Albanian Language Media:

• Kurti in Tirana, meeting with Scholz announced (media)
• Scholz: Kosovo and Serbia must implement the agreements (media)
• Kurti meets Roth: Terrorist attacks demand accountability from Serbia (media)
• Rutte: Today I have opportunity to talk with Kurti and Brnabic to reduce tensions (media)
• Brnabic boycotts joint photo shoot in Tirana because of Kosovo's flag (Express)
• Martti Ahtisaari, former Finnish president and Nobel Peace Prize winner, dies at 86 (media)
• Svecla publishes pictures of mines in the north: Do we need more evidence? (RTK)
• KFOR, together with Kosovo Police, patrols for border security (Klan)
• Muja on elections in the north: Decision belongs to citizens, not to Serbian List (RTK)

Serbian Language Media:

• Brnabic: I expect not so easy discussions at Tirana summit (Tanjug)
• Scholz in Tirana: Cooperation needed because of crisis in Ukraine, Middle East and Kosovo (FoNet, Danas)
• SOC Raska-Prizren Diocese responds to unfounded accusations of unauthorised restoration of its religious sites (media, social media)
• Kosovo Online: Kosovo government rejected all remarks of EU, US Embassy and OSCE related to land expropriation
• Ambulance carrying medical supplies from Leposavic to Mitrovica North hospital pulled over by police, sent to custom’s terminal (Tanjug, Kosovo Online)
• President Vucic, ministers arrive in Beijing (Tanjug)
• Largest political groups in EP to demand punitive measures against Serbia (N1, KoSSev)
• Who was Marti Ahtisaari? (Danas)
• EC President calls on Serbia, Kosovo to return to dialogue (FoNet, N1)
• Radoicic: ‘Vucic’s naive victim’ or ‘a rich man from the criminal underworld’? (KoSSev)
• Court of Appeal rejected appeals against detention measures imposed on three arrested Serbs in Banjska (KoSSev, KiM radio, Kontakt plus radio)

Opinion:

• Stiplija: Today's summit of the Berlin Process could be the tipping point for the Open Balkans (Danas)

International:

• Rama on EU enlargement promises: Decision makers will be gone, replaced next year (Euractiv)
• Neither Serb Nor Albanian: Life In The 'Bosnian Quarter' Of Kosovo's Divided North (RFE)

 

 

Albanian Language Media  

 

Kurti in Tirana, meeting with Scholz announced (media)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti has travelled to Tirana where he will participate in the Berlin Process Summit.

"On the sidelines of the summit, Prime Minister Kurti will have bilateral meetings, including with the Chancellor of Germany, Olaf Scholz", announced the Prime Minister's Office.

The summit of the leaders of the Berlin Process for the first time will be held outside the borders of the European Union. The German Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, and the French President, Emmanuel Macron, will also participate in the Summit.

Scholz: Kosovo and Serbia must implement the agreements (media)

The German Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, has stated that the escalation of the situation in the north of Kosovo proves the fact that Kosovo and Serbia must implement the reached agreement. During the Summit in the Berlin Process that is being held in Tirana, Scholz emphasised that he is satisfied with the work of the European Union mediators on the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue.

"The Berlin process is the best instrument for accelerating the integration of all Western Balkan countries. The Berlin process is a process of cooperation... When the situation escalates, we must end with the implementation of the agreements that have been reached through the normalised dialogue by the European Union", emphasised Chancellor Scholz.

Kurti meets Roth: Terrorist attacks demand accountability from Serbia (media)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti, who is in Tirana for the leaders' summit within the Berlin Process, has met the chairman of the Bundestag's Foreign Affairs Committee, Michael Roth.

"I emphasised that the terrorist attacks require accountability of Serbia and security for Kosovo. I am grateful for Germany's support for the security and continued prosperity of Kosovo", Kurti wrote on the platform 'X'.

"The next chapter of the dialogue for normalisation should take into account the aggressive action of Serbia through the terrorist attack of September 24, for which there is sufficient evidence and facts for Serbia's involvement", Kurti was quoted as saying by the Prime Minister’s Office.

