UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, April 9, 2024

Albanian Language Media:

Kosovo govt call on Serbian List “not to pressure Serbs” for vote in north (RFE)
U.S. disappointed with calls to Serbs to boycott population census (RFE)
EU calls on Serbs to vote in elections in north and to register in census (Koha)
Lajcak: Kosovo, Serbia not ready for normalization (media)
Macron: France will make sure that Kosovo-Serbia agreement is fulfilled (media)
Haradinaj: Belgrade should give up instrumentalizing Kosovo Serbs (RTK)
Confusion among citizens following withdrawal of Serbian List from votes in the north (RFE)
CRD: Situation of lead-poisoned Roma communities in Mitrovica must be resolved (Nacionale)

Serbian Language Media:

Vucic with Macron: Pristina has done nothing, Community of Serb-majority Municipalities has not moved from a deadlock (Kosovo Online, media)
Vucic, Larcher discuss strengthening of bilateral ties (Tanjug, media)
Lajcak: New Belgrade-Pristina meeting on dinar issue to be held next week (Tanjug, media)
EU calls on Serbian List to change decision on mayoral recall vote (Radio KIM)
US Embassy in Pristina: We regret SL’s statement that they will withdraw from participation in mayoral recall vote (KoSSev)
Rohde: It is regrettable that Serbian List decided not to participate in voting, pressure on citizens in north (Kosovo Online)
Petkovic reacts to Rohde’s statement about Serbian List and mayoral recall vote (Kosovo Online, social media)
Serbian List: International representatives do not see Pristina’s unilateral acts violating rights of Serbs in Kosovo (Radio KIM, media)
Serbian Democracy does not support mayoral recall vote either (Radio KIM, Kosovo Online)
US disappointed with calls to Serbs to boycott population census (KoSSev, RFE)

International Media:

Kosovo Serb Party to Boycott Vote to Dismiss ‘Unwanted’ Mayors (Balkan Insight)
Kosovo Starts Census as Serb Parties Call for Boycott (Balkan Insight)

Albanian Language Media

Kosovo govt call on Serbian List “not to pressure Serbs” for vote in north (RFE)

The Kosovo Government called on the Serbian List on Monday not to spread disinformation and to not put pressure on Serb citizens in the north of Kosovo “that want to be part of the democratic process on April 21”. Following an administrative instruction from the Kosovo Government, the Central Election Commission has scheduled for April 21 the vote to dismiss Albanian mayors in the four Serb-majority municipalities in the north. The decision came after the collection of signatures for a petition to dismiss the Albanian mayors, who were elected and took up office in May, after local Serbs boycotted local elections in April last year. The petition was supported by the Serbian List, but on April 7 this party said it will not take part in the voting process because according to them Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti has done everything for the process not to be successful. A government spokesperson told Radio Free Europe on Monday that “the voting on April 21 is a result of the request and signatures collected from the citizens of the Republic of Kosovo, residents in those four municipalities. The administrative instruction that enables the removal of the mayors of municipalities, respects the political will of the citizens”.

U.S. disappointed with calls to Serbs to boycott population census (RFE)

The U.S. Department of State told Radio Free Europe on Monday that they are “disappointed” with public calls to Kosovo Serbs to boycott the population census. The Serbian List, the main party of Kosovo Serbs that is supported by Belgrade, said on April 5 that Serbs would not take part in the census. A spokesperson for the State Department said on Monday: “we encourage all Kosovo citizens to take part fully in the census. An accurate census enables the fair distribution of state resources for all citizens. We recognize the responsibility and authority of the Kosovo Government to run the census process”.

EU calls on Serbs to vote in elections in north and to register in census (Koha)

The European Union has joined calls for all citizens of Kosovo to take part in the population census, which is underway, and for Serbs in the four northern municipalities to take part in the vote for the dismissal of mayors of municipalities. The EU said it regrets the calls made by the Serbian List and other Kosovo Serb representatives to boycott the vote and the census. The EU also called on the Serbian List to review its decision not to take part in the vote in the north on April 21. A spokesperson for the EU told the media that the participation of Serbs from the north of Kosovo in Kosovo’s institutions is in their interest and is necessary to reduce tensions in that part of Kosovo.

