UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, July 19, 2022

Albanian Language Media:

Borrell: European Union not complete without Western Balkans (Klan)
Rama on accusations against KLA leaders: We want to tell the world that it was a masquerade (media)
Osmani congratulates Albania, North Macedonia; calls for visa liberalisation (media)
Haradinaj congratulates Albania and North Macedonia for accession talks (media)
Krasniqi congratulates Albania, North Macedonia, calls for visa liberalisation (media)
Analysts sceptical about the success of the dialogue under Lajcak's mandate (RTK)

Serbian Language Media:

The Special Prosecutor's Office responded to Svecla's statement on the case in Leposavic (RTK2)
Serbian List and Petkovic reaction to Svecla's statement about Radoicic (KiM radio, Kontakt plus radio, Kosovo Online)
Vlajic: One-month detention to arrested person in Leposavic, charges on ‘attempted murder’ ungrounded (Radio KIM)
President of Egypt visits Serbia (Kosovo Online)
Petkovic: Vucic never rejected dialogue (KiM radio, Radio Mitrovica sever, KoSSev)
Dacic says first session of new Serbian parliament next week (N1)
Rakic met the head of UNMIK: Permanent peace has no alternative (Radio Mitrovica sever, TV Most, Kosovo Online)

Humanitarian/Development:

Rapidly escalating COVID-19 cases amid reduced virus surveillance forecasts a challenging autumn and winter in the WHO European Region (who.int)
Belgrade Bust: Behind the Parties and Plush Condos of Serbia’s Capital (Balkan Insight)

Albanian Language Media

Borrell: European Union not complete without Western Balkans (Klan)

The EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, hailed the opening of EU accession negotiations with Albania and North Macedonia, noting that the European Union is not complete without the integration of the Western Balkan into the bloc.

"I very much believe that we made progress only together with the Western Balkans, and the European Union will not be complete without you," he said. "Today we are finally launching a process for which you have worked hard and waited a long time... We are moving towards strategic and historic decisions," Borrell added.

Rama on accusations against KLA leaders: We want to tell the world that it was a masquerade (media)

The Prime Minister of Albania, Edi Rama, has said today in Brussels that there is no evidence of human organ trafficking organized by the leadership of the Kosovo Liberation Army, accusations on which the Special Court was founded.

Rama has called all this mud that has been thrown at an independent country - Kosovo.

"What we ask is to tell the world that this was a masquerade and this masquerade through an incalculable amount of mud thrown against the whole country, against an independent state like Kosovo and the entire liberation war. It is not an accusation, it is facts. There is no evidence, as far as investigations are concerned, that there has been any organized human organ trafficking by the KLA leadership that has actually been the victim of an organized worldwide attack. Such democratic institutions cannot do such a thing in a country where terrible things have happened and we experienced them under the Soviet dictatorship or in the period of Chinese cultural influence so that they can happen again," Rama.

The Prime Minister of Albania has said that it is impossible to accuse an entire nation that was freed from Slobodan Milosevic's ethnic cleansing machinery.

The Prime Minister of Albania said a few days ago that Albania is preparing a resolution addressed to the Council of Europe on "the total groundlessness of Dick Marty's report, as well as the Russian influence on the tale of a yellow house and organ trafficking".

Osmani congratulates Albania, North Macedonia; calls for visa liberalisation (media)

President of Kosovo Vjosa Osmani congratulated Albania and North Macedonia for opening EU accession talks saying the move takes the two countries one step closer to the EU.

"At this determining time, accelerating the enlargement process for democratic Western Balkans countries is a must! We call on EU member states to urgently deliver on the overdue decision on visa liberalisation for our citizens," she wrote on Twitter.

Haradinaj congratulates Albania and North Macedonia for accession talks (media)

Leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) Ramush Haradinaj congratulated Albania and North Macedonia for opening negotiations for EU accession, noting that he was hopeful the move would also result in shortening the integration of Kosovo and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

"We hope that the first step towards this integration will happen in autumn with visa liberalisation for Kosovo," he said on Facebook.

Krasniqi congratulates Albania, North Macedonia, calls for visa liberalisation (media)

Memli Krasniqi, leader of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) has congratulated Albania nd North Macedonia for opening negotiations for membership in the European Union.

“A more than deserved process for both countries, which with work, commitment and reforms have proven that they are ready and deserve the historic chance to become part of the EU,” Krasniqi wrote on Facebook.

He expressed hope that the trust restored between the EU and the region will also advance with the rapid liberalization of visas for the people of Kosovo, “as a basic and deserved right for many years.”

Analysts sceptical about the success of the dialogue under Lajcak's mandate (RTK)

Analysts in Kosovo do not see with optimism reappointment of the EU emissary for the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue, Miroslav Lajcak for another two years. According to them, his work so far has not been successful, and the results have been minor.

