UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, January 22, 2024

Albanian Language Media:

Kurti: In order to integrate region economically, security threats must be stopped (media)
O'Brien warns of consequences for countries that try to block their neighbors (media)
Koopman: Condition in growth plan is not to block neighbors (media)
Kurti: 'Open Balkan' is not European, the EU is sufficient for the Balkans (RTK)
Kurti: The EU, our destiny and purpose (media)
Kearns thanks Cameron for sharing UK government's knowledge on 9/24 attack in Banjska (Reporteri)
Collection of signatures for removal of Albanian mayors in north ends (RFE)
Police raid in Zvecan (Kallxo)

Serbian Language Media:

Raska-Prizren Diocese: Appropriation of Holy Virgin of Hvosno Church - erasing of historic and spiritual identity of SOC and Serbian people in Kosovo (media)
Dacic: I am satisfied with discussions in Uganda, no changes for Serbian interests (Tanjug)
Signing of petition for removal of mayors in all four northern municipalities completed (Radio Mitrovica sever)
Petition to recall mayor in Mitrovica North submitted (KoSSev)
Ugljanin: No legal framework for overturning decision on allocating land to Kosovo MIA (KiM radio, Danas, KoSSev)
NBS: Revoke measures preventing distribution of dinars in Kosovo (N1)
Free labor market from 1 March to be established between Serbia, North Macedonia and Albania, says Vucic (Kosovo Online)
Von Cramon: In Council of Europe there are principles, Pristina lacks political willingness (Radio KIM, Slobodno srpski)

International:

EU growth plan potential 'game changer' for Western Balkans, official says (Reuters)
Is There Hope for Ethnic Coexistence in War-Traumatised Kosovo? (Balkan Insight)

Albanian Language Media

Kurti: In order to integrate region economically, security threats must be stopped (media)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti, during the round table in Skopje as part of the "Western Balkans meets the EU" summit, said that in order to economically integrate the region and bring citizens closer together, security threats must be stopped.

"The deeper integration and increased movement of goods and people requires mutual trust and normal relations between our countries, institutions and people. This cannot happen if the freedoms for the movement of goods are used to move weapons and ammunition or to sponsor terrorist attacks", Kurti said.

He said that the normalization of relations based on mutual recognition is key.

"The EU represents a strategic choice of the leadership of a state. It is our duty to reform and fulfill the conditions, and the EU will then judge based on the merits", Kurti said.

O'Brien warns of consequences for countries that try to block their neighbors (media)

The Prime Minister of North Macedonia, Dimitar Kovacevski, is today the host of the meeting of leaders from the region dedicated to the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans, approved by the European Commission.

The U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, James O'Brien, on the eve of the opening of this meeting in Skopje, said that if the countries of the Western Balkans make certain reforms, then people here will move more freely towards the EU, including here the capital as well.

"We have representatives of six countries. We will develop two ideas: practical ideas for moving forward and strategies," O'Brien said.

"No one has the right to impede anyone from advancing as there are no unresolved bilateral issues, whoever does this will face consequences, if a country waits to observe, then the citizens of that country will decide if those leaders are the right ones, each leader notices the importance to advance in this direction", said O'Brien.

Koopman: Condition in growth plan is not to block neighbors (media)

General Director for Neighborhood and Enlargement Negotiations at the European Commission, Gert Jan Koopman, has said that the idea of increasing the EU accelerates the accession of the countries of the Western Balkans to the bloc. He said at the Western Balkans meets the EU summit in Skopje that he was encouraged by the enthusiasm.

Koopmann has said that this growth doubles the region's economy.

"The lessons from the previous enlargement show that the market is the key. We also mention the fact that the countries’ markets grew immediately after joining the EU. Until now, they have grown threefold, and with this, things change. So, this is the growth plan, and it takes a lot of work. Getting into our common market takes a lot of work. We have rolled up our sleeves to engage in this direction. We will help you integrate with each other, until you integrate into the common market. I consider that it is very important, since without regional integration you simply cannot take advantage of the benefits of our common market. Therefore, the condition in this part of the growth plan is not to block the neighbors. You can block yourself if you block your neighbors," Koopman said.

