UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, August 4, 2022

Albanian Language Media:

PM Kurti responds to opposition criticism for postponing reciprocity (media)
Haradinaj slams government for “lack of vision” (Ekonomia Online)
Hoxhaj asks Kurti: Will you create an Association with latest actions in north? (Express)
S. Ambassador Hovenier meets Serbian List leader Rakic (media)
“Govt violating Brussels agreement; we’ll join opposition in bringing it down” (Klan)
“The greater the resistance to the Association, the closer it gets to Serbian idea” (RFE)
1,155 new cases with COVID-19, one death (media)

Serbian Language Media:

“Neither concrete solutions, nor consultations with local population” (Radio KIM)
Vucic and Stoltenberg: Dialogue must continue, peace of vital importance (N1)
Rakic tells US Ambassador crisis needs to be resolved while respecting needs of Serbs (TV Most)
Brnabic, Chinese Ambassador discuss economic cooperation (N1)
Petkovic responds to Rohde (Kosovo Online)
Bilcik congratulates speaker, deputy speakers: More pluralism in Parliament (N1)
Vucic: New government to be formed by end of month (Tanjug)
Selakovic travels to Cuba, Colombia, Costa Rica, Venezuela (Tanjug)
Selakovic: Firm support of Cuba to preserving territorial integrity and sovereignty of Serbia (Kosovo Online)
Covid-19: 18 new cases in Serbian areas (Kosovo Online)

Opinion:

N1: Crisis in Kosovo in the grip of Russian propaganda

International:

Serbia is playing with matches again (Foreign Policy)
Don’t Let License Plates Start a New War (Washington Post)
Croatian Serb War Victims Hope Compensation Claims Finally Pay Off (Balkan Insight)

Humanitarian/Development:

DokuFest Bringing Global Award Winners to Kosovo’s Prizren (Prishtina Insight)
Rame Lahaj International Opera Festival Finishes Second Edition on High Note (Prishtina Insight)

Albanian Language Media

PM Kurti responds to opposition criticism for postponing reciprocity (media)

Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, responded today to accusations from opposition MPs for postponing the implementation of decisions on reciprocity for ID cards and licence plates with Serbia. Kurti said previous governments waited 11 years to implement these decisions, and that they are now being hasty for one month. He said that Belgrade carried out a major misinformation campaign and that this was the main reason why the implementation of the two decisions was postponed for one month.

“What should have been implemented 11 years ago, we are starting to implement now. You waited for 11 years, and now you are being hasty in less than a month. Because of a major misinformation campaign from Belgrade, we agreed with international factors to postpone our decision until September. We have done enough, but there was a wild campaign from Belgrade. The decision to set up barricades comes from above [Belgrade]. We will conclude everything well with work and engagement. We are determined to do this. Given the current circumstances, we made the best possible decision. Better on September 1 than never. And it would have been even better if the decision were implemented in 2011 when the agreement in Brussels was reached,” Kurti said.

Kurti further argued that the fight against crime and corruption in the north was never greater than now. “Four years ago, the chief criminal in the north, Radoicic, was welcomed to the Office of the Prime Minister whereas today there is an arrest warrant against him, and he is on the U.S. black list. He [Radoicic] came to the north to shoot a video and he is now in Serbia. This is a big difference. Do not preach patriotism and morals to us because we know you very well,” Kurti told opposition MPs.

Kurti also replied to criticism from AAK leader Ramush Haradinaj who called him “a good guy” after the latest decisions about the barricades in the north and alluding that Kurti is softening his positions. Kurti said he was always a good guy “and I believed in what I said and acted in accordance with my beliefs. This makes you a good guy. When our nation and state was faced with a dangerous situation, I undertook radical actions, but now is not that situation. When Kosovo is threatened by division and with giving away 8,000 hectares of land and with associations, I am surely a radical, but today is not that situation and there is no such need. Radicalism was a necessity of the situation and not my virtue.”

Haradinaj slams government for “lack of vision” (Ekonomia Online)

Leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK), Ramush Haradinaj, said today that the Kurti-led government lacks the vision to manage the situation in the north of Kosovo. Commenting on the decision to postpone the implementation of reciprocity on ID cards and licence plates with Serbia, Haradinaj said this practice must stop because institutions are being forced to back down immediately after the actions.

