UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, September 5, 2022

Kurti receives letter from Scholtz and Macron (media)
‘Serbia must get ready to make a difficult decision’, Macron-Scholz letter to Vucic (media)
Kosovo government submits judicial vetting draft to Parliament (media)
Kurti on Brnabic’s visit: No statements that induce de-stabilization (media)
Bislimi and Nagavci to visit Presheva Valley (media)
Jasharaj: The strike continues (media)
Rama for Der Spiegel: Russia would love another conflict in the Balkans (media)
Rakic: Brnabic’s visit shows that Kosovo Serbs are in favor of peace and security (media)
Haxhiu on the case of the 11-year-old: There will be additional dismissals (euronews.al)
EU-brokered deal leaves Kosovo and Serbia mired in antagonism (Financial Times)
COVID-19: 49 new cases (media)

Kurti receives letter from Scholtz and Macron (media)

The Prime Minister of Kosovo Albin Kurti has received a joint letter from German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and the President of France, Emmanuel Macron.

The letter states that the complete normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia is of crucial importance for the Western Balkans.

“We are addressing this letter to you at a crucial time for security on the European continent and stability in the Western Balkans region.

We are convinced that in the light of the Russian aggression against Ukraine, we need to make even more powerful efforts to make the European perspective a reality for the Western Balkan states and to find solutions to the current bilateral and regional disputes.

For the Western Balkans, the complete normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia is of crucial importance.

We are addressing you as the leader of your country, to call on you to show readiness and maximum resolution to take difficult decisions, which lead to the progress of the dialogue led by the EU, between Kosovo and Serbia.

Recent tensions have shown that constructive steps on the way forward are urgently needed, at the practical and political level.

Therefore, we have tasked our foreign policy and security advisors, Mr. Jens Plötner and Mr. Emmanuel Bonne, to directly support Miroslav Lajcak in his efforts.

Our proposal is that the advisers make a joint visit with Miroslav Lajcak to Kosovo and Serbia, in order to find options, so that the process moves forward quickly.

We very much hope that this initiative will have your interest and support,” reads the letter.

‘Serbia must get ready to make a difficult decision’, Macron-Scholz letter to Vucic (media)

Serbia must prepare for a difficult decision. This was the main message of the leaders of Germany and France, who together sent a very important letter to President Aleksandar Vucic, regarding the dialogue with Kosovo.

Emmanuel Macron and Olaf Scholz emphasized that the full normalization of relations between Belgrade and Prishtina is essential for the stability of the Western Balkans.

“We are addressing you as the leader of your country, to appeal to you to show determination and maximum readiness to make a difficult decision, which leads to progress in the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia, under the auspices of the EU. The recent tensions have shown that constructive steps forward are urgently needed, both on a practical and political level,” the message of the two leaders read.

“We are sending you this joint letter at a moment of decisive importance for security on the European continent and stability in the Western Balkans region. We are convinced that, in the light of the Russian aggression against Ukraine, we must further intensify our efforts to ensure that the European perspective of the Western Balkan countries becomes a reality, and the long bilateral and regional disputes are resolved”.

For the two European leaders, “the full normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia is of crucial importance for the Western Balkans”.

Macron and Scholz announced that they have assigned two of their foreign policy and security advisors to provide direct support to the EU’s mediator for the dialogue, Miroslav Lajcak, in his efforts to reach a final agreement between Kosovo and Serbia.

The letter stated that the advisers, together with Lajcak, will visit Belgrade and Prishtina in order to examine all valid possibilities of pushing forward the process of normalizing relations.

Kosovo government submits judicial vetting draft to Parliament (media)

Prime Minister of Kosovo Albin Kurti and Minister of Justice Albulena Haxhiu submitted Sunday the judicial vetting dossier to the Speaker of Parliament Glauk Konjufca.

“After intensive work and consultation with our parliamentary groups, today we are submitting the vetting file to the Parliament of Kosovo, which will include the draft constitutional amendments for judicial vetting, the draft bill for judicial vetting, the draft proposal for judicial vetting, and explanatory documents regarding the vetting process drafted by the Ministry of Justice,” Haxhiu said during a joint press conference with PM Kurti.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Kurti said that there is no better alternative to vetting all of the country’s judges and prosecutors.

Kurti on Brnabic’s visit: No statements that induce de-stabilization (media)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti has commented on the visit of the Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic to northern Kosovo, which will take place today.

During a press conference on Sunday, Kurti said that Brnabic should refrain from making any divisive statements that could lead to tensions and destabilization.

“I hope that the visits of officials after the decision on the free movement of citizens, will contribute to free movement in general, and I also hope that Mrs. Brnabic will not continue in the footsteps of Belgrade’s chief negotiator, who made divisive and disruptive statements that were aimed at creating more tension and destabilization. Right now, we need to focus on providing a better life to our citizens,” Kurti said.

