UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, February 3, 2025

Albanian Language Media:

Osmani remembers 10 Albanian civilians killed in Mitrovica North in 2000 (media)
Serbs on elections in Kosovo: “Important to have someone fighting for us” (RFE)
Zubin Potok mayor: Fourth time I’m being threatened by the same person (media)
Reporter publishes leaked conversations including DPM Bislimi (media)
Pristina mayor declares state of emergency with waste management (RFE)
KSF members conduct HAR-66 training with Turkish Armed Forces (media)

Serbian Language Media:

Atiq: Social service workers in North Mitrovica left this institution in the Kosovo system (KoSSev)
Serbian Democracy reported alleged vote buying by Rasic'c party, KP opened the case (KoSSev)
Bogojevic denies allegations of buying votes by the party "For Freedom, Justice and Survival" in Leposavic (KoSSev)
Students in North Mitrovica in another act of silence for the victims in Novi Sad, along with a couple of professors (KoSSev, KiM radio)
Freezing American aid, reducing the military presence in Kosovo would have greater consequences (KoSSev, KiM radio, Koha)
Dacic: There will be no transitional or crisis gov'ts, new gov't better option than elections (Tanjug, TV Prva)
Vucic calls for immediate talks with professors, university representatives (FoNet, N1)
Serbian lawyers launch 30-day strike supporting student protests (Beta, N1, KoSSev)

International Media:

‘Just Surviving’: Kosovo Serbs struggle with shutdown of Serbian-run institutions (BIRN)
Serbian lawyers suspend work for month in support of protests (BIRN)

Albanian Language Media

Osmani remembers 10 Albanian civilians killed in Mitrovica North in 2000 (media)

Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani said in a statement today that “on the 25th anniversary we remember the two nights of horror, February 3 and February 4 in 2000, in the northern part of Mitrovica, as we honor with deep respect the lost lives of 10 innocent civilians, including elderly, women and children – who were killed by criminal gangs incited by Serbia. Another 24 citizens were wounded in the brutal attack and are proof of the barbarism of those two nights. Another painful proof are 1,564 families, with a total of 11,364 members, who were forcefully expelled from their homes, clear evidence of efforts by criminal gangs to carry out ethnic cleansing in that part of Mitrovica”. Osmani also said that justice for the victims and the punishment of the perpetrators of the crimes remain a necessity for lasting peace.

Serbs on elections in Kosovo: “Important to have someone fighting for us” (RFE)

The February 9 parliamentary elections are of great importance for Serbs living in Kosovo, citizens in Mitrovica North and Gracanica, political and civil society representatives told the news website. They all agree that the policy of boycotting Kosovo’s institutions must change and that the problems of the Serb community need an institutional approach.

Miodrag Marinkovic from the NGO Center for Affirmative Social Action (CASA) said members of the Serb community are aware that the boycott policy has failed. He said there is a big number of citizens that will vote in the Kosovo elections for the first time. “I think that this time there will be a record-setting participation of Serbs in the Kosovo elections,” he said.

Dusa Radakovic, regional coordination of Democracy in Action – a network of non-governmental organizations that monitors elections in Kosovo, said that the February 9 elections are important for the Serb community because they are the first ones in two years that the Serbs will not boycott. However, he doesn’t expect they will be easily encouraged to vote, because of all events that have happened following the withdrawal of Serbs from Kosovo institutions.

Bosilka from Gracanica – a municipality close to Pristina – said she believes that the February 9 elections are important for Serbs in Kosovo because they can elect their right political representatives and who in her opinion will enable their survival. “For those of us who live here, elections must be important. I simply want to stay here and live here; I was born here, and I would not like to go anywhere else. Therefore, it is important to have someone to fight for us,” she said.

Jovica from Gracanica said he believes the elections are important for the Serb community but adds that he doesn’t trust the politicians. “I have grown tired of politics,” he said, but adds that he will vote “because we must”.

Zubin Potok mayor: Fourth time I’m being threatened by the same person (media)

Mayor of the municipality of Zubin Potok, Izmir Zeqiri, said in a Facebook post today that he has been threatened for the fourth time now through social media by the same person. “I have been threatened through social media by the same criminal for the fourth time now. This coward of the Serbian Ministry of Interior Affairs makes death threats against me and insults the heroes and historical figures of the Albanian people. This coward does not dare face me but threatens me through social media,” he wrote.

