Albanian Language Media:

• Chief negotiators to meet on Wednesday in Brussels (Koha)
• Lajcak: We talked with Kurti about north and implementation of dialogue agreements (Koha)
• The US reiterates call for de-escalation: The parties should return to dialogue (Reporteri)
• Varhely and Sarrazinin discuss the Western Balkans (RTK)
• Konjufca travels to France for an official visit (Reporteri)
• Serb NGOs complain to Escobar about presence of Kosovo Police in north (Klan)
• Hoti after Kurti's meeting with Lajcak: Stop dialogue in beach hotels and hideaways (media)
• Meeting of the Committee for the Supervision of Public Finances fails (media)

Serbian Language Media: 

• EU: Lajcak to meet tomorrow Belgrade and Pristina chief negotiators (Tanjug, media)
• Belgrade's delegation arrives in Brussels, dialogue with Pristina to resume on Wednesday (Tanjug)
• 25 years after no one held responsible for crimes against Serbs in Orahovac (Kosovo Online)
• Anniversary of crimes against Serbs and Roma in Orahovac marked in Velika Hoca (Kosovo Online, RTS, media)
• Lawyers say war crimes indictments put additional pressure on Serbs - to drive some away, and prevent others from returning (Kosovo Online)
• Serbian official says Turkey arming Kosovo (N1, RTS, Radio KIM)

 

 

 

Albanian Language Media  

 

Chief negotiators to meet on Wednesday in Brussels (Koha)

The EU Special Representative Miroslav Lajcak will host the two chief negotiators of Kosovo and Serbia in a meeting on Wednesday. The EU spokesman, Peter Stano, confirmed the day of the meeting, adding that the focus of the meeting between Lajcak, Kosovo's chief negotiators, Besnik Bislimi and his Serbian counterpart, Petar Petkovic, will be the full implementation of the Brussels Agreement, reached on February 27. He added that the steps to improve the situation in the north will also be discussed.

"Tomorrow, Miroslav Lajcak will host the chief negotiators of both sides against the mediated dialogue in Brussels. The focus will be on the full implementation of the Agreement of February 27 and the steps towards the de-escalation of the situation in the north of Kosovo", Stano wrote.

Lajcak: We talked with Kurti about north and implementation of dialogue agreements (Koha)

The Eu Special Representative Miroslav Lajcak, said that he had a useful discussion with Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti, at the symposium in Greece. He wrote on Twitter on Tuesday that they talked about the current situation in the north, about the way to the de-escalation of the situation and about the implementation of the dialogue agreements.

"At this year's Symposium, I had a useful discussion with Prime Minister Albin Kurti about the current situation in the north of Kosovo and the way forward towards de-escalation, as well as the implementation of all dialogue agreements," the EU envoy wrote.

Regarding the meeting with Lajcak, Kurti wrote on Monday that "the weather was much hotter than the discussion".

The US reiterates call for de-escalation: The parties should return to dialogue (Reporteri)

The United States of America continues to repeat calls for de-escalation of the situation in the north. The USA has again called on Kosovo and Serbia to return to the dialogue table.

In a press conference, the spokesperson of the U.S. Department of State, Matthew Miller, has repeated that "the U.S. has called on both sides to take steps to de-escalate the situation and return to the dialogue facilitated by the European Union ".

Varhely and Sarrazinin discuss the Western Balkans (RTK)

EU Commissioner for Enlargement, Oliver Varhely, met with Germany's special envoy for the Western Balkans, Manuel Sarrazin, with whom he discussed the region.

"Good discussion with the special representative of Germany for the Western Balkans, Manuel Sarrazin. We had a long and deep discussion on the Western Balkans, the current political and economic challenges and how to bring the region to the EU faster," Varhely wrote on Twitter.

Konjufca travels to France for an official visit (Reporteri)

The Speaker of the Assembly of Kosovo Glauk Konjufca will travel today together with his cabinet for an official visit to France.

The news was announced by the Chief of Cabinet, Ilir Kerçeli, where he announced that Konjufca will meet with the Speaker of the National Assembly, Yael Braun-Pivet, and other officials of the French state.

Serb NGOs complain to Escobar about presence of Kosovo Police in north (Klan)

Non-governmental organizations of Serbs in Kosovo have complained to the U.S. emissary for the Western Balkans, Gabriel Escobar, about the presence of the Special Unit of the Kosovo Police in the northern municipalities. This is announced through a tweet from the New Social Initiative, while announcing their meeting with Escobar in Washington.

