UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, June 15, 2022

Albanian Language Media:

Osmani: Europe is not complete without Kosovo and Western Balkans (media)
Kosovo to take part in Defense Contact Group meeting on Ukraine (media)
War veterans to protest tomorrow; calls for mass participation, no violence (Telegrafi)
AmCham Kosovo: Government should consider participating in Open Balkan (media)
PDK calls on MPs to support pension trust withdrawal (media)

Serbian Language Media:

A new round of dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina next week (Kosovo Online, RTV, Tanjug)
Schieb: The catalogue of obligations is clear (N1)
Bilcik for Insajder: Scholz's position on mutual recognition is not the official position of the European Union (Danas)
Duma official says Russia will not recognize Kosovo (N1, Beta, Politika)
Albanians from Presevo, Bujanovac and Medvedja can take the bar exam in Kosovo (N1, beta, bujanovacke.co.rs)
Serbian Justice Minister: ICTY prosecutors suffered complete failure in Kosovo cases (Tanjug)
Kosovo police: Increased number of cases of interethnic violence in 2021, most victims Albanians (Kosovo Online)
Office for KIM: Primary school in Gojbulja near Vucitrn stoned (gracanicanicaonline.info)

Opinion:

Joseph: Open Balkan(s) is Not Just Unwise. It’s Dangerous (Balkan Insight)

International:

Serbia Leader Scorns EU Call for Mutual Recognition with Kosovo (Balkan Insight)
Albanian PM: No EU membership talks soon, and it’s Bulgaria’s fault (Politico)
Kosovo, Serbia Dialogue Must Deal with Major Issues First, Says Kosovo Publicist (exit.al)

Humanitarian/Development:

Western Balkan Highly Affected by Illegal Border Crossings This Year, Frontex Reveals (schengenvisainfo.com)
Serbian NGO chief says number of migrants rising (Beta, N1)

Albanian Language Media

Osmani: Europe is not complete without Kosovo and Western Balkans (media)

President of Kosovo Vjosa Osmani and European Council President Charles Michel held a joint press conference after their meeting in Pristina today.

Noting that the people of Kosovo share unwavering support to values embodied by the European Union, Osmani thanked the EU for its continuous support to Kosovo and noted that it is time to raise the level of Kosovo-EU relations. "While we are fully committed towards our objectives for the continent, we need further engagement on how to achieve our common goal for a united Europe, free and at peace. Despite our commitment to values and freedoms in which we both wholeheartedly believe, failure to deliver on promises with regards to our region puts the credibility of the European Union to a test, thus sometimes leaving room for malign influence," Osmani said.

Calling on the EU to reaffirm the European perspective of the region, and of Kosovo in particular, Osmani said that visa liberalisation is something that the people of Kosovo should have enjoyed by now as all conditions have been met. Kosovo, she said, is so determined to join the EU that it is ready to undertake all necessary reforms on the way. "Our plan is to apply for candidate status by the end of the year," Osmani said.

President Osmani added that Kosovo is also fully committed in the process of dialogue with Serbia. "For Kosovo, dialogue with Serbia is not just a request of the international community but a vital process that leads the two countries towards the European Union. Having said that, the process needs to focus on mutual recognition as the only outcome that ensures sustainable peace and stability in the region." "A united Europe, free and at peace, is not complete without Kosovo and the Western Balkans," Osmani noted.

Osmani was asked to comment on the statement of the Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic that visa liberalisation would be granted to Kosovo on 23 June. She said Kosovo is in contact with EU member states: "We will continue to work with member states until a decision is taken that ends this great injustice to the people of Kosovo. Whether this happens on 23 June or some other time, it will be the will of the EU member states."

President Michel thanked Kosovo for its clear position on Ukraine and for the support to the country. He said the Western Balkans is a strategic priority for the European Union and "we are fully committed to the European perspective of our partners". On the visa liberalisation issue, Michel reiterated that this is something that the members of the European Union decide.

