• U.S. Secretary of State Blinken writes to Prime Minister Kurti (media)
• Kurti answers to Secretary Blinken: Looking forward to work together (media)
• Konjufca: We don’t accept the Serbian association; this is a closed matter (T7)
• Commentators: Borrell is proving he is not impartial (Kosovapress)
• Vucic warns serious consequences if referendum in Kosovo not allowed (Koha)
• Ex-prosecutor: Serbia impeded probe of Kosovo Serb politician’s murder (BIRN)
• Kosovo human rights concerns raised in new report (Exit)
• Hague prosecutors accused of failing to protect Kosovo case files (BIRN)
• Meta on Open Balkan: Ambiguous initiative imposed from above (euronews.al)

U.S. Secretary of State Blinken writes to Prime Minister Kurti (media)

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has called on Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti to deepen cooperation to strengthen the rule of law, protect the rights of minorities and reach an agreement with Serbia, which focuses on the mutual recognition.

The government of Kosovo published on Thursday evening, a letter from Blinken to Kurti, where he stated, among other things, that “relations between the United States and Kosovo are rooted in common democratic values and commitment to a sovereign and independent Kosovo.”

In the text of the letter, he emphasized the sheltering of Afghan citizens fleeing Afghanistan and the deployment of members of the Kosovo Security Force with the U.S. Army in Kuwait, noting that this highlights Kosovo's growing opportunities to contribute to global security.

“As a friend and partner of Kosovo, the United States looks forward to working with you to fully implement President Joe Biden's agenda for our relationship, including strengthening the rule of law, protecting minority rights, fostering economic growth, and ensuring “The long-delayed agreement between Kosovo and Serbia, which focuses on mutual recognition,” the letter reads.

Secretary Blinken further stressed that the unresolved nature of Kosovo-Serbia relations “remains a major obstacle to full membership and integration into European and Euro-Atlantic institutions, which is a common goal of the United States and Kosovo.”

The United States, he said, believes that EU-mediated talks remain the best forum for normalization negotiations between Belgrade and Pristina, and that the U.S. is closely coordinating with EU partners.

“The United States looks to your personal leadership in restoring the momentum to the dialogue process by upholding your country's previous commitments, then promoting transparency, avoiding actions or rhetoric that could increase tensions, and “engage in negotiations with the required concentration, creativity and urgency,” the letter reads.

Koha cover Blinken’s letter under the headline U.S. wants compromises from Kosovo and finalization of dialogue with recognition from Serbia.

Indeksonline highlights that Blinken expects Kurti to focus on an agreement on electricity in the northern part of Kosovo and advance common objectives on the issue of missing persons.

Kurti answers to Secretary Blinken: Looking forward to work together (media)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti welcomed the letter of US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, saying that he cannot wait to work together. “Kosovo is grateful to the United States for its commitment to normalize relations between Kosovo and Serbia through a legally binding agreement with the final goal of mutual recognition. I welcome Secretary Blinken’s letter and his support for our priorities in employment and justice. Kosovo is grateful to the United States for its commitment to normalizing relations between Kosovo and Serbia through a legally binding agreement with the ultimate goal of mutual recognition. I look forward to working together,” Kurti wrote in a Twitter post.

Konjufca: We don’t accept the Serbian association; this is a closed matter (T7)

Kosovo Assembly President Glauk Konjufca said in an interview with T7 on Thursday that Kosovo will not accept the Association/Community of Serb-majority municipalities and that this is a closed matter. “Kurti went with several proposals in Brussels. He also offered a letter to Vucic asking him to sign that he will not attack Kosovo, and Vucic said no. Serbia does not have peace with Kosovo and Kurti’s proposal was good,” he said.

Konjufca also argued that Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama is not in line with Kosovo’s policies and that Albania and Kosovo have taken on different paths, because the government and the opposition in Kosovo have a consensus regarding the Open Balkan initiative, but not Rama. “In one project, Albania sides with Serbia, and not with Kosovo. Kosovo is very clear in its position not to take part in this initiative and it should be clear to Rama too,” he added.

Commentators: Borrell is proving he is not impartial (Kosovapress)

The Kosovo Government is determined not to allow the Serbian referendum in the territory of Kosovo, while political commentators are calling on the government not to yield under the pressure of the European Union because as they argue allowing the Serbian referendum would undermine Kosovo’s statehood.

Arton Demhasaj from the Prishtina-based Cohu non-governmental organization, said the EU pressure on the Kosovo Government to allow the Serbian referendum is surprising as this practice is unprecedented in any EU member state. “This can become scandalous if our government backs down and allows the Serbian referendum to be held. If we do this, we will be giving away part of our sovereignty to Serbia … I believe the Kosovo Government will uphold its position and not allow the referendum to be held in Kosovo. If it is allowed, this would weaken our sovereignty,” he said.

Demhasaj also argued that EU High Representative Josep Borrell is proving that he is not impartial on issues related to Kosovo and Serbia. “This also implies that he will not be impartial in the dialogue [between Kosovo and Serbia],” he said.

Eugen Cakolli, election commentator, said the request to hold the referendum of another country in Kosovo is unjust and it goes against the founding principles and values of the European Union.

“I believe that if our institutions are determined not to allow this referendum, then all our international partners should be informed about the steps that the institutions will eventually take if there is an attempt to open polling centers in the northern part of the country or in certain regions, in order to avoid scenes and tensions,” Cakolli said.

Vucic warns serious consequences if referendum in Kosovo not allowed (Koha)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Thursday that there will be very serious consequences after the Kosovo Government said on the same day that it will not allow the Serbian referendum to be held in Kosovo’s territory.

