UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, October 20, 2022

Escobar: Agreement between Kosovo and Serbia - a matter of weeks (Kanal10)
Kosovo ‘ready to intensify’ Serbia dialogue, President tells Escobar (BIRN)
Kurti calls opposition leaders to meet, Haradinaj confirms participation (media)
Escobar met with Serbian List representatives (Koha)
After Pristina, Escobar will visit Belgrade (media)
Agreement reached between KOSTT and Elektrosever (RTK)
Kosovo Serb Ex-Minister Convicted of Inciting Hatred After Retrial (BIRN)
Serbia reacts after Todosievic's sentence regarding Recak statements (BIRN)
Civil society organisations sign joint statement on dialogue (media)
Kosovo Police arrest war crimes suspect (media)
Freedom of Information in the Balkans: No Access and no Progress (BIRN)

Escobar: Agreement between Kosovo and Serbia - a matter of weeks (Kanal10)

U.S. Special Envoy for the Western Balkans Gabriel Escobar said on Wednesday that an agreement between Kosovo and Serbia is a matter of weeks. In an interview with Kanal 10, Escobar said it is up to both parties and the mediators to set the deadlines. "I have heard my European colleagues talk that this is a matter of weeks and not years. For an agreement, for the way forward. Therefore, beyond that, it is up to both parties and the mediator to set timelines, but it should be quick. Taking into account the context of what is happening, everyone must take responsibility to create stability, not only in Europe, but also in the region," he said.

Escobar said he asked the President of Kosovo, Vjosa Osmani and the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, to postpone the decision on license plates. "It is no secret that we have asked for a longer period of implementation, and we have asked for another 10 months. I would love to see this happen. This is not only a request of the USA, but of all Quint. And this is because we are the countries that support Kosovo the most. We believe that it is important that when we make recommendations, people listen to them," said Escobar. He however added that they did not receive a commitment from Osmani and Kurti for the postponement of this decision.

Asked if the Franco-German proposal for Kosovo to become part of the UN, is something that the USA fully supports, Escobar said ‘yes, we fully support it. And, I must add that we have always supported the recognition of Kosovo as an independent and sovereign state and we would welcome it in the UN and in all other European structures.’

Asked if he considers that Kosovo could join the UN without formal recognition by Serbia, he responded: I think, that recognition will happen, it will have to happen sometime at a later stage. The question is about when this recognition will happen. But what is important for Kosovo is to start a more stable path towards integration into Euro-Atlantic structures, including recognition by the five non-recognizing EU states. This is the most important thing you can get out of the process.

Watch full interview at: https://bit.ly/3gcaHAg

Kosovo ‘ready to intensify’ Serbia dialogue, President tells Escobar (BIRN)

President Vjosa Osmani told the US envoy that Kosovo was willing to engage more with Serbia but accused Belgrade of not implementing existing agreements

In a joint media conference with the US envoy for the Western Balkans, Gabriel Escobar in Pristina on Wednesday, the President of Kosovo, Vjosa Osmani, said that Kosovo is ready to increase the intensity of the dialogue with Serbia.

Osmani complained about Serbia’s approach, however. “Kosovo is and has always been a constructive party and is ready to increase its commitment to intensifying the process. I expressed dissatisfaction with the non-implementation of agreements by Serbia, the illegal criminal structures Serbia has refused to dismantle and continues to financially support,” Osmani said.

Osmani added that Escobar’s visit has contributed to addressing issues in the common interest of long-term peace and stability.

Escobar expressed continued American support for the Euro-Atlantic aspirations of Kosovo. He added that his purpose on his visit was to boost cooperation between Kosovo’s allies.

“The purpose of my visit is to see the way of cooperation with a very good ally and a very, very close friend. I came to express continued American support for Kosovo’s Euro-Atlantic aspirations and solidarity in times of crisis in Kosovo and ways to deepen this partnership, including our support for Kosovo’s participation in the dialogue facilitated by the EU,” said Escobar.

Read more at: https://bit.ly/3DbMmnj

Kurti calls opposition leaders to meet, Haradinaj confirms participation (media)

Prime Minister of Kosovo Albin Kurti has invited leaders of the opposition parties to a meeting on Friday at 12:00 hours.

