UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, 25 April, 2024

Albanian Language Media:

Kurti: Always grateful to U.S. for its central role and support for Kosovo (media)
Kusari-Lila: Agreement if EU convinces Serbia to not be destructive party (EO)
Berlin expects tangible steps on Association before final vote at CoE (Express)
Two more months in detention for suspects of Banjska attack (Klan Kosova)
PDK proposal to discuss State Department report at Assembly not adopted (Koha)
Maqedonci travels to Hungary, scheduled to hold several meetings (EO)
Police confiscate five firearms and ammunition in Zvecan (Albanian Post)
Court finds Selimi and Demaku not guilty on war crimes charges (Koha)

Serbian Language Media:

Serbian List met EU representatives: Part of the problem in Kosovo would be solved by the formation of the ZSO (Kosovo Online)
Detention of Serbs arrested in relation to Banjska case extended by two more months, lawyer complain of prison treatment of V.T. (KoSSev)
Lawyer: Acts witness accuses Sladjan Trajkovic of are not even criminal offense, let alone war crimes (Kosovo Online)
17 persons arrested over forgery of sale-purchase authorizations for properties in Kosovo, owned by Serb displaced persons (KoSSev, N1)
A new round of dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina today - the topic of banning the use of dinars in Kosovo (Radio Mitrovica sever, RTS)
The testimony of an Albanian witness whose close relative was allegedly kidnapped and killed by the KLA at the Thaci trial in Hague (KoSsev, Beta)
Dacic, Ashton discuss Belgrade-Pristina dialogue (Tanjug)
A group of Albanians beat and robbed a Serb in North Mitrovica (NMagazin, Beta, Kosovo Online)

International:

Kosovo Fails to Offer Protection to Whistleblowers (Prishtina Insight)
Sarrazin: UN Resolution on Srebrenica is not against Serbia and Republika Srpska (EWB)
Opposition Candidate Wins First Round of North Macedonia’s Presidential Vote (BIRN)

Albanian Language Media

Kurti: Always grateful to U.S. for its central role and support for Kosovo (media)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti said in a post on X today that he met with U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Jim O’Brien and U.S. Ambassador to Kosovo, Jeffrey Hovenier, in Pristina on Wednesday. “We discussed the importance of respecting and fully implementing the Basic Agreement. We will always be grateful to the U.S. for its central role and support for Kosovo in our path to Euro-Atlantic integration,” Kurti wrote.

Kusari-Lila: Agreement if EU convinces Serbia to not be destructive party (EO)

Head of the Vetevendosje Movement parliamentary group, Mimoza Kusari-Lila, told the news website today that an eventual agreement between the chief negotiators and the EU Special Envoy on the Serbian Dinar can be reached if the international community manages to convince Serbia to not be a destructive party in the dialogue.

“It is already known that Serbia is the destructive party. In all previous agreements and also with regards to the agreements reached in Brussels and Ohrid, Serbia has not shown readiness to implement the agreements, and has also threatened Kosovo’s territorial sovereignty and security and has lobbied intensively against Kosovo’s membership in international organizations, as was the case with the Council of Europe. Therefore, the success of today’s meeting will depend on how successful the international community will be to convince Serbia to not be destructive as it has been so far,” she said.

Berlin expects tangible steps on Association before final vote at CoE (Express)

Germany expects Kosovo to make tangible steps towards the establishment of the Association of Serb-majority municipalities before a final vote on Kosovo’s membership in the Council of Europe. A spokesperson for the German Embassy in Pristina told the news website that for such an important decision the enforcement of the Constitutional Court’s decision on the Decani Monastery alone does not suffice. “With regards to the final vote for Kosovo’s application bid, at the Committee of Ministers [Council of Europe] the general picture that Kosovo is presenting will be taken into account. Such an important decision that requires a 2/3 majority vote, cannot be linked only to a single topic such as the enforcement of the decision on the Decani Monastery. As we have said on several occasions, Germany expects Kosovo to make tangible steps towards establishing the Association of Serb-majority municipalities, a pledge that Kosovo has made years ago. This was said by the French President too in his recent telephone call with Prime Minister Kurti,” the spokesperson said.

