UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, September 6, 2024

Albanian Language Media:

Kosovo Police celebrates 25th anniversary of establishment (media)
Lajcak says he and Bislimi agreed on next meeting of chief negotiators (Koha)
Gervalla: Threat to block crossings, proof of Serbia’s hegemonistic goals (Koha)
Turkish Foreign Minister: Nothing more normal than supporting Kosovo (media)
Valtonen: Finland and Kosovo have a strong bond (media)
Two suspects stop bus in north, smash windshield, mirrors (media)
Sinani calls on internationals to prevent attempts to block crossings (media)
Canak: Vucic’s idea is to present Kosovo as place that threatens Serbs (Express)

Serbian Language Media:

Transport organized for the announced blockade of crossings (N1)
Todic after the questioning by KP: Political case lead against us (Kosovo Online)
Jaksic: It seems to me that Kurti is doing the 'dirty work' for Vucic (NMagazin, Beta, N1, Nova)
Minister Zigmanov spoke with the OSCE Vice President about the situation in Kosovo (NMagazin, Beta)
Petkovic: The intrusion into Serbian institutions will have unforeseeable consequences for the normalization of relations with Pristina (N1, Kosovo Online, media)
Surlic: Kurti has no interest in making any concessions before the elections (Kosovo Online)
Vulin: Vucic did not refuse Putin’s invitation (N1, RTS)

Opinion:

The closure of Kosovo’s parallel institutions and its ramifications (emerging-europe.com)
Balkan arms race makes NATO membership for Bosnia more urgent (BIRN)

International:

Kosovo’s jubilar grape festival features global stars (Prishtina Insight)
Recent developments in the north of Kosovo: UK statement to the OSCE, September 2024 (gov.uk)
Kosovo residents urged to avoid Serbia amid road blockades threats (BIRN)

Albanian Language Media

Kosovo Police celebrates 25th anniversary of establishment (media)

One of the leading stories in the media today is the 25th anniversary of the formation of Kosovo Police. During a ceremony in Pristina, Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani said that the police force continues to be one of the most trusted and respected institutions in Kosovo. “On this day we honor the commitment and sacrifice of all women and men that served and continue to serve as guardians of order and security … The police force has been at the helm of protecting our citizens, making our roads, houses and all citizens in every corner of Kosovo feel safe,” she said.

During her speech, Osmani mentioned Kosovo police sergeant Afrim Bunjaku who was killed during the attack by armed Serbian troops in the north of Kosovo in September last year.

“In times of crisis and challenges you must stand unwavering, for the security of our state, which was built with so much effort and sacrifice. Our police force needs to continue to be developed and to be ready to respond to new challenges in an ever more complex environment”.

Osmani also thanked Kosovo’s allies “not only for their expertise and training, equipment and weapons, but also for their unreserved support and above all their trust in the Kosovo Police”. She also thanked the women serving in the Kosovo Police for their professionalism and above all for serving as role models for every young woman that wants to join the mission of keeping Kosovo safe.

Lajcak says he and Bislimi agreed on next meeting of chief negotiators (Koha)

EU Special Envoy for the dialogue, Miroslav Lajcak, told reporters after meeting Kosovo Deputy Prime Minister and chief negotiator Besnik Bislimi, that they agreed on the next meeting at the level of chief negotiators in Brussels, but did not disclose a date saying that it needs to be coordinated with others first.

Lajcak said the meeting also discussed the opening of the main bridge over Iber/Ibar river and reiterated that the opening of the bridge must be done in cooperation with international partners. “The position of the EU is well known. It needs to be opened but the opening needs to be done in close cooperation with Kosovo’s international partners,” he said.

Lajcak also said that “the Ohrid Agreement is legally binding in its entirety, and we are working on the implementation. None of the parties have withdrawn from the agreement and we have discussed with Kosovo and with Serbia how to accelerate the implementation. The letter (of former Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic) has been withdrawn. There are statements here and there that don’t help [the process]. But the agreement as such is valid in its entirety and beyond that the agreement has already become part of Kosovo and Serbia’s European paths,” he added.

