UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, May 14, 2024

Albanian Language Media:

Kurti: We must discuss with all parties about date of elections (media)
Krasniqi after meeting with Kurti: Kosovo is in agony, elections are necessity not desire (Koha)
Scholz reminds Vucic of importance of implementing Ohrid Agreement (media)
U.S. Undersecretary of State to visit Kosovo, will meet Osmani and Kurti (media)
Bislimi begins his visit to Hungary, meets head of Committee for Foreign Affairs (media)
French Embassy: Uncoordinated implementation of CBK regulation presents difficulties (Klan)
Ministry of Foreign Affairs rejects Serbian patriarch's request to visit Kosovo (RTK)
Two Russians detained in north Kosovo, sentenced and deported (Koha)
Haradinaj: AAK supports dissolution of parliament only if Kurti resigns or is dismissed (Klan)

Serbian Language Media:

Pristina authorities banned Serbian Orthodox Church Patriarch from entering Kosovo (Tanjug, media)
Serbian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Porfirije react to Pristina’s ban (media, social media)
Reactions to decision of Pristina authorities to ban Serbian Patriarch Porfirije from entering Kosovo (media, social media)
Lajcak: Solution to dinar issue in Kosovo can be reached with compromise from both sides (Tanjug, Kosovo Online)
Vucic meets with Kuleba (Tanjug, media)
Vucic receives letter of gratitude from Xi (media)
Vucic: I am heading to New York to respond to those wishing to accuse Serbia (Tanjug, media)
After switching to Kosovo driver’s license, hole is punched in Serbian one, 77 requests for replacement submitted so far (KoSSev)

Albanian Language Media

Kurti: We must discuss with all parties about date of elections (media)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti said that in the meeting with the leader of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) Memli Krasniqi, they discussed the current political issues, with special emphasis on the legislative agenda. According to him, they also discussed Kosovo's progress in international integration, but also the possibility of new elections in the near future.

"Since March of this year, we cannot say that the next elections are a matter of years, but a matter of months. I am also interested in discussing with the opposition which is the most suitable season for the next elections. In general, spring and autumn are the most suitable for elections, but if the mandate goes to the end, they will be held in winter. But I don't want to impose my own will on that. Let's do the debate in the framework of the election campaign, while we have agreed on the date of the elections. Dinner went on for a long time, but we haven't seen each other in a long time and we had a lot to discuss. We should discuss with all the political subjects and see which is the date we agree on the most for elections", he said.

Kurti also said that they have met all the conditions for membership in the Council of Ministers and the decision remains with the Council of Ministers.

He said that all the parties were invited at the meeting, adding that he intends to meet those who did not come.He said that for the dissolving of the Assembly, everyone should be together.

"I cannot determine the date of the elections, but even if I had the opportunity, it would not be right for me to set it. The Assembly cannot be dissolved with a simple majority, 80 MPs are needed and we are not the opposition... allow me to see further the discussion with the two opposition parties", he said.

Krasniqi after meeting with Kurti: Kosovo is in agony, elections are necessity not desire (Koha)

After the meeting with Prime Minister Albin Kurti, the leader of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), Memli Krasniqi, said that he responded to Kurt's invitation, as according to him, it is important to express PDK's positions to him directly.

"It is evident that Kurti and I can have different readings of the situation and sometimes the preoccupations of the citizens of Kosovo are not the preoccupations of the prime minister. From the meetings we have in every corner of Kosovo, we are not in a good situation. Kosovo is in agony, we have a stagnant economy, we have enormous price increases with small salaries and pensions that are not enough for Kosovar families to make ends meet. We have healthcare that is in dire straits, degraded education and almost non-existent foreign policy. Furthermore, a dysfunctional parliament where points are carried over from month to month. Now we also have a difficult situation regarding Kosovo's membership in the Council of Europe. It looks like it will be a failure. I also expressed to Kurti that the work must be accelerated to resolve these issues. PDK has also nominated the candidate for prime minister, but to get there, parliamentary elections are needed," he said.

According to him, they are ready to find a new date for the elections, to dissolve the Assembly through a joint motion. Krasniqi has said that he worked on this issue without fighting to get the flag of protagonism.According to him, the elections are not the desire of PDK but the need of the country.