He said that the approach to the process should be balanced, the Basic Agreement and its annex should be fully respected and implemented. "Serbia should recoil from the public and factual rejection of the parts of the Basic Agreement that deal with the de-facto recognition of Kosovo and our territorial integrity," Kurti said.

Further, there was a discussion about Kosovo's membership in international organizations and bilateral relations between Kosovo and Germany.

Rutte: Today I have opportunity to talk with Kurti and Brnabic to reduce tensions (media)

The Prime Minister of the Netherlands, Mark Rutte, upon arriving at the Berlin Process Summit, has made a statement regarding the situation in the north of Kosovo. In a short statement to the media, Rutte said that he expects the situation to de-escalate.

He emphasised that on Monday he has the opportunity to talk with the Prime Ministers of Kosovo and Serbia about this issue.

"Tensions in the north of Kosovo, of course we ask a lot for the situation to deescalate. We spoke with President Vucic before. Today I have the opportunity to speak with the prime minister of Serbia and the prime minister of Kosovo. We hope that everyone will help to reduce tensions", he said after being received by the Albanian Prime Minister, Edi Rama.

Brnabic boycotts joint photo shoot in Tirana because of Kosovo's flag (Express)

The first session of the Berlin Process summit has ended. After that, the leaders of the European Union, together with those of the Western Balkans, took a joint photo, but the Prime Minister of Serbia, Ana Brnabic, was absent. She boycotted it because of the Kosovo flag.

A group of dancers from all communities in Albania performed before them.

Martti Ahtisaari, former Finnish president and Nobel Peace Prize winner, dies at 86 (media)

Martti Ahtisaari, the former president of Finland and global peace broker awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2008 for his work to resolve international conflicts, died Monday. He was 86.

The foundation he created for preventing and resolving violent conflicts said in a statement it was “deeply saddened by the loss of its founder and chair of board.”

Among his most notable achievements, Ahtisaari helped reach peace accords related to Serbia’s withdrawal from Kosovo in the late 1990s, Namibia’s bid for independence in the 1980s, and autonomy for Aceh province in Indonesia in 2005. He was also involved with the Northern Ireland peace process in the late 1990s, being tasked with monitoring the terrorist group IRA’s disarmament process.

Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani said that Ahtisaari was the man who dedicated his whole life to peace, diplomacy and good for humanity.

"He carved the framework of our state, as his name will forever remain in the annals of the history of the Republic of Kosovo," Osmani wrote on Facebook, among other things.

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti wrote on the X platform “Saddened by the passing of Martti Ahtisaari, a distinguished diplomat and a champion of peace who has contributed greatly to security and peace in our region and whose work enshrined robust minority rights in our constitution. My condolences to his family and the people of Finland.”

The EU Special Representative Miroslav Lajcak wrote on X platform ‘deeply saddened by the passing of former Finnish President and Nobel laureate Martti Ahtisaari. A highly respected giant of foreign policy, I immensely valued his knowledge, vision and assessments. He once famously said peace is a question of will. This remains more true than ever.’

The Ambassador of the United States of America, Jeffrey Hovenier praised the extraordinary contribution to peace of the former Finnish president, Martti Ahtisaari..

“I join the people of Finland, Kosovo, and around the globe in mourning the death of former Finnish President Martti Ahtisaari. He devoted his life to peace & justice and made an extraordinary contribution to stability & security in Kosovo and the region. I was honoured to serve as a member of his team, learning from and being inspired by a true peacemaker,” Hovenier wrote.

The leader of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) Memli Krasniqi has said that the former president of Finland, Martty Ahtisaari, contributed his whole life to bring peace and stability to the world, adding that Kosovo had the good fortune to experience his work, empathy and above all, his moral compass.

"President Ahtisaari, as a former UN special envoy for the status of Kosovo, compiled the Comprehensive Plan for the declaration of Kosovo as an independent, sovereign and democratic state", he emphasised.

