Albanian Language Media:

• Kurti invites citizens to participate in census, justice in addressing war crimes (media)
• Kurti: Kosovo is marking progress in development of democracy and rule of law (Reporteri)
• ICG: Northern Kosovo: Asserting Sovereignty amid Divided Loyalties (media)
• Kurti lists works done in the north during three-year government (media)
• Konjufca: Decani decision difficult but shows commitment for state of law (Koha)
• The UN session for Kosovo scheduled for April 22 (Albanian Post)
• COMKFOR meets Turkish contingent along administrative boundary line (media)
• U.S. ambassador to NATO mentions Russia’s efforts to destabilize Balkans (RFE)
• Haradinaj: Kurti has returned to electoral fraud, but Kosovo has become a poor country (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Djuric: Pristina refusing to form the A/CSM for 11 years, manipulating the international community (Kosovo Online, Blic)
• Z.Potok info: A memorial in Varage for the late Kosovo police officer Enver Zymberi (KoSSev)
• KiM radio: A flock of sheep stolen from Nikola Stojanovic from Dobrotin (KoSSev)
• Jevtic expects the international community to prevent Kurti from expelling all Serbs (Kosovo Online)
• ICG: Pristina to withdraw special police units from northern Kosovo (Kosovo Online)

Albanian Language Media

Kurti invites citizens to participate in census, justice in addressing war crimes (media) 

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti has appealed to the citizens to respond positively to the population census, which starts on Friday, and through this process to record the damage caused to them by the war. 

Kurti, at the beginning of the government meeting, said that in addition to the data for the present, the registration will also provide evidence of the past. “Citizens will be able to declare the economic damages, the amounts of destroyed properties as well as the damages to people, family members killed, missing, injured or imprisoned. More precisely, this period is limited from February 28, 1998 to June 12, 1999,” Kurti said.

Including questions about war damage, according to Kurti, will enable the institutions to have data about what happened. He requested from the justice system u rgent treatment of war crimes. “Because over the years we are losing witnesses. The evidence is there, but we are losing the witnesses, because it has been a quarter of a century since the last war in Kosovo”, he said.

Among the decisions that were approved at the government meeting was the allocation of 4 million euros for the construction of houses for members of minority communities in the north. The Minister of Local Government Administration, Elbert Krasniqi, said that this is the continuation of their support for the communities, within which 57 houses have been built so far. He said that the criteria for subsidizing the size of the houses to be built will be determined in the following days. 

Kurti: Kosovo is marking progress in development of democracy and rule of law (Reporteri)

Kosovo Prime Minister, Albin Kurti, together with the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Kreshnik Ahmeti, welcomed on Tuesday the Chairman of the Committee for Political Affairs and Democracy, in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Bertrand Bouyx, who was accompanied by the Ambassador of France in Kosovo, Olivier Guerot.

In the statement, it is said that Prime Minister Kurti thanked Bouyx for his support in the process of membership of Kosovo in the Council of Europe. 

“The Republic of Kosovo is making continuous progress in the development of democracy and the rule of law, according to prestigious international organizations,” the OPM statement reads. 

“Belief in human rights is essential as it combines universality and equality”, Prime Minister Kurti said during the meeting. 

“The Republic of Kosovo is committed to guaranteeing the rights of all citizens and is ready to align with other member states in the protection and advancement of fundamental rights and freedoms, through membership in the Council of Europe on the 75th anniversary of its establishment”, the statement concludes.

ICG: Northern Kosovo: Asserting Sovereignty amid Divided Loyalties (media)

Most news websites cover a report by the International Crisis Group (ICG) titled “Northern Kosovo: Asserting Sovereignty amid Divided Loyalties”, which notes that “tensions are rising in Kosovo’s restive Serb-majority north, as Pristina enforces its writ against the backdrop of continuing disputes with Belgrade. The parties and outside supporters should first work on defusing the short-term risk of violence and then look for ways to foster lasting stability.”

