UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, June 21, 2024

Albanian Language Media:

Rubin: Long-term goal of Kosovo-Serbia normalisation means recognition (media)
RIDEA: 49% of citizens dissatisfied with the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue (Koha)
Osmani meets Slovenian president: Kosovo proud of partnership (media)
Konjufca meets speaker of North Macedonia’s Assembly (RTK)
Gervalla travels to Austria, to attend “Friends of Western Balkans" meeting (Klan)
Osmani’s message on World Refugee Day (media)
Krasniqi, French ambassador discuss political developments in Kosovo (media)
Over 1,200 Serbs equipped with Kosovo drivers’ licences (TeVe1)

Serbian Language Media:

Drecun: Lifting punitive measures on Kosovo would encourage Kurti to continue terror against Serbs (Kosovo Online, media)
Selakovic meets Azoulay, says unilateral Pristina’s acts directed against Serbian heritage in Kosovo (media, social media)
Ragus meets delegation of Parliament of Ireland, says “ethnic cleansing unfolding in heart of Europe, 15 percent of Serbs left Kosovo” (media)
RTK board appointed Aleksandra Jovanovic director of Serbian language TV channel (Radio KIM)
UEFA launches investigation against Albanian and Croatian football federations over chanting “Kill Serb” (media)

International Media:

Vucic, Kurti to meet on June 26 in EU-mediated talks on normalising relations (RFE)
Euro 2024 becomes arena for Balkan nationalist score-settling (BIRN)

Albanian Language Media

Rubin: Long-term goal of Kosovo-Serbia normalisation means recognition (media)

Special envoy and coordinator of the U.S. State Department's Center for Global Engagement James Rubin said in an interview with the Voice of America that it is difficult to imagine the normalisation of relations between Kosovo and Serbia without recognition. “I would not like to get between the two ambassadors, but I can say that the American position is that the long-term goal of normalisation means recognition. It is difficult to imagine the normalisation of relations between Kosovo and Serbia without recognition, and the fact that some other states that are part of the EU do not recognize Kosovo has nothing to do with the American position. Kosovo and Serbia have problems. Problems must be solved. They should normalise relations. This is what EU standards mean. As Americans, we do not tell the European Union what to do. Therefore, the views of the American ambassadors about what the EU thinks are not important. What is important is our position, and our position is to propose that normalisation includes mutual recognition of the two countries,” Rubin said.

The senior U.S. official, who played an important role during the war in Kosovo, said there are currently concerns about the way the Kosovo government is playing its role in the diplomatic aspect, not fulfilling the request for the establishment of the association. “Clearly there are concerns about the way the current government has acted diplomatically by not fulfilling (the request) for the establishment of the association. But, to put it bluntly, we are friends, we are good friends. This was proven when I was in Kosovo, when the secretaries of state visited Kosovo, when President Clinton went there... the people of Kosovo and the people of the United States cannot be closer, and I don't think there is any dilemma about that issue. But, yes, in diplomatic terms, the relations are not so good at the moment, but this happens because the Kosovo-Serbia issue continues to be a burden for the residents of the region,” he said.

Rubin also talked about concerns regarding “the disinformation campaign spread by Russia and China in the Western Balkans”. “Russia uses disinformation all over the world, but especially in the Western Balkans. They are operating through (Russian news agency) 'Sputnik Serbia', through 'RT Serbia' which unfortunately still continues to broadcast. And because many countries speak the same language in the Western Balkans, this kind of information is used, reused and manipulated … We are trying to help the countries of the region to protect themselves against them, bearing in mind that all of them who want to join the EU must meet EU standards, and one of them is the prevention of information manipulation in their countries. We are trying to help them get ready for this and in the process we hope that they will improve cooperation with each other,” Rubin said.

RIDEA: 49% of citizens dissatisfied with the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue (Koha)

A poll conducted by the Research Institute for European Affairs and Development, RIDEA, showed that 49 percent of respondents (around 1,100 respondents) said they are not satisfied with how the process for the normalisation of Kosovo-Serbia relations is developing. Around 80 percent of the respondents also called for the inclusion of women in the dialogue process.

