Albanian Language Media:

• Kurti: Kosovo is strengthening as preferred destination for energy investments (media)
• Osmani remembers massacre of Beleg, demands clarification of fate of the missing (RTK)
• Konjufca: Majority do not want country to go to elections with resignation of government (media)
• Maqedonci meets Italian Minister of Defense Guido Crosetton (media)
• Lajcak from September with a new post (RTK)
• Svecla and Balla agree for Kosovo Police to join Joint Migration Taskforce (media)
• Abazovic: Montenegro’s vote against Kosovo shows a new reality (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• People’s Party claims closure of EPS branch offices planned in Kosovo, treason of national interests continues (KoSSev)
• Starovic: Adoption of PACE Committee recommendation for Kosovo to become CoE member represents expression of injustice and arrogance (Kosovo Online, RTS)
• Stosic: Kurti’s signature worthless for Serbs; membership in CoE should be conditioned on formation of CSM (Kosovo Online)
• Ambassador Djuric says US concerned by Pristina (N1, Politika)
• Barbano: We follow cases of property disputes of Serbs in Kosovo, a large number of cases are returned by the Court of Appeal for retrial (Kosovo Online)

International:

• ‘It’s Devastating’: BIRN Maps Illegal Landfills Blighting the Balkans (Balkan Insight)

Albanian Language Media  

Kurti: Kosovo is strengthening as preferred destination for energy investments (media)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti, after the conclusion of the bidding process for the Solar Photovoltaic Auction of 100 megawatts, has said that Kosovo is being strengthened as a preferred destination for investing in electricity. Kurti emphasized that electricity capacities coincide with the economic development of a country and that each new megawatt installed represents a greater potential for production and economic growth. In the electronic auction for the first solar project of 100 megawatts, he said that as a government they intend to work and create an energy sector that is safe and puts the citizens of Kosovo at the center.

“Five companies from France, Turkiye, Egypt, Switzerland and Kosovo, all leaders of the sector, none of them are here by chance. For more than a year, the institutions of Kosovo, led by the Ministry of Economy, have worked hard and honorably to develop a transparent and equal process. We are already enjoying the results of this work not only with the conclusion of our first auction, but with the reinforcement of the status of our country as a preferred destination for energy investments, thanks to the stable policies of the safe environment for doing business. Electricity capacities coincide with the economic development of a country,” he said.

Kurti further added that they have decided to build the Solar Park on public land, because as he said, it will serve the public.

Osmani remembers massacre of Beleg, demands clarification of fate of the missing (RTK)

The President of Kosovo, Vjosa Osmani, commemorated today the massacre of Beleg of Decan, where 46 Albanian citizens, minors, women, elders and children were killed by the Serbian regime.

“Surrounded in the yard of a house in Beleg, Decan, 25 years ago, the police, military and paramilitary forces of the genocidal regime of Serbia, after separating men and minors from women, killed and massacred 46 Albanians. The fate of a part of the violently disappeared still remains unresolved, so in addition to the memory of the martyrs, clarifying the fate of the violently disappeared remains a daily commitment,” Osmani wrote.

On the same day and in the same way, according to her, Albanians were also killed in the Bair neighborhood of Mitrovica, in Dumnica of Vushtrri and in Poterq of Klina. “May the memory be permanent for all those who fell for freedom!”, Osmani wrote.

Konjufca: Majority does not want country to go to elections with resignation of government (media)

The Speaker of the Assembly of Kosovo, Glauk Konjufca, has said that the parliamentary majority lacks the will for Kosovo to go to elections through the resignation of the government. In a statement to the media, after the Presidency meeting, Konjufca said that so far no meeting has been held between the political parties to discuss the possible date of the elections, even though according to him all the parties agree that the country should go to elections.

“This is a rare case where all parties agree to go to the elections, but it is not possible to do this. It does not seem to be a matter of fear, but the will of the majority is lacking for this to happen through resignation of the government, because there is no reason for the government to resign. Governments resign only when something is not working”, he said.

He added that he is hindered by the fact that the Parliament has lost the power to vote on international agreements. “The majority can vote on laws, but I am prevented by the fact that the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo has lost its capacity to ratify international agreements for a few months”.

