Albanian Language Media:

• Kurti speaks about the 15 examples offered to the Association (Koha)
• Dendias talks with Lajcak about the latest developments in the dialogue (Klan)
• Kurti meets head of EULEX  Lars Gunnar Wigemark (ekonomia online)
• The SGG condemns the insulting language towards Saranda Bogujevci (media)
• Former Prime Minister Hoti meets the President of Taiwan (RTK)
• Tahiri: Kurti has brought to table an extremely harmful agreement for Kosovo (media)
• Today is the deadline to notify CEC on participation in elections in the north (RTK)
• "30% of Serbs fled Kosovo in the last 10 years": What will happen to Serb community after visas are lifted? (Nacionale)

Serbian Language Media:

• Lajcak from today in Belgrade (Danas, Beta)
• Vucic: We will face additional pressure over Kosovo (Tanjug)
• People’s Party continues campaign against Franco-German proposal (KoSSev, social media)
• Lajcak: EU agreement result of lost opportunities for normalisation, it will be fully implemented (KoSSev)
• Radojevic on incident in Banje, indictment in Gotovusa shooting case (Kosovo Online, social media)
• Petkovic on indictment’s qualification of Gotovusa shooting case (media, social media)
• Serbian List on the indictment of Gotovusa shooting (Kontakt plus radio, Kosovo Online)
• Serbian List met Lajcak (Radio KIM)
• Opposition says Vucic campaign draws attention away from problems (N1)
• Two Serb houses in robbed, Office for KiM reacts (media)
• CEC: Today the deadline for declaring non-participation in the elections in the north of Kosovo (Danas, Kosovo Online)

Opinion:

• Is There Really New Momentum Behind EU Enlargement? (Balkan Insight)

     

Albanian Language Media  

  Kurti speaks about the 15 examples offered to the Association (Koha)

The Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, has said that his advisers and some of the ministers are considering the 15 examples for the Association that the EU emissary for dialogue, Miroslav Lajcak, has offered him.

"The examples presented by the European emissary Lajcak are different solutions for national minorities in the countries of the European Union, there are fifteen in total which are well known. I will not mention them not to endanger or forget a part, but it is known that in EU countries in addition to the majority population, there are also minorities. 15 such cases have been mentioned, some are more recent, some earlier even before the existence of the European Union. I believe that they are examples from which we can take elements so that not only human rights, but also those of national minorities are at the right level in our country... They are being addressed by my advisers, by some of the ministers in order to see what is most favourable. Of course, constitutionality, legality, equality, the functioning of the state are something we never compromise on," he said.

Kurti said that the agenda and content points of what will be discussed there, will be known before Saturday's meeting with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic in Ohrid, North Macedonia.

"Within the discussion of the implementation plan for the already agreed agreement according to the European proposal, without changing anything," he said.

Kurti made these comments after laying the foundation stone of a school in Kamenica. There, the Prime Minister was also asked about Sanday’s post about the former Serbian Prime Minister, Zoran Djindjic, where he said that it is not the first time he has done such a thing.

"I believe that yesterday (Sunday) is important to note that it was 20 years since the criminal murder of the former Serbian Prime Minister, Zoran Djindjic, who was not a lover of Kosovo, but was among the few leaders there who did not cooperate with Milosevic. He was killed by exponents of organised crime who committed war crimes in Kosovo as well. Now, of course, I will be criticised, but my strong conviction is that on this jubilee anniversary of this political murder and the assassination of a semi-democracy that is being born in Serbia, it should be noted. It's not the first time I've done this, if you look at my posts even in previous years, I marked March 12 as the day when traditional chauvinistic Serbia made a murderous blow to any Serbian politician who takes an orientation towards the West. I believe that if we cannot say that there was an excellent politician for the Albanians in the north, this does not mean that all Serbian politicians are identical," Kurti said.

Dendias talks with Lajcak about the latest developments in the dialogue (Klan)

The Greek Foreign Minister, Nikos Dendias, said that he had a telephone conversation with the European Union's special envoy for the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue, Miroslav Lajcak, regarding his visit to Pristina.

Dendias said that they discussed the latest developments in the dialogue.

