Albanian Language Media:

• Osmani says the future of Kosovo is in NATO (media)
• Osmani meets Hovenier, talk about elections in the north and CoE (Klan)
• Lajcak: I plan to continue discussions for compromise on dinar issue (Klan)
• Bislimi: We agreed with EU proposal, Serbia asked for additional time (RTK)
• COMKFOR meets British emissary, discuss security in Kosovo (RTK)
• Kosovo authorities confiscate properties belonging to Milan Radoicic (media)
• Population census in Kosovo starts today (Telegrafi)

Serbian Language Media:

• Lajcak: Some gaps bridged, discussions to be continued soon (Tanjug)
• Varhelyi, Vucic welcome approval of Growth Facility (N1)
• Vucic: Serbia strongly advocating cooperation, stability (Tanjug, media)
• Referendum on dismissal of mayors and hassles for voters outside of Kosovo (Kosovo Online)
• Party of Kosovo Serbs calls for boycotting census, says it comes at unfavorable moments for Serbs (KoSSev)
• Kosovo police confiscate Radoicic’s properties (N1, KoSSev)
• Serbian List: The home of Milan Radoicic’s children was unjustifiably seized (KoSSev, media)
• Forest fires in Osojane valley again, firefighters on the ground upon call from Radio Gorazdevac (Radio Gorazdevac, media)

International Media: 

• Kosovo Seizes Property of Northern Serb Kingpin Radoicic (Balkan Insight)

Albanian Language Media

Osmani says the future of Kosovo is in NATO (media)

On the 75th anniversary of NATO on Thursday, Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani, said that NATO is a promise to future generations that they will inherit a safer and more secure world.

“NATO is a pledge to future generations that they will inherit a world that is safer and more secure. NATO is our destiny. It’s Kosovo’s destiny.

Our journey towards joining the Alliance doesn’t pause, it doesn’t falter. We keep pushing forward together. Always”, Osmani wrote on the ‘X’ platform.

Osmani meets Hovenier, talk about elections in the north and CoE (Klan)

Kosovo President, Vjosa Osmani, received on Thursday in a regular meeting the U.S. Ambassador to Kosovo, Jeffrey Hovenier. They discussed the latest developments in Kosovo with a special focus on the process of Kosovo’s membership in the Council of Europe.

In the announcement of the Presidency, it is stated that Osmani and Hovenier “also discussed the preparations being made for the holding of elections in the north, as well as various aspects of bilateral cooperation”.

Lajcak: I plan to continue discussions for compromise on dinar issue (Klan)

The EU emissary for dialogue, Miroslav Lajcak, spoke about the meeting he held on Thursday with the negotiating teams of Kosovo and Serbia in Brussels. He wrote On the X platform, that he once again led a meeting in which it was discussed to find a temporary solution for the people who are affected by the CBK decision.

“We managed to fill some gaps between the proposals of the two parties. I plan to continue our discussions soon based on the EU’s ideas for compromise”, he wrote.

Bislimi: We agreed with EU proposal, Serbia asked for additional time (RTK)

Kosovo’s Deputy Prime Minister Besnik Bislimi, after the failure to find a solution for the dinar issue in the joint meeting with the Serbian chief negotiator, Petar Petkovic, with the mediation of the EU delegate for the dialogue, Miroslav Lajcak in Brussels, said that the Kosovar side has agreed with the proposal of the EU emissary, regarding the dinar issue, but the Serbian side has requested additional time.

“Seeing the impossibility of reaching a compromise, Lajcak has issued a consolidated proposal which we believe is constructive and on the right path to find a solution, which is mostly for the benefit of the Serb citizens in Kosovo. The Serbian side was not ready to reflect on this proposal and asked for additional time. The next meeting is expected to be held after two weeks in Brussels”, Bislimi said.

He further added that Thursday’s meeting was scheduled with the idea that the parties should reflect, while noting that the Serbian side requested more time for the reason that it did not have decision-making powers.

“It has become clear to them that the next meeting can only be held if they are ready to come up with ideas for compromise. Even today we had big differences, while the Kosovar side discussed the options of how Serbian citizens can receive financial support even further from Serbia. The Serbian side has functioned as a lawyer for ‘Postanska Banka’ and has been discussing all the time how to regulate the licensing of this bank, which is neither competent nor in the interest of the parties involved”, Bislimi said.

He announced that the next meeting is expected to be held in two weeks in Brussels, while today he said that there was no discussion about the new regulation of the Central Bank of Kosovo, because “there is no discussion about it”.

“This meeting was neither the last nor the first for the Dinar. The meeting is to address the models by which Serbia can continue sending financial support to Kosovo Serbs, within the regulation of the Central Bank of Kosovo. The regulation does not mention the dinar, therefore there is no discussion about it”, he told the media.