"Even at the peak of his success, when he won the Nobel Peace Prize, his message was clear: "Kosovo is independent and will remain so"!" added the head of PDK.

"Thank you for everything, President Ahtisaari! You will always be remembered in our country", Krasniqi said.

Svecla publishes pictures of mines in the north: Do we need more evidence? (RTK)

Kosovo’s Minister of Internal Affairs, Xhelal Svecla, has stated that the weapons confiscated in the north of Kosovo give clear signals about the level of preparations for attacks and escalation by Serbia.

“The weaponry confiscated in the north of Kosovo give clear signals of the level of preparations for attacks and escalation from Serbia. The sophisticated mines and devices below are yet another proof. Any other evidence needed that we're dealing with well-organised terrorist groups?” Svecla wrote on the X platform.

KFOR, together with Kosovo Police, patrols for border security (Klan)

KFOR soldiers carried out patrols together with the Kosovo police. According to the announcement of the NATO peacekeeping mission in Kosovo, the patrols were carried out by the Regional Command West (RC-W), within their area of responsibility.

This is for the purpose of monitoring the territory and ensuring an adequate security framework.

"KFOR is always committed to supporting peace, cooperation and progress for all the people living in Kosovo, according to its mandate, based on Resolution 1244 of the United Nations Security Council of 1999, contributing to the maintenance of a Safe Environment and Freedom of Movement for all communities living in Kosovo", it is stated in the KFOR communique.

Muja on elections in the north: Decision belongs to citizens, not to Serbian List (RTK)

After the meeting of the Presidency of the Assembly, the MP from the Vetevendosje Movement, Armend Muja, said that the elections in the north were one of the issues discussed at the conference. 

"We, as a parliamentary majority, are convinced that the government has fulfilled all the Bratislava commitments. In principle, we are very interested in every political subject participating in the elections as well as the citizens of the country. However, the Serbian List is the last one that can moralise on this issue. As for the issue of initiating and running the electoral process, the Administrative Instruction has been approved and it is up to the citizens if they want to change the mayor and not a political party which has a lot to clarify from the recent events", Muja said.

He further said that during the attacks in the north, Kosovo's democracy and sovereignty were attacked, as he requested the extradition of Radojicic, his associates and the commanders specifically.

He further said that Serbia has violated all points of the February 27 agreement. According to Muja, Serbia has acted in this way, despite the fact that the agreement specifies the non-impedance of membership in international organisations and the freedom of action of countries.

"In December, Serbia opposed Kosovo's candidacy in the EU, calling on all countries not to accept it. On April 23, it opposed Kosovo's membership in the Council of Europe. The third is about sabotaging the elections in the north, the last agreement has also been violated. The challenges of the country's territorial integrity and security was the culmination of this," Muja said. 

Muja has criticised the opposition parties, saying that by blocking the voting of international agreements, they are hindering the work of the position.

 

 

 

Serbian Language Media

 

Brnabic: I expect not so easy discussions at Tirana summit (Tanjug)

Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic met in Tirana on Monday with Hungarian President Katalin Novak ahead of a Berlin Process summit and noted that she expected "not so easy discussions" at the summit but that she would protect and defend Serbian interests, Tanjug news agency reports.

"I will then have meetings with Spanish PM Pedro Sanchez, UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly and Greek PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis on the sidelines of the summit. I expect the discussions with them to be very good and that we will discuss deepening of economic cooperation", she said.

She said she expected agreements on mutual recognition of qualifications of doctors and nurses to be signed by countries of the region.

Brnabic noted that Albin Kurti's terror against Serbs in the north of Kosovo had begun since the previous summit, held in November last year, and added that she expected the terror to be stopped.

Novak said it was important for Serbia to join the EU as soon as possible and noted that Hungary had good-neighbourly relations with Serbia.

Scholz in Tirana: Cooperation needed because of crisis in Ukraine, Middle East and Kosovo (FoNet, Danas)

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said today at the opening of the Berlin Process Summit in Tirana that cooperation is now more important than ever, due to the Russian aggression against Ukraine, the Hamas attack on Israel and due to numerous crises in the region, primarily in the north of Kosovo, reported Danas daily.