“What we find concerning is the lack of vision by this government to not allow the same situations in the north from happening again, namely for internationals having to pull us out from certain situations. It has become bad practice to hide behind the public debate,” he said.

Haradinaj also said that clashes between the Serbian List and the government are common and are internal matters of the government. He also said that if he were leading the government, he would not deal with the Serbian List, but would create better conditions for members of the Kosovo Police.

Hoxhaj asks Kurti: Will you create an Association with latest actions in north? (Express)

Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) MP Enver Hoxhaj asked Prime Minister Albin Kurti today what he wants to achieve with the latest actions in the north and if his intention is to create the Association of Serb-majority municipalities. “What is the chain of events that is being produced, both with the meeting in August and the situation on September 1? Is the goal to create the Association, and create facts on the grounds for those criminals? Some of them are in your government, because Rakic is speaking out,” Hoxhaj said in today’s session of the Kosovo Assembly.

Hoxhaj, who was former Foreign Minister of Kosovo, warned about the risk of the dialogue turning into a security issue. “If the Prime Minister says that his objective is for mutual recognition to be at the center and not the end of the agreement, my fear is that after last Sunday the Prime Minister in the dialogue will have to deal with the problems he created himself,” he argued.

U.S. Ambassador Hovenier meets Serbian List leader Rakic (media)

United States Ambassador to Kosovo, Jeffrey Hovenier, met today with Serbian List leader and Minister for Communities and Returns in the Kosovo Government, Goran Rakic. Hovenier talked about the latest events in the north and the need for de-escalation. “I talked about the importance of de-escalating some of these issues. I reminded him of some of the U.S. positions on some of these issues that include the reciprocity measures that the Government of Kosovo has wanted to put in, from our perspective are consistent with the Brussels agreements and legitimate to be carried out. But we also talked about the importance of ensuring that the concerns of the Kosovo Serb community are factored into these conversations and are an element on how things proceed. We agreed on the importance of this meeting between President Vucic and Prime Minister Kurti in Brussels later this month and they need to see some ways to manage to deescalate some of these issues. I do have to be clear, the United States is not asking that the measures themselves to be revisited as I said Sunday night. I also took advantage of this meeting to remind him of the separate issue that in the context of recent statements I just have to remind people that from the perspective of the U.S., Mr. Milan Radoicic is sanctioned by the U.S. Department of the Treasury based on our information about his ties to transnational organised crime and corruption, and I told him that as you know the position of the United States about this individual is already known,” Hovenier said.

“Govt violating Brussels agreement; we’ll join opposition in bringing it down” (Klan Kosova)

Serbian List leader and Minister for Communities and Returns in the Kosovo Government, Goran Rakic told Klan Kosova today that he closely listened to the U.S. Ambassador Jeffrey Hovenier’s messages about reciprocity, but that according to Rakic the decision of the Kosovo Government is not in line with the Brussels agreement. He further argued that according to the Brussels agreement, eventual stops may be valid only for third parties entering Kosovo, or for a vehicle with Serbian licence plates, but not for those of Kosovo Serbs.

Rakic said that the Serbian List aims to bring down the Kurti-led government and that they will join the opposition on this matter. He also said he hasn’t met Prime Minister Kurti since the events of July 31 and August 1 in the north of Kosovo.

“The greater the resistance to the Association, the closer it gets to Serbian idea” (RFE)

Enver Hasani, former President of the Constitutional Court of Kosovo, said in an interview with the news website that the formation of the Association of Serb-majority municipalities is an international obligation of Kosovo and that the current government needs to prepare a draft statute. “The greater the resistance against the Association gets, the closer we get to the Serbian idea for the Association as a political-territorial autonomy, as a Republika Srpska or as a political community of local Serbs, which goes against the constitutional order of Kosovo. The more it gets delayed, the closer we get to the Serbian idea,” he argued.

Hasani said the Association as a concept does not have any content but is only a document with principles which cannot be implemented as provisions because they are not self-executed. This is why, he argued, Kosovo must insist on drafting a statute for the Association in line with the opinion of the Constitutional Court. “The decision of the Constitutional Court did not deal with the executive competencies, but only said that the nature of the Association, as proposed in 2013 and as it became operational in 2015, is in contravention with the Constitution. Where the current government, same as all previous governments, is failing is to prepare a draft on the Association and discuss it. They need to sit down, prepare a draft and say ‘this is our position on the matter’, then implement it and say ‘this is how it is and that’s it,” Hasani added.

