Albanian Language Media:

• Government orders that properties be given to Monastery of Decan according to Constitutional Court decision (media)
• Escobar on government’s decision on Decan Monastery: Difficult but necessary (RTK)
• Szunyog welcomes government’s decision on the Monastery of Decan (media)
• German ambassador: Delayed, but historic moment (media)
• Rama supports Kurti government decision on Monastery of Decan properties (media)
• Osmani to Escobar: Success of dialogue depends on EU’s equal approach to parties (Reporteri)
• Kurti: Radojicic is free and protected by Serbia (Klan)
• Minister Gervalla visits permanent mission of Albania in NATO (RTK)
• KFOR commander: After Banjska, situation in north remains tense (media)
• Ulutas meets with new British ambassador in Kosovo, discuss security and dialogue (Klan)
• Kurti pays tribute in Mitrovica on the 25th anniversary of the Green Market Massacre (media)
• Citaku: If not with USA, EU, NATO, Albania, who is Prime Minister coordinating with? (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• The GoK ordered the Visoki Decani land registration based on the decision of the Constitutional Court (KoSSev)
• Nemec: Serbs in Kosovo who have “special” passports are in a discriminatory situation (KiM radio, EWB, FoNet)
• Escobar meets Osmani, majority of Serbian media unable to follow event (Radio KIM)
• No statement after Osmani, Kurti meet QUINT ambassadors (N1, BETA)
• Mortal remains brought back to old Orthodox cemetery in Mikronaselje in Mitrovica North (Kosovo Online, Radio KIM, KoSSev)
• The hearing in the Ivanovic case postponed again due to the failure to submit all documents in Serbian language (KiM radio)
• Lazarevic: The last rose-colored glasses of Kosovo Serbs are melting (KoSSev, monitor.co.me)
• Vucic meets with Roquefeuil (Tanjug)

International:

• Smear Campaign Against Critics of Kosovo Ruling Party Condemned (Balkan Insight)

Albanian Language Media  

Government orders that properties be given to Monastery of Decan according to Constitutional Court decision (media)

The government of Kosovo has ordered the Cadastral Agency to implement the decision of the Constitutional Court to recognize the right to property on 24 hectares to the Monastery of Decan. Prime Minister Albin Kurti said that he took this decision to remove it as a condition for Kosovo’s admission to the Council of Europe.

At the meeting of the government on Wednesday, he said that the government of Kosovo was faced with two options: To fulfill this condition and for Kosovo to be admitted to the Council of Europe or to remain without membership. According to him, the decision was made “following common sense”. Kurti said that he continues to consider the decision harmful, but added that acceptance into the Council of Europe would be a historic victory.

“Above all, a reasonable decision was required, unfortunately not completely fair. But with all this, in order to achieve a very great goal that we owe to the state and that opens opportunities unseen before, we must take a step forward with prudence and responsibility as an independent and sovereign country. Therefore, today we told the cadastral agency of Kosovo to implement the decision of the Constitutional Court, while the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Donika Gervalla, has sent a verbal note to the Council of Europe”, Kurti stated.

He said that the responsible Committee in the General Assembly of the Council of Europe also said in the last report that this remains a condition that must be met for membership. As he said that they made efforts to remove this condition, Kurti stated that “they are convinced that we have to settle on a decision, that there is no third solution”.

“As prime minister, we don’t like that strange and unfair decision, and in the meantime, there are other court proceedings pending on this matter, while we as a government no longer have legal means to cancel the decision of the Constitutional Court. I will never change my position towards this harmful decision. On the other hand, there is no doubt that Kosovo’s membership in the Council of Europe would be not only a historic victory, but also a giant step for our Republic towards the recognition of the European five, which enables membership in NATO and the EU for independent Kosovo. In exercising judgment on this matter, I have been guided by common sense. No one has the right to deny Kosovo the right to be a state equal to any other state on the continent. No one has the right to deprive citizens of the right to feel like European citizens by having the right to access the European Court of Human Rights and dozens of other mechanisms that make up the pan-European diplomatic machinery,” he said.

Kurti said that on March 22, the Committee of the General Assembly of the Council of Europe will hold an extraordinary meeting, and the General Assembly will meet in the middle of April. At the end of May, there will be a meeting of the Council of Ministers that will decide on Kosovo’s membership or not.