"I had a telephone conversation today with Miroslav Lajcak and informed him about my recent visit to Pristina. Timely discussion about the latest developments regarding the Belgrade - Pristina dialogue," Dendias wrote on Twitter.

Kurti meets head of EULEX  Lars Gunnar Wigemark (ekonomia online)

The Prime Minister of Kosovo Albin Kurti received today the Head of EULEX, Lars Gunnar Wigemark. They Discussed the latest developments and current issues, with emphasis on the rule of law and the general security situation in Kosovo. Kurti was informed by Mr. Wigemark about the implementation of EULEX tasks within the current mandate and spoke about the cooperation between local institutions and the EULEX mission.

The SGG condemns the insulting language towards Saranda Bogujevci (media)

The Security and Gender Group (SGG) condemns the offensive and sexist reactions towards Deputy President of the Assembly of Kosovo Saranda Bogujevci made on social media following a debate in the Assembly on women's rights to have children through medical assistance that took place on March 9. Some of the messages expressed in public and online constitute an attack on women in general and Ms. Bogujevci in particular and may amount to hate speech. The Assembly should leave no space for offensive discourse that targets individuals or groups based on inherent characteristics.

The issue of women's reproductive health is covered by the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), which is reflected in Article 22 of the Constitution and as such directly applicable. CEDAW recognizes and protects the right of women to health, including with regard to their sexual and reproductive health. In addition, the Law on Gender Equality clearly defines that direct or indirect gender discrimination is prohibited, including less favorable treatment of women due to pregnancy and maternity, marital status, nationality, race, disability, sexual orientation, social status, religious belief and faith , age, or any other basis established by law or international agreements and instruments in force.

The SGG calls upon relevant institutions to uphold their legal commitments, and to ensure that all women and girls are protected from discrimination and instances of hate speech.

Former Prime Minister Hoti meets the President of Taiwan (RTK)

The President of Taiwan, Tsai Ing-wen, met today with the former Prime Minister of Kosovo, Avdullah Hoti.Taiwan's President wrote on Twitter about the meeting. 

"Delighted to host the former Prime Minister of Kosovo Avdullah Hoti and other MPs from Kosovo, North Macedonia and Romania at the meeting. Your visit opens the door to greater cooperation between Taiwan and the Balkans as we work together to bolster global democratic resilience," she wrote on Twitter.

Tahiri: Kurti has brought to the table an extremely harmful agreement for Kosovo (media)

The head of the Parliamentary Group of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) Abelard Tahiri in his statements after the meeting of the Presidency of the Assembly, spoke about the agreement with Serbia.

"The Democratic Party of Kosovo has a clear position regarding this agreement, Lajcak has not said anything more to the offices of the Democratic Party, apart from what he said in the media, and we have a clear position, we consider that Albin Kurti has brought to the table of Kosovo, after two years of negotiations, after two years of completely non-transparent dialogue, an extremely harmful agreement, insufficient for our ambitions," he said.

Today is the deadline to notify CEC on participation in elections in the north (RTK)

On April 23, extraordinary elections are expected to be held for mayors of four municipalities - North Mitrovica, Leposavic, Zubin Potok and Zvecan, and early elections for two municipal assemblies, Zvecan and Leposavic.

It is reported that until Friday, eight political parties have sent official notices of non-participation to the CEC.

Serbian List, the largest party of Kosovo Serbs, has announced that it will not participate in the extraordinary local elections on April 23 in four municipalities in the north of Kosovo. This, according to them, since the demands that prompted them to leave Kosovo's institutions have not been met.

The extraordinary elections for mayors were originally scheduled for December 18, 2022, but were postponed at the request of the international community.

The CEC has started preparations for holding extraordinary elections on April 23 for mayors of the municipalities: North Mitrovica, Leposaviq, Zubin Potok, and Zvecan, as well as early elections for the two municipal assemblies in Zvecan and Leposaviq.

"30% of Serbs fled Kosovo in the last 10 years": What will happen to Serb community after visas are lifted? (Nacionale)

Kosovo took a big step towards visa liberalisation last week when the EU Council approved the Supplement-Amendment to Regulation 2018/1806. Although there are other steps in this protracted process, Kosovars are expected to travel without visas from January 1, 2024.

