Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: 635 new cases, 13 deaths (media)
• Zemaj: Strict measures for some cities will continue (media)
• Hoti: We agreed to have inter-institutional coordination (media)
• Mustafa: Let us support our people at Specialist Chambers (media)
• Krasniqi: Never in my life have I treated people the way you treated me (media)
• KLA veterans: Defamed indictments do not honor anyone (RTK)
• Hoti to attend Sofia Summit (Koha)
• Haradinaj pays a surprise visit to PDK offices (Express)

Serbian Language Media:

• Five new cases of Covid-19 registered in Serb areas in Kosovo, one person passed away (Radio KIM)
• Three Western Balkan countries sign memorandum to fight coronavirus (N1)
• Ambassador Schieb: Implement the idea of "mini Schengen" in all countries of the Western Balkans (Kosovo Online, Tanjug) 
• Vucic congratulates Biden, hopes that good cooperation with US will continue (FoNet, N1)
• Covic on Biden’s relation towards Balkans: Destiny of Washington agreement first test (RTS)
• Belgrade insists on dialogue with Pristina, implementation of all signed deals (FoNet, N1)
• Office for KiM: Cemetery in Svinjare village desecrated (Radio KIM)
• Dodik: There will be no Pristina office in Sarajevo (Kosovo-online)
• Both Serbs and Albanians have wrong expectations of Biden (KIM radio)

Opinion:

• Biden presidency no magic fix for Kosovo (Prishtina Insight)

International:

• Kosovo Guerrillas’ Ex-Spokesman Pleads Not Guilty to War Crimes (Balkan Insight)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Struggling to be Seen: In Croatia, Albanian Women Fight Prejudice, Patriarchal Norms (Balkan Insight)
• Animal Rights Foundation: A smuggled lion is still illegally locked up in a cage in a Gnjilane resort (KoSSev)

 

 

 

Albanian Language Media 

 

COVID-19: 635 new cases, 13 deaths (media)

635 new cases of COVID-19 and 13 deaths from the virus have been recorded in the last 24 hours in Kosovo. 104 patients have recovered from the virus during this time.

There are currently 7,798 active cases of coronavirus in Kosovo.

The highest number of new cases is from the municipality of Prishtina (324).

Zemaj: Strict measures for some cities will continue (media)

Kosovo’s Minister of Health, Armend Zemaj, held a virtual meeting with the municipal mayors, to discuss the recent concerns and the epidemiological situation, as well as further coordination for the observance of measures against the COVID-19 virus.

Through a post on the social network Facebook, Zemaj announced that stricter measures initiated last week, will continue, and operational decisions will be made for certain municipalities based on the number of the infected.

“The curve of recent cases compels us to additional and active care. Close cooperation with Kosovo municipalities, especially with the mayors and municipal emergency headquarters is required. Also, cooperation of all mechanisms of central and local institutions for rigorous implementation of measures issued by the central level, is necessary.

The requirements and recommendations will be in function of the efficient fight against the Covid-19 virus.

Together, we can do it!” Zemaj wrote. 

Hoti: We agreed to have inter-institutional coordination (media)

Acting President of Kosovo Vjosa Osmani hosted this morning a meeting with the Prime Minister of Kosovo Avdullah Hoti.

After the meeting, Hoti called for political maturity to overcome the situation after the confirmation of the charges by the Specialist Chambers.

Hoti told the reporters that he has agreed with Osmani to constantly consult and have inter-institutional coordination. 

Mustafa: Let us support our people at Specialist Chambers (media)

Isa Mustafa, leader of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) is not interested in who wants to become the president of Kosovo, as his focus is to support those who are facing the Special Court process.

In a response to Gazeta Express news portal, Mustafa said ‘I am ready at this time to discuss with all, on how to support our people who are facing the Special Court process, to look after their defense, because they are now only suspects while only the judicial process can prove their guilt, to establish a platform to present to the international opinion and recall the clean war of the KLA and Serbian crimes committed in Kosovo,” Mustafa said.