Scholz said that the Berlin Process is the best instrument to shape the European integration of the entire Western Balkans and that the Berlin Process is a program of cooperation, and cooperation is more necessary than ever.

He said that the numerous crises in the Western Balkan region underscore the urgent need for cooperation and overcoming disagreements.

"Recent escalations in northern Kosovo prove how important it is. We have to return to the implementation of the agreement reached under the dialogue led by the European Union," Scholz said.

He added that he is glad that the Summit is being held in the country of the Western Balkans and that it is a strong signal.

Scholz pointed out that major steps were taken in integration last year through agreements on movement applied by four out of six countries, whose citizens can only travel with an ID card, or continue their studies or work in a neighbouring country.

"Any progress in the common market of the region will bring you closer to EU standards. You can count on my support and on the support of Germany," said Scholz.

SOC Raska-Prizren Diocese responds to unfounded accusations of unauthorised restoration of its religious sites (media, social media)

On October 6th, Mr. Hajrulla Çeku, Kosovo Minister of Culture, sent a letter to Bishop Teodosije of Raška and Prizren, offering the Ministry’s evaluation and restoration of the damages at Banjska Monastery after the unfortunate events of September 24th. Minister Çeku publicised a facsimile of his letter on social network X on the same day, although the official letter only reached the Diocese on October 11th.

Before a response could be made to the Minister’s letter, new accusations from the Ministry of Culture surfaced on the KOHA portal on October 12th. The Ministry claimed that the Diocese was allegedly renovating Banjska Monastery without authorisation from authorities Pristina, Raska-Prizren Eparchy said in a statement on its website.

Consequently, the Diocese is compelled to address the public again as there is evidently no sincere readiness of the Ministry for cooperation and normal communication.

Given that the damage to Banjska Monastery on September 24th was not inflicted on the church or historical section but involved a broken metal gate of recent origin and damages to the guest house outside the main monastery complex, necessitating locksmith and carpentry repairs, we deem it necessary to inform the public that the Diocese of Raška and Prizren has already secured the necessary funds for these repairs, thanks to a donation from the Hilandar Monastery Foundation, and that the damage will soon be repaired.

Read the full Raska-Prizren Eparchy statement at: https://tinyurl.com/5cnp5ues

Kosovo Online: Kosovo government rejected all remarks of EU, US Embassy and OSCE related to land expropriation

Kosovo Government officially rejected all remarks from the EU, US Embassy in Pristina and the OSCE Mission in relation to the land expropriation in Zubin Potok and Leposavic municipalities, Kosovo Online portal has learnt.

The remarks were sent to Pristina four weeks ago, however, the response of Kosovo Government, the portal said it had insight into said that “everything was done in accordance with the law”, thus rejecting all the objections from the EU, US Embassy and OSCE.

“The Kosovo Government acted with maximal political consideration and sensitivity to the situation”, reads the replay, portal said was sent to the EU, US Embassy and OSCE and referred to the decision of the Basic Court in Pristina.

The portal recalled that decision of Kosovo Government on land expropriation in Zubin Potok and Leposavic municipalities caused reactions from Serbs in Kosovo, but also of the European Union whose office in Pristina appealed on authorities to adhere to the legal procedures and ensure respect for the rights of the land owners.

After that, reactions of the EU rapporteurs for Kosovo and Serbia, Viola von Cramon and Vladimir Bilcik followed, also appealing to the Pristina authorities to change the decision on land expropriation.

The Kosovo Government made the first decision on expropriation in January and on May 10, a draft preliminary decision on expropriation of land in Leposavic and Zubin Potok was approved for, as they said, “projects of public interests”.

The EU High Representative Josep Borrell on September 19 in relation to the situation in northern Kosovo also said that “in this context, Pristina’s acts – including land expropriation in the north, eviction orders, decision in relation to the telecommunication and use of special police forces for the police activities in community are not in line with the rule of law and lead to risk from new tensions”, the statement read.

