UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, May 4, 2023

Albanian Language Media:

EU: Role of Management Team ends only when statute is adopted (RFE)
Zulfaj: EU asked to burn the mandates in the north by not swearing in (Koha)
Indictment filed against a person for war crimes in Kosovo (media)
Limaj: Kurti cannot wait to sign agreement with Serbia (Lajmi)
Gervalla: We send our deepest condolences to the families (media)
Vela: Diplomats closely following Serbia cannot be surprised with NYT article (media)

Serbian Language Media:

Vucic: Brussels meeting was aimed at tricking us into recognising Kosovo (Tanjug)
Mitrovica North residents pay tribute to victims of Belgrade school shooting (Kosovo Online, media)
Foreign, regional officials express condolences over Belgrade school shooting (media)
Hill: The Serbian-Kosovo issue must be resolved; it is a difficult issue and the tone between the parties is not good (KoSSev)
Another war crime indictment filed in absentia (KoSSev)
Dacic: EU officials condemned the dismissal of the Management Team for the formation of the CSM (ZSO) (NMagazin, Beta)

International:

Grieving Serbs Demand Resignations Over Fatal School Shootout (BIRN)
The President, the Soccer Hooligans and an Underworld ‘House of Horrors’ (NY Times)

Albanian Language Media

EU: Role of Management Team ends only when statute is adopted (RFE)

The role of the Management Team on the statute of the Association of Serb-majority municipalities in Kosovo ends only when the statute is adopted, therefore, according to the European Union, the decision of the Kosovo government to dismiss it is in opposition with the agreement. This is what EU spokesperson Peter Stano told a press conference in Brussels today.

Kosovo’s Minister for Local Government, Elbert Krasniqi, relieved the members of the Management Team on May 3. The team, consisting of four Serbs from Kosovo, took part in the last high-level meeting, and presented the first draft of the statute of the Association. Their proposal was immediately rejected by Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti. The latter even said that the team’s coordinator, Danijela Vujicic, is in a conflict of interest because she swore in as a member of the Serbian Parliament.

Asked on which delegation the management team was, Stano said the team took part “as its own delegation” and that “they were invited to join the meeting in one of the points of the agenda”. “They were not part of any delegation, neither Serbia nor Kosovo,” he said.

Stano said the composition of the team “is in line with the dialogue agreement”. “The parties had agreed on the composition of the Management Team. The members of the Management Team were proposed by Serbia and officially appointed by Kosovo,” he said.

Stano said that “the dialogue agreements clearly note that the management teams must exist until the statute of the Association is adopted”. “The Management Team proposed and presented the first draft, which means they initiated the process and not that the process was over. Therefore, the decision to dismiss the Management Team violates the text and the spirit of the agreement,” he added.

Zulfaj: EU asked to burn the mandates in the north by not swearing in (Koha)

Jeton Zulfaj, political advisor to Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti, said on Wednesday that the EU has asked to burn the mandates in the north by not having the recently elected mayors there not swear in. He said no proposal can be made to change legal timelines that are foreseen by the Constitution and laws. “The idea is to burn the mandates by not swearing in. Such requests cannot be made,” he argued.

Zulfaj also said that “there was an intentional boycott by the Serbian List and it is evident that it was a wrong decision not to take part in the elections”.

Indictment filed against a person for war crimes in Kosovo (media)

The Special Prosecution of Kosovo has filed an indictment in absentia against a person suspected [initials are published] of committing war crimes against the civilian population during the war in Kosovo. The Special Prosecution said that the suspect, during the period January – May 1999, in cooperation with a criminal group (so far not identified), organised, wearing police, paramilitary and military uniforms, committed the criminal offence “war crimes against the civilian population”. The Special Prosecution also suggested a trial in absentia because all efforts to locate the defendant have been exhausted.

Limaj: Kurti cannot wait to sign agreement with Serbia (Lajmi)

Leader of the Social Democratic Initiative (NISMA), Fatmir Limaj, said in an interview with the news website that Prime Minister Albin Kurti can hardly wait to sign an agreement with Serbia. “Today we are seeing the true Albin, this is the true Albin, not the one that used to be in opposition,” he added.