Asked about the announcements of the leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) Raush Haradinaj that if he does not become the president, than Kosovo should go for new elections, Mustafa said ‘I am not at all concerned who wishes to become the president of Kosovo, or to play the role of the president. I am concerned about the serious and grave situation that we are in, and about the need to unite for the interest of the country,” Mustafa said.

He added he did not meet the new leader of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) Enver Hoxhaj.

“I did not meet Mr. Enver Hoxhaj. I spoke on the phone with him about the created situation. We did not discuss the (post of the) president or governing,” he said.

Krasniqi: Never in my life have I treated people the way you treated me (media)

Media widely reported about today’s initial court appearance of Kosovo’s former Assembly Speaker and former spokesperson of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) Jakup Krasniqi, in front of the Hague-based Kosovo Specialist Chambers (KSC). Krasniqi, has pleaded not guilty to war crimes and crimes against humanity, during his initial appearance.

“First I want to say here that I was arrested on November 4, 2020. In the indictment you are calling us a joint criminal organisation. I want to declare today that never in my life in any single case have I treated people as badly as you have treated me from the prison building to this building,” Krasniqi said.

“I feel more than good, and I would never want to be in the guise of a criminal. I am an intellectual, I am a man who fought Serbia politically, I never pointed a finger at the civilian population in any of my statements. Therefore in the indictment you try to separate the people into Catholics and Muslims, I am neither a Catholic nor a Muslim. This is offensive to both me and my country.

The prosecutor's statement that we are a joint criminal organisation, for me, my friends, my family that we fought for a long time, but also for our nation, there is nothing more offensive as for a long time, under very difficult circumstances, life or death, we were in the service of freedom and state-building, which we achieved in cooperation with the U.S. and the EU, NATO and the UN, and all together we were and are a joint organisation of liberation and state-building.

While the joint criminal enterprise is not only the Serbs in Serbia, but was and is its head in Belgrade and supporters of Belgrade policies.

I believe and I believe very much that every educated citizen, who has been living in the countries of western democracies for the least 30 years, where they have been raised and educated with the values ​​of this world, with the values ​​related to human freedoms, is aware of this.

I do not want to prolong it today, but I want to tell you that I was convicted by the criminal regimes of Yugoslavia in 1981-82, and they detained me because I read books and because I spoke and opposed that regime, but trust me, they were more right than, than for me to be here today.

A great injustice has been done to me and I will carry this injustice as well, because the people have a saying "Man is stronger than stone and what a stone cannot bear, a man can.

My people and I have gone through a lot of injustice and we did not need such injustice. I will say even more in following sessions, but I would not feel good to be in the service of Serbia's genocide crime policies for which the Serbian prosecutor, these days said after the indictment has been filed that he has been a prosecutor since 2003. I think that the clear address of this whole masquerade is in Belgrade and the supporters of its policies, wherever they are,” Krasniqi said at the Court. 

KLA veterans: Defamed indictments do not honor anyone (RTK)

The organization of veterans of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) has reacted after the accusations against the main figures of the KLA, saying that these events are a clear indication that Europe not only does not intend to establish justice, but do exactly the opposite of it. 

In the reaction of the KLA veterans, it is said that the events of last week where four of the main KLA figures were raided, accused and arrested (Jakup Krasniqi, Hashim Thaçi, Kadri Veseli and Rexhep Selimi), made every Albanian who breathes Albanian, to express deep indignation at the injustices that are being done to this people and its rightful struggle for freedom.

"These events are a clear indication that Europe not only does not intend to do justice, but to do the exact opposite. Putting at the bench of the accused the KLA, which fought alongside international forces, to oust from Kosovo a barbaric and genocidal regime, such as the Serbian regime, leaving free hundreds of Serb criminals whose crimes they already known in the entire world, it is once again proved its game with the fate of the peoples in this part of the Balkans, and especially with the Albanian people whom it has consistently struck for more than two centuries of its history. KLA soldiers have never escaped justice because they were convinced of the purity of this war and their just cause for national freedom and liberation. Proud of their past, they have never hesitated to respond to every court and every call for justice. However, such indictments raised by slander and untruths, fabricated by a barbaric and genocidal regime do not honor anyone. And "democratic" Europe should be thinking thoroughly before taking such unilateral actions, because Albanians are no longer those of the two centuries ago, they are now a strong nation and invincible from these unjust blows," it is said in the reaction.