"Kosovo's strong engagement will also be important in making progress in the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue. Both parties need to make rapid progress in implementing past agreements," he said, adding that the discussions at the leaders' level also need to start and that progress in dialogue is essential in advancing on the EU path.

Kosovo to take part in Defense Contact Group meeting on Ukraine (media)

Kosovo's Minister of Defence Armend Mehaj and Kosovo Security Force Commander Bashkim Jashari will attend the Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting at the NATO Headquarters in Brussels.

The U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III, who will host the meeting, has invited around 50 Ministers of Defense and Chiefs of Defense from around the world to discuss the ongoing crisis in Ukraine.

War veterans to protest tomorrow; calls for mass participation, no violence (Telegrafi)

The Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) War Veterans Organisation has called a protest for Thursday in front of the Government and Assembly premises, in opposition to the adoption of the law on the minimum wage.

The Movement for Unity (LB), political party, said it will support the protest “against the discrimination that is being done to the war veterans, invalids and families of martyrs”. LB also called on all citizens to join the protest “and not allow the most merited categories for the freedom we enjoy today to be turned into social categories!”

The Prishtina-based Council for the Defence of Human Rights and Freedoms (CDHRF), called on the organisers of the protest to hold a peaceful event. “CDHRF believes that the protest by the KLA war veterans is righteous and represents an effort to protect the human rights of this category … We hope this righteous and reasonable protest will be peaceful and that no violence will be used by any party … Any use of violence by any of the parties will be unacceptable and will not be supported,” the statement notes.

AmCham Kosovo: Government should consider participating in Open Balkan (media)

The American Chamber of Commerce in Kosovo said in a statement today that the Kosovo government should seriously consider participation in the Open Balkan initiative given the importance of economic coordination and integration, stability, and the prosperity of the Western Balkans through the free movement of goods, people, capital, and services.

The statement reiterates the calls of representatives of the U.S. administration that any initiative for regional cooperation must enable an equal representation of all countries of the Western Balkans and that it is the responsibility of the three countries that initiated the Open Balkan to address the concerns of the Kosovo Government and those of other sceptical countries.

“No initiative for a common regional market can be successful in circumstances when not all countries of the region are treated equally and with respect and if serious efforts are not made to remove aspects that irritate cooperation,” the statement notes.

PDK calls on MPs to support pension trust withdrawal (media)

Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) representatives called on Kosovo legislators from all political parties to support tomorrow the motion enabling the citizens to withdraw part of their pension trust savings, a move which the party said would help in easing the financial crisis.

"I call on deputies to vote the law for withdrawal of trust funds with their free will and for the Government to stop the pressure on MPs," said at a press conference today, PDK MP Bekim Haxhiu.

Serbian Language Media

A new round of dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina next week (Kosovo Online, RTV, Tanjug)

A new round of dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina at the level of the main negotiators should be held next week, Tanjug has learned in Brussels, Serbian media reported.

According to Tanjug sources, the director of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija, Petar Petkovic, and the chief negotiator of Pristina, Besnik Bislimi, should meet on Tuesday, June 21, and the finalization of the energy agreement and the declaration on the missing would be on the agenda.

The EU announced the possibility that a dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina could be held at the highest political level in Brussels until the beginning of the summer break, at which possible agreements on energy and missing persons reached by the main negotiators and expert teams should be confirmed.

Schieb: The catalogue of obligations is clear (N1)

German Ambassador to Belgrade Thomas Schieb said Monday that the EU did not set any “artificial dates” for membership because “that would not bring any benefits”, but that the catalogue of obligations that EU candidate countries need to meet was clear, reported N1.

Speaking in N1’s show ‘Behind the News’, Schieb said it was good that German Chancellor Olaf Scholz visited the region and Belgrade, bringing messages, of which the most important one was that ‘’the Western Balkans are in their hearts and Berlin’s priority’’. The Chancellor’s main message is that we want the Western Balkans and Serbia to become part of the EU when Serbia was ready for it and when certain conditions were met, said Schieb.