Escobar on government’s decision on Decan Monastery: Difficult but necessary (RTK)

The U.S. special envoy for the Western Balkans, Gabriel Escobar, in his statement after the meeting with President Vjosa Osmani, has welcomed the decision of the government of Kosovo regarding the Monastery of Decan.

“Today’s decision for the Monastery is very important. It was a difficult but necessary step. We thank the institutions of Kosovo for this step”, said the U.S. envoy.

The government of Kosovo has made a decision to recognize the right to property in 24 hectares to the Monastery of Decan, as foreseen by the decision of the Constitutional Court. Prime Minister Albin Kurti said that he took this decision to remove it as a condition for Kosovo’s admission to the Council of Europe.

Speaking about Banjska attack, Escobar said “we invite Serbia that all those who are responsible come to justice and give a full account for that attack”, he said, expressing his concern.

He said that there will be various meetings during his stay in Kosovo, mentioning that the new CBK regulation is one of the topics he will discuss.

“The next few days will be spent visiting your country, meeting with people because there is a lot of work to discuss, the challenges we are going through now, including the decision of the Central Bank of Kosovo, to find ways to move forward with the dialogue, which includes the Association but not only it”, Escobar stressed. 

He further called for the respect of the agreements by both parties, specifically requesting full implementation by Serbia.

“As President Osmani mentioned, both sides must continue with full implementation to have a historic agreement. We invite Serbia to continue with the implementation. It is not only the unilateral effort of Kosovo and the taking of tough and difficult decisions by it, that the Ohrid agreement becomes a reality”, said the special envoy of the USA.

Szunyog welcomes government’s decision on the Monastery of Decan (media)

The head of the European Union in Kosovo, Tomas Szunyog has welcomed the decision of the government of Kosovo regarding the Monastery of Decan.

“A good day for the rule of law in Kosovo! The long-awaited implementation of the decision of the Constitutional Court of 2016 on the case of the Decan Monastery and the registration of the monastery’s land finally becomes a reality”, wrote Szunyog on the X platform.

“The EU is based on the rule of law. Preserving the rule of law and respecting the independence of the judiciary are necessary prerequisites for Kosovo’s path to the EU. Today’s decision is a welcome step, which shows Kosovo’s commitment”.

German ambassador: Delayed, but historic moment (media)

The German Ambassador to Kosovo, Jorn Rohde, has welcomed the decision of the government of Kosovo on the lands of the Monastery of Decan.

In a post made on the “X” platform, although he calls it a delayed decision, the German ambassador says that this marks an important step in Kosovo’s commitment to the rule of law.

“Finally, it was done. Although Kosovo’s implementation of the decision of the Monastery of Decan was very late, it marks an important step in Kosovo’s commitment to the rule of law. We congratulate the government of Kosovo, all the political actors involved and the Monastery of Decan at this historic moment”, wrote Rohde in “X”.

Rama supports Kurti government decision on Monastery of Decan properties (media)

The Albanian Prime Minister, Edi Rama, has supported the government of Kosovo for the initiative of implementing the decision of the Constitutional Court regarding the Monastery of Decan.

“I fully support the better late than ever decision of the Government of the Republic of Kosovo to implement the Constitutional Court decision concerning the Decani Monastery. I encourage Kosovo leadership to continue working with our joint key allies in demonstrating that the Republic of Kosovo is indeed a credible adult partner of the Euro Atlantic Community,” Rama wrote on X.

Osmani to Escobar: Success of dialogue depends on EU’s equal approach to parties (Reporteri)

Kosovo president, Vjosa Osmani, in the joint media conference with the U.S. special envoy for the Western Balkans, Gabriel Escobar, said that they discussed the latest developments in Kosovo and the processes that Kosovo is going through. She said that Kosovo is grateful for the support given by the USA.

“We discussed the latest developments in our country and the processes that Kosovo is going through. During every phase of the challenge, the U.S. has stood by Kosovo, and we will be grateful. Cooperation with the U.S. should be the axis of our actions. The joint work has been and remains vital, both in our uncompromising efforts to ensure the rule of law throughout the territory of Kosovo, as well as for strengthening the international position of Kosovo. Cooperation with allies is essential. It is vital, especially today when Kosovo has taken crucial steps towards membership in the Council of Europe”, Osmani said.