Hoti to attend Sofia Summit (Koha)

The Prime Minister of Kosovo, Avdullah Hoti, will participate tomorrow in the Sofia Summit - Western Balkan Countries 6, which is a continuation of the Berlin Process.

The topic of the Sofia Summit is the Common Regional Market - Catalyst towards the European Union Market.

Due to the Covid 19 pandemic, the meeting will be virtual and Kosovo will participate on an equal basis, the Prime Minister’s Office announced.

The Sofia Summit will be attended by: German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Emmanuel Macron, EU Commissioner for Neighborhood and Enlargement Olivér Várhelyi and other statesmen from EU member states.

Haradinaj pays a surprise visit to PDK offices (Express)

Leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK), Ramush Haradinaj, visited the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) offices Monday.

The PDK spokesperson Avni Bytyqi, said the unannounced visit of Haradinaj came after the Kosovo Specialist Chambers confirmed the indictments against Kosovo president Hashim Thaci and PDK leader Kadri Veseli last week. Bytyqi said that Haraidnaj and PDK leaders have not discussed any political issues.

“Mr. Haradinaj paid an unannounced visit to the PDK offices to express his solidarity following recent developments with the Specialist Chambers. We thank him for his gesture, and at the same time we confirm that during the meeting it was not discussed on current political issues in Kosovo,” Bytyqi said in a Facebook post.

“Confirmation of the indictment against former PDK chairman Veseli and former president Thaci put Kosovo and PDK in a very difficult position. We need solidarization and cooperation more than ever to overcome this very difficult situation for the country,” Bytyqi wrote.

 

 

 

Serbian Language Media

 

Five new cases of Covid-19 registered in Serb areas in Kosovo, one person passed away (Radio KIM)

Five new cases of Covid-19 infection were registered in the Serb-populated areas in Kosovo on Sunday while one person passed away, Crisis Committee of Mitrovica North announced on Sunday, Radio KIM reports.

At the same time two persons have recovered.

Out of 12 tested samples, positive cases were registered in Mitrovica North three and two in Leposavic.

Deceased person was from Lipljan. Two recovered persons are from Mitrovica North.

A total of 1023 people have recovered so far.

36 persons are hospitalized at the Clinical Hospital Center in Mitrovica North while 214 persons are staying in home isolation. This makes the total number of active cases in the Serb-populated areas in Kosovo at 250.

Since the outbreak of the pandemic a total of 6.302 persons have been tested, and 1314 persons were positive on Covid-19.

A total of 41 persons have passed away in the Serb-populated areas since the outbreak of the pandemic.

Three Western Balkan countries sign memorandum to fight coronavirus (N1)

Serbia, Albania and North Macedonia signed a memorandum of understanding to battle the coronavirus pandemic at an online conference, a post on the Serbian President’s Instagram account said.

“I am very happy and proud to have signed the memorandum of understanding in the fight against the coronavirus. The important thing is that we will introduce measures together and that we decided that our experts and medical teams should talk and cooperate, building trust to help our people,” the president is quoted as saying. He added that “it’s important to show how much we care about the health of our people … and continue strengthening our trade and all other forms of cooperation”.  

“We have formally resolved all obstacles for our citizens to be able to enter North Macedonia and Albania with ID cards alone and vice versa,” he said, adding that this would bring the three countries closer politically and deepen the trust and good relations between Tirana, Skoplje and Belgrade.  

The online summit was organized as part of the mini-Schengen initiative and was attended by Vucic, Prime Minister Ana Brnabic and Health Minister Zlatibor Loncar in Belgrade, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama in Tirana and North Macedonia Prime Minister Zoran Zaev in Skopje.