According to Limaj, in the last two years, Kurti reached many detrimental agreements with Serbia. He also claimed that by reaching an agreement with Serbia, Kurti violated the Constitution of Kosovo.

Gervalla: We send our deepest condolences to the families (media)

Kosovo’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Donika Gervalla, took to Twitter today to react to the school shooting in Belgrade on Wednesday. “We send our deepest condolences to the families of the 9 murdered, among them 8 children, victims of a mass shooting in a school in Belgrade. We wish a fast recovery to the injured and hope that tragedies like this to never be repeated,” she tweeted.

Vela: Diplomats closely following Serbia cannot be surprised with NYT article (media)

Chief of Staff to Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani, Blerim Vela, shared on his Twitter feed the New York Times article “The President, the Soccer Hooligans and an Underworld ‘House of Horrors’”, saying that “diplomats that followed closely Serbia cannot be surprised with NYT’s article on Vučić’s entanglement with crime groups. The question is what they’ll do about it!”

Serbian Language Media

Vucic: Brussels meeting was aimed at tricking us into recognising Kosovo (Tanjug)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Wednesday Serbia was facing great danger over the issue of Kosovo "through no fault of our own", Tanjug news agency reports.

Speaking at a press conference, Vucic said Tuesday's meeting of the Brussels dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina had been aimed at tricking Serbia into recognising Kosovo both de facto and de jure.

"Yesterday, there was an attempt to make a new kind of implementation plan, with the presentation of the statute (of a Community of Serb Municipalities) under Point 1 and our consent to their (Pristina's) admission to international organisations under Point 2, and it is only after that that they would form a Community of Serb Municipalities under Point 3. I rejected that because it is completely contrary to what they were saying before", Vucic said.

When they realised that would not happen, they tried to resolve things in the north of Kosovo in a purportedly rational manner, Vucic said, noting that Pristina's PM Albin Kurti believed he could rule the area with voter support of just three percent.

Vucic also said EU foreign policy and security chief Josep Borrell had had a fairer approach, but noted that he was afraid Borrell might "get his opinion changed" by the next meeting.

“Many people in the EU, if they are not under pressure by those who are exerting media pressure on me, think they can additionally break Serbia on this issue. That is why they will publish utterly senseless articles in the biggest world media, counting it would be an additional threat to me, because I know where it comes from. Well, now if it comes by some from CIA, State Department, should I immediately hang myself. I am not fascinated by lies”, Vucic said.

He added that Kurti rejected an interim solution proposed by Europeans for the situation in the north.

"Kurti rejected an interim solution under which they would not be seizing offices in the north on May 28. I thought it was an ideal opportunity for Kurti to get away with things, but then I realised this was a plan aimed at expelling Serbs from Kosovo and Metohija", Vucic said.

Vucic also said the manner by which Pristina officials treated women, members of the Management Team while presenting the draft statute for Community of Serb Municipalities at the last Brussels meeting was impermissible.

Mitrovica North residents pay tribute to victims of Belgrade school shooting (Kosovo Online, media)

Citizens of Mitrovica North lit the candles in the centre of the town, near Tzar Lazar monument and laid the wreath to pay tribute to the victims of a shooting in Belgrade school leaving eight pupils and a school guard dead and seven more injured.

Visoki Decani Monastery in a post on Twitter expressed condolences to the families of victims and wished those injured speedy recovery.

“Eternal rest to all those who perished in today's terrible tragedy at the Vladislav Ribnikar school in #Belgrade #Serbia, which has deeply shaken us all. May the Lord grant the deceased the Kingdom of Heaven, recovery to the injured, and comfort to the grieving families of all the victims”, Visoki Decani Monastery said.

Foreign, regional officials express condolences over Belgrade school shooting (media)

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken extended his condolences to the families of the victims of the violence that took place in a Belgrade school on Wednesday.