A press release issued by the Kosovo government notes that discussions focused on three main topics: agreement and preparations for the next meeting at the level of chief negotiators, developments surrounding the opening of the main bridge in Mitrovica over Iber river, and the path forward with the sequencing plan for the implementation of the Brussels Agreement and the Implementation Annex. Deputy Prime Minister Besnik Bislimi stressed that the opening of the main bridge of Mitrovica over Iber is an issue that was addressed and agreed upon in Brussels, within the EU-facilitated dialogue, and that it should be opened according to the existing agreement and the conclusions of the European Commission’s report in 2020, which noted that work on the bridge has concluded and that it should be opened without delay or further obstacles.

Bislimi also said that Kosovo has continuously engaged as a constructive party in the dialogue. “As such, it remains committed to the full and unconditional implementation of the Basic Agreement and the Annex and is confident that its signing is the right and necessary guarantee for Serbia’s full implementation and accountability for its continuous violations,” the statement notes.

Gervalla: Threat to block crossings, proof of Serbia’s hegemonistic goals (Koha)

Kosovo’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Donika Gervalla, told reporters in Pristina today that threats to block the crossings between Kosovo and Serbia are additional proof of what she called Serbia’s hegemonistic goals and destabilizing actions. After meeting her Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan, Gervalla said: “we discussed security and stability in the region, at a time when the region is faced with major security challenges, especially from Serbia’s destabilizing and threatening position against Kosovo. Turkey and NATO have an important role in guaranteeing peace and stability throughout our region. Kosovo remains committed to the partnership with NATO as a guarantee for protecting peace in the region. In this respect, we see Serbia as a real threat to regional stability. Threats to block the border crossing points are an additional proof of Serbia’s hegemonistic goals and provocative and destabilizing actions that go beyond verbal threats”.

Gervalla also said that “Kosovo’s sovereignty is indisputable” and that “together with our partners we are determined to protect peace and security even beyond Kosovo”.

On Kosovo’s relations with Turkey, Gervalla said they are based on a long-lasting friendship and close cooperation. “In the economic aspect, cooperation between our countries has a special importance. Turkish investments, through the years, have played a key role in Kosovo’s economic development. Our economic relations are strong, and we will continue to further them,” she said.

Asked to comment on EU special envoy Miroslav Lajcak’s statement today that Serbia has withdrawn a letter by former Serbian PM Ana Brnabic about the Ohrid Agreement, Gervalla said: “as far as I know there was a partial withdrawal of the letter, but there was no withdrawal from the non-recognition of Kosovo’s sovereignty and territorial integrity – and that approach is unacceptable. The impression in the process of normalization of relations is that the more the position of Kosovo Serbs is normalized, the more they are freed from the influence of criminal gangs and the more they try to return to normal lives and integration in our society, the more Serbia withdraws from the attempted and so-called normalization in Brussels. The whole process needs to be reviewed. We need the new people that are going to Brussels to have a strategy on the destination of the process of negotiations and how it will be led”.

According to Gervalla, it will be difficult to continue the dialogue because of Serbia’s “hostile approach”. “We have an agreement for all parties to honor their obligations but until now Serbia is very far from this. With this constantly hostile approach and a discourse that only incites hatred and conflicts, it will be difficult to continue the process in Brussels. We need to wait for new people that will come and hope that they will have a clearer vision on how to safeguard the fragile security in our region,” she argued.

Turkish Foreign Minister: Nothing more normal than supporting Kosovo (media)

Gazeta Express notes that during his stay in Pristina today, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan did not reveal many details about a security agreement between Turkey and Kosovo. “We support Kosovo, and we have had a great awareness and sensitivity since day one to strengthen Kosovo’s institutions so that they can provide their citizens with all the right services. Security is part of this context too. Turkey needs to be ready to help with all aspects of security. For us there is nothing more normal than to support Kosovo, and this will continue in many other areas too. This is all I can say,” Fidan told reporters after meeting his Kosovo counterpart, Donika Gervalla.