See at: https://bit.ly/3lpNtEo

Ambassador Schieb: Implement the idea of "mini Schengen" in all countries of the Western Balkans (Kosovo Online, Tanjug) 

German Ambassador to Serbia Thomas Schieb stated today that the idea of a "mini Schengen" should be fully implemented in all Western Balkan countries, and that a key decision on the formation of a common regional market is expected to be made at the Sofia Summit, reports news agency Tanjug.

"We believe that "mini Schengen" is an additional impetus for the economy of the whole region and therefore we expect that "mini Schengen" will be incorporated in some way within the regional economic zone and we hope that the result of it will be on Wednesday, to decide on a decisive step forward, to establish a regional common market," said Schieb, and reminded that regional cooperation is the key to the European integration of the Western Balkans.

Schieb reminded at the gathering "Breakpoint: EU enlargement process during the pandemic" that regional cooperation was the reason why Chancellor Angela Merkel launched the Berlin Process in 2014, within which in Sofia a summit will be held in coming days, hosted by Northern Macedonia and Bulgaria.

"The fact that the 'mini Schengen' idea came from the region is very positive, but at the same time it must be implemented to the end and all WB countries must be involved in the process," Schieb said, adding that the philosophy behind the Berlin process was the impetus for the countries in the region to take the initiative for cooperation.

Ambassador Schieb reminds that the Berlin process still has a great potential.

"We may not be where we expected to be when we started the Berlin Process, but there are successful realized stories," Schieb said at a gathering organized by the Friedrich Ebert Foundation and the European Movement in Serbia.

Vucic congratulates Biden, hopes that good cooperation with US will continue (FoNet, N1)

President of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic extended congratulations to US President-elect Joe Biden, expressing hope the successful cooperation between the two countries will continue, N1 reports.

“I wish you wisdom and resoluteness to face current challenges for the benefit of America and the rest of the world. I hope we will continue the good cooperation we had with Trump with you as well, and I am grateful for that”, Vucic tweeted on Sunday.

Vucic earlier said he knew Joe Biden better than Donald Trump, adding that he hopes for good cooperation with the USA.

“I have never uttered a bad word about Biden. I know him better than Trump. Three days ago I said Biden was likely to win, but I think it would be better for Serbia if Trump had won”, Vucic said, a day after presidential candidate Joe Biden declared victory in a narrow race for the White House.

Vucic also said he would congratulate Biden, but will also thank Trump and his aides for everything that has been done so far.

“I didn’t go along to get along with Biden when he was in Serbia and was very powerful, I won’t do it now either. I am congratulating and that’s it,” he added.

Serbian Parliament Speaker Ivica Dacic earlier said he was sure the good relations between Serbia and the US would resume, and that this process will not go backwards. Dacic also noted he was sure Biden's Administration would not go back to the 1990s when he had "some bad assessments that did not go in favour of the Serbs and Serb people".

Zorana Mihajlovic, Serbian Deputy Prime Minister, said the people of the USA chose a Democrat President and that the win of the first female Vice President was the win of womankind.

“I believe that Kamala Harris, the first woman Vice President in the history of the USA, led by democratic principles, will contribute to a better position of women because that’s a democracy – equal society where men and women have equal opportunities to achieve their goals”, she wrote on Twitter.

See at: https://bit.ly/3ldxkC9

Covic on Biden’s relation towards Balkans: Destiny of Washington agreement first test (RTS)

Former head of the Serbian Government Coordination Center for Kosovo and Metohija Nebojsa Covic told RTS Joe Biden would focus on NATO and would leave the initiative to the EU when it comes to resolving Kosovo issue. According to Covic, the first test would be what will happen to the Washington agreement and whether Biden would annul or disavow it.

Speaking for RTS morning news edition, Covic said Donald Trump would try with legal teams to dispute the results of the elections, noting he is not optimistic he would succeed in it.

“We know Mr. Biden very well, he was  here in 2001 and 2002, we know that he has a completely anti-Serbian stance, where one side was completely made satanic and it was Serbia, however when we met him it didn’t look that way. Democratic Party was running the policy of Clinton, a malign one when it comes to the world, and then to us, and it continued with Bush and Obama, who interfered less”, Covic said.  

