputy Minister of Local Self-Government Administration of Kosovo, made the same allegations in the show “Slobodno srpski”, reported KoSSev.

The portal recalls the fact that in 1946, 700 hectares of land were confiscated from the Visoki Decani Monastery. In 1997, the State of Serbia returned 24 hectares to it, which, together with the twenty hectares that the monastery had until then, makes 55 hectares of land.

“It would not be entirely right for the Constitutional Court of Kosovo to approve the decisions made by Milosevic’s government so unexamined,” says Vokrri, the Deputy Minister. 

He claims that the Kosovo government is not in favor of “dominating the monastery and the SOC”, but also says that “it must be taken into account the conditions under which things developed even before the war”.

This deputy minister says that municipalities have their own powers, and that the central government, i.e. the Ministry of Administration, cannot influence that, but can help implement decisions or issue a warning. However, Vokrri did not answer the question of whether the ministry issued a warning because the municipality did not implement the decision.

“To, at least, examine a bit”

He even claims that the decision to allocate land is “political” and that it does not only apply to the municipality of Decani. But the Constitutional Court is not a political institution, the presenter stated, to which Vokrri replied – “well, it is not, but it makes decisions related to politics”. “When it comes to the decision that was made during Milosevic’s rule, at least it should be examined a little. There should be a Constitutional Court and it should be respected, they give their word – as they see a case at the legal level, but it cannot always be cruelly implemented, but history, the will of the people and the party should be considered – be it the SOC or anyone. It’s not that simple,” he said.

Vokrri calls for “sincere dialogue” with the SOC

On another journalist’s statement that the Constitutional Court made a final decision and concluded that everything is in accordance with the law, Vokrri finally states:

“I think that the Constitutional Court made a mistake in that case.”

In addition to calling for an “examination” of the decision, Vokrri asks for “an honest dialogue with the Serbian Orthodox Church.”

”Should the church give up its property?” the presenter asked Vokrri, and he repeated “well, that property was given to it by Milosevic”.

“It was not the property of that church before that, that has to be taken into account,” says Vokrri. 

ZSO cannot do without recognition

When it comes to the formation of the A/CSM, Vokrri reminded that in last year’s agreement it was confirmed that it was Pristina’s obligation, but he also said that, on the other hand, Belgrade undertook the obligation to de facto recognize Kosovo. He stated that Kosovo is ready to fulfill all obligations, that is, that one obligation cannot be fulfilled without applying other points of the agreement.

Speaking about the implementation of the Regulation of the CBK, which removed the dinar from payment circulation, Vokrri, despite criticism from the US, repeated the position of the PM of Kosovo, that relations between this country and Pristina are not threatened. When asked “where does Kosovo get the strength to say no to the Americans”, Vokrri says:

“I wouldn’t say we have any great strength, especially towards the US, but sometimes you have to make some bold decisions, and then friends and partners will adjust to that in the meantime.”

KFOR members withdrawn from securing the Zvecan municipality building (KiM radio)

Members of KFOR, who were in front of the Zvecan municipality building, withdrew yesterday. The situation has been stabilized, it was stated in the announcement, reported KiM radio.

“The situation in the municipality of Zvecan has stabilized. As a result, units from the Battalion of Operational Reserve Forces of the NATO-led KFOR mission will no longer be present at the municipal building,” the statement said.

Instead, as announced by KFOR, they will remain in that area and conduct regular patrols to ensure a safe environment for all people living in the territory of the municipality of Zvecan.

KFOR continues to implement its mandate – based on UN Security Council Resolution 1244 since 1999 – to ensure a safe and secure environment for all communities living in Kosovo and freedom of movement, at all times and impartially. KFOR is the third security response, after the Kosovo Police and the EU Rule of Law Mission (EULEX), respectively, with which they work in close coordination.