The Prime Minister of Serbia will pay a one-day visit to Kosovo on Monday, September 5. She will visit Mitrovica, Zvecan and Leposavic.

On her trip, she will be accompanied by the director of the Office for Kosovo Petar Petkovic and the director of the Office for IT and e-Government Dr. Mihailo Jovanovic.

Bislimi and Nagavci to visit Presheva Valley (media)

Kosovo’s first Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration, Development and Dialogue Besnik Bislimi, accompanied by the Minister of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, Arberie Nagavci, will visit the Presheva Valley on Monday.

Their visit comes at a time when the Prime Minister of Serbia Ana Brnabic will visit Kosovo.

Jasharaj: The strike continues (media)

Despite the calls of the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology to start school on Monday, the president of United Union of Education, Science and Culture of Kosovo, Rrahman Jasharaj, said that the strike in education continues.

According to him, the Economic Revival Package presented by Prime Minister Kurti and Minister Hekuran Murati is not a realization of the demands.

"Ministry of Education, Science and Technology should influence the government to have a dialogue. We had hope from the meeting with the president," he said.

Rama for Der Spiegel: Russia would love another conflict in the Balkans (media)

In an interview for the German magazine Der Spiegel, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, stated that Kosovo has been positive for the Balkans.

According to Rama, since the declaration of independence, the region has entered the path of peace while healing the wounds of the past.

“The decision for Kosovo was the right one. After all, right now there’s also a process of peace and reconciliation underway, even if it might take a long time to achieve,” Rama said.

But the prime minister also warned that the somewhat fragile Balkans is at risk of Russia’s influence, which according to him would be ready to welcome another conflict.

During the interview, he quoted Russian President Putin’s references to Kosovo when comparing it to Crimea and other Ukrainian regions controlled by pro-Russian separatists.

“Putin always says Kosovo, Kosovo, Kosovo. Russia is fueling the conflict in the Balkans and endangering its fragile peace. He would be content if something would move in the direction of a new conflict”, said Rama.

Emphasizing that the Balkans is divided in terms of its Russian influence and that of the West, the head of the Albanian government continued by saying that the region is also experiencing positive developments thanks to the Open Balkan initiative.

“Recently, we’ve also had some interesting developments in the Balkans. So, I want Serbia, Albania, and Montenegro to create a kind of Schengen mini-zone so we can make better exchanges amongst each other,”he said.

Lastly, he added that apart from the differences that separate them, Balkan leaders are now united by a common goal: “To overturn the fate of history”.

Rakic: Brnabic’s visit shows that Kosovo Serbs are in favor of peace and security (media)

The chairman of the Serbian List Goran Rakic stated on Sunday that the upcoming visit of the Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic to northern Kosovo shows that Kosovo Serbs are in favor of peace and security, as well as survival and remaining in these areas.

Rakic also said that the arrival of Brnabic means a lot for the Serbs because it sends a message that the Serbian people are not alone, RTS (Serbian Radio Television) reported.

“We will use her visit to ask once again that our country continues the fight to maintain peace and stability and that it also continues to invest strongly in our communities,” Rakic said.

Haxhiu on the case of the 11-year-old: There will be additional dismissals (euronews.al)

2 resignations and 2 dismissals have been carried out as a result of the suspected rape of an 11-year-old girl in Prishtina.

However, Kosovo's Minister of Justice Albulena Haxhiu, has warned of additional dismissals of officials "who haven't performed their duties accordingly".

For the case of the 11-year-old girl, investigations are underway in two separate criminal cases, that of suspicion of rape on August 27 by five people and suspicion of trafficking, rape and solicitation in June by six other people, reports REL.

For both cases, 11 people were arrested and all of them were ordered to be detained for 30 days.

"We within the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Ministry of Justice are identifying responsible persons who may be related to the case so that we can take action against them," said the minister of justice during a press conference on September 4.

Haxhiu also demanded the resignation of the chief prosecutor of the General Prosecution in Prishtina, Kujtim Munishi, and said that action should be taken against "prosecutors and judges who are not performing their duties as they should".

EU-brokered deal leaves Kosovo and Serbia mired in antagonism (Financial Times)

Pristina and Belgrade agree to ease travel restrictions but peace process remains in limbo, hampering EU membership ambitions

A graceful bridge spans the Ibar river that divides the Kosovo town of Mitrovica near the Serbian border, where ethnic Serbs and Albanians have lived for centuries. But its walkways, cycle paths and car lanes are empty; concrete slabs and international peacekeepers block most traffic.

The town has been segregated since a bloody war in 1999, which ended in a Nato bombing of Belgrade as thousands of Albanians were killed or chased from their homes by Serb paramilitaries, and even today few locals venture across the bridge between their communities. The ethnic Serbs live on the north side of the river, the Albanians on the south.