UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, February 3, 2023

Albanian Language Media:

EU reiterates: Agreement on Association must be implemented (RTK)
Haradinaj: AAK will not support motion to dismiss Kurti (TeVe1)
Mujanovic: Kurti is right – Kosovo must resist (media)
Tahiri: Kurti must ask for guarantees from Escobar and Lajcak (media)
Osmani received by Speaker of Assembly of Iceland, Birgir Ármannsson (media)
LDK decides to officially boycott public broadcaster (media)

Serbian Language Media:

The session of the Serbian Assembly on Kosovo continued today (BBC, N1)
Kosovo Government’s decision on new expropriations in Leposavic and Zubin Potok (KiM Radio, KoSSev, Kosovo Online)
EU concerned over works in Leposavic, asks government to respect law and property rights (KoSSev, media)
Locals from Dren and surrounding hamlets protest for third day (Kosovo Online, RTS)
Lawyer says Trajkovic’s health condition deteriorates (Kosovo Online)
Dacic in Washington: US thinks Belgrade is constructive, unlike Kosovo’s Kurti (Beta, RTS, N1)
Peskov: Kremlin understands that Serbia is under enormous pressure from West (RTS)
Egypt, Serbia working on FTA, respect each other’s territorial integrity (Tanjug)
Chief of Serbian Army visits US (RTS)

Opinion:

West Piles Pressure on Kosovo Over Serb-Majority Municipalities Body (BIRN)

International:

Kosovo Govt Moves to Expropriate Land in North Despite Protests (BIRN)
Escobar Exclusive Interview: The View of the Western Balkans from inside the State Department (The Pavlovic Today)

Albanian Language Media

EU reiterates: Agreement on Association must be implemented (RTK)

EU spokesperson Peter Stano told RTK today that the EU wants the issue of dialogue and the agreements reached so far to be moved forward, including the formation of the Association of Serb-majority municipalities. “I can only reiterate the urgency that the EU pays to push forward the dialogue and the implementation of agreements reached so far, and the formation of the Association is one of them,” he said.

Stano confirmed that Brussels’ position on the Association remains unchanged and that it has been repeated on several occasions. He said Pristina has assumed the international obligation to form the Association and that it is up to Kosovo to implement the decision.

Haradinaj: AAK will not support motion to dismiss Kurti (TeVe1)

Daut Haradinaj from the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) said in an interview with TeVe1 that on the issue of the Association of Serb-majority municipalities, the AAK would not support an eventual motion to dismiss Prime Minister Albin Kurti.

Haradinaj also said that the French-German plan does not mention the Association. “The French-German plan does not mention the Association. There is only one point which talks about the implementation of agreements reached so far. From what I have seen, there is not a single letter about the association. A completely different matter is the obligation the government assumed in 2013 and then in 2015. I opposed it then and I continue to oppose it now. In the event that we are finally detached from Serbia, we should not fear any additional responsibility for the Serb community in Kosovo … If Kosovo assumes this obligation and we have to talk about a fait accompli, I was in protest myself and opposed it, but now we are in 2023 and there is a completely new situation. Many of the activists and people close to the Vetevendosje Movement think that we are opposing Kurti. In this case we said that we would not vote in favour of a motion on this issue. We will not support a motion to dismiss Kurti. He can resign, but not with the vote of the Alliance,” Haradinaj said.

Mujanovic: Kurti is right – Kosovo must resist (media)

Several news websites cover a series of Twitter posts by Jasmin Mujanovic, a Bosnian political scientist and commentator of the Western Balkans, in which he argues that Kosovo must resist the pressure from the U.S. and the European Union to form the Association of Serb-majority municipalities. “Why does it matter for the whole of the W. Balkans that Kosovo successfully resists the ongoing pressure campaign by Serbia, U.S., and the European Union for it to create an “Association of Serbian Municipalities”? Because it is a struggle to determine the shape of the region’s politics for decades to come,” Mujanovic tweeted.

Serbian Language Media

The session of the Serbian Assembly on Kosovo continued today (BBC, N1)

Deputies of the Serbian Parliament continued a special session dedicated to Kosovo and Metohija today, on the agenda of which is the Government's Report on negotiations with Pristina, reported BBC in Serbian language.

The session is attended by the President of the State, Aleksandar Vucic, and 165 deputies.