1,155 new cases with COVID-19, one death (media)

One death from COVID-19 and 1,155 new cases with the virus were confirmed in the last 24 hours in Kosovo, the Ministry of Health said in a statement. There are 9,592 active cases with COVID-19 in Kosovo.

Serbian Language Media

“Neither concrete solutions, nor consultations with local population” (Radio KIM)

Heightened tensions between Belgrade and Pristina, Serbs in the north and Kosovo government, Albanians as majority population and their Serb neighbours resulted with a series of serious and less serious incidents taking place on a daily basis since last week, Radio KIM reports today. The life of “an ordinary person” as it usually happens remains a hostage between political slogans and serious accusations by officials, while there is no yet any guidance or recommendation provided to the Serbs in northern Kosovo who have only Serbian ID cards.

According to the analysis “The Key” prepared within Open Initiative that Radio KIM published in April this year, approximately 5.5 percent of Kosovo Serbs do not have personal identification cards issued by Pristina authorities.

Caleb Wau, head of Mitrovica North NGO Aktiv Policy Office said “people at this moment are in limbo, because there are no concrete solutions but only postponement of the problem that may endanger their basic human rights”.

“We should take into consideration Serbs from Kosovo who do not have Kosovo ID cards, it is nowhere mentioned what will happen to those people and what their lives will look like in the light of this decision”, he told RTV KIM.

Radio Gorazdevac editor-in-chief, Darko Dimitrijevic said August will not bring any changes, only that, as he said, the Serbian side “will make concessions in negotiations”, recalling it already happened before.

“The worst would be for those inhabitants from northern Kosovo who only have Serbian ID cards. Parties in the dialogue have not found a modus for documentation that would be valid in both systems, and this can create problems”, he opined.

He also believes escalation in northern Kosovo last week could have been avoided if there was agreement between two sides.

“Pristina authorities wanted the situation to escalate, and that is what happened. You can not establish such a complete control over an area populated 99 percent by the Serbs in a month’s time, without having prior consultations with the local population there”, he added.

Wau said the Kosovo government should annul the decision on reciprocity, which he sees as – unconstructive. “That should happen as soon as possible, because its purpose is unclear”. Wau also assessed that “any unilateral acts, such this decision was, should be avoided as it is the cause of tensions, in particular in northern Kosovo”.

Vucic and Stoltenberg: Dialogue must continue, peace of vital importance (N1)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic had a telephone conversation Wednesday with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg about the worrying situation in the north of Kosovo and Metohija, press release from the President’s Office reads, N1 reports.

They agreed that the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue needs to continue, and that peace and stability are of vital importance not only for Serbia and the region, but also for all those living in Kosovo, the press release said.

Vucic presented Serbia’s position on the extremely difficult situation in Kosovo and Metohija and informed Stoltenberg about Pristina’s activities causing additional fear and unrest among the citizens of Serbian ethnicity, the press release said.

“President Vucic once again underlined that Serbia took did not take a single step that would constitute a violation of the Brussels Agreement and Resolution 1244, as it did not jeopardise the preservation of peace in any way, but rather continues to act responsibly and seriously in resolving the problems and outstanding issues related to Serbia’s southern province”, the press release said.

Vucic and Stoltenberg agreed to continue their direct communication aimed at preserving peace and stability in the entire region, and Vucic thanked the NATO Secretary General for his correct attitude and willingness to listen to the Serbian side, the press release concluded.

Rakic tells US Ambassador crisis needs to be resolved while respecting needs of Serbs (TV Most)

“General political and security situation, with a special emphasis on the latest developments in the North of Kosovo, were the main topics of the meeting between the Minister for Communities and Return and the President of the Serbian List, Goran Rakic and the Ambassador of the United States of America to Kosovo, Jeffrey M. Hovenier”, TV Most reports citing press release from Rakic’s office issued today.

Rakic conveyed to Ambassador Hovenier that the Serbian people in Kosovo will not put up with any pressure when it comes to the realisation of fundamental rights and that all of the events and the entire crisis which happened over the previous days can be resolved exclusively through dialogue with full respect for basic needs, when it comes to normal functioning of Serbs.