He also spoke about the non-support of the ruling party for the establishment of parliamentary investigative commissions. According to Konjufca, their establishment should not be hindered and said that this could become a bad precedent for parliamentary practice.

“I, as the Speaker of the Assembly, am not to prevent the establishment of investigative commissions, whatever they may be, the battles must be fought within the commissions after they are established and conditions that represent technical impossibility for establishment of the commissions should not be imposed “, he said.

Meanwhile, for the extension of the mandate of the Investigative Commission for State Reserves, Konjufca said: “If there was an agreement, three months of its mandate could be added”.

Maqedonci meets Italian Minister of Defense Guido Crosetton (media)

Kosovo’s Minister of Defense, Ejup Maqedonci, received his Italian counterpart, Guido Crosetton, who is visiting Kosovo. Macedonci, through a post on the ‘X’ platform, and emphasized, among other things, that the topic of the discussion was the increase of cooperation and Kosovo’s membership in NATO.

“We reaffirmed the joint commitment of Kosovo and Italy to continue our bilateral partnership in the field of defense. I underlined our intention to join NATO, to guarantee stability and peace in the Western Balkans and beyond. Grazie Italia!” Maqedonci wrote on the X platform.

Lajcak from September with a new post (RTK)

Brussels based correspondent of the national broadcaster RTK, Gjeraqina Tuhina, reported that the EU special representative for dialogue, Miroslav Lajcak, will leave this post at the end of August.

According to well-informed sources, she said, Lajcak is expected to be appointed EU ambassador to Switzerland, a post he will probably hold from September.

Miroslav Lajcak, on April 1, marks the fourth anniversary of his appointment to the post of European emissary for the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia. His mandate expires at the end of August.

Meanwhile, it is not yet known who will be Lajcak’s successor in the dialogue process. Although the discussions within the structures will start as early as now, the appointment of this person is expected to take place after the European elections, as it must first be decided for the head of European diplomacy, a post currently held by Josep Borrell.

The appointment of Lajcak is part of the great rotation within the European structures. 42 new names have been appointed as ambassadors of the European Union to the world. Among them, the new head of the EU office in Kosovo has been confirmed. Estonian diplomat Aivo Orav will lead the Brussels office in Pristina. Orav will also take office on September 1 of this year.

Orav has over 30 years of experience in diplomacy. He currently serves as Estonia’s ambassador to the European Union. He is at the same time familiar with the circumstances in the Western Balkans, as he has served in North Macedonia and Montenegro.

Svecla and Balla agree for Kosovo Police to join Joint Migration Taskforce (media)

Kosovo’s Minister of Internal Affairs, Xhelal Svecla, and his counterpart from Albania, Taulant Balla, have agreed that the Kosovo Police will join the Joint Migration Taskforce. In the announcement of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, it is stated that this cooperation will be realized through the coordination of the law enforcement authorities of the Republic of Albania and the United Kingdom.

“Minister Svela, in this meeting, has expressed the full readiness of the Republic of Kosovo to join forces in the Joint Migration Task Force. The purpose of this initiative is to coordinate actions in migration control, build databases and develop joint investigations to reduce illegal movements and organized crime in this area”, says the announcement announcing Svecla’s visit in Tirana.

It is further stated that Kosovo’s participation in this joint task force proves the commitment to regional security and to addressing the criminal challenges of migration.

Abazovic: Montenegro’s vote against Kosovo shows a new reality (media)

The former Prime Minister of Montenegro, Dritan Abazovic, has said that the vote against Kosovo of Montenegro in the Committee for Politics and Democracy of the Council of Europe reflects the new reality of the majority in this country. He said that during his mandate, Montenegro has fully supported Kosovo.

“But this is the new reality. This happens because the majority is created with parties that do not share the same vision, programs and values. They think that this can work, I say the opposite”, said Abazovic in an interview with Euronews Albania.

Asked about the lack of concrete results in the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia, Abazovic appealed to the parties to find a solution as soon as possible.