PDK proposal to discuss State Department report at Assembly not adopted (Koha)

A proposal by the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) to discuss in today’s session of the Kosovo Assembly the report of the U.S. State Department on Kosovo did not pass. Although the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) MPs were in favor of the proposal, MPs from the ruling Vetevendosje Movement voted against changing the agenda of the session. PDK parliamentary group chief, Abelard Tahiri, said there is nothing more important today than the latest reports on Kosovo by the U.S. State Department and Freedom House. He argued that these two reports portray a very grim image of Kosovo. LDK parliamentary group chief, Arben Gashi, said the State Department report has identified many violations. He highlighted the remarks about the freedom of the media and the political interference in the judiciary.

Two more months in detention for suspects of Banjska attack (Klan Kosova)

The Basic Court in Pristina has approved the request of the Special Prosecution of Kosovo and extended for two more months the detention of three suspects for the attack against Kosovo Police in Banjska in September last year.

Maqedonci travels to Hungary, scheduled to hold several meetings (EO)

Kosovo’s Minister of Defense, Ejup Maqedonci, has traveled to Hungary where he will meet his Hungarian counterpart, and hold several meetings as part of the meeting of ministers of the Central European Defense Cooperation (CEDC) and countries of the Western Balkans, which will be held in Budapest. Maqedonci is also scheduled to attend the Budapest Security Dialog.

Police confiscate five firearms and ammunition in Zvecan (Albanian Post)

Kosovo Police said in their 24-hour report that five firearms and ammunition were confiscated in the house of a suspect in Zvecan on Thursday.

Court finds Selimi and Demaku not guilty on war crimes charges (Koha)

A court in Pristina has found not guilty on war crimes charges the former KLA General Staff Commander Sylejman Selimi and former KLA member Jahir Demaku. The case initiated by the EU Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX) and was not tried since 2019. Selimi and Demaku were charged with the inhumane treatment of a person in Likoc, in the municipality of Skenderaj.

Serbian Language Media

Serbian List met EU representatives: Part of the problem in Kosovo would be solved by the formation of the ZSO (Kosovo Online)

The delegation of the Serbian List, headed by the president Zlatan Elek, spoke today with the representatives of the Working Group of the Council of the European Union for the Western Balkans (COWEB) and the European External Affairs Service about the political and security situation in Kosovo and the position of the Serbian people in those areas, and on that occasion said that part of the problem on the ground would be solved if Prishtina accepted the obligation to form the Community of Serbian Municipalities, reported Kosovo Online.

The Serbian List announced that its members informed their guests about systematic and institutional violence directed at Serbs.

"The meeting specifically discussed the systematic institutional violence that the regime of Albin Kurti is carrying out against the Serbian people, violating the collective and individual rights of our citizens, and refusing to respect the signed agreements, and above all the obligation to form the Community of Serbian Municipalities," the statement said.

The SL delegation pointed out all the unilateral and escalating moves of Pristina that led to the emigration of Serbs from their homes in front of the eyes of the international community.

At the meeting, evidence was presented, and the participants in the debate were given materials that clearly speak of the active action of Pristina against the process of replacing four mayors in municipalities in the north of Kosovo.

"As a solution, clearly was presented the need for Pristina to implement the signed agreements urgently, in accordance with the agreements from 2013 and 2015, to form the Community of Serbian Municipalities, which would solve part of the problem on the ground," said the Serbian List.

Detention of Serbs arrested in relation to Banjska case extended by two more months, lawyer complain of prison treatment of V.T. (KoSSev)

Detention of Serbs arrested in relation to the Banjska armed incident in September last year, B.S., V.T, and D.M, has been extended by two more months, lawyer Milos Delevic told KoSSev portal.

Delevic, who is representing V.T., apart from confirmation that detention to his client and two more Serbs have been extended, complained about prison treatment of his client.

Because of injuries V.T sustained during the incident in Banjska, a few days after his arrest he underwent the surgery and had metal rods implanted in his leg. Two months ago, when detention of V.T., has alsob been extended, his lawyer told the media those rods should have been removed from his leg.

However, Delevic said today this did not happen.

“We had too much patience for prison doctors and doctors from the institute in Pristina. This takes too long. As his defense lawyer, I will request the pretrial judge for the copy of his medical documentation be delivered to me, in order for the family to consult with doctors regarding the appropriateness of his medical treatment”, Delevic said.

