UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, September 27, 2021

Registration centres in Zubin Potok and Zvecan attacked on weekend (media)
Kurti: Dialogue is the only way to find solutions (media)
Kurti and Svecla hold press conference following attacks in the north (media)
Kosovo’s Security Council convened in light of recent incidents (media)
President Osmani cuts short New York visit following events in the north (media)
Opposition leaders support Kosovo institutions in upholding rule of law (media)
International community calls on Kosovo and Serbia to de-escalate the situation (media)
Vucic to Stoltenberg: Serbia did not violate agreements or jeopardised peace (N1)
CDHRF: Serbia’s objective is the destabilisation of the situation (media)
Serbian troops on heightened alert at Kosovo border (France 24)
Police: Reciprocity with license plates continues to be implemented at border crossings (RTK)
Russian ambassador inspects Serb military troops near Kosovo border (media)
Albanian PM Rama to visit Kosovo today (media)
Court concludes ruling on registration of land to Decan Monastery is not enforced (media)
COVID-19: Five deaths, 77 new cases (media)

Registration centres in Zubin Potok and Zvecan attacked on weekend (media)

The vehicle registration centre in Zubin Potok was set ablaze during the early Saturday hours while the civil registration center in Zvecan was hit by grenades which did not go off, said Kosovo’s Interior Minister Xhelal Svecla on Saturday.

"Today at 01:00 after midnight, the Vehicle Registration Center, which is located in the municipal building in Zubin Potok, was set on fire as a criminal act with terrorist elements caused by suspicious persons. Kosovo Police immediately went to the scene and we will soon have more information. Also, the Civil Registration Center in Zvecan was attacked, where an explosive device is suspected to have been planted", Svecla wrote on Facebook. He said these acts show that the police presence in the north is necessary.

Kurti: Dialogue is the only way to find solutions (media)

Prime Minister of Kosovo Albin Kurti had telephone conversations yesterday with the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg to discuss the recent developments in the north of Kosovo.

“In phone conversations today w/ EUHR @JosepBorrellF & #NATO Sec.Gen. @jensstoltenberg we discussed rule of law, peace & security & the need for de-escalation in the North of Kosova. Dialogue is the only way to find just solutions,” Kurti tweeted.

In response to the attacks on registration centres in Zubin Potok and Zvecan, Kurti on Saturday said that Serbia was provoking a serious international conflict. “Preliminary investigations show that the burning of the building of the Vehicle Registration Center in Zubin Potok was not accidental but intentional. Two hand grenades were also thrown in Zvecan, also in the building of the same vehicle registration center, but fortunately they did not go off. Individuals or groups for whom the rule of law and public order endanger criminal activity are attacking our state and undermining the peace. They are clearly encouraged and supported by Serbia, namely the autocratic regime there. Unfortunately, before the eyes of the international community, Serbia is using the citizens of Kosovo to provoke a serious international conflict", Kurti said on Facebook.

He added that such acts will not be tolerated. “The Kosovo Police is a professional institution that should be respected by all. I call on the citizens, especially those north of Iber, regardless of whether they are Serbs, Albanians, Bosniaks or Roma to keep the peace and cooperate with Kosovo institutions.”

Kurti and Svecla hold press conference following attacks in the north (media)

In a joint press conference on Saturday, Prime Minister Albin Kurti and Interior Minister Xhelal Svecla spoke about the situation in the north of Kosovo.

Kurti said the attacks in Zubin Potok and Zvecan against Kosovo institutions are criminal acts with elements of terrorism. He said these following inciting statements from Serbia’s officials. “Serbia clearly wants to escalate the situation by bringing its Russian-made aircraft closer to the border. Serbia is risking a conflict involving the region,” he warned.

Kurti said all measures that the Government will take will be in line with the security situation as assessed by the Kosovo Police. “Only when they make the assessment can we say what we can do. Do not forget that on the 6th day of the reciprocity of the license plate measure, 9,000 vehicles received the temporary license plates, respected it.”

Svecla said the decision on license plates is legitimate and accused, as he said, the Serb parallel structures of spreading false information. “MIA would like to stress that it is the guarantor of the sovereign actions of the Government of Kosovo and despite the tendencies to manipulate the public, they will not affect in any way the implementation of decisions that benefit all citizens of Kosovo without distinction. We call on all citizens without distinction not to fall prey to various provocations,” Svecla said.

Kosovo’s Security Council convened in light of recent incidents (media)

Prime Minister of Kosovo Albin Kurti convened a meeting of the Security Council on Saturday in light of recent developments in the north of Kosovo.

According to a press release issued by the Government, the meeting focused on the security situation in Kosovo and the need for further coordination of strategic actions in the service of peace and security, constitutionality and legality. "The institutions of the Republic of Kosovo remain committed to maintaining order, public safety and the rule of law throughout the territory of the Republic of Kosovo."

Kurti took to Facebook to publish pictures of persons who he said are known for their criminal activity and extremist views and who are involved in putting up the roadblocks near the border crossing points of Bernjak and Jarinje. He said these men, whom he also named, have pro-Serb and pro-Russian views.