Ambulance carrying medical supplies from Leposavic to Mitrovica North hospital pulled over by police, sent to custom’s terminal (Tanjug, Kosovo Online)

An ambulance vehicle carrying medical supplies from the Leposavic health centre to the Clinical Hospital Centre (CHC) in Mitrovica North was pulled over by Kosovo police at the Bistrica bridge checkpoint on Friday and ordered to go to the custom’s terminal in the south of Mitrovica, the hospital's director Zlatan Elek confirmed to Tanjug.

"The vehicle is at a customs terminal in south Mitrovica. Medical supplies intended for the Kosovska Mitrovica Clinical Hospital Centre are in it", Elek said. He also said the ambulance vehicle had all necessary documentation and was transporting medical supplies from Leposavic health house to Mitrovica North hospital.

“And that was not enough, therefore a special customs crew had to come from Pristina, that calculated everything, piece by piece. Despite a dispatch note and all documentation being presented the vehicle was kept for several hours”, Elek said.

He also said the vehicle was released after being kept for longer than five hours without any accompanying paper or explanation.

Elek also recalled that during the previous period every ambulance vehicle was stopped several times, searched, workers mistreated and “dragged” out of the vehicle.

With this stop from Friday, we are crossing the number of 225 pull overs of our vehicles for the last three to four months, Elek added.

President Vucic, ministers arrive in Beijing (Tanjug)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic on Monday arrived in Beijing on an official visit to China. Vucic is heading a Serbian delegation comprised of many government ministers - FM Ivica Dacic, Defence Minister Milos Vucevic, Interior Minister Bratislav Gasic, Finance Minister Sinisa Mali, Minister of Internal and External Trade Tomislav Momirovic, Culture Minister Maja Gojkovic, Agriculture Minister Jelena Tanaskovic, Minister of Information Technologies Mihailo Jovanovic and Telekom Srbija Director Vladimir Lucic, Tanjug news agency reproted. 

Vucic and the Serbian delegation will attend the 3rd Belt and Road Forum.

Ahead of the trip to China, Vucic announced important meetings and the signing of major agreements with China, as well as bilateral meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Wang Huning, nicknamed "China's Kissinger."

"We will sign documents on overall cooperation and free trade, which is of special significance for our country, and on yuan clearing for our banks. Those are fundamental agreements, and there will also be important transport and infrastructure agreements", Vucic said on Sunday. 

Largest political groups in EP to demand punitive measures against Serbia (N1, KoSSev)

The largest political groups in the European Parliament (EP) have completed their draft proposals of a resolution on relations between Kosovo and Serbia, and on the latest armed incidents in the village of Banjska in northern Kosovo, and will seek punitive measures against Serbia, but have differing views on whether these should be imposed immediately or only if it is proven that official Belgrade was involved in the “terrorist attack in northern Kosovo,” N1 learns from sources from these political groups.

The European People’s Party (EPP), the largest political group in the European Parliament, believes that the official Belgrade’s support to the perpetrators of the “terrorist attack” should be condemned, but they will not insist on strong wording or on a priori punishment for Serbia because of the opposition of several members of the group, which, according to N1 information, are primarily from countries that have not recognized Kosovo as an independent state.

N1 learns that the EPP and Greens/EFA agree that Serbia should be punished, but only if the investigation proves the state is linked with the incident in Banjska, while the Social Democrats are of the opinion that Serbia is de facto responsible for the September 24 events, and that it should be immediately punished for this and for its past actions that did not support cooperation or the calming of the situation.

The EPP, Social Democrats and the Greens/EFA believe that the punitive measures imposed on the government in Pristina should be abolished, learns N1, so it is expected that this idea will receive sufficient backing when formulating the final version of the resolution, despite the previously expressed position of the EU External Action Service that all the reasons that led to the measures against Kosovo have not yet ceased to exist.

Most MEPs from the Social Democrats want the resolution to include clear condemnation of the rhetoric and actions by Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, believing him to be “a destabilising factor”, however, for the time being, this is not supported by the other political groups.

