UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, May 17, 2023

Albanian Language Media:

Hovenier: We expect new mayors to take on technical not political role (Telegrafi)
Kurti: Kosovo’s progress acknowledged in international reports (media)
Vela: Criminal groups in north preparing lists to send Serbs to Vucic rally (media)
Shala: Some MPs from majority have different positions from their party (Demokracia)
Switzerland decides to lift visas for Kosovo (media)
Police conduct raids over suspected abuse of duty at Public Housing Enterprise (RFE)

Serbian Language Media:

Shooting in Ugljare, no one was injured (Radio KIM, RTS)
Petkovic reacts to shooting in Ugljare (Kosovo Online, TV Pink)
Serbian List condemns shooting in Ugljare (Kosovo Online)
Hill: Solving technical issues is not for people who want quick fixes; In the end we will have CSM (ZSO) (KoSSev, Nova S)
Wigemark: Opening of a bridge should not be a unilateral decision (Radio KIM, KoSSev, Kosovo Online)
Vucic: Rally of hope not of anger (N1)
European Commission welcomes gun amnesty campaign in Serbia (N1)
Vucic: 20,000 pieces of weapons handed in, SNS to elect new leadership on May 27 (N1)
Complaint to the mayor of Gracanica about abuses; Municipality: Anonymous document (medijacentar.info, KiM radio)
Gracanica municipality on the construction in Caglavica: The building permit has not been issued (KiM radio, KoSSev)

International:

In Kosovo, Fake Online Accounts are Turbocharging Tensions (BIRN)

Albanian Language Media

Hovenier: We expect new mayors to take on technical not political role (Telegrafi)

U.S. Ambassador to Kosovo, Jeffrey Hovenier, in an interview with the news website today, commented on recent developments in the north of Kosovo prior to the four newly elected mayors officially assuming their duties.

Hovenier said that “the elections held on April 23 were in compliance with the laws of Kosovo mandated with the Constitution”.

“Given the low turnout, we would expect the newly elected mayors and municipal assemblies to take on a technical and not political role,” he said.

Hovenier also said that any criminal activity aimed at preventing these officials from exercising their legal responsibilities will be faced with harsh condemnation by the U.S. and partners.

Asked if there could be tensions that can impact the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue, Hovenier said: “We expect all parties – especially the elected officials – to act in order to reduce tensions, especially in the time of sensitive circumstances in the north of Kosovo”.

Kurti: Kosovo’s progress acknowledged in international reports (media)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti held a discussion today with students of the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna and talked about the challenges and successes of his government. He expressed his position to secure a stronger well-being system, strengthening the rule of law, the protection and advancement of human rights, including minority rights, and economic growth. “This progress is widely acknowledged in numerous international reports and strengthens Kosovo’s reputation as a success story in democracy,” Kurti said.

Kurti also said that the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia is crucial for resolving outstanding issues between the two sides and that for the process to be efficient both sides need to respect basic democratic values of the European Union.

Read press release issued by Kurti’s office at: https://shorturl.at/ehruO

Vela: Criminal groups in north preparing lists to send Serbs to Vucic rally (media)

Chief of Staff for Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani, Blerim Vela, said in a Twitter post today that “Serbia’s illegal and criminal groups in north Kosovo are in overdrive to coerce high participation of local Kosovo Serbs to Vucic’s May 26th rally in Belgrade: preparing lists of all people that will travel, rented all available buses in north Kosovo, annulled annual leave of workers, ordered institutions to review all leave granted to workers on health ground & all health facilities are warned not to approve such leave, forced all bakeries to prepare food packages for people travelling to Belgrade, forced all printing houses to prepare rallying materials”.

Vela also argued that “while Vucic & Co. constantly trumpet that local Serbs in Kosovo are ‘endangered by Albanians’, they didn’t mind reaching out to bus companies owned by Albanians to transport people to Belgrade. Serbia is a farcical country and a façade of a democracy that glorifies intimidation.”

Shala: Some MPs from majority have different positions from their party (Demokracia)

MP from the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) and Vice President of the Kosovo Assembly, Kujtim Shala, argued today that some draft laws are not being adopted because the majority in parliament is not managing to convince its own MPs to vote. “I think that the majority is failing to convince its MPs to vote on certain laws … It seems that MPs from the majority have different positions about a number of laws,” he argued.

Switzerland decides to lift visas for Kosovo (media)

The Federal Council of Switzerland said in a press release that today they have approved the necessary changes in accordance with the decision of the European Parliament and the European Council on the liberalisation of visas for Kosovo citizens. From January 1, 2024, Kosovars will not be obliged to obtain a visa if they wish to visit Switzerland for a stay of up to 90 days.

“Kosovo has met all the conditions for visas related to security, border controls and migration. For this reason, the European Parliament and the Council of the EU have approved the regulation on April 19, 2023 that exempts Kosovars from the requirement to obtain a visa for a short stay of a maximum of 90 days. It is required to have a biometric passport. As a country of the Schengen area, Switzerland is committed to adopting further developments within the framework of the "Schengen Acquis",” the press release notes.

