Albanian Language Media:

• Kurti meets German Minister of Defense, Boris Pistorius (RTK)
• Kurti gathers accredited ambassadors in Kosovo, discuss CBK Regulation (media)
• Kurti handed to ambassadors documents to present factual situation (media)
• Lajcak: I am closely following developments related to new CBK Regulation (media)
• Kadiu to EU: Since when legality and constitutionality are worrying and contribute to escalation(Albanian Post)
• Rama: Kosovo has right to implement Constitution (RTK)
• Bislimi called again for removal of EU measures against Kosovo (Koha)
• Gervalla presents Kosovo's successes to EU and WB ministers (RTK)
• Germany to increase number of KFOR soldiers in coming months (Albanian Post)

Serbian Language Media:

 

• Vucic: “Kurti is going for open ethnic cleansing of Serbs” (Kosovo Online, media)
• Serbia submits request for extraordinary UNSC session over Kosovo (Tanjug, media)
• Dacic: Request for urgent UNSC session due to overall situation in Kosovo (Tanjug, media)
• UN received Serbia’s request to convene extraordinary UNSC session (Kosovo Online)
• Dacic: We want EU integration, recognition of Kosovo unacceptable (media)
• Rector Arsic: Abolishing dinar jeopardizes survival of University, but also of Serbs (Kosovo Online, KoSSev)
• Lajcak: I am closely monitoring developments regarding CBK decision (Kosovo Online)
• Indictment raised against two Serbs for hooliganism in northern Kosovo (N1, BETA, Kosovo Online, KoSSev)
• German DefMin: Progress in Kosovo-Serbia relations needed (N1)

International Media:

• Germany vows security support amid Kosovo-Serbia tensions (Deutsche Welle) 
• Kosovo Court Acquits Serb of Wartime Assault (Balkan Insight)
• Kosovo Prosecution only Partially Investigated the Over 53-Million-Euro Extra Payment for Motorway (Prishtina Insight)
• Kosovo Government Faces Backlash Over Media Licensing Draft Law (Prishtina Insight)

Albanian Language Media

Kurti meets German Minister of Defense, Boris Pistorius (RTK)

Kosovo Prime Minister, Albin Kurti, has met the German Minister of Defense, Boris Pistorius, who is staying in Kosovo on an official visit, together with a delegation of the German Bundestag.

"Welcoming him on his first visit to Kosovo, Prime Minister Kurti, at the beginning of the meeting, expressed his gratitude of the people and the state of Kosovo for the historic and irreplaceable role of Germany in the last 25 years, from liberation, independence and state building, and continuous assistance in European and Euro-Atlantic integration", the announcement of the government of Kosovo states. Kurti singled out the role of German soldiers and officers in Kosovo within KFOR who enjoy popularity among citizens who are grateful for their service.

German Defense Minister Pistorius, among other things, emphasized that Germany, together with its NATO partners, has played an important role in Kosovo in recent decades, and that it is interested in continuing to contribute to the region's stability, integrity, sovereignty and security of Kosovo.

The meeting between Prime Minister Kurti and Minister Pistorius was followed by another meeting with extended delegations where members of the German Bundestag and the Assembly of Kosovo, from the parliamentary committees for security and defense issues, were also present. 

Kurti gathers accredited ambassadors in Kosovo, discuss CBK Regulation (media)

The Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, on Monday welcomed the ambassadors, chargé d'affaires, heads of diplomatic missions and deputy ambassadors accredited to Kosovo in a meeting to discuss current issues, with an emphasis on the new Regulation of the Central Bank for cash operations.

As the Prime Minister's Office announced in a press release, Kurti, along with Deputy Prime Minister Besnik Bislimi and the Minister of Finance, Labor and Transfers, Hekuran Murati, clarified that the regulation does not aim to ban the dinar or any other currency, but aims regulating banking and finance in Kosovo.

"The prime minister said that neither the situation on the ground nor the content of the regulation is as portrayed by Serbia. About 40 thousand Serbian citizens in Kosovo have bank accounts in one of the licensed banks in Kosovo. Through them, they receive pensions, social support, monthly salaries, children and maternity allowances, and other one-time allowances from the treasury of the state of Kosovo", the announcement states.