Krasniqi said that they did not discuss the draft statute of the Association. He said that the motion for elections should be made together with other parties and according to him, it should be done in May and not later.According to him, he accepted the invitation to the meeting in order to deal with topics that are of interest to the citizens.

Media reported that except for Kurti and Krasniqi, the heads of the parliamentary groups were also present at the meeting.

Scholz reminds Vucic of importance of implementing Ohrid Agreement (media)

The Chancellor of Germany, Olaf Scholz, had a telephone conversation with the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic. In the announcement of the Government of Germany, it is stated that the topic of the discussion was the status of bilateral relations, emphasizing their common interest, as well as the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia.

"Scholz emphasized the importance of the EU-mediated dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia and reiterated Germany's continued support for it. He also reminded him of Serbia's commitments for the implementation of the Ohrid Agreement", announced the spokesman of the federal government, Steffen Hebestreit.

It is known that Scholz and Vucic agreed to continue their open exchange and stay in touch.

"The chancellor and the Serbian president exchanged views on the status of bilateral relations and underlined their common interest in constructive and results-oriented cooperation," the announcement states.

The U.S. Under Secretary of State to visit Kosovo, will meet Osmani and Kurti (media)

The U.S. Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy, Elizabeth Allen, will visit Bosnia, Serbia, Kosovo and North Macedonia this week.

As announced by the U.S. Department of State, the purpose of this visit is to deepen the partnership with the countries of the Western Balkans and push forward the goals for regional cooperation and European integration.

In Pristina, Undersecretary Allen will meet with Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani and Prime Minister Albin Kurti to discuss U.S. support for Kosovo's path towards Euro-Atlantic integration and partnership with Kosovo. Likewise, Undersecretary Allen will visit the American service members deployed as part of the Kosovo Peacekeeping Mission of NATO (KFOR) at Camp Nothing Hill, underlining the commitment of the United States to the stability and security of the region.

Deputy Secretary Allen will also hold discussions with various Kosovar students engaged in science, technology, engineering and mathematics subjects at the Rochester Institute of Technology – Kosovo.

She will also travel to Dresnik to discover Roman-era mosaics that archaeologists are restoring thanks to support from the State Department's Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation.

Gervalla: If full agreement is not implemented, Association will become Trojan horse (Reporteri)

Kosovo’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Donika Gervalla Schwarz, has said that Serbia has opposed the agreement proposed by the European Union and only requires the establishment of the Association of municipalities with a Serb majority in Kosovo. She said that if this happens, then the Association will turn into a Trojan horse for Kosovo, as it happened with the Republika Srpska in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

“Vucic and his prime minister had also submitted in writing to the EU that they do not recognize the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Kosovo. If Serbia is able to accept the package as a whole, we will also keep the promise made.

Otherwise taking that draft out of that pack is very dangerous. The draft presented to us by our partners makes sense only if Serbia recognizes Kosovo, otherwise it is a Trojan horse like the Republic of Srpska in Bosnia.We stand by our word, but we are ready to implement the whole package if Serbia takes over its commitments.This is all about the issue of the Association', she said in an interview for Syri TV.

Bislimi begins his visit to Hungary, meets head of Committee for Foreign Affairs (RTK)

Kosovo’s Deputy Prime Minister Besnik Bislimi has started his official visit to Budapest with a meeting with the chairman of the Committee for Foreign Affairs of Hungary, Zsolt Nemeth. They discussed a range of topics, among which the cultivation and strengthening of relations between the Kosovo and Hungary.

"Deputy Prime Minister Bislimi informed Nemeth about the current situation in the country as well as the development and progress that our country has known over the last three years. In the light of the Hungarian presidency of the Council of the European Union from July 1, the Deputy Prime Minister addressed the dedication and objectives of the Republic of Kosovo in the process of European integration", reads the announcement of the Prime Minister's Office.

French Embassy: Uncoordinated implementation of CBK regulation presents difficulties (Klan)

On May 11, the transition period of the Central Bank of Kosovo for the dinar ended. From Sunday, May 12, the only currency that can be used for payments in Kosovo is the euro.