“We discussed the security challenges in Kosovo and our region after the terrorist attack against our Republic on September 24 last year. The terrorist group must face justice in Kosovo. There must be accountability. Serbia must extradite all those who were part of this planning, financing and organization of this act of aggression against Kosovo. We will continue to apply the highest standards for a fair trial, and we will continue to work with our allies, especially the United States, so that our border is safe and to prevent such attacks in the future,” she added.

Regarding the dialogue with Serbia, President Osmani said that during the meeting with the emissary Escobar, she told him that the success of this process depends on the principled and equal approach of the EU to the parties.

“As for the dialogue with Serbia, a process in which we are deeply committed, I emphasized during this meeting that the success of this process depends on the EU’s principled and equal approach to the parties and that it is crucial to have full implementation of agreed agreements, especially the February 2023 Basic Agreement and the March 2023 Ohrid Annex. A selective approach to only certain articles of the Basic Agreement will not help, as all articles are important, as implementation must be complete and not partial. The commitment of the USA remains key for a successful conclusion of the dialogue process that would lead to mutual recognition, as was also mentioned in Biden’s last letter,” Osmani said.

The president also spoke about the CBK regulation, for which she said that the allies are in favor of the implementation of the Constitution and in favor of a stable transition plan.

“You know my views, but I am re-emphasizing it. Sustainable and efficient implementation of this regulation is possible with full cooperation of allies. Allies are in favor of the implementation of the Constitution and in favor of a stable transitional plan, therefore I believe that this issue will move forward with a common solution in the interest of all the citizens of the Republic of Kosovo”, Osmani told reporters.

Kurti: Radojicic is free and protected by Serbia (Klan)

The Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, has commented on the meeting of the ambassador of Serbia in the USA, Marko Djuric, with the former deputy leader of the Serbian List, Milan Radoicic, who is wanted by INTERPOL in connection with the terrorist attack in Banjska of Zvecan, on 24.09.2023. According to Kurti, this meeting did not happen in a vacuum. He made this comment while talking about the burning of the bar of the deputy Mayor of Zvecan, Natasa Tomaniq. 

“This attack (on Natasa Tomanic’s bar) did not happen in a vacuum. Just like the footage of the criminal and terrorist Milan Radoicic terrorizing the Serb community and then the meeting with the Serbian ambassador to the USA, they also did not happen in a vacuum” – said Kurti at the meeting of the government of Kosovo. These actions, according to Kurti represent the ongoing efforts of Serbia in cooperation with Russia to destabilize Kosovo and the region and are a direct consequence of Serbia’s impunity for sponsoring the terrorist attack by paramilitaries from Serbia in Banjska. 

“Radoicic is free, protected in Serbia and by Serbia. Since September 24, we have requested the extradition of the terrorists who killed the sergeant, the hero of Kosovo, Afrim Bunjaku in Kosovo. Until today, Serbia has not faced any consequences for the terrorist attack, despite the fact that its involvement has become publicly and globally known” – added the head of the executive. 

Serbia’s ambassador to the U.S., Marko Djuric, has called the publication of his photos with Radoicic a negative campaign against him. He said that he will not apologize to the Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, nor to the Minister of the Interior of Kosovo, Xhelal Svecla, while he said that he has never hid his contacts.

Minister Gervalla visits permanent mission of Albania in NATO (RTK)

As part of the visit to NATO, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora of Kosovo, Donika Gervalla and the delegation of the of Kosovo visited the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Albania to NATO.

According to the announcement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Minister Gervalla was initially received in a joint meeting by Ambassador Gjoni and General Pujo, to continue further in a meeting with the civilian and military structures of Albania in NATO.

“During this meeting, Minister Gervalla highly appreciated Albania’s role as a member of NATO in maintaining peace and stability in the Western Balkans, as well as expressed her thanks for supporting Kosovo on its way to Euro-Atlantic integration. Minister Gervalla congratulated Albania on the recent achievements in the field of security, including the inauguration of the NATO Tactical Air Base in Kucove as an important geostrategic point not only for Albania but for the entire region and beyond”, the announcement reads.

KFOR commander: After Banjska, situation in north remains tense (media)

The commander of KFOR, Ozkan Ulutas, said that the Banjska attack in September 2023 was a serious escalation of tensions in the region.

“The Banjska incident in the north of Kosovo in September 2023 was a serious escalation of tensions in the region. After that, the situation in the north of Kosovo remains tense. Considering the complex dynamics and the potential for further unrest, especially in the north of Kosovo, the international community, including KFOR, remains vigilant”, Telegrafi quotes Ulutas as saying.