Radio Free Europe reports that at a joint press conference with Gervalla, Fidan said they discussed steps that need to be taken against the Hizmet movement of Fetullah Gulen, to which Turkey refers as FETO and has declared it a terrorist organization. He said that the organization represents a threat for Kosovo too. “We also talked about fighting terrorism, and the steps that need to be taken against the terrorist organization FETO. Unfortunately, the presence of FETO in Kosovo remains a concern for us. I want to remind you that FETO is a threat for Kosovo too. We need to fight this organization together,” he is quoted as saying.

Valtonen: Finland and Kosovo have a strong bond (media)

Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen said in a post on X about her visit to Kosovo that Finland and Kosovo have a strong bond. “Had very good meetings today with Foreign Minister Donika Gervalla, Prime Minister Albin Kurti and President Vjosa Osmani. Finland supports Kosovo’s Euro-Atlantic integration. Stability in the region is key. We prioritize the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue,” Valtonen said.

Two suspects stop bus in north, smash windshield, mirrors (media)

Kosovo Police said in their 24-hour report that they were notified by a person that as he was driving his bus in the north of Kosovo, two suspects who were speaking in Serbian went out of a vehicle, stopped his bus, and used wooden sticks to break the windshield and mirrors of his bus. Police said they were investigating the incident.

Sinani calls on internationals to prevent attempts to block crossings (media)

Mayor of Presevo municipality in Serbia, Ardita Sinani, said in a Facebook post today that the international community should react against plans to block crossings between Kosovo and Serbia. “We urgently call on the embassies of the U.S., EU member states, and the international community to react and undertake immediate steps to prevent the situation from escalating. We need to engage in safeguarding peace and stability in the region, by respecting the freedoms and basic rights of people for freedom of movement and a peaceful life,” she said.

Canak: Vucic’s idea is to present Kosovo as place that threatens Serbs (Express)

Nenad Canak, former leader of the Social Democrats of Vojvodina, said it is clear that there are several well-organized forces in Serbia which want to resolve the problem of Kosovo by displacing Serbs from the north of Kosovo. He argued that this is Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic’s plan to present Kosovo as a place that threatens the Serb minority and that that is why the latter are fleeing. “Therefore, Kosovo needs to take care of its citizens and try not to make the same mistakes that Serbia has made. Vucic will accuse Kosovo of forcing Serbs to flee. I have told [Kosovo] Prime Minister Albin Kurti not to fall for this trap,” he argued.

Serbian Language Media

Transport organized for the announced blockade of crossings (N1)

The President of the Association of Citizens of the Kosovo-Mitrovica District, Rasa Rojevic, announced the multi-day blockade of crossings from the direction of central Serbia towards Kosovo.

N1 reported that the bus from Belgrade would leave at 10 a.m., but the departure will probably be delayed a bit, since at 10 a.m. citizens have just started arriving.

It was announced that it will be the first bus that transports citizens, and it was announced that another one will leave tonight. In the evening, the departure of buses from Novi Sad and Smederevo was announced, they should connect people from other places to the administrative crossings, N1 reported.

According to announcements, citizens who go to administrative crossings will block those crossings until their demands are met.

As announced, they will only allow vehicles with Serbian documents and emergency services, because as they stated, if Serbian documents are not valid in Kosovo, neither will Kosovo’s documents be valid in Serbia. It is estimated that around 400 people will go to Kosovo.

When asked if the protest was reported to the police, Rojević said that it was.

“Serbian institutions for us are the police, we said that we will do peaceful blockades. Many wonder if the protest is coordinated with the state. Well, it’s not” he said.

In response to the N1 reporter’s statement that the President of Serbia is visiting Loznica region and making pancakes, while they are going to block the crossing, Rojevic replied:

“I’m not interfering with the president's job, we approached the MIA and got approval on Monday, we are going there for peaceful protests. We don’t even have any help, this is a protest of the local associations, we come from all over and it’s our protest,” he emphasized.