Kurti: 'Open Balkan' is not European, the EU is sufficient for the Balkans (RTK)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti has stated after the Summit conference in Skopje that the process of normalizing relations with Serbia is not easy, considering that the neighboring country does not have the will to do so.

"The process of Kosovo's membership in the EU should be separated from the normalization process. It is not easy to normalize relations with someone because it is known that Serbia has neither the will for this nor for the West," he said.

Kurti also spoke about the connection between the Summit in Skopje and the idea of an open Balkans.

"This has nothing to do with the 'open Balkans' because it is the EU. 'Open Balkan' is not European enough, while open Europe is enough for the Balkans. "The Open Balkans" does not have the EU's rules and funding," Kurti stated.

Speaking, regarding the changed plan on the press conference from joint to the appearance of each prime minister separately, he said that the organizers must answer.

"I don't know why it wasn't a joint one. At the end of the meeting, we were informed that each statesman would appear in front of separate journalists. The organizers would have to tell," he said.

In the statement to the media after the Skopje Summit conference, Prime Minister Albin Kurti also spoke about the measures against Serbia, saying that they are not commercial but security measures.

"We don't have trade measures against Serbia, we have security measures. In 2023, we had sequestrations three times in the north of Kosovo", Kurti stated.

He further said that the removal of security measures will not happen as long as there are paramilitary groups.

"All this weaponry was produced in Serbia and came from Serbia. Due to the increased controls, it is possible that certain enterprises are not interested in crossing the border into Kosovo as they used to be. We are not ready to withdraw security measures as long as we have paramilitary groups," he told the media.

Kurti: The EU, our destiny and purpose (media)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti has stated that the European Union is the goal and destiny of Kosovo and the countries of the Western Balkans, adding that today he will submit the list of reforms discussed.

At the start of the meeting within the "Growth Plan for the Western Balkans", Kurti said on Monday that the European Union, the United States of America will enable as much regional cooperation as possible and "more accelerated progress towards the EU which is our purpose and destiny".

According to Kurti, Brussels and Washington are committed to the Western Balkans for economic growth.

"EU values must be reformed, while EU support must be financial. Today, the Republic of Kosovo will submit the list of reforms discussed, while in the following days, we will submit the list of indicative projects. As for the reforms, we focus on the reform of the administration...However, for projects we have green energy", said Kurti.

Kearns thanks Cameron for sharing UK government's knowledge on 9/24 attack in Banjska (Reporteri)

The head of the Foreign Affairs Committee in the Parliament of Great Britain, Alicia Kearns, thanked the Foreign Secretary, David Cameron, who, while reporting to British lawmakers, shared the executive's knowledge of the attack by Serbian paramilitaries in Banjska of Zvecan in the northern part of Kosovo, inhabited mainly by a Serb majority, on the weekend of September 24 last year.

“I'm pleased the Foreign Secretary committed to come back to the committee on the full extent of the British Government's knowledge on the Banjska terror attack which he rightly called a "chilling event". Also to have on record the severity of the heavy weapons that were planned to be deployed in the terror attack that was bravely and narrowly averted by Kosovo's Police, with one losing his life”, Kernes wrote on X.

Collection of signatures for removal of Albanian mayors in north ends (RFE)

The collection of signatures for the removal of the Albanian mayors in the north ends. The signing of the petitions, which would pave the way for the dismissal of Albanian mayors in four municipalities in the north of Kosovo, has already been completed. This has been confirmed by representatives of the groups that have initiated this process.

Darko Vuksanovic, from the group for Zvecan, has confirmed for RFE that during the first day (Friday, January 19) a sufficient number of signatures was collected.

In the municipality of Zubin Potok, where the signing took place during the period 19-22 January, many signatures were collected, confirmed Srdjan Vucinic, one of the initiators.

