UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, June 5, 2023

Albanian Language Media:

Kurti: I cannot compromise with the democratic republic (RFE)

U.S. Deputy National Security Advisor Finer’s call with Kurti (media)

EU High Representative statement on behalf of EU on latest developments (media)

Escobar: Escalation of tensions in the north was avoidable, Kosovo did not listen to the international community (BBC, media)

OSCE CiO reveals 9-point plan for reducing tensions in north Kosovo (Euronews)

Kurti: With US and EU, we may have differences in approach, but not in goals (The Geopost)

Escobar and Lajcak in Kosovo “to continue pressure” on government (Koha)

COMKFOR Ristuccia interview with Corriere della Sera (media)

Sarrazin: Parties in the conflict have lost great deal of trust (media)

Kurti thanks Leposavic mayor, “exemplary position for law and order” (Euronews)

Minister Elbert Krasniqi visits the mayor of Leposaviq (Klan)

Stoltenberg welcomes the sending of Turkish troops to Kosovo (Koha)

Davenport: No normality without participation of Serbs in institutions (media)

Bilcik in Belgrade: Hope Serbs will return to institutions (Euronews)

Serbian Language Media:

Day 10 of crisis in northern Kosovo (RTS, media)

Serbs in Kosovo urgently call on EU and USA to help resolve crisis (KoSSev, N1, media)

“The time when Kurti confronted police shields and threw tear gas“ (KoSSev)

Serbian List: Kurti draws targets on Serbs in northern Kosovo (Kosovo Online, media)

General Ristuccia on situation in northern Kosovo, Pristina acts (RTS, Corriere Della Sera)

International Media:

Kurti: International community to put pressure on Belgrade, not Pristina (Euronews)

Turkey to send commandos to Kosovo in response to Nato peacekeeping call (The Guardian)

Macron and Scholz urge Kosovo to hold fresh elections to ease Serbia tensions (The Guardian)

‘We’ve never felt free of Serbia’: Kosovan Albanians blame Belgrade for violence (The Guardian)

PM Kurti accuses Belgrade of whipping up tension in northern Kosovo (Euronews)

Five questions (and expert answers) about the recent clashes in Kosovo (Atlantic Council)

Albanian Language Media

Kurti: I cannot compromise with the democratic republic (RFE)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti told the British broadcaster BBC on Sunday that he cannot compromise with the democratic republic, and that the municipal buildings in the three municipalities in the north - Zubin Potok, Leposaviq and Zvecan - are assets of the Republic of Kosovo.

Commenting on the recent tensions in the north, Kurti said that Kosovo can reduce the number of police officers in municipal buildings, if in advance, what he described as gangs - financed by Belgrade - go "either to Serbia, or in prisons".

"In these three municipalities, Leposaviq, Zubin Potok and Zvecan, we have three buildings, and if not the mayors, then who should be in them? If they are not for the leaders, who do they serve? The mayors are in their offices, and that's how it should be. Those buildings are assets of the Republic of Kosovo. They used to be parallel structures of Serbia, but they are illegal structures, created with the funds of the official Belgrade, which wants to destabilize our country, with the idea of Belgrade to create a big Serbian world. We oppose something like that."

Asked about the position of the international community about his decisions and if he is concerned about them, Kurti said Kosovo considers the U.S. EU, UK and other partners “as allies to whom we owe our liberation and independence”. “But we cannot hand over our democratic republic to a fascist militia that is paid by an autocrat in Belgrade,” he argued.

U.S. Deputy National Security Advisor Finer’s call with Kurti (media)

The White House said in a statement published on Friday that “Principal Deputy National Security Advisor Jon Finer spoke with Prime Minister Albin Kurti of Kosovo yesterday. Mr. Finer underscored the United States’ concern about the tense situation in northern Kosovo and called for all parties to take steps aimed at de-escalating the situation. He urged the Government of Kosovo to enable newly elected mayors to carry out their duties from alternative locations and to withdraw police forces from municipal buildings. He also welcomed Prime Minister Kurti’s willingness to work towards conditions for new elections. Mr. Finer reiterated that the United States expects both sides to re-engage in the EU-facilitated Dialogue and to fully implement the normalization agreement reached in Brussels and Ohrid earlier this year.”