There is consensus among political groups that the EP Resolution on Kosovo and Serbia should condemn the “terrorist attack” in Banjska and demand full cooperation of Pristina and Belgrade in the investigation, including the prosecution and extradition of those responsible, “strongly call on” both sides to do all in their power to reduce tensions and to refrain from taking steps that would aggravate the situation, demand that Kosovo and Serbia fulfil EU proposals leading to de-escalation and return to the negotiating table, which, they all believe, is the only way to reach a compromise that would solve all problems and permanently regulate mutual relations.

It is unclear to what extent the MEPs will lay blame on themselves, that is, on EU institutions, for the inflammation of the situation in Kosovo, because in the debate held two weeks ago most of them pointed to the responsibility of the EU primarily for the absence of results in the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue. The Greens even called EU Special Representative for the dialogue Miroslav Lajcak to account, however, N1 learns that they are not insisting on his name being mentioned in the Resolution.

The meeting of representatives of the European Parliament political groups at which they will present their drafts and discuss the final version of the resolution text on relations between Kosovo and Serbia and the events in Banjska, will be held Monday evening in Strasbourg, on the sidelines of the first day of the EU Parliament session. The vote at the plenary session has been scheduled for 12 pm Thursday, October 19.

The EP resolutions are the institution’s official position, but they are not binding for EU institutions or for the member states.

Who was Marti Ahtisaari? (Danas)

The former president of Finland, Martti Ahtisaari, died at the age of 86, reported Danas.

His name was well known among world politicians, diplomats and analysts.

He was born on June 23, 1937, in Viipuri, today's Vyborg.

He graduated from the University of Oulu, and after his studies he worked in Pakistan on an educational project for the Swedish International Development Agency.

Apart from being the president of Finland, it is more important for Serbia that Ahtisaari was the UN mediator in the negotiations on the status of Kosovo.

He gained his reputation primarily as a diplomat in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland, and then as a diplomat who mediated, evaluated, negotiated and ruled on "disputable points".

For example, in Israel he investigated the actions of the Israeli forces in the refugee camps, and in Northern Ireland he infiltrated the secret bases of the IRA.

Before that, Ahtisaari was Finland's ambassador to Tanzania, Mozambique, Zambia and Somalia.

Ahtisaari and the status of Kosovo

Former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan appointed Marti Ahtisaari as the UN special envoy for negotiations on the future status of Kosovo and Metohija.

His plan, although rejected by the Security Council and the Serbs, became the basis for declaring Kosovo's independence.

At the beginning of 2007, Marti Ahtisaari, the then special envoy of the United Nations, presented the so-called Comprehensive proposal for the solution of the status of Kosovo.

That document, among other things, foresees broad autonomy for Serbian municipalities and "supervised independence for Kosovo."

The Ahtisaari Agreement contains a number of provisions, articles and annexes concerning constitutional, judicial, property, security and other measures that would regulate the status of Kosovo.

The plan is also mentioned in the Declaration of Independence adopted by the Assembly of Kosovo on February 17, 2008, by which Pristina unilaterally declared its separation from Serbia.

In that declaration, it is written that Kosovo accepts "all international obligations contained in Ahtisaari's plan", and that "the Constitution will include all relevant principles" from the agreement.

Nobel Peace Prize

In 2008, Ahtisaari received the Nobel Peace Prize.

He received this award for his many years of mediation in the establishment of peace, including the 2005 agreement between Indonesia and the rebels from Aceh province.

Regarding that act, the Swedish institute TFF assessed that "awarding the Nobel Prize to former Finnish president Martti Ahtisaari is scandalous because he is the "architect" of the violent secession of Kosovo and Metohija from Serbia", recalled the daily.

Also, TFF assessed that "the election of Marti Ahtisaari does not meet any of the criteria found in Alfred Nobel's testament, namely: contribution to friendship in the world, reduction of armies and creation of peace conferences".

In March 2020, Ahtisaari tested positive for the coronavirus, and in the same year he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.

