UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, December 15, 2023

Albanian Language Media:

Kurti meets Hovenier and Hyland, talk about attack committed in Kosovo (Reporteri)
Osmani: Serbia not interested in concluding dialogue, Vucic's policy same as Milosevic's (media)
PDK and AAK boycott Osmani’s address in the Assembly today (media)
EU to Serbia: Ohrid Agreement and Annex are legally binding (RTK)
Baker appreciates Kosovo’s contribution to regional stability (RTK)
Westerlund: Association draft doesn’t foresee executive competencies (TeVe1)
Abdixhiku asks U.S. to continue support for dialogue (media)
State Department: Russia influenced increase of tensions in Kosovo north (KTV)
Kearns raises doubts that investigation into Banjska has ended and is not being made public (Kallxo)
Opposition on Bislimi’s accusations: Kurti government in line with Serbia (eo)

Serbian Language Media:

Stano: The Brussels agreement and the agreement from Ohrid are legally binding for Belgrade and Pristina (RTS)
Ambassador: Spain will not change its position - we do not recognize Kosovo, nor the accession to the EU (N1, FoNet)
Deadline for re-registration of vehicles to “RKS” plates expires today (KiM radio)
RIK: Record number of controllers at Sunday elections (N1, BETA)
No indication that Pristina will lift the embargo on Serbian goods (Kosovo Online)

International:

Serbia Braces Again for Snap Legislative and Belgrade Elections (Balkan Insight)
Serbia's Vucic seeks to reassert populist dominance in elections this weekend (abcnews.go.com)

Albanian Language Media

Kurti meets Hovenier and Hyland, talk about attack committed in Kosovo (Reporteri)

The Office of the Prime Minister has announced that Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti began today's meetings with the U.S. Ambassador, Jeffrey Hovenier and the Director of Central and Southern European Affairs at the U.S. State Department, Colleen Hyland.

The press release says that they discussed the strong bilateral relations, cooperation in many fields, and topics and issues that await them until the end of the year and the coming year. One of them was the issue of the license plate conversion process, from which so far over 4,200 Kosovo Serb citizens have benefited from the government's financial relief for registering vehicles with RKS license plates.

Prime Minister Kurti thanked Ambassador Hovenier and the United States of America for their close cooperation and continuous support throughout the year.

"This year, in addition to development and progress, was a challenging year especially in terms of security due to Serbia's aggressive behavior towards Kosovo and its criminal structures, which was followed by tensions, attacks on KFOR members, local institutions and journalists in four municipalities in the north, the kidnapping of three Kosovo policemen within our territory, and the paramilitary terrorist attack of September 24 in Banjska of Zvecan, where the police sergeant, now the Hero of Kosovo, Afrim Bunjaku, was killed," the statement says.

Osmani: Serbia not interested in concluding dialogue, Vucic's policy same as Milosevic's (media)

Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani has said that the year 2023 has not been easy. She started the annual speech before the deputies and citizens from the floor of the Assembly with the attack in Banjska by the group led by Milan Radoicic. She said that the attack on September 24 was a clear indication that Serbia and its current political nomenclature is not interested in peace, good neighborliness, or closure of the dialogue process. She said that today's policy of the Serbian president, Aleksandar Vucic, is yesterday's policy of the butcher of the Balkans, Slobodan Milosevic.

"Therefore, hegemonic ambitions have not ended. Banjska was only a warning, and Serbia will not give up its dark plans".

"In essence, with such actions, Serbia is hitting all of Europe, because it is working for the interests of malignant factors that aim to hit the EU and NATO through the destabilization of the Western Balkans," Osmani said.

She added further that regardless of Serbia's intentions, Kosovo will be here as it was on September 24 "and as we will be every day and forever to become guardians of our Republic".

"In such situations, there should not be party and ideological division, but there should be unity, without distinction. The only alignment we need is the alignment on the side of our independent and sovereign state", emphasized Osmani.