Further, he has revealed the intention of KFOR, while he shared a message that dialogue remains the only solution for peace between Pristina and Belgrade.

“Our goal is to prevent any recurrence of violence and help create conditions to encourage dialogue and normalization of relations between Pristina and Belgrade. KFOR’s daily activities are aimed at creating the necessary security framework for the EU-facilitated dialogue to move forward. As the Secretary General of NATO, Jens Stoltenberg, said during his visit in November, ‘Belgrade and Prishtina should engage constructively in the dialogue facilitated by the EU.’ This is the only path to lasting peace and stability”.

Among other things, he also mentioned the state of the current situation in the north.

“In general, the situation is calm, but remains fragile. We are closely monitoring any significant security developments in the region, because situational awareness is vital to us,” he said.

Ulutas meets with new British ambassador in Kosovo, discuss security and dialogue (Klan)

The commander of the KFOR mission in Kosovo, Ozkan Ulutas, met today with the newly appointed ambassador of Britain in Pristina, Jonathan Hargreaves.

According to the released announcement, it is said that Ulutas discussed with Hargreaves about security and Kosovo-Serbia dialogue.

“They exchanged views on various topics, including KKFOR’s activities under its UN mandate and their security actions in relation to the EU-facilitated dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina,” the statement said. Ulutas also wished the British ambassador good work during his service in Kosovo.

Kurti pays tribute in Mitrovica on the 25th anniversary of the Green Market Massacre (media)

Kosovo Prime Minister, Albin Kurti, was today in Mitrovica on the 25th anniversary of the Massacre in the Green Market of this city, to honor the memory of the civilians killed by the forces of Serbia.

Kurti himself made this known through a post on Facebook. He emphasized the need for justice for the victims of this massacre and hundreds of other massacres committed by Serbia in Kosovo.

Citaku: If not with USA, EU, NATO, Albania, who is Prime Minister coordinating with? (media)

The statements of the U.S. emissary for the Western Balkans, Gabriel Escobar, about the problems “in communication” with Prime Minister Albin Kurti, have been followed by a strong reaction from the opposition.

The deputy leader of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), Vlora Citaku, through a post on Facebook, has raised the concern about who is Prime Minister Albin Kurti coordinating with, if not with the main partners such as the USA, EU, NATO. “This is the last warning for us,” she added.

Serbian Language Media 

The GoK ordered the Visoki Decani land registration based on the decision of the Constitutional Court (KoSSev)

Portal KoSSev reported that PM Albin Kurti confirmed that the GoK ordered the Cadastral Agency of Kosovo to implement the decision of the Constitutional Court on the land of the Visoki Decani monastery, almost eight years after its adoption. 

Visoki Decani: We are waiting for the ownership certificate 

Visoki Decani monastery, on the other hand, stated in a short comment for KoSSev that they will give their answer only when they receive the certificate on the ownership of 24 hectares of land to which the judgment of the Constitutional Court refers.

Nemec: Serbs in Kosovo who have “special” passports are in a discriminatory situation (KiM radio, EWB, FoNet)

The European Parliament rapporteur on the issue of visa abolishment for passports issued by the Coordination Administration for citizens of Serbia in Kosovo, Matjaz Nemec, assessed that Serbs living in Kosovo, who have the “special” passports, found themselves in a discriminatory situation due to the liberalization of visas for Kosovo passport holders, which entered into force on January 1, reported KiM radio. 

In a statement for the European Western Balkans (EWB), Nemec explained that the EP will give its opinion on the proposed changes to the European Commission’s travel rules, but that it is difficult to say when the changes will come into force.

“The procedure has just started in the European Parliament with the submission of the draft report. After the phase of submitting amendments, the decision will be adopted first at the level of the Committee for Justice and Internal Affairs, and only then at the plenary level,” Nemec said.

“Many steps are ahead of us, and the speed depends on numerous factors such as the number of submitted amendments and the support of political groups in the EP,” he added.

“Today, Serbs from Kosovo are the only category of third countries in the region that still need a visa to travel to the Schengen area,” he said, and EWB indicates that there are slightly more than 100,000 passports issued by the Coordination Directorate.

Nemec believes that in an ideal situation, it would be necessary to stop the practice of issuing passports by the Coordination Administration, either through progress in the normalization of relations or through mutual recognition of documents between Serbia and Kosovo.