Koha notes that Vucic’s remarks came on the day when EU officials stepped up public pressure on Kosovo to allow Kosovo Serb citizens to vote in the Serbian referendum on Sunday.

In an interview with the Serbian public broadcaster, Vucic said: “my call to the international community is to inform their child that they need to respect the agreements. Consequences will be very grave if this does not happen. Graver than the Albanians and the QUINT may assume”.

Ex-prosecutor: Serbia impeded probe of Kosovo Serb politician’s murder (BIRN)

Four years after Kosovo Serb politician Oliver Ivanovic was assassinated, the former prosecutor in the case told BIRN that Serbia hampered the investigation by refusing to cooperate and hand over potentially vital evidence.

Syla Hoxha had very few pieces of evidences on file when he took over the investigation into the sensitive case of Kosovo Serb politician Oliver Ivanovic’s murder on January 16, 2018.

It was around 40 days after one of the most significant murders in post-war Kosovo when the country’s chief prosecutor, Aleksander Lumezi, started to lose patience over the pace of the investigation which was being carried out by the Basic Prosecution in Mitrovica.

At the beginning of March 2018, Lumezi decided to transfer the case to Special Prosecution and Hoxha, an experienced prosecutor, was appointed to look after it.

Read full article here: https://bit.ly/3I5lgOo

Kosovo human rights concerns raised in new report (Exit)

Women, members of the LGBTIQ community, and ethnic minorities continue to suffer human rights abuses in Kosovo, according to the 2021 report from Human Right’s Watch released on Thursday (13 January).

The report analyses the human rights situation including access to justice, media freedom, rule of law matters, and equality and freedom from discrimination in over 60 countries, including Kosovo, Turkey, Serbia, and Greece.

In terms of minorities such as Roma, Ashkali and Balkan Egyptians in Kosovo, “discrimination remains a problem.” It continued that the United Nations had also failed to pay compensation and apologise to 16 minority victims of lead poisoning in now-closed camps for displaced people, following a 2016 recommendation.

As for women, domestic violence was an issue particularly for those seeking justice for the crimes committed against them. “Inadequate state response, few prosecutions, and continued failure by judges to issue restraining orders against abusive partners,” were some of the issues raised.

The report also found that members of the LGBTIQ community were not having assault and threats against them adequately investigated. In particular, hate speech on social media was not taken seriously. An incident in Pristina where three people spat in the face of an LGBTIQ activist and threatened to kill them was under investigation at the time of the report’s publication.

The report concluded that as per the European Commission’s October progress report, more needs to be done to guarantee the right of minorities and to ensure gender equality in practice. Furthermore, it noted concerns, that were also highlighted by HRW over media freedom including threats, physical assaults, and smear campaigns.

Hague prosecutors accused of failing to protect Kosovo case files (BIRN)

The deputy leader of the Kosovo Liberation Army War Veterans’ Organisation, Nasim Haradinaj, said prosecutors should have prevented a leak of confidential case files instead of trying him for making the documents public.

Nasim Haradinaj testified at the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in The Hague on Thursday that the prosecution should have prevented the leak of confidential documents from war crimes cases rather than blaming him and the Kosovo Liberation Army War Veterans’ Organisation.

“Why didn’t you come to catch him?” Haradinaj asked the prosecution, referring to the person who dropped off two tranches of confidential documents on two separate occasions at the KLA War Veterans’ Organisation’s headquarters in Pristina in September 2020.

“The first time could have been a surprise for you and for us, but even though he promised he would bring [documents] again, you didn’t come [to prevent it]. You followed us on the streets but did not watch the premises,” Haradinaj said.

Haradinaj accused the Specialist Chambers of taking a “selective approach” against war veterans, which he said “offends the entire population [of Kosovo]”.

Haradinaj and his superior, the leader of the KLA War Veterans’ Organisation, Hysni Gucati, are accused of obstruction of justice and witness intimidation because they received the documents and urged the media to publish extracts from them.

The documents contained confidential information about protected witnesses in cases against KLA ex-guerrillas at the Specialist Chambers.

After receiving the documents, Gucati and Haradinaj held three press conferences at which they revealed confidential information from the files and identified details of certain potential witnesses, the prosecution alleges. Both men have pleaded not guilty.

During his testimony on Thursday, Haradinaj told the court that “I did not push anyone to publish” the documents.

He said he did not read anything confidential in the documents and claimed that “it was not clarified to me they were top secret”.

“How can something be top secret and be publicly brought into our offices?” he asked.

The Kosovo Specialist Chambers were set up, under pressure from Kosovo’s Western allies, to try crimes allegedly committed during and just after the Kosovo war from 1998 to 2000. They are part of Kosovo’s judicial system but located in the Netherlands and staffed by internationals and are widely resented by Kosovo Albanians who see it as an insult to the KLA’s war for liberation from Serbian rule.

Witness protection has been a key concern for the Specialist Chambers after incidents of witness-tampering at previous trials of KLA commanders.

Meta slams Open Balkan: Ambiguous initiative imposed from above (euronews.al)

Albanian President Ilir Meta declared from Skopje that the dialogue process between Kosovo and Serbia must conclude in a comprehensive solution for all parties and that would guarantee EU membership to both countries.

His remarks came during a speech on “Albanians in the new Millenium – challenges and perspectives” at the Institute of Spiritual and Cultural Heritage of Albanians in the Macedonian capital.

The head of the Albanian state said that he does not believe in a solution that would lead to fewer Serbs in Kosovo or vice versa.

“The core issue is that both countries want to join the European Union and if they want to join, they must walk toward the path of European principles and values, but not put in discussion these principles and values, such as the unacceptable idea of border changes”, he said.