"We are too few to be divided and have different positions for situations like this, when only unity is the right answer to protect the integrity and sovereignty of Kosovo. We have not passed this danger, so we should not submit to the separation of differences, but be united in our determination in the face of Serbia and remain persistent and steadfast in the face of security challenges", said the president.

Osmani said that the international community is harming Kosovo with the unequal approach towards Serbia.

"The lack of equal access to dialogue has done extremely great harm to this process. Kosovo still faces disproportionate measures. By not taking measures against Serbia for the attack in Banjska and the attack on KFOR soldiers, police and journalists, this country is only being encouraged to use violence. An unequal treatment will be a blow to the dialogue process and an obstacle to the success of this process," she said.

Osmani has called for the creation of the Association of municipalities with a Serb majority, for everyone, without party differences, to join in order to form it in accordance with the Constitution of Kosovo, and not with competencies.

"Recently, a statute drawn up by our partners was delivered to Kosovo. While the drafters' assessment is that such a draft is in harmony with the Constitution, I want to reiterate that the institution that will have to make this assessment, being guided by the principle of independence and professionalism, is the Constitutional Court of Kosovo. We, regardless of party, must prepare comments based on the concerns we may have and send them to the Constitutional Court whenever this draft is presented to this institution. Our goal should be to ensure full compliance with the Constitution and not allow intermediate power or other anomalies that endanger the functioning of our state".

PDK and AAK to boycott Osmani’s address in the Assembly today (media)

The Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) will boycott the speech of President Vjosa Osmani in the Assembly of Kosovo today. Citing unnamed sources, the news website reports that the reason behind the boycott of PDK MPs is that Osmani “has not proved to be a unifying President of the institutions and the people as foreseen by the Constitution, but has continued to serve only the interests of Prime Minister Albin Kurti by continuously remaining silent to the constitutional violations and the injustices against the people”.

Just like last year, the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) will boycott Osmani’s speech. This was confirmed by the MP of this party, Pal Lekaj. "AAK will not participate in the session during the President's address", Lekaj told Front Online.

The head of AAK, Ramush Haradinaj, spoke about the reason for the boycott of the annual speech of the president, Vjosa Osmani in the Assembly.

"We expect the president to take a unifying stance and a stance in the interest of the country, and not of Kurti and the government. Unfortunately, we have not seen the role of the President's institution at all, we see it more as Kurt's service", Haradinaj said.

EU to Serbia: Ohrid Agreement and Annex are legally binding (RTK)

The officials of the European Union have reiterated the position that the agreement on the path towards the normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia is legally binding for both parties.

This reaction comes after the Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic has sent a letter to the headquarters of the European Union where she confirms that Serbia will not implement all the articles of the agreements reached in Brussels and Ohrid.

Although some Belgrade officials have spoken along the same lines, this is the first time that Serbia's unwillingness to implement the agreement in its entirety has been confirmed in writing.

The spokesperson of the European Union, Peter Stano, has stated that the Agreement is binding in its entirety for both parties and that the implementation will be an integral part of the respective European path for both Serbia and Kosovo.

According to Stano, the agreement has become legally binding through the written statement of the head of European diplomacy, Josep Borrel, on March 18, when the agreement was reached in Ohrid. This, according to him, has been the consistent position of the EU, which has also been publicly communicated on several occasions.

The agreement in question was not signed due to the refusal of Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic. However, the legally binding character, according to European experts, is based on the Vienna Convention, which in Article 11 provides that "The consent of a state to conclude a treaty can be expressed by signature, exchange of instruments that constitute a treaty, ratification, acceptance, approval or by any other means if agreed".

The European officials involved in the dialogue process have confirmed that during the meeting held in Ohrid, this was made clear to the leaders who accepted such an interpretation.

Baker appreciates Kosovo’s contribution to regional stability (RTK)

Acting Undersecretary of Defense for Policy, Ms. Sasha Baker met with Kosovo’s Minister of Defense Ejup Maqedonci at the Pentagon to reaffirm the strength of defense relations between the U.S. and Kosovo.

