UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, October 6, 2022

President Osmani at first summit of European Political Community (RTK)
Avoiding tensions in the north, a priority for the UN Security Council (Koha)
Rohde calls on government to make proposals for Association (Telegrafi)
Hovenier highly appreciates KFOR's contribution to security in Kosovo (media)
ERO is expected to withdraw the license of 'Elektroseveri' (RTK)
Abdixhiku: There is no hope that this government can bring change (RTK)
Hasani: Govt is not employer of teachers; cannot block their salaries (media)
AJK condemns Vetevendosje MP post against two reporters (media)
Kosovo’s metamorphosis reflected in eyes of an American researcher (BIRN)
KFOR conducts large-scale multinational crisis exercise (Army.mil)
Indiana National Guard task force deploys to Kosovo for peacekeeping (media)

President Osmani at first summit of European Political Community (RTK)

At the invitation of the President of the European Council Charles Michel and the Prime Minister of the Czech Republic Petr Fiala, the President of Kosovo Vjosa Osmani has traveled to Prague to represent Kosovo at the first summit of the European Political Community (EPC).

A press release issued by Osmani's office notes that the inaugural meeting will gather heads of states from 44 countries of the European continent with the aim of promoting political dialogue and strengthening cooperation to address the most urgent issues of security and stability in Europe.

In addition to participating in the main sessions of the European Political Community, President Osmani will hold bilateral meetings with European leaders to discuss the deepening of cooperation to overcome common challenges.

According to the announcement of the Presidency, "President Osmani will convey the message of the unwavering commitment of the people and institutions of the Republic of Kosovo to the Euro-Atlantic integration of Kosovo as a guarantee for sustainable peace in the region and beyond."

During the bilateral meetings, Osmani is expected to discuss support for Kosovo's membership in international organizations.

Avoiding tensions in the north, a priority for the UN Security Council (Koha)

The daily reports on its front page this morning that the possibility of renewed tensions in the north of Kosovo, due to the government’s decision to convert illegal Serbian license plates to RKS, has been mentioned in a document of the UN Security Council document in the month when the Council is scheduled to discuss the situation in Kosovo. It also mentions the possibility of meetings between the parties, to ask them to pledge that they will not use force against each other.

Anticipating a possible escalation along the Kosovo-Serbia border on October 31, it says NATO has taken action to train certain KFOR reserve soldiers, which could include up to 1,000 soldiers. KFOR currently consists of around 3,700 troops.

Drilon Gashi, expert on international relations, said in an interview with Koha that despite Serbia's approach to dramatize the situation, neither Serbia nor Russia have the power to impose their arguments. "In general, there is a war-mongering, conflict-inciting approach from Serbia when it addresses some of the states in the region, especially Kosovo, but also Montenegro and Bosnia, considering that it can affect their internal affairs or their sovereignty," Gashi said. "Well, I believe that the Security Council will no longer be an arena where Russia and Serbia can make their arguments against Kosovo, as they did earlier because the war in Ukraine has greatly damaged Russia's credibility to comment on other issues in the world. So I don't foresee that there will be such a battle," he added.

EU Special Representative for the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue Miroslav Lajcak said during his visits to Pristina and Belgrade that he expects to find a solution for the illegal license plates of Serbia. Optimism has been shown despite Prime Minister Kurti's determination that the Serbs will respond to the call for switching from illegal license plates to RKS ones by the end of October, when the deadline ends. After the August 18 meeting in Brussels, Kurti revealed that one of Lajcak's proposals was neutral license plates for Serbs in the north of Kosovo. But he opposed the option of UNMIK license plates, the production of which Kosovo stopped in 2018.

"I think that the messages that there may be other solutions have more to do with postponing the deadline and allowing the Serb citizens who are in the northern part not to be provided with license plates for a while, but not that there will be another creative solution for the license plates themselves. The solution will be the one that stands, here we can have movement of time limits until it can be fully implemented," Gashi said.

"I believe that Serbia's actions in any case make it more likely for a conflict, instigated among the people in the north. At the same time, I believe that there is much greater international and NATO attention to security issues. So there may be some case here and there, some event, but the situation will generally be maintained,” Gashi said.

Rohde calls on government to make proposals for Association (Telegrafi)

German Ambassador to Kosovo, Jorn Rohde, said in an interview with TV Dukagjini on Wednesday, that the Kosovo government should make proposals for the formation of the Association of Serb-majority municipalities as soon as possible. He argued that it is clear that there won’t be another Republika Srpska in Kosovo. Rohde said the sooner Kosovo presents something at the negotiating table and which would be in line with its constitution the better. “Saying no is not a solution,” he said.

Rohde also said that the Kosovo government’s decision on the registration of vehicles with RKS plates is legitimate but that an extension of the deadline is needed. “There should be a reasonable timeline for the transition, and I believe that two months is a short period,” he said.