President Osmani cuts short New York visit following events in the north (media)

President of Kosovo Vjosa Osmani has cut short her visit to New York in light of developments in the north of Kosovo.

Prior to this, she reacted on social media to the incidents in Zubin Potok and Zvecan: “Recent attacks on public institutions in the north of the country by criminal and illegal structures backed by Serbia are the main evidence of what we have been saying for a long time: Serbia and Vucic's hegemonic regime are the main sources of destabilization in the region, which is aiming to undo the achievements of our American and European allies in Kosovo and in the region.

“The international community should not ignore what is clearly obvious- the Russian-Serbian tendency to, through the destabilization of our region, damage the European Union and NATO itself, both as a union and a system of values. In Kosovo, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina the same destabilizing model which Russia uses in the Baltic states, Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia has been used too. Therefore, it is time for the international community, first of all the EU and NATO member states, to see this danger and stop the Vucic regime from achieving its goal of creating a "Serbian world" that pertains to the logic of the 1990s in Serbia.

“I call upon the citizens of the Republic of Kosovo, in particular the Kosovo Serbs, to be united in rejecting the ominous scenarios of Serbia. Kosovo's institutions will continue to stand by them, providing support and security from Serbia's criminal and illegal structures.”

Opposition leaders support Kosovo institutions in upholding rule of law (media)

Prime Minister of Kosovo Albin Kurti met leaders of opposition parties - Memli Krasniqi from the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) and Lumir Abdixhiku from the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) - to brief them about the security situation, in particular that in the north of Kosovo.

"Opposition leaders, Krasniqi and Abdixhiku, expressed support for the rule of law throughout the territory of Kosovo and for the protection of the borders of our state. They also stressed support for the Kosovo Police and other state institutions," the Government said in a statement.

Krasniqi said that he asked Kurti to take measures to enforce the rule of law and guarantee the safety of Kosovo officials and all citizens of the northern municipalities as well as to coordinate actions with international partners, especially the U.S., EU, and KFOR.

Abdixhiku said that in times like these, “our unity is essential”. “I also asked for additional clarifications on our course ahead, clarifications which should come as soon as possible. Kosovo does not have the luxury of tolerating tensions in its territory,” Abdixhiku said. He also stressed the need for coordination with international allies.

Leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) Ramush Haradinaj was not present in the meeting although he said he showed up but that PM Kurti was not there. Nevertheless, he said, his position is that Kosovo should be defended at all cost and that coordination with allies is crucial.

International community calls on Kosovo and Serbia to de-escalate the situation (media)

EU High Representative on Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell reacted to the developments in the north of Kosovo and called on Serbia and Kosovo to “unconditionally de-escalate the situation on the ground, by immediately withdrawing special police units and dismantling of roadblocks.”

Borrell said that any further provocations or unilateral and uncoordinated actions are unacceptable.

“Kosovo and Serbia must find solutions to defuse the situation and agree on the way forward. The EU will actively support these efforts. Both Kosovo and Serbian leaders are fully responsible for any risks to the safety and well-being of local communities is on both Kosovo and Serbia. I stressed this in my calls with President Vucic and Prime Minister Kurti this week.

“The EU-facilitated Dialogue continues to be the only platform to address and resolve all open issues between the Parties, including those related to freedom of movement and licence plates, and I strongly urge Kosovo and Serbia to use it. Both Chief Negotiators coming to Brussels in the coming days is a first positive step. It is crucial that they come with a mandate to discuss the way forward and find sustainable solutions that are in the interests of the citizens.

“We repeat that we expect both Kosovo and Serbia to return to fostering an environment conducive to reconciliation, regional stability and cooperation for the benefit of their citizens. This is crucial for reaching a comprehensive and legally-binding agreement on normalisation of their relations, which is necessary for both to advance on their respective European paths,” he said, adding that he was in close touch with NATO Secretary General, whom he thanked for the excellent cooperation between KFOR and EULEX. “KFOR plays a key role in supporting regional stability in the Western Balkans,” he concluded.

Spokesperson for the U.S. State Department, Ned Price, told Radio Free Europe that they were working with the EU, NATO and the governments of Kosovo and Serbia to ensure immediate steps are taken for de-escalation of tensions and "to avoid actions that increase tensions, jeopardize the progress made in the framework of EU-facilitated dialogue and negatively affect the daily lives of citizens." The United States said that the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Gabriel Escobar will attend the meetings to be held in Brussels this week.

European Council President Charles Michel called on leaders in Kosovo and Serbia to de-escalate the situation and said that he is in close contact with EU High Representative Josep Borrell. "Time for both Serbia and Kosovo @avucic and @albinkurti to step back and to deescalate including withdrawal of Special Police Units and barricades and to continue negotiations on the proposal of EUSR @MiroslavLajcak," Michel tweeted.

Susanne Schütz, Regional Director for South-Eastern Europe at the German Federal Foreign Office, meanwhile tweeted: "Any provocations at the #Kosovo #Serbia border must stop. We urge both sides to deescalate and meet as soon as possible. Full support for EU @MiroslavLajcak @JosepBorrellF."