Sanja Krtinic, from the initiator group in North Mitrovica, also said that the process of collecting signatures has ended. On Saturday, January 20, sufficient signatures were also collected in the municipality of Leposaviq.

The initiators of signing the petitions did not specify how many citizens signed, saying only that more signatures were collected than the required minimum.

The next step now is for the petitions of the registered voters to be delivered to the mayors of the municipal assemblies. After submitting the petition with signatures, the president of the assembly has three days to forward it to the Central Election Commission (CEC) for review and verification.

If the CEC confirms that the collected signatures are appropriate and verifies them, a vote is organized for the dismissal of the chairman, which must be held within 45 days. For this vote to be successful, 50 percent plus one vote of eligible citizens is required.

After that, the result is sent to the President of Kosovo, Vjosa Osmani, who has a legal deadline of 30 to 45 days to announce early elections.

The petition was also signed by the representatives of the Serbian List, the party that boycotted the elections and removed its representatives from the institutions of Kosovo, encouraging the departure of other Serbs.

The departure from the institutions was done as a sign of dissatisfaction with the decision of the government of Kosovo regarding the change of vehicle license plates from those issued by Serbia to those issued by Kosovo, but since then this issue has been resolved.

But, in mid-October 2023, this party declared that it was ready to participate in the elections in the municipalities in the north, without setting any conditions for participation in the elections, as it had done earlier.

This position of this party was taken after the Serbian president, Aleksandar Vucic, called on the Serbian representatives in the north of Kosovo to initiate the holding of new elections, so that "the main levers of power are in their hands".

This call was preceded by an armed attack in Banjska in Zvecan, on September 24, when a group of Serbs attacked the Kosovo Police, killing a policeman. The responsibility for the attack was taken by the former deputy-leader of the Serbian List, Millan Radoicic.

Police raid in Zvecan (Kallxo)

Economic Crimes of the Kosovo Police are carrying out a raid in Zvecan. The news was confirmed by the deputy director of the Police for the region of North Mitrovica, Veton Elshani. Elshani said that the suspicions are about smuggling of goods, and that Customs of Kosovo are also present in the place of the event.

"The raid started in a warehouse at the entrance of Zvecan from the right side from 9:30. The raid is carried out by the Economic Crimes Unit from Pristina and we help," he said.

Serbian Language Media

Raska-Prizren Diocese: Appropriation of Holy Virgin of Hvosno Church - erasing of historic and spiritual identity of SOC and Serbian people in Kosovo (media)

Raska-Prizren Diocese reacted to the media reports on appropriating half a hectare of land where foundations of the medieval Holy Virgin of Hvostan Church from XIII century are located, warning this is yet another step in erasing historic and spiritual identity of Serbian people and Serbian Orthodox Church (SOC) in Kosovo, Kosovo Online portal reports.

The Diocese recalled this is not the first case of appropriation of the SOC properties in Kosovo, mentioning earlier attempts to seize the church in the village of Rakitnica near Podujevo, after which the Kosovo police, contrary to all laws, did not even want to initiate an investigation, and shortly after that, the declaration of the church dedicated to the Life-giving Spring, in the village of Vinarce near Mitrovica North as a Roman Catholic church under “care” of Kosovo Ministry of Culture.

“(…) the attacks on religious buildings that represent the foundation of the existence and survival of our church in Kosovo and Metohija, regardless of the political situation, represents nothing more than an open act of repression, violation of religious and human rights and causes direct ethnic and religious intolerance”, the Diocese said in a statement.

“Should we wait for the Kosovo authorities to one day abolish the Serbian Orthodox Church itself, as the atheistic authorities did in several communist countries where places of worship were closed, turned into museums or barbarically demolished and desecrated in the name of a godless ideology? Such behavior cannot and must not be tolerated in the XXI century, especially bearing in mind the obligations that Pristina has undertaken before Western countries since 2008, as well as the provisions of UNSC Resolution 1244, which clearly mentions the preservation of Serbian heritage”, the statement added.