Like all Albanians and other minorities, Serbs also found it impossible to travel without visas to the countries of the Schengen Area. Including those who had passports of the Republic of Serbia. Meanwhile, it should be remembered that visas were liberalised for Serbia as early as 2009.

Their problem is that Belgrade does not issue the same passport to them as it does to the citizens in Serbia. From now on, something must change, said analyst Ognjen Gogic. "Maybe Serbia will start issuing regular passports," he said.

But, although such a thing remains unclear, what is clear is that if Serbian citizens are provided with Kosovo passports and Kosovo eventually gains the right of free movement, then naturally they will also travel freely.

The political advisor in the Ministry of Return and Communities of the Kurti Government, Rada Trajkovic, has mentioned on many occasions the issue of the flight of Kosovo Serbs from Kosovo.

She expressed such criticism towards both Kurti and Vucic more than a week ago when she pointed out that this could also be their "joint plan".

"Neither he nor Kurti make an effort to stop this (the mass exodus of Serbs from Kosovo). I'm afraid the plan is to let them go. And without the Serbs, there is no reason for the Association," she said.

Nacionale also contacted Aleksandër Arsenijevic, the chairman of "Serbian Survival", a Serbian political party from Kosovo known for its fierce opposition to the Serbian List.

He stated that the position of Serb citizens and their well-being in Kosovo was in a very difficult state, to then mention the frightening figures of emigration.

"One must take into account the already large rate of Serbian emigration, which reached 30 percent of the population in the last 10 years, or close to 40 thousand people," he emphasised. Arsenijevic added that this is only expected to increase with the liberalisation of visas.

"I believe that Serbs, as an endangered community in Kosovo, together with Albanians and other ethnic groups, will find their paradise somewhere far away in Europe, where they will be equal and outside the influence of bad policies in their lives," he said.

The young Serbian politician from Kosovo believes that, in fact, there was a way to achieve the liberalisation of visas in order to strengthen the economy through remittances.

"This trend has persisted, and in Kosovo only the macchiato economy will remain, some construction companies and car washes that will serve the diaspora when they return to Kosovo. It is regrettable that the liberalisation of visas will not serve the distribution of production, which does not exist in Kosovo, but only as a safe way to never return," continued Mr. Arsenijevic.

     

Serbian Language Media 

  Lajcak from today in Belgrade (Danas, Beta)

The Special Representative of the European Union for the Western Balkans, Miroslav Lajcak, starts his visit to Belgrade today, as part of preparations for the upcoming meeting of the Serbian and Kosovo leaders in Ohrid.

Today at 14:30, Lajcak will meet with the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, after last week's two-day stay in Pristina, where he spoke with the Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, and other political actors there.

The focus of the talks will be the road map for the implementation of the Agreement on the Road to the Normalisation of Relations between Kosovo and Serbia, which Vucic and Kurti, according to the head of European diplomacy, Josep Borrell, agreed on February 27 in Brussels.

On March 9 in Pristina, Lajcak said that he had a constructive and very important conversation with Kurti about the implementation of the Agreement and added that the meeting met his expectations and that he "well understands" what Kosovo's expectations were. 

After the meeting with Kurti, the Slovak diplomat also said that the two sides must agree on the Implementation Annex, because the Agreement on the Road to Normalisation of Relations between Kosovo and Serbia will not be legally binding without it.

On March 10, Lajcak stated that he believed that the Agreement would be at least partially implemented, if not completely, stating that the harmonisation of "a good part" of the road map would be a significant success.

On March 9, Vucic said that Lajcak would stay in Belgrade until Wednesday and stated that "he will spend two days with him in an attempt to find some way of progress for the normalisation of relations" between the two sides.

A day later, however, Kurti again rejected the possibility of forming the Community of Serbian Municipalities (CSM), which Belgrade insisted on, saying that uninational solutions were not possible in Kosovo legal order.

Vucic then stated that after Kurti's statement "it is not clear" what he should discuss with him in Ohrid  and previously with Lajcak in Belgrade. He repeated that he would not recognize Kosovo independence or give consent to Kosovo entry into the UN.