Kosovo Police Deputy Director for the north, Veton Elshani, told Koha news website that the case has been reported to the police and the department of serious crimes is working on it.

Reporter publishes leaked conversations including DPM Bislimi (media)

Journalist Lirim Mehmetaj published in a Facebook post a conversation from a group chat on WhatsApp including Deputy Prime Minister Besnik Bislimi and former chief executive officer of the Kosovo Power Corporation Nagip Krasniqi. Part of the chat group were also Prime Minister Albin Kurti, government ministers Artane Rizvanolli and Hekuran Murati, and Vetevendosje senior member Dejona Mihali. In one part of the leaked conversation, Bislimi reportedly tells Krasniqi to give a reportedly €20 million tender to a company for repairing a block of the power plant although the company did not meet the requirements and should have been dismissed from the process. Mehmetaj argues in his Facebook post that despite all this the company never finished the work and “Kosovo ended up with millions of euros lost from having to buy electricity”.

Pristina mayor declares state of emergency with waste management (RFE)

Pristina mayor Perparim Rama has declared today a state of emergency with waste management, telling a press conference that the regional public company “Pastrimi”, which is currently the only company engaged in waste collection in Pristina, has not proved to be efficient. “We will use the state of emergency that we have declared to hire private companies so that they can help with the proper cleaning of the capital city,” he said.

In 2024, the municipality also declared a state of emergency and temporarily hired private operators to help with waste management. But Rama said long-term recruitment was rendered impossible by opposition municipal councilors who adopted a regulation giving the Pastrimi company the exclusive right for waste management.

In 2024, workers of Pastrimi company complained and protested in front of the municipal building against the recruitment of private companies arguing that it constituted a threat for their bankruptcy.

KSF members conduct HAR-66 training with Turkish Armed Forces (media)

The Kosovo Security Force (KSF) said in a Facebook post that “within the framework of cooperation between the Turkish Armed Forces and Kosovo Security Force, training for HAR-66 equipment has been successfully carried out. This training was carried out in two Ground Forces regiments in order to increase combat capabilities and professional preparation of FSK members.

Continuous cooperation between the two forces contributes to advancing operational capabilities and strengthening the strategic partnership between the two countries. The Kosovo Security Force remains committed to developing and building its capacities, to be increasingly ready to meet its mission and duties”.

Serbian Language Media

Atiq: Social service workers in North Mitrovica left this institution in the Kosovo system (KoSSev)

All Social Service workers in the northern part of Mitrovica in the Kosovo system submitted their resignations last Monday, before the service was moved to a new location, reported KoSSev today.

This was confirmed by the current mayor, Erden Atiq, at the session of the North Mitrovica Municipality Assembly on Friday.

''We are talking about workers who worked in both the Serbian and Kosovo systems''.

Atic claimed that these workers came last Friday, without specifying where, and that they were then told to practically decide for which institution they would work.

"We, as a municipality, have been trying to treat all citizens equally since day one. We asked that one official work in only one institution, not two," he continued.

After they gave up their work in the Kosovo institution, the municipality, the mayor added, will be forced to announce a competition.

And the competition for the director of this service is underway and it lasts until February 26, according to the website of the Municipality of North Mitrovica.

Serbian Democracy reported alleged vote buying by Rasic'c party, KP opened the case (KoSSev)

The Serbian Democracy Party filed a criminal complaint for alleged vote buying by the "For Freedom, Justice and Survival" party of Nenad Rasic. As confirmed for KoSSev in the police, one person has already been questioned, and a case of "giving or receiving a bribe" has been initiated.

Serbian Democracy came out last night with allegations about, as they claim, the buying of votes for the elections to be held on Sunday by the party of the current Minister for Communities and Returns in the Kosovo government, Nenad Rasic.

