UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, June 2, 2022

Albanian Language Media:

Kurti: There is no increase of interethnic incidents (Kosovapress)
Bakoyannis: For membership, there are areas that need improvement (Express)
Scholz talks about future of Western Balkans, “a matter of personal concern” (Express)
Albania presents priorities at UNSC, rejects comparisons between Kosovo and Ukraine (media)
PM Kurti meets Australian ambassador Biggi (media)
Hovenier after meeting Foreign Affairs Committee: We discussed national security (media)
Kosovo Police comments on reports it did not allow liturgy in Pristina (Kallxo)
Special Prosecution launches inquiry into allegations of corruption involving Kosovo officials (media)
Bjerde pledges more support for job-creation and greener growth in Kosovo (media)

Serbian Language Media:

Vucic to attend GLOBSEC forum in Bratislava on Thursday (Tanjug, media)
Selakovic met the new Ukrainian ambassador (Tanjug)
Petkovic, Rakic on prohibition of liturgy in Church of Christ the Saviour in Pristina (media)
Kosovo police prevented serving of liturgy at the Church of Christ the Savior in Pristina (KiM radio, Riznica)
Petkovic: Kurti to start implementing the agreements reached instead threatening (Radio Mitrovica sever, Politika)
Serbian Museum of Genocide Victims concerned due to the resumption of restauration of Xhafer Deva’s house (Kosovo Online, Kontakt plus radio, KoSSev)
Prince Philip opened the Vidovdan festivities, Princess Danica the Art Colony (KiM radio, Kontakt plus radio, KoSSev, RTK2)
Kurti on the ruling on V. Decani land: Plenty of procedural violations (KoSSev, Klan Kosova)
Serbian Constitutional Court stops Kosovo from joining ACCF (N1)

Opinion:

Biserko: Serbia is Moscow's channel of communication with the West, it would probably tolerate Belgrade's sanctions (Danas, FoNet)

Humanitarian/Development:

EBRD and Sweden support women entrepreneurs in Kosovo (EBRD)
Just waiting to leave (Kosovo 2.0)

Albanian Language Media

Kurti: There is no increase of interethnic incidents (Kosovapress)

Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, has not agreed with a statement by EU Head of Office in Kosovo, Tomas Szunyog, that there has been an increase in the number of interethnic incidents. “As Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, I do not have this impression. However, I believe that our security and justice authorities need to check if there has been an increase as claimed. I don’t think it is up to me to talk about exact figures. The Republic of Kosovo has state mechanisms, namely the Ministry of Interior Affairs and the Kosovo Police can tell us about this. From the reports I have received, not only last year, but this year too, I am not under the impression that there has been an increase in interethnic cases,” Kurti told reporters.

Bakoyannis: For membership, there are areas that need improvement (Express)

Dora Bakoyannis, Rapporteur for Kosovo for the Council of Europe, in an interview with the news website talked about Kosovo’s membership bid at the Council of Europe. She said Kosovo institutions have worked well and achieved progress in several areas but that there are also other areas that need further improvement, such the fight against organised crime and corruption and public administration.

Bakoyannis also said that Kosovo needs to convey and project political stability, reliability, and readiness to resolve outstanding issues. “The Report on Kosovo published by the European Commission in 2021 is real evidence about the progress and efforts that Kosovo has made in fulfilling European standards and standards of the Council of Europe. This must be acknowledged. The report contains really encouraging findings in the human rights legal framework and its compliance with European standards. However, this is an ongoing process and there is still need for improvement in sectors like public administration, reforms in the judiciary, and the fight against corruption and organised crime. What is also very important and will play a role in shaping political will at the European level, is the political polarisation, before and after the elections. In these difficult times for Europe, the clearest message that Kosovo needs to project is political stability, reliability, and the readiness to resolve outstanding issues in productive fashion,” she said.

Scholz talks about future of Western Balkans, “a matter of personal concern” (Express)

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz talked about the Western Balkans during a joint press conference with Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic in Berlin. “One issue that is very important to me is the future of the Western Balkans,” Scholz is quoted as saying. “Starting accession talks with Balkans states is a matter of personal concern. Their accession is in our joint interest, it strengthens the European Union and stabilises the Balkans”.

The news website notes that Scholz will visit Western Balkans this month.

Albania presents priorities at UNSC, rejects comparisons between Kosovo and Ukraine (media)

Ferit Hoxha, Albania's Permanent Representative to the UN, presented the country's priorities during its presidency of the UN Security Council.