Osmani meets Slovenian president: Kosovo proud of partnership (media)

Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani met with her Slovenian counterpart, Natasha Pirc-Musar, on the sidelines of the Peace Summit for Ukraine held in Switzerland this week. “At the Peace Summit, it was a pleasure to meet my dear friend, the Slovenian president, Natasha Pirc-Musar. Kosovo is proud of its long partnership with Slovenia!” Osmani wrote in a post on X.

Konjufca meets speaker of North Macedonia’s Assembly (RTK)

Speaker of the Assembly of North Macedonia, Afrim Gashi, met on Thursday with the speaker of the Assembly of Kosovo, Glauk Konjufca. They stressed excellent mutual cooperation, and importance of maintaining and deepening this trend of good relations in the coming period through infrastructural projects, strengthening economic and trade cooperation, as well as cooperation in the field of education, culture and health, with the aim of facilitating communication and even greater rapprochement of the peoples.

Konjufca congratulated Gashi on his new position, after the successful elections. He also expressed satisfaction with North Macedonia's membership in NATO and wished for the fastest possible membership in the European Union.

A press release issued by Gashi’s office notes that the two leaders agreed that the goal of European integration is common, while Kosovo is seen as a good partner and correct neighbor from which receives continuous support over the years.

Gervalla travels to Austria, to attend “Friends of Western Balkans" meeting (Klan)

Kosovo’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Donika Gervalla, travelled to Austria on Thursday following an invitation from her Austrian counterpart, Alexander Schallenberg. Gervalla is scheduled to attend the meeting of the "Friends of the Western Balkans" group, which includes, in addition to Austria and six Western Balkan states, Italy, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Greece, Slovakia and Slovenia. The meeting aims to support the states of the Western Balkans for a faster integration into the EU structures. A press release issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs notes that Gervalla will present Kosovo’s positions regarding security in Europe and in the region, “the deep reforms undertaken for the rule of law, raising the level of democracy and economic development, as well as advocating for the acceleration of the process of membership in the European Union as well as the need to take concrete actions to maintain peace and stability in the Western Balkans”.

Osmani’s message on World Refugee Day (media)

Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani said on the occasion of World Refugee Day on Thursday that “during the last war in Kosovo, over half of our population became refugees as a result of Milosevic’s genocidal actions. Each and every one of us carried a story, a livelihood. The people of Kosovo understand the profound suffering and sacrifice of refugees worldwide. On this #WorldRefugeeDay, we pledge to stand up, speak out, and fight for the rights and dignity of refugees everywhere”.

Krasniqi, French ambassador discuss political developments in Kosovo (media)

Leader of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), Memli Krasniqi, met on Thursday in Pristina with French Ambassador to Kosovo, Olivier Guerot, and discussed latest developments in Kosovo with special emphasis on political and security issues. Krasniqi said the PDK would continue its unstoppable contribution in the interest of Kosovo and its people.

Over 1,200 Serbs equipped with Kosovo drivers’ licences (TeVe1)

Over 1,200 Serbs have changed their drivers’ licences to Kosovo drivers’ licences since May 7 when the Ministry of Interior Affairs announced the decision to convert the drivers’ licences. According to the TV station, only in the four northern municipalities 979 drivers’ licences have been converted. Kosovo Police Deputy Director for the north, Veton Elshani, said the process of converting drivers’ licences is running smoothly. The decision will be valid until August 9 this year.

Serbian Language Media

Drecun: Lifting punitive measures on Kosovo would encourage Kurti to continue terror against Serbs (Kosovo Online, media)

Chairman of the Serbian Assembly Security Committee Milovan Drecun said if European Union lifts the punitive measures on Pristina it would demonstrate that it continues with a series of wrong actions which in no way can contribute to the progress in the dialogue, but on the contrary, would encourage Kurti to continue terrorising Serbs, Kosovo Online portal reported.

“{…} We are still having institutional terror which Albin Kurti carries out in the north of Kosovo and Metohija by keeping illegally elected mayors in the four Serbian municipalities…..Kosovo special police units are still terrorising Serbs. A farce with attempted recall of mayors by Kurti did not pass, CSM is not on horizon to be formed. Therefore, in no way can one say that the situation improved and measures should be lifted. The question is how the EU assessed the measures should be lifted?”, Drecun said.