"At the invitation of @ACEurope, a delegation of Kosovo Serbian CSOs will have meetings in Washington DC this week. We began our visit by meeting with Gabriel Escobar at the US State Department. We addressed the concerns and issues of our community with the permanent presence of the Special Unit of the Kosovo Police, in the Serbian areas," reads the tweet. 

Hoti after Kurti's meeting with Lajcak: Stop dialogue in beach hotels and hideaways (media)

The former Prime Minister of Kosovo and current MP of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) Avdullah Hoti, has requested that the dialogue with Serbia not take place, in hidden places and beach hotels, adding that the dialogue should take place in Brussels and Washington.

"Stop the dialogue in hideaways and beach hotels. The dialogue should take place in Brussels and Washington." - he wrote in a post on "Facebook".

The Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, talked on Monday with the European Union Special Representative Miroslav Lajcak about reducing tensions with Serbia and normalising relations at a symposium in Greece.

Meeting of the Committee for the Supervision of Public Finances fails (media)

The meeting of the Committee for the Supervision of Public Finances failed because the opposition did not participate in the voting of the agenda, causing the lack of quorum.

Regarding this, Hajdar Beqa, MP from the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) said that this government does not have the numbers to continue. He further emphasised that it is in the best interest of the country to turn to the citizens as soon as possible to gain their trust from the beginning.

"I think that the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo no longer has any credibility, nor the government, especially after the wiretapping between the head of the LVV Parliamentary Group, Mimoza Kusari-Lila, and the master criminal Radojcic, as well as the representative of the Serbian List, Igor Simic" Beqa stated.

He also pointed out the recording part, in which Kusari-Lila talked about the salaries of KLA veterans.

 

 

Serbian Language Media

 

EU: Lajcak to meet tomorrow Belgrade and Pristina chief negotiators (Tanjug, media)

EU Special Envoy for Belgrade-Pristina talks Miroslav Lajcak will meet tomorrow Belgrade and Pristina chief negotiators in Brussels, EU Spokesperson Peter Stano announced on Twitter.

As he said they will meet in the context of EU mediated dialogue in Brussels.

“Focus will be on full implementation of the February 27 Agreement and steps on de-escalation of the situation in the north of Kosovo”, the announcement said. 

Belgrade's delegation arrives in Brussels, dialogue with Pristina to resume on Wednesday (Tanjug)

Belgrade's delegation headed by Serbian Government Office for Kosovo and Metohija Director Petar Petkovic has arrived in Brussels for Wednesday's new round of the EU-facilitated dialogue with Pristina at technical level, Tanjug reported.

While in Brussels, Petkovic will meet with Pristina's chief negotiator Besnik Bislimi.

A source in Brussels confirmed to Tanjug last week the EU special envoy for the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue Miroslav Lajcak had invited the chief negotiators of Belgrade and Pristina to come to Brussels to discuss the implementation of an agreement on the path to normalisation of relations.

25 years after no one held responsible for crimes against Serbs in Orahovac (Kosovo Online)

Coordination of the Serb Associations of Missing, Murdered and Killed Persons’ Families in former Yugoslavia (Serbian Coordination) said in a statement on the occasion of 25th anniversary of mass kidnapping and murders of Serbs in Orahovac by Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) that practise of impunity for the crimes against the Serbs by international community lead to “the authorities in Pristina establishing a society which publicly inherits continuity of Kosovo police with KLA”, Kosovo Online portal reports.

Serbian Coordination further said that in the period from 18 to 22 July 1998, during armed attacks of KLA against Orahovac and neighbouring Serb villages, more than 100 Serb civilians have been kidnaped and seven Serbs killed.

“Entire Serb population from the villages of Retimlje, Opterusa and Zociste were expelled and taken to the prison camps under so-called KLA control. 14 members from the Kostic family in Retimlje village had been kidnapped, youngest of them Kostic Nebojsa being 17 years old. A group of 35 civilians, mainly women, children and elderly, was released on July 22, 1998 due to mediation of the International Red Cross, while others vanished without trace. In 2005 in Volujak near Klina, mortal remains of 36 Serbs were found in a massive grave, while the whereabouts of others still remain unknown”, reads the statement.

They recalled that 25 years after the crimes no one was held responsible for it, although there are live witnesses who were victims of this crime. 

Anniversary of crimes against Serbs and Roma in Orahovac marked in Velika Hoca (Kosovo Online, RTS, media)

The 25th anniversary of the murders and kidnappings of Serbs and Roma in Orahovac municipality was marked in Velika Hoca today, Kosovo Online portal reports.

No one was held responsible for those crimes yet.

Memorial service was served to the victims of KLA attack against Orahovac and neighbouring villages of Retimlje, Opertusa, Zociste and Velika Hoca, which took place from 18 to 22 July in 1998.