Hoxha said that it is an urgent need for the perpetrators of human rights violations, including the issue of wartime rape in Kosovo, to be held to account. "Respect for the international law and protection and promotion of human rights are at the core of Albania's foreign policy and our priorities during our mandate in the Security Council," he said. "We cannot and must not become familiar with impunity. There is an emergency to act now and on behalf of the countless victims of senseless conflicts and I say so for the abused women of Kosovo, for the grieving mothers of Bosnia, for the children of Ukraine, for the nameless victims in Tigray, for the Hazara in Afghanistan, for the Yezidis in Iraq, for the Rohingyas, for the political prisoners in Myanmar and Sudan, for the detainees in Syria, for all journalists who have lost their lives in the line of duty, for everyone everywhere whose rights have been denied," Hoxha continued.

Asked to comment on whether he sees any similarity between the situation in the Ukraine's Donbas region and Kosovo, Hoxha said: "We don't see any similarity between Kosovo independent state and the unprovoked military aggression of Russia in Ukraine and the prefabricated republics in Donbas for the very simple reason because there isn't any similarity and for the sake of truth, there is no similarity between Kosovo and any other situation anywhere in the world."

PM Kurti meets Australian ambassador Biggi (media)

Prime Minister of Kosovo Albin Kurti met today Andrea Carlo Biggi, Australia's non-resident ambassador to Kosovo.

Biggi thanked Kurti for congratulating on the formation of the new Australian government led by Anthony Albanese. He wrote on Twitter that they discussed Kosovo's economic progress, "Australia's support for Kosovo's sovereignty, our shared support for democracy and the global rules-based order - including against aggression."

Hovenier after meeting Foreign Affairs Committee: We discussed national security (media)

The U.S. Ambassador Jeffrey Hovenier said after meeting with members of the Kosovo Assembly's Committee on Foreign Affairs that they had a 'fruitful' discussion on Kosovo's national security and foreign policy.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting which took place behind closed doors, Hovenier said that he has the highest regard for the role of parliament as an element of democratic system as well as a great deal of respect for the members of the committee and the work they do.

Committee's chair, Haki Abazi, said they reconfirmed the special and strategic ties with the United States and Kosovo's Euro-Atlantic journey. "This spirit of cooperation will continue in the future," he said.

Kosovo Police comments on reports it did not allow liturgy in Pristina (Kallxo)

Kosovo Police commented on reports that it prevented a liturgy from taking place at the Orthodox Church in Pristina, which is located inside the University of Prishtina campus saying there was no prior announcement of the activity, Kallxo.com reports.

The police said that around 4:30 this morning, they stopped a car with three people, two of whom were foreign nationals. "While the necessary verification actions were carried out by the police, the persons in question were allowed to proceed further. Regarding the claims concerning any religious activity, apart from the liturgy of the Orthodox Church that is ongoing in the village of Bardhosh in the municipality of Pristina, no other activity has been announced," the Kosovo Police said in a response for the news website.

Special Prosecution launches inquiry into allegations of corruption involving Kosovo officials (media)

Kosovo's Special Prosecution said it has opened an investigation into allegations that certain government officials are involved in corrupt activity.

"The State Prosecutor informs the public opinion that it has begun the verification and investigation procedure concerning all the articles published in the media in recent days regarding the suspected cases of corruption," the prosecution said.

The statement comes following allegations made by the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) officials saying that two ministers - Fikrim Damka and Donika Gervalla - unlawfully signed an over 1 million euro contract with Swiss Caritas non-governmental organisation. At the same time, Nacionale news website published what it says was a wiretapped conversation linking minister of environment Liburn Aliu to corruption.

Bjerde pledges more support for job-creation and greener growth in Kosovo (media)

Anna Bjerde, World Bank Vice President for Europe and Central Asia, is visiting Kosovo to better understand the country’s growth opportunities and challenges, and to discuss the government’s long-term development vision, as well as the World Bank’s support going forward, a press release issued by the World Bank notes.

“For Kosovo to have consistently strong growth that is resilient and that creates high quality jobs, Kosovo needs to improve productivity, address infrastructure bottlenecks, create an environment that is more conducive to the private sector and invest in its own people,” said Anna Bjerde, World Bank Vice President for Europe and Central Asia. 