“I hope that progress on these issues will happen in the near future, but until then, I support the Commission’s proposal and believe that there is no justification for keeping these special passports outside the visa-free regime with the Union,” Nemec said.

“I do not support that ordinary people, who are currently excluded from visa-free regimes, pay the price for the lack of other solutions that are in the hands of politicians on both sides of the border,” he points out and adds that “it is only fair that everyone is treated equally in this regard.”

Escobar meets Osmani, majority of Serbian media unable to follow event (Radio KIM)

Today, slightly after 10.00 hrs, US Special Envoy for Western Balkans Gabriel Escobar met with Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani. As Radio KIM reported, a Kosovo Presidency official did not allow entry to this institution to majority media reporting in Serbian language.

This way those media were prevented from reporting.

The journalists submitted requests for accreditations to follow work of the president, but her office had not issued them yet. Until this meeting, the media were able to enter and work in the Kosovo Presidency normally. 

“Over the last year, we have attempted five or six times to collect our accreditations. However, they were always telling us there is no one, to come some other day, that they are busy or similar excuses. Until now, we were entering without problems, because we are on the list. This way we were also allowed to follow the visit of German Minister of Defence, Boris Pistorius. This is the first time they did not allow us to enter and follow the event. I believe we are discriminated against by this, because only Serbian media were not let in and it was not our fault”, Media Centre from Caglavica journalist Sanja Djokic said.

Radio KIM also published the photo of Serbian journalists waiting outside the building after not being able to enter.

No statement after Osmani, Kurti meet QUINT ambassadors (N1, BETA)

Radio Television of Kosovo (RTK) reported that QUINT ambassadors met with President Vjosa Osmani and Prime Minister Albin Kurti hours before US envoy Gabriel Escobar is expected to visit Pristina.

The RTK quoted unnamed sources who said that the meeting discussed the current situation in Kosovo. It added that the five ambassadors did not speak to reporters after the meeting.

Escobar is due in Pristina on Wednesday to discuss the Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue and the situation created by the Kosovo Central Bank decision to make the Euro the only legal currency, effectively banning the Dinar and creating problems for Kosovo Serbs and others receiving payments from the Serbian budget. 

Mortal remains brought back to old Orthodox cemetery in Mikronaselje in Mitrovica North (Kosovo Online, Radio KIM, KoSSev)

Mortal remains of the Serbs who died in WWI have been brought back to the old Orthodox cemetery in Mikronaselje in Mitrovica North. The cemetery had been desecrated last year while constructing the road leading to an Albanian house that was being renovated, Kosovo Online portal reported. The cemetery was plowed over and mortal remains scattered around Serbian media reported back then.  

The road across the old Orthodox cemetery was constructed using heavy machinery, without any permission, and the works were carried out by workers of Albanian ethnicity, Radio KIM recalled. Following reactions from Raska-Prizren Diocese and citizens who filed criminal reports as well, the works had been halted, however the damage was made already and the cemetery desecrated. The Diocese said back then it was about an old cemetery in Mitrovica North, Serb-majority municipality, where local authorities as of May last year were in the hands of Albanians. The Diocese also warned that unpunished desecration of Orthodox graves and cemeteries is ongoing intensively for the last 24 years in Kosovo. 

Many citizens attended the memorial ceremony today, including the Interim Municipal Authority President Ivan Zaporozac, Serbian List members Igor Simic and Nemanja Bisevac, former Mitrovica North mayor Milan Radojevic, as well as Serbian Democracy members, the portal added. 

KoSSev portal said that although the majority of journalists received invitations to cover the event, the majority of them were banned closer access to the tombstones, because of “an agreement” as one police officer said without providing precise information with whom. They also asked present journalists to move from the road leading to the cemetery “because a judicial proceeding over that land was underway”. The portal said that some media crew despite this instruction “somehow managed”. Also, the organizers from the Church Committee could not give a statement because “they gave the word to police”, the portal added.  

The hearing in the Ivanovic case postponed again due to the failure to submit all documents in Serbian language (KiM radio)

The hearing before the Basic Court in Pristina for those accused of assisting in the murder of Oliver Ivanovic was postponed to March 26 due to the failure to provide the defense with all case files in the Serbian language, reported KiM radio. 

Marko Rosic, Dragisa Markovic, and Zarko Jovanovic said that they will defend themselves by remaining silent.