“We have lost 20 years, we cannot wait for another 20, but we must be concrete. I support the finding of the final agreement between Serbia and Kosovo and I invite both parties, governments, leaders to sit together and find a solution for the future of those people who see their lives in the region”, Abazovic said.

Serbian Language Media

People’s Party claims closure of EPS branch offices planned in Kosovo, treason of national interests continues (KoSSev)

After the leader of Serbian Peoples’ Movement (SNP) from Gracanica, Branimir Stojanovic accused Serbian public electricity company EPS that together with Office for Kosovo and Metohija allegedly plans to shut down three EPS branch offices, which has not been officially confirmed so far, Peoples’ Party (NS) from Kosovo board also reacted by presenting the same claims – that silent self-closure of yet another Serbian enterprise is taking place, KoSSev portal reported.

In a post on Facebook Stojanovic earlier claimed that closure of three EPS branch offices would jeopardize the financial existence of 73 Serbian families in Gracanica, Strpce and Kosovsko Pomoravlje.

At the same time the board of the Serbian opposition Peoples’ Party in Kosovo reacted by accusing authorities in Serbia of “silently self-closing yet another Serbian enterprise” at the time when “European friends” were giving the green light for Kosovo admission to the Council of Europe thus violating its own principles and foundations.

“After the closure of NLB Commercial Bank in Kosovo and Metohija, a number of workers with their families moved to central Serbia, therefore our fears are justified that the same can happen to the EPS workers and their families”, the party said in a statement. It also said it has become clear that Belgrade authorities this way are implementing point by point the Brussels Agreement and Ohrid Anex.

“While the rest of the Serbian public under the slogan “Serbia Must Not Stop” is being exposed to information about building infrastructure, economic and commercial growth, on the other side surrender and treason of the national interests in Kosovo and Metohija continues. People see and feel that and rightly wonder what is next and what are further concessions of Belgrade to Pristina, the policy of complete round-up of Kosovo independence”, the Peoples’ Party said in a statement.

KoSSev portal said it sent media enquiry on alleged plan to shut down EPS branch offices two days to the Office for Kosovo and Metohija and EPS but received no reply by the time the news was published.

Starovic: Adoption of PACE Committee recommendation for Kosovo to become CoE member represents expression of injustice and arrogance (Kosovo Online, RTS)

Decision of PACE Political Committee to adopt a recommendation for Pristina’s full membership to the Council of Europe (CoE) is an expression of injustice and a high degree of arrogance, State Secretary in the Ministry of Defense of Serbia, Nemanja Starovic said, as reported by RTS. Starovic emphasized that the report of CoE rapporteur Dora Bakoyannis was full of contradictory and unjust elements, adding it could be discussed why she had set only three conditions from the beginning of her work on that report, of which only one had been fulfilled. He also said this decision represented an expression of injustice and a high degree of arrogance.

Starovic mentioned that members of the Political Committee had completely ignored everything that had been happening in Kosovo in the last two years since Pristina applied for membership in the Council of Europe.

“They ignore the fact that basic human, political, and economic rights are denied to Serbs, starting from the ban on Serbs voting in Serbian elections, imposing illegitimate mayors and councilors in municipal assemblies, to something that too closely resembles a military occupation of northern Kosovo and Metohija, through the use and constant deployment of these special militarized mono-ethnic Albanian forces of the Kosovo police,” Starovic emphasized.

Stosic: Kurti’s signature worthless for Serbs; membership in CoE should be conditioned on formation of CSM (Kosovo Online)

The program manager of NGO Advocacy Center of Democratic Culture (ACDC) Slobodan Stosic, speaking about letter Kosovo top officials sent to Council of Europe rapporteur, Dora Bakoyannis, in which they commit to respecting all provisions of the Brussels and Ohrid agreements, including the formation of the CSM, said Serbs in Kosovo have lost trust and do not believe Prime Minister Albin Kurti’s signature guarantees anything will be resolved.

“In theory, the signature of an official should be worth a lot, but considering the experience we all know, what happened with the CSM and other obligations from the Brussels agreement, I don’t know how much trust the people living here can have in such a statement. His signature, especially among non-majority communities, especially Serbs, is not taken seriously, and they do not think that anything will be resolved by that signature”, he said.

