Albanian Language Media:

• UN Security Council meets to discuss situation in Kosovo (media)
• EU: Vote result in north of Kosovo does not contribute to reducing tensions (RFE)
• Kurti hosted in Sofia by his Bulgarian counterpart Dimitar Glavchev (media)
• U.S. State Department publishes country report on human rights for Kosovo (media)
• Over half a million citizens registered in Kosovo census so far (RTK)

Serbian Language Media:

• UN Security Council discussed report on Kosovo, SRSG Ziadeh addressed the SC (FoNet, N1, Tanjug, RTS)
• Vucic: Pristina creating unbearable living conditions for Serbs, other non-Albanians (N1, RTS, Tanjug, FoNet)
• Vucic reacts to Osmani’s remarks, terms it political theater (RTS, N1, Novosti, Kosovo Online)
• Russian Representative: Who are the persons sitting behind Vjosa Osmani and who do they represent? (RTS)
• China calls upon Pristina to retract unilateral acts leading to destabilization (RTS, media)
• Serbian List demands Radoica Radomirovic be prosecuted (Kosovo Online)
• Vucevic meets with German MFA’s envoy (Tanjug)
• Vucic calls on UN members to vote against resolution on Srebrenica (N1)

International Media: 

• Police Intervenes as Protesting Students Push University’s Council of Ethics to Decide on Sexual Harassment Claims (Balkan Insight)

Albanian Language Media

UN Security Council meets to discuss situation in Kosovo (media)

The leading story in the media in Kosovo on Monday was the session of the United Nations Security Council about the situation in Kosovo. Special Representative of the Secretary General and Head of UNMIK, Caroline Ziadeh, in her address highlighted the importance of resolving long-standing issues between Belgrade and Pristina, and between Kosovo Serb communities and Pristina authorities, through open communication and dialogue. “One of the key common observations is dissatisfaction with the level of progress being achieved through political dialogue, and the direct effects this has upon the security situation. The level of mistrust unfortunately remains high and must be addressed,” she told the Council.

Ziadeh briefed on recent setbacks that hamper efforts to build trust among Kosovo’s ethnic communities through political dialogue. She reiterated her “continued concern about the manner in which the new regulation on cash transactions was communicated and implemented, and how it has affected the more vulnerable segments of the non-majority communities.”

Underlining the efforts on resolving the contested issue of local government legitimacy in the four municipalities, populated mainly by ethnic Serbs, in the northern part of Kosovo, and following the recall process yesterday where only 253 out of the 46,556 registered voters cast their votes, she reiterated UNMIK’s support to dialogue.

“This unfortunately sets the stage for protracting and prolonging a fragile and unresolved issue. From our point of view, we will continue to support the EU-facilitated Dialogue as the forum to find a consensual resolution on outstanding issues,” she said.

“Another element of the main agreements, which can provide solutions for this and other outstanding normalisation matters, is the taking of earnest, credible steps toward establishing the Association/Community of Serb-majority Municipalities,” she added.

SRSG Ziadeh noted some advances during the reporting period including on vehicle license plate recognition and validity, steps forward on the “energy roadmap,” and the facilitation of customs activities.

She also commended the Pristina leadership for taking action to fully implement the high court decision of 2016, affirming the property rights of the Visoki Dečani Monastery. “Such action is to be welcomed, since it significantly contributes to both inter-community trust, as well as public confidence in the rule of law,” she added.

Reflecting on UNMIK’s commitment to use its resources to foster mutual trust and tolerance, SRSG Ziadeh briefed on the Mission’s programs including on the second United Nations Kosovo Trust-building Forum last November; the activities of the UNMIK- supported Barabar Centre; continued support to the Legal Aid Center and the Kosovo Law Institute; support for full implementation of the Women, Peace and Security Programme;  and the upcoming sixth UN Youth Assembly in Kosovo this May.

“The promotion and protection of human rights is a fundamental part of UNMIK’s mandated work. Together with our partners, we continue to encourage the authorities to place Human Rights and Rule of Law principles at the heart of sound policy judgments,” she said.

In conclusion, SRSG Ziadeh reiterated the importance of the full implementation of the EU-facilitated agreements and for both sides to remain committed to constructive engagement and finding practical compromises.

“Good faith dialogue, communication and mutual understanding mark the path forward. Progress is born from actions undertaken with the willingness to forge compromises,” she concluded.

Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani said in her address that “our young Republic has not only overcome the ravages of war but has turned into an outstanding example of ‘democracy in action’ fueled by the vibrant spirit of our youth and the unwavering determination of our people. Our achievements encapsulate the essence of a people reborn, a people that thrives on hope, works with passion, and dreams with courage, paving the way toward a future full with possibilities and successes”.

Osmani argued that “it was only 25 years ago, when NATO’s intervention coupled with my people’s unwavering aspiration for freedom and liberty marked not just a decisive turn in our country’s history, but also a decisive milestone in the modern history of humankind. It underscored the imperative that when one of us is threatened by tyranny, it is a threat to us all. It reminded us of the indispensability of acting as a united force in the face of grave injustice, through protecting human lives at all costs.”

All media highlighted that four women, victims of sexual violence during the war in Kosovo, were part of Osmani’s team at the Security Council session. During her address and referring to her Serbian counterpart Aleksandar Vucic, Osmani said that “peace requires dealing with the past. Some of the victims of the regime which Vucic served, are sitting right next to me. This was the chance to show them and the rest of the world, whether there is a glimpse of humanity left in him. Once again, instead of dealing with the past, he chose denial and propaganda.”

The U.S. representative at the United Nations, Robert Wood, criticized Serbia for failing to hold accountable the author of the attack in Banjska in the north of Kosovo, Milan Radoicic. “We call for full accountability. Serbia needs to make sure that this never happens again. It is crucial for Serbia to work with KFOR to prevent attacks like the one on September 24. We are also deeply concerned with the stopping of the free movement of Kosovo citizens that were travelling through Serbia on April 17, and the stopping of ethnic Serbs that serve in the Kosovo Police. This action by Serbia is a violation of previous agreements on freedom of movement and a form of intimidation against Kosovo Serbs that serve in Kosovo’s public life,” he said.

Wood also said that the U.S. remain concerned over the uncoordinated decision of the Kosovo Government and the regulation of the Central Bank of Kosovo which affected non-majority communities. “Such actions affect the well-being of minority communities and undermine the path for the normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia. We urge the parties to make concrete steps in the dialogue and to honor their commitments, including the issue of the Dinar and progress on the establishment of the Association of Serb-majority municipalities as the only path toward normalization and progress toward European institutions,” he said.

Commenting on the non-participation of Serbs in the Sunday vote to recall the Albanian mayors in the four Serb-majority municipalities in the north of Kosovo, Wood said: “Yesterday, Kosovo held a vote for the recall of the mayors in the northern municipalities. There was a low turnout of people to vote. We regret that some political actors did not fully utilize the democratic tool in their hands under the Kosovar law. We appreciate the efforts of the electoral authorities of Kosovo to enable all citizens of Kosovo to register as participants in this process. We know that there is no decision by the voters to recall the mayors and they remain in that function according to the Kosovo legal framework”.

The Swiss representative at the United Nations called on both Kosovo and Serbia to meet their obligations. “We call on Serbia to remove any uncertainty about its commitment to the agreements and to refrain from opposing Kosovo’s membership in international organizations,” she said. She also called on Kosovo to establish the Association of Serb-majority municipalities without delay. “Both parties are responsible for de-escalating tensions. Escalations such as that in Banjska must be avoided at all costs and the perpetrators must be brought to justice,” she said. The Swiss representative also said that Switzerland regrets that the Serb community did not take part in the vote for the dismissal of Albanian mayors in the Serb-majority municipalities in the north of Kosovo. “We encourage the government of Kosovo to step up efforts for integrating the Serb minority in society,” she said.

French Ambassador to the United Nations, Nicolas de Riviere, said that in the north of Kosovo there should be new elections soon, with the participation of all communities, to elect the new mayors of the four Serb-majority municipalities. “France reiterates that the withdrawal of the mayors who were elected with only 3 percent of the vote would be the fastest way to reestablish representative democracy in the four municipalities in the north, and would be a sign of de-escalating the situation,” he said.

The UK representative at the United Nations commended Kosovo’s efforts to “strengthen the rule of law” and said that they will support Kosovo’s membership at the Council of Europe. “We support the government’s efforts to strengthen the rule of law, and especially the lands of the Decani Monastery. We also support Kosovo’s aspirations to join the Council of Europe,” he said.