For the reasons mentioned, Ahtisaari almost completely withdrew from the public.

He died at the age of 86.

EC President calls on Serbia, Kosovo to return to dialogue (FoNet, N1)

European Commission (EC) President Ursula von der Leyen called on Serbia and Kosovo to return to dialogue and noted that the Ohrid Agreement, reached in February and March, was a basis for reconciliation.

Addressing a media conference in Tirana ahead of the Berlin Process Summit due to begin on Monday, Von der Leyen said it is very important that both Kosovo and Serbia return to the table to normalize their relationship, adding that this is the only way and that the right place for this is the European Union (EU)-facilitated dialogue.

This is the path to the future, as Kosovo and Serbia will be part of the European Union, so reconciliation, cooperation, commitment are absolutely necessary and the place to do this is the EU dialogue, said the EC President.

Radoicic: ‘Vucic’s naive victim’ or ‘a rich man from the criminal underworld’? (KoSSev)

“Milan Radoicic is a victim of a disastrous and destructive Kosovo policy, and possibly a victim of the fact that he trusted a man he obviously shouldn’t have,“ the leader of New Democratic Party of Serbia, Milos Jovanovic said last night on the Utisak Nedelje show. The president of the Party of Freedom and Justice, Dragan Djilas, however, stated that the victims are actually the Serbs who are leaving Kosovo, as well as the citizens of Serbia themselves due to Vucoc’s policies, and not Radoicic or Veselinovic.

He is not a writer, but he is not a terrorist

The leader of the New Democratic Party of Serbia, Milos Jovanovic, said on the Utisak Nedelje show on Nova S that the Serbs from Kosovo have been tossed aside.

Jovanovic also commented on the former Vice President of the Serbian List (Srpska Lista), Milan Radoicic. 

When asked whether he believes that the origin of Radoicic’s wealth and the “hacienda” at Gazivode are relevant issues, Jovanovic replied that they are not.

Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/2v3yub2t

Court of Appeal rejected appeals against detention measures imposed on three arrested Serbs in Banjska (KoSSev, KiM radio, Kontakt plus radio)

The Court of Appeals dismissed as unfounded the appeals of the defence attorneys of the suspects of the "terrorist attack" on the Kosovo police in Banjska - V.T, B.S. and D.M., thus confirming the decision of the Basic Court in Pristina, which gave the suspects 30 days of detention each, reported KoSSev portal.

The decision now given to the Oath for Justice was made on October 3, 2023.

"The appeals of the defence attorneys of the defendant V.T. - attorney Milos Delevic, B.S. - lawyer Ljubomir Pantovic, and D.M. - lawyer Dejan Vasic, are rejected as unfounded, while the decisions of the Basic Court in Pristina - Special Department PPPS.nr. .44/2023 dated September 25, 2023, and September 26, 2023 - are confirmed," the decision of the Court of Appeal states, cited KoSSev.

 

Opinion 

 

Stiplija: Today's summit of the Berlin Process could be the tipping point for the Open Balkans (Danas)

The summit of the Berlin Process, which brings together the leaders of the six countries of the Western Balkans and the EU on Monday in Tirana, could put an end to the Open Balkans initiative, told Danas daily Nemanja Todorovic Stiplija, editor of the European Western Balkans portal, about impressions from the civil society summit that was held over the weekend in the capital of Albania.

In this context, he points out that it is interesting that this summit is being held in Tirana, that is, Albania, a country that was one of the initiators of the establishment of a parallel process called the Open Balkans, reported Danas.

"Unfortunately, that process has recently been at a serious standstill because some countries of the Western Balkans simply did not find interest in it, and it was not supported by the EU and its member states, especially Germany and France," Stiplija explained. 

In addition to this, Albania is not a member of the EU, so that is also a curiosity of this Berlin summit, which according to announcements should be attended by, among others, the President of France Emmanuel Macron, the German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, as well as the President Charles Michel of the European Council.

Kosovo and Serbia are expected to be one of the main topics of the Summit after the conflict in Banjska in September. However, the host of the summit, Edi Rama, Prime Minister of Albania, said yesterday after the meeting with the President of the European Commission that there will be no discussion of the events in Banjska.