Covic also said Biden has direct contacts with Albanian lobbyists.

When it comes to resolving the Kosovo issue, Covic said this issue also depends upon Belgrade and its consent. He noted there would be pressure, and the first test would be what would happen to the Washington agreement, whether Biden would annul them and put them aside.

“He would focus on strengthening NATO and leave the initiative to the EU when it comes to resolving the Kosovo issue”, Covic opined.

He also said Biden would face many internal problems, as America is deeply divided society on many levels, there are problems at foreign policy plans, the Climate Agreement was cancelled, the agreement with WHO as well, and that all takes energy.   

Belgrade insists on dialogue with Pristina, implementation of all signed deals (FoNet, N1)

Belgrade would insist on the dialogue on the normalization of relations with Pristina and the implementation of all the agreements reached so far, Serbian Government Office for Kosovo and Metohija Director Petar Petkovic told Friday Simona Mirela Miculescu, the outgoing director of the UN Office in Belgrade, N1 reports.

Petkovic informed Miculecsu about the political-security situation in Kosovo and the position of the Serbs there, a statement from his office said.

He particularly spoke about the recent incidents against the Serbs in the villages south of the Ibar River, adding the international organisations and institutions on the ground had to create conditions in which attacks on the Serbs and other non-Albanians would not be tolerated.

Petkovic also briefed Miculescu about the dialogue, recalling that Pristina had refused to create the Community of Serb-majority Municipalities (CSM) for seven and a half years. That, he added, harmed the normalisation of relations.

Petkovic also thanked Miculescu on her duty so far. She will be replaced by Paul Mecklenburg, her current deputy, who will be the UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ acting envoy and the director of the UN Office in Belgrade.

See at: https://bit.ly/38reaoW

Office for KiM: Cemetery in Svinjare village desecrated (Radio KIM)

The Office for Kosovo and Metohija said on Saturday that the Orthodox cemetery in the village of Svinjare, near Mitrovica has been desecrated, Radio KIM reports. The Office condemned this act.

The Office said that “demolition of the Serb families’ tombstones in Kosovo and Metohija became a frequent occurrence, without precedent in a civilized world”.

The Office requested institutions in Pristina and representatives of the international community “to undertake a serious and sincere effort in order for the perpetrators of this, but also of all other misdeeds against Serbs, their graves, holy shrines and properties, be identified and prosecuted”, the statement said.  

Dodik: There will be no Pristina office in Sarajevo (Kosovo-online)

Kosovo MP Duda Balje sent a request to the Bosnia and Herezegovina Presidency to open a Pristina liaison office in Sarajevo, Kosovo-online portal reports. The Serb member of the Bosnian Presidency Milorad Dodik and representatives of the Republic of Srpska (entity in B&H) said there would be no Pristina office open in Sarajevo.  

“This request didn’t reach me and when it arrives at the Presidency, it of course won’t happen. We shall not open any offices, Bosnia and Herzegovina do not recognize Kosovo and the latest decision of the Presidency demonstrated that”, Dodik said.

Other representatives of the Republic of Srpska Government shared the same opinion, while the President of the Republic of Srpska Zeljka Civjanovic said one should not attach importance to the issue of the opening of the Pristina office.

Duda Balje in an open letter said that she is “aware of the political situation between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo, and political consequences resulting from it, but we refer to the basic human rights of freedom of movement that would be the main aim of the office, as well as resolving everyday issues of the citizens”.

Both Serbs and Albanians have wrong expectations of Biden (KIM radio)

With the election of Joe Biden as the president of the USA, the policy of the White House towards the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina will be determined by the reunification of America and Europe, it was concluded at the debate "American presidential elections: two sides of the same coin?". 

The Biden administration would return to the policy pursued under Obama, when the United States withdrew from Europe and left it to Europeans to solve problems on their continent. The White House, for its part, would encourage Belgrade and Pristina to reach an agreement on the normalization of mutual relations within the process led by the European Union, reports KIM radio.