The portal recalls that during July 1998, 47 persons were killed in Orahovac municipality and more than hundred Serbs and Roma were taken to KLA prison camps.

Members of victims’ families, friends and neighbours laid the flowers and lit the candles at the monument dedicated to the victims in Velika Hoca. Assistant Director of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija, Borisav Tajic attended the service. 

Lawyers say war crimes indictments put additional pressure on Serbs - to drive some away, and prevent others from returning (Kosovo Online)

The lawyers defending Serbs arrested by Pristina authorities under accusations of allegedly committing war crimes told Kosovo Online portal that those include mainly Serbs who have been in the system of Kosovo institutions for years and now have suddenly become disputable, those trying to legally reclaim their usurped properties, as well as people who would like to return to their homes in Kosovo.

Lawyers Ljubomir Pantovic, Dejan Vasic and Jovana Filipovic argued that the timing of accelerated filing of indictments for war crimes is not accidental, it comes at a moment of serious escalation of the situation in the north of Kosovo and that the aim is, as they said, to increase the already existing pressure on the Kosovo Serbs and bring unrest among them as well as send message to those who are thinking of returning to Kosovo to give it up.

According to their information currently there are about ten people in Kosovo prisons under indictments of allegedly committing war crimes. Since May this year Kosovo Special Prosecutor's Office has filed several indictments for war crimes in absentia.

At the beginning of this week, Sladjan Trajkovic, a former Kosovo police officer, arrested on 15 December last year in Bosniak Mahala in North Mitrovica, faced war crimes indictment. Trajkovic, along with his colleagues in the north left Kosovo police in November last year.

Lawyer Dejan A. Vasic cited several cases of Serbs convicted and accused of war crimes that illustrate, as he said, the injustice Serbs face by the Kosovo judiciary.

The case of Zlatan Krstic from the village of Nerodimlje who lived in Kragujevac before and after the conflict, sentenced to 14.5 years in prison by Pristina Basic Court is highlighted, without any of the 10 witnesses who were heard in the case accusing him at all, Vasic said.

Then, Nenad Arsic from Caglavica, sentenced to six years based on the statements of two witnesses, who radically changed those statements during the trial, he added..

Svetomir Bacevic from Belo Polje near Pec was convicted, the lawyer said, despite the fact that the victim whom he allegedly tried to kidnap said in court that he did not do it and that she did not even know him. However, the court believed another witness, with whom the Bacevic family has had problems for years, and in connection with the sale of their property, which the Bacevic family refused.

"Gavrilo Milosavljevic, a returnee to the municipality of Istok, has been coming to his birthplace for more than 20 years, where he tried to reclaim the apartment of his missing mother and to find her remains, because it is obvious that she did not survive the war period and that she died under still unexplained circumstances. Kosovo treated him well after he tried to return by putting him in prison, based on the statements of some witnesses that we have not yet had full insight into. He has been in prison for more than half a year, with quite serious health problems”, Vasic said.

Sladjan Trajkovic from Mitrovica North, originally from the Vucitrn area, is in a similar situation, and for six months now he does not know what he is being accused of. Vasic pointed out that Trajkovic’s health condition has become alarming but he is kept in detention.

"There is the arrest of Dragisa Milenkovic from Gracanica, which greatly disturbed the citizens. He has lived there forever, as has his family, he was an employee of the District Prison in Pristina before the war and has no flaws in his career. He was reported by an unbalanced person with whom he already had problems in the past, who shot at him and was convicted for it, which the Special Prosecutor's Office could hardly wait for and put Milenkovic in custody. And, in the previous month, no investigative work was carried out. Similarly, to Sladjan, Dragisa has really serious health problems, with those two bullets that were never removed from his body, with chronic diseases and almost completely blind", Vasic said.

When asked how much all this affects the Serbs in Kosovo, as well as those who are thinking of returning, Vasic replied with a question:

"Think if you are a citizen of the municipality of Istok and you had the desire to return, would you do that after Gavrilo Milosavljevic was arrested? Everyone knows that family in Istok, both Albanians and Serbs, everyone knows what a good and peaceful man he is, who went to find the remains of his dead mother and to have his apartment returned to him. Will anyone come back after that? No one will. No one will come to exercise some much less important rights in Kosovo, let alone the right to live on their own property. Who will come to Nerodimlje after what happened to Zlatan Krstic?", Vasic asked.

He said it has been clear to everyone that war crimes took place in Kosovo.