Lajcak: Kosovo, Serbia not ready for normalization (media)

EU Special Representative for the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia, Miroslav Lajcak, called on Kosovo and Serbia again to implement the Brussels Agreement and the implementation annex reached in Ohrid. During his address at the “EU meets the Balkans” in Bulgaria, Lajcak said that the Brussels agreement cannot be undone. “The agreement is there, and it cannot be undone. If there was a better agreement, or a better proposal, someone would have made it. We need to focus on the implementation of this agreement,” he said.

Lajcak also argued that the parties are not ready for normalization and that he had hoped that until now the majority of the points of the agreement would be implemented. “The normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia is a very sensitive issue. I don’t believe the parties are ready for this. I don’t believe the societies are ready for this. Every time there is progress, both leaders, Albin Kurti and Aleksandar Vucic, are harshly criticized by the opposition. But in reality they should be commended for making progress toward normalization, because this is good for the citizens. It is clear that you cannot make progress toward normalization when there are crisis on the ground,” he said.

Macron: France will make sure that Kosovo-Serbia agreement is fulfilled (media)

The French President, Emmanuel Macron, said during the press conference after the meeting with Serbia’s President ALksandar Vucic that "the issue of Kosovo is a promise and commitment for the future of the region" and that all this was included in the agreement reached last year. "France will make sure that every step of the agreement is fulfilled," Macron said. He also stressed that it is important that all participants in the attack in Banjska be arrested.

"I also want Prishtina to respect its commitments, as well as for the elections to be respected with full democratic legitimacy, especially in municipalities with a Serb majority," Macron said.

The President of Serbia, Aleksadar Vucic, during the joint address in Paris said that the statement that Pristina and Belgrade "have done something" in the dialogue for the normalization of relations is not true, since "one side has not done anything", referring to Kosovo. Speaking about the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia, heclaimed that Serbia has fulfilled "three things" in terms of the Agreement on the road to normalization - reached last year - and its precondition, was the formation of the Association of Serb-majority municipalities in Kosovo, which Kosovo has not fulfilled.

"[Kosovo] is carrying out expropriation in the north, there is no investigation into the injury of Serbs in Kosovo", Vucic said.

Haradinaj: Belgrade should give up instrumentalizing Kosovo Serbs (RTK)

The leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) Ramush Haradinaj has reacted after the departure of the members of the Serb minority in the north of Kosovo from the Municipal Electoral Commission (MEC).

"The calls of the Serbian List for Kosovo Serbs to boycott the population census and the withdrawal of Serb members from the municipal election commissions in the north are against democratic norms and to the detriment of Serb citizens themselves. They must be part of the processes that increase their well-being, security and progress", Haradinaj said.

He added that these processes should not be related to Belgrade's political agenda.

"These processes should not be related to the political agendas of Belgrade. The population census is the interest of all citizens, including Serb citizens, and under no circumstances can it be influenced by political agendas. The politics of Belgrade must give up once and for all from the instrumentalization of Kosovo Serbs for a political agenda", Haradinaj said.

Confusion among citizens following withdrawal of Serbian List from votes in the north (RFE)

Dejan from Leposaviq - one of the four municipalities with a Serb majority in the north of Kosovo - says he is confused by the announcement by the Serbian List that it will not participate in the elections for the replacement of Albanian mayors, set for April 21.

"Our opinion no longer exists. Can I do something in my life without asking the authorities? I would go out [to vote for the dismissal of the mayors]", Dejan told Radio Free Europe.

Serbian List, the largest party of Serbs in Kosovo, suddenly announced on April 7 that its supporters will not participate in the voting for the replacement of the Albanian mayors of the municipalities: North Mitrovica, Zvecan, Zubin Potok and Leposaviq. This message came after, in mid-January, this party, which has the support of official Belgrade, urged citizens to sign a petition for the dismissal of the mayors of these municipalities.

"I don't care about the Serbian List at all. It changes five opinions in five days. First they call for votes, then they boycott the votes [for the dismissal of the mayors]", says Marina from North Mitrovica.

She believes that the citizens from the Serb community in the northern municipalities should come out to vote for the dismissal of the current mayors, on April 21, regardless of the positions or calls of the political parties.