"US presidential election: two sides of the same coin?" debate was held on November 5 within the project "Mitrovica Social Club" implemented by the NGO Aktiv with the support of the Kosovo Foundation for Open Society (KFOS). Ivan Vujacic, professor at the Faculty of Economics at the University of Belgrade and ambassador of FR Yugoslavia, Serbia-Montenegro and Serbia to the United States from 2002 to 2009, Mark Baskin, professor at the American University in Kosovo, took part in this debate and Caleb Waugh, Head of Public Policy at NGO Active. The debate was moderated by Ognjen Gogic, head of the NGO Aktiv office in Pristina.

During the debate, Ivan Vujacic assessed that both Serbs and Albanians were wrong in their expectations of Biden. According to him, Biden was very upset when churches were set on fire during the March 2004 violence. According to Vujacic, the Albanian side will not receive a "blank check" to do what they want, as some hope. On the other hand, he believes that those Serbs, who think that someone who again will put pressure is coming, are wrong because those times are over. Instead, Biden will seek to improve relations with Europe, as a natural partner of the United States, which will determine its relationship with Kosovo. As long as America deals with international issues that are more important to it, the issue of Kosovo will be left to the Europeans, since it belongs to their geopolitical space.

Caleb Waugh stated that during Trump's time, there was a turnaround in American foreign policy. Trump treated the EU as an opponent and dealt with the Balkans only because of the race for influence in this area. Waugh concluded that Trump does not know much about the Balkans, nor he was particularly interested in it. The Washington agreement that Belgrade and Pristina signed under Trump's auspices in September was just a political show that was used for pre-election purposes.

According to Mark Baskin, Biden will strive to establish better and more constructive ties with the EU. He believes that Biden's administration would encourage Pristina to reach an agreement with Belgrade, but that one should not expect great American interference in that process. The American embassy in Pristina does not have the role it had ten years ago. As he stated, the Balkans are not so important for America, so Biden will instead strive to solve much more important problems for America.

Ivan Vujacic estimates that America could play an important role in the normalization of relations between Belgrade and Pristina due to the authority it has in Kosovo. As he stated, the division of the Albanian society in Kosovo can be a limiting factor in reaching an agreement, while the United States can put pressure on the Albanian side to accept the agreement.

Regarding the expectations that the leaders in Belgrade and Pristina had regarding the outcome of the elections, Caleb Waugh estimated that the victory of Trump would give Belgrade and Pristina a greater degree of flexibility for the talks on the division of Kosovo. As he noted, the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, looked at Trump as someone who would not interfere too much in the internal policy in Serbia, nor in the policy of Serbia towards Kosovo and the region. On the other hand, the Albanian society thought that, unlike Trump, Biden would be predictable, as well as that his choice would lead to the return of the policy that America had pursued towards Kosovo in previous years.

All participants in the debate assessed that, unlike Trump, Biden has a clear idea of what is happening in the Balkans. However, they also agreed that this space is not so important that it would be on Biden's agenda if he becomes the American president, because he will have other priorities.

Ivan Vujacic characterized President Trump's actions in foreign policy as dismantling of the international system, of which creation America played a great role, and that led it to an absurd situation to become a factor of uncertainty for the whole world. According to him, Biden will try to return America to multilateral structures, but he will inherit problems that he will not be able to solve so easily. 

Mark Baskin estimates that Biden's election would introduce predictability into American politics, which was not the case with Trump. However, he also believes that it will not be easy for Biden, especially in domestic politics. As he concludes, we have underestimated Trump, and the consequences of his policy will be far-reaching both internally and externally.

 

 

 

Opinion

 

Biden presidency no magic fix for Kosovo (Prishtina Insight)

The election of Joe Biden as US President brings the curtain down on an era of insanity but given his past record and the diminishing power of the West, Kosovo cannot expect its problems on the international stage to be instantly solved.

Trump’s defeat has come as an enormous relief to many across the globe. His narcissism, contempt for facts, and propensity for divisive hate-speech, ensured that the past four years have been one of the most disturbing, and surreal, episodes in US history. 

On foreign policy alone, the Trump administration has severely strained US-Europe relations, undermined the International Criminal Court, set-back attempts to deal with climate change, and initiated an escalating rivalry with China. 