During her visit, Anna Bjerde met with Albin Kurti, Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, as well as other Government Ministers, diplomats and development partners. Anna Bjerde also discussed current and future socio-economic challenges with a group of Kosovo civil society organizations at a round-table in North Mitrovica.

“With ongoing inflationary pressures, the impact of the war in Ukraine on the economies around the world and fiscal buffers depleted with COVID19 response, global experience clearly shows the importance of well-targeted and fiscally sustainable social protection policies to protect the poorest and most vulnerable,” noted Anna Bjerde.

Read full press release at: https://bit.ly/3M9V7j1

Serbian Language Media

Vucic to attend GLOBSEC forum in Bratislava on Thursday (Tanjug, media)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic will attend the GLOBSEC 2022 Forum in Bratislava on Thursday.

This year's forum will also focus on mobilising support and action for Ukraine and the European neighborhood, including the Western Balkans.

Particular attention will be devoted to Serbia, with Vucic to be the only speaker at a 45-minute panel on a Serbia-EU partnership for the future, moderated by Kevin Baron.

The June 2-4 annual forum will also be attended by leaders from the region.

Slovak President Zuzana Caputova will deliver the keynote speech.

While in Bratislava, Vucic will also have separate meetings with Maros Sefcovic, vice-president of the European Commission responsible for inter-institutional relations and foresight, the EU special envoy for the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue Miroslav Lajcak and the European Parliament rapporteur for Serbia Vladimir Bilcik, the Presidency of Serbia announced in a statement.

See at:https://bit.ly/3x9Uv8U

Selakovic met the new Ukrainian ambassador (Tanjug)

Serbian FM Nikola Selakovic met with new Ukrainian Ambassador to Serbia Volodymyr Tolkach on Wednesday, reported agency Tanjug.

Welcoming Tolkach, Selakovic noted that Serbia attached great significance to development of its overall relations with a friendly and traditionally close country such as Ukraine, the Serbian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.

It is in Serbia's interest to cooperate with Ukraine in all fields of mutual interest, which includes advancement and revival of political dialogue, as well as establishment of more efficient cooperation to boost trade and economic relations once the situation permits, Selakovic underscored.

Noting that Tolkach was taking office in a difficult time for Ukraine, Selakovic expressed regret over the situation in the country and stressed that Serbia wanted to see peace restored in Ukraine as soon as possible and a return of refugees and internally displaced persons to their homes, as well as a continuation of the development of Serbia-Ukraine cooperation.

Selakovic reiterated Serbia’s maintained principled commitment to peaceful resolution of disputes and supported all efforts towards negotiations.

He expressed Serbia's readiness to provide any humanitarian aid to the endangered population and participate in efforts to rebuild cities in Ukraine.

Selakovic also said Serbia had provided civilian refugees from Ukraine with the best conditions as well as the right to residence and work permits in line with EU rules, as well as on a higher level.

In particular, Selakovic noted that Serbia was committed to respect the principle of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of states as one of the fundamental principles of international law enshrined in the UN Charter, and that it respected the territorial integrity of Ukraine.

He said Serbia was exposed to ‘an unprincipled stance of a part of the world when it comes to the unilaterally declared independence of the so-called Kosovo’, and thanked Ukraine for respecting the territorial integrity of Serbia.

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

Petkovic, Rakic on prohibition of liturgy in Church of Christ the Saviour in Pristina (media)

Director of the Office for KiM, Petar Petkovic, asked if the values for membership to the Council of Europe were that Pristina banned the liturgy in the Church of Christ the Saviour in Pristina this morning, while allowing the reconstruction of the house of Nazi associate Xhafer Deva.

Petkovic, on Twitter, wrote:

“Pristina forbids Serbs to have a liturgy in the Church of Christ the Savior, but allows the reconstruction of the house of the Nazi collaborator XhaferDeva, Are these values for the CoE? No one should turn a blind eye to Albin Kurti’s religious violence,’’ reported Serbian media.

President of the Serbian List, Goran Rakic said that “the prohibition of liturgy this morning in the Church of Christ the Saviour in Pristina is a violation of fundamental human rights of Serbian community in Kosovo and a direct blow to all Serbs living in this area”, reported Serbian media.

Rakic stated that he strongly believed that such things in Kosovo are a thing of the past and that the peoples living here should work on building mutual reconciliation and trust with respect for all religions.