The Embassy of France In an answer to Klankosova.tv, has stressed that they respect the independence of the Central Bank of Kosovo, but that the implementation of the regulation, which has not been coordinated, presents difficulties.

"The implementation of the regulations of the Central Bank, which is not coordinated, nevertheless presents difficulties related to the sustainability of legal financial transfers from Serbia, for example in favor of Serb pensioners or health or educational institutions", says the Embassy's response.

"The European mediator Lajcak organized several meetings on this topic. We fully support his efforts and the concrete proposals he has presented. We call for a swift and positive conclusion to these negotiations. Ultimately, a sustainable solution will be found through the creation of the association of municipalities with a Serb majority", reads French Embassy’s response.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs rejects Serbian patriarch's request to visit Kosovo (RTK)

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora has rejected the request of the Patriarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church, Porfirie, to visit the Patriarchate of Peja on Monday, May 13. This was announced by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs through a statement on Facebook.

"As long as Serbia continues to violate the Brussels agreement, does not allow the visits of our state officials to Serbia and moreover does not stop with campaigns against the Republic of Kosovo in the international arena, both in the integration and recognition processes, continues to use language of hatred and threats against the Republic of Kosovo and its representatives, visits will not be allowed from our side either", says the statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Further in the communiqué, it is emphasized that Serbia has created a ministerial group to violate the basic agreement and to prevent the membership of the Republic of Kosovo in the Council of Europe, therefore according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs "as long as it continues with this approach and war against Kosovo by any means, there will be no approvals of such visits".

At the end of the communique, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized that it encourages Serbia to implement the basic agreement and act with reciprocity in relation to Kosovo and mutual visits.

Two Russians detained in north Kosovo, sentenced and deported (koha)

The two Russian citizens, who were detained a few days ago by the Kosovo authorities for "illegal crossing of the border", were punished and then deported from Kosovo. The Kosovo police said on May 6 that the two Russians were stopped at the border point with Serbia, Jarinje, as they did not posses Kosovo visas.

These two Russians, have been sentenced to 250 euros each, an official of the Basic Court of North Mitrovica said in an answer to Radio Free Europe

"They were sentenced based on Article 140 of the Criminal Code of Kosovo. It is a penalty of 250 euros, or imprisonment of six days. This is a legal issue and the court has pronounced the sentence defined in the law", said an official of the Basic Court of North Mitrovica.

Haradinaj: AAK supports dissolution of parliament only if Kurti resigns or is dismissed (Klan)

The head of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo, Ramush Haradinaj, has said that Prime Minister Albin Kurti has come up with the initiative to dissolve the parliament, but that AAK supports this only if Kurti resigns or is dismissed.

"An initiative for the dissolution of the Parliament was recently updated. There is no doubt that the Prime Minister is behind this initiative", Haradinaj wrote on Facebook.

"It seems that the ground is slipping under his feet and he is desperately looking for his salvation. His insistence that after three years of government, to finally demand a meeting with the leaders of the opposition, should be seen in this prism, otherwise they are becoming his saviors".

"However, the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo could support the dissolution of the Parliament, only after the resignation or dismissal of the Prime Minister. In the situation we are currently in, all the failures of Kosovo, inside and outside, have only one name - the Government led by Albin Kurti!" Haradinaj wrote.

Serbian Language Media

Pristina authorities banned Serbian Orthodox Church Patriarch from entering Kosovo (Tanjug, media)

Pristina authorities have banned Serbian Patriarch Porfirije and seven bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church (SOC) from entering Kosovo on Monday, Tanjug news agency reported.

Patriarch Porfirije and the bishops were to attend a ceremony marking the start of a regular annual meeting of the Holy Assembly of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church that was scheduled to begin at the Patriarchate of Pec on Tuesday.

The Patriarch and the bishops were told to return from Merdare administrative crossing and handed refusal letters without any reason or explanation provided. As a result, the ceremony has been moved to the Church of St Sava in Belgrade, where a holy liturgy will be held on Tuesday morning.

