UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, February 7, 2023

Albanian Language Media:

Kurti: Serbia deprived northern municipalities of development (media)
Konjufca: A new form of Association must be found (media)
The U.S. welcomes Kosovo's decision to accept the EU proposal (media)
Kurti met US Permanent Representative to OSCE, Michael Carpenter (media)
Konjufca to Szunyog: dialogue with Serbia must conclude with mutual recognition (media)
Abdixiku: Two years of governing to be celebrated with unkept promises (media)
LDK: Kosovo does not need a basic agreement that does not contain recognition (media)
Hoti: Five points that should be included in Kosovo's agreement with Serbia (media)
Hoxhaj: The dialogue has never been more non-transparent than now (media)
Tahiri: Plan accepted without opposition or LVV consent, without mutual recognition, with Association (media)

Serbian Language Media:

Stano: We are ready to organise high level dialogue, but no date yet (RTS, Tanjug)
Vecernje Novosti: Elections in October or November (Danas)
Dacic: I expect MP Stevic to resign today (RTS, Nova, N1, media)
SPS supports President Vucic's policy regarding Kosovo and Metohija (RTS, Tanjug)
Lajcak: I am glad Kosovo accepted EU proposal in principle (Beta, N1)
Vucic: ''Mutual recognition? Dream on'' (Kontakt plus radio, media)
Milivojevic: The smouldering conflict between the SNS and the SPS should not be viewed fatalistically (Beta, NMagazin)
Criminal complaint filed against a wounded Serbian young man and a minor of Albanian nationality (N1, Srna, RTS)
A criminal complaint filed against the young man who was attacked by the Albanians (N1, Srna, RTS)
Mural of the world's best tennis player destroyed in Orahovac (KiM radio)
Savo Manojlovic: ROSU must go from the north of Kosovo (Danas)
Serbian military chief meets US Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff (FoNet, Tanjug, N1)

Opinion:

Tadic: West created precedent now used by Putin (N1, media)

International:

EU’s carbon levy poses new test for Western Balkan integration (Euractive)
Countries Worldwide Mobilize Aid Following Earthquake in Turkey, Syria (VoA)

Humanitarian/Development:

Europe, US, Balkan Countries, Pledge Aid for Quake-Hit Turkey (Balkan Insight)
Serbia sends rescue teams to Turkey (N1)

Albanian Language Media

Kurti: Serbia deprived northern municipalities of development (media)

The Prime Minister of Kosovo Albin Kurti took to Twitter to write that ‘The international community should hold Serbia's Government accountable for depriving these 4 northern municipalities of proper development. Its coercion of local citizens via a handful of criminals, led by US Treasury-blacklisted money, narcotics, and weapons traffickers, should be publicly condemned.’

“Ten Serb-majority municipalities in Kosovo have received on average 62% more budget (as a whole) per capita, as well as 89% more in capital expenditures per capita than the other 28 municipalities, 27 of which are Albanian-majority.

This is shown by Kosovo’s Ministry of Finance Budget Department data from the last 14 yrs (’08-’22). When it comes to budget utilisation, the 6 relatively well-integrated Serb-majority municipalities in the south of Kosovo have consistently performed better than the 4 in the north.

Serb politicians and municipal leaders in the 6 southern municipalities were willing and able to plan, secure and implement more education, health, and transport infrastructure for their citizens than the 4 in the north,” Kurti tweeted.

Konjufca: A new form of Association must be found (media)

The Speaker of the Assembly of Kosovo Glauk Konjufca has said that the French-German plan is acceptable for Kosovo, since there is no Association of municipalities with a Serb majority in it. However, he admitted that according to the plan, Kosovo takes an obligation to implement the agreements so far. And since the Association has been dismissed by the Constitutional Court, according to him, a new form of Association must be found.

Konjufca has said that international representatives have requested that confidentiality be maintained and that the Plan, originally known as French-German, not be made public.