As announced, Pristina will be represented by Prime Minister Albin Kurti, and Belgrade by Prime Minister Ana Brnabic.

Shtiplija points out that at this summit it will be important to sign the last in a series of agreements that will help the formation of a common market, namely the agreement on the recognition of qualifications among the countries of the Western Balkans, which, together with the previous agreements that were implemented, will lead to the opening of the labor market to the citizens of the Western Balkans. 

- One more thing is important, the opening of the College of Europe for the Western Balkans. It is an EU higher education institution that trains staff who, on the one hand, work in EU institutions, and on the other hand, in the governments of countries in the process of European integration. That school has existed for a long time in Bruges and Warsaw, and the third class will be in Tirana. This is important news for students from Serbia who want to deal with jobs related to the integration process. In 2018, there was an idea to have that college in Sremski Karlovci, but it did not materialise. The college will be opened by rector Federica Mogherini - says Stiplija.

During the two sessions, the leaders will discuss the perspective of the region, its economic empowerment and integration in stages, and the EU will once again present its views on the European path of the Western Balkans.

The first session is entitled "Integrating the region into the single market and improving convergence with the EU", while the leaders will discuss the topic "Good neighbourly relations and bilateral issues: Towards a new European paradigm" at the working lunch. In the afternoon, the session "Supporting the Green and Digital Transition in the Western Balkans: Challenges and Opportunities for Investment and Growth" is planned.

As stated in the agenda, Edi Rama, Ursula von Der Leyen and Charles Michel will address the press conference at 6 pm.

 

 

 

International 

 

Rama on EU enlargement promises: Decision makers will be gone, replaced next year (Euractiv)

The European Commission, Council and Parliament cannot make promises about enlargement as many of them will no longer be there next year and it will not be their decision to take, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama said in an interview.

Speaking just days before Tirana hosts the Berlin Summit, Rama gave an interview on the prospects of the summit, EU enlargement and the ongoing conflict between Kosovo and Serbia.

Pressed on the recent comments by European Council President Charles Michel, who said the following enlargement process should occur by 2030, Rama was unconvinced.

He said it is necessary to be frank and realistic and understand that all those in decision-making positions in the Council, Parliament and Commission will not be there next year.

“Elections are based on changes. Michel is a fantastic president, but we will not be there next year. The Commission, as it is, will not be there. It is not a decision these people can take.”

He added that he has learned the hard way during his three mandates that deadlines from the European Union are not something to pin hopes on. He explained that they have often been given deadlines for them simply to be postponed repeatedly.

As for France and Germany’s proposal to enlarge the EU through a series of groups of membership types, Rama said he is in favour of it.

Read more at:https://tinyurl.com/4d85dms8

Neither Serb Nor Albanian: Life In The 'Bosnian Quarter' Of Kosovo's Divided North (RFE)

NORTH MITROVICA, Kosovo -- Shopkeepers are soaking up the sun and people-watching in North Mitrovica's Bosnian Quarter, a section of the city just northeast of the center.

Ethnic Albanians, Serbs, Roma, Egyptians, Turks, and Gorans all call this neighborhood home, but the area takes its name from the Bosniaks, a minority from today's Bosnia-Herzegovina, who settled here mostly during the Ottoman Empire.

In the years following the 1999 war, Kosovo's Bosniaks, who speak a language similar to Serbian but are overwhelmingly Muslim, were the victims of targeted killings and attacks allegedly by ethnic Albanians who associated them with ethnic Serbs.

Today the Bosnian Quarter has lost a distinct measure of ethnic diversity amid newly heightened tensions. According to the Kosovo Police, the number of interethnic incidents in Kosovo in the first half of 2023 jumped by 45 percent compared to the same period last year.

Locals told RFE/RL that fewer than 10 percent of the Bosniaks of northern Kosovo who were here before the 1999 Kosovo War remain today.

Read more at:https://tinyurl.com/27eywtc9