The Ambassador explained that Scholz did not bring Serbia any new requirements, and that normalization of relations between Serbia and Kosovo was currently important. He said that it was difficult to imagine countries that have not recognized each other to join the EU, adding that the issue of recognition would be raised at some point but, as Scholz said, small steps and successes were needed now so the normalization process could advance.

Addressing the issue of sanctions against Russia, Schieb said that Serbia wanted to become an EU member, that the EU decided to impose sanctions to stop the war, and that membership candidates were expected to join the sanctions.

Schieb described Scholz’s visit as successful and said that he brought certain messages, formulated offers and signaled that they were willing to intensify cooperation in the field of energy, climate... The visit cannot be a major breakthrough, but it was an important signal, said Schieb.

The Ambassador said that the Berlin Process was not a substitute for membership with the EU for the countries in the region, but an initiative to facilitate their path to the EU by enabling their better economic integration.

Reconciliation was also an important element of the Berlin Process that would accelerate and facilitate the accession process, the Process was a support to get into the EU faster, said Schieb.

We are here to support Serbia with all our strength, and in the end, everything will depend on political will, on the membership candidate’s reform will, said Schieb who at the end of his term in office in Belgrade.

Ambassador Schieb told N1 that he was leaving the country with very positive impressions.

Bilcik for Insajder: Scholz's position on mutual recognition is not the official position of the European Union (Danas)

The statement of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz that mutual recognition of Serbia and Kosovo was a condition for European integration was not an official position of the EU, the Special Rapporteur of the European Parliament for Serbia, Vladimir Bilcik, told Insajder, reported daily Danas.

Bilcik said that his report clearly showed that the official position of the EU was that ''the key is the normalization of relations between Belgrade and Pristina, which would be based on EU-mediated dialogue'', Bilcik told Insajder's "Marker" TV Show, and added that Belgrade-Pristina relations should be based on a comprehensive legally binding agreement, reported daily Danas.

He said that he was not happy that ''mutual recognition stands as an option in the report, but that it was the decision of the majority''.

"Potential mutual recognition is also mentioned in my report, but it refers to most member states of this parliament and their majority opinion, which shows that the majority of EU member states have recognized Kosovo. I am not happy about that one part of my report, honestly, I did not want it to be in it, but we live in a democracy and the majority decides," Bilcik added for Insajder.

Answering the question what the position of the EU would be if Serbia maintained the position of not imposing sanctions on Russia, Bilcik said that the European integration process was not just about one issue, but that it would certainly be an important issue for member states.

"The European accession process is not just about one issue. It is a process in which compliance with the basic principles and values of the European Union is assessed. These principles are now directly attacked by Russian aggression, and that is why there is a clear goal now when it comes to a comprehensive call for Serbia to harmonize with the EU's foreign security policy," Bilcik said.

He also said that because of that, the harmonization of foreign policy in the fundamental process of joining would certainly be considered.

"It does not mean that it is the only and decisive issue, but it means that it is a very important issue that the member states will look at and of course the Parliament will look at. The ball is in the hands of our Serbian partners, and I know that the decision that Serbia is facing is not an easy one, "Bilcik concluded for Insajder Television, reported Danas.

Duma official says Russia will not recognize Kosovo (N1, Beta, Politika)

A senior Russian State Duma official said on Wednesday that Moscow “has not and will not recognize the independence of Kosovo.”

State Duma deputy Chairman Petr Tolstoy told Belgrade pro-government daily Politika that the forcible separation of part of a state is unacceptable unless the people initiated it and it was not confirmed by referendum “as was the case when Crimea was reunited with Russia.” “The Serbs in Kosovo today have been wrenched from their homeland. The events of 1999 caused deep sadness not only among the Serbian people but, believe me, among the Russians,” he said.

“Going back to the words of (Russian President) Vladimir Putin who compared the recognition of the independence of the DNR and LNR (two self-proclaimed republics in the Donbas region of Ukraine) with the legal precedent on Kosovo and we see that was said to show the double standards and hypocrisy of the West,” he said.