Police conduct raids over suspected abuse of duty at Public Housing Enterprise (RFE)

The Special Prosecution of Kosovo said that this morning authorities carried out raids in 12 locations to secure evidence against 11 officials suspected of abuse of duty. Earlier in the day, the Minister of Interior Affairs, Xhelal Svecla, confirmed that the economic crimes unit was conducting the operation at the Public Housing Enterprise. A press release by the prosecution notes that the properties of 11 suspects were raided and that they are suspected of having committed the offences “abuse of duty or official authority”, “entering into harmful contract” and “fraud”. It also notes that the suspects are believed to have been involved in “accelerated procedures for the construction of four business and housing buildings, the amount of which is above €120 million”.

Serbian Language Media

Shooting in Ugljare, no one was injured (Radio KIM, RTS)

Unknown persons shot with firearms last night after 22.00 near the school yard in Ugljare village, near Kosovo Polje, Radio KIM reports.

At the moment of the shooting there were children in the “Ugljare” school yard, but fortunately no one was injured. As media reported the shooting occurred from a moving vehicle. There is no information about perpetrators, the Radio KIM added.

Ugljare village belongs to Gracanica municipality and is ethnically mixed. Until early 2000 it was a majority Serbian village with few Roma families residing there. Over the last years the ethnic structure had changed. Numerous Serbs moved out and sold their properties while Albanian families moved into the village.

School director Vesna Martinovic told RTS that parents reported the shooting occurred from a moving vehicle in the direction of a group of Roma children, students of the school.

Kosovo police conducted the investigation and an official report is expected soon, RTS adds.

The school director also said the education process today goes normally as per usual schedule, plan and curricula of the Serbian Ministry of Education. She appealed to the parents, residents of the village and media to exercise restraint at this sensitive moment and not hamper the already complicated situation.

Around 70 students of Serb and Roma ethnicity attend the school in Ugralje.

Petkovic reacts to shooting in Ugljare (Kosovo Online, TV Pink)

Office for Kosovo and Metohija Director Petar Petkovic reacting to the last night’s shooting in Ugljare village, near Kosovo Polje, involving unknown perpetrators who, according to the reports, shot from a moving vehicle, said children who were in the yard of a school in the village at the moment of shooting went unhurt by sheer luck, Kosovo Online portal reports.

Petkovic told TV Pink that three youngsters, 13, 15, and 17 years old were in the yard at the moment of the shooting, and that the vehicle went in the direction of Preoce village.

“This is the 331st attack targeting the Serbian areas, our people living in Kosovo and Metohija, and this illustrates the best in what situation Serbs and all non-Albanians, who are by the state of Serbia, live today. That is why the dialogue is important, and we insist on it all the time in order to preserve the lives of the people. It takes only a spark to move things in Kosovo in a negative direction”, Petkovic said.

He also accused Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti of wishing to cause reactions from Serbs in Kosovo with daily incidents and generate new crises, so he could avoid establishment of the Community of Serb Municipalities.

Serbian List condemns shooting in Ugljare (Kosovo Online)

Serbian List in the strongest terms condemned last night’s incident in Ugljare when unknown perpetrators shot from a moving vehicle in the direction of a school in Ugljare village, where children were, Kosovo Online portal reports.

Serbian List said that children went unhurt by sheer luck, adding this incident caused fear and anxiety among the Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija, in particular central Kosovo.

“This attack is a direct consequence of anti-Serb rhetoric of Albin Kurti’s regime, who not even once following attacks against Serbs distanced himself from criminals assaulting Serbian children, Serbs and their properties, nor publicly called for prosecuting those responsible. Kurti’s silence has obviously been interpreted as a sign of approval from one side to continue such attacks and from the other one that institutions responsible for security do nothing to prosecute those responsible appropriately, or take care to act preventively and prevent such attacks”, Serbian List said.

Serbian List added that “there is no decision of the Pristina government or safari minister Svecla to send special forces in order to find those responsible for those misdeeds and prevent attacks against Serbs”.

Serbian List also asked international organisations and Quint embassies in Pristina when will they clearly and loudly condemn attacks against the Serbs, demand arrests and punishment of those responsible as well as demand from Kosovo institutions to stop mistreating Serbs and finally ensure peace and security for the Serbian people.

Hill: Solving technical issues is not for people who want quick fixes; In the end we will have CSM (ZSO) (KoSSev, Nova S)

Solving technical issues in politics is not for people who want quick solutions, said last night, in an interview for Nova S News, American ambassador in Belgrade, Christopher Hill, reported KoSSev portal.

Hill assessed the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina as a very difficult process, and that everyone understands that the situation is difficult, but also indicated that, on the other hand, it is necessary to form the Community of Serbian Municipalities.

