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UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, September 19, 2022

  • President Osmani to attend funeral of Queen Elizabeth II (media)
  • EU officials would not comment on whether there is a new framework for dialogue (RTK)
  • Borrell to meet with the leaders of the Western Balkans in the USA (Express)
  • Djaferovic: I have to say that Bosnia and Herzegovina does not recognize Kosovo (RTK)
  • Education Minister: SBASHK is refusing to cooperate (media)
  • People’s Attorney calls on SBASHK and government to reflect on strike (Klan)
  • Albanian Post publishes new framework in dialogue 
  • Kosovo's Beleaguered Minorities: Three Degrees And Another On The Way, But Still No Job (RFE)

 

President Osmani to attend funeral of Queen Elizabeth II (media)

President of Kosovo, Vjosa Osmani will attend the funeral ceremony of Queen Elizabeth II, most news websites reported on Saturday. During her stay in London, Osmani will also meet with the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the British Parliament, Sir Lindsay Hoyle. In her condolence message on the passing away of Queen Elizabeth II, Osmani described the longest-lived monarch in the history of the United Kingdom as an inspiration for the generations to come, and while comforting the people of the United Kingdom, emphasized that she has come to the aid of Kosovo in its darkest days.

EU officials would not comment on whether there is a new framework for dialogue (RTK)

European Union officials do not comment on hints that there is a new framework for dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia.

"As a general rule and as a matter of principle we do not comment on alleged documents reported by the media, in terms of authenticity or content," EU spokesman Peter Stano replied when asked to confirm claims that a new document exists.

In this regard, Peter Stano only reiterated that during Lajcak's last visit with the two diplomats from Germanyand France, a clear message was conveyed that the difficult political issues related to the path to comprehensive normalization must be handled in a more determined manner and faster so that there is no room for escalation in the field.

Borrell to meet with the leaders of the Western Balkans in the USA (Express)

Josep Borrell, Head of the European Union for Foreign Policy and Security, is in the United States of America where he will have a series of meetings, including with the leaders of the Western Balkans.

Borrell is expected to call on leaders from the Western Balkans in a traditional community meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly on September 20.

This visit of high European officials is on the eve of the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly.

Djaferovic: I have to say that Bosnia and Herzegovina does not recognize Kosovo (RTK)

Citizens of Kosovo and Bosnia-Herzegovina are the only ones in the region who have strict barriers to movement between their countries.

Asked by RTK if there is any step forward towards freedom of movement, Bosnian member of the presidency Sefik Djaferovic said that this topic has not even been discussed so far.

 "Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo have a strict regime for the movement of people, goods and capital. There is no stricter regime anywhere. Serbia and all other countries have a more liberal approach. And I think it is in the interest of Bosnia and Herzegovina that the people living in Bosnia and those living in Kosovo should work to remove this regime and move freely. At this point, there is no consensus in Bosnia and Herzegovina. But I believe that the time will come when, at least, when freedom of movement is concerned, compatibility will be achieved, because this is in the interest of all people, because, as a result of this regime, we are suffering damages at both sides," Djaferovic said.

"Everything I'm talking about I've been working on for the entire four years I've been in the presidency, but there is no consensus within the presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina", he said.

Education Minister: SBASHK is refusing to cooperate (media)

Kosovo’s Minister of Education, Arberie Nagavci, said on Sunday that the Union of Education, Science and Culture (SBASHK) is refusing to cooperate with the government, President and the People’s Attorney. Nagavci said in a Facebook post that SBASHK is proving that “they have turned the strike from an instrument into an objective”. “As such the strike has lost every meaning and as Minister of Education, I call on teachers all over Kosovo to return to school tomorrow,” she added.

People’s Attorney calls on SBASHK and government to reflect on strike (Klan)

The People’s Attorney of Kosovo called on the Union of Education, Science and Culture (SBASHK) and the government to reflect and find a solution that would end the strike in education. It said it had received a response from the government that they are ready to discuss issues raised by the People’s Attorney and that they are waiting for a response from the unions.

The People’s Attorney also said that in the situation that has been created the right to education as a constitutional right is not being respected and that the children are being denied their right to education.

Albanian Post publishes new framework in dialogue 

The Albanian Post news website claims to have secured the new framework in the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia according to which a substantial agreement would be reached next year, the grand finale would take place after 10 years, Kosovo would get recognition from the five non-recognising EU member states, membership in international organisations and Serbia would get massive aid.

According to the news website, the second agreement on normalisation of relations would be signed in 2023 through which Serbia would accept Kosovo’s reality as an independent country but would not formally recognise it. At a later stage, hypothetically after 10 years, when the EU would be ready to enlarge and include the Western Balkans, an agreement on mutual recognition would be reached, as a precondition for the EU membership of the two countries. The news website claims that this plan was presented in the new framework for an agreement between Kosovo and Serbia, drafted after the engagement of French and German presidential advisors.

Kosovo's Beleaguered Minorities: Three Degrees And Another On The Way, But Still No Job (RFE)

Amanda Toska has learned a lot. The 32-year-old Pristina native has two bachelor's degrees and a master's degree, and is pursuing a fourth. But, so far, the secret to landing a job in Kosovo's civil service has eluded her.

Four times she's applied for various positions within state institutions, including the Health Ministry and the national public broadcaster, and four times she's been rejected.

"I suspect that the refusal of work was due to the fact that I belong to the Romany community," Toska told RFE/RL's Balkan Service, "because I've always applied for positions for which I'm qualified."

Read more at: https://bit.ly/3dqi3iI