UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, October 25, 2022

Albanian Language Media:

The Western Balkans Summit starts in Prishtina (media)
Kurti: We have achieved a lot during a year and a half of governance (media)
Peach: UK supports Kosovo’s membership in the Council of Europe (media)
Hovenier: Kosovo should be in NATO (Klan)
Kurti confirms, there is no postponement of deadline for license plates (RTK)
“There are hopes for positive response on visa liberalisation by year’s end” (Telegrafi)
Deputy PM: Another solution must be found for the Association (Kosovapress)
PDK supports government on license plates if it is in coordination with the USA (RTK)

Serbian Language Media:

About phone messages from Kosovo MIA, Vucic says: ''We are facing a difficult time'' (KoSSev)
Petkovic on licence plates issue, says Kurti changes tactics in vain (Kosovo Online)
Survey: Two thirds of Serbs in northern Kosovo ready for protests and civic disobedience (Kosovo Online)
The Kosovan MIA calls for vehicle re-registration via SMS in the Serbian language
(KoSSev, media)
Survey says most Serbs against sanctions on Russia (N1, Blic)

International:

LNG Alliance ensuring energy security for landlocked Balkan nations (gasworld.com)
Fiscal pressure grows in Western Balkans as region heads into new storm (intellinews.com)

Albanian Language Media

The Western Balkans Summit starts in Prishtina (media)

"The Western Balkans Summit 2022" organised by The Economist, in cooperation with the Office of the Prime Minister of Kosovo has started in Prishtina.

“The Russian invasion of Ukraine, energy and commodities shortages and price hikes are driving the world to a multifaceted crisis. Mankind is moving into uncharted waters. At the same time, there is significant discussion on accelerating the green and digital transition and on reinforcing Europe’s unity against these challenges. Will Europe be on track despite the drawbacks?

The Western Balkans region has a unique role to play against this setting. The idea that without Western Balkans, Europe cannot be truly united, inclusive and politically effective is gaining ground. The region has a critical role to play in fostering peace, co-operation and unity through diversity for Europe. In order to benefit from this role, however, countries of the region will need to resolve regional conflicts and facilitate reforms that reduce the gap with Europe’s most developed part.

Join us in Pristina this year with high ranking officials from the EU and the US, heads of state from the region, international institutions, business and finance leaders, academia who will share their insight on new strategies to tackle the current crisis and enhance growth, stability and co-operation in the region and beyond,” reads The Economist’s page on the event.

Kurti: We have achieved a lot during a year and a half of governance (media)

The Prime Minister of Kosovo Albin Kurti spoke at the Western Balkans Summit 2022 about the achievements of the government that he leads.

“The principle of the rule of law, which is very interconnected, the laws being approved, are the final expression of the will of the people, in e democratic state means that the laws must be respected by all and equality applies to all, the rich and the poor, the strong and the weak,” Kurti said.

He spoke about the developments in Kosovo, mentioning the achievements in many fields, justice, economy, etc.

"Our government has made great strides. Last year we improved by 17 places in the index of Transparency International, in the index of the perception of corruption, and in the index of the press. We are in first place in the region according to the fairness index. Law enforcement authorities have taken 800 activities, arresting over 2000 people, etc., he said.

Kurti also spoke about the support that the government is giving at this time of the energy crisis which has affected Europe and the region. He has mentioned the subsidy that is being made to electricity bills, stimulation for the private sector for those who increase the wages of workers.

Kurti has also spoken about the developments surrounding the Russian aggression against Ukraine and its effects in the region.

He emphasised that Serbia still continues to refuse to impose sanctions on Russia. "Since the beginning of the war, Belgrade has been turning a blind eye to war crimes. The President of Serbia has shown no regrets about signing the agreement he made with Russia. This is being done when Russia has deliberately shrunk the supply to European countries. Also, the other Agreement on the foreign policy between Belgrade and Moscow is alarming," he said.

Kurti said that Kosovo has shown that it is a reliable ally for all democratic states. "Kosovo has participated in the 'Defender Europe' exercises. We are the first to impose sanctions on Russia. We are the country that has sheltered refugees from Afghanistan, as well as shelter for journalists from Ukraine," Kurti said.

Peach: UK supports Kosovo’s membership in the Council of Europe (media)

Stewart Peach, United Kingdom’s emissary for the Western Balkans has said that he supports Kosovo’s membership in the Council of Europe.