EU High Representative statement on behalf of EU on latest developments (media)

The European Union condemns in the strongest terms the violent acts against citizens, KFOR troops, law enforcement, and media in the north of Kosovo. The violence could have been avoided and must be avoided in the future.

The European Union stands firmly behind NATO’s mission KFOR and EU’s mission EULEX in fulfilling their respective mandates.

We urge both Kosovo and Serbia to immediately and unconditionally take measures to de-escalate, stop using divisive rhetoric and refrain from any further uncoordinated actions. Calm needs to be restored urgently.

The European Union is ready to implement resolute measures. Failure to de-escalate the tensions will lead to negative consequences.

We expect Kosovo to act in a non-escalatory way and immediately suspend police operations in the vicinity of the municipal buildings in the north of Kosovo. The mayors should temporarily perform their duties in premises other than the municipal buildings. Early elections should be announced as soon as possible in all four municipalities and organised in a fully inclusive manner. We expect Kosovo Serbs to take part in these elections.

We express concern over the Serbian Armed Forces’ highest alert status.

The European Union expects both Kosovo and Serbia to act responsibly and engage immediately in the EU-facilitated Dialogue to find a sustainable solution to the situation in the north of Kosovo that guarantees safety, security and participatory democracy for all citizens and paves the way for the implementation of the Agreement on the Path to Normalisation and its Annex. This includes to start without any further delay or precondition the work to establish the Association/Community of Serb Majority Municipalities.

Escobar: Escalation of tensions in the north was avoidable, Kosovo did not listen to the international community (BBC, media)

The U.S. envoy for the Western Balkans, Gabriel Escobar, has spoken about the tensions in the north of Kosovo. He told BBC Radio that the escalation of tensions in the north was avoidable. "This escalation was partly the result of the unwillingness of the Kosovar side to listen to the international community. It has provoked tensions, unnecessarily, by insisting on the use of municipal facilities. There are other buildings from which work can be done, and if nothing else, the coronavirus pandemic has taught us that we can also work from alternative locations," he said.

Escobar has said that the efforts of the international factor to coordinate with the government of Kosovo have encountered resistance. "There was no need to go to those buildings. They have no real value. They are mostly dry now. Kurti has assured us that those mayors will only exercise administrative authorities, to perform basic municipal services", he said.

Escobar has reiterated that the cycle of violence must be broken and that both sides, both Kosovo and Serbia, have a responsibility to act in that direction.

"Many members of the international community are seeing this situation as a confrontation between Kosovo and Serbia. But we must remember that here there is also a failure to achieve ethnic reconciliation within Kosovo. We have encouraged both sides to engage in dialogue", he said.

OSCE CiO reveals 9-point plan for reducing tensions in north Kosovo (media)

OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and Foreign Minister of North Macedonia, Bujar Osmani, published on Twitter a nine-point plan for the de-escalation and normalization of tensions in the north of Kosovo. The plan aims at achieving lasting peace and stability in the north of Kosovo and the return of Kosovo Serbs to democratic institutions and processes.

As a first point, the plan requires Kosovo and Serbia to reaffirm their commitment to the Basic Agreement and the Ohrid Protocol.

Secondly, Kosovo should withdraw its special police forces, while Serbia should reduce the combat readiness of the armed forces.

Thirdly, the Kosovo police, together with the forces of KFOR and EULEX, should be enabled to fully take care of the order and security of the country.

Fourth, the protests should be canceled and the municipal services should be put into operation for the normal functioning of social life and at the same time employees should be allowed access to the municipalities.

Fifth point, mayors should resign by the summer of this year, paving the way for early municipal elections.

Point six, early municipal elections to be held this year.

Seventh point, OSCE will support the electoral process, through the technical support of Kosovo authorities that will organize the elections, strengthening the legitimacy and trust between the communities.

Point eight, OSCE will engage young people in reconciliation programs and processes.