The government emphasized that no local business owned by Serb citizens in Kosovo or in municipalities with a Serb majority has been punished or fined since the entry into force of the regulation and that this is not the intention of the institutions.

It is further announced that Kurti has expressed the readiness of the Government of Kosovo and subordinate institutions to address any concerns raised, as he has emphasized that the focus will be on informing businesses that operate in dinars and in an informal manner.

"He also informed them that he has received confirmation from the Central Bank of Kosovo that he is ready to engage in professional and operational discussions with the People's Bank of Serbia to assist in the identification of legal, safe and transparent mechanisms for the transfer of any form of support from the Republic of Serbia", says the communique.

Kurti handed to ambassadors documents to present factual situation (media)

During Monday's meeting with QUINT ambassadors Prime Minister Albin Kurti, discussed the current situation in Kosovo, with emphasis on the Central Bank's regulations for Cash Operations. He presented several documents, to present the factual situation.

In the documents provided by RTKlive, which the head of the executive has delivered to the ambassadors, he has presented the operation of illegal structures of Serbia within Kosovo, which seriously violate the legal-constitutional order of Kosovo. Kurti has made it clear to the ambassadors that the Constitution of Kosovo and the laws approved in the Assembly of Kosovo, the agreements with Serbia, and the Ahtisaari Package do not foresee the creation or operation of the illegal system or municipalities of Serbia within the territory of Kosovo. He said that these structures, which offer illegal services to the citizens of the Serb community, are an obstacle to the integration of this community into the system of Kosovo.

Further in this document it is emphasized that the employees in these structures were selected through a completely non-transparent process, where the main role is played by the security structures in cooperation with Milan Radojcic and that the same are used for political and security purposes, exerting influence and pressure on Serb citizens living in Kosovo.

Being structures completely controlled by the Serbian state, their employees and premises were at the full service of the Serbian or Russian secret services.

It has become clear that these illegal structures, at the behest of the Serbian government, are continuing to finance businesses and people who are blacklisted by the USA, the United Kingdom and the Republic of Kosovo.

According to the presented documents, Prime Minister Kurti has made it clear that the police action to close the illegal municipalities did not aim to close the health, educational, pharmaceutical or postal systems.

The list of proactive measures taken to improve the participation of Serbs in the institutions and public life of Kosovo is also presented in these documents.

Kurti said that they are committed to ensuring that all communities in Kosovo can enjoy visa-free travel with Kosovo passports and through the documents presented, he called on the EU to support the reconsideration of the visa liberalization proposal also for Kosovo Serb citizens with Serbian passports, calling on the EU to join the Kosovo government's campaign to encourage and call all Kosovo Serbs to obtain Kosovo passports and contribute to further normalization and good neighborly relations between Kosovo and Serbia.

Regarding the issue of banning the dinar, Prime Minister Kurti presented documents documenting that the citizens of the Serb community already have a bank account in euros in a licensed institution, as they already receive pensions, social assistance payments, the benefits of children and salaries from the Treasury of Kosovo, in euros, to their bank accounts. According to the head of the government, the payments received from Serbia for most of these families are the second source of income, next to what they receive from the Treasury of Kosovo.

Lajcak: I am closely following developments related to new CBK Regulation (media)

The  EU Special Representative, Miroslav Lajcak, while making a weekly summary of his activity, mentioned his trip to Pristina and Belgrade, where he discussed the current situation and the next steps in negotiation.Regarding his visit to Pristina, Lajcak said that he and President Vjosa Osmani and Prime Minister Albin Kurti also discussed the current state of EU-Kosovo relations.

"Reflecting on the trip, the in-depth conversations with leaders and chief negotiators from both sides were timely and important, allowing us to express our expectations for the coming months and discuss what we will be working towards," he added.

"I am closely following the developments related to the recent regulation of the Central Bank of Kosovo on cash operations, especially as it affects the Serb communities living in Kosovo," Lajcak said.