Bogojevic denies allegations of buying votes by the party "For Freedom, Justice and Survival" in Leposavic (KoSSev)

KoSSev reported on a denial received from the party "For Freedom, Justice and Survival". Marina Bogojevic, the current deputy mayor of the municipality of Leposavic, and also one of the candidates for deputy on the party list of this party. KoSSev published the denial in full:

''Regarding the untrue and malicious claims made by Mr. Arsenijevic, who accuses me of allegedly buying votes through the Freedom, Justice and Survival party, I categorically deny these falsehoods and consider them an attempt to discredit my work and political engagement.

The municipality of Leposavic has a memorandum of cooperation with the Ministry of Communities and Return, which clearly confirms that our actions are not politically motivated, but exclusively humanitarian and in the service of citizens.

Our only goal was to help people who, due to the difficult economic situation, are unable to hand over documentation to the Ministry in person. To make this process easier for them, the Municipality organized the collection and sending of applications by our official vehicles.

This move was purely humanitarian in nature, without any political or electoral calculation. Let me emphasize that the donations coming from the Ministry will be implemented in the coming months.

Such attacks are an obvious attempt to manipulate the public and divert attention from the essential problems our citizens face. Instead of spreading misinformation, I call on Mr. Arsenijevic to lead the political fight with arguments and concrete solutions for our community.

Citizens are the ones who decide who to trust, not falsehoods and fabricated accusations. I continue my fight For Freedom, Justice and Survival, believing that citizens recognize sincere intention and dedicated work.

Sincerely,

M. Bogojevic

Candidate for MP from the Freedom, Justice and Survival list"

Students in North Mitrovica in another act of silence for the victims in Novi Sad, along with a couple of professors (KoSSev, KiM radio)

For the third time in North Mitrovica, and the second time in the organization of students, a meeting called "15 minutes of silence for 15 victims" was held today in front of the Faculty of Philosophy.

Beginning at 11:52, the silence in memory of the 15 victims of the accident that occurred when the canopy of the renovated railway station in Novi Sad fell - lasted exactly 15 minutes.

The event was organized by the students of the University of Pristina with the Temporary Headquarters in North Mitrovica, who launched this initiative for the second time.

About a hundred students and citizens were present.

Students in the first row held a large banner with the inscription "Corruption kills", but also "Who can study while his conscience is tormenting him", "Support for students and pupils from Kosovo and Metohija", and there is also the message "RTS is waking up".

KoSSev reported that some professors from the University of Pristina were with the students for the first time today.

Freezing American aid, reducing the military presence in Kosovo would have greater consequences (KoSSev, KiM radio, Koha)

Of the projects and programs worth around 130 million euros from the United States of America for Kosovo, it is not known how much has been used so far, and how much has been frozen after President Donald Trump's decision to suspend foreign aid for a period of three months, reported KoSSev, citing Koha.

According to the economic expert, Emanuel Bajra, this decision also has its good side, because Kosovo has created an unhealthy dependence on foreign donations.

Grants and donations to support the justice system, government transparency and accountability, and improving the energy market have been frozen following US President Donald Trump's decision to suspend foreign aid for 90 days.

Funds from the USA arrive in Kosovo mainly through the Agency for International Development, USAID.

In August last year, Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani signed a grant worth 34.5 million dollars with this agency.

In addition, USAID in Kosovo has projects to support the judicial system worth 24 million euros, for transparency and citizen involvement in local decision-making worth 26 million euros, for the improvement of energy worth 12 million euros and other activities and programs worth approx. 31 million euros.

Of these projects worth approximately 130 million euros, it is not known how much has been used so far, and how much has remained frozen.

And since the post-war period, USAID has invested about one billion dollars in Kosovo.

In this regard, Koha sent questions to the Government, but did not receive an answer.

USAID's response states that, except for humanitarian aid that helps save lives, all other funds have been frozen.

"Currently, all programs and grants using foreign aid funds, except those that received an exemption approved by the Secretary of State, have been suspended for a thorough review," the response stated.

Economist Bajra believes that stopping donations from the USA has its positive side, because, as he said, Kosovo has created an unhealthy dependence on foreign donations.

"We are a growing economy, and we have to find another way, to create another, more dynamic financial and economic architecture in the country, so that dependence on donations is not our main goal, the main goal of policy making, and this was historically done in Kosovo," said Bajra.

According to him, after the evaluation period of 90 days, the US was expected to continue with foreign aid, but in a smaller amount and in other ways.