According to Tolstoy, the war in Ukraine is “clearly a battle by the collective West against Russia at the expense of the Ukrainians … and is not a local conflict but a clash of two different civilizations and different ideologies”.

See at:https://bit.ly/3Qq3tpQ

Albanians from Presevo, Bujanovac and Medvedja can take the bar exam in Kosovo (N1, beta, bujanovacke.co.rs)

The Kosovo Assembly has adopted a law that will allow Albanians from Presevo, Bujanovac and Medvedja to take the bar exam in Kosovo, reported N1, citing portal bujanovacke.

The Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, announced that candidates from the area outside Kosovo will be able to take this exam for the first time, the Bujanovac based portal reported.

"With the adoption of the Law on the Bar Exam from today, for the first time, candidates from other Albanian areas, including those from Presevo, Medvedja and Bujanovac, will be able to take this exam," Kurti said, reported N1.

Serbian Justice Minister: ICTY prosecutors suffered complete failure in Kosovo cases (Tanjug)

Serbia is pursuing a responsible policy of reconciliation in the region without which there is no future, stability, economic development and normalisation of relations, Serbian Justice Minister Maja Popovic said in the UN Security Council, reported Tanjug agency.

Addressing a session on a semi-annual report on the work of the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (IRMCT), Popovic pointed to some of the key issues in the present cooperation between Serbia and the IRMCT, the Justice Ministry said in a statement.

"The Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) suffered a complete failure in investigations and trials of crimes committed in the territory of Kosovo-Metohija against the Serb and other non-Albanian population, thereby considerably eroding the reputation of and trust in the ICTY and the Mechanism," Popovic was quoted as saying.

"Impunity for the horrendous crimes against the Serb population has practically become a policy that has found a firm stronghold in the work of the Office of the Prosecutor of the ICTY," Popovic also said, reported Tanjug.

Kosovo police: Increased number of cases of interethnic violence in 2021, most victims Albanians (Kosovo Online)

Kosovo online reported, citing Albanian Post, that Kosovo police informed the public that the number of cases of interethnic violence in Kosovo increased in 2021 compared to the previous year, and the victims in most cases were Albanians.

According to the mentioned data, during 2021 in the entire territory of Kosovo during 2021 there were total of 14 cases of interethnic violence, of which eight victims were Albanians, and four Serbs.

In the first six months of 2022, only two cases were recorded, according to the police.

Kosovo online pointed out that according to the data of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija, during 2021, 128 attacks on Serbs were recorded, and since the beginning of this year, as many as 59.

The last incident happened on Monday, when two Serbian young men from Partes were stabbed, recalled Kosovo Online.

Two days before, Director of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija, Petar Petkovic commented on the latest wave of violence against Serbs, and said that “two shops of Serbs in Velika Hoca were robbed in Kosovo and Metohija in the last 24 hours. Believers were prohibited to attend the celebrations in Musutiste, and the robbers tried to rob the parish home in Osojane”.

“That is the reality in which Serbs live south of the Ibar. The international community must not turn a blind eye to this series of incidents, which have its stronghold in Pristina,” Petkovic said, reported Kosovo Online.

Office for KIM: Primary school in Gojbulja near Vucitrn stoned (gracanicanicaonline.info)

In the village Gojbulja, municipality of Vucitrn, the primary school "21. November" was stoned. On that occasion the classroom window was broken, doors of the new and old building were damaged, the Office for Kosovo and Metohija announced, reported gracanicaonline portal.

"This incident continued the dangerous series of ethnically motivated attacks on Serbs that we have been witnessing in recent days, and the particularly alarming fact is that the facility where the children are staying was attacked. With today's incident, the number of attacks on Serbs, Serbian property and facilities of the Serbian Orthodox Church has risen to 60 since the beginning of 2022, and we have a total of 188 such cases since the beginning of last year," the statement read.