The first day of the session was marked by frequent interruptions due to applause, "No to capitulation" banners, shouting and accusations of "tavern shouting" and "hooligan behavior", as well as pushing and shoving, reported BBC.

The purpose of the session in which the President of Serbia was participating, as he said, was not to shift responsibility to the parliament and citizens, but to openly state the challenges facing the country.

On the first day of the stormy parliamentary session, Vucic did not reveal what was in the Franco-German proposal on Kosovo, which he previously said had become a negotiating framework.

He said that he must not present the whole initiative, as he called it, but that he would say "all that is worst for Serbia".

He added that "90 percent" of what has been made public about that plan is correct, and that point 4 states that Serbia will not oppose Kosovo's membership in any international organisation.

Earlier, he declared that this was unacceptable for Serbia, which was also said by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ivica Dacic.

If it comes to a question of Kosovo entering the United Nations or not, he will "know what to do" because for him "the Constitution is Holy Scripture", wrote BBC.

Then he said decisively several times: "I will never accept Kosovo's membership in the UN, and I will never recognize Kosovo's independence".

The opposition's main complaint was that it did not get to see the Franco-German proposal.

Vucic said that on January 20, Western diplomats brought a German French proposal for Kosovo to Belgrade.

Vucic repeated that in the third sentence they informed him that "if work on this initiative and its implementation is not accepted, you will be faced with stopping the pre-accession negotiations with the EU, not only with the interruption of further investments from the West, but also with the withdrawal of all investments from Serbia, as well as with other comprehensive measures that must show that those who are not in agreement with the EU must pass".

Responding to the objections of the opposition, Vucic said that the Franco-German proposal for the solution of the Kosovo problem has an important point regarding the European integration of Serbia, but that it did not give guarantees that it will be achieved.

When asked by the head of the opposition parliamentary group Moramo - Zajedno Nebojsa Zelenovic, whether he was truly negotiating a real and time-limited deadline for Serbia's membership in the European Union, Vucic replied that he asked the European envoys for a precise answer to that but did not receive one.

"I don't have a carrot; I have come to terms with a stick. We don't have the strength to go against the whole world at this moment," said Vucic.

He also warned that Serbia "will face a big problem in the coming period, because there will be less and less food in Europe".

"There will be more problems in energy and food. We cut off our whole leg because of lithium, I will never understand why," he added.

What does the opposition say?

Part of the opposition developed banners that read "Vucic, you betrayed Kosovo", "No ultimatum, no capitulation", as well as slogans with a picture of Oliver Ivanovic with the message "You will answer".

The head of the Green-Left parliamentary club, Radomir Lazovic, asked the speaker of the assembly to suspend the session until the text of the French-German proposal for an agreement on Kosovo was submitted to the collegium session, and to continue the session on Friday, after the deputies consider the proposal.

"Why did you hide the proposal, why did none of the deputies see it," Lazovic asked, accusing Vucic of usurping all the institutions of society and "occupying this country."

Milica Djurdjevic Stamenkovski, president of the Zavetnici party, asked to tear up the Franco-German plan, which she said was an ultimatum for Kosovo.

It is not clear to her, she added, why the Franco-German proposal was not public, if it is said to be a non-paper.

Milos Jovanovic, the president of the New Democratic Party of Serbia, said that the plan should be completely rejected, because it means recognition of Kosovo's independence.

"Understand the historical moment"

Vucic said that the questions about Kosovo have been going on for more than 600 years, and that there are no real answers, and that "it is not known whether a myth has become reality, or reality has created a myth", as well as that it is not known "where the exit is".

He said that it was more important than anything else to understand the circumstances, the historical moment, and the period in which this was happening.

He assessed that since February 24, and Russia's attack on Ukraine, began "the general political offensive of Pristina, in cooperation with part of the Western partners, to change the situation on the ground".

During that time, a mug with a picture of a wolf was standing next to him, reported BBC.

Vucic spoke about himself and Serbia on several occasions in the context of pressure from foreign diplomats through the symbolism of a wolf, which is impossible to tame and see "in the circus", and his party colleagues shared photos of this animal on social networks.

Representatives of Serbs from Kosovo watched the session from the hall's gallery.

Incidents during the session

During the debate on Kosovo, there was an incident when some MPs from the opposition parties interrupted the address of President Aleksandar Vucic, calling it a violation of the Rules of Procedure.