Serbian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Porfirije react to Pristina’s ban (media, social media)

Serbian Orthodox Church (SOC) reacted to the decision of Pristina authorities to ban Patriarch Porfirije and seven SOC bishops from entering Kosovo on Monday. In a statement posted on its official website and conveyed by the Serbian media, SOC said Patriarch Porfirije and bishops were told that their entry was prohibited, without providing any explanation.

“From the standpoint of human rights and the freedoms of any individual, the decision to bar the head of the Serbian Orthodox Church and the bishops from visiting their ancient seat is unreasonable and unacceptable. This action accurately reflects the status of the Serbian Church and the Serbian people in Kosovo and Metohija”, SOC said in a statement.

“The Patriarch appeals to all those who have influence over the situation in Kosovo and Metohija to do what they can to end the blatant violation of the human rights of the Serbian people, including the rights to freedom of movement for the Serbian Patriarch, bishops, and clergy. Patriarch Porfirije will not abandon his people in Kosovo and Metohija and will do everything possible to meet with them and pray together with them as soon as possible”, the statement added.

Patriarch Porfirije: All doors are open for me except doors of my home at Peć Patriarchate

Serbian Orthodox Church Patriarch Porfirije in a separate post published on his official Instagram account said that “all doors of this world are open to me, just as our doors are open to everyone. Only the doors of my home, the Peć Patriarchate, are closed and they do not allow me to enter. As the Serbian Patriarch, a citizen, and a believer, I know and proclaim that these doors, sooner or later, will be opened by God Himself. Those who have closed the doors of the house of prayer are doing harm first to themselves, and then to all people; they have shut the doors to all good, blessings, and happiness. When the freedom of movement is thus denied to the Serbian Patriarch, one can only imagine what happens to the Serbs living in the ghettos”.

Read the full Patriarch’s post at: https://shorturl.at/vHWYZ

The Raska-Prizren Diocese in a statement on Monday said that “the Diocese of Raška-Prizren, along with its clergy, monastics, and faithful, deeply regrets today’s decision by the Kosovo authorities. This decision prohibited His Holiness the Serbian Patriarch Porfirije and the accompanying bishops from entering Kosovo and Metohija to participate with other bishops in the Divine Liturgy at the Patriarchate of Peć and the ceremonial opening of this year’s assembly of bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church.

Regrettably, this is not the first occasion that entry has been denied to our Patriarch and his visit to the Patriarchate of Peć, the ancient historical seat of our Church and the 800-year-old home of Serbian Orthodox archbishops and patriarchs, has been obstructed (...)”.

Read the full Raska-Prizren Diocese statement at: https://shorturl.at/nzCKS

Reactions to decision of Pristina authorities to ban Serbian Patriarch Porfirije from entering Kosovo (media, social media)

Decision of Pristina authorities to ban Serbian Orthodox Church (SOC) Patriarch Porfirije and seven bishops from entering Kosovo on Monday was widely covered by the Serbian media, focusing also on reactions that this act had caused. The Patriarch and bishops were traveling to Pec Patriarchate to attend the commencement of the SOC Assembly that was supposed to start on Tuesday.

Serbian Foreign Minister Marko Djuric in a statement to Kosovo Online portal expressed concern over Pristina’s decision to restrict fundamental religious freedoms of the Serbian people by denying Patriarch Porfirije and the bishops to enter Kosovo. He emphasized that this act reaffirms the significant endangerment and disenfranchisement faced by the Serbian people in Kosovo. Djuric added this incident provides Serbia with a strong argument in its political and diplomatic efforts against Kosovo’s membership in the Council of Europe.

Office for Kosovo and Metohija Director Petar Petkovic said decision to ban Patriarch Porfirije from entering Kosovo is yet another proof that Pristina and Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti want to expel everything Serbian and erase traces of centuries-long presence of the Serbian people and Serbian Orthodox Church in those areas. He also used Pristina’s decision to slam Council of Europe rapporteur on Kosovo Dora Bakoyannis who recommended Kosovo be admitted to this organization by asking in a post on X “(…) are those the human and religious rights in K&M that you commended in the CE Report? Disgraceful!”.