He stated at the Western Balkans Summit that is being held in Pristina today that they are in favor of the integration of Kosovo in many spheres.

“we need to encourage Kosovo as much as possible on the Euro-Atlantic path. Great Britain supports everything that contains unity,” Peach said.

He also said that they support the Berlin Process, which according to him, is a good opportunity for the Western Balkans.

Hovenier: Kosovo should be in NATO (Klan)

The Ambassador of the United States of America in Kosovo Jeffrey Hovenier has said that Kosovo should be in NATO and that this is one of their priorities.

He stated at the Western Balkans Summit being held in Prishtina that the membership of the KSF in NATO requires work.

“We support Kosovo to take its place in Euro-Atlantic structures and nations. This requires a lot of work for the EU-assisted dialogue, because we think this is the way to reach that goal,” Hovenier said.

“The U.S. wants the Kosovo Security Force to fulfil its mandate to be an interactive force with NATO. Kosovo should be in NATO, this is one of the ways to achieve it, for it to take its place,” Hovenier said.

Kurti confirms, there is no postponement of deadline for license plates (RTK)

The Prime Minister of Kosovo Albin Kurti told the media today after his speech at the Summit for the Western Balkans that there will be no postponement of the deadline for license plates.

"We do the best possible, sparing neither time nor knowledge, these are not measures against the Serbs, but measures for the Serbs. It's not revenge, hatred or anger, it's enforcement of law, order, it's government decisions that don't discriminate people but want to make them equal," Kurti told reporters.

"We don't want to surprise our allies, but we want to surprise the criminals," Kurti said.

The United States of America and the European Union have asked Kosovo to postpone the deadline for license plates for another 10 months. They considered that this would avoid the tension of the situation in the north.

Members of civil society in Northern Mitrovica have also requested an extension of the deadline for the removal of illegal license plates.

The license plate decision was due to take effect on August 1 but was delayed following armed incidents in the north of Kosovo.

The President of Kosovo, Vjosa Osmani, said a few days ago that international partners should address the pressure on Serbia, which is the source of tensions. She said that the license plate issue is above all a rule of law issue. According to her, more than 90 percent of Serbs living in Kosovo have already converted the license plates of the past into legal ones.

“There are hopes for positive response on visa liberalisation by year’s end” (Telegrafi)

Head of the Kosovo Assembly Committee for Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Haki Abazi, said today that there are hopes that Kosovo will get a positive response for visa liberalisation by the end of the year. After meeting the French Ambassador to Kosovo Olivier Guerot today, Abazi said: “the ambassador confirmed the position of President Macron and the Weimar Triangle expressed in June in favour of visa liberalisation for Kosovo, and certainly with some additional concerns that need to be addressed. This is the exact formulation of what we discussed today”.

“We talked about the level of what it means for the citizens of Kosovo for this process to have full clarity. We also received an answer that there is a club of member states of the European Union that are negotiating on all aspects including the ETIAS, as a system that does not necessarily affect only Kosovo. Again, we talked about the level of expectations of the people of Kosovo from the process. What was said today is that the process will continue and that there are hopes that by the end of the year we will get a positive response in terms of the dynamics of the visa liberalisation process,” Abazi said.

Deputy PM: Another solution must be found for the Association (Kosovapress)

Deputy Prime Minister for Minority Issues and Human Rights, Emilija Rexhepi, said in an interview with the news agency today that another solution must be found for the Association/Community of Serb-majority municipalities. She argued that it would be wrong to form a monoethnic association as it would not reflect the true multicultural spirit of Kosovo.

“I believe that forming ethnic municipalities is wrong and that it does not show the real picture of multiculturalism in Kosovo. It would not give the other communities the right to live and function freely. I believe that creating such municipalities with a majority community, or even the very name ‘Association of Serb municipalities’ would mean creating another Republika Srpska in Kosovo. We are all witnesses of the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina and what can happen. We know what the Republika Srpska has done there to the detriment of the normal functioning of all citizens and communities in Bosnia and Herzegovina. We in Kosovo are building a society that is equal and fair for all and this is the message that we send to the Balkans, Europe and the world, that all communities here are equal, and to create such an association I think would be a mistake. The best possible model must be found,” Rexhepi said.