EU: Vote result in north of Kosovo does not contribute to reducing tensions (RFE)

The European Union said on Monday that the result of the vote in the four Serb-majority municipalities in the north of Kosovo on Sunday does not help reduce the tensions and paving the way for the return of Serbs to Kosovo’s institutions, which is essential for the normalization of relations. EU spokesperson Peter Stano told the news website that the EU regrets that Serbs in the north of Kosovo did not exercise their right to vote to elect mayors who would truly represent the Serbs in that region. He also said that in terms of the penalty measures against Kosovo, “in line with the conclusions of 12 December 2023, the Council will discuss EU measures based on a report by the High Representative on the fulfillment of requirements of the European bloc”. He did not give a timeline for the discussions.

Kurti hosted in Sofia by his Bulgarian counterpart Dimitar Glavchev (media)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti was hosted in Sofia by his Bulgarian counterpart Dimitar Glavchev on Monday, and the central topics of the meeting were friendship and partnership between Kosovo and Bulgaria, good economic relations and the mutual will for their expansion.

A press release issued by Kurti’s office quotes him as saying that “Bulgaria recognized the independence of Kosovo in March 2008, while this year we mark the 15th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations. So far we have signed eight bilateral agreements and several others are waiting to be finalized. With the aim of strengthening economic relations and commercial exchanges, the Kosovo-Bulgaria Chamber of Commerce was founded in June of last year, with headquarters in Sofia. This year, it is planned to organize a joint forum of the businesses of Kosovo and Bulgaria. Bulgaria had played an important role for us in 1999 by opening its airspace to NATO planes in the campaign against Serbia, which ended the genocide against the Albanians in Kosovo. It continues to make an important contribution to the security of our country with the participation and presence of its troops in Kosovo within the KFOR mission.”

Kurti and Glavchev also discussed “the security situation on the European continent and in the region, and spoke about the need for deeper cooperation between friendly and partner states and between democratic societies.”

U.S. State Department publishes country report on human rights for Kosovo (media)

Several news websites cover the latest U.S. State Department country report on human rights for Kosovo. The executive summary of the report notes that “there were no significant changes in the human rights situation in Kosovo during the year. Significant human rights issues included credible reports of: serious problems with the independence of the judiciary; serious restrictions on freedom of expression and media freedom, including violence or threats of violence against journalists; serious government corruption; extensive gender-based violence, including domestic or intimate partner violence; and crimes involving violence or threats of violence targeting ethnic minorities or other marginalized communities. The government took credible but inconsistent steps to identify, investigate, prosecute, and punish officials who may have committed human rights abuses.”

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

Over half a million citizens registered in Kosovo census so far (RTK)

Head of the Kosovo Agency for Statistics, Avni Kastrati, said on Monday that over half a million persons have been registered so far in the Kosovo census, which started on April 5. Kastrati told a press conference in Pristina that the process is going according to plan. “We haven’t faced any major challenges in the field although such a complex project may have its own challenges, starting with the application … If the current pace of the census continues, we will conclude the process according to plan, by May 17,” he said.

Kastrati also said that the census is being held in all parts of Kosovo and that all communities are taking part. He did admit that the participation of citizens in the north of Kosovo is not as in other areas.

Serbian Language Media

UN Security Council discussed report on Kosovo, SRSG Ziadeh addressed the SC (FoNet, N1, Tanjug, RTS)

One of the leading news in the Serbian media was the UN Security Council session held Monday to discuss the new, six-monthly report by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on the work of the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK). UN Secretary General Special Representative (SRSG) and Head of the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) Caroline Ziadeh presented the report.

“I have held many consultations with political actors in Pristina and Belgrade, religious leaders, civil society organizations and with our main international partners on the ground. One of the key common observations is dissatisfaction with the level of progress being achieved through political dialogue and the effects this has on the security situation. The level of mistrust unfortunately remains high and must be addressed. Over several months, sustained efforts have been focused on resolving the contested issue of local government legitimacy in four municipalities populated mainly by ethnic Serbs in the northern part of Kosovo”, SRSG Ziadeh said.

She also spoke about mayoral recall vote in the north of Kosovo, adding that, “this process, long discussed in the framework of the EU-facilitated talks, has aimed toward reducing the tensions which inevitably resulted from these elections”. The UNMIK Head also said there were no incidents in the mayoral recall vote process, but that only 243 voters out of 46.566 registered voters participated.