"So, Kosovo takes a certain obligation for the agreements that have been reached so far in the dialogue, so in this aspect it can be said explicitly that it is the reference of the Association. But the issue is that this Association was rejected by the Constitution and now the issue is to find a new form of Association," Konjufca told the media.

The U.S. welcomes Kosovo's decision to accept the EU proposal (media)

The U.S. Ambassador to Kosovo Jeffrey Hovenier has stated that they welcome the decision of the Kosovo institutions to accept the French-German proposal for an agreement with Serbia.

“The United States is encouraged by and welcomes the decision by Kosovo also to accept the EU Proposal in principle, and we will continue to provide our full support to the EU-facilitated Dialogue. The interim agreement will bring significant benefits to both Kosovo and Serbia,” Hovenier tweeted.

Kurti met US Permanent Representative to OSCE, Ambassador Michael Carpenter (media)

The Prime Minister of Kosovo Albin Kurti met the Permanent Representative of the United States of America to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), Ambassador Michael Carpenter.

During the meeting, they discussed the continuation of cooperation and coordination between the government of Kosovo and representatives of the United States of America, as well as the OSCE.

“In the joint meeting with the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Donika Gervalla and the Ambassador of the United States of America in Kosovo, Jeff Hovenier, the political developments in the country and the political situation in the region were also discussed.

Speaking about the processes and issues related to the dialogue between the Republic of Kosovo and Serbia, as well as other related topics, Prime Minister Kurti reiterated that the Government of the Republic of Kosovo is committed to principled dialogue, which should benefit the citizens of both countries.

Prime Minister Kurti said that the European proposal for the normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia is acceptable as a good basis for further discussions and a solid platform to move forward,” the press release reads.

Konjufca to Szunyog: dialogue with Serbia must conclude with mutual recognition (media)

The Speaker of the Assembly of Kosovo Glauk Konjufca received in a meeting today the Head of the European Union Office in Kosovo, Ambassador Tomas Szunyog.

According to the announcement of the Assembly, Konjufca stated that the dialogue process with Serbia should be concluded with a legally and internationally binding agreement for the full normalisation of relations with mutual recognition at the centre.

It is also said that views were exchanged on current political developments, the activity and priorities of the Assembly, as well as on mutual cooperation and the European agenda of Kosovo.

"Speaker Konjufca and Ambassador Szunyog expressed their willingness to deepen cooperation in order to support the Assembly and its bodies," the media release states.

Abdixiku: Two years of governing to be celebrated with unkept promises (media)

The leader of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) Lumir Abdixhiku, through a video message, said that in a few days, the Kurti government will celebrate two years of governing, at a time when families are trying to make ends meet, when the health system is in crisis, when young people are leaving Kosovo, when the cost of living is increasing and when, according to him, everyone's wages remain low.

"In two years of power, we have realised how worthless the promises made were. We understood the lack of sensitivity of the authorities in every crisis that our people face."

"We understood the internal arrogance, and the unnecessary clash with allies outside. So, we understood the inability of the government to deliver the change that Kosovo deserves," Abdixhiku said.

Further, he said that during the following days, the LDK will number the government's failures, since according to him, Kosovo can do much better.

"We will also share our plans because we believe that our country deserves better and Kosovo will become better," he said.

LDK: Kosovo does not need a basic agreement that does not contain recognition (media)

The Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) has reacted after Kosovo’s acceptance in principle of the EU's proposal for the agreement with Serbia. LDK once again repeats its position, made on January 16 at the meeting of the Central leadership on the dialogue process.

"LDK considers that Kosovo does not need a basic agreement that does not include recognition. Our country needs a final agreement that contains in essence mutual recognition between the two countries - as independent and sovereign states," the communiqué states.

According to this party, any deviation from this strategic orientation is the irreparable responsibility of the current government.

In the communiqué, it is said that the LDK demands a report from the Prime Minister to the Assembly of Kosovo on the dialogue process, because, according to the LDK, ignoring the institution of the people's representatives does not give legitimacy to any vital process for the country.