COMKFOR meets British emissary, discuss security in Kosovo (RTK)

The commander of KFOR, Major General Ozkan Ulutas, met on Thursday with the special envoy of Great Britain for the Western Balkans, Lord Stuart Peach, at the headquarters of KFOR in Pristina.

According to the KFOR announcement on Facebook, ‘they exchanged views on the latest security trends, including KFOR’s activities under its UN mandate and KFOR’s daily commitment to ensure a safe and secure environment for all communities in the region’.

Kosovo authorities confiscate properties belonging to Milan Radoicic (media)

All media in Kosovo reported on Thursday that Kosovo’s authorities have confiscated the properties belonging to Milan Radoicic, former deputy leader of the Serbian List who claimed responsibility for the attack in Banjska in the north of Kosovo in September where a Kosovo police sergeant was killed. Justice Minister Albulena Haxhiu in a Facebook post listed the confiscated properties. Haxhiu said that “the document includes a list of confiscated assets of a chief criminal who became a millionaire on the backs of members of the Serb community through fear, threats, and blackmail. He became a millionaire through crime, while causing terror and making the people poorer. This era is however over and now is the time for the citizens to live in peace and for criminals to be punished”.

Population census in Kosovo starts today (Telegrafi)

The Kosovo Agency of Statistics said in a media statement that the registration of the population will start today and it will last until May 17. The statement notes that participation in the census is required by law and in the event of refusal there could be fines from 30 to 2,000 euros per person. The diaspora too will be part of the process. The Agency said that the information gathered during the census will serve as a basis for critical decision-making that affects every aspect of life from healthcare, education, development of infrastructure, the allocation of resources, and policy planning.

Serbian Language Media

Lajcak: Some gaps bridged, discussions to be continued soon (Tanjug)

The EU special envoy for the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue, Miroslav Lajcak, said on Thursday “some gaps” between proposals by the two parties had been bridged in a new round of the Brussels dialogue earlier in the day and that he planned to continue the discussions soon based on EU ideas for compromise, Tanjug news agency reported.

In a post on the social media network X, Lajcak wrote that he had hosted another discussion with the chief negotiators of Belgrade and Pristina, Petar Petkovic and Besnik Bislimi, on a “temporary solution” for people affected by a decision of Kosovo Central Bank to ban the Serbian dinar in Kosovo. “We managed to bridge some gaps between the proposals of the two Parties. I plan to continue our discussions soon based on the EU’s ideas for compromise”, he added.

Speaking to reporters after the discussions, Petkovic said Belgrade’s delegation had tabled a balanced, compromise proposal for solving the issue of cash operations in Kosovo, but that Pristina had shown no willingness for that.

Varhelyi, Vucic welcome approval of Growth Facility (N1)

European Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi welcomed the political agreement on the Western Balkans Growth Facility on Thursday, N1 reported.

“Welcomed political agreement on the €6b Western Balkans Growth Facility: supporting gradual integration of the region by bringing benefits of European Union membership even before accession, boosting economic growth and closing the economic gap”, he wrote in a post on X social platform. Varhelyi also spoke to Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic about the Growth Facility in a phone conversation.

Vucic said in a post on his official Instagram account that the news from Brussels was excellent. “The Growth Plan for Serbia and the Western Balkans has been approved and is becoming a reality”, he said. Vucic thanked Varhelyi, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and the Commission for their engagement and support.

Vucic: Serbia strongly advocating cooperation, stability (Tanjug, media)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic received Christian Schmidt in Belgrade on Thursday to discuss current developments and EU integration and development processes in the region, Tanjug news agency reported.

“I noted that Serbia is strongly advocating good-neighborly relations, cooperation and stability as well as respect of international public law, which are a necessary precondition for any further economic and societal progress”, Vucic wrote in a post on his official Instagram account. He reiterated Serbia’s unequivocal support to the Dayton Agreement, which honors both the territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the territorial integrity of Republika Srpska within Bosnia and Herzegovina. “Serbia will not support anything that is contrary to that”, Vucic added.

In a post on the official Office of High Representative (OHR) account on the social media network X, Schmidt wrote that he had had a “good and open discussion” with Vucic and that he had used the opportunity to “touch upon all current issues” in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Republika Srpska in particular. “Appreciate President Vucic’s unwavering support to BiH’s sovereignty and territorial integrity”, he added.

Referendum on dismissal of mayors and hassles for voters outside of Kosovo (Kosovo Online)

The procedure stipulated by the Central Election Commission (CEC) for holding referendum on dismissal of mayors in four northern municipalities, scheduled for April 21, particularly the part concerning postal voting for voters outside of Kosovo, is considered very complex and somewhat controversial by Kosovo Online’s interlocutors. Moreover, the given deadlines are difficult to meet.