The executive summary of the report notes that: Kosovo is winning the battle for control of its rebellious, Serb-majority north, while hopes for normalisation between Pristina and Belgrade are fading. The remaining Serbian institutions on Kosovo territory, which survived the war of 1999 and Kosovo’s independence in 2008, are being dismantled in the aftermath of a Serbian-supported paramilitary operation in September 2023. While limited violent resistance remains possible, northern Kosovo, which was hoping for autonomy or union with Serbia, is grudgingly submitting to Pristina’s authority. These are hard days for the Serb minority, whose future is vital for rapprochement between Belgrade and Pristina. To remain a community capable of self-government, they need continued access to Serbian institutions, notably in education and health care, plus financial support. They also need a sense of security, which can only come with the return of Serbs to the Kosovo police force, from which they resigned in protest in November 2022. Pristina should pull its special police back from the north, and Belgrade should help prevent further paramilitary activity.

Read full report at: https://shorturl.at/oxzN1

Kurti lists works done in the north during three-year government (media)

Kosovo Prime Minister, Albin Kurti, through a post on Facebook, has mentioned some works that he claims have been achieved in the north during his governance.  

“In every corner, we are committed to offer and operationalize services to facilitate the lives of our citizens. Beyond the challenges that we have had during these three years of government, in the north of the country we have undertaken many actions that have centered on the well-being of the citizens. 

Thus, for the first time we have functionalized the Municipal Cadastral Offices in the four municipalities in the north so that the citizens there will no longer have problems with properties. 

In order for the businesses to register and benefit from the support measures, we have opened the offices of the Kosovo Business Registration Agency. Within a few months, over 50 businesses have been registered. 

For the residents of the municipalities of Leposaviq, Zubin Potok, Zvecan and North Mitrovica, we opened a special employment measure for 2,000 job seekers, with which we subsidize up to 70% of the gross salary for six months for each new worker, according to certain criteria.

Kosovo Post has opened its points in all four municipalities. Through them, it is offering Post services such as payments for vehicle registration, traffic fines, personal documents and various licenses in institutions.

We have solved one of the biggest problems, that of paying for electricity, which in addition to being a huge burden on public money, also created inequality between the citizens of the Republic. Meanwhile, with the removal of illegal car license plates, and their replacement with official RKS license plates, public safety is better.

At today’s meeting of the government, we allocated an additional four million euros to subsidize the construction of houses for members of non-majority communities. While dozens of houses have been built or are under construction there, among them also houses of Albanian residents, damaged by the last war in Kosovo.

We are building roads that have been missing in areas and villages in the north of the Republic, with which we connected the villages with each other as well as with the municipalities in the south, such as the one that connects Skenderaj with Lake Ujman and Zubin Potok. We have also invested in pumping stations in order to address the issue of water supply for villages in the municipality of Zvecan and Leposaviq.

We have extended the infrastructure and follow-up services of civil registration in North Mitrovica, Zvecan and Leposaviq. Whereas the old and in some cases non-existent infrastructure for telecommunication services, we are adding and modernizing it. This month, Telekom added 15 new Base Transmission Stations (BTS) that support 4+ and 5G technology. Because Kosovo is the country of all its citizens and for this we have an obligation to offer services, security and conditions for a better life throughout our Republic,” Kurti wrote.

Konjufca: Decani decision difficult but shows commitment for state of law (Koha)

Kosovo Assembly President Glauk Konjufca said on Tuesday that the decision on the properties of the Decani Monastery was difficult but that it shows Kosovo’s commitment for a state of law. Konjufca met with the chairman of the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Bertrand Bouyx. They also discussed the vote on Kosovo at PACE on March 27, which adopted the report recommending for Kosovo to be invited as a member state at the Council of Europe. Bouyx expressed support for Kosovo’s membership and said he was optimistic that the process will conclude successfully.

The UN session for Kosovo scheduled for April 22 (Albanian Post) 

The session of the United Nations Security Council where the six-monthly report of the UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, on the work of the UN Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) will be discussed will be held on April 22 of this year. 