Read the full statement and SRSG Ziadeh address at:  https://shorturl.at/tCKW7

Vucic: Pristina creating unbearable living conditions for Serbs, other non-Albanians (N1, RTS, Tanjug, FoNet)

Serbian media extensively covered the President Aleksandar Vucic’s address to the UN Security Council session yesterday, with a number of media broadcasting the session live. Vucic told the UN SC meeting that April 19 marked 11 years since the adoption of the Brussels Agreement between Belgrade and Pristina, with the EU being one of the signatories, yet the formation of the Community of Serb-majority Municipalities (CSM) is nowhere in sight.

He said that, for all the Serbs living in Kosovo and for entire Serbia, those eleven years have been years of the accidental or intentional inability of the European Union, as the guarantor of this agreement, to move things from square one.

“Of course, all that resulted in what we can call today legal violence and physical harassment of the Serb population in Kosovo and Metohija”, he stressed. He noted that 16 new ethnically motivated attacks against Serbs had taken place in Kosovo since the extraordinary UNSC session on February 8.

Vucic also thanked UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres for his dedication to fulfilling UNMIK’s mandate, as outlined in Resolution 1244. “Therefore, while the subject report may not fully capture the seriousness of the situation on the ground, it factually documents nearly all of the important events during the reported period, and this has considerable value for member states”, Vucic said. He emphasized that, in order to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the report, he would point out certain critical points for consideration.

Vucic highlighted that brutal repression against Serbs and non-Albanians intensified after the emergency UN Security Council meeting in February, held at Serbia’s request. “The provisional self-government institutions in Pristina create unbearable living conditions for Serbs and other non-Albanians”, Vucic said. He added that the meeting was held thanks to the fact that members assessed that Serbia’s complaints were consistent with the facts. He recalled that all UN Security Council members expressed concern for the position of Serbs, with emphasis on the ban on dinar transactions.

The mentioned measures to abolish the dinar are the culmination of an ethnically motivated campaign against Serbs and non-Albanians, Vucic pointed out. The Serbian President said that Serbia unequivocally condemned the September violence in Banjska, northern Kosovo, adding that those events were not the cause but the consequence of Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti’s repression and persecution of civilians. This is why we will not allow this tragedy to be used as an excuse for the persecution of Serbs or for diverting attention from it, stressed Vucic.

He also said that Serbia demands the immediate release of all political prisoners held by the Pristina regime and stressed that there can be no reconciliation without the release of all political prisoners.

Vucic reacts to Osmani’s remarks, terms it political theater (RTS, N1, Novosti, Kosovo Online)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic in his reaction to Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani remarks at UN SC session, who has also brought as part of her delegation several women who allegedly witnessed to the crimes committed by the Serbian army and police, said it represented some sort of a political theater, because not a single word was heard from Osmani regarding the presented report, about the past six months, RTS reported.

“We have been listening to a trial against the Serbs for something that happened 25 years ago. Not a single word about the report. Nothing about the past six months. Why didn’t you inform us who is going to be a member of each delegation. Do you really believe that there were no raped Serbian women in Kosovo”, he said, N1 reported.

“I can show you there was a person but I could not bring her as part of my delegation. That is Marica Miric from Belo Polje, from Kosovo. This was a woman who was raped several times, and then slaughtered. But it is not the topic of our meeting today. This is what it is about. Next time, please inform us”, Vucic said and showed the photo of the victim.

Abbess of Pec Patriarchate, Mother Haritina told the Novosti daily later yesterday, that Marica Miric, who was paralyzed and in a wheelchair was dishonored and killed by KLA members in front of her mother in their home village of Belo Polje, adding they buried her in a yard of a monastery wrapped in a blanket as they had no coffin at that time.

Russian Representative: Who are the persons sitting behind Vjosa Osmani and who do they represent? (RTS)

The Russian Permanent Representative to the UN VasilyNebenzya during his address to the UN SC said they have listened to the remarks of Vjosa Osmani carefully. He has also asked who were the persons sitting behind her and who they represent, RTS reported.

“Situation in Kosovo makes us very concerned, ethnic violence continues under the auspices of provisional institutions in Pristina. Authorities in Pristina constantly avoid the dialogue, while Belgrade is constantly pressured to recognize Kosovo. Washington and Brussels constantly undermine the significance of UNSC Resolution 1244, Brussels agreement is not respected”, he said.

He also said Pristina sends special police forces to the north, appoints its illegitimately elected mayors in the Serbian majority municipalities there. “Discrimination continues with abolishing the dinar, and Kurti’s regime constantly endangered survival of the Serbs in Kosovo. Orthodox churches are being declared Catholic, NATO brings in weapons, and arms Kosovo forces”, he said. He noted all this is not mentioned in the reports of UN representatives, and while Pristina is destabilizing the entire region it is being rewarded by Brussels with visa liberalization and now with preparation to join the Council of Europe.