Spokesman for the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) Lulzim Blaka, told the media on Wednesday that AAK leader Ramush Haradinaj has received an invitation for this meeting and that he will respond positively. "Yes, Haradinaj will participate on Friday," Blaka said.

The Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) and the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) have not yet confirmed the participation of their leaders. The PDK has asked the Prime Minister's Office to clarify the topic that will be discussed at the meeting and that then they will respond to the participation.

"A few minutes ago, we received an e-mail from the Prime Minister's Cabinet, through which PDK chairman Memli Kransiqi was invited for a joint meeting with the heads of opposition entities and the prime minister. However, the topic was not specified in this e-mail nor the agenda of the meeting. Once we receive accurate information from the Prime Minister's Office about the purpose and the official agenda of the meeting, the leader will decide whether he will participate in this meeting or not," said Faton Abdullahu, PDK spokesperson.

Meanwhile, the Government has said that it will announce the details of the meeting later.

"Prime Minister Kurti has invited the leaders of the opposition for a meeting. The meeting is scheduled for Friday at noon. For other details about the meeting, we will inform you in the meantime," a government spokesman said.

Escobar met with Serbian List representatives (Koha)

U.S. Special Envoy for the Western Balkans Gabriel Escobar met with Serbian representatives on Wednesday evening. A press release issued by the Serbian List said the meeting focused on the political and security situation. Mayors of Kosovo's Serb-majority municipalities also took part.

"The US special envoy for the Western Balkans met with the chairman of the Serbian List, the head of the parliamentary group and the mayors of the municipalities of North Mitrovica, Zvecan, Leposaviq and Zubin Potok. It was discussed about the current political and security situation," the statement reads.

After Pristina, Escobar will visit Belgrade (media)

U.S. Special Envoy for the Western Balkans, Gabriel Escobar, will meet in Belgrade on October 20 with the Serbian Prime Minister Ana Benabic and President Aleksandar Vucic.

As announced, Escobar will hold a meeting with Vucic at the Serbian Presidency at 09:30 on Thursday, while two hours later he will meet with Brnabic at the Serbian Government.

After these meetings, it has not been announced that there will be statements for the media.

Agreement reached between KOSTT and Elektrosever (RTK)

KOSTT and Elektrosever have finalized the signing of technical standards agreements according to the Roadmap agreed upon by Kosovo and Serbia, a spokesman for the European Union has confirmed. On the same day, Elektrosever, in accordance with the guidelines, provided a customer database.

According to the assertions of this spokesperson, the agreement was reached with the mediation of the European Union, but after Kosovo notified Brussels that it has officially started the 15-day consultation period under the facilitation of the EU according to Article 8 of the Roadmap, which provides that the ERO can decide to suspend or withdraw the supply lease granted to Elektrosever in case of non-compliance with the provisions of the agreed conclusions.

“We continue to call on all stakeholders to constructively engage and further implement their obligations pending the Roadmap without further delay. With the fast approach of winter, there is no time to lose," this spokesperson of the European Union reportedly said.

Kosovo Serb Ex-Minister Convicted of Inciting Hatred After Retrial (BIRN)

Ivan Todosijevic was convicted of inciting ethnic hatred, ten months after the Supreme Court ordered him to be retried for his statement that a 1999 massacre of Kosovo Albanians by Serbian forces was “fabricated” by “terrorists”.

Pristina Basic Court sentenced former minister Ivan Todosijevic to one year in prison on Wednesday for incitement to ethnic, racial or religious intolerance, ten months after his initial conviction was quashed and he was sent for a retrial.

The Pristina judge found Todosijevic guilty for his comments about the January 1999 massacre of Kosovo Albanians in the village of Racak/Recak, which he claimed was staged.

But the judge gave him a shorter sentence than in 2019, when he was initially convicted and sentenced to two years in prison.

Wednesday’s verdict can be appealed.

Todosijevic, a former Kosovo minister and MP, was not present when the verdict was announced but on Monday he told court that his statement was not against the Albanian community.

“I did not intend in any way to offend anyone, especially the [Kosovo] Albanian community,” he said.

Todosijevic was elected as an MP with the Belgrade-backed Srpska Lista bloc in the February 2021 snap elections, but did not take up his seat because of his initial conviction.