“Heartbreaking news about today’s shooting in Belgrade. Our thoughts are with the people of Serbia. We join others around the world in sending our deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of the innocent victims of today’s senseless violence,” Blinken wrote on Twitter.

“I wish to express our sorrow over the tragic armed attack in a school in Belgrade this morning”, EU High Representative Josep Borrell told a news conference in Brussels on Wednesday.

“We want to express our deep condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims and wish the wounded a quick recovery. This is very sad news”, Borrell said.

OSCE Secretary General Helga Schmid also reacted. “I am deeply saddened to hear of the tragic school shooting in #Belgrade. My heart goes out to the victims’ families, and the entire community affected by this horrific act of violence”, she said.

The OSCE Mission to Serbia said that “horrific crime at “Vladislav Ribnikar” elementary school in Belgrade affects us all and fills us with profound grief. Our hearts and thoughts are with the families, loved ones and friends of the victims”.

“Along with everyone at the Embassy, I am saddened and in shock. One child’s death is a tragedy; for so many to be murdered where they should feel safest is unbearable. Our condolences to the families and friends of those killed in Vracar. America and the world share your grief”, US Ambassador to Serbia, Christopher Hill wrote in relation to the incident.

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama said that “it is incredibly saddening to hear about today's indiscriminate shooting in a Belgrade school. My deepest condolences go out to the families of the victims, as well as to the Serbian people and authorities. I wish a speedy recovery to those who were injured in this tragic event”, Rama said. In a second part of the message, written in Serbian, Rama said that “those are moments in life when we all realise that our humanity is the most valuable thing we have in common and when pain and sorrow remind us of values of togetherness in good and bad times. May those deceased rest in peace”.

Montenegrin President Jakov Milatovic extended deepest condolences to the victims of the shooting and wished those injured speedy recovery.

Former Montenegro President Milo Djukanovic also extended his condolences.

North Macedonia President Stevo Pendarovski, Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic, Montenegrin PM Dritan Abazovic, Croatian FM Gordan Grlic Radman, Croatian Minister of Education extended condolences.

President of Republika Srpska, one of the two entities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Milorad Dodik extended condolences to the families of the victims and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic.

“I am shocked by the tragedy in Belgrade elementary school “Vladislav Ribnikar”. Republika Srpska and the entire nation grieve with Serbia today. Personally, and on behalf of citizens of the Republika Srpska I extend deepest condolences to the families of murdered children and a school guard and to the President Aleksandar Vucic”.

Bosnia and Herzegovina state authorities also extended their condolences, including member of the Presidency Zeljko Komsic, Chairwoman of the Presidency, Zeljka Cvijanovic, Chairwoman of the Council of Ministers Borjana Kristo, FM Elmedin Konakovic, Minister of Security Nenad Nesic, and others.

Hill: The Serbian-Kosovo issue must be resolved; it is a difficult issue and the tone between the parties is not good (KoSSev)

The American Ambassador to Serbia, Christopher Hill, assessed yesterday that the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina must be accelerated and the "Serbian-Kosovo" issue must be resolved, reported portal KoSSev.

"It is one of the most important issues in the region that must be resolved. It is a difficult question, and the tone between the two sides is not good. The dialogue must be accelerated," said Hill in Skopje.

The American ambassador, who participated in the conference "Regional security challenges and recent events in the countries of the Western Balkans", said that he has his own view of how these things should be done, but that he really respects the people who lead the process.

"Josep Borrell, Miroslav Lajcak, our man Escobar, give everything they can, but it is a very difficult issue related to history, to war. It's not easy, but they have to do it," said the US ambassador to Serbia.

He considers the establishment of the Community of Serbian Municipalities and the recognition of Kosovo documents to be the main open issues in that process, but despite the obvious difficulties in the dialogue, he says he is optimistic because "at least there are talks between the two sides."