Lawyer: Acts witness accuses Sladjan Trajkovic of are not even criminal offense, let alone war crimes (Kosovo Online)

Lawyers Dejan Vasic and Jelena Krivokapic said today, after the hearing of Sladjan Trajkovic took place in Pristina accused by special prosecution of allegedly committing war crimes in Vucitrn municipality, that they are pleased with the statement of the witness, because he, as they said, does not accuse Trajkovic directly of anything, Kosovo Online portal reported.

Lawyer Vasic said the acts that the witness accused Trajkovic of are not even a criminal offense, let alone war crimes.

“In principle we are satisfied with the testimony of this witness. He is a witness who is accusing Trajkovic of anything serious. In fact, the acts he says Sladjan allegedly committed are not criminal acts. We hope that with this efficient pace in the upcoming three hearings we will manage to hear a larger part of the witnesses prosecution finds important when probable conditions for changing the measure Sladjan is imposed currently could be created (…)”. Vasic siad.

17 persons arrested over forgery of sale-purchase authorizations for properties in Kosovo, owned by Serb displaced persons (KoSSev, N1)

17 members of two organized criminal groups which reportedly prepared for Albanians in Kosovo more than 400 forged documents, thus acquiring illegal material benefits in amounts of at least 100.000 euros have been arrested in the territory of central Serbia, KoSSev portal reported citing Belgrade-based N1.

The criminal acts included forgery of documents, misuse of official position and association for the purpose of committing criminal acts, and were carried out from April 2023 until date of arrests, the Prosecution for Organized Crime said in a statement.

First organized group has 6 members M.N, N.G, V.S, L.R.S, S.B and N.P, while another group has 11 members R.B, A.B, B.D, D.G, I.D, Z.V, M.B, M.P, S.K, B.Dj, and S.K.

As the prosecution said in a statement there is reasonable doubt that members of those criminal groups obtained and prepared forged documents including ID cards, gift contracts, authorizations, authorizations that relate to sale and purchase of cadastral land parcels in Kosovo owned by displaced persons of the Serb ethnicity from territory of Kosovo, and enabled Albanians from Kosovo, interested to obtain Serbian citizenship, in illegal manner to do so by registering their permanent residences, and helping them to obtain citizenship and personal documents.

They also prepared forged certificates, diplomas on completed secondary, higher and a high education, enabling their use as the real documents. They have created around 400 different documents and acquired material benefits in the amount of 100.000 euros.

As N1 reported two civil registrars, one member of MIA, former employee of Megatrend University and an adviser in the Ministry of Education are among the members of those groups.

A new round of dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina today - the topic of banning the use of dinars in Kosovo (Radio Mitrovica sever, RTS)

The dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina continues in Brussels today. It is expected that the main topic will be the ban on the use of dinars in Kosovo, reported Radio Mitrovica sever.

European Commission spokesman Peter Stano confirmed that a meeting will be held at the level of the main negotiators of Belgrade and Pristina on the dinar issue and stated that the meeting is planned to follow the usual dialogue format.

Stano explained that separate meetings will be held with the two sides, initially with the representatives of Belgrade, and then a tripartite meeting will be held.

Earlier this week, the EU special envoy for dialogue Miroslav Lajcak expressed the expectation that the upcoming talks will be based on "very concrete ideas", assessing that during the previous round of dialogue the gap between the parties had narrowed.

The testimony of an Albanian witness whose close relative was allegedly kidnapped and killed by the KLA at the Thaci trial in Hague (KoSsev, Beta)

At the Hague trial of former KLA leader Hashim Thaci and three co-defendants of war crimes in Kosovo and Albania, a protected prosecution witness testified that the KLA kidnapped and killed his relative, reported KoSSev.

In addition to Thaci, Kadri Veseli, Rexhep Selimi and Jakup Krasniqi were accused of crimes against Albanians declared as "collaborators" of Serbs and Roma, in 1998-99. At that time, they were all leading members of the KLA Main Staff.

For security reasons, the witness testified yesterday behind closed doors, under the code 4850.

After the witness, in the Albanian language, took an oath, the prosecutor announced at the beginning of the session that he would testify about how the KLA "arrested and took away one person" in 1999. According to the summary of his statement, which was read by the representative of the prosecution, the witness then tried to find out from the former members of the KLA where that person was taken, but he did not get that information.

The witness found out later that the abducted person was "abused in custody".

The person who was taken by the KLA has not been found to this day and is considered missing, the prosecutor stressed.

According to previously published prosecution files, the person who disappeared into the hands of the KLA is a "close relative" of witness 4850. The witness last saw him in March 1999.