Hoti: Five points that should be included in Kosovo's agreement with Serbia (media)

The former prime minister of Kosovo, MP Avdullah Hoti has mentioned five points related to the agreement between Kosovo and Serbia.

“The agreement with Serbia should be:

FINAL – not halfway, because otherwise it remains an open problem for the future, and this increases political uncertainty in the entire region;
LEGALLY BINDING – which is ratified in the Assemblies of both countries.
WITH INTERNATIONAL GUARANTEE - where the EU and the US assume certain obligations arising from the agreement, in particular regarding the Euro-Atlantic integration of Kosovo.
FOR NORMALISATION OF RELATIONS - where all issues between the two countries are addressed based on European standards of good neighbourliness; an d
FOR MUTUAL RECOGNITION,” Hoti wrote.

Hoxhaj: The dialogue has never been more non-transparent than now (media)

Former foreign minister of Kosovo, MP Enver Hoxhaj, through a status on Facebook has criticized Prime Minister Kurti and his government for conducting a closed and non-transparent dialogue.

"Dialogue with Serbia has never been a more closed and non-transparent process, as it is now, where neither the citizens, nor the opposition, nor the public opinion know who Prime Minister Kurti and his government are saying YES to in a restaurant, without anyone in the Assembly of Kosovo knowing what these plans contain and what they are accepting, what is the final result!" Hoxhaj wrote.

Tahiri: Plan accepted without opposition or LVV consent, without mutual recognition, with Association (media)

The former chief negotiator of the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue Edita Tahiri has accused the Prime Minister of Kosovo Albin Kurti, of not asking either the opposition or his party, Vetevendosje Movement, when, according to her, he accepted the EU plan without mutual recognition between Kosovo and Serbia, but with the Association.

She described this as total institutional irresponsibility.

Serbian Language Media

Stano: We are ready to organise high level dialogue, but no date yet (RTS, Tanjug)

The European Union cannot yet announce the date of the high-level dialogue meeting between Belgrade and Pristina in Brussels, said Peter Stano, spokesman for the Union's high representative for foreign policy, reported RTS.

"EU Special Representative Miroslav Lajcak travelled to the region for progress in the dialogue and to make it clear to the partners in Pristina and Belgrade that the EU expects progress. On the table is a European proposal on how to move forward and make progress on the way to normalisation of relations between Belgrade and Pristina. I have nothing to add to what our special representative said on the ground. As for the high-level dialogue, it is understood that we are always ready to welcome them and organise a meeting," Stano told Tanjug agency when asked whether a high-level dialogue meeting is expected in Brussels soon.

He added that the EU will announce when the time comes and that now it cannot announce such a meeting.

Lajcak announced on his Twitter account the continuation of the talks at the high-level meeting, recalled RTS.

Vecernje Novosti: Elections in October or November (Danas)

Daily Vecernje Novosti wrote that if a decision was made to go to the elections, then they could most realistically be held in October or November, cited Danas daily.

It was reported that ''if the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, entered the campaign as a candidate for Prime Minister on behalf of the SNS, he would first have to resign from the position of President of the State, and the progressives would nominate someone else for this position''.

Daily Vecernje Novosti added that in this case, ''the provincial elections would also be included in this election cycle, which turn was next year, as well as the Belgrade elections, since part of the opposition in the capital is seeking those elections''.

Media recalled that last night the president of the SNS told his party colleagues that he was dissatisfied with the behaviour of the SPS and that he would not ''agree to their blackmailing and of the West, and that he was even ready to go to the elections as a candidate for a prime minister'', reported Danas.

The media, close to the government, reported last night that the vote could be held in September.

Dacic: I expect MP Stevic to resign today (RTS, Nova, N1, media)

SPS MP Zvonimir Stevic should resign, and I expect him to do so today, said the leader of the Socialist Party of Serbia, Ivica Dacic, regarding the video that appeared in the media.

Dacic repeated that President Aleksandar Vucic has his absolute support, reported RTS.