Acting Under Secretary Baker congratulated Minister Maqedonci on his appointment as Minister of Defense and expressed her appreciation for Kosovo's contribution to regional stability in the Western Balkans and its support to Ukraine, including hosting Ukrainian personnel for demining training in its mine action center.

They discussed bilateral relations, including the comprehensive Kosovo transition plan – a multi-year effort to reshape the Kosovo Security Force from civilian defense force to a multi-ethnic and territorial defense force.

“Additionally, the leaders discussed the strength of the State Partnership Program with the Iowa National Guard, opportunities for the future training and exercises, and future bilateral defense consultations scheduled for early 2024 in Pristina,” the spokesman of the Defense Department Lt. Col. David Herndon announced.

Westerlund: Association draft doesn’t foresee executive competencies (TeVe1)

Swedish Ambassador to Kosovo, Jonas Westerlund, said in an interview with the TV station on Thursday, that Kosovo must work on the formation of the Association of Serb-majority municipalities and that the current draft statute of the Association does not foresee any executive competencies. “I think we need to move forward now. We have the Brussels agreement on February 27 and the implementation annex in Ohrid on March 18, and they need to be implemented. As European leaders said yesterday in Brussels, Kosovo must move forward with the Association. I understand concerns about the executive authority of the Association, but we have passed this problem because the current draft does not foresee executive competencies,” he argued. “I understand the government’s concern. But I believe that the draft we have in front of us now is a good draft and Sweden supports this draft. It takes into account the concerns of the Kosovo Government. It has been drafted in a way that it takes into account and removes the concerns of the Kosovo Government. We need to wait for the decision of the Kosovo Government, and then the Constitutional Court must also make its assessment”.

Abdixhiku asks U.S. to continue support for dialogue (media)

Leader of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), Lumir Abdixhiku, met on Thursday with the Director of the Office of South Central Europe, Colleen Hyland, and expressed his appreciation for the U.S. engagement in processes that Kosovo is going through. “Abdixhiku also asked for the U.S. support to continue, especially in the process of dialogue, with the aim of protecting state interests outlined by the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence,” an LDK press release notes.

Commenting on the draft statute of the Association of Serb-majority municipalities, Abdixhiku said “Kosovo needs allies that know our history and that wish well for our functioning future as a state and society. The United States has an irreplaceable role in this respect,” he said.

State Department: Russia influenced increase of tensions in Kosovo north (KTV)

A U.S. State Department notes that the Kosovo government’s ability to exercise its authority in the north was hampered by security issues and political instability in the north. “The NATO-led Kosovo Force and EU Rule of Law Mission collaborate with the Kosovo Police (KP) to promote a secure environment and to strengthen rule of law. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Embassy Pristina has noted an uptick in Russian disinformation and assessed that it is an increasingly present driver of violent extremist thinking and interethnic polarization contributing to interethnic tensions in northern Kosovo,” the report notes.

More on the report at: https://t.ly/lx2OO

Kearns raises doubts that investigation into Banjska has ended and is not being made public (Kallxo)

The British MP Alicia Kearns has said that one of her concerns is the reluctance to publish the international investigation into the September 24 attack in Banjska in the north of Kosovo, where the Kosovo policeman, Afrim Bunjaku, was killed.

Kearns said that she knows that this international investigation, which would be a step towards clarifying the case, has now been completed, but she does not know why it is not being published yet. The clarification of this investigation was also one of the points that was requested in the letter addressed to the High Representative for Foreign Policy and the vice-president of the European Commission, Josep Borrell and the EU special representative for the Western Balkans, Miroslav Lajcak, from the Chairmen of the Foreign Affairs Committees of the parliaments of 12 European countries.

Opposition on Bislimi’s accusations: Kurti government in line with Serbia (ekonomia online)

The opposition political parties have responded to the accusations of the Deputy Prime Minister Besnik Bislimi who said that the opposition has been an obstacle to the government in the dialogue process and that in many cases the opposition parties have been in line with Serbia. Bislimi’s statement given to Public Television, evoked the reaction of opposition parties.