The letter should be a guarantee, Stosic notes, but if the president of the parliamentary group of Self-Determination Movement, Mimoza Kusari-Lila, stated that it was just a formality, then the ruling coalition will probably treat that letter as such.

Ambassador Djuric says US concerned by Pristina (N1, Politika)

Serbian Ambassador to the United States Marko Djuric said there is serious concern in Washington over Pristina’s provocative measures.

“The unilateral and provocative measures which Pristina has implemented to make the survival of the Serb community in Kosovo unbearable are causing serious concern and increasingly strong and open condemnation by American administration officials”, Djuric told Politika daily.

He said that it’s crucial for Serbia to continue along what he said is “the good, true way to cooperate with America down the 143 year old path of historic friendship and new political infrastructure, Serbia’s new image”.

Djuric added there are indications that support to Pristina is waning and that “we are closer to the delegitimizing of the Albin Kurti regime”.

Barbano: We follow cases of property disputes of Serbs in Kosovo, a large number of cases are returned by the Court of Appeal for retrial (Kosovo Online)

Head of EULEX, Giovanni Pietro Barbano, in an extensive interview to Kosovo Online, spoke about the current security situation in Kosovo, the work of EULEX, the upcoming population census, Visoki Dečani Monastery, unresolved property issues of the Serbs, cooperation with KFOR and Kosovo police.

Barbano said implementation of the Constitutional Court decision from 2016 in the case of Dečani Monastery is, without any doubt, a very welcome step forward for the rule of law in Kosovo.

“The implementation of the decision in the case of Dečani Monastery was long overdue, and it is important to remind that, based on the principle of legal certainty, the decisions of the Constitutional Court are binding for all persons and institutions, without exception, in accordance with the law, the Constitution of Kosovo and European legal standards. In this regard, there are currently other decisions of the Constitutional Court awaiting implementation, for which the same principle applies”, Barbano noted.

Q: According to EULEX data, there are 70,000 unresolved property-related cases of Serbs. What is happening with these cases and what do you think is the reason that these cases have not been resolved?

“We continue to monitor more than 50 civil cases related to various property disputes, such as property restitution, confirmation of ownership, illegal occupation, fraudulent transactions, damages and enforcement of judgments filed by Kosovo Serb plaintiffs, almost all of whom live outside Kosovo. According to the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), every natural or legal person has the right to the peaceful enjoyment of his property, and cases arising from property disputes must be resolved within a “reasonable time” as clearly stipulated in Article 6 (point 1) of the same convention. Unfortunately, Kosovo’s justice system is still marred by significant delays in court proceedings related to these issues. Among the causes of the delay are a large backlog of 70,000 pending civil cases, delays in providing court translations of documents, land registries that are still missing, belated delivery of summons in Serbia due to the lack of mutual legal assistance and frequent changes of assigned judges. Moreover, a large number of civil cases are sent back for retrial by the Court of Appeals”.

Q: You recently said that the situation in Kosovo is fragile. Does it seem to you that we are going from one crisis to another?

“The current security situation in Kosovo, especially in the north of Kosovo, is truly fragile, and unfortunately, in recent months we have seen extremely serious, unacceptable security incidents, including the violent events of May 29 in Zvecan and September 24 in Banjska. As the High Representative of the EU and Vice-president of the European Commission, Josep Borrell recently stated, it is time to end the current vicious circle of crises and tensions. We have to think about what this means when we look at the daily lives of people on the ground: the fact is that this cycle of tensions has negatively affected social cohesion and inter-communal relations in Kosovo, thus affecting the daily lives of women, men and children in Kosovo. Let me be very clear: all communities in Kosovo not only have the right to live in a safe and secure environment, they must also have faith in the authorities that have a duty to protect them. Furthermore, those authorities, especially the police and judicial authorities, must be made up to reflect the communities they serve. As a Mission, on the one hand, we are alert and ready to support the security of Kosovo and the well-being of the local population; and on the other hand, we are also committed to supporting the Kosovo authorities, especially the Kosovo police, in strengthening their community-oriented policing efforts to increase people’s trust and continue to build bridges between the police and the population”.