Kadiu to EU: Since when legality and constitutionality are worrying and contribute to escalation(Albanian Post) 

Klisman Kadiu, the media adviser to the Deputy Prime Minister of Kosovo, Besnik Bislimi, has reacted after the spokesperson of the European Union (EU) for Foreign and Security Policy, Peter Stano, in a press conference on Monday, again expressed concern about the recent movements of authorities of Kosovo.

"Since when do the legality and constitutionality disturb and contribute to the escalation, while the above steps of Serbia do not constitute an element of reaction in a harsh and decisive form, nor are they sanctioned", he wrote on Facebook, as he mentioned several cases where, according to there was no reaction from the EU and no sanctions against Serbia.

"Were the Russian MiGs that flew in September 2021 around the border of Kosovo from the Serbian side coordinated? What about increasing the army's readiness level to the maximum level, and stationing troops near the border several times in the last three years?", he asked.

"What about the lack of cooperation for license plates and energy solutions in the last two years? What about the barricades at the end of July 2022? What about the burning of citizens' cars in the north? What about resigning from the institutions of Kosovo?" Kadiu continued with questions.

He has accused the EU of not reacting to the attacks on journalists in the North and the kidnapping of three Kosovo police officers, nor to the terrorist attack in Banjska of Zvean on September 24 last year, where Sergeant Afrim Bunjaku was killed.

"What about the rejection of agreements, more specifically the French-German plan and their non-signing? Were all these steps that positively influenced the lives of citizens and contributed positively to the normalization of relations?" he wrote.

Rama: Kosovo has right to implement Constitution (RTK)

The Prime Minister of Albania, Edi Rama, has said that Kosovo has its undeniable right to implement the Constitution and implement its laws throughout the territory of Kosovo.

"While we all agree that the government of Kosovo should engage, coordinate and work more closely with its key allies, let's also not forget Kosovo's inalienable right to implement its constitution. After Banjska, it is essential to maintain focus and a sense of balance," Rama wrote on the X platform.

Bislimi called again for removal of EU measures against Kosovo (Koha)

The Deputy Prime Minister of Kosovo, Besnik Bislimi, said that in the letter he sent to the EU emissary for the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue, Miroslav Lajcak, he listed the efforts made by Kosovo to fulfill the EU's requirements to remove the measures that the bloc has imposed on Kosovo. Bislimi has repeated the call for the masses to be lifted as soon as possible.

"In a letter sent to the EU emissary, Lajcak, I listed the efforts made by Kosovo in response to requests for the lifting of the measures. An immediate removal of the measures would help mobilize efforts for the accelerated progress of reforms and create an environment for strengthening regional cooperation and faster integration of the six Western Balkans", Bislimi wrote on platform X.

Gervalla presents Kosovo's successes to EU and WB ministers (RTK)

Kosovo’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Donika Gervalla, participated in the ministerial meeting "Friends of the Western Balkans", at the invitation of the Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Italy, Antonio Tajani. In this meeting, the region's integration into the European Union was discussed.

According to the announcement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in the first session of the ministerial meeting, Minister Gervalla presented the achievements of Kosovo in democracy, rule of law, protection of the rights of minorities, fulfillment of the pre-membership criteria and harmonization of legislation with that of the EU.

"We must make sure that the terrible events of September 24, 2023, when Kosovo faced the act of Serbian aggression, are not repeated. To prevent this, we must establish state responsibility and punitive measures against acts of aggression that provoke and incite conflicts", Minister Gervalla said.

According to the announcement, she thanked the host, Minister Tajani, for the support and emphasized Kosovo's commitment to creating lasting peace and stability, also underlining the need to not allow other acts such as the act of aggression of Serbia in Kosovo, on September 24, 2023 in Banjska.

In the end, Minister Gervalla stated that the achievement of normalization, regional cooperation and economic integration requires democratic advancement in all countries of the Western Balkans, driven by common values and strategic orientation. She emphasized that the countries of the Western Balkans face common challenges and collective efforts are essential to overcome them.

Germany to increase number of KFOR soldiers in coming months (Albanian Post)

The Ambassador of Germany in Kosovo, Jorn Rohde, while thanking the German Minister of Defense, Boris Pistorius for his visit to Kosovo, has announced that his country will increase the contingent of German soldiers in Kosovo this year. "Germany will increase its KFOR contingent in the coming months as a sign of our strong commitment to security in Kosovo and throughout the region," he wrote on the X platform.