This economist believes that reducing the US military presence would have greater consequences.

"Chances are it's also time to consider America's military position outside of America's borders. This, I think, is more dangerous for the world, more dangerous for us and Europe, if there is a troop withdrawal," he said.

In addition to public institutions, civil society, businesses and the media have also benefited from the support of American agencies in Kosovo.

Dacic: There will be no transitional or crisis gov'ts, new gov't better option than elections (Tanjug, TV Prva)

Serbian Interior Minister Ivica Dacic said on Monday there would be no transitional, expert or crisis governments in the country and that his suggestion was that, following the resignation of PM Milos Vucevic, a new government should be formed as it was better to avoid early elections.

Speaking to Prva TV, Dacic said there should be a regularity in terms of the mandates of significant institutions such as legislative and executive authorities and noted that the parliamentary majority was not under threat and that it could form a new government.

He said the opposition would "not be delighted" with a new government and noted that even potential obstruction in parliament or violent attempts to threaten institutions would be no obstacle to forming a new government.

Asked what was more certain to happen - a new government or new elections - Dacic said he had not discussed the subject with President Aleksandar Vucic but that no one was able to come to power without elections and that he was certain there would be no transitional, expert or revolutionary governments and that Vucic, who he noted was the only one who had the powers to put forward a PM-designate, would not propose something like that.

Vucic calls for immediate talks with professors, university representatives (FoNet, N1)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said Sunday that dialogue is healing and is the only path to solutions, emphasizing the importance of starting discussions with professors and university representatives as soon as possible, while stressing that no one is avoiding responsibility.

In an Instagram video, Vucic reiterated that there will be no transitional government, and that new elections will be inevitable if a new government is not formed following Prime Minister Milos Vucevic’s resignation.

“Serbia must get a Serbian government, if that is possible at all. If not, we must proceed with new elections. We don’t need governments imposed from the outside and forced upon us without elections and the people’s will,” Vucic said.

Alluding to the mass student protest held over the weekend in Novi Sad, Vucic added that he will remain an unwavering critic of those who believe that “a carnival and Exit festival atmosphere is the appropriate way to pay respects to the victims of the Novi Sad tragedy.” (Exit is a summer music festival held annually in the city of Novi Sad).

He thanked all participants of the 24-hour protest in Novi Sad that began on Saturday, as well as those who disagreed with the protests but peacefully and patiently waited for them to end.

Vucic emphasized that this was important for maintaining peace and stability.

Serbian lawyers launch 30-day strike supporting student protests (Beta, N1, KoSSev)

The Serbian Bar Association voted Sunday during an emergency assembly to suspend work for 30 days in solidarity with student protesters and to address growing concerns over legal independence.

The Association said the strike aims to support student demands while also protesting what the association describes as threats to the rule of law and the autonomy of Serbia’s legal profession.

During the stoppage, lawyers will maintain minimal services to ensure their clients’ fundamental rights and interests remain protected.

International

‘Just Surviving’: Kosovo Serbs struggle with shutdown of Serbian-run institutions (BIRN)

Already struggling, Kosovo Serbs say the closure of Serbian post offices and other bodies by the Pristina authorities has made their daily lives a whole lot harder.

Once a month, 57-year-old Sladjan Pavlovic makes a 300-kilometre round trip just to pick up his Serbian state disability pension.

He used to collect it in the nearby village of Gorazdevac, in western Kosovo, at a branch of the Serbian postal service.

A year ago, however, authorities in majority-Albanian Kosovo gave minority Serbs an ultimatum to start using the euro only, not the Serbian dinar, in a crackdown on so-called ‘parallel institutions’ still run by Serbia more than 15 years after Kosovo declared independence.

Straight away, on February 7, 2024, the post office branch in Gorazdevac was closed; police shut down another nine the following August in the four Serb-majority municipalities in the north of Kosovo; the last remaining branches, in Gracanice/Gracanica near the capital Pristina and Rahovec/Orahovac in the west, closed in January this year.

Kosovo said it was simply enforcing the law, but the move has had an impact on the daily lives of Kosovo Serbs, particularly pensioners and those with special needs who were already struggling.