Enver Hoxhaj, MP of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) and former foreign minister, considers that the government is attacking the opposition to divert attention from the acceptance of the draft statute of the Association of Municipalities with a Serb majority, which, as he said, is harmful for Kosovo.

"Bislmi is someone who least understands in negotiations and dialogue and this is the situation when for the first time Kosovo has accepted a draft association that is a complete political, territorial and religious autonomy, overturning the package of Ahatisari overturning the constitutional order and giving up for them to make a proposal and leaving it to Lajcak… and for this Bislimi must be held accountable and the best way to change the subject is to attack the opposition therefore I do not take his statement seriously", Hoxhaj said.

LDK MP Armend Zemaj, said that those who say that the opposition is aligned with Serbia are Serbia's own extended hand. "This is the most banal reasoning of an irresponsible prime minister or deputy prime minister. People who stated that we accepted the agreement, but it was not signed by Vucic, this is duplicity, irresponsibility and shows the true face above all the incompetence, demagoguery, deception they have done to the citizens and let's not talk about the damage that the Republic of Kosovo will be too difficult to repair. Those who say that the opposition or opposition MPs can be in line with Serbia are either an extended hand of Serbia or have problems with themselves and with the deceptions they have served to the citizens and damage to Kosovo", said Zemaj.

The AAK MP Shemsedin Dreshaj, said the government's statements are wrong.

"These accusations do not stand at all because our political line is a line based on the constitution, we support the country's territorial sovereignty and legislative integrity. Are these on the line interpreted by the deputy prime minister? That conclusion is wrong, it is not a right opinion, it is biased and wrong assessment", said Dreshaj.

Serbian Language Media

Stano: The Brussels agreement and the agreement from Ohrid are legally binding for Belgrade and Pristina (RTS)

The Brussels agreement and the agreement from Ohrid are, as a whole, legally binding for both Belgrade and Pristina, said EU spokesperson Peter Stano in response to a letter from the Government of Serbia in which reservations were expressed regarding the Brussels Declaration, adopted at the EU and Western Balkans Leaders' Summit in Brussels.

"The EU emphasizes that the Agreement as a whole is binding for both parties. The implementation of the Agreement as a whole is an integral part of their path to the EU," Stano said.

The press release points out that the Brussels Agreement on the Road to Normalization and the Annex on Implementation from Ohrid became legally binding through the written statement of High Representative Josep Borrell dated March 18.

"This is the consistent position of the EU, which has been publicly announced several times," Stano said.

According to European diplomatic sources, the Serbian government sent another letter to EU representatives on Thursday, in order to further clarify its position, reported RTS.

Ambassador: Spain will not change its position - we do not recognize Kosovo, nor the accession to the EU (N1, FoNet)

Ambassador of Spain in Belgrade Raul Bartolome Molina told journalists today that his country will not change its position when it comes to the unilaterally declared independence of Kosovo, noting that his country opposes the application of that "territory" to the European Union, as well as any other international organization, reported N1.

Molina told journalists, on the eve of the meeting of the Center for European Policies on taking over the presidency of the EU "From Spain to Belgium", that his country had not taken any action regarding Kosovo's application in the past six months during the presidency of the Council of the EU.

We are waiting for the legal opinion, which has not arrived, and it will be forwarded to Belgium, as the next chair, the ambassador said.

Molina reminded that Spain does not recognize the unilaterally declared independence of Kosovo and its position has not changed.

Kosovo's application has been stopped, a legal opinion is awaited, as I said, but of course Spain is not in favor of that, nor for any application of Kosovo to be part of any international organization, said Molina, who adds that according to the law, and the narrative in his country for them, Kosovo is not a country, but a territory.

That will not change, he was explicit.

Molina could not say what terms will be used in the conclusions of the EU Council when it comes to the Ohrid Agreement and Chapter 35 in the negotiations with Serbia, but he is convinced that there will be references to it.

According to that agreement itself, they should be the essence of Chapter 35, but I don't know what terms will be used, Molina added.