“What happened this morning to the priests and the believers who, apart from celebrating a big holiday, had no other intention, is not only a bad message, but also a red alarm for the international community that things must be called by their real names, and that is that there is no equality among people and that this act sends a clear message that Serbs cannot freely preach their faith in their shrines and that there is no religious equality”.

Kosovo police prevented serving of liturgy at the Church of Christ the Savior in Pristina (KiM radio, Riznica, N1, Blic)

KiM radio reported, citing portal Riznica, that the Kosovo Police prevented this morning two priests from holding a liturgy at the Church of Christ the Savior in Pristina on the occasion of Savior's Day.

About a dozen armed policemen in bulletproof vests did not allow priests Stanisa Arsic and Zoran Godjevac to perform their service in the Temple. The members of the Kosovo Police did not want to explain to the priests why it is not allowed to perform worship.

The festive liturgy and the cutting of the feast cake was finally performed in the church of St. Nicholas in Pristina.

On Savior's Day 2021, Bishop Teodosije of Raska and Prizren held the first liturgy since 1998 in the Church of Christ the Savior in Pristina, in the presence of about ten believers, recalled KiM radio.

The Office for Kosovo and Metohija reacted soon after and said in a statement that “in order to avoid incidents and protect the people, the SPC priests asked everyone to proceed to the Church of St. Nicholas in Pristina, where they held the service”.

The statement read, among other things that “there is no doubt that this uncivilized act by the Kosovo police is directly orchestrated by the authorities in Pristina and it reflects their attitude towards religious freedoms in Kosovo, of the SPC and Serbian believers,” reported N1.

Petkovic: Kurti to start implementing the agreements reached instead threatening (Radio Mitrovica sever, Politika)

''Belgrade will not allow Serbs from Kosovo and Metohija to be victims or targets of the irrational policy of Albin Kurti, who knows only about provoking incidents and rhetoric of hatred, and not about respecting agreements and calming tensions through dialogue and compromise,'' said the director of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija Petar Petkovic in a press release, reported Radio Mitrovica sever.

"This is exactly the purpose of Kurti's covert threat about the possibility of power outages in northern Kosovo and Metohija due to alleged non-payment of electricity and accumulated debts, because such allegations have no basis in reality," said Petkovic.

Petkovic told Kurti that it would be better to start implementing the agreements from Brussels, in the field of energy, the first of which was reached in 2013, and the second in 2015, and which stipulates that Serbian energy companies should obtain licenses for supply and distribution of electricity and added that this has not happened to this day.

Petkovic stated, it was incoherent that ''Kurti accuses Serbs in the north of Kosovo of not paying for electricity because, as it is stated, Belgrade has been paying for all consumed electricity in four municipalities in the north of Kosovo''.

"Precisely because of the unresolved situation on the ground created by Kurti's disrespect for the agreements, we are trying to fight for solutions that are in the interest of all and sustainable on the ground through dialogue in Brussels, in order to preserve much-needed peace and stability in Kosovo and Metohija," Petkovic said.

According to Petkovic such "irresponsible Kurti's statements do not serve to solve the problem", but generate a new potential crisis and Belgrade expects Kurti to start implementing agreements instead of threatening, adding that the EU, as mediator in the dialogue, should influence him to refrain from statements that go in the direction of breaking agreements.

Serbian Museum of Genocide Victims concerned due to the resumption of restauration of Xhafer Deva’s house (Kosovo Online, Kontakt plus radio, KoSSev)

Museum of Genocide Victims in Serbia has unanimously condemned and expressed concern over the announcement of the renovation of the house of “war criminal Xhafer Ibrahim Deva in Kosovska Mitrovica”, reported Kosovo Online.

According to the press release, “the Museum of Genocide Victims gladly responds to yesterday’s public call by Kosovo Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports Hajrulla Ceku for people with specialised expertise to be engaged in a dialogue on the intention of the provisional authorities in Pristina regarding the renovation of Xhafer Ibrahim Deva’s house in Kosovska Mitrovica”.

“This, all the more so because, according to Mr. Ceku, it is up to them (specialist experts) to provide the interpretation of the past”.

Ceku said yesterday that he did not believe there was a reason not to continue the restoration of the house and that the government was very interested in protecting the testimony of the past and making it available to the community. He added that historical interpretations should remain in the domain of the professional public.

Ceku said that the statement of the German ambassador to Pristina, Jorn Rohde that all historical documents indicated that Xhafer Deva was a Nazi collaborator and that he had played a significant role in founding the SS “Skanderbeg” division, which “was exterminating Jews in Kosovo”, was hasty.