Todic after the questioning by KP: hearing: Political case lead against us (Kosovo Online)

The President of the Municipality Leposavic PA, Zoran Todic, said today that a political process is being conducted against him and other colleagues who were invited to give a statement, with the aim of attacking all Serbs who remained in Kosovo, reported Kosovo Online.

Following his questioning by the KP, Todic said:

"Just like my colleagues who gave statements yesterday, they accuse me of allegedly falsifying documents. It is obvious that this is a criminal offense that exists in their criminal code. The bottom line here is that all these past four years and all the previous years, a terrible pressure on everything that is Serbian here. There is no doubt that this is a classic political process and an attack on the institutions of the Republic of Serbia. We have worked responsibly in the interest of our people now the attack is on us. The problem here is not us as individuals, but the essence here is that daily pressure is exerted on the Serbian people, that everything that is Serbian is banned," said Todic.

He added that the question is what all the authorities in Pristina are ready for.

"Today I made a statement here in the presence of a lawyer. The question is what they are ready for, what is the government in Pristina ready for and what will they do in terms of additional pressures in the coming period. And the difficult position of the Serbian people, this decision about the abolition of the Serbian institutions of Kosovo and Metohija will further complicate the life of our population and our citizens. This is just one more step in a series against our people, and about filing these criminal charges against us," said Todic.

"You will be informed in a timely manner about the next steps initiated by the authorities in Pristina against us," Todic told the media.

Jaksic: It seems to me that Kurti is doing the 'dirty work' for Vucic (NMagazin, Beta, N1, Nova)

Member of the Presidency of the National Movement of Serbs from Kosovo and Metohija "Fatherland" Marko Jaksic assessed today that the incursion of the Kosovo police into Serbian institutions in the north of Kosovo is part of the agreement of the "French-German plan" and that it seems to him that "Prime Minister of Kosovo Albin Kurti is carrying out dirty work for Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic".

He said in an interview for the newspaper "Nova" that "Vucic undertook to abolish the institutions of the Serbian state, to put Serbian documents out of force".

"For example, Serbian driver's licenses have ceased to be valid, and Belgrade is silent. Then the regime in Belgrade is attacking Kurti, and nothing is going back to the way it was before. So, the dinar is no longer a valid means of payment in the north of Kosovo, there is no more 'Komercijalna banka', there are no Postal Savings banks, there is no Serbian post office... All the institutions of the Serbian state are disappearing," said Jaksic.

He stated that he and the leader of the Serbian National Forum from Gracanica, Momcilo Trajkovic, are regularly detained by the Serbian police at the administrative crossing.

"And it's always the same pattern. Park the car on the right and wait. And then we wait, they call Belgrade. I go through this every time I come to receive my pension in Brnjak. They stop me so I can't enter, and then let me go, I'll take my pension and then I'll go back to Kosovo and wait again. Crazy harassment, but it doesn't excite me too much," said Jaksic.

At a recent meeting with representatives of the "ProGlas" initiative, he pointed out the situation in Kosovo.

"We agreed that this is the first step and that they should come to Kosovo and Metohija in due time, to see on the spot how people live here, to talk with them. To hear everything about their fears and anxieties. We offered to host them and take a walk through the southern Serbian province along and across," said Jaksic.

Minister Zigmanov spoke with the OSCE Vice President about the situation in Kosovo (NMagazin, Beta)

The Minister for Human and Minority Rights and Social Dialogue Tomislav Zigmanov spoke today with the Vice-President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for European Security and Cooperation, Kyriakos Hadjiyianni about the situation in the areas of anti-discrimination and civil society, accompanying policies and issues of gender equality.

Special emphasis was placed on the current difficult situation of the Serbs in Kosovo. Minister Zigmanov presented positive assessments of the overall situation, pointed to the efforts that the Serbian government is making to improve them, and mentioned some of the challenges it is facing.

When it comes to the protection of human rights of members of non-Albanian communities in the southern Serbian province, Zigmanov said the situation is very difficult.