Q: How do you view the CBK’s decision on the dinar? Is it something that contributes to the destabilization of the situation and how does it affect, first of all, the Serbian community and how do you see a way out of this crisis?

“I can only reiterate that it is important to find a negotiated solution to this issue within the dialogue with the support of the EU for the benefit of all affected communities”.

Q: The Serbian community expects more from EULEX when it comes to the protection of their rights. How much can EULEX help? Especially when it comes to court proceedings against Serbs, arrests and the use of excessive force by the Kosovo police?

“EULEX is in Kosovo to help strengthen the rule of law institutions so that they are sustainable, accountable and capable of effectively guaranteeing the rights of all communities and individuals without discrimination. In line with our robust monitoring mandate, we assertively monitor selected cases throughout the criminal justice chain, at police, prosecution and judicial levels. Many of these cases concern members of the Kosovo Serb community.

Currently, the mission is closely monitoring over 30 cases related to Kosovo Serbs, or which could otherwise affect relations between communities. We fully respect the independence of judicial authorities and the principle of non-interference in the performance of our monitoring activities, and if serious shortcomings are observed through these monitoring activities, the Mission resolves them with the competent, responsible authorities.

Kosovo has a solid legal framework for human rights and in our daily work we actively and publicly remind the authorities of their duty to fulfill their obligations regarding human rights so that these rights are not only theoretical rights but are experienced in people’s daily lives. Human rights must be protected by the rule of law. This is one of the guiding principles behind our strong and determined monitoring, mentoring and advising, which includes the position and conduct of the Kosovo Police, with a clear commitment against any form of human rights abuse or discrimination.

To illustrate, we have often advocated strict adherence to human rights standards in the use of security measures such as detention and other forms of deprivation of liberty. Through our Correctional unit, we support the Kosovo Correctional Service through monitoring, mentoring, and counseling. Our experts are regularly present in all correctional institutions in Kosovo, including visits to detainees to monitor their detention conditions at the request of detainees, their family members, their legal representatives, other organizations or at the Mission’s own initiative. We also called for increased respect for language rights in court proceedings and in prison institutions, we called for adequate and effective investigations in cases of alleged abuse by the Kosovo Police – and we are in contact with the Police Inspectorate of Kosovo in this regard – we call on the authorities to respect the rights of owners and interested parties in cases of real estate expropriation. Through our police advisors, we are actively engaged in strengthening the capacity of the Kosovo Police to serve the communities they protect and to increase the trust of the population through community-oriented policing. This is an approach that aims to respond to local needs, cooperation and crime prevention, based on the principles of trust and confidence building, accountability, information sharing and communication”.

Q: Reactivation of the police station in Suvi Do

“In this regard, I am pleased to announce that we plan to hand over two containers to the Kosovo Police soon, which will be used to reactivate the Suvi Do police substation. This substation has been inactive for several years. Its reactivation will, above all, enable both Kosovo Serbs and Kosovo Albanians living in the area to better access community-oriented police services and to directly contact the Kosovo police to file reports or complaints and receive police support. Furthermore, the continued presence of the Kosovo Police in Suvi Do substation is expected to improve the security situation, as it will improve the capacity of the police to promote and defend the safety of all those living in the area in a community-oriented manner. Let me also underline that, in accordance with its human rights obligations, the Mission has conditioned the donation of the container solely to facilitate community policing, receiving reports and complaints and with the aim of improving the security of all communities.

Q: How is EULEX preparing for the voting in the north when it comes to the voting on the dismissal of mayors?

“Close monitoring of any possible developments affecting the security of Kosovo, which includes the security of all communities in Kosovo, remains our key priority. As the second security responder in Kosovo, we are in constant and close contact with the Kosovo Police and KFOR, the first and third responders, and, in accordance with our mandate, we are committed to supporting Kosovo institutions in ensuring that everyone can exercise their democratic rights in a safe and organized manner, as required by the rule of law”.

Q: Will EULEX help in the population census announced for April 5 in Serbian areas?