“Instead of having the Community of Serbian Municipalities formed today, which was supposed to be formed by the agreement from Brussels nine years ago, and instead of solving the problems that we have through its mechanisms, we are still asking for its formation, which is unacceptable”, the statement said.

“We will be a constructive partner in making good decisions for the people of Kosovo and for the better position of all communities, but also a fierce opponent of everything that can threaten the position we have, which today is not at all enviable”, Rakic added.

He also emphasised that only sincere will of all parties can overcome the crisis that exists today and that unilateral moves cannot lead to a solution to the problems, which are very big today.

Brnabic, Chinese Ambassador discuss economic cooperation (N1)

Outgoing Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic spoke Wednesday with Ambassador of the People's Republic of China to Serbia Chen Bo about the continued development of outstanding bilateral relations in the field of politics, economy and foreign trade, N1 reports citing press statement issued by the PM's office.

Brnabic placed special emphasis on the growth of economic cooperation, underlining that the volume of trade in goods in 2021 amounted to 5.3 billion Euro, and that Serbian exports increased by 157.7 percent.

According to her, in just five months of the current year the exchange was 2.62 billion Euro, almost 40 percent more than in 2021, the press release said.

Commenting on the current political situation in the world, Brnabic said Serbia supports the one-China policy and considers Taiwan an integral part of China, and underlined that this position will not change.

Ambassador Chen Bo thanked Serbia for its consistent position and support for China in this matter. She added that Serbia can count on China’s continued support at the international level, but also on the development and enhancement of cooperation in other fields, such as the Green Agenda, energy, biotechnology and the development of new technologies, the press release said.

Petkovic responds to Rohde (Kosovo Online)

Office for Kosovo and Metohija Director Petar Petkovic said “German representative in Pristina should read Brussels agreements carefully because he was not saying the truth” and asked “why Germany has not done anything regarding Community of Serbian Municipalities (CSM) prior to any unilateral interpretation of the agreement”, Kosovo Online portal reports.

Petkovic made those remarks in relation to German Ambassador in Pristina Jorn Rohde’s statement that decisions of Pristina authorities on ID cards and licence plates were fully in line with the Brussels agreement.

“The representative of Germany in Pristina is not telling the truth! How come violation of the agreement and violent actions of Albin Kurti were legitimate? How legitimate was it to abolish status neutral KS licence plates by Pristina? How come this German representative in Pristina remained silent when that happened?”, Petkovic wrote on Twitter.

“How come it is legitimate to take away personal documents from Serbs in KiM? Where has it been written? What happened with the establishment of CSM, that Serbs have been waiting for almost ten years and which is only in line with the Brussels agreement? Why has Germany not done anything regarding CSM? Prior to any unilateral interpretation, read the previous agreements carefully”, Petkovic added.

Bilcik congratulates speaker, deputy speakers: More pluralism in Parliament (N1)

European Parliament Rapporteur for Serbia Vladimir Bilcik congratulated Vladimir Orlic on his election as the new speaker of the Serbian Parliament, N1 reports.

Bilcik also congratulated the deputy speakers who, as he said, will represent a more pluralistic Parliament.

The European Parliament is ready to engage in democratic dialogue with its partners from Serbia, Bilcik said in a Twitter post.

Vladimir Orlic was elected Parliament speaker with 154 votes in favour and 76 votes against. Serbian MPs also elected seven deputy speakers.

Vucic: New government to be formed by end of month (Tanjug)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said late on Tuesday the name of Serbia's PM designate would be announced by mid-August and that the country's new government would be formed by the end of the month, Tanjug news agency reports.

Vucic also told RTS he believed forming a new government was important and noted it was good that people from a new generation had become top parliamentary officials.

"I believe we will successfully do the job of forming a government to the benefit of Serbian citizens and in their best interest," Vucic also said.

Selakovic travels to Cuba, Colombia, Costa Rica, Venezuela (Tanjug)

Serbian Foreign Minister Nikola Selakovic will be on official visits to Cuba, Colombia, Costa Rica and Venezuela from August 4 through 12.

During the visits, Selakovic will have numerous meetings with the FMs and top officials of those countries, the Serbian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.

As a special envoy of the Serbian president, Selakovic will also attend the inauguration of new Colombian President Gustavo Francisco Petro Urrego on August 7, the ministry said.