He added that the representatives of the government use every opportunity to emphasize to the representatives of the international community that it is extremely important to pay attention to the situation with the drastic violation of human rights of members of non-Albanian communities in Kosovo and to make additional efforts to stop it.

The Vice-President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, who is also the envoy for Southeast Europe, stated that Serbia is a leader in the protection of minority rights not only in this part of Europe and underlined that the quality of protection is also reflected in the inclusion and integration of minorities into a system in which everyone has equal freedoms and rights according to the standards of the Council of Europe.

Hadjiyianni also pointed out that the issue of people's rights in Kosovo is of great importance to him, adding that the OSCE sees what the tendencies are there.

Zigmanov said that a negative social atmosphere is being created in Kosovo when it comes to the position of the Serbian community. He mentioned the exclusion of Serbs from the process of making political decisions and the violent abolition of Serbian institutions in Kosovo, which we are witnessing these days.

In this way, the availability of services, from social to health care to issues of education and training, becomes more complicated.

The number of ethnically motivated violence is also increasing, which further complicates the overall security situation in society. There is a deadlock in the negotiations, and there have been no key developments in the realization of the internationally accepted obligations of the authorities in Pristina, above all the formation of the Community of Serbian Municipalities.

The interlocutors agreed that dialogue is the only way to resolve disputes and conflicts in society, the minister emphasized that the Serbian government consistently insists on dialogue and that the insistence of the international community must be permanent on that front, because we are witnessing that the unilateral actions of the Albanian side have consequences on the position of the Serbian community and on the dialogue, and that they represent a security risk.

The meeting also discussed topics that the OSCE proposes and implements within its inter-parliamentary forums that are of interest to all countries of the region, such as population depopulation and the departure of the educated, the position of national minorities, tourism, and environmental protection.

Petkovic: The intrusion into Serbian institutions will have unforeseeable consequences for the normalization of relations with Pristina (N1, Kosovo Online, media)

The Director of the Government Office for Kosovo and Metohija, Petar Petkovic, estimated today that the incursion of the Kosovo police into Serbian institutions in the north of Kosovo will have "incalculable" consequences for the normalization of relations between Belgrade and Pristina, reported N1.

In a conversation with the vice-president of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, Cypriot MP Kyriakos Hadjiyianni, Petkovic said that the institutions in the north of Kosovo are not "parallel" but the institutions of Serbia, which, according to him, should be the basis for the formation of the Community of Serbian Municipalities (CSM).

"On the other hand, we are talking about institutions that provide basic services of vital importance to Serbs and other communities, from social benefits, through salaries and pensions, necessary to maintain their basic existence," said Petkovic.

Surlic: Kurti has no interest in making any concessions before the elections (Kosovo Online)

Assistant professor at the Faculty of Political Sciences, Stefan Surlic, points out that the upcoming high-level meeting in the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue is likely to end in failure, as Kosovo's Prime Minister Albin Kurti has no interest in making any concessions before the elections in February. Surlic says that Kurti will continue to behave as he has so far, with the goal of undermining the idea of the Community of Serbian Municipalities.

Surlic told Kosovo Online that a failure is expected, just like in the previous high-level meeting in Brussels, emphasizing that the dialogue has long become a dialogue between Belgrade and Brussels, rather than between Belgrade and Pristina.

“I especially don't see any interest from Albin Kurti to make any concessions before the elections in February – he will probably insist on opening the bridge, explaining why these institutions, which have been closed for several days, can no longer function, and that will be the end of it,” Surlic said.

He adds that Kurti will continue to push demands such as Kosovo becoming a member of the Council of Europe and other international organizations, while expecting Serbia to be proactive in this regard.

“None of that rhetoric will change,” he said.

According to Surlic, this represents a race against time, with a much larger goal beyond the election campaign.

“And that is to permanently undermine the idea of forming the Community of Serbian Municipalities,” Surlic concluded.