It is not yet known who will represent Kosovo. While in the preliminary session which was held on October 23 last year, Kosovo was represented by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kosovo, Donika Gervalla. 

Otherwise, on February 8 of this year, an extraordinary session of the UN Security Council was held on the situation in Kosovo after the new regulation of the Central Bank of Kosovo, through which the use of the Serbian state currency, the Dinar, was prohibited in the territory of Kosovo. The session was called by Serbia.Kosovo was represented in this session by the Prime Minister, Albin Kurti, while Serbia, by the president, Aleksandar Vucic.

COMKFOR meets Turkish contingent along administrative boundary line (media)

Commander of NATO’s peacekeeping force in Kosovo (KFOR), Ozkan Ulutas, met on Tuesday with KFOR personnel of the Turkish contingent assigned to the Operational Reserve Battalion, along the Administrative Boundary Line.

A statement by KFOR notes that “Units of the Operational Reserve Battalion conduct regular mounted and dismounted patrols in the area to ensure freedom of movement and a safe and secure environment for all local communities.”

“KFOR continues to implement its mandate – based on UN Security Council Resolution 1244 of 1999 – to provide 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 responder, after the Kosovo Police and the EU Rule of Law (EULEX) mission, respectively, with whom we work in close coordination.”

U.S. ambassador to NATO mentions Russia’s efforts to destabilize Balkans (RFE)

U.S. Ambassador to NATO, Julianne Smith, argued on Tuesday that Russia is trying to destabilize the region of the Western Balkans and that NATO is closely monitoring these actions and is working with partners to safeguard the stability of the region.

Smith said in a meeting with reporters on the eve of the meeting of NATO foreign ministers which will be held on Wednesday and Thursday. “NATO has a long presence in the Western Balkans. Since the 1990s, NATO allies have done everything in their power to keep the region stable. We still have a military presence in the region and our NATO allies had a joint visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina, where there is a NATO mission, in addition to the KFOR mission in Kosovo,” she said.

Asked if NATO is aware of any Russian action aimed at destabilizing the Western Balkans, Smith said: “when Russia’s activities are concerned, we have seen for several years now its classical efforts to destabilize the region through hybrid attacks. Russia used a classical list of means, with the main focus on disinformation aimed at causing divisions and instability.”

Haradinaj: Kurti has returned to electoral fraud, but Kosovo has become a poor country (media)

The leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) Ramush Haradinaj has accused the prime minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, of “deceiving the citizens” and that, as he said, “returning to electoral fraud”.

“Kurti returns to electoral fraud! Today’s language of Albin Kurti is his language of deception before the last elections. Then also he deceived the citizens about how much oil, sugar, bread, electricity will be released and how he would do wonders for the well-being of the people, but under his government, Kosovo became a poor country with people leaving it every day “, Haradinaj wrote on Facebook on Tuesday evening.

Haradinaj accused Kurti of deceiving the citizens when he talks about the economy, subsidies, etc. 

Serbian Language Media 

Djuric: Pristina refusing to form the A/CSM for 11 years, manipulating the international community (Kosovo Online, Blic)

Serbian Ambassador to the United States Marko Djuric stated that for 11 years Kosovo has been refusing to form the Association/Community of Serb-majority Municipalities and has been manipulating the international community, which, as he says, rewards Albin Kurti and his regime “for unilateral, provocative, and destabilizing moves with visa liberalization and participation in international forums”, reported Kosovo Online in English. 

“It has been more than 4,000 days since Pristina committed to establishing the Community of Serb-majority Municipalities by signing the Brussels Agreement – the only obligation that Pristina had to fulfill, and which it has not done to this day. Four. Thousand. Days,” Djuric emphasized on the social network “X.”

As he noted, this is 11 years of spinning, concealing the truth, and manipulating the international community.

“The community which proved to be oblivious not only to the false promises and lies regularly served to them, but also to the continuous attacks on Serbs – both physical and mental – and violations of their basic human rights. Unfortunately, the deterioration of the position of the Serb population in Kosovo and Metohija extends far beyond those dreadful 11 years – it has been escalating for decades now,” Djuric stated.