Point nine, OSCE will make available its capacities to support the implementation, with good will from both sides, of the agreed provisions and the continuation of dialogue.

Albanian Post news website reports that EU Managing Director at European External Action Service, Angelina Eichhorst, has expressed support for the OSCE proposal. “Following EU foreign policy chief Josep Borell‘s clear messages in full agreement with all EU 27 Member States, now also OSCE with a clear plan for de-escalation of tensions between Kosovo and Serbia. Full line up EULEX, NATO_KFOR, US, OSCE, Western Balkans,” Eichhorst said in a Twitter post.

Kurti: With US and EU, we may have differences in approach, but not in goals (The Geopost)

The Geopost: Mr. Prime Minister, thank you very much for this interview given to Geopost. The Russian aggression in Ukraine started a year ago, how much has the Balkan mosaic changed since the beginning of this aggression and the reflection of this war in the Balkans?

KURTI: Thank you for the opportunity to address your viewers and welcome to the Prime Minister's office.

The six countries that are in the Western Balkans not yet integrated into the European Union, all of which have been put before the most important test, precisely on February 24 of last year when Russia's aggression and unjustified invasion of Ukraine took place, in this test , it was clearly seen that 4 countries are clearly against the Russian Federation and for the liberation war of Ukraine, whose victory is another name for peace there, Albania, North Macedonia, Kosovo and Montenegro, while Serbia did not impose sanctions, did not condemn the aggression, and this was also conditioned on Bosnia and Herzegovina because Republika Srpska there, it has the right to veto and practically controls the foreign policy, although the Bosniaks and Croats are to impose sanctions on the Russian Federation, it is precisely the Republika Srpska that is a genocidal creature which made such a thing impossible.

It is not surprising, because while the Kremlin aims to realize the Russian world or "Ruski Mir", Serbia, Belgrade aims to realize the Serbian World, which is another name, a euphemism for the great Serbia.

In the 20th century, Yugoslavia was created as a platform for a greater Serbia, and at the end of the 20th century, Yugoslavia was destroyed as a platform for a greater Serbia. The destruction of Yugoslavia and the Soviet Union, although they were not similar in character because that of the Soviet Union was generally done peacefully, unlike Yugoslavia, the consequences and the result are very similar, there we have the Russian Federation with satellite states around, or pseudo-states, there is Belarus, there is Crimea and Donbass, there is Trans-Dniester in Moldova, then there is South Ossetia and Abkhazia and so on. Similarly, here in our region, the destruction of Yugoslavia brought Serbia to the center with its tentacles, Republika Srpska in Bosnia, pro-Serb parties in Montenegro, especially the Democratic Front, illegal parallel structures in northern Kosovo and the Serbian Orthodox Church everywhere and with considerable influence in North Macedonia. So the collapse of the Soviet Union produced a large octopus centered on the Russian Federation, while the destruction of Yugoslavia produced a small quadruped, since it has half the tentacles and is smaller than the parent octopus. And this truth, which is historical and cultural, came to the fore like never before, exactly after the Russian invasion and the military aggression in Ukraine, so it's not that we understood something new or learned something new, but what was there became known to everyone.

Read more at: https://bit.ly/43ovGn8

Escobar and Lajcak in Kosovo “to continue pressure” on government (Koha)

The daily reports on its front page that U.S. Envoy for the Western Balkans, Gabriel Escobar, and EU Special Representative for the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia, Miroslav Lajcak, will stay in Kosovo today. Political commentators told Koha Ditore that the visit is a continuation of pressure on the Kosovo government to withdraw the police and the new mayors from the municipal buildings in the north. A commentator argued that Escobar and Lajcak will try to reach a provisional solution, similar to the one on licence plates, until new elections are held in the northern municipalities and that during this time the mayors will have to perform their functions from the buildings where they were sworn in. Commentators also criticised the approach of the U.S. and EU toward Kosovo in the process of negotiations. “Especially Brussels, because it is treating Kosovo as a political and legally open issue, and this is also why Serbia is so encouraged,” one of them said.