Minister for Labour, Employment, Veterans and Social Affairs, Nemanja Starovic in a post on X said that on Monday “#Kosovo* regime led by interim PM Kurti banned entry into the province to His Holiness Patriarch Porfirije, head of the Serbian Orthodox Church. The ban was issued at 13:18 local time, although the Patriarch's entry was announced for 13:30 today, several days in advance. It's not just another violation of freedom of movement but also represents a gross example of the denial of religious freedoms for the Serbs who remain living in Kosovo*. #Christianity #ReligiousPersecution”.

Serbian List in the strongest terms condemned “shameful and unreasonable decision of Albin Kurti’s regime to ban Patriarch Porfirije from coming to his home, Pec Patriarchate”, adding that this is yet another in a series of decisions aimed at persecuting and banning everything Serbian in Kosovo, in front of the international community which is very agile and loud when rights of Albanians are ought to be defended. “Today they are silent and do not utter a word about this shameful, uncivilized attitude of Kurti in the XXI century”. Serbian List also listed a number of decisions of Pristina authorities hampering the lives of Serbian community, including ban on Serbian goods, newspapers, Cyrillic alphabet, medications, sports and cultural events, asking what would come next.

The Party of Kosovo Serbs (PKS) in the strongest terms condemned the decision of Pristina authorities to ban Patriarch Porfirije and seven bishops from entering Kosovo. "This is the most brutal attack on the Christian faith and Serbs as Christians, and it comes precisely from the Government, which is made up of political militants and religious radicals. The entry ban on the Patriarch adds a new dimension to the Kosovo Government's reckoning with the Serbs, and it has undoubtedly acquired a religious connotation today", PKS said in a statement on Monday.

Coordinator of the National Convent Working Group for EU Chapter 35, Dragisa Mijacic in a post on X said that “this is how (Albin) Kurti reacts even related to potential membership of Kosovo to the Council of Europe. More troubles Serbs can expect as of today in relation to dinar ban. Such unilateral acts against the Serbs and Serbian Orthodox Church are not only unacceptable, but are also uncivilized”. Mijacic also tagged on X leading persons of the EU, and Quint ambassadors in Pristina.

Lajcak: Solution to dinar issue in Kosovo can be reached with compromise from both sides (Tanjug, Kosovo Online)

EU Special Envoy for Belgrade-Pristina talks Miroslav Lajcak expressed belief that a provisional sustainable solution to the dinar issue in Kosovo can be found with, as he said, flexibility and compromise from both sides, Kosovo Online portal reported.

“Just starting my journey to Helsinki 🇫🇮 after a busy week in the US 🇺🇸. From Washington D.C. to New York, I engaged in important and useful in-depth discussions with officials at the State Department, the National Security Council, and the United Nations. Additionally, I had interesting conversations with local Ambassadors, think tanks, and civil society groups. It's invaluable to exchange insights, discuss the 🇪🇺-Western Balkans relationship, and align our perspectives on the situation in the region.

Next stop: Helsinki 🇫🇮 for bilateral consultations. Later this week, I'll be hosting the Chief negotiators of Kosovo and Serbia for discussions aimed at finding a sustainable temporary solution for those affected by the CBK regulation on cash operations. I’m certain that an agreement can be reached, but it will require flexibility and compromise from both parties”, Lajcak said in a post on Facebook.

Vucic meets with Kuleba (Tanjug, media)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic met with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba in Belgrade on Monday to discuss advancement of bilateral relations and the European paths of the two countries.

"A very good and fair discussion with Ukrainian FM Dmytro Kuleba. We reviewed bilateral relations and agreed to advance them, with a special desire to organize an economic forum between businesspeople of the two countries soon", Vucic wrote in a post on his official Instagram account.

Vucic noted that the Serbian ambassador to Ukraine would return to duty in Kiev shortly. "We also discussed the European paths of both countries and the pressing need to establish peace", Vucic added.

Vucic receives letter of gratitude from Xi (media)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has received a letter of gratitude from Chinese President Xi Jinping for the warm and friendly welcome during his recent visit to Serbia.

The letter notes that Serbia and China had declared the building of a community with a shared future in a new era, taking bilateral relations to new historic heights, which Xi said would "inject a new, strong incentive to the eternal friendship, mutual support and close cooperation between China and Serbia".