Moreover, the ambassador emphasizes, “we have been witnessing its culmination since 2021 – since Albin Kurti and his ethnonationalist regime came into power.”

“Over the past three years only, there were 499 ethnically motivated attacks on Serbs in the province. Attacks that were orchestrated and well-planned in Kurti’s vicious agenda. Apart from occasional oral condemnations by some international actors, Kurti and his regime are far from being sanctioned for their wrongdoings or failure to fulfill obligations. In fact, they are being rewarded for their unilateral, provocative, and destabilizing moves with visa liberalization and participation in international fora,” Djuric concluded.

Z.Potok info: A memorial in Varage for the late Kosovo police officer Enver Zymberi (KoSSev)

In the town of Varage near Zubin Potok, a memorial plaque should soon be erected to Enver Zymberi, a Kosovo police officer who was killed in a shooting at that place in 2011, reported KoSSev portal, citing Zubin Potok info. The information was confirmed for this media by the Kosovo Police.

According to the media, the mayor of the municipality, Izmir Zeqiri, had no knowledge of this.

That the memorial to Zymberi will soon be placed in Varage, as written by Zubin Potok Info, is evidenced by the construction and the mast that have already been installed along the main road itself.

In the middle of 2022, this location was visited by Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti and the head of the Kosovo MIA, Xhelal Svecla. 

KoSSev recalled that Enver Zymberi, a member of the then special Kosovo Police “ROSU”, was killed in Zubin Potok in 2011, when these units went to Jarinje and Brnjak for the first time.

KiM radio: A flock of sheep stolen from Nikola Stojanovic from Dobrotin (KoSSev)

Unknown perpetrators stole 25 sheep and lambs from Nikola Stojanovic from Dobrotin last weekend, reported KoSSev, citing KiM radio. The police investigated.

Nikola Stojanovic (39) is unemployed and exclusively engaged in agriculture and animal husbandry. His father and he live on that income. However, between Friday and Saturday, a flock of 25 sheep was taken from his barn, reports KiM radio. 

“Maybe there would be more (stolen), but there were certainly some problems, because when I came it was open, which means that they could have brought out more. Now what contributed to the rest of the sheep remaining, I do not know; let it be luck”.

The police investigated, says Nikola, however, he does not expect any results.

Jevtic expects the international community to prevent Kurti from expelling all Serbs (Kosovo Online)

The President of Strpce Municipality, Dalibor Jevtic, stated that the Community of Serb Municipalities was a crucial issue for the lives of Serbs in Kosovo because, through it, they could solve numerous problems, such as the issue of abolishing the dinar and financial transactions. He expressed hope to Studio B TV that the international community would prevent the regime in Pristina and Prime Minister Albin Kurti from expelling all Serbs, reported Kosovo Online. 

“Day by day, it becomes increasingly difficult due to the decision to abolish the dinar, but also due to previous decisions of the current regime in Pristina, which is doing everything to force Serbs to leave Kosovo. We are warning representatives of the international community because we hold them responsible for preventing a humanitarian catastrophe that could happen to us. We expect that they will reach a resolution regarding the Central Bank Regulation related to the abolition of the dinar and that an agreement will be reached allowing Serbs and members of other communities in Kosovo and Metohija to receive their incomes from the budget of the Republic of Serbia,” Jevtic emphasized for Studio B.

Read more at:https://tinyurl.com/ft9vux8r

ICG: Pristina to withdraw special police units from northern Kosovo (Kosovo Online)

According to the International Crisis Group report, Pristina should withdraw its special police units from the north of Kosovo, where the Serb majority lives, and until it does so, it should deploy them in coordination with KFOR forces, reported Kosovo Online. The report added that also, Kosovo must meet the needs of the Serb minority in Kosovo, with or without a formal framework for autonomy.

Read the ICG report at:https://tinyurl.com/5n7wem45