"As for Mladjan Djordjevic, Vladeta Jankovic and other opposition members, I can only say that the policy led by Aleksandar Vucic has my complete and absolute support, that they do not count on me to overthrow Vucic. For me, they do not exist as an option," said Dacic.

According to information from the SPS portal Nova.rs reported that MP of the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) and the former vice-president of the Assembly Snezana Paunovic will no longer be the vice-president of the Assembly.

In addition, as N1 learns, Socialist MP Zvonko Stevic resigned from his post after a video appeared on social networks showing him watching a film for adults during the session on Kosovo.

Nova recalled that Belgrade media reported yesterday that the president of the Serbian Progressive Party, Aleksandar Vucic, said at a meeting of the party's leadership that he was ready to go to the elections as a candidate for prime minister, but that "he will not give in under blackmail - neither by the West, nor by the SPS, nor false right-wingers", reported N1.

SPS supports President Vucic's policy regarding Kosovo and Metohija (RTS, Tanjug)

The Socialist Party of Serbia remains firmly with the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, and supports his policy regarding Kosovo and Metohija, said the SPS party president, Ivica Dacic last night.

Ivica Dacic told Tanjug agency that this has been their common policy for 11 years, reported RTS.

As Vecernje Novosti reported, a hint of a complete change in the current political panorama in the country was made during the summing up of the recent session of the National Assembly devoted to Kosovo and Metohija, and Vucic said that the SNS was alone in defending the state's interests and that he had the people with him.

"I am very disappointed with the behaviour of the socialists, who were somewhere in between, wanting to please everyone," SNS sources told Novosti about Vucic's words.

Lajcak: I am glad Kosovo accepted EU proposal in principle (Beta, N1)

European Union’s (EU) special envoy for the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue Miroslav Lajcak said he was glad that Kosovo accepted in principle the EU proposal for the normalisation of relations between Serbia and Kosovo, reported N1.

“I’m glad that Kosovo now also accepted the 🇪🇺 Proposal in principle. We will continue our discussions at a high-level meeting,” Lajcak wrote on Twitter.

The EU senior official added that he spoke Monday in Pristina with Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti and Kosovo chief negotiator Besnik Bislimi as well as with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and head of the Serbian Government’s Office for Kosovo Petar Petkovic in Belgrade.

Following his meeting with Lajcak on Monday evening Vucic wrote on Instagram that they had a ”friendly and open talk.”

“Friendly and open talk with Miroslav Lajcak. When I say open, I really mean it. You understand me,” Vucic added.

Kurti said after his meeting with Lajcak that Pristina accepts the EU proposal on normalisation of relations with Belgrade and that it is a “good basis for further discussion and a solid platform for moving forward” and added that “certain questions on international guarantees, implementation mechanisms and time sequencing will be addressed soon during the Brussels talks ahead.”

Vucic: ''Mutual recognition? Dream on'' (Kontakt plus radio, media)

"Mutual recognition? Dream on. Long live Serbia!" - is part of tonight's video message of Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic.

Vucic spoke after the latest statement by the US Special Envoy for the Western Balkans, Gabriel Escobar, about "mutual recognition" in the context of the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina.

"We believe that all the countries of the region should recognize each other, reduce trade barriers, help solve open issues that have been there since the 1990s, and progress in the process of European integration," Escobar told the Pavlovic Today portal.

This, however, is not the first time that messages about the recognition of Kosovo by Serbia have come from the USA, whose officials have repeatedly stated that this is the ultimate goal of the dialogue. What specifically caused Vucic's reaction tonight is not known, reported Kontakt plus radio.

Along with the message about dreaming of "mutual recognition" on his Instagram account, Vucic also referred to the latest statement by Rada Trajkovic, adviser to the Kosovo Minister for Communities and Return.

Trajkovic told daily Danas that Vucic was seeking "abolition for his family and criminals from the north of Kosovo for accepting the agreement", that is, the French-German plan.