The deputies of the right-wing parties Dveri, Zavetnici, People's Party and the New Democratic Party of Serbia took part in the incident, chanting "Treason" and "We will not give Kosovo", and then headed towards Vucic, who was sitting on the bench next to the chair.

After that, SNS MPs got up and there was a scuffle, reported BBC.

Vucic accused the opposition that the Rules of Procedure of the Assembly are more important to them than Kosovo.

"The difference between them and us is that Kosovo is sacred to us, and the Rules of Procedure to them," said Vucic.

Vucic: We might have to impose sanctions on Russia

N1 reported that President Vucic told the Assembly that Belgrade might have to impose sanctions on Russia.

The President said he was not thrilled about the Party of Freedom and Justice (SSP) proposal for Belgrade to introduce the sanctions.

„You say you are in favour of the sanctions; I say I don’t know, maybe we will have to. As long as we don’t have to, it’s better that way,“ said Vucic.

“I am not thrilled about it, but I don’t know how much longer we can hold out without imposing sanctions. We are paying the price for not imposing them, but that is a matter of our leadership’s political choice,” said Vucic.

Kosovo Government's decision on new expropriations in Leposavic and Zubin Potok (KiM Radio, KoSSev, Kosovo Online)

The Kosovo government decided on the expropriation of land on the territory of the municipalities of Leposavic and Zubin Potok, reported Serbian media in Kosovo.

Portal KoSSev reported last night that the same day when the European Union expressed its concern over the fact that the Kosovo authorities are carrying out work on the expropriated plot of 80 ha in Dren and Lesak, appealing to Pristina to respect the legality of the expropriation process, the Kosovo government made two new decisions at yesterday's session that were precisely related to the expropriations in the municipalities of Leposavic and Zubin Potok.

The office of Kosovo Prime Minister announced that the Kosovo government adopted yesterday at electronic meeting:

Decision authorising the Ministry of the Environment, Spatial Planning, and Infrastructure to carry out preparatory work to determine the potential suitability of one or more plots of real estate for the realisation of "Infrastructural projects of public interest" in the cadastral zones of Dren and Lesak, as well as
Decision on further consideration of the request for expropriation of real estate of public interest, which is necessary for the realisation of "Infrastructural projects of public interest in the cadastral zones: Velji Breg, Šaljska Bistrica, Dren, Lešak and Košutovo, the municipality of Leposavic and the cadastral zones of Brnjak, Zubin Potok , Banja and Gornji Jasenovik.

Decisions on land expropriation in the North, precisely in the municipalities of Zubin Potok and Leposavic, were made on several occasions last year.

As for Zubin Potok, the land was expropriated in at least four locations: Donji Jasenovik, Velji Breg, Padine and Brnjak, while in the municipality of Leposavic the expropriated land is in Košutovo, Šaljska Bistrica, Jasenovik, Dren and Lešak.

KoSSev reported that based on the available text about the government decisions, the settlement of Velji Breg was wrongly annexed to the municipality of Leposavic.

The decision on the expropriation of land in Dren and Lešak, which was in the spotlight of the public in Kosovo and beyond, was made on January 16 by the Kosovo government.

Fifteen days after this decision was made, two days ago the first excavators, secured by members of the Kosovo police, began work on widening the road leading to the expropriated land, and citizens gathered on the spot to express their protest. The works were stopped yesterday after the request of both the residents and the president of the Interim Leposavic municipality, Zoran Todic, as he himself confirmed yesterday.

Yesterday, the EU in Kosovo also announced, saying that they were worried about the current activities at that location.

In mid-December 2022, the land in this municipality, namely Šaljska Bistrica, but also in Jasenovik in the Zubin Potok municipality, was also expropriated.

And on August 19 last year, the Kosovo government decided to expropriate plots in both municipalities, including plots in Donji Jasenovik and Brnjak, recalled KoSSev.

EU concerned over works in Leposavic, asks government to respect law and property rights (KoSSev, media)

The EU is following the active construction activities taking place in the localities of Dren and Lesak within Leposavic municipality in northern Kosovo with concern – the land expropriated by the Kosovo government in January. We urge the Kosovo government to take all efforts to ensure that due process is followed and that property owners’ rights are fully respected, the EU Office in Kosovo said in a statement for KoSSev.