Nedeljko Spasojevic, Silvana Arsovic, and Rade Basara stated that they will present their defense, but only when the documents are complete and in the Serbian language.

Jovana Filipovic, the lawyer of the defendant Silvana Arsovic, told KiM Radio that some court records were delivered to her by email. However, as she added, 21 court records are still missing.

“Today, we asked for delivery of the statements that the defendants gave in the proceedings before the prosecution and the police of Kosovo, which were not submitted to us until today, even though the proceedings started six years ago. That is, the statements and records taken before this court and the acting panel were not submitted,” said Filipovic.

Dragisa Markovic’s lawyer, Dejan Vasic, noted that his client’s case exists in parallel on the same basis in the court in Mitrovica. He drew the attention of the court panel that they should also take this into account now that the proceedings (in Pristina) are ending.

“We expect the case to end on March 26 with the hearing of the accused, after which there will be closing arguments and then the verdict,” said Vasic.

Nedeljko Spasojevic, Marko Rosic, Silvana Arsovic, Dragisa Markovic, Zarko Jovanovic and Rade Basara are accused in the proceedings related to the murder of Oliver Ivanovic in Pristina, recalled KiM radio.

Lazarevic: The last rose-colored glasses of Kosovo Serbs are melting (KoSSev, monitor.co.me)

Tatjana Lazarevic, the editor of the KoSSev portal, said in an interview with the Podgorica portal Monitor that Belgrade’s “targeted catastrophic” policy seems to be providing an alibi all the time to the Kosovo authorities. 

Today, KoSSev published the interview.

Monitor: It has recently been 16 years since the Assembly of Kosovo declared independence. When talking about Kosovo, the focus is always on the relations between Albanians and Serbs. Authorities changed in both Belgrade and Pristina, how much and how did inter-ethnic relations change, both “official” and “unofficial”?

Lazarevic: “The relations between the Serbian and Albanian people have become increasingly strained over the past few years. Both act from the position of self-victimization and accusing the other party of wrongdoing. Dialogue is absent, and the public space is contaminated by hatred, promotion of violence and propaganda on both sides. And in addition, the Serbian community also dominates fear. Self-determination has raised the expectations of its electorate when it comes to the attitude towards Serbia, the North of Kosovo, as well as a kind of historical revisionism, and in the last year, those who were traditionally more inclined towards other parties – primarily PDK, as well as LDK, and AAK – have been drawn into that bubble in the last year.

This situation coincides precisely with the change of government in Pristina. Twenty-five years after the conflict, the reconciliation of the Serbian and Albanian peoples did not happen, but life normalized over the years to the level of built constructive communication, dialogue, and cooperation – whether at the individual or local-municipal level; or even, episodically, between the negotiating parties themselves. Such a practice was interrupted by the arrival of Self-Determination in power.

As it takes two to tango, official Belgrade overemphasizes the already obvious negative effects of the Self-Determination policy towards Serbs from Kosovo to the extent of equating the ‘kourtization’ of the North with ‘occupation’, even though the North itself has been under international military and administrative jurisdiction since ’99, with which Serbia has agreed, as well as the gradual transfer of jurisdiction to the Kosovo authorities.

The North is de facto militarized by Pristina’s measures. I will also quote the impression that is visible in the north – with the “targeted catastrophic” policy from Belgrade, it seems that the Kosovo authorities were provided with an alibi all the time for actions that only the Serbs from Kosovo sincerely disapprove of, but whose will is not truly counted for by either side.”

Monitor: The most recent major incident is the event in Banjska, which has been characterized by the part of international community and Pristina as a terrorist act, and some believe that it is also part of the plan to separate the north of Kosovo through the intervention of Serbia, using the “fait accompli” method. There are also those who believe that the incident is extremely harmful to the authorities in Belgrade, so it is impossible that it was planned there. Did the confession of Milan Radoicic help one or the other interpretation?

Lazarevic: “In the case of Banjska, there are obvious facts and open questions. Apart from the loss of four lives, the stress suffered, the consequences for the Serbian side will be severe and long-term. For the Kosovo government, which immediately before the Banjska case, found itself as the target of intensified criticism from the West – the attack, the murder of a Kosovo police officer in an ambush and the obviousness of material evidence (such as military weapons and equipment, video and photo material, documentation, etc.), served to fully justify the deployment and presence of strong special forces of the Kosovo police in the North (primarily over 7 bases, which were built in the North since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine).