German Ambassador to Kosovo Jorn Rohde called on Sunday on Pristina and Belgrade to reduce tensions and find a common language. "The situation in the north needs to be de-escalated. I urge both parties to talk to each other instead about each other. The best way forward: meet in Brussels and find a solution as soon as possible," the German diplomat wrote on Twitter.

The Austrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has reacted to the situation in northern Kosovo through a post on Twitter. “We strongly condemn last night‘s incidents in Kosovo. Resolution of open issues lies in negotiation, not violence. All parties must refrain from divisive steps and intimidation. The EU-facilitated dialogue is the only way to a peaceful future and #EU integration!” reads the tweet.

Albania’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned ‘the vandal acts, committed by individuals that set fires in several vehicle registration centres in Zubin Potok’, and called on the Serbian government to withdraw all armed forces from its border with Kosovo. “Albania is particularly concerned about the deployment of Serbian armed forces close to their border with Kosovo, including military airfare that are currently flying above Kosovo’s airspace, triggering individuals to provoke further havoc and acts of violence, while also aiming to destabilize Kosovo. These acts go against all international agreements, which aim to ensure order and stability in this part of the region.We call on Serbia to withdraw all armed forces from their border with Kosovo and work instead on immediately de-escalating the situation. We urge all involved actors to exercise self-restraint and immediately head to the dialogue, as the only way to walk forward and resolve the matters that have remained at a standstill with a spirit of cooperation. Albania is unequivocally committed to these matters, through its bilateral and multilateral efforts,” the Albanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.

The OSCE also reacted to the weekend events in the north of Kosovo. “The OSCE Mission in Kosovo condemns the incidents today in Zubin Potok and Zvečan/Zveçan. We call for de-escalation and restraint and urge a return to dialogue in the interests of all communities,” it said in a post published on social media.

Vucic to Stoltenberg: Serbia did not violate agreements or jeopardised peace (N1)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic talked to NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg on Sunday about what the foreign official called a concerning situation in Kosovo. Vucic told him that Serbia in no way violated the Brussels agreement or Resolution 1244, nor did it jeopardise the peace.

According to the President’s office, he told Stoltenberg in a phone conversation that for seven days everyone has been “loudly silent” about what he called “a full occupation of the north of Kosovo that is carried out by Pristina,” but that now everyone is “suddenly concerned when they see Serbia’s helicopters and planes in central Serbia.”

Vucic thanked Stoltenberg for being fair and hearing Serbia’s side of the story, asking which international regulation Serbia breached, the President’s office said.

Stoltenberg tweeted after the talks with Vucic and Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti it is necessary for both Belgrade and Pristina to show restraint and return to dialogue.

CDHRF: Serbia’s objective is the destabilisation of the situation (media)

The Kosovo-based Council for Defence of Human Rights and Freedom (CDHRF) strongly condemned the attacks on Kosovo institutions in Zubin Potok and Zvecan saying immediate response is necessary in order to free the roads blocked by Serb protesters near the border crossing points of Bernjak and Jarinje.

“The deployment of Serbia’s army and gendarmerie near the border with Kosovo is a clear sign of Serbia’s objective for destabilising the situation. The opportunistic position of the international community that puts on equal footing a constitutional right and obligation for protection of territorial integrity and extension of sovereignty within the territory with the criminal interference by Serbia in internal affairs through the instrumentalization of Kosovo Serb citizens and criminal gangs, does not contribute to calming of the situation but instead encourages radical and criminal elements to escalate the situation without the risk of being held accountable for criminal acts,” CDHRF said.

It further said that reciprocity on license plates should be respected until a solution acceptable to all is found.

In a subsequent statement, CDHRF criticised the EU's response to the incidents in the north saying that the EU High Representative Josep Borrell and Special Representative Miroslav Lajcak have been ‘facilitators’ to Serbia and ‘coercive’ to Kosovo. "Borrell and Lajcak, instead of offering neutrality they are try to impose arbitrariness," CDHRF stated.

Serbian troops on heightened alert at Kosovo border (France 24)

Serbian troops were on a heightened state of alert on Sunday after the government in Belgrade accused neighbouring Kosovo of "provocations" by sending special police units to the border.

Already tense relations between Serbia and its former breakaway region have grown worse since the ethnic Albanian-led government there on Monday despatched the police units to an area mainly populated by minority ethnic Serbs, who reject the authority of the government in Kosovo's capital Pristina.

The deployment came as hundreds of ethnic Serbs have staged daily protests against a decision to require drivers with Serbian registration plates to put on temporary ones when entering Kosovo -- a "reciprocal measure", according to Pristina.

"No one here wants a conflict and I hope there won't be one," said a 45-year-old protester who identified himself as Ljubo and was camped at the Jarinje border crossing.

"We want Pristina to withdraw its forces and cancel the decision on licence plates."

Hundreds of Serbs in Kosovo have been protesting and blocking traffic with trucks on the roads leading to two border crossings.

"After the provocations by the (special police) units... Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic gave the order to heighten the alert for some Serbian army and police units," the defence ministry in Belgrade said in a statement.

Serbian fighter jets could again be seen overflying the border region on Sunday after several sorties on Saturday, an AFP correspondent reported.