CRD: Situation of lead-poisoned Roma communities in Mitrovica must be resolved (Nacionale)

The news website covers a letter by the Civil Rights Defenders sent to UN Secretary-General Guterres, Special Representative to the Secretary-General in Kosovo Ziadeh, and Member States of the United Nations, on the situation of lead-poisoned Roma communities in Mitrovica, Kosovo.

The letter notes “the undersigned organizations working for the advancement of Roma rights, are writing to urge you to work together to finally resolve the situation of lead-poisoned Roma communities in Mitrovica, Kosovo, by providing long overdue reparations to the victims.”

Read more at: https://shorturl.at/nBTY6

Serbian Language Media

Vucic with Macron: Pristina has done nothing, Community of Serb-majority Municipalities has not moved from a deadlock (Kosovo Online, media)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, said last night in Paris that Serbia had fulfilled all that had been stipulated by the Brussels and Ohrid agreements, while Pristina had done nothing - the Community of Serb-majority Municipalities, which is its obligation, has not moved from a "deadlock", Kosovo Online portal reported.

During a joint press conference with French President Emanuel Macron, Vucic said that Macron stated that both sides have done something. “Not both. One side has done nothing, has not fulfilled any point of either the Ohrid Agreement or any of the Brussels Agreements, but instead conducted elections with a turnout of 3.4 percent", indicating Pristina's lack of action. Even after a signed petition, Pristina still refuses to allow elections, Vucic pointed out.

"They are expropriating, deploying soldiers and police to the north even though they have no right. There is still no investigation against those who shot at Serbian children simply because they were carrying an oak branch for Christmas, nor for all other injuries, while everyone only talks about Banjska”, Vucic added.

He emphasized that the issue of the dinar was of fatal importance for the survival of Serbs in Kosovo.

Read more at: https://shorturl.at/svDJ5

Vucic, Larcher discuss strengthening of bilateral ties (Tanjug, media)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, who is on an official visit to France, met with French Senate President Gerard Larcher in Paris on Monday to discuss advancement of bilateral ties, Serbia's EU path as well as regional and global affairs. In a post on his official Instagram account, Vucic thanked Larcher for a warm welcome, adding that the meeting had addressed "advancement of French-Serbian relations, our country's European path and regional and global affairs".

Vucic noted that Serbia and France continued to strengthen a strategic partnership and cooperation based on friendship and mutual respect. Vucic is visiting France at the invitation of President Emmanuel Macron.

Lajcak: New Belgrade-Pristina meeting on dinar issue to be held next week (Tanjug, media)

The EU Special Envoy for Belgrade-Pristina dialogue Miroslav Lajcak announced on Monday a new meeting of the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue would be held in Brussels next week to discuss the issue of the Serbian dinar in Kosovo, and said he hoped an arrangement would be finalized based on the EU's ideas, Tanjug news agency reported.

Speaking at an EU-Balkans forum in Sofia, Lajcak called for implementation of the Ohrid Agreement and added that, at an April 4 meeting in Brussels, the EU had tabled its ideas regarding the dinar and that both parties had accepted them. He noted that the EU wanted to ensure it was not the people who would be paying the price for a decision by Kosovo Central Bank to ban the dinar.

EU calls on Serbian List to change decision on mayoral recall vote (Radio KIM)

The European Union expressed regret because the Serbian List decided not to take part in mayoral recall vote in the four northern municipalities and called upon this political party to change the decision, Radio KIM reported.

In a written response it was said that Brussels calls upon the Serbian List to change its decision. “We call upon the Serbian List to reconsider its decision not to take part, because democracy is participation, and it is up to the Kosovo Serb constituency to use their rights and express their political opinion in a ballot vote”, the response added.

The EU recalled it is crucial that inclusive local elections, at which Kosovo Serbs take part without preconditions, are held in all four northern Kosovo municipalities. “Holding of new elections for mayors would ensure fully representative local authorities in the north and would help de-escalate the situation. Recall vote is a step in this direction”. It was also said that the EU took note of Kosovo Serbs concerns related to the process enabling new elections. “It is imperative to return to the situation in which Kosovo Serbs take an active part in local administration, police and judiciary in the north of Kosovo”, the EU said.