Vucic called Trajkovic a "Western agent", and stated:

"She's lying, lying, like all those in the assembly who were saying all that nonsense. They defend me just like my coalition partners. That's why, people, just keep in mind, my family is here, they will stay in Serbia, just like me. We are not afraid of anyone because we have not stolen anything. We are guilty because we defended Serbia, and we defend Serbia and we will defend Serbia", reported Kontakt plus radio.

Milivojevic: The smouldering conflict between the SNS and the SPS should not be viewed fatalistically (Beta, NMagazin)

Political scientist Cvijetin Milivojevic said today that the "smouldering conflict" between the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) and the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) should not be viewed fatalistically, assessing that there are a number of possibilities for disentangling that conflict, reported portal NMagazin.

Milivojevic told the Beta agency that the president of Serbia and SNS, Aleksandar Vucic, is trying to buy time with this conflict, after several announcements that he will leave the post of head of the political party, as well as the post of president.

"The simplest solution to the conflict is for the government to last until September, and after that Vucic could be prime minister and remain at the head of the SNS," said Milivojevic.

He reminded that according to the Constitution, Vucic cannot run for a third presidential term and added that if he were prime minister, by law he could remain at the head of a political party.

According to his words, Vucic behaved at the session of the Assembly on Kosovo and Metohija as the leader of a political party, and not as the president of the state, as evidenced by the quarrels with the opposition MPs, stating that he almost managed the session of the parliament, reported the portal.

Criminal complaint filed against a wounded Serbian young man and a minor of Albanian nationality (N1, Srna, RTS)

Boban Djuzic (19), who was attacked last week by three Albanians in the village of Mogile near Vitina, was filed a criminal complaint at the police station in Klokot, Djuzic's lawyer Vasilije Arsic told RTS. The report was also filed against the minor attacker L.E, reported N1.

Arsic said that the minor Albanian L.E. was determined measure of house arrest.

"Boban Djuzic will be questioned after leaving the hospital, after which we will know what measure has been decided against him," said Arsic, reminding that the Prosecutor's Office does not yet have the qualification of a criminal offence, and that the doctor's report was awaited.

Boban Djuzic was stabbed twice in the shoulder when, as he said, three Albanians from the village attacked him.

Mural of the world's best tennis player destroyed in Orahovac (KiM radio)

The mural with the image of Novak Djokovic, the world's best tennis player, which was painted in Orahovac, was destroyed last night by unknown perpetrators, reported KiM radio.

White paint was thrown on Novak Djokovic's image. However, the message in Italian and Serbian: "There is no going back, not even to catch a run", is still visible

During the last year, the Italian organisation "Friends of Decani" hired several artists who portrayed the greats of Serbian literature, art, sports, and doctors, as well as dignitaries of the Serbian Orthodox Church, in several regions of Kosovo.

Apart from Orahovac, murals were also painted in Velika Hoca, Strpce, Gracanica...

According to the latest ATP list, Novak Djokovic is once again the best tennis player in the world.

Savo Manojlovic: ROSU must go from the north of Kosovo (Danas)

The campaign director of the “Kreni-Promeni” movement and the president of the Association for the Protection of Constitutionality and Legality, Savo Manojlovic, said yesterday that ROSU must leave the north of Kosovo, in order to defuse the tensions and allow the area to return to the state it was in before December last year.

He pointed out that the militarization of the area represents a danger for the entire region. In a written statement, Manojlovic recalled that during the debate in the National Assembly, the President of Serbia repeatedly asked to hear a concrete proposal and solution regarding the situation in Kosovo.

“One of the key problems is the existence of special Kosovo ROSU units in northern Kosovo. It is the first time in these 23 years that you have a continuous presence of Kosovo Albanian security forces in the North of Kosovo, where the majority Serb population lives. They are present there ever since the barricades that Vucic organised, then withdrew without a single concrete goal of those protests. The arrested police officers were not released, nor the ROSU forces that came and set up bases withdrew. According to all agreements, accords, negotiations between Serbs, Albanians, the international community... and even the Constitution of Kosovo itself, in areas with a Serbian majority, only the existence of police forces made up of members of the Serbian people (the police must express the ethnic structure) is possible,” Manojlovic pointed out among other things.