The Office for Kosovo and Metohija will repair the damage caused and will continue to invest in Serbian communities in Kosovo but expects representatives of the international community to end the policy of non-response and clearly condemn this and all previous incidents, the statement added.

"There is no doubt that the increase in ethnically motivated incidents which bring unrest and confusion, especially among Serbs living south of the Ibar, is a consequence of Pristina's anti-Serb policies, which encourage extremists and disturbers with policy of impunity; international representatives must not be silent observers or accomplices by non-responsiveness,'' read the Office for KiM statement, reported the portal.

Opinion

Joseph: Open Balkan(s) is Not Just Unwise. It’s Dangerous (Balkan Insight)

By Edward P. Joseph, professor of conflict management at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, and former Deputy Head of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo from 2010 to 2012.

Open Balkan(s) threatens to cement authoritarian Serbia’s dominance in the Western Balkans, without the supranational trust-building mechanism of the Berlin Process.

It’s always a good idea to come to the fresh air and crystalline waters of Lake Ohrid, one of the most beautiful places in Europe. Unfortunately, the reason for last week’s gathering of leaders from the region – ‘Open Balkan’ – is not a good idea. In fact, it’s not even a good name. Even officials are confused as to whether the name is ‘Open Balkan’ [which sounds like a command] or ‘Open Balkans’ [which sounds like a description].

In fact, Open Balkan is a form of participatory gaslighting, in which all the enthusiastic collaborators – except the leader – gradually incapacitate themselves, until they are powerless to resist the new order. As with any cult or fad, glaring inconsistencies are set aside.

First is the economic disparity. Two of the three participants, Albania and North Macedonia, have GDPs that – combined – are barely half that of the main participant, Serbia. This means that while all three countries will benefit from a common market [or trading area], Serbia will always benefit more.

The Serbian market is bigger, and will always be able to attract more foreign investment [one of the aims of the common market in the first place], and produce higher value goods [for export inside and outside the regional market]. Wage differentials are not high enough to offset the advantages of investing in the largest and most advanced economy of the Western Balkans Six.

In other words, a rising tide will lift all boats, but one boat – Serbia — will become a ship.

The enthusiastic proponents of ‘Open Balkan(s)’ have apparently not contemplated the effects of imbalanced growth and productivity. This is surprising because such imbalances were one of the drivers of tension in former Yugoslavia, summed up in the bitter phrase uttered in poorer areas like Kosovo: ‘Kosovo radi, Beograd gradi’ [‘Kosovo works’ – extracting raw materials – while ‘Belgrade builds’, extracting the benefit and producing higher value goods].

International

Serbia Leader Scorns EU Call for Mutual Recognition with Kosovo (Balkan Insight)

President Vucic has given a chilly response to a European Parliament Committee report calling for Kosovo and Serbia to mutually recognise one another, saying: 'We don't want that."

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic criticized Tuesday’s European Parliament Committee on Foreign Affairs, AFET, report that urged mutual recognition between Serbia and Kosovo, and also called for Serbia to “urgently align with the EU’s decisions against Russia”.

Vucic said that “these people do not respect their own negotiating framework”, which he said only concerned the normalisation of relations between Serbia and its former province.

“Mutual recognition is their wish, it is nice that they want it, we don’t want it and, as I said, everyone [should mind] their own business,” Vucic added on Wednesday.

Humanitarian/Development

Western Balkan Highly Affected by Illegal Border Crossings This Year, Frontex Reveals (schengenvisainfo.com)

23,500 irregular border crossings were recorded in May, representing 27 per cent of all detections registered in EU’s external borders since the year began.

According to a press release issued by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, Frontex, between January and May, 86,420 illegal border crossings were recorded in EU’s borders, marking an 82 per cent increase compared to the previous year, SchengenVisaInfo.com reports.

Additionally, 5.5 million Ukrainians have entered the EU Member States since the Russian invasion occurred in February, as Frontex reveals, but those numbers are not part of these figures.