US Embassy in Pristina: We regret SL’s statement that they will withdraw from participation in mayoral recall vote (KoSSev)

“We regret Serbian List’s statement that they will withdraw from participation in the mayoral recall vote”, the US Embassy in Pristina said Monday, KoSSev portal reported.

In a press conference two days ago, Serbian List announced that it won’t be participating in the referendum to recall the four northern mayors, which is set to be held on April 21st. The leader of the party, Zlatan Elek, said the decision was influenced by impossible conditions throughout the entire process, for which he assigned blame to Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti. In addition to the fact that more than 50% of voter turnout is required for the referendum to be successful, the party was particularly bothered by the decision to install cameras to monitor the voting process. They also believe that the whole process is being deliberately delayed.

In response to KoSSev’s inquiries regarding the Serbian List’s decision, the US Embassy in Pristina said that they regret SL’s decision to withdraw from participation. They also said the US position is clear and unchanged. “The United States and our partners will continue to watch this process closely”, the statement said. “We support Kosovo’s diverse, inclusive, multi-ethnic democracy and the free, fair, and legitimate elections that underpin it”.

They stressed that they appreciate the efforts made by Kosovo election officials to allow all Kosovo citizens to participate in what they described as a democratic process. Moreover, they laid out their expectations that the Kosovo government would be “sensitive” to the concerns of its citizens in the north throughout this process, the portal added.

Rohde: It is regrettable that Serbian List decided not to participate in voting, pressure on citizens in north (Kosovo Online)

German Ambassador in Pristina Jorn Rohde expressed regret over Serbian List's decision not to participate in the mayoral recall vote in four northern municipalities, stating his concern about this decision as well, Kosovo Online portal reported.

"It's sad that the Serbian List won't participate in the voting on April 21. I must say that I am concerned that the Serbian List has once again decided not to participate in the voting. Here is a clear case where pressure is again being applied to citizens in the north not to participate in democratic processes", Rohde is quoted as saying. He also said the policy of the Serbian List in the last 18 months could be summarized in two words "boycott and resignation".

"This is a damaging disservice to all citizens of the northern municipalities and another own-goal by the Serbian List. It certainly doesn't help to ensure that we have mayors in the north who fully represent the electorate they serve", Rohde said. The portal also said that the German Embassy declined to comment on its second question whether the Quint had promised Belgrade they will influence Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti to have northern mayors resign after petitions with 20 percent votes to recall the mayors were collected.

Petkovic reacts to Rohde’s statement about Serbian List and mayoral recall vote (Kosovo Online, social media)

Office for Kosovo and Metohija Director Petar Petkovic responded to the statements of German Ambassador in Pristina, Jorn Rohde on Serbian List and its decision not to participate in the mayoral recall vote due on April 21 in northern Kosovo municipalities, Kosovo Online portal reported. In a post on X media platform Petkovic underlined that “impossible conditions for the referendum set before the Serbs must be taken into account”.

"Mr. Rohde, have you seen the impossible conditions for the referendum that were set before the Serbs, or are you not interested in that? The only regrettable thing is that your attack on the Serbian List attempts to conceal every absence of democracy and fair electoral conditions in Kosovo and Metohija", Petkovic said.

He recalled that Rohde also supported Albanian mayors who came into office with merely 3.5 percent of the votes, adding that he never reacted to the pressures faced by the Serbian people in the north. "You have never spoken about Kurti's pressure on the Serbs, you supported fake mayors in the north, and it is obvious that with such your stance, you support them now. Where have you seen a municipality being led with 3.5 percent of the votes, surely you have not seen that in Germany", Petkovic said.

Serbian List: International representatives do not see Pristina’s unilateral acts violating rights of Serbs in Kosovo (Radio KIM, media)

“Serbian List and Serbian people are disappointed with the stances of international representatives, in particular with the stance of German Ambassador Jorn Rohde, who blinded by love for authoritarian, anti-Serbian regime of Albin Kurti, do not see all unilateral acts of Pristina by which it systematically violates rights of the Serbian people in Kosovo and Metohija, with ethnic cleansing of Serbs from century-old places as ultimate goal”, Serbian List said in a statement, Radio KIM reported.