The Minister of Defense of Germany, Boris Pistorius, has called for prudence and caution in relation to the northern part of Kosovo inhabited by a majority of Serbs, while he added that the government of Kosovo should contribute to softening the flow of tensions between Kosovo and Serbia.

"As for the relations between Serbia and Kosovo, the demand of the day is de-escalation, the federal chancellor has emphasized that the future of the Western Balkans is in Europe, but the condition is dialogue and no one should have an interest in the further tension of the situation. Considering the current tensions, we call for prudence and caution", he said during a media conference in Pristina.

He said that Germany respects Kosovo's efforts to protect sovereignty and territorial integrity, but first the situation in the four northern municipalities of the country must be completely de-escalated and the parties must engage in the dialogue process for the normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia under care of the European Union (EU).

Pistorius emphasized that stability in Kosovo and the Western Balkan region in general remains of great importance for Germany, while he added that the NATO Force (KFOR) remains the guarantor of security in Kosovo. He has announced that Germany will send around 150 soldiers to Kosovo in April this year to reinforce the German KFOR contingent.

"The stability of the region and of Kosovo is of special importance to us. We also know from the history of Europe in the last 50 years that stability and instability in the region has played a major role in security throughout Europe. The role of KFOR in the security architecture of Kosovo is the third security link in the country and it is very well prepared".

Serbian Language Media

Vucic: “Kurti is going for open ethnic cleansing of Serbs” (Kosovo Online, media) Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic told Cirilica (Cyrillic) broadcast on Happy TV last night that Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti started an open ethnic cleansing of Serbs from Kosovo, which is why a session of the United Nations Security Council would have to be convened, but that he is not optimistic that the session will take place, Kosovo Online portal reports. He also pointed out that he wrote letters to world leaders, in which he explained the situation that Serbs and Serbia face. "I don't think it will change anything, but we have to say that we want peace and stability, not wars. That the result of their lies is the beginning of the ethnic cleansing of the Serbs, of whom there are 12 percent less in the north, a total of about nine percent less from Kosovo. That's a huge percentage", Vucic said. He emphasized that it is “the dirtiest and most insidious ethnical cleansing when you make people's lives unbearable”. During the broadcast Vucic also claimed that Kosovo Interior Minister Xhelal Svecla “personally interrogated two female doctors who were in premises of Centre for Peace and Tolerance in Pristina which shows the best his hatred for the Serbian people, that the only goal is ethnic cleansing”. In response to Kurti's assessment that Kosovo is the most democratic, while Serbia is a dictatorship, Vucic ironically said that "a follower of Enver Hoxha and Adem Demaqi cannot but be a champion of democracy". Read the full article at: https://shorturl.at/mCV23

Serbia submits request for extraordinary UNSC session over Kosovo (Tanjug, media)

Serbia's Ambassador to the UN Nemanja Stevanovic submitted on Monday a request by the Republic of Serbia to call an extraordinary UNSC session over the situation in Kosovo and Metohija, Tanjug news agency reported. Stevanovic submitted the request to the political adviser of the Guyanese Mission to the UN. Guyana is presiding over the UNSC.

Among other matters, the request highlights the current situation in the territory of Kosovo, and says it is sharply contrary to the UN Charter and UNSC Resolution 1244/1999 and that its nature requires the holding of a special UNSC session. The request is in line with Article 35 of the UN Charter and Article 3 of the Provisional Rules of Procedure of the Security Council (S/96/Rev.7), the document notes.

It says a culmination of long-lasting, well-planned and systemic actions by Kosovo Albanian leadership is underway in the UN-administered territory - a part of the Republic of Serbia under the UN Charter, other rules of international law and UNSCR 1244 - in order to intentionally subject Serbs to unbearable living conditions.