“The recent case of using machinery to place a fence around locality of Holy Virgin of Hvostan without any communication with the Serbian Orthodox Church, for which is known that it represents one of its most important localities and placing the sign in Albanian language only, excluding eight centuries of the history of this important religious seat, is yet another example demonstrating true intentions and methods of Kosovo authorities, who in an unconcealed manner want to create ethnically pure Kosovo and disappearance of Serbian Orthodox Church and its believers”, the Diocese said.

The Diocese strongly appealed to local and international representatives in Kosovo to put an end to the politicization and selective presentation of the SOC spiritual and cultural heritage, which exists and works in this area for 800 years and is deeply linked to the history of this region.

Read the full Raska-Prizren Diocese statement in Serbian at: https://shorturl.at/itGRS

Dacic: I am satisfied with discussions in Uganda, no changes for Serbian interests (Tanjug)

Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic said Friday he was satisfied with discussions he had had at a meeting of heads of state and government at the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) summit in Kampala, Uganda, and noted that there were no changes for Serbian state interests, Tanjug news agency reports.

"Also, the odds are that, with some states, we can correct the mistakes we made in the historical period in which we closed several embassies in Africa after October 5 (2000). This morning, the PM of Tanzania asked me why we shut down our embassy there and when we will reopen it", Dacic told Serbian reporters in Kampala.

He said continued attendance at NAM summits was very important for Serbia as NAM member states included traditional friends of Serbia that had a fair attitude towards the Kosovo issue. "I am satisfied with the discussions with my colleagues, not only with FMs, but also with PMs and presidents. I see there are no major negative changes for our state interests", Dacic said.

He said he had used bilateral meetings as an opportunity to exchange the latest information and added that discussions with Burundian and Tanzanian officials had been especially important. He said Serbia was also interested in Kenya's position on the Kosovo issue given reports in the Pristina press about friendship between the Kenyan president and Albanian businessman from Kosovo Behgjet Pacolli. "Dialogue with India, which still stands with us firmly, is very important to us... and, of course, their position on the Kosovo and Metohija issue is vital to us", Dacic said.

Signing of petition for removal of mayors in all four norhtern municipalities completed (Radio Mitrovica sever)

The collection of signatures for removal of mayors in all four northern municipalities has been completed, and these days the petitions will be handed over to the municipal assemblies, as stipulated by the procedure, reported Radio Mitrovica sever.

The collection of signatures in Zvecan was completed on the first day, Darko Vuksanovic, representative of the Initiative Group in this municipality, told Radio Kosovska Mitrovica. The required number of signatures was also exceeded in Zubin Potok, Srdjan Vucinic, a member of the local Initiative Group, also confirmed for Radio Kosovska Mitrovica. In these municipalities, the signing of the petition began on Friday, January 19. In North Mitrovica and Leposavic, where the signing started a few days earlier, this procedure has also been completed.

In all municipalities, according to the representatives of the initiative groups, the number of required signatures was exceeded.

The next step is the submission of petitions to the municipal assemblies chairs, who, according to the Administrative Instruction, should forward these documents to the Central Election Commission for verification and consideration.

If these procedures pass without problems, a referendum would follow, where the citizens would ultimately declare whether they agree with the proposal to replace the mayors. For the referendum to be considered successful, it is necessary that the proposal be supported by 50 percent plus 1 voter.

Petition to recall mayor in Mitrovica North submitted (KoSSev)

Members of initiators group to recall Mitrovica North mayor submitted a petition with collected signatures to the Municipal Assembly chair, KoSSev portal reported. MA chair Nedzad Ugljanin also confirmed receiving the petition today at 13.00 and it has been forwarded further.

Ugljanin said they informed the Ministry of Local Government Administration and Central Election Commission of it and have a three-day deadline to submit a petition to them. The initiators group collected a total of 4.148 signatures. The required number of signatures was 3.640.

Ugljanin: No legal framework for overturning decision on allocating land to Kosovo MIA (KiM radio, Danas, KoSSev)

Mitrovica North Municipal Assembly chair said there is no legal framework to revoke a decision on Military Overhaul land allocation to Kosovo Interior Ministry, that is, it is not regulated what next step should be taken by this institution after Serbian Democracy submits a petition to it, reported KiM radio.