COMKFOR Ristuccia interview with Corriere della Sera (media)

Most news websites cover an interview that COMKFOR, Angelo Michelle Ristuccia, gave to the Corriere della Sera, with some of them highlighting his remarks that KFOR is not an umbrella to hide in after unilateral actions that ruin balances on the ground. Koha highlights that Ristuccia criticised Kosovo Prime Minister Kurti for unilateral actions, saying that he installed the new mayors of the northern municipalities without considering the advice of the international community and that Kosovo authorities used force without consulting KFOR.

Read full interview at: https://t.ly/_43S

Sarrazin: Parties in the conflict have lost great deal of trust (media)

German Special Envoy for the Western Balkans, Manuel Sarrazin, said in an interview with Table Berlin that “the parties in the conflict have already lost a great deal of trust. Despite this, I have no doubt that KFOR will continue to play its role wisely and decisively. There is a clear mandate, and it has not changed”.

Sarrazin said that the Kurti-led government is insisting on its right to enforce its elected mayors after the repeated conflicts. “We called for prudence. The problem is that as long as the ethnic Serb majority in these four northern municipalities does not take part in the elections, the problem will not be solved. Formally, the Kosovo government can say that it insists on the results of the elections; in fact, the Serbs counter that an election in which only three percent took part cannot be acceptable representation,” he argued.

Read full interview at: https://t.ly/1HbsU

Kurti thanks Leposavic mayor, “exemplary position for law and order” (Euronews)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti said that the mayor of Leposaviq, Lulzim Hetemi, receives an average of ten different requests from many parties every day for him to leave his office.

Kurti, shows that he is the brother of the KLA martyr, Fatima Hetemi and thanked Lulëzim Hetemi for his exemplary resistance for the Republic of Kosovo, law and order.

“Some take it better, some not better, and some both of these one after the other. Lulzim Hetemi is the brother of the martyr Fatima Hetemi (who died heroically as a KLA soldier together with Fehmi and Xhevë Lladrovci on September 22, 1998). I thank President Lulzim from the bottom of my heart for his exemplary endurance for the Republic of Kosovo, law and order”, wrote Kurti.

Lulezim Hetemi has been in his office in the Municipality of Leposaviq since Friday, May 26.

Minister Elbert Krasniqi visits the mayor of Leposaviq (Klan)

Kosovo’s Minister of Local Government Administration Elbert Krasniqi has visited the mayor of Leposaviq, Lulzim Hetemi. According to media reports, Hetemi has been staying inside the facility of the municipality of Leposaviq since Monday.

Stoltenberg welcomes the sending of Turkish troops to Kosovo (Koha)

Calling Turkey an important and highly valued ally, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg praised the contribution of Turkish troops to NATO's peacekeeping mission in Kosovo, including reinforcements following recent unrest in northern Kosovo. Stoltenberg also congratulated Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on his re-election and the high turnout of the Turkish people.

Davenport: No normality without participation of Serbs in institutions (media)

OSCE Head of Mission in Kosovo, Michael Davenport, has said that without the participation of Kosovo Serbs in institutions such as the police, judiciary, municipal administration, etc., the sense of normality in everyday life will not return.

Davenport made such a statement during an interview on RTK 2 with journalist Bojana Uzunovic, on the occasion of marking the 10th anniversary of the beginning of the channel in the Serbian language on the public broadcaster of Kosovo.

"As we have heard from the EU and other factors, there should be comprehensive elections so that the mayors of the municipalities in the north have the required legitimacy. Of course, our mission is also ready to help in this direction", Davenport said.

He further added that the situation in the north is very tense. "Even though the elections were conducted in accordance with the legislation, the situation is not sustainable for the mayors elected by a very small number of voters. On the other hand, any violence is completely unacceptable. Unfortunately, there were clashes and attacks in which policemen, representatives of international missions and journalists were injured, in some cases seriously. First of all, there must be an easing of tensions and a de-escalation of the situation. As I have said on several occasions, without the participation of Kosovo Serbs in institutions such as the police, judiciary, municipal administration, etc., the feeling of normality in everyday life will not return".