Banjska, therefore, reversed the roles of “good” and “bad” guy. We already had a prelude to this on May 26, that is, on May 29, when the Kosovo government found itself under the attack of strong reactions of condemnation due to the unilateral introduction of mayors in the northern municipalities, only to have a group of Serbs clash with KFOR three days later. That May 29 was officially qualified as the largest number of injured KFOR soldiers since the arrival of this military mission in Kosovo. This date will remain as a counterweight. It is also a fact that Belgrade is trying to close the case, despite the confession of Milan Radoicic, as well as the fact that Pristina claims that everything is known.

This case raises a series of open questions and opens a series of illogicalities: What was the real goal of the entry of this group? What happened from the moment of the murder of the police sergeant to the first liquidations of the members of this armed group? What was the role of KFOR, EULEX and other international actors? When were the weapons confiscated by the Kosovo police stored? How is it possible for military weapons and equipment, worth five million euros, to get past NATO, as well as the Serbian Army? How did this group get to Banjska and how did they return? Why was the previous arrival of a uniformed group to the North tolerated on at least two occasions – at the end of July 2022 and in December 2022? How many actual victims were there? How many are wounded? Where are they cared for? To what extent is this case the authentic response of the Serbs from the North, as it was warned for months and as the president initially presented? To what extent was the event planned and directed and by which party?”

Monitor: There are 20 people wanted by INTERPOL in connection with Banjska. According to the rules of that international organization, Serbia, as a member, is not obliged to extradite those who are on its territory. There are also political pressures at work for Serbia to conduct a full investigation. Will everything come down to political trade “under the auspices of the international community”?

Lazarevic:”There is no officially confirmed information that there are 20 people wanted by INTERPOL in connection with the Banjska case, although there are headlines about it, and more sides indicate that this is so. It is expected that this will be confirmed by INTERPOL or UNMIK, which was supposed to make such a request or information on behalf of Kosovo and send it. The answer to this question lies in the previous set of unknowns I listed. However, it is not realistic to expect the Serbian authorities to hand over Radoicic at the request of Pristina.

Monitor: In the 2021 elections, Kurti’s Self-Determination won 50.28 percent of the vote. What is the current support for Kurti’s government and to what extent can it be affected by his political moves?

Lazarevic: “My impression is that a new political “deity” is being created, not to use a harsher word. We have seen where idolatry leads, especially in the Balkans. Albin Kurti with his “hawks” generates more and more strong support. The axis is his policy towards Serbia and the Serbs and the “conquest” of the North and the cleansing from Serbia, even from the influence of the Serbs as the majority community in that territory. And that’s what should be scared off. Especially when ethnocentrism, nationalism, wrapped in the cloak of enverizm, is packaged as social democracy, or the fight against organized crime and the introduction of order.

Maybe these four to seven percent of the remaining Serbs, officially counted in the West as the percentage that makes Kosovo a “multi-ethnic state”, that is, a society, will disappear tomorrow. However, the majority society in Kosovo, if not its government, have yet to face their own skeletons from the closet, that is, their vision of democracy, and the truth about democracy, the rule of law and civil liberties, what kind of world they aspire to.”

Monitor: As if Vucic’s and Kurti’s moves are “complementary” and whether they want it or not, with their behavior so far, they are helping each other to cover up internal crises?

Lazarevic: “Your question is a sublimation of everyday impressions that I hear from fellow citizens and interlocutors. I don’t think that now the two of them are agreeing and negotiating something. But I see the complementarity of moves, that is, political interests and benefits. Both leaders get the maximum benefit for their ratings, Kurti and for his ideas. I once called it “dirty tango”. It is interesting how much the image of a kind of conformity of these policies spreads through the region like concentric circles.

There are more and more people who compare these two leaders according to the technique of ruling – recognizing the autocratic trait in both of them. However, I will point out one essential difference here. For the Prime Minister of Kosovo, the implementation of the policy is an instrument of implementing the ideology of Self-determination – ethnic Albania. He is not a presumptuous democrat, but a national worker correcting what he sees as a historical national injustice and a self-righteous social democrat. However, the values of social democracy are not advocated on the wings of nationalism. One’s own violence is not justified as a “just response of the people”. The current president of Serbia, on the other hand, is not a man of ideological support, values, and in that sense the guardian of the nation. His divinity is only ratings through the media and maybe something else.”