According to the court's decision, the prosecutors must complete the evidentiary proceedings against Thaci and the co-accused by April 2025. The prosecution has already reduced the number of announced witnesses by about 100, and the judges ordered the prosecutors to further "summarize" the proceedings.

In 10 counts, Thaci, Veseli, Selimi and Krasniqi are accused of: persecution on political and ethnic grounds, imprisonment, illegal arrest and detention, other inhumane acts, cruel treatment, enforced disappearance, torture (two counts) and murder (two counts). Those criminal acts are qualified in the indictment as war crimes and crimes against humanity.

The indictment charges Thaci (55), Veseli (56), Selimi (53) and Krasniqi (73) with crimes committed in 42 illegal KLA detention centers in Kosovo and Albania against approximately 407 detainees, of whom at least 98 were killed, from March 1998 to September 1999. The accused were arrested in Kosovo in November 2020 and have been in the custody of the Specialized Chambers of Kosovo in The Hague since then.

Dacic, Ashton discuss Belgrade-Pristina dialogue (Tanjug)

Serbian First Deputy PM and FM Ivica Dacic received British Baroness Catherine Ashton, a former EU foreign policy and security chief, in Belgrade on Thursday to discuss issues related to the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue.

Dacic and Ashton agreed continued dialogue was the only path that would lead to results, the Serbian MFA said in a statement.

Dacic noted Serbia's commitment to regional cooperation and informed Ashton of its efforts to preserve peace and stability.

Ashton said she was pleased to have an opportunity to visit Belgrade again and speak with Dacic.

She noted that Serbia had the key role in the region and said she believed the country's EU membership was a goal to be aspired to.

A group of Albanians beat and robbed a Serb in North Mitrovica (NMagazin, Beta, Kosovo Online)

Two days ago, a group of Albanians beat and robbed P. K. (20) in North Mitrovica, reported Serbian media, citing Vecernje Novosti.

The deputy director of the Kosovo Police for the North region, Veton Elshani, confirmed for Kosovo Online that the case has been reported.

He said that the investigation is ongoing and that the police are working to establish all the facts and to identify the assailant.

The media announced that the incident took place in the parking lot behind the "Sunce 3" building in North Mitrovica. The young man was beaten, his money was stolen, and the gold chain was taken off his neck, reported NMagazin.

International

Kosovo Fails to Offer Protection to Whistleblowers (Prishtina Insight)

More than six years since the enforcement of the Kosovo law on the Protection of Whistleblowers, in 2018, Kosovo institutions continue to violate the law by retaliating against whistleblowers, Kallxo Përnime TV programme was told.

Demë Elezaj, a whistleblower and former employee at Prishtina International Airport “Adem Jashari” had his contract terminated after he reported irregularities in an airport runway investment in 2022.

“It was my professional responsibility as it directly concerned the safety of operations and people’s lives. I warned the management during the work, but they ignored it. The Civil Aviation Authority sent inspectors and confirmed my findings,” whistleblower Elezaj told the Kallxo Përnime TV programme on April 20, 2024.

According to the law, whistleblowers are supposed to be protected by the judiciary, but Elezaj’s case has not been addressed by the Basic Court of Prishtina.

“At first, they suspended me claiming I had a private business which was prohibited by internal regulations, even though the labour inspectorate confirmed that the contract termination was unjust,” he said, adding that “this was a form of retaliation; they wanted to stop this kind of whistleblowing”.

Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/mw7px33z

Sarrazin: UN Resolution on Srebrenica is not against Serbia and Republika Srpska (EWB)

Recent weeks in the Western Balkans have been marked by the topics of Kosovo’s membership in the Council of Europe as well as the planned Resolution on the Srebrenica genocide in the United Nations General Assembly. Both developments raised tensions, especially in Serbia and Republika Srpska.

Looking at the broader picture, this year marks the 10th anniversary of the Berlin Process, a German initiative that was set up as a platform for high-level cooperation between high official representatives of the Western Balkan Six. The Summit in October will take stock of the steps the countries have taken in establishing a Common Regional Market.

We spoke about these issues with Manuel Sarrazin, German Federal Government Special Representative for the Western Balkans. We also touched upon the relationship between Serbia and Germany, which has faced some strain following the controversial December elections in Serbia, as well as the recent developments in Montenegro and how they relate to the country’s EU aspirations.