Speaking about the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue, he said that the OSCE Mission supports this process and has also been actively engaged in various activities and projects for the implementation of what was agreed in the dialogue. Davenport has said that the formation of the Association is one of the many obligations within the Brussels Agreement from 2013, as well as in accordance with the new agreements of February and March of this year.

Bilcik in Belgrade: Hope Serbs will return to institutions (Euronews)

Rapporteur of the European Parliament for Serbia, Vladimir Bilçik, and the member of the delegation of the Committee for Stabilization and Association with the European Union, Matjaz Nemec, were on a two-day visit to Belgrade.

Bilcik also commented on the recent events in the north of Kosovo, asserting that tensions should be reduced, and Serbs should return to institutions, reports nova.rs.

“We are all concerned in the European Union. Josep Borell and the member countries issued a clear statement. The basic message is de-escalation, we cannot have violence, we cannot have attacks on KFOR. NATO and EULEX are in Kosovo to help everyone. If the situation worsens, the responsibility is on both sides. To create a space for dialogue, for the organization of new elections. I hope that Serbs will return to the institutions”, he declared.

Meanwhile, Nemec has stated that both sides must commit to get out of the crisis.

“We are facing a new situation, my opinion is that we should have new elections in the north of Kosovo. Voters should get out and vote. Both parties must commit. We have an agreement that moves forward, these are important issues for the entire region”, he asserted.

Serbian Language Media

Day 10 of crisis in northern Kosovo (RTS, media)

RTS reports that Serbs continue gathering in front of the local administration buildings in northern Kosovo this morning as well but are not able to access the buildings since Kosovo special police took them over. KFOR is still located in a near vicinity of the municipal buildings, and also on all access roads to Zvecan, as requested by the Serbian List earlier, following the incident with Kosovo special police vehicles.

The employees of the Zvecan municipality continue singing in the book of attendance, in a symbolic gesture as if their working hours started. They are not able to enter their offices for the second week now.

The night passed peacefully, and a larger number of citizens started going to the gathering points around 7.00 this morning.

Serbs continue insisting on their demands, including withdrawal of Kosovo special police units, that Albanian mayors do not enter official premises located in the Serb majority areas and that Rados Petrovic and Dusan Obrenovic, arrested last Monday, are released.

Serbs in Kosovo urgently call on EU and USA to help resolve crisis (KoSSev, N1, media)

Over 160 Serbian NGOs activists and individuals from Kosovo in an urgent appeal to international representatives, EU and the US requested their help in resolving the crisis in northern Kosovo, KoSSev portal reports.

In an appeal they requested withdrawal of all Kosovo special police units from the north and deployment of KFOR and EULEX; the abandonment of municipal buildings and other public facilities by Albanian mayors; unhindered access to existing local administration officials to their offices until the organization of new elections, formalization of the status of the Serbian Orthodox Church and implementation of the Constitutional Court decision from May 2016 confirming the ownership of Visoki Dečani Monastery over 24ha of land.

They also demanded resolving all cases of attacks on Serbs and their property, including illegal expropriation of land, recent incidents targeting the Serbs in which firearms were used by members of the security services in Kosovo, as well as strengthening security measures in Serbian areas in Kosovo.

And lastly they demanded – “the end to the demonization of the Serbian people in the public appearances of the Kosovo President, Kosovo Prime Minister and other senior government officials from the Albanian community“.

The appeal in its entirety and list of signatories is available at: rb.gy/zcet4

“The time when Kurti confronted police shields and threw tear gas“ (KoSSev)

KoSSev portal in an article published on weekend on current situation in northern Kosovo writes also about violent actions and protests that Self-determination Movement and its leader Albin Kurti carried out in the past while in opposition and about a term “fascist militia” that currently Kosovo Prime Minister, Albin Kurti and Minister of Interior Xhelal Svecla use in reference to protesters in northern Kosovo.