Hill estimates that the "Open Balkan" regional initiative can help reduce tensions and has no doubts that the prolongation of tensions between Serbia and Kosovo will be harmful to the region, which, as he pointed out, other players can take advantage of.

Another war crime indictment filed in absentia (KoSSev)

KoSSev portal reported that although two days ago, the Kosovo judiciary only issued its first indictment for war crimes in the absence of the accused, the second has already arrived today. Unlike the previous one, this time the indictment was brought for the criminal offence of war crimes against the civilian population.

The Special Prosecutor's Office in Pristina has now submitted an indictment to the Basic Court in Pristina against a man with the initials C.A.

They accuse him of having, in the period from January to May 1999, cooperating with, as they say, criminal persons (so far unidentified) "organised in police, paramilitary and military uniforms to have committed the criminal act of war crimes against the civilian population."

"Which is punishable by Article 142 of the Criminal Code of the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia as the law that was in force at the time of the commission of the crime, currently punishable by the criminal offence of war crimes with serious violation of the Geneva Conventions and Article 4 of Protocol 2 of June 8, 1977, which is currently punishable by Article 146 and 147 of the Criminal Code of Kosovo," stated the Prosecutor's Office.

The Special Prosecutor's Office has also come up with this proposal - to file an indictment and start a trial in the absence of the suspect, because, as they state, all efforts to find him have been exhausted.

The prosecution statement did not state the nationality of the man against whom this indictment was filed today.

The previous, but also the first indictment for war crimes, i.e., sexual violence during the war, was brought in Kosovo two days ago against a man D.R. otherwise, as the Prosecutor's Office specified at the time, reservists of the Serbian Army during the war, reported the portal.

Dacic: EU officials condemned the dismissal of the Management Team for the formation of the CSM (ZSO) (NMagazin, Beta)

Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivica Dacic said today that the officials of the EU felt that the dismissal of the Management Team, which had the task of presenting the first draft of the Statute of the Community of Serbian Municipalities (CSM), is not in the spirit of dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina.

Dacic said during a guest appearance on TV Happy that it is important to see how the situation will unfold on the ground on May 28, when the Albanians are supposed to take over four municipalities with a Serbian majority in the north of Kosovo after the elections that the Serbs boycotted.

"That could be the initial trigger that could encourage a spiral of incidents. The one who comes must enter the Serbian premises and hang the Kosovo flag," said Dacic.

The Serbian head of diplomacy asked if the fact that the Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, only said that he would form the CSM (ZSO) was enough to be "rewarded" by the fact that Pristina received visa liberalisation and that the procedure for membership in the Council of Europe was initiated.

"He was awarded for constructive behaviour, and 20 days have passed and now it turns out that there is no such constructive behaviour. There is no place left, either Kurti will form it, or he will not. If he does not, it calls into question the implementation of the principles we talked about," said Dacic.

He added that the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, will not attend the coronation of the King of Great Britain, Charles III, on May 6, because Serbia declared days of mourning.

International

Grieving Serbs Demand Resignations Over Fatal School Shootout (BIRN)

Hundreds of people gathered in front of the Belgrade elementary school Vladislav Ribnikar where eight pupils and one security worker were killed in Wednesday’s mass shooting – and later on at Belgrade’s Cvetni Trg [Flower Square], after which they went to the Education Ministry to hold a protest.

Although many people gathered, nothing could be heard except for silence, media reported. Only in front of the Education Ministry did protesters start whistling and shouting: “Resignation!”

In front of the school itself, citizens paid respects to the nine mainly youthful victims, laid flowers, lit candles and left toys.

The bloodbath in which a 13-year-old school pupils shot dead eight other pupils and a security worker on Wednesday morning, injuring six other pupils and a history teacher, has shocked the country.

President Aleksandar Vucic was criticised for revealing personal data about the minor on Wednesday which he then corroborated from analysis from two health institutions on the boy’s mental health.

Former Ombudsman and lawyer Rodoljub Sabic told N1 portal that it was wrong for such information to be disclosed to the public and said the prosecution should determine who gave such information to Vucic.