They noted that Kosovo law allows for a period of public consultation and the opportunity for the citizens to challenge any decision.

“It is important to note that the expropriation process, under Kosovo law, requires a period for public consultation and the opportunity for affected citizens to challenge any decision on expropriation in the courts before any decision on expropriation becomes final”.

The EU urges the Kosovo government to “take all efforts to ensure that due process is followed and that property owners’ rights are fully respected”.

According to KoSSev’s findings, the Kosovo government on January 16 decided to expropriate over 80 hectares of land in two cadastral zones – the villages of Dren and Lesak, both privately-owned and publicly-owned land. Although the land covers two cadastral zones, the satellite view reveals that it is actually one huge piece of land, which includes a village cemetery in Dren. This Wednesday it was confirmed a border police station will be built there.

Fifteen days after the Kosovo government decided to expropriate land in the municipality of Leposavic, road widening works leading to the expropriated plots began in the village of Dren on Wednesday. Affected owners and a municipality perceive the decision as illegal given that a number of provisions of the law regulating this matter have been violated and they oppose reconstruction of police base on their properties.

Locals from Dren and surrounding hamlets protest for third day (Kosovo Online, RTS )

Approximately hundread residents from Dren and surrounding hamlets for the third day protest reconstruction of a new Kosovo police border base, because of which the Kosovo government expropriated more than 80 hectares of land both privately and socially owned in two cadastral zones, Dren and Lesak, in Leposavic municipality, Kosovo Online portal reports.

The residents also staged signing of a petition by which they want to end, as they said “seizing of their properties, digging over the graves of their forefathers and an occupation that aims at their vanishing from century-old places they lived in“.

They also demand annulment of Kosovo government decision on expropriation of their properties and an immediate end to the works on auxiliary roads leading to their parcels where Kosovo government plans to build a border police base. They also said they will oppose the decision to usurp their properties and fight for their rights by peaceful means.

Lawyer says Trajkovic’s health condition deteriorates (Kosovo Online)

Dejan Vasic, a defence lawyer of Sladjan Trajkovic, former Kosovo police member arrested on December 15 last year for allegedly committing war crimes said he will request a house detention for his client because his health condition deteriorated, Kosovo Online portal reports.

„Given the deteriorated health condition of Sladjan Trajkovic today I will file an emergency request to re-examine the legality of his detention based on his health condition that requires special care by doctors from the Health Clinical Center in Kosovska Mitrovica“, Vasic said.

He added he will request a house arrest for his client, noting it would not be an isolated case in the judicial practice in Kosovo. "Due to the current practice of the courts in Kosovo, where the suspects serve their sentences under house arrest, I submitted all the names of such cases to the court", he said.

Dacic in Washington: US thinks Belgrade is constructive, unlike Kosovo’s Kurti (Beta, RTS, N1)

Serbian Foreign Affairs Minister Ivica Dacic said in Washington that the US views Belgrade’s role in the dialogue with Pristina as constructive and responsible, and that they have a very negative opinion on the Kosovo government’s approach.

After he attended the traditional Prayer Breakfast, which was addressed by US President Joseph Biden, Dacic told the Serbian state TV (RTS) that it is very important for Serbia not to be accused of obstructing the dialogue.

“Washington supports Belgrade’s position, that is, it supports the dialogue and sees Belgrade’s role in that dialogue as constructive and responsible,” said Dacic, adding that criticism is chiefly directed at Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti.

I think that was a very good and clear message, for us it is very important to be in a position in which no one sees Serbia as a factor obstructing the dialogue, said Dacic.

At the end of this three-day visit to Washington Dacic said the most important talk he had was that with US Department of State Counselor Derek Chollet and US Special Envoy for the Western Balkans Gabriel Escobar. He said they both support the position that the Community of Serb Municipalities (CSM) is something that has been agreed on and that it has to be formed.

Peskov: Kremlin understands that Serbia is under enormous pressure from West (RTS)

The Kremlin understands that leadership of Serbia is under enormous pressure from the West and appreciates the stance of Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic as well as hopes for further elevating relations between two states, Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told journalists, RTS reports.

“We fully understand the unprecedented pressure of the collective West on Serbian leadership, same as the price and efforts leadership of Serbia needs to sustain those pressures up to date”, he said.