It added Serbs were ready to take part in the process of recalling “fake mayors” which they demonstrated by signing petitions in numbers larger than required, but that Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti made up such referendum procedure which is impossible and unimplementable, with a sole goal to keep “fake mayors in power”. They also reminded Rohde that he was informed in detail and timely about obstacles and traps in the process, the statement added.

“What did distinguished Quint representatives do to have the situation de-escalate on the ground, as they promised in June at the European Council? What did they do in relation to honoring the Brussels agreement and establishment of the Community of the Serbian Municipalities? Have illegally present parapolice Albanian units in the north of Kosovo and Metohija withdrawn? Are those who shot at Serbs and Serbian children held accountable? Have those international representatives reacted to appropriations of (Serbian Orthodox) churches in Vinarce and Gornje Strmce (villages) and Holy Mother of Hvosno? Did they stop ungrounded legal persecution and holding captive reputable Serbs?”, Serbian List said in a statement.

As far as fake mayors are concerned, SL added, they are interested whether international representatives remain consistent with their requests that those mayors resign. “What did you do to facilitate the recall process? What did you do with fake voters’ lists on which Albanians are being added? What have you done regarding ethnic equal representation at voters commissions? What did you do in terms of threats against the Serbs who signed petitions to recall fake mayors”, the Serbian List also asked.

Noting that “nothing” or better say “nothing that goes to the benefits of Serbs” would be a response to all those questions, Serbian List also said it would not exert any pressure on Serbs regarding this process.

Serbian Democracy does not support mayoral recall vote either (Radio KIM, Kosovo Online)

Serbian Democracy, newly established political party of Serbs in the north of Kosovo said last night that it does not support mayoral recall vote in the four northern municipalities, because they expect obstructions, Radio KIM reported.

They expressed mistrust towards the future mayoral recall vote process, noting that the Serbian List must bear responsibility. As they said some of the reasons why they do not support the mayoral recall vote are possibilities that “unjustifiably long waiting queues could be created in order to discourage voters from voting”, “voters could be intentionally misinformed about their ballot station”, “massive declaration of ballot papers as invalid so the referendum be unsuccessful”, “intentional transfer of voters’ lists from one municipality to another so the citizens are prevented to vote in a referendum at their own municipalities”, “majority of ballot commissions would most probably not speak Serbian language, as they would mainly come from Self-determination Movement ranks, and are therefore conducive to obstruct the process and support current illegitimate mayors remain in power”.

They opined that by recalling the mayors citizens in northern municipalities would remain in stalemate, as the municipal councilors from Albanian community would still be making crucial decisions. According to Serbian Democracy mayors and municipal councilors should resign as soon as possible, adding that they as party requested the OSCE to organize the process of voting. Serbian Democracy also said that Kosovo Central Election Commission (CEC) did not allow them to have members of the polling committees at ballot stations.

Read Kosovo Online report on Serbian Democracy decision at: https://shorturl.at/qEO37

US disappointed with calls to Serbs to boycott population census (KoSSev, RFE)

The US State Department said in a response to Radio Free Europe (RFE) that the United States of America are disappointed with public calls to Serbs in Kosovo to boycott population census, KoSSev portal reported.

“We encourage all Kosovo citizens to fully take part in the census. The census enables fair distribution of public resources to all citizens. We recognize the responsibility and authority of the Kosovo Government to conduct population census”, reads the response.

The population census in Kosovo started on April 5 and will conclude on May 17.

International Media

Kosovo Serb Party to Boycott Vote to Dismiss ‘Unwanted’ Mayors (Balkan Insight)

The Belgrade-backed party surprisingly announces a boycott of the April 21 vote to dismiss northern mayors, claiming Prime Minister Kurti has 'done everything for the vote to fail'.

The scheduled April 21 vote in Kosovo on the dismissal of four northern mayors has been put into question after Srpska Lista representatives submitted their resignations to the Central Election Commission, CEC, on Monday.

“We received resignations from four members of Municipal Election Commissions whio were appointed earlier as representatives of Srpska Lista,” Valmir Elezi, CEC Spokesperson, told BIRN.