Selakovic meets Azoulay, says unilateral Pristina’s acts directed against Serbian heritage in Kosovo (media, social media)

Serbian Minister of Culture, Nikola Selakovic has warned in a meeting with UNESCO Director General Audrey Azoulay about Pristina’s unilateral acts of escalation, directed, as he said, against education, culture and survival of the Serbian people in Kosovo, Kosovo Online portal reported.

Selakovic also informed Azoulay about challenges and dangers Serbian people are facing, as well as Serbian cultural and religious heritage in Kosovo, which is continuously exposed to destruction, desecration, forgery and warned in particular about unilateral acts targeting education, culture and survival of the Serbian people in Kosovo, reads the statement of Serbian Ministry of Culture.

In a meeting in Paris, the two interlocutors had also discussed advancement of the cooperation between Serbia and UNESCO. On this occaison Selakovic extended an invitation to UNESCO Director General to visit Serbia.

Ragus meets delegation of Parliament of Ireland, says “ethnic cleansing unfolding in heart of Europe, 15 percent of Serbs left Kosovo” (media)

Chairwoman of the Serban Assembly Foreign Affairs Committee Marina Ragus said yesterday in a meeting with the delegation of the Parliament of Ireland that currently in Kosovo, at the heart of Europe “an ethnic cleansing is unfolding, because of which 15 percent of Serbs had left this territory in the last one year”.

“Reasons for this are arrests of Serbs without legal grounds, abolishment of dinar in payment transactions in areas where Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija constitute majority, ban on the Serbian Patriarch Porfirije and seven bishops of the Holy Synod to enter territory of Kosovo and Metohija in order to attend the official commencement of the regular annual Assembly session at Pec Patriarchate, and many other repressions which Pristina government carries out against members of the Serbian people”, Ragus told Irish MPs who are visiting Serbia, said the statement from the Serbian Assembly.

As the statement added, she also said that such acts speak of the fact that Serbs in Kosovo do not have civic and human rights.

RTK board appointed Aleksandra Jovanovic director of Serbian language TV channel (Radio KIM)

With eight votes pro and none against, Radio Television of Kosovo (RTK) Board appointed Aleksandra Jovanovic director of the Serbian language TV channel, RTK 2, Radio KIM reported.

As the statement said, the board expects Jovanovic who has extensive journalistic and TV experience to strengthen RTK2 position “as a leading TV channel for the Serbian community in Kosovo”.

UEFA launches investigation against Albanian and Croatian football federations over chanting “Kill Serb” (media)

The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) has launched an investigation against Albanian and Croatian football federations because of incidents caused by fans of the two teams during the match in a group B, of European Championship in Germany.

During the Croatia-Albania football match yesterday, fans of the both teams jointly changed “Kill, kill Serb”. As KoSSev portal reported UEFA is investigating "misbehaviour of Albanian football player", as well as "potential racist behaviour of fans".

International Media

Vucic, Kurti to meet on June 26 in EU-mediated talks on normalising relations (RFE)

Kosovar Prime Minister Albin Kurti and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic will meet in Brussels on June 26 to conduct a new round of the EU-mediated dialogue on normalisation of relations. EU spokesman Peter Stano and the government of Kosovo confirmed the meeting on June 20. Kurti's office told RFE/RL that the focus of the meeting will be the implementation of the agreement on the road to normalisation of relations. The European Union has not yet released details on the agenda of the meeting. The summit will be mediated by EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell and special envoy for the dialogue, Miroslav Lajcak. The talks were agreed during Lajcak's visits to Kosovo and Serbia this week.

Euro 2024 Becomes Arena for Balkan Nationalist Score-Settling (Balkan Insight)

Matches at Euro 2024 involving Albania, Croatia and Serbia have been marred by nationalist chants and banners that are not uncommon in the Balkans, but were given a bigger stage by the showpiece football tournament.

European football’s governing body UEFA has been urged to take action after fans at a Euro 2024 match between Croatia and Albania’s national teams on Wednesday in Hamburg united in the stands to chant the slogan “Kill a Serb”, which could be heard clearly in televised broadcasts.

The incident was not the first example of nationalist hate speech from fans from former Yugoslav countries at the showpiece European football tournament in Germany. UEFA has already fined the Albanian and Serbian football federations after fans displayed nationalist banners and at two other matches.