Prince Philip opened the Vidovdan festivities, Princess Danica the Art Colony (KiM radio, Kontakt plus radio, KoSSev, RTK2)

The cultural and artistic program that precedes Vidovdan started last night in Gracanica with the opening of the exhibition of one of the most important Serbian artists of today, Milan Cile Marinkovic. The art colony was opened by his daughter, Princess Danica, while the Vidovdan festivities were opened by Prince Filip Karadjordjevic.

Vidovdan festivities are the most important cultural event of Serbs in Kosovo. They are held in several Serbian communities in Kosovo and last until Vidovdan on June 28, when the main manifestation, solemn liturgy, and memorial service for the victims of the Kosovo battle in Gazimestan will be held. This year, the manifestation in Gracanica was opened by the heir to the throne, Prince Filip Karadjordjevic.

An exhibition by Milan Cile Marinkovic, winner of the prestigious Longin Art Award for Lifetime Achievement in 2020, was opened at the Gallery of the House of Culture in Gracanica last night.

According to Zivojin Rakocevic, director of the Cultural Center "Gracanica", Vidovdan is the most important national holiday of Serbs.

"These are important years - seven centuries since the Gracanica monastery, 150 years of the Prizren seminary, so these events, 30 of them, are a small contribution to all this and this exhibition by Cile Marinkovic is actually a contribution to the continuity of our culture and spirituality in Kosovo and Metohija." That exhibition is our face in the world, and that face in the big world explains its essence, "said Rakocevic.

For the artist from Kosovo, Miljana Dundjerin, it is important that such exhibitions take place because, as she said, it shows that we are keeping up with the times and the world tendency of art.

"What is significant is that such names come here, and that people can be acquainted with that work because a work of art cannot live without touch, that is, without an audience watching that work, and I think all the descriptive criticism that people can find about it cannot give the experience like when you stand in front of this canvas ", said Miljana Dundjerin.

Vidovdan Art Colony has been held for 24 years in a row in cooperation with the Faculty of Arts in Pristina and the House of Culture "Gracanica".

The opening of the Vidovdan festivities was also attended by the President of the Municipality of Gracanica, Ljiljana Subaric.

"This is the most dynamic period of the year in Gracanica in terms of cultural events. This is a particularly important date for us. The team from the House of Culture did a great job as every year, and this year the visit of Prince Filip Karadjordjevic, who significantly contributed to this ceremony, thus making a great honour for Gracanica municipality and its residents,'' said Subaric.

Kurti on the ruling on V. Decani land: Plenty of procedural violations (KoSSev, Klan Kosova)

I believe that there are plenty of procedural violations in the Constitutional Court’s ruling on the property of the Visoki Decani monastery, said the Kosovan Prime Minister, Albin Kurti, reported KoSSev, citing Klan Kosova.

Kurti testified that he – as the top representative of the government – was asked not to interfere in the work of other institutions, however, as he claims, when it comes to the monastery Visoki Decani, he was urged to support the Constitutional Court’s ruling.

According to him, numerous violations have been committed in connection with this case.

“We cannot be represented by the AKM, nor by UNMIK after the declaration of independence, but the AKP was supposed to do so, and that violation was committed. There are countless such violations, but the Kosovo government sticks to justice,“ Klan Kosova reported.

Kurti revealed that he is ready to talk, and that he even asked the top priests of the Orthodox Church in Kosovo to start a joint dialogue – a proposal they allegedly did not accept.

„They met with and had a dialogue with all prime ministers before me, I’m the only exception,“ Kurti said, KoSSev reported, citing Klan Kosova.

Opinion

Biserko: Serbia is Moscow's channel of communication with the West, it would probably tolerate Belgrade's sanctions (Danas, FoNet)

President of the Helsinki Committee for Human Rights, Sonja Biserko told FoNet agency that Serbia eventually will impose reduced sanctions on Russia, maybe even in agreement with Moscow, which needs this channel of communication with the West, assessing that it is important for Serbia "to take the side at this turning point in history as Yugoslavia in 1948", reported daily Danas.

In the series of talks 'Agreman' on Serbia's foreign policy, Biserko emphasized that Moscow needs a channel of communication through Serbia and that is why it would probably tolerate Belgrade's sanctions, which would be more symbolic than economically damaging for Russia.