"Many of those cases have been processed in Serbia, many have been sentenced with the final verdicts, no one talks about it. I believe that a person who did such a thing would never have thought of coming back to Kosovo. That Kosovo desire to settle accounts with the Serbs who harmed them has resulted in prosecuting and convicting people who have nothing to do with it, which is a sin", Vasic argued.

He also warned that this approach of the Kosovo judiciary will also affect Serbs to leave Kosovo, because they fear that they could face some unfounded accusations and be arrested.

Lawyer Jovana Filipovic, who represents Dusko Arsic, arrested at Jarinje in December 2021, for an alleged war crime from 1999, told Kosovo Online that the arrests of Serbs increase the already existing pressure on citizens.

She recalled that Arsic was arrested on 8 December 2021 at Jarinje crossing point when he with his two children went to solve problems with property usurpation in the village of Maticane near Pristina.

"Meanwhile, on 23 September, a man contacted the Kosovo police claiming that Arsic mistreated him", she said.

She pointed out that this causes more insecurity among Serbs, because it may happen that if you try to exercise any of your rights, property or other, instead of justice, you will receive – a lawsuit for a war crime.

She pointed to another "phenomenon" when it comes to indictments for war crimes, which is the re-initiation of processes against persons who were previously charged by EULEX, and which were dismissed.

"This is, for example, the case of (Milorad) Djokovic from Vitomirica, near Pec. All those people who are currently in detention and came to Kosovo before, in the previous 23 years, regularly crossed the administrative crossings, gave their identity cards, were available. Why are they now arrested? I can only interpret that as a form of pressure and intimidation", Filipovic said.

She pointed out that with this, and especially now when the indictments are multiplying in absentia for war crimes, there is an obvious attempt to justify the narrative about the Serbs as “criminal people”.

Lawyer Ljubomir Pantovic told the portal there are three main categories of people who are accused, arrested and convicted of war crimes by the Kosovo judiciary. The first, as he said, are those who have worked in the Kosovo system for years, even decades, also in the security structures, and now suddenly, for other, often political reasons, are being targeted. The second group are those who want to exercise some of their rights, usually property rights, and the third are those who have been out of Kosovo for a long time and are trying to return.

"Until 2018, when EULEX was the holder of judicial power in Kosovo, and before when it was UNMIK, only four Serbs were convicted of war crimes. All the others against whom the Kosovo judiciary brought charges were acquitted. In the last four years, we have had eight final verdicts for war crimes. At the moment, proceedings are being conducted for about ten people under charges of war crimes. That says it all", Pantovic said.

He pointed out that Albanian politicians in Kosovo are constantly talking about the war crimes of the Serbs.

"They want as many convicted Serbs as possible in order to justify the story of alleged genocide and unpunished war crimes. For this purpose, there are indictments for war crimes in absentia. And I fear that there will be more and more of them", Pantovic said.

He added he does not deny that there were crimes, but it seems to him it is not important to the Kosovo judiciary that real culprits be brought to justice, but that any Serb should be held accountable and punished.

"And then they do some kind of selection, they point the finger at someone, and neither guilty nor guilty, they arrest and prosecute him. They find two witnesses and the matter is over. I will tell you the case of Goran Stanisic from the village of Slovinje, near Lipljan. That's where the crime really happened on the 14 and 15 April 1999 against civilians. The prosecution's main witness was a woman, whose five family members were killed. She gave a total of six statements in connection with that event. In the five statements she gave before the arrest of Stanisic in 2019, she did not mention him once. When they arrested him, she said she saw him participating in the crime. They want someone to 'pay', it doesn't matter who", Pantovic said. 

Serbian official says Turkey arming Kosovo (N1, RTS, Radio KIM)

A senior Serbian Defense Ministry official said on Tuesday that Turkey is arming and training the Kosovo Security Forces in violation of UN Security Council Resolution 1244, N1 reports.

Ministry State Secretary Nemanja Starovic told the Serbian public broadcaster RTS that some states, primarily Turkey “are intensively arming, training and generally enabling the so-called Kosovo Security Forces which runs counter to UN Security Council Resolution 1244 and other relevant international agreements”.

He said that the situation was monitored by Serbian agencies and that the authorities were informed. According to him “Serbia used all available channels to warn Turkey that this is absolutely unacceptable”. He added that Ankara was “donating” offensive weapons and improving the capabilities of Kosovo forces and recalled that Prime Minister Albin Kurti presented Turkish drones. “Unfortunately, this is not just about drones but also sophisticated anti-armor systems, mortars and other weapons”, Starovic said.

He warned that the donated weapons “raise the threat to the Serb population of Kosovo and to Serbia”. “This is especially worrying because Turkey is due to take command of KFOR in the autumn for the first time”, he is quoted as saying.