Peskov added Russia very much appreciates such stance of the Serbian leadership and hopes bilateral relations would continue developing in an elevating manner.

Egypt, Serbia working on FTA, respect each other’s territorial integrity (Tanjug)

Egypt and Serbia respect each other's territorial integrity, Egyptian Ambassador to Belgrade Bassel Salah said, noting that cooperation in the tourism industry is an especially significant aspect of ties between the two countries, Tanjug news agency reports.

"The relevant ministries of Egypt and Serbia eagerly await the celebrations of the 115th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries", Salah told the balkantravel.rs internet portal in an interview. He said the occasion would be marked with several official visits and cultural events in both countries as part of an Egyptian Culture Week in Serbia and a Serbian Culture Week in Egypt, respectively.

Noting that Serbia and Egypt had a long history of friendly relations, the ambassador said fields such as the economy, trade in agricultural and industrial products and the telecommunications and IT sectors held great potential for bilateral cooperation.

"Our two countries have begun negotiations about a FTA that will enable an increase of the volume of trade between the two countries (...)", Salah said.

He reiterated that Egypt respected the territorial integrity of Serbia.

"Egypt and Serbia respect each other's territorial integrity, which is reflected in respect of international laws and decisions by international organisations", the Ambassador noted, according to Tanjug.

Chief of Serbian Army visits US (RTS)

Serbian Army Chief-of-Staff, General Milan Mojsilovic is paying a several day visit to the US as per invitation of the Ohio National Guard Commander Major General John Harris, RTS reports. During his stay Mihajlovic will have several meetings with high officials of the Ohio National Guard, civil authorities there and the US Ministry of Defense.

The official part of the visit Mojsilovic started with a meeting with General Harris and Commander of Hungarian Army Lt. General Romulus Rusin-Sendi. They discussed activities implemented within the State Partnership Program of Ohio with Serbia and Hungary. They also spoke about the current security situation in the world and the region, cooperation between Serbian Army and Ohio National Guard and possibilities to further advance it. They also touched upon cooperation within the State Partnership Program of Serbia and Ohio, not only in the field of military-military cooperation, but also civilian-military and civilian-civilian cooperation.

Later on, Mojsilovic will also meet in Washington high political and military officials of the US.

Opinion

West Piles Pressure on Kosovo Over Serb-Majority Municipalities Body (BIRN)

Western powers are pressing an unwilling Prime Minister of Kosovo to finally deliver on the establishment of an Association of Serb-Majority Municipalities.

As the international community steps up efforts to end the decades-long dispute between Kosovo and Serbia, pressure has risen on the Kosovo government to deliver on the sensitive issue of the Association of Serb-Majority Municipalities.

In recent weeks, US diplomats have taken the issue by storm, speaking out publicly on what they call Kosovo’s international obligation to deliver.

On Thursday, Serbia’s President, Aleksandar Vucic, blamed Kosovo PM Albin Kurti for failure to implement the agreement signed almost a decade ago in Brussels.

“Their only intention, since they do not intend to implement the Association of Serbian Municipalities, is to provoke a war conflict, to bring Serbia into conflict with NATO and with the whole world, and present themselves as victims, as some Balkan [Volodymyr] Zelensky, with us as the aggressors,” Vucic told Serbian MPs.

But as Vucic addressed MPs in Belgrade, Kurti in Pristina had in fact made a sudden U-turn on the Association, showing a new willingness to discuss the issue – albeit under six conditions.

International

Kosovo Govt Moves to Expropriate Land in North Despite Protests (BIRN)

Kosovo’s government decided on Thursday to approve expropriation of property for infrastructure projects “of public interest” in the Serb-majority north despite locals protesting earlier that day that such decisions were illegal.

The government took two decisions in an electronic meeting. The first authorized the Ministry of Environment, Spatial Planning and Infrastructure “to carry out preparatory work for determining the potential suitability of one or more parcels of real estate for the realization of ‘Infrastructure Projects for Public Interest’, Cadastral Areas: Dren and Lesak/Leshak, Leposavic Municipality”.

The second was “on the further consideration of the request … for expropriation for public interest of real estate properties, which are necessary for the realization of ‘Infrastructural Projects for Public Interest’,” in Leposavic and Zubik Potok.

Locals in the village of Dren in Leposavic protested earlier on Thursday against the planned expropriation of properties.