He has encouraged the emergence of a new authoritarianism internationally, imperilled global democracy and fundamentally undermined respect for human rights. Given all this, Joe Biden’s election has unsurprisingly led to an explosion of optimism, including in Kosovo.

Indeed, there are many good reasons for Kosovo welcoming a Biden presidency. Unlike Trump, Biden has a good understanding of the country’s contemporary history. He has a long track record of engagement with the Balkans, and he has been a vocal critic of Serbia for decades, especially in the late 1990s. 

His support for Kosovo’s independence is well established, and his visit in 2016 to inaugurate the naming of a street after his late son Beau, suggests he has some emotional connection with the country. 

During the course of the election campaign Biden issued a statement outlining his ‘Vision for US relations with Albania and Kosovo.’ In this statement, Biden invokes memories of his history of “standing up to Milosevic’s aggression” and initiating the resolution to authorise NATO’s military intervention in 1999.

See at:https://bit.ly/3pesbfl

 

 

 

International

 

Kosovo Guerrillas’ Ex-Spokesman Pleads Not Guilty to War Crimes (Balkan Insight)

Jakup Krasniqi, the Kosovo Liberation Army’s wartime spokesperson and a former parliamentary speaker, pleaded not guilty to war crimes at the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in The Hague.

“I plead not guilty,” wartime Kosovo Liberation Army, KLA spokesperson turned politician Jakup Krasniqi told the judge as he made his first appearance at the Kosovo Specialist Chambers on Monday.

Krasniqi is accused, alongside recently-resigned Kosovo President Hashim Thaci and two others, of a series of war crimes and crimes against humanity including illegal detentions, torture, murder, enforced disappearances persecution from March 1998 to September 1999.

See at: https://bit.ly/3ldsO6D

 

 

Humanitarian/Development

 

Struggling to be Seen: In Croatia, Albanian Women Fight Prejudice, Patriarchal Norms (Balkan Insight)

Croatia has long been home to thousands of Albanians from across the Balkans, but the women among them have struggled against prejudice and patriarchal norms for their place in society. Might things be changing?

Mrija Kajtazi and Vera Lekaj Dedaj each moved with their families to Croatia from their native Kosovo, ten years apart.

Kajtazi left in 1989, the year Serbian strongman Slobodan Milosevic stripped Serbia’s then southern province of its autonomy. Lekaj Dedaj left in 1999, when NATO bombed to halt a wave of killings and ethnic cleansing by Serbian forces trying to quash a Kosovo Albanian guerrilla insurgency.

Kajtazi settled in Gospic, a town in the mountains some 45 minutes by car from the coast, while Lekaj Dedaj set up home in the port city of Rijeka.

Different periods, different places. Yet their experiences of life in Croatia have been remarkably similar, reflecting a conservative cultural tradition among some Albanian families that puts the men out front and keeps the women largely in the home as well as prejudices within Croatian society towards Albanians.

See at: https://bit.ly/3p8uPTX

Animal Rights Foundation: A smuggled lion is still illegally locked up in a cage in a Gnjilane resort (KoSSev)

The Kosovo Animal Rights Foundation announced yesterday that exactly one year has passed since it was discovered that a lion was illegally kept in a cage in a restaurant/resort in Gnjilane. The foundation accused the competent ministry of “not doing its job“, KoSSev portal reports.

“Although it was found that the lion was smuggled into Kosovo and confiscated earlier this year, the lion continues to remain locked up in the same place, hostage to the lack of effort from institutions“, the organization said.

They stated that the organization “Four Paws“ offered to provide shelter for the lion in one of its rescue centers, noting that the competent ministry has so far failed to solve this issue.

“The Ministry of Economy and Environment is not doing its job to enable the transfer of the lion, despite the fact that we have tried several times to contact directly also the Minister, Mr. Blerim Kuci“, the Animal Rights Foundation added.

They once again called on this ministry to engage seriously in this issue and enable the lion to be transferred as soon as possible.

See at: https://bit.ly/3k80eSF