Dacic: Request for urgent UNSC session due to overall situation in Kosovo (Tanjug, media)

Serbian First Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic said on Monday Serbia's request for an urgent UNSC session was due to the overall situation in Kosovo, the terror against Serbs, an attempt to ban the Serbian dinar and violations of UNSC Resolution 1244 as well as all other international documents related to Kosovo, Tanjug news agency reports.

Dacic said the request was substantiated by a full timeline of events and a description of the current situation in Kosovo. He explained that he had spoken with several FMs whose countries included both recognisers and non-recognisers of Kosovo. "I spoke with Russian Minister (Sergey) Lavrov and informed him of the submission of the request. Of course, he pledged support. I spoke with the minister of Slovenia, the minister from Malta and also with FMs from African countries", Dacic said, adding that he would speak with an Algerian representative on Tuesday. He said no objections to holding the session were expected.

"But knowing everything that has happened in the past years and that even something that is crystal clear does not need to be quite like that sometimes, let's wait for the outcome", he added.

UN received Serbia’s request to convene extraordinary UNSC session (Kosovo Online)

The Mission of Guyana, the country which presides over the UNSC has received Serbia’s request to convene an extraordinary session over the situation in Kosovo, Kosovo Online portal reports citing Voice of America.

"Serbia has sent a letter to the chairman of the Security Council, which will be presented to the members of this body. You will receive information as soon as the session is scheduled", spokeswoman of the Guyana Mission said, media reported.

Dacic: We want EU integration, recognition of Kosovo unacceptable (media)

Serbian First Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic said in Rome yesterday where he attended a ministerial meeting of the Western Balkan that Serbia wanted to be a part of European integration but could not accept the integration being conditional upon its recognition of Kosovo.

He said Serbia was not against dialogue but wanted to see merit-based evaluation for all, adding there should be no defending of those obstructing dialogue and making negative and detrimental moves, jeopardizing not only the dialogue but also peace and stability in the region.

Dacic said Serbia was also interested in ways to avert the potential negative consequences of attempts to interpret parts of the Ohrid Agreement - which he noted Serbia had not accepted - as recognition or membership of Kosovo in the UN and other international organizations and include those parts in Chapter 35 of Serbia's EU accession talks. "That would practically threaten European integration. That way, European integration would be made conditional upon a recognition of 'Kosovo', which is absolutely unacceptable to Serbia", Dacic said.

Rector Arsic: Abolishing dinar jeopardizes survival of University, but also of Serbs (Kosovo Online, KoSSev)

The decision to abolish the dinar in the payment transactions, aims to shut down the institutions of the Serbs that provide education, health, social protection, and cultural services, Nebojsa Arsic, the Rector of Pristina University with provisional seat in Mitrovica North said, adding if this decision Kosovo Central Bank remains in force, it would jeopardize the survival of the University and the Serbs in Kosovo. He assessed the situation as "unprecedented", Kosovo Online portal reported.

He added the question is how salaries will be paid, how exams, tuition fees, colloquiums, graduate and master's theses, and defenses of doctoral dissertations will be reported if this regulation remains in force. Also, as Arsic noted, it is a question of how payments will be made for any purpose if the payment of salaries, pensions, and scholarships is abolished.

"Therefore, we seek a reaction from the democratic and civilized world. The implementation of the decision to abolish the dinar leads to the exodus and disappearance of our people before the eyes of the world. The entire civilized world must stand against this (…)”, he warned.

Read the full article at: https://shorturl.at/hyJT2

Lajcak: I am closely monitoring developments regarding CBK decision (Kosovo Online)

European Union special envoy for Belgrade-Pristina talks, Miroslav Lajcak said in a post on Facebook that he was closely monitoring the developments regarding the Kosovo Central Bank (CBK) decision on cash transactions, which particularly affected the Serbs in Kosovo, Kosovo Online portal reported.

Lajcak, summarizing the past week on Facebook, recalled that he had had discussions in Belgrade and Pristina about the current situation and the next steps in the dialogue.

Read full Lajcak’s post at: https://shorturl.at/quDIN

Indictment raised against two Serbs for hooliganism in northern Kosovo (N1, BETA, Kosovo Online, KoSSev)

Kosovo special prosecution said yesterday it raised an indictment against two Serbs from Mitrovica North for a criminal act “of taking part in a group that committed criminal acts and hooliganism”, N1 reports.