Hovenier highly appreciates KFOR's contribution to security in Kosovo (media)

U.S. Ambassador in Kosovo Jeff Hovenier received the commander of KFOR, Major General Kajari, in a farewell meeting. Hovenier said it is an honor for him to thank him for his service in Kosovo.

Ambassador Hovenier said that the USA is committed to the important role that NATO plays in promoting security and stability in Kosovo and in the region.

The KFOR commander ends his service as the head of NATO troops in Kosovo. In the past days, he had other farewell meetings with the officials of Kosovo.

ERO is expected to withdraw the license of 'Elektroseveri' (RTK)

The implementation of the roadmap for the Kosovo-Serbia energy agreement has ultimately failed. The Office of the Regulator has informed the mediating parties that after the licensing of the Serbian company "Elektrosever" none of the points of the guide, which should be implemented in a period of 100 days, have been fulfilled.

"Except for the first point that concerns the issuance of the supply license within the framework of the guide, none of the other points have been completed so far," said Ymer Fejzullahu, chairman of the ERO Board.

Fejzullahu told RTK that according to the agreement on the guide, it is up to the ERO Board to examine the license for the "Elektrosever" operator in a period of 15 days.

"After consulting with other parties, if the criteria mentioned in the guidelines are not met, ERO will withdraw the license, this is mentioned in the guidelines and is also within the framework of ERO's decision on granting license for 'Elektrosever'," Fejzullahu added.

Kosovo and Serbia for the third time agreed on the implementation of the Energy Agreement, but this was prevented by the Serbian state itself, RTK reports.

The roadmap stipulated that within a period of 100 days, nine points should be fulfilled.

Two days after this agreement, the Office of the Regulator within two days licensed the Serbian company "Elektrosever", which did not fulfill any of the points that were foreseen in the guide.

Abdixhiku: There is no hope that this government can bring change (RTK)

Leader of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) Lumir Abdixhiku, met with the party structures and citizens in Prizren as part of a series of debates of this subject with citizens across the Kosovo with the motto: "LDK listens to you."

He criticized the government for zero results in every field. "The economic situation is unbearable due to the lack of investments, the lack of capital projects and the complete incompetence of the government. We have economic decline and no interest of the government to change something in this direction. Inflation has reached 20%, the trade deficit has increased from 3 to 5 billion euros, and more than 100,000 people have left the country. There is no longer any hope that this government can bring about any change and their campaign is a great disappointment to our citizens. Tis is an incompetent and irresponsible government, which is only capable of producing new crises," Abdixhiku said.

He referred to the new approach of the LDK to build the party program and to offer solutions together with the citizens and the structures of the LDK.

"LDK has a new approach, energy and strategy. We are on a unifying mission to restore hope to the country. Kosovo needs stability, prosperity and economic development. Our citizens are looking for solutions to their problems. LDK is building a program with an exceptional team and is offering a platform that will lead Kosovo to the path of progress and long-term economic development," he said.

Hasani: Govt is not employer of teachers; cannot block their salaries (media)

Former President of the Constitutional Court of Kosovo, Enver Hasani, said on Wednesday that the government cannot block the salaries of teachers and other staff in the education sector. Asked if it is legitimate to pay those who were on strike, Hasani said the issue pertains to the basic human rights and freedoms. “The key problem here is that in a constitutional system like ours for the division and balancing of powers, the government executes laws, and it does not interpret laws, except for the internal regulations for as long as they don’t affect human rights and freedoms, because even in that case there is a vertical mechanism that oversees the work of the government. The Assembly passes laws and the court interprets the laws,” he argued.

AJK condemns Vetevendosje MP post against two reporters (media)

The Association of Journalists of Kosovo (AJK) issued a statement on Wednesday condemning a Facebook post by Vetevendosje MP Sali Zyba in which he included a video-edit show T7 editor-in-chief Arsim Lani and T7 Director Leonard Kerquki presenting separate shows in 2016 and 2022. The AJK said the video-edit published by an MP and shared by dozens of Vetevendosje members is a call for lynching against the two reporters and that it constitutes a direct threat against them. “The AJK calls on Vetevendosje MPs and other members not to use their power to attack the media and reporters, and allow them to do their work without any hindrance and constant pressure,” the statement notes.

Kosovo’s metamorphosis reflected in eyes of an American researcher (BIRN)

Janet Reineck, 68, knows the rural areas of Kosovo like the back of her hand. In the 1980s, she came to work as an anthropologist in Kosovo, but also became very close to families in different parts of the country.

She became a reason why many women attended health courses for the first time and saw what emancipation of women meant. She also helped many children learn English.

At that time, Kosovo was an unknown place for the 26-year-old. In 1980, in Zagreb, Croatia, she first heard Albanian music, which became an inspiration for her to study the rural areas of Kosovo for her Master’s thesis and doctoral thesis and then, in the 1990s, to run humanitarian aid projects.

“During the years I stayed in Kosovo, I didn’t notice any changes in myself. But over the years I noticed profound changes in my mind, body and identity. My whole identity was changed during the years I stayed with Albanians,” the 68-year-old told Prishtina Insight.