PDK supports government on license plates if it is in coordination with the USA (RTK)

The Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) announced that vehicles with illegal license plates of Serbian citizens cannot be allowed to circulate in Kosovo indefinitely.

Asked by journalists about the position of this political party regarding the license plate deadline, PDK head of the Parliamentary Group Abelard Tahiri said that each government action must be coordinated with the U.S.

"I think that every action of the government that should be taken in relation to Serbia, without a doubt, should be in coordination with the USA and that this coordination should result in respecting the sovereignty of the republic," Tahiri said.

"The use of such license plates cannot be allowed indefinitely, and any action taken by the government of Kosovo, which respects the sovereignty of our country in that part, undoubtedly has the support of the PDK."

October 31 is the deadline when citizens who carry Milosevic-era number plates on their cars must replace them with RKS.

Serbian Language Media

About phone messages from Kosovo MIA, Vucic says: ''We are facing a difficult time'' (KoSSev)

Portal KoSSev reported today that the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic briefly commented the fact that the personal phone numbers of Serbian users of the IPKO network in Kosovo ended up in the Ministry of Interior of Kosovo, which morning sent messages warning Serbs from Kosovo about the expiration of the deadline of October 31 to re-register their vehicles to RKS plates, saying that Serbia will be with their people, while the Serbs themselves are with their conscience, without looking back at the messages itself.

"They will all pretend in the international community that they are against it and that they have asked for a postponement, but whatever happens they will support it," said Vucic in Vlasotince town.

For the international community, he needed to clarify to the public what this refers to - primarily he means the Quint, four European countries plus the USA, and he emphasises that he deliberately says European, not the EU, because Britain is not part of the EU, wrote the portal.

"We are facing a difficult time," he repeated. Even though earlier this summer he announced the persecution of Serbs from Kosovo until October 1, by the Albanians who were supported by Quint, along with the topic of licence plates, he now emphasised that it would be "crazy to predict" the outcome.

What he is persistent in, he emphasised, is that he will be with the state and the Serbs in Kosovo.

"Who showed that they don't want to listen to Kurti either, but themselves, their conscience and their rights," said the Serbian president, adding that only two Serbs registered their vehicles.

Six days until the end of the two-month deadline for the re-registration of vehicles with Serbian plates of cities in Kosovo on the RKS, users of the IPKO mobile network, the Kosovo Ministry of Interior sent an invitation for registration this morning, recalled KoSSev.

Petkovic on licence plates issue, says Kurti changes tactics in vain (Kosovo Online)

Office for Kosovo and Metohija Director, Petar Petkovic said that Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti “changes his tactics in vain” by texting Serbs in Kosovo to change their registration plates, Kosovo Online portal reports.

Petkovic said on Twitter that Serbs do not want “RKS” licence plates.

“From failed video spots, Albin Kurti now moves to text messages. He changed tactics in vain, Serbs do not want his “RKS” plates, but registration plates of Serbia and they have shown that to him in the north – only two re-registrations happened out of 9.000 Serbian licence plates”, Petkovic said.

Survey: Two thirds of Serbs in northern Kosovo ready for protests and civic disobedience (Kosovo Online)

Mitrovica North-based non-governmental organisation Human Center Mitrovica organised a research which included 150 respondents from northern Kosovo aiming to find out what are the fears of the Serbian community in Kosovo and how will Serbs react in case of vehicles’ confiscation after expiration of deadline for re-registration, Kosovo Online portal reports.

Veroljub Petronic while presenting research findings said it was carried out without donors’ support or any financial aid, adding it was important for the organisation to convey stances of the Serbs in northern Kosovo ahead of vehicle re-registration deadline.

According to the findings, two thirds of respondents said “there were ready to take part in protests and civic disobedience, should confiscation of the vehicles by Kosovo police occur. A Kosovo government document said that vehicles which are not re-registered on “RKS” plates will be confiscated, which runs contrary to any property rights, because no one can take the vehicle away from you. In this case one should confiscate 500, 1000 or 10.000, and that is impossible”, Petronic said.

Also 77 percent of respondents said they think that Kosovo police will confiscate their vehicles if they do not re-registered them by October 31, while 23 percent said they are partially certain that their vehicles will be confiscated.

Asked what their reaction would be should confiscation of the vehicles occur, 45 percent said they will take part in protests, 23 percent said they will take part in civic disobedience, 17 percent said they will do nothing, and 15 percent said they will leave Kosovo.