In a statement for KoSSev, MA chair Nedzad Ugljanin said Mitrovica North MA made a decision to allocate land to the Kosovo Interior Ministry at the end of the year, and that it was then confirmed by the Ministry of Local Self-Government Administration.

"Arsenijevic can submit the petition, however, overturning the decision, especially now that it has been approved by the Ministry, and the further forwarding of the petition is not regulated by the legal framework, i.e., to whom the assembly should forward the petition", said Ugljanin.

The Assembly making the decision and acceptance by the Ministry of Local Self-Government - that is the end result. The overturning one's own decision would be contradictory. There is no way for the assembly to overturn the decision, he added.

Asked specifically about Article 71 of the Law on Local Self-Government, that is, whether the municipality is obliged to facilitate the organization of a referendum regarding this decision, Ugljanin said there is no legal framework for this issue either, that is, the Law on Referendum has not been adopted.

"There is no Referendum Law where local governments decide on the referendum, there is a Draft Law for Kosovo Assembly, but the Law has not been adopted by the Assembly," he said.

Although, as Ugljanin says, the MA does not have the legal possibility to decide on the request, he explained that this institution is obliged to "consider" it within 30 days.

In Article 71 of the Law on Local Self-Government, apart from stating that the assembly will "consider" the request within 30 days from the receipt of the petition, it is not clearly specified what it should do, except that it will act "in accordance with applicable law".

"We will consult with the Ministry of Local Self-Government Administration because we are obliged to accept the petition or request, but the consideration goes in accordance with the law within 30 days. We turn to the ministry and appeal to the decision of the assembly and the ministry (on land allocation), stating that the initiative group turned to us," he said. Ugljanin, however, believes that this entire process is "tapping in place".

Serbian Democracy started collecting signatures for revoking the decision on the land near the Military Overhaul last weekend at the monument to Knez Lazar on the Mitrovica promenade. The petition was signed this week as well, both on the promenade and in several bars throughout the city.

Two days before the beginning of the signing of the petition, this party submitted a request to the chairperson of the North Mitrovica Municipal Assembly with the aim of overturning the aforementioned decision and asked for official details on the procedure for initiating a petition related to the same issue. Ugljanin confirmed for KoSSev that he forwarded the request to the Ministry of Administration and Local Self-Government, which then adopted it.

NBS: Revoke measures preventing distribution of dinars in Kosovo (N1)

The National Bank of Serbia (NBS) said it strongly condemns the measures preventing the transportation and distribution of the dinar in Kosovo, and demands that they be revoked without any further delay, N1 reports.

The Serbian central bank said in a statement the latest Pristina’s decision practically means it will be impossible to pay wages, pensions, social benefits and other income in dinars to the Serb population in Kosovo.

“The announced measures, which not only run counter to the basic international standards in the field of finance and banking, but also to the agreements established so far and to the way in which dinar cash flows have been realized for years, are aimed exclusively at denying the right to basic income that the population and companies are earning in dinars in Kosovo and Metohija, and therefore preventing the basic conditions for the survival of the Serb population. The announced measures completely arbitrarily and discriminately regulate the area of cash payment transactions and change the way in which the transportation of dinars worked for years, and practically make cash payment transactions in dinars impossible”, NBS said in a statement.

Free labor market from 1 March to be established between Serbia, North Macedonia and Albania, says Vucic (Kosovo Online)

After the meeting of the leaders of the Western Balkans in Skopje, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic addressed the media, stating that a free labor market should be established for Serbia, North Macedonia and Albania from March 1, pointing that this is important news for Serbia, reported portal Kosovo Online.

"There are always some unpleasant details here, but I don't want to talk about that. Last night we had an important meeting with people from the Open Balkans. It will be signed at 2 p.m. From March 1, a completely free labor market should finally come into force, Serbia, Albania and North Macedonia. That means a lot to us, creating a market with a labor force of about 11 million inhabitants," Vucic said.