Molima is convinced that Serbia, during the presidency of Belgium and then Hungary, will be able to count on the support of his country and that it will become a member of the EU within suitable time.

You can count on the support of Spain, which is a big supporter of EU enlargement, concluded Molina.

Deadline for re-registration of vehicles to “RKS” plates expires today (KiM radio)

The additional deadline for re-registration of vehicles with the Serbian registration plates with denominations of cities in Kosovo to “RKS” plates expires today, reported KiM radio.

Deputy director of the police for the northern region, Veton Elshani said that 3,300 cars have been re-registered until now, estimating that today this number will reach 3,400 cars. He added that the number of people interested in re-registration was smaller in these 15 days and no other requests were made which is why the police does not consider it necessary to extend the deadline again. However, he added, the government will decide, reported KiM radio.

The police announce that after the deadline, owners of cars, as they said, with illegal license plates will be fined.

"On Saturday, if the police come across these cars, they will stop them, confiscate the license plates, fines are 150 euros, confiscation of the driver's license, the driver is allowed to remove the car from the road. If we come across the same vehicle again, the vehicle will be confiscated and sent to customs," Elshani said.

RIK: Record number of controllers at Sunday elections (N1, BETA)

Head of the Republic Election Commission (RIK) Vladimir Dimitrijevic said a total of 8,273 polling stations will be opened on election day, December 17, 2023, BETA news agency reports.

He said this year there will be a record number of observers and controllers, both domestic and foreign – 5,587.

“We have local election commissions and RIK does not count the results, but they are determined at each polling station separately. Local election commissions then submit the aggregate results for their territory, and, starting this year, the citizens will be able to follow the collection of votes and election results in real time, because we have provided a new function on the RIK website”, said Dimitrijevic.

Dimitrijevic said that, following receipt of the summary results, the RIK has 96 hours to release the final election results and they will be known before the New Year. “The deadline for the formation of the Parliament is 30 days, and 90 days for the formation of the Government, so we can expect a new Government in the spring”, said Dimitrijevic.

No indication that Pristina will lift the embargo on Serbian goods (Kosovo Online)

Even six months since the government in Pristina banned the entry of goods produced in Serbia into Kosovo, there is no indication when and if that decision will be lifted at all, says the president of the Association of Businessmen from Gracanica, Sasa Sekulic.

He points out that because of this bad political decision, goods from central Serbia have been replaced by lower quality, and 20 to 30 percent more expensive products that arrive in Kosovo from other markets.

Both Serbian and Kosovo businesspeople are calling on the Kosovo authorities to lift the embargo introduced on June 15, and the international community.

Sekulic reminds that two months ago, the American Chamber of Commerce in Kosovo also sent an appeal to the government in Pristina to review and cancel the decision on the ban on Serbian goods.

"The Government of Kosovo should be asked why they are ignoring these appeals. It is a political decision that does not benefit either Albanian or Serbian businesspeople. Many American companies operating in Serbia are asking that this decision be reconsidered and canceled. We businesspeople expect and hope that this will happen, that the government in Pristina will finally understand the appeal that all businesspeople are making," he says for Kosovo Online.

Sekulic says that at the beginning of the 21st century, you should not make decisions about banning the import of goods, while striving towards some European values.

"Those two decisions do not go together. Otherwise, if the embargo remains in force, goods in Kosovo will be even more expensive, because transportation plays a significant role in the formation of prices. It is much cheaper when you transport goods from Serbia than from Turkey, Poland," he points out.

International

Serbia Braces Again for Snap Legislative and Belgrade Elections (Balkan Insight)

Voters on Sunday in Serbia will elect a new parliament, an assembly for the province of Vojvodina and a city council for Belgrade and 64 more municipalities.

Less than two years since they last voted in parliamentary and Belgrade city elections, voters in Serbia are again going to the polls on Sunday. Elections will also be held for councils in 64 more cities and towns.

The three main opposition blocs are the “Serbia against Violence” coalition, named after the protest wave that followed two mass shootings in May, and two coalitions of right-wing parties.