To even exercise their right to vote, voters located in central Serbia had to first register online or via mail within a seven-day period. This involved downloading forms, providing numerous personal details, and submitting a photo showing them holding their identification document. Given that a large number of voters outside of Kosovo reside in rural areas or collective centers and are often elderly, it raises questions about their technical capabilities and whether they have access to online registration. Consequently, in such cases, registration by mail is the only option available.

Read more at: https://shorturl.at/lAPX1

Party of Kosovo Serbs calls for boycotting census, says it comes at unfavorable moments for Serbs (KoSSev)

The Party of Kosovo Serbs (PKS) called upon the Serbian population in Kosovo to boycott the upcoming population census, commencing on April 5, KoSSev portal reported. The party argued that the census at this moment was unacceptable, adding it comes in “politically and security-wise the most challenging and the most unfavorable times for Serbs in Kosovo”.

The PKS Main Board in a session yesterday discussed the latest political developments and a situation which culminated “by anti-Serb policy of Kosovo Government”. The Party of Kosovo Serbs also said that a complete lack of information to the citizens related to the census prevails, noting that Kosovo institutions are not capable of carrying out the process in an appropriate manner.

“A large number of our co-citizens due to staged indictments, threats and terror of the Kosovo Government and Kosovo special police actions were forced to temporarily leave their homes with their families. In the north of Kosovo, the decision of the Kosovo Government about “special anti-terrorist operation” is still in force”, PKS said in a statement. It added that this is not a population census, but rather the desire of “Albin Kurti to check the success of his repressive policy against the Serbs and see in numbers how many Serbs he managed to expel since 2021”.    

Kosovo police confiscate Radoicic’s properties (N1, KoSSev)

The Kosovo authorities confiscated properties owned by former Serb political representative Milan Radoicic, the KoSSev news portal reported on Thursday. It said that the police confirmed the confiscation of a restaurant and apartment in Mitrovica North and the villa owned by Radoicic at Gazivode lake. “Under court orders, the Grey restaurant and a sixth-floor apartment in Mitrovica North are being confiscated as well as his villa at Gazivode”, Kosovo police deputy commander for the region North Veton Elshani said. KoSSev said the government agency managing confiscated properties is sealing the properties with the assistance of the police.

Serbian List: The home of Milan Radoicic’s children was unjustifiably seized (KoSSev, media)

“This is a typical ethnically motivated persecution of minors just because they are the children of a Serb who opposes (Albin) Kurti’s cruelty, as well as the continuation of the emigration of Serbs from Kosovo under the pressure of the regime in Pristina under the benevolent attitude of some international representatives“, Serbian List said in reaction to the seizure of three facilities linked to Milan Radoicic by the Kosovo Agency for the Management of Confiscated Assets, KoSSev portal reported.

Serbian List added the ultimate goal of this action is to expel Milan Radoicic’s children out of Kosovo, and to intimidate the remaining Serbs.

Read more at: https://shorturl.at/uJSY1

Forest fires in Osojane valley again, firefighters on the ground upon call from Radio Gorazdevac (Radio Gorazdevac, media)

Radio Gorazdevac said its listeners informed the radio that they could not get in touch with Kosovo police and firefighters to receive assistance related to the forest fires in the returnee village of Osojane, Istok municipality, adding the fires were approaching populated part of the village. Radio Gorazdevac said it contacted the police and firefighters and went to the field afterwards. On their way to Osojane they first met a police patrol which took away a Radio Gorazdevac drone for recording the area, and then firefighters who were on the way to extinguish the fire.

“The fire was burning near us for days. It was approaching the house. I tried to call firefighters, but they did not pick up the phone. My daughter called Radio Gorazdevac and after ten minutes police came, took photos and called firefighters who arrived shortly”, Dragosalv Djuric said. The fire was localized.

Kosovo police kept Radio Gorazdevac team for longer than an hour, asked for their identification documents and requested assistance from Istok in order to check if this media outlet is allowed to record using the drone by the law. The drone was returned to the journalists and recording allowed, after police was assured of the authenticity of the document issued by the Civil Aviation Administration that this drone does not belong to the category requiring special permission, Radio Gorazdevac said.

International Media 

Kosovo Seizes Property of Northern Serb Kingpin Radoicic (Balkan Insight)

Kosovo authorities on Thursday moved to confiscate the assets of the fugitive Kosovo Serb politician Milan Radoicic, the ringleader of the armed attack on Banjska village in northern Kosovo on September 24, 2023.

Kosovo authorities started implementing a court order for the management of seized property in relation to the investigation of the attack by Serbian gunmen in the village of Banjska in the north of Kosovo on September 24, 2023, which resulted in the killing of a Kosovo policeman.

The seized assets include Restaurant Grey in North Mitrovica and a villa at the disputed Ujman/Gazivode lake, owned by Kosovo Serb kingpin Milan Radoicic.

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