"There is an awareness among American policymakers that the Serbs in North Mitrovica and Kosovo, in reality, must have their issue resolved through the Community of Serbian Municipalities," said Hill.

"It is an issue that both the Europeans and the USA are dealing with, and although there will not be progress at every meeting, in the end we will have a Community of Serbian Municipalities," said the US Ambassador.

He agrees with the assessment of the head of European diplomacy, Josep Borrell, in his negative assessment of the recently held elections in the North, which were held with the boycott of the majority Serbs in these municipalities - when it comes to improving relations between Belgrade and Pristina.

"I do not believe that these elections can have a positive impact in the majority Serb municipalities in the long term, and it is important to me that we focus and overcome that and reach the Community of Municipalities with a Serbian majority," said Hill.

"When you have technical issues in politics, it's not for people who want quick fixes. It takes time to resolve them. The differences are deep, and it is time for people to start listening to each other better in order to find a solution," he emphasised.

He also answered the question to comment on President Vucic's recent claim that the article in the New York Times about the Serbian president's alleged ties to criminal structures and the Belivuk mafia clan was an attempt by the CIA to discipline him over Kosovo.

Hill answered, distancing himself by saying that he respects the Serbian president, saying ''the CIA has no responsibility to help the New York Times to write articles, and I do not believe that is fair to the CIA", reported portal KoSSev.

Wigemark: Opening of a bridge should not be a unilateral decision (Radio KIM, KoSSev, Kosovo Online)

Head of EULEX Lars-Gunnar Wigemark said the situation in northern Kosovo at the moment is calm, but that there are many tensions under the surface, Radio KIM reports.

“We have seen a number of incidents and therefore we urge everyone to exercise restraint. It could be an issue of a bridge opening, which was discussed by the Mitrovica North municipal assembly, on which the European Union was very clear that it should be discussed in the context of dialogue. It should not be about unilateral decisions by anyone, especially at this moment when we are at an important and sensitive point in the dialogue and in general in the relations between Kosovo and Serbia. Also at the local level, we heard at this round table how important it is to listen to the local population both in the south and in the north of Mitrovica. In particular when it comes to Kosovo Serbs, their voice must be heard," he said.

He called on sides to restrain from provocative rhetoric, in particular at the time of Belgrade-Pristina dialogue.

"We continue with our reconnaissance patrols together with our colleagues from Kosovo police and those from KFOR, we have synchronised patrols. It is important that we try to stabilise the situation. We call on everyone to show restraint and give the dialogue time and space to find a solution", he said.

Vucic: Rally of hope not of anger (N1)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic told reporters on Tuesday that the May 26 gathering being organised by the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) will be a “rally of hope” and must not be a gathering of hate.

Speaking after a meeting of the SNS Presidency, Vucic said that the gathering is not an SNS rally or counter-rally but a gathering for all the people in Serbia upset over recent events who want to find a way out for the country. “This is also a gathering for those people who want to support the people who lost their loved ones”, he said in relation to the two recent mass shootings that struck Serbia in just two days.

According to him, this will not be a protest gathering and must not be a hate gathering. “It should be the opposite of what some others are doing, from what some others are making”, he said in an allusion to the protests against violence organised by part of the opposition.

Vucic also commented on the farmers’ protest saying that he wants to solve their problems but that they should talk and not hold political lectures ordered by someone else. He said that he would personally solve their problems. “I’ll solve it, I’ll bring in the whole government team… Just don’t bring in professional protesters”, he said.

European Commission welcomes gun amnesty campaign in Serbia (N1)

The European Commission welcomed the gun amnesty campaign by the Serbian Government following two tragic mass shootings in the country. European Union Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson extended her condolences to the victims and their families and called for the campaign to continue.

She noted that the Serbian Government’s measures are supported by concrete European Union (EU) programs.

She presented the information that people in Serbia handed in some 9,400 guns and nearly 900 explosive devices by last Friday alone, noting that more weapons were handed in in the first two days of the campaign than in the last three campaigns put together.

“That shows both the universal horror of these attacks and the determination to prevent future bloodshed. I thank the authorities and all these people for handing in these weapons. You have not only made your homes safer, you have made the whole of Europe safer”, she said.

International

In Kosovo, Fake Online Accounts are Turbocharging Tensions (BIRN)

When crises erupt in Kosovo, fake accounts on Facebook and Twitter pour fuel on the fire.

January 6 this year began like most other Fridays in Kosovo.

But as ethnic Serbs readied to celebrate Orthodox Christmas the following day, gunshots near the eastern Serb-majority town of Shterpce/Strpce broke the calm.

Two young Serbs, part of a group carrying Christmas trees, were wounded when a member of the Kosovo Security Force, KSF, opened fire.

Kosovo’s prime minister, Albin Kurti, took to Facebook to condemn the incident and wish those hurt a speedy recovery. And in no time at all, 25 fake accounts piled in with comments laced with hate. One described Kosovo Albanians as violent people out to “kill as many Serbs as possible”.