Vulin: Vucic did not refuse Putin’s invitation (N1, RTS)

Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vulin said that President Aleksandar Vucic did not refuse Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invitation to a BRICS summit in October, reported N1.

Vulin told the Serbian state TV (RTS) that the two presidents will discuss the invitation to the summit in Kazan in a scheduled telephone conversation, adding that Vucic’s words were misinterpreted. Vucic said on Thursday that he had a number of important meetings and visits at the time of the summit.

“Russia and Serbia are strategic partners, and no one can change that,” he said after a meeting earlier this week with Putin at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok.

According to him, Vucic and Putin are friends. He said Serbia won’t impose sanctions on Russia. “We are great nations and great nations do not betray their friends,” he added.

Vulin said that Putin is thinking about Serbia in terms of natural gas supplies. “For Russia, those exports (to Serbia) are at the level of a statistical error, but they mean a lot to Serbia,” he said adding: “Do you think we can survive the winter without Russian gas?”.

Opinion

The closure of Kosovo’s parallel institutions and its ramifications (emerging-europe.com)

By Alon Ben-Meir

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti’s consistent efforts to assert Kosovo’s sovereignty over the predominantly ethnic Serb municipalities do not bolster Kosovo’s independence. Instead, Kurti’s misplaced efforts only strain EU-Kosovo ties while exposing his lack of confidence in Kosovo’s sovereign resiliency.

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti’s decision to close five parallel institutions for the predominantly ethnic Serbians in northern Kosovo can be justified based on three counts.

First, the action is in accordance with the dialogue agreements of 2013 and 2015 that stipulated the closure of parallel institutions. Second, it is consistent with Kosovo’s constitution, and third, it asserts Kosovo’s sovereign rights to all of Kosovo, including the ethnic Serb-majority municipalities.

That said, the closure raises several questions that Kurt’s government should have carefully considered before taking such an action.

Timing

Kurti’s decision to act at this particular juncture raises the question of whether it was motivated by domestic political considerations.

I concur with Charles Kupchan, former director of European affairs at the US National Security Council, who stated, “For me, these are gestures and manoeuvres at the level of internal politics, which may be good for the political fate of Kurti, but they are not good for Kosovo.”

However, whether or not Kurti intended to take such an action now to benefit politically at home, he has inadvertently created the impression that the upcoming election in Kosovo, scheduled for February 9, 2025, played a role in his decision-making, and what benefit he may or may not engender remains to be seen.

Read more at:https://tinyurl.com/4vnxc7rx\

Balkan arms race makes NATO membership for Bosnia more urgent (BIRN)

Opinion piece by Hamza Karcic, professor at Faculty of Political Sciences in Sarajevo.

As Croatia and Serbia compete to beef up their respective armed forces, Bosnia’s security looks increasingly vulnerable – and needs addressing.

Last week, Serbia signed a deal with France to buy 12 Rafale fighter jets. Dassault Aviation of France is scheduled to deliver the jets to Serbia by 2029.

The deal, estimated to be worth close to 3 billion euros, was billed as a major boost to Serbia’s air force. With this deal, French arms exporters also have a new market.

French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to Serbia, during which 11 agreements were signed, including the Rafale deal, has generated widespread interest in the region. It has also raised eyebrows beyond the Balkans.

A day after the signing ceremony, Le Monde newspaper published an editorial voicing concern about Macron’s decision to proceed with the jet deal.

The editorial raised the issues of protection of technological know-how, President Aleksandar Vucic’s close relations with Russia and China and his autocratic rule at home.

The deal comes almost three years after France and Croatia reached a similar agreement.

In 2021, Croatia signed a deal to buy 12 Rafales estimated to be worth around 1 billion euros during Macron’s visit to Zagreb. Earlier this year, six jets were delivered to Croatia with the rest set to be delivered next year.

These two developments – and their similarities – have led observers to several takeaways. Some point out to an unfolding arms race, as both Balkan countries turn to France to modernize their air forces. Croatia and Serbia are regional rivals and the Rafale deals are an example of security competition in this part of south-east Europe.