"Believe me, I don't understand what we need to talk about. They say that the talks were constructive, and they were so constructive that the only thing they were supposed to talk about (the formation of the CSM), they said that they would not fulfil. Because of what you are coming to Belgrade? Should we recognize Kosovo? You painted the walls in vain", said Vucic on Friday.

According to the Nova portal, Lajcak will also speak with representatives of the opposition in Belgrade, as he did in Pristina, in order to hear their position on the Agreement on the Road to the Normalisation of Relations between Kosovo and Serbia.

According to Nova, the leaders of the Party of Freedom and Justice, the Democratic Party, the Movement of Free Citizens, the People's Party, the movement Ne davimo Belgrade and the party Zajedno were invited to the meeting with Lajcak.

On March 18, Vucic and Kurti will meet in Ohrid as part of the EU-mediated dialogue, and the focus of the meeting, hosted by Borrell, will be the finalisation of the Implementation Annex of the Agreement on the Road to Normalisation of Relations between Kosovo and Serbia.

The European External Affairs Service (EEAS) announced that Borrell and Lajcak will first have separate meetings with Vucic and Kurti in Ohrid, and that a joint trilateral meeting will follow, recalled Danas daily.

Vucic: We will face additional pressure over Kosovo (Tanjug)

President of Serbia and Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) leader Aleksandar Vucic said Friday Serbia would face additional pressure over the Kosovo issue as there would be attempts to blame Belgrade for its unwillingness to sign a de jure or a de facto recognition of unilaterally declared Kosovo independence.

Addressing a SNS Head Committee session, Vucic said Pristina's PM Albin Kurti had once again confirmed earlier in the day he would not form a Community of Serb Municipalities because it was "not in line with the laws of the so-called Kosovo".

"The problem is the hypocrisy of all those who are involved in the process but say nothing about his words. It is not a commitment from a new plan, but a commitment signed up to a long time ago, and it is not about modalities or about how it will look like", Vucic said.

"So now an NGO will write a statute, but we already have everything signed and it is just a matter of implementation", he said.

He noted that forming a Community of Serb Municipalities was an international legal obligation of Pristina.

"They lack the strength and the desire to put Kurti under pressure, and they have even given them (Pristina) visa liberalisation", Vucic said.

People’s Party continues campaign against Franco-German proposal (KoSSev, social media)

Head of People’s Party (NS) caucus group, Miroslav Aleksic said Saturday in Cacak, central Serbia that his party continues “Prevent Treason, Save Serbia” campaign aiming at preventing Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic “from selling out Kosovo and Metohija and our citizens living there” by permanently renouncing part of the Serbian territory, KoSSev portal reports.

He also said that in the upcoming period People’s Party will continue talking with citizens across Serbia about the danger of the Franco-German plan for Kosovo and will do their utmost “to preserve Serbia and prevent sale of Kosovo and Metohija”.

“It is necessary to call for extraordinary elections at all levels, given that not a year has passed since parliamentary and presidential elections, and many important actors on the political scene do everything contrary to what they had been saying during the campaign”, Aleksic said.

Lajcak: EU agreement result of lost opportunities for normalisation, it will be fully implemented (KoSSev)

It is not possible that the Agreement on the path to the normalisation of relations between Kosovo and Serbia will not be implemented or that it will be partially implemented. The President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, and the Kosovo Prime Minister, Albin Kurti, agreed with the content of the EU proposal. Now, as per their input on implementation, we will draft a proposal that will be discussed in Ohrid on March 18th, the special envoy of the European Union for dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, Miroslav Lajcak, said in an exclusive interview for KoSSev.

The six serious crises that occurred in the six months of 2022 were one of the reasons why the EU decided to come up with a proposal on the normalisation of relations, now known as the Agreement on the Path to Normalisation between Kosovo and Serbia.

The EU envoy for the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue, Miroslav Lajcak, told KoSSev that: “The meetings between Kurti and Vucic showed that their vision of normalisation are very different which prompted us to come up with a proposal that we believe addresses the most pertinent issues and respects the most sensitive red lines”.