Biserko said it is very important that in this historical, crucial period, Serbia takes the side, like Yugoslavia in 1948, she specified, pointing out that most historians, political, intellectual, and religious elites are pro-Russian, reported Danas.

Biserko said that it was "that underground flow" that the European Union (EU) and foreigners are not aware of, and who think that the authorities have learned the language of democracy and human rights, but that it is all a simulation.

When analyzing "that underground flow", one can see strong resistance to Western values, she explained and stated that Serbia, which is perceived as a central point in the region and the Balkans, ''a factor of instability, but also stability, if problems with its neighbours are solved".

In that sense, there is even an approach to giving in to Serbia, Biserko explained, referring to numerous visits of European diplomats and their talks with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic.

As she assessed, Vucic is still trying to "swim" in this new situation, and so far, he has managed such a situation well, which has lasted for years before.

Biserko believes that Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, if he comes to Belgrade, will make it known that the gas arrangement also has some kind of "return service" that Serbia should do.

She believes that Russia sees the Balkans as a space that can destabilize, not in terms of conflict, but a space where the weaknesses of the EU and NATO can be demonstrated and tested.

Biserko predicts that Lavrov probably is coming to ask for some things and show support for Serbia, but that he will not let it go so easily, regardless of what Vucic decides, wrote Danas.

They need this channel, she repeated.

These are now pure speculations, but they may ask for certain services, for the pro-Russian people to be in the Government, stated Biserko and noticed that the leader of the Socialists (SPS), Ivica Dacic, is "keeping aside".

When it comes to the visit of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, she pointed out that he is the leader of one of the key EU countries, but also a country that has its own economic and political interest in Serbia and sees the Western Balkans as a zone of interest.

His visit will contribute to, in a way, moving the decision on where we belong, although it is difficult to say how Vucic and this company will decide, Biserko estimated.

Interpreting some of the parts of Vucic's inauguration speech, she noticed that the changed international context due to the Russian aggression on Ukraine, brought new tones, at least declarative when it comes to the EU.

This is a new emphasis, but still under the pressure of what is happening, not so much because of the EU, but the need for Serbia to decide, Biserko is convinced.

According to her, the West offers Serbia to accept something or not, while the pressure comes from another side, and Vucic is trying to balance.

Vucic made an effort to include in the European part of the story statements concerning the region, primarily Croatia, with which relations have been frozen for almost 10 years, but also with political Sarajevo, Biserko noted.

The region should be a priority of Serbia's foreign policy, but in the past 10 years we have witnessed the collapse of those relations, she pointed out and concluded that relations with all neighbours have never been at a lower point, reported Danas.

Humanitarian/Development

EBRD and Sweden support women entrepreneurs in Kosovo (EBRD)

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is extending €3 million in funding to Kreditimi Rural i Kosoves (KRK), a microfinance institution in Kosovo. The financing, which Sweden is backing with grants and technical assistance, will support investments by women entrepreneurs and small businesses.

As part of this funding, a €1 million loan for businesses run or owned by women is being extended under the EBRD’s Women in Business programme, which promotes women’s entrepreneurship and their participation in business more broadly by providing them with access to finance and know-how. Since its launch in the Western Balkans in 2014, the programme has provided more than €57 million in credit lines, reaching more than 4,800 women-led micro, small and medium-sized enterprises across the region to provide access to finance, advisory services, training, mentoring and network-building activities.

Some €2 million will be extended to other small businesses to boost entrepreneurship and competitiveness. It will allow enterprises to access funding to invest in innovation in areas such as strategy, products, processes and marketing.

See more at: https://bit.ly/3NcAPGW

Just waiting to leave (Kosovo 2.0)

Kosovo’s last Croats contemplate the end of their centuries-old community.

Not so long ago, some 30 years back, about 9,000 ethnic Croats lived in Kosovo, mostly in the towns of Janjevo and Letnica. Today fewer than 200 remain, most of whom are elderly. The few young people who remain are just waiting for their chance to leave.

Among those who await the right moment to leave are three young men, all under the age of 20, whom I met in the courtyard of the Church of Saint Nicholas during one of many visits to Janjevo with K2.0’s photographer over the last few months. Like most people we spoke to in Janjevo and Letnica, the young men don’t want us to mention their names publicly or photograph them, saying they’d had bad experiences with the media in the past.

When asked what they do and how they live here, they answer almost in unison: “Wasting time!”