“Tear gas, Molotov cocktails, stones, blocks, assaults on government institutions, including the government itself, the parliament and parliamentary hall, alternative halls, the police – both special units and regular ones, attacks on other property, individuals, overturning trucks with Serbian goods, burning and breaking vehicles, accusations of armed attacks, including against the media, and even an accusation of an alleged assassination attempt on the then Prime Minister Isa Mustafa – all of this has been part of what the-then opposition leader highlighted as the “defense of the Republic“ for years. Today he points out the same, but sitting in the Prime Minister’s chair”, KoSSev portal writes.

Read the full article at: rb.gy/rlyrt

Serbian List: Kurti draws targets on Serbs in northern Kosovo (Kosovo Online, media)

Serbian List reacting to the list of alleged organizers of the protests and riots in northern Kosovo, that Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti presented in the Kosovo Assembly on Friday said that this way Kurti draws targets on Serbian men and women in the north, while they only wish for peace, freedom, respect of their human rights and an end to the persecution, Kosovo Online portal reports.

They added the fact that Kurti labeled as criminals and organizers of the protests honorable men, women, persons with disabilities, even those who are staying for weeks in the hospitals and those not present in northern Kosovo demonstrates “what a farce is all what he said”.

They also recalled violent protests that the Self-determination Movement and its leader Albin Kurti organized while in opposition, including the attacks on the houses of their political opponents, prime minister at that time, attacks against international representatives, including against the US Ambassador.

The Serbian List also said Kurti’s remarks on Friday “was full of lies and evidence that he wishes further escalation of the situation, increased tensions and conflict”.

General Ristuccia on situation in northern Kosovo, Pristina acts (RTS, Corriere Della Sera)

KFOR Commander General Michele Ristuccia in an interview with Corriere Della Sera said the NATO Mission cannot be used as an umbrella for unilateral actions, adding that without KFOR the north of Kosovo would be “yet another war spot”, Serbian national broadcaster RTS reports.

NATO Mission can not and must not be considered as an umbrella under which you can hide following unilateral actions that undermine very fragile balance, General Ristuccia is quoted as saying.

According to RTS, General Ristuccia said that the entire international community advised Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti not to install Albanian mayors whom the Serbian community does not recognize.

“Second unilateral action of the Pristina government was the use of force without consultations with us, by which our intervention was necessary to avert the tragedy”.

Read the full interview in Italian at: rb.gy/y6zm0

International Media

Kurti: International community to put pressure on Belgrade, not Pristina (Euronews)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti has stated that only after the new elections in the north, can there be new mayors. According to him, the municipal buildings there are assets of the state.

Kurti said that the rule of law must apply to everyone and that there can be no privileged minority, adding that all communities should be freed from elements with extremist ideologies.

“I understand that the elections held in the north of Kosovo had very low turnout and the legitimacy is weak, but they have some legitimacy, while others have no legitimacy at all. Therefore, after the new elections, there may be new mayors. There cannot be mayors without new elections, and the offices and buildings of the municipalities in Leposavic, Zvecan, and Zubin Potok are assets of Kosovo,” said Kurti.

Furthermore, the Prime Minister stated that the calls for pressure are addressed to the wrong side.

“Everything is moving towards normalization, and this could be done even faster if it weren’t for the obstructions from Belgrade. To achieve normalization, the address where pressure should be applied is not Pristina, which is the capital of the most democratic state and has the most professional police force in the Balkans, but Belgrade, which has not distanced itself from the crimes of Milosevic,” Kurti said.

Turkey to send commandos to Kosovo in response to Nato peacekeeping call (The Guardian)

Turkey has announced it will be sending commandos to Kosovo on Sunday in response to a Nato request to join the peacekeeping operation after unrest in the north of the country.

In a statement on Saturday, the Turkish defence ministry called for restraint and constructive dialogue to resolve a crisis it said could harm regional security and stability.

The moves comes as the EU called on leaders in Kosovo and Serbia to “immediately and unconditionally” de-escalate tensions and halt “divisive rhetoric”.

“Calm needs to be restored urgently,” the EU high representative for foreign affairs, Josep Borrell, said on Saturday. “The European Union condemns in the strongest terms the violent acts against citizens, Kfor [Kosovo Force] troops, law enforcement and media in the north of Kosovo. The violence could have been avoided and must be avoided in the future.”