Read the interview at: https://bit.ly/424mvbf

Radojevic on incident in Banje, indictment in Gotovusa shooting case (Kosovo Online, social media)

Former mayor of Mitrovica North Milan Radojevic said late on Friday that an incident in the village of Banje in northern Kosovo, a night before, for which Kosovo police claimed it was forced to open the fire at the moving vehicle because the driver would not stop and had endangered them, demonstrates “how justice in Kosovo looks like”.

“According to Kosovo police reports last night in the village of Banje, the police was “forced” to shoot at the vehicle that allegedly didn’t stop and allegedly endangered the police officers. There are no witnesses, no evidence, apart from the statements of those police officers and the case is qualified as “attempted murder of police officers”, Radojevic wrote.

Recalling the shooting incident in Gotovusa village, near Strpce on Christmas Eve resulting in injuries of two Serb youngsters Radojevic said “(...) the boys were wounded during the daylight, in front of witnesses. The case has been qualified “as causing general danger”. This is how so-called justice in Kosovo and Metohija and the work of institutions look like”.

The lawyer of two wounded Serb boys, Milos Delevic, said the decision of Kosovo prosecution to charge A.Z. a member of Kosovo Security Forces who shot and wounded the two boys in Gotovusa “for use of firearms” and “causing general danger” was scandalous. The trial has been postponed for March 16 as the lawyer didn’t receive a translated version of the indictment. 

Petkovic on indictment’s qualification of Gotovusa shooting case (media, social media)

Office for Kosovo and Metohija Director, Petar Petkovic said it was concerning that the prosecution office in Urosevac the case of attempted murder of Serbian youth on Christmas Eve in Gotovusa village, near Strpce, qualified as “causing general danger by use of firearms”.

In a post on Twitter Petkovic said no prison sentences are usually rendered in practice for such acts, but rather suspended sentences with a financial fine.

“So-called prosecutor in Urosevac qualified the attempted murder of Serbian children in Gotovusa on Christmas Eve as “causing general danger by use of firearms”. As if Azem Kurtaj, a member of the so-called KSF shot in the air, and not seriously injured Stefan and Milos. It is concerning that no effective prison sentence is rendered in practice for acts qualified as this one, but rather suspended sentences with financial fine”, Petkovic said.

He also said the lawyer has already filed a request to change the qualification of this act into attempted grievous murder adding he will inform representatives of the international community about further outcomes of the trial. Petkovic also warned of the obvious intention of Pristina to spare a member of KSF from going to prison.

Serbian List on the indictment of Gotovusa shooting (Kontakt plus radio, Kosovo Online)

The Serbian List announced today and said that the prosecutor from Urosevac characterised the case of injuries of a boy and young men in Gotovusa by the Kosovo Security Forces member as causing a general danger, reported Kontakt plus radio. 

The Serbian List claims that the aforementioned decision represents "an example of systematic and planned institutional violence by Albin Kurti's regime with the aim of intimidating and expelling Serbs from their homes".

"Despite countless material evidence, statements of injured children and witnesses of this heinous, unprovoked attack - the prosecutor, instead of classifying this crime as attempted murder, qualified it as causing general danger with the use of weapons!? Rudeness and lack of any professionalism, humanity and responsibility are reflected in the fact that even within the article that defines this act - the easiest form was chosen, for which according to the judicial practice in Kosovo, the courts impose conditional and fine penalties," they stated.

The Serbian List said that "this is what justice and law look like in practice when the victims are Serbs, right in front of all international organizations and institutions."

"To make the irony even greater, the same Kosovo judiciary has been persecuting Serbs for years without any evidence, putting them on some arrest lists, and even sentencing them to long-term prison terms," they added.

They emphasized that "the silence of the European Union, Quint, UNMIK, OSCE, EULEX and all other organizations in Kosovo and throughout Europe that deal with human rights - represents a stain on their faces."

They pointed out that there is only one question if this kind of judicial practice continues - "which Serbian child will be the victim of extremists and bullies next, who will be encouraged by this behavior of the prosecution".

Media recalled that the Basic Court in Urosevac ordered a one-month detention for a person suspected of wounding two Serbs in Gotovusa with a firearm.