Selakovic: Firm support of Cuba to preserving territorial integrity and sovereignty of Serbia (Kosovo Online)

Serbian Foreign Minister Nikola Selakovic started in Havana an official visit to Latin America, Kosovo Online portal reports. During the visit to Latin America Selakovic will meet the highest officials of Cuba, Columbia, Costa Rika and Venezuela.

Selakovic said in Havana that Cuba is a traditional, particularly loyal and devoted friend of Serbia in international organisations and forums, a state that offers Serbia firm support in preservation of its territorial integrity and sovereignty. He added Cuba is a state whose stances at the world scene are heard, and in the region of Latin America particularly respected and valued.

Selakovic also recalled that this year Serbia and Cuba will mark the 120th anniversary of diplomatic relations, adding Serbia remains committed to fostering relations with Cuba in all possible ways.

Covid-19: 18 new cases in Serbian areas (Kosovo Online)

Out of 51 tested samples in the Serb-populated areas in Kosovo over the last 24 hours, 18 people tested positive for Covid-19, Crisis Committee of Mitrovica North announced, Kosovo Online portal reports.

New cases were registered as follows: nine in Mitrovica North, three each in Zvecan and Leposavic, two in Gracanica and one in Priluzje.

Currently there are 132 active cases of Covid-19 in the Serbian areas in Kosovo.

Opinion

N1: Crisis in Kosovo in the grip of Russian propaganda

The night of August 1 was a night of great tensions in northern Kosovo. Hours-long air raid sirens in the cities in the north; barricades at access roads to Jarinje and Brnjak; a large number of Kosovo special police; and an incredible amount of misinformation in a situation when real information is limited. From the very beginning, the Russian and pro-Russian Telegram channels and Russian YouTube channels joined the active spreading of panic, N1 reports today.

Sometime at around half past seven on July 31, when sirens were sounded in Mitrovica North and in other places in the north populated by Serbs, and barricades also erected, while information was still fresh and scarce militant Russian and pro-Russian Telegram channels actively joined the game, and for hours spewed out a combination of information, half-information and complete misinformation and fabrications.

These channels are all interconnected, says Belgrade Center for Security Policy (BCBP) researcher Predrag Petrovic, adding that this is a form of warmongering.

International

Serbia is playing with matches again (Foreign Policy)

Analysis by Amanda Coakley, international correspondent based in Vienna.

When tensions rose between the Balkan nations of Kosovo and Serbia on Sunday, fears of serious violence prompted a strong response from the NATO-led peacekeeping mission in Kosovo’s capital, Pristina.

“The NATO-led [Kosovo Force] mission is monitoring closely and is prepared to intervene if stability is jeopardized,” a hastily issued statement said. The root of the trouble is a dispute between the two countries over reciprocal measures announced by Kosovo regarding licence plates and identity cards, moves that Serbia and ethnic Serbs living in Kosovo regard as a provocation as they don’t recognize Kosovo’s sovereignty. It didn’t take long for Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic to fire his standard rhetorical shots at Kosovo’s leaders. “We will pray for peace and seek peace, but there will be no surrender, and Serbia will win,” he said at a news conference.

The situation calmed early in the week after an intervention by the U.S. ambassador to Kosovo, Jeff Hovenier, who successfully lobbied for Pristina to postpone the measures for 30 days to iron out any misunderstandings. But the incident sparked alarm across Western capitals, which are sensitive to threats of regional violence after Russia’s invasion of neighboring Ukraine in late February. (Serbia went to war with Kosovar separatists in 1998, a conflict that prompted the intervention of NATO and the eventual creation of the young state of Kosovo.)

Humanitarian/Development

DokuFest Bringing Global Award Winners to Kosovo’s Prizren (Prishtina Insight)

The International Documentary and Short Film Festival, which starts on Friday in Prizren, is bringing award winning films from international film festivals in France, America and Germany to Kosovo.

Prizren is preparing to host the 21st edition of the renowned short film and documentary festival DocuFest.

From Friday, its cinemas will show award-winning films from world-famous film festivals such as Sundance in the US, Cannes in France and Berlinale in Germany, the artistic director of DokuFest, Veton Nurkollari, said on Wednesday at the last conference before the opening of the festival.

“For the first time, DokuFest will nominate a short film as Kosovo’s contender for the Academy Award, otherwise considered the ‘Oscar of Europe,’” said DokuFest’s short films programmer, Samir Karahoda.