Vucic said that he discussed with US Assistant Secretary of State James O'Brien about Pristina's attempt to abolish the dinar in Kosovo, and that he would continue with consultations on this matter these days.

When asked by a journalist that he had announced that he would visit the Serbs in Kosovo, the president said that it did not mean that he would be allowed to enter.

"I just expressed my desire. I am always free and ready to talk with our people in Kosovo and Metohija, for me there is nothing more important than that," Vucic said.

He said that 10 important initiatives could not pass through CEFTA, because one member of CEFTA blocked it.

He repeated that what European and American officials said is important, that whoever stops others will actually stop himself, reported Kosovo Online.

Some were bothered by the "Open Balkans"

Vucic pointed out that some people were bothered by "Open Balkans" and added that it was an initiative of people from the Balkans who sat down and agreed on their own.

He added that the Berlin process is useful in many ways, but that the opening of the market is a consequence of the "Open Balkans".

"The labor market is an important thing, and we now have everything solved with Albania and North Macedonia, and we could only do that through Open Balkan," he said.

Vucic added that as far as the formation of the new Government of Serbia is concerned, he hopes that it will be formed by March 15.

"The assembly should be constituted one month after the announcement of the results from February 1st, so expect the constituent session of the Assembly of Serbia," pointed out Vucic.

He added that this is important because of the accelerated adoption of the law to adopt important solutions that are also needed for the implementation of the "Expo 2027" program.

Vucic announced that he will visit North Macedonia again for Saint Sava on January 27.

Von Cramon: In Council of Europe there are principles, Pristina lacks political willingness (Radio KIM, Slobodno srpski)

European Parliament rapporteur for Kosovo Viola von Cramon as guest speaker in Slobodno srpski (Freely in Serbian) broadcast expressed reservations in relation to eventual membership of Kosovo in the Council of Europe in the recent time, Radio KIM reports.

“There are certain principles in the Council of Europe and what I read so far in legal analysis is that in theory, on paper, a legal framework is there. Therefore it is not bad what is offered by Constitution, however implementation and achievement of that constitutional framework is in delay, same with the case of (Monastery) Decani, which had not been implemented for years already and lack of political willingness to go ahead with it and even opposition to the Council of Europe members, by telling that this government will not do so. This is not making things easier for the Council of Europe members to move the application ahead. This is only one case, which should not be underestimated, because freedom to religion and Constitutional Court verdicts are taken very seriously by the Council of Europe and I think this is something that can easily be corrected, if the government would have political willingness to finally come to a proposal how to do it”, von Cramon said.

Speaking of Belgrade-Pristina normalization of relations, von Cramon said the Franco-German plan is a good proposal adding she hoped it would be a foundation for a swift implementation and that the annex allows each side to implement its own part as swift as possible because of upcoming elections in Washington and Brussels.

According to her, the Kosovo government should demonstrate it is interested in reaching out to Serbs, regardless if they live south or in the north or somewhere else.

“I think it is in our interest to have and remain in a multiethnic society and that each citizen has the same rights, equal to all, to language, education, health, passports and so on. Therefore it is a principle for me, and then we should also see in the north, for the people living there that politicians work on their behalf, in their interest (…), she said, adding that more pluralism, more political parties are needed, more citizens turning into politicians there.

Asked by moderator if Kosovo has really become a multiethnic society and if it is possible to exist without Serbs she replied that it is not acceptable, adding that when the international community supported Kosovo and people there, it was clear that Kosovo should remain multiethnic.

International

EU growth plan potential 'game changer' for Western Balkans, official says (Reuters)

SKOPJE, Jan 22 (Reuters) - The European Union's 6-billion euro growth plan for the Western Balkans is a potential "game changer" that could double the size of regional economies in the next decade, an EU official said on Monday.

Leaders of the six Western Balkan countries -- Albania, Bosnia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia -- met on Monday in Skopje to discuss reforms needed to access the EU growth plan presented last October.