The absence of justice for the murder of Oliver Ivanovic is cemented

Monitor: The murder of Oliver Ivanovic has become a symbol of the situation in Kosovo since 1999, and especially since 2008. An investigation was launched in both Pristina and Belgrade. There are no orderers or executors among the accused, but neither are those mentioned in the indictment as organizers of the criminal group – Milan Radoicic and Zvonko Veselinovic. Is there any real interest in shedding light on this political murder?

Lazarevic: “No, there is not. As time goes on, the fact that it is a political assassination, paradoxically is revealed in full light, precisely because approaching the end of the trial actually cements the epilogue of the lack of justice being served. One gets the impression that the court process is taking place, that is, that the indictment has been set up in such a way that any doubt about the possible address of the executor and the principal is “washed away” through the court. Let’s be clear, this way of conducting court proceedings, and the investigation before it, not to mention the very act of murder and preparation, cannot be conducted without assuming or noticing the intertwining of the systems and the parties.”

It is rare to meet a Serb in Kosovo who trusts Vucic 

Monitor: There is information that more than 10 percent of Serbs have left Kosovo and that children are increasingly enrolling in schools in Serbia. Aleksandar Vucic recently announced that he would visit the Kosovo Serbs, a little later he added that he might not be allowed, although for him nothing is more important than that… What is the relationship between the president of Serbia and Kosovo Serbs today?

Lazarevic: “The popularity of Aleksandar Vucic in Kosovo is at its lowest level since he came to power more than 10 years ago. Today, it is rare to meet a Serb in Kosovo, above all in the North, who trusts him unconditionally, as was the case until a year ago. Such a strong change in the reality on the ground, for the worse, as assessed by the Serbs in Kosovo, cannot be overcome by any Pink, Informer, Happy, RTS or Prva… The last rose-colored glasses of the Kosovo Serbs towards Aleksandar Vucic are melting. But this general disappointment, anger, misfortune, sadness, humiliation, and general misery in which the Serbs from Kosovo found themselves does not mean still their freedom to raise their voices, to self-organize, to become aware and to take action to unfold the eclipse that has loomed over like them like a storm cloud. 

On the contrary, the government of Aleksandar Vucic continues to have an undiminished influence on the Serbs in Kosovo. The Serbian political entity has been systematically destroyed over the past 12 years – the execution was carried out on January 16, 2018, and was certified on September 24 in Banjska. Serbs in Kosovo are double-whipped by Pristina and Belgrade. For some they are undesirable, for others unpleasant witnesses. Some make them meaningless by calling them locals and making them disabled for work, others discriminate against them by declaring them intruders and snatchers.”

Vucic meets with Roquefeuil (Tanjug)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic met with the director of the Department for Continental Europe of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs Brice Roquefeuil on Wednesday.

In a post on his official Instagram account, Vucic wrote that Serbia-France relations had reached an exceptional level and that a strategic partnership with France was extremely significant.

“It was my pleasure to welcome Mr Roquefeuil, with whom I exchanged views on the dynamics of political dialogue between Serbia and France, bilateral cooperation in all areas of mutual interest, the Kosovo and Metohija issue as well as current geopolitical affairs”, Vucic said.

“Our overall relations have reached an exceptional level, in part due to regular dialogue with President Emmanuel Macron, whom I once again thanked for his personal engagement in the process of normalization of relations between Belgrade and Pristina as well as on Serbia’s European path”, Vucic added.

International 

Smear Campaign Against Critics of Kosovo Ruling Party Condemned (Balkan Insight)

Civil society groups, activists and diplomats have jointly condemned what they call the organised targeting on social media of critics of Kosovo’s ruling Vetevendosje party.

Civil society activists, experts and politicians across the Western Balkans have condemned an online smear campaign, mainly on X (Twitter), targeting individuals from Kosovo and Serbia who are critical of the current Kosovo ruling party Vetevendosje.

“Such attacks are wrong, damaging and should not be tolerated,” the regional network of the Youth Initiative for Human Rights said in a joint declaration supporting their former activist and advisor on the Western Balkans for the European Parliament, Djordje Bojovic.

On March 8, 2024, Bojovic wrote on X that “a number of bots (and then not only bots), mainly from Kosovo, started a coordinated online campaign stating that I have denied the [war] crimes committed in ’98-’99 [in Kosovo] and that I am unfit to be the advisor to [European Parliament rapporteur for Kosovo] Viola von Cramon”.

Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/393ym8dr