“In that area, you don’t have regular police forces, but militarised special units with guns and balaclavas, and this causes great fear from the local point of view,” he said.

He emphasised that at the beginning of the year, a member of the Kosovo Security Forces shot and wounded two Serbian boys in Strpce, adding that there is incredible fear and tension among people, and that such a situation is a serious threat to peace.

“We ask the representatives of Serbs, Albanians, and international representatives to first resolve this issue. That’s why we launched a petition at the request of people from the North of Kosovo. With this petition, we want to raise this issue in public, so that all three parties can deal with it in the negotiations. Instead of idle chatting, here is a concrete solution to reduce tension and fear. This must be the first point of any negotiations. The current situation in the North of Kosovo represents playing with a match on a powder keg, and we deeply believe that only peace is in everyone’s interest. Otherwise, you have the militarization of the area, which makes the axis of Kosovo, metaphorically speaking, the Middle East in terms of tensions and instability,” Savo Manojlovic concluded.

Serbian military chief meets US Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff (FoNet, Tanjug, N1)

Serbian Chief of Staff General Milan Mojsilovic, who is paying an official visit to the United States, had several bilateral meetings with senior officials of the US Ministry of Defense in Washington at which they discussed the current security situation in the world and challenges in the region, as well as bilateral military cooperation between Serbia and the US.

General Mojsilovic had separate meetings in the Pentagon with the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the US Armed Forces, General Mark Milley, and other officials of the US Department of Defense and described the talks as “open, meaningful, professional and focused on the future,” said the Serbian Defense Ministry.

Serbian Ambassador to Washington Marko Djuric also attended the meetings.

The Chief of the Serbian Armed Forces General Staff is also to meet with the Chief of the US National Guard Bureau, General Daniel Hokanson, with whom he will discuss bilateral military cooperation in areas of mutual interest, with an emphasis on the cooperation of the Serbian Armed Forces with the Ohio National Guard, said the press release.

Opinion

Tadic: West created precedent now used by Putin (N1, media)

Former Serbian President Boris Tadic said in an opinion piece for Nationalinterest.org that the West that created the legal precedent which Russian President Vladimir Putin is using for his own goals, reported N1.

Tadic recalled Putin’s speech in which he accused the West of having “trampled on the principle of the inviolability of borders, and now it is deciding, at its own discretion, who has the right to self-determination and who does not”. “For those with long-enough memories, this refers to Kosovo. When the ethnic-Albanian leadership of the Serbian province unilaterally declared independence in 2008, most of the West immediately recognized it as a state,” Tadic wrote.

“The UN Charter, which guarantees the sovereignty and territorial integrity of its members, was simply ignored. For Putin, his salami slicing of other nations begins with Kosovo: it has been repeatedly cited as precedent in recognizing or annexing South Ossetia, Abkhazia, Crimea, and now the latest regions in eastern and southern Ukraine,” he added.

Full article available at: https://bit.ly/3HCns13

International

EU’s carbon levy poses new test for Western Balkan integration (Euractive)

The European Union’s newly agreed carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM) will likely test Western Balkan countries vying for bloc membership as they seek to align themselves with the EU acquis.

Last year, the EU agreed to implement the world’s first levy on imports of carbon-intensive goods as a way to incentivise its trade partners to have stronger climate policies and to protect its industries.

The measure will start to bite from 2026 and will include imports of carbon-intensive power, which could see a hefty levy on Western Balkan electricity entering the EU.

Humanitarian/Development

Europe, US, Balkan Countries, Pledge Aid for Quake-Hit Turkey (Balkan Insight)

Dozens of European and Balkan countries have responded to Turkey’s appeal for help after two massive earthquakes devastated its southern and south-eastern provinces and claimed well over 2,000 lives.