“The research shows fears are great and people are afraid. All stakeholders in the dialogue, and foremost the international community, must make their contribution to reduce the fear among the population, because if the entire situation is not resolved in a reasonable manner, we may suffer disastrous consequences”, he added.

Asked to comment on the presence of Kosovo special police units in northern Kosovo, 77 percent of respondents said they are intimidated by their presence and increased number of newly reconstructed police bases there, while 23 percent said they are not intimidated.

89 percent of respondents believe that harsh rhetoric on both sides could lead to potential conflict, while 11 percent believe it has no influence on conflicts. The respondents also said they do not believe any of the relevant security actors in Kosovo could protect them nor would be ready to interfere in case on inter-ethnic incidents.

Between 78 and 80 percent of respondents believed that neither UNMIK, nor Kosovo police or EULEX would protect them, 54 percent of respondents said they do not think that KFOR would protect them either. 4.34 percent said they believe that KFOR would protect them, 4 percent that EULEX would protect them, while 2.01 percent think that UNMIK would stand for their defence.

Only 0.68 percent of respondents said they think Kosovo police would protect them in the case of armed inter-ethnic incidents.

Asked if armed clashes could occur after October 31, 68 percent responded “yes” while 32 percent said “no”.

As the biggest threat to security respondents marked Kosovo Security Forces 72 percent, organised crime groups 48 percent, political representatives of Kosovo Albanians 46 percent, extremists groups 45 percent, Kosovo police and international representatives 25 percent each, and political representatives of the Serbs 18 percent.

The Kosovan MIA calls for vehicle re-registration via SMS in the Serbian language(KoSSev, media)

Six days before the end of the two-month deadline for the re-registration of vehicles with Serbian markings of towns in Kosovo to RKS, the Kosovo Ministry of Interior sent a call for re-registration to users of the IPKO mobile network.

The Kosovo Ministry of Internal Affairs sent another re-registration call via SMS, written in Serbian.

Several Serbs from the north of Kosovo, but also south of the Ibar River, told KoSSev that they received a text message this morning from the Kosovo Ministry of Internal Affairs reminding them that the deadline for replacing licence plates ends on October 31st.

“Register your vehicles to RKS, with financial and procedural benefits until October 31st, 2022. Anywhere, regardless of your place of residence. 0800 GO-RKS,” reads the text message sent by the Kosovan MIA.

The message also contains a link to the website of Bersier Information Technologies (Bit).

The site in question states that it is an “independent consulting and implementation company in the computer industry”.

Several citizens of the north, as well as Serbs south of the Ibar who use the IPKO mobile network, confirmed for KoSSev that they received a message from the Kosovo Ministry of Internal Affairs earlier this morning.

It is unknown how the ministry obtained the phone numbers of the citizens in question.

The two-month deadline for the re-registration of vehicles with Serbian markings of towns in Kosovo to RKS plates ends in six days. The US, the Quint countries, as well as the European Union have all recently called on the Kosovo government to extend the deadline for the implementation of its decision on re-registration by 10 months.

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

Survey says most Serbs against sanctions on Russia (N1, Blic)

Belgrade daily Blic said Tuesday about two thirds of Serbs are against introduction of sanctions against Russia, N1 reports.

The daily quoted a poll by the Faktor Plus agency which showed that 64 percent of the respondents opposed sanctions and just 16 percent want official Belgrade to align its policies with those of the European Union.

The agency’s CEO Vladimir Pejic told Blic that 20 percent of the respondents had no opinion which, according to him, shows that opposition to the sanctions is not unconditional. “Twenty percent of the polled are neither for or against and their opinion could be affected by certain circumstances”, he said.

The poll also showed that 30 percent of the respondents don’t think the new Serbian government will impose sanctions on Russia, 20 percent think it will and 18 percent said it is not very likely with about a third expecting the new cabinet to give the issue serious consideration.

International

LNG Alliance ensuring energy security for landlocked Balkan nations (gasworld.com)

Liquefied natural gas (LNG) specialist LNG Alliance is ensuring that landlocked nations in the Balkan region can access natural gas amidst a global energy crisis that continues to threaten countries without an established LNG supply infrastructure.

Destabilised by the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, Europe’s gas supply has witnessed major disruption, causing coastal nations to focus on increasing energy security by establishing new terminals and floating storage regasification units (FSRUs).