“No, EULEX is not involved in the implementation of the census, but members of the EULEX mission will monitor the security situation during the census, and we will have a special focus on any incident with security implications, in close cooperation with the Kosovo Police and KFOR”.

Q: How do you evaluate cooperation with Kosovo institutions, both with KFOR and with the Serb community? Is there room for improvement?

“Positive and continuous cooperation with the institutions of the rule of law in Kosovo is a prerequisite for the implementation of our mandate, which is really to support them on their way to increasing efficiency, sustainability, multi-ethnicity and responsibility, without political interference and in accordance with international standards of human rights and best European practices . As the second security responder in Kosovo, we are in constant close coordination with the Kosovo Police and KFOR regarding security matters. Moreover, in accordance with our robust monitoring mandate, the various components of the Mission are in contact, almost on a daily basis, with representatives of the judicial system, the police, the correctional service, the probation service, which allows us to carry out assertive monitoring of selected cases of the entire criminal justice chain. In addition to this, we also actively contribute to the law-making process in various areas of the rule of law, providing advice and expertise.

Referring specifically to the Kosovo Serb community, we seek ongoing dialogue with civil society organizations to exchange views on the most pressing issues facing the local population and seek feedback on the Mission’s work on the ground. Moreover, we have often partnered with civil society in implementing specific activities. Let me give you just two examples: As you know, EULEX is deeply involved in the issue of missing persons and our experts continue to work together with their local colleagues at the Institute of Forensic Medicine to determine the fate of missing persons by offering expertise and advice on the identification of potential secret grave and exhumation and identification of victims of the conflict in Kosovo. Families of missing persons have the right to request information from relevant institutions about their cases, and in order to support their right to know the truth about the fate of their loved ones, EULEX has partnered with the NGO Resource Centre for Missing Persons (MPRC) in reaching out to family members from of all communities through a series of informative sessions throughout Kosovo.

Another example is our efforts to include and empower civil society representatives from all communities in the fight against gender-based violence. During the implementation of awareness campaigns and project activities, EULEX has developed and maintained strong links with various Kosovo NGOs supporting the Mission as implementation partners. Specifically, on aspects of the prevention of violence against women and striving for gender equality, the Mission, in partnership with civil society, engaged the youth community and advocated at the government level for the creation of effective victim assistance services, including re-integration programs. It goes without saying that cooperation with the Kosovo authorities on this issue, especially with the Kosovo Police and the Ministry of Justice, is a key element, and concrete steps have been taken in this regard. Together with KFOR and the OESCE Mission in Kosovo, the Mission was also heavily involved in setting up victim interview rooms in police stations across Kosovo, including the police station in North Mitrovica.

Q: How do you view the removal of signs with inscriptions in Cyrillic in the north of Kosovo? Was there also a lack of coordination between Kosovo institutions and international ones?

“From a security perspective, to avoid possible unnecessary tensions, it is important to ensure that an inclusive approach is followed whenever actions are taken that could affect people’s daily lives. This implies prior consultation with various interested parties, which means, in the specific case, with the Commissioner for Languages on the interpretation of the legislative framework”.

Q: How do you view the cooperation with the Kosovo Specialist Chambers?

“In accordance with the relevant Kosovo legislation, EULEX assists the Kosovo Specialist Chambers and the Office of the Special Prosecutor with logistical and operational support, when necessary. We remain committed to supporting the work of these Kosovo institutions in ensuring accountability for grave crimes, including war crimes and crimes against humanity”.

International 

‘It’s Devastating’: BIRN Maps Illegal Landfills Blighting the Balkans (Balkan Insight)

Authorities in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo and North Macedonia are failing in the fight against illegal landfills; the environment and the public are paying the price.

Arton has only heard stories about the family picnics and days spent fishing on the Morava e Binces, the river that flows through Arton’s village in eastern Kosovo.

“My parents often told me how they used the river for swimming and fishing,” Arton told BIRN, standing on the bank of the river Morava e Binces/Binacka Morava.

There are no fishermen or picnickers now; instead, the river is awash with plastic bottles and other refuse, an improvised and illegal landfill.

Read more at: https://shorturl.at/imqEF