As the statement said the indictment was raised against R.P. and D.O. Defense lawyer of R.P. Asdren Hodza told Kosovo Online portal the indictment against his client has been changed in comparison to what had been initially considered. “At the beginning there were four criminal acts for which the investigative proceeding had been carried out and it resulted in one criminal act. It is participation in a group that carried out criminal acts and hooliganism”, he said, adding that the indictment for three other acts had been dismissed.

R.P. was released on bail in June pending trial, last year, while D.O. was also released on bail pending trial, after spending six months in detention. Their arrest was followed by numerous reports of media and their lawyers, that one of them was brutally beaten up upon arrest by Kosovo police and that they were taken by KFOR from a group of protestors sitting on the ground before the conflict with KFOR erupted in Zvecan on May 29, last year, KoSSev portal reported.

German DefMin: Progress in Kosovo-Serbia relations needed (N1)

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said in Pristina that Kosovo needs political stability and progress in relations with Serbia, N1 reported.

Pistorius told a joint media conference with Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani that the visa-free regime for Kosovo which came into effect on January 1 this year is a good and important step, but that political, legal and economic stability are also necessary. Noticeable progress in Kosovo-Serbia relations is needed, it is important for the region and for entire Europe, he said.

He also noted that, after the US, Germany is one of the biggest supporters of Kosovo, adding they have successful cooperation in many areas and that KFOR remains a guarantor of peace and security in Kosovo.

International Media

Germany vows security support amid Kosovo-Serbia tensions (Deutsche Welle) 

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said Monday that the government of Kosovo can count on Germany's military to help support stability in the region amid growing tensions with neighboring Serbia.

Pistorius said that Germany planned to increase the number of soldiers serving in NATO's Kosovo Force (KFOR), a peacekeeping mission that has been in place since the end of the Kosovo-Serbia conflict in 1999.

"Training is in full swing so that we will be ready for deployment as planned," the German defense minister said at a meeting with President Vjosa Osmani in the capital, Pristina, on Monday.

Read more at: http://tinyurl.com/4perzydb

Kosovo Court Acquits Serb of Wartime Assault (Balkan Insight)

Pristina Basic Court on Monday found Zlatan Arsic, a Serb who is now a Kosovo border policeman, not guilty of committing war crimes in 1999.

“After the administration of the evidence and witness testimonies, the prosecution has not been able to argue the fact that the defendant Arsic was a member of the Serbian police and could not prove that he was the one who mistreated [victim] B.M. or that he [Arsic] burned his house,” judge Valbona Musliu-Selmanaj said in court while announcing the verdict.

Read more at: http://tinyurl.com/y3rfuf72

Kosovo Prosecution only Partially Investigated the Over 53-Million-Euro Extra Payment for Motorway (Prishtina Insight)

Kosovo prosecution did not properly investigate the huge extra payment the Kosovo government made to a US-Turkish consortium to build a highway, for which former Minister of Infrastructure Pal Lekaj was convicted. Assets of the company, the now convicted individuals, and of the Ministry were not checked.

Kallxo Përnime show, on Friday, was told that only 2.5% of the total expenditures for the construction of highways in Kosovo have been investigated. Even the recent conviction of four former public officials regarding the extra payment of over 53 million Euros for the construction of the Arben Xhaferi highway, linking Kosovo and North Macedonia, from the US-Turkish consortium Bechtel & Enka, has not been properly investigated.

Read more at: http://tinyurl.com/ymnps6ey

Kosovo Government Faces Backlash Over Media Licensing Draft Law (Prishtina Insight)

A draft law that requires online media producing videos to register with the Kosovo Independent Media Commission, KPM, which was highly criticised from local and international media organisations that accused the government of attempting to exert state control, might need an official assessment from the Venice Commission, experts told Kallxo Përnime show.

Labinot Leposhtica, the legal office coordinator of the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN Kosovo), told Kallxo Përnime that the draft law for the KPM should be sent to the Venice Commission to avoid misinterpretations.

Read more at: http://tinyurl.com/3f939wwm