Knife threats and harassment of Serbian boys in Laplje Selo (RTS, Kontakt plus radio, Kosovo Online, media)

The incident occurred on Friday night in the vicinity of the High Scholl Center in Laplje Selo. According to media reports, two Albanians intercepted a group of five Serbian minors with a vehicle, along with swearing and a knife threat, from the children asked to say that their president is Hashim Thaci, reported Kontakt plus radio, citing RTS. 

As the parent of one of the minor boys told RTS, the children ran away, but the driver blocked the path of the two with his car, took out a knife and continued to follow them, while his passenger recorded the event with his phone.

The children escaped and managed to escape, and the attackers continued moving in the direction of Pristina.

The parents reported the case to the police in Gracanica.

Office for KiM: The attack on Serbian young men direct consequence of the politics of hatred generated daily by Pristina (Danas, FoNet)

”The attack, threats, and provocations on ethnic grounds that two Albanians addressed to five Serbian youths in Laplje Selo near Gracanica on Friday evening are a direct consequence of the politics of hatred generated daily by Pristina,” the Office for Kosovo and Metohija announced.

”Serbian youth were targeted by the extremists and they were only fortunately not injured in the incident in which the Albanians drew knives with the obvious intention of being used,” it was stated.

The office pointed out that ”the incident brought great concern and fear to the Serbian community living in Gracanica and in central Kosovo and Metohija, because parents are right to ask how they are going to let their children outside without an escort”.

”The international community must stand in the way of such chauvinist, extremist politics of Pristina, which escalates every day and generates dangerous ethnic incidents towards all Serbs, with a clear condemnation and reaction to the attack,” concluded the Office for KiM.

Impressions from the north: “Terribly scared and disappointed people, who talk about leaving, but they are also an opportunity in and of themselves” (KoSSev, N1)

“It seems as if someone deliberately wants to make people’s lives meaningless,” the well-known Serbian journalist Danica Vučenić shared the impression she got during her stay in North Mitrovica in an interview for KoSSev. “I feel that all sides want to erect walls between one and the other, to prove to everyone, even the most doubting Thomas, that there is no common life and that there is no perspective,” says journalist Milivoje Mihajlović on the other hand. “But people are a chance, you just have to persevere,” he added. “If ‘your side’ – your protectors – make your idea of survival meaningless, you must have your own ideas.”

The author of the show “Iza vesti” (Behind News) on N1 TV and a Pristina-born journalist, now a resident of Belgrade – Milivoje Mihajlović, spent the past few days in Mitrovica. They were KoSSev’s guests at the award ceremony of the first annual “ČasTnica” award for professionalism and integrity. The award, which Vučenić came up with, was presented to Mihajlović.

Read more at: http://tinyurl.com/38vz4kpc

REKOM: Region far from truth and reconciliation (KoSSev)

One of the findings of the latest research of the reconciliation network REKOM, called “Decade of Remembrance”, is that not only we far from a real process of reconciliation between the peoples of the former Yugoslavia, but some countries are still very far from real, stable and long-term solutions to key political issues, reported KoSSev. 

Almost thirty years have passed since the violent breakup of Yugoslavia, but if you live in any of the former Yugoslav republics, you will not have the impression that the wars ended a long time ago, writes the author, researcher of the Henry Jackson Society analytical center, Helena Ivanov.

Read the research ”Decade of Remembrance” at: http://tinyurl.com/2p9nycb9

Serbia’s PM rejects a possibility of international investigation into December 17 elections (N1, FoNet)

Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic said that Belgrade will most likely see new and not repeated elections, adding that “not a single vote was stolen” and that she will never accept an international investigation of the December 17 elections.

Brnabic told TV Prva that the elections were held and were legitimate, stressing that especially in Belgrade, there was a strong control of the voting process.

„Obviously a majority cannot be made, mathematically it is possible, we have a majority, but (Serbian President) Aleksandar Vucic has set a nice standard – mathematics is not politics,” said the Prime Minister, noting that new elections are the most realistic option in Belgrade.

Read more at: http://tinyurl.com/mptpk86e