China calls upon Pristina to retract unilateral acts leading to destabilization (RTS, media)

The China Representative at the UNSC session requested from Pristina to retract the acts that lead to destabilization and fulfill its obligations deriving from the Brussels agreement, RTS reported.

“Decision of Kosovo authorities to abolish dinar has directly jeopardized the functioning of the Serbian community. We call upon Pristina to retract unilateral acts that lead to destabilization and potential confrontations”, he said.

The China representative recalled that Russia last month initiated discussion on the situation in Kosovo 25 years after NATO bombing of Yugoslavia, by which all international legal norms have been violated. He also said the position of China remains unchanged.

“We call upon all sides to work within the framework of UNSC Resolution 1244 and to reach a sustainable solution in the dialogue. During this process the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Serbia must be fully respected”, he underlined.

Serbian List demands Radoica Radomirovic be prosecuted  (Kosovo Online)

Serbian List said in a statement yesterday it demands from the international community that Radoica Radomirovic, deputy minister in the Kosovo Government is “called accountable and prosecuted for his misdeeds”. They made those remarks in reaction to the audio recording, shared on social media, in which Radomirovic is allegedly heard of saying to his associates to take over apartments in Leposavic that were dedicated to socially vulnerable Serb families, Kosovo Online portal reported.

“Albin Kurti keeps saying every day how he supports and implements the rule of law, and at the same time he extends support to the criminal people led by deputy of his minister (Nenad) Rasic, Radoica Radomirovic. He incites regularly his supporters to carry out criminal acts, and today an audio recording has been published on social media in which it is clearly heard how Radomirovic is organizing a criminal group to storm the apartments reconstructed with the funds of the Serbian Government and dedicated to the single mothers, several-member families, displaced persons and socially vulnerable persons”, reads the statement of the Serbian List.

Serbian List demanded that despite political support Albin Kurti extends to Radoica Radomirovic, he should be “held accountable and prosecuted for his misdeeds in an appropriate procedure”. “We expect the international community to finally react to the evidence of Radomirovic’s misdeeds and demand response from respective bodies, as well as his arrest”.

Vucevic meets with German MFA’s envoy (Tanjug)

In a discussion with the German MFA’s envoy Michael Reiffenstuel in Belgrade, Serbian Deputy PM and Defence Minister Milos Vucevic said Serbia wanted the sponsors of a draft UN General Assembly resolution on Srebrenica to withdraw the document to “contribute to reconciliation in the region”. Vucevic also said Serbia had publicly condemned the Srebrenica crime.

He added the vote for Kosovo’s Council of Europe membership represented a dangerous precedent and violated the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Serbia as a full UN and CoE member state.

The parties noted that European integration of the region and de-escalation and stabilization of the security situation were a joint interest. Vucevic also said Serbia-Germany relations were developed and characterized by intensive cooperation in many fields.

Vucic calls on UN members to vote against resolution on Srebrenica (N1)

At a reception for member states’ permanent representatives to the United Nations, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic called on UN members to vote against the draft resolution on Srebrenica, N1 reported.

He said Serbia is open to dialogue and negotiations, and that during the six months of preparations for the resolution, no one informed Serbia or any part of Bosnia and Herzegovina about it, that everything was done in secrecy, yet that this process needs to be inclusive.

He added that there was no discussion or agreement on the text of the resolution in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and that the decision has divided the people in that country, with opposition from legitimate representatives of Serbs and ignoring of institutions, laws, and the Constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Read more at: t.ly/WuMan

International Media 

Police Intervenes as Protesting Students Push University’s Council of Ethics to Decide on Sexual Harassment Claims (Balkan Insight)

The Council of Ethics of the University of Prishtina, on Monday, did not reach a verdict on Professor Xhevat Krasniqi, accused of sexual harassment by 27 students from the Faculty of Medicine, despite students and activists protesting.

Amidst students and activists loud protest demanding the dismissal of the mathematics professor, Xhevat Krasniqi, accused by students of the Faculty of Medicine of sexual harassment, the University of Prishtina’s Council of Ethics failed to make a verdict.

“To be honest, we were supposed to make the decision today,” Arben Hajdari, a member of the Council of Ethics, said, blaming the protest for hindering them.

Read more at: rb.gy/cgg0w4