Serbian List met Lajcak (Radio KIM)

EU Special Envoy for Belgrade-Pristina talks Miroslav Lajcak met on the second day of his visit in Kosovo with the Serbian List representatives, Radio KIM reports. Members of Serbian List, Goran Rakic, Dalibor Jevtic and Igor Simic attended the meeting.

Serbian List said in a post on social media that “establishment of ZSO, security, protection of collective and individual rights of Serbian people were preconditions for normalisation of relations”.

Lajcak is due to visit Belgrade today. 

Opposition says Vucic campaign draws attention away from problems (N1)

Opposition officials believe that Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic launched his People’s Movement for the State to draw attention away from Kosovo and problems within his ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), N1 reports.

Freedom and Justice Party (SSP) deputy leader Marinika Tepic and former Democratic Party (DS) leader Bojan Pajtic said that Vucic’s decision to launch the campaign was crafty and was taken because his ratings are dropping.

According to Pajtic, parties on the right are seeing their ratings rise because of their opposition to the European Union-proposed plan to normalise Belgrade-Pristina relations while Vucic’s ratings are dropping because of his tacit acceptance of the plan. He told Nova daily that Vucic launched two campaigns: the official People’s Movement campaign to convince the public that he does not accept independent Kosovo and a “dirty campaign” against opposition officials on the right who could draw votes away from him.

Two Serb houses in robbed, Office for KiM reacts (media)

Office for Kosovo and Metohija in reaction to a burglary of Dragisa Miric’s house in the village of Batuse, near Kosovo Polje said international community representatives must be aware that Serb community in Kosovo lives under constant fear because of the incidents they are exposed to, Serbian media report.

“A house of Dragisa Miric was broken into and burglarized last night in the village of Batuse, near Kosovo Polje, while he was away. There are around 300 Serbs living in this village, and such incidents contribute that they feel unsafe, insecure and as targets of Albanian hooligans and criminals. There is no dilemma that incidents such as this one do not contribute to easing tensions on the ground and directly endanger existence and sustainable return and remain of the Serbs living under already difficult conditions in Kosovo”, the Office said in a statement.

The Office also said that continuous attacks against Serbs were “a consequence of irresponsible Pristina politicians' messages, nurturing hatred toward anything Serbian and encouraging fresh attacks by policy of impunity”.

Dragisa Miric is a former Kosovo Assembly MP, involved in politics since 2005 and a current member of Decani Provisional Municipal Authority.

Branko Nedeljkovic, owner of another house that was burglarized on Sunday in Preoce village, near Gracanica, told the media that his family, following the incident, was in distress and feeling disturbed. The house was burglarized while they were out shopping. He said he does not expect perpetrators to be found.  Money and golden jewellery were stolen from his house.

CEC: Today the deadline for declaring non-participation in the elections in the north of Kosovo (Danas, Kosovo Online)

Today is the deadline for political parties to inform the Central Election Commission about non-participation in the extraordinary elections for the mayors of four municipalities in the north of Kosovo, as well as for the assembly of the municipalities of Zvecan and Leposavic, CEC spokesperson Valmir Elezi announced, reported Kosovo Online, citing Ekonomia online.

"The deadline set by the CEC for political parties to declare their non-participation in the elections expires today, March 13," Elezi said.

According to announcements by the CEC, until Friday, eight political parties submitted statements of non-participation in the elections to that institution: the Democratic Party of the Diaspora, the New Democratic Initiative of Kosovo, the Movement for Gora, the Social Democratic Union, Fjala, the Ashkali Party for Integration, the Party of Roma Kosovaki Nevi and the Democratic Party of Unity.

Elections in the north of Kosovo are scheduled for April 23, and the deadline for registration of political entities is March 22.

     

Opinion 

  Is There Really New Momentum Behind EU Enlargement? (Balkan Insight)

During a recent visit to Brussels by a diverse group of civil society organisations from Kosovo and Serbia, a consistent and surprising message was heard from various interlocutors – that there is a renewed and buoyant sense of momentum behind the European Union enlargement process.

Read more at:https://bit.ly/3ZGn4Xp