The expert on political issues Shqiprim Pula told Radio Kosovo that Lajcak comes from the Slovak state that has not recognized the independence of Kosovo and criticized him for lack of results and for not being neutral in the dialogue. He said that Lajcak will not bring any innovation or major development.

“The only thing is that he will respect the procedural and protocol aspects regarding the invitations sent to the officials of both countries to continue with the dialogue process," Pula said.

The university professor Dorajet Imeri said that the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue process can continue indefinitely if the United States of America is not included. Meanwhile, regarding the results of this dialogue through emissary Lajcak, Imeri said that they show the impossibility that the EU can produce a lasting solution for the parties.

The analysts reiterated that it is already known that Serbia is the one that has delayed the dialogue process and is not finding the political will to make a turn, even a historical one, to conclude the issue of Kosovo's status, as this implies mutual recognition.

Serbian Language Media

The Special Prosecutor's Office responded to Svecla's statement on the case in Leposavic (RTK2)

The Special Prosecutor's Office of Kosovo reacted on Monday to the statement of the Minister of Internal Affairs, Xhelal Svecla, where five police officers were injured and one police vehicle was damaged in Leposavic, reported RTK2.

The Special Prosecutor's Office of Kosovo announced that the Minister of Internal Affairs, Xhelal Svecla, in legal terms, did not correctly portray the attack on the police officers in Leposavic, which happened on Saturday evening in an anti-smuggling operation.

The Special Prosecutor's Office stated that Svecla's statement that "police officials asked the Special Prosecutor's Office to investigate the incident" is not correct and "the prosecutor's office did not respond positively even after insisting", reported RTK2.

"For the sake of fairness, we inform you that for this case the Kosovo Police did not follow the regular line of official communication established for investigative cases - communication with the competent prosecutor, but communicated with the prosecutor responsible for terrorism in the Special Prosecutor's Office of Kosovo, who after receiving information from the police , assessed that the case has no elements of terrorism," the announcement stated.

The Special Prosecutor's Office said that it did not receive any official police report on the case, through which "it could be determined whether or not it is competent to handle this case", cited RTK.

As they stated, from the information it was determined that the crime in question was not under the jurisdiction of this institution, but of the Basic Prosecutor's Office in Mitrovica. The Prosecutor's Office called on public officials to refrain from such statements, because, as they argued, they do not contribute to an independent and professional investigation.

"With this announcement, the Special Prosecutor's Office of Kosovo assures citizens that it remains fully committed to fulfilling the legal mandate in the fight against all forms of crime, within the jurisdiction defined by law, and asks all state officials to refrain from urgent statements and inaccuracies, because such statements do not contribute to independent and expert investigation of cases and can cause confusion in the public, which damages the image of judicial institutions and loses public trust in their work", concluded the announcement of the Special Prosecutor's Office of Kosovo, reported RTK2.

Serbian List and Petkovic reaction to Svecla's statement about Radoicic (KiM radio, Kontakt plus radio, Kosovo Online)

The Serbian List statement said that it strongly condemned ''the shameless lies that the Minister of Internal Affairs and close associate of Albin Kurti, Xhelal Svecla, told about the Vice President of the Serbian List, Milan Radoicic'', reported KiM radio.

"Serbian List strongly denies and condemns the shameless lies that the Minister of Police and close associate of Albin Kurti, Xhelal Svecla, told about the vice-president of the Serbian List, Milan Radoicic, and which come after the brutal attack and from Rent-a-Rada Trajkovic, with whom Svecla is apparently in agreement," said the Serbian list in the statement, reported the radio.

''Without a single proof, and without any responsibility'', the statement continued, ''scared by a video address of Vice President Radoicic, Svecla, aware of the Vice President Radoicic's possibility, which he has, to mobilize the Serbian people in protecting them from the mistreatment they are suffering, is trying to connect Vice President Radoicic with any illegal actions, in order to frighten the remaining Serbian people in these areas and gain cheap political points with his boss Albin Kurti and infuse himself with more courage than he has", cited the radio.

"Today he went as far as to associate Mr. Radoicic, a respected leader of the Serbian people, who has great Serbs' respect, with some kind of smuggling, while, as a rule, he does this as a high public official without any evidence for his false claims, which is absolutely illegal, inadmissible and should be sanctioned. Xhelal Svecla is obviously trying to justify inadmissible institutional violence, abuse of authority and oppression of the Serbian people with lies, unfounded accusations, fabricated stories about quasi-heroes-special forces who are injured today, and healthy and ready to be photographed tomorrow, being carried out for a long period of time by hordes dressed in uniforms sent from Pristina to the north of Kosovo and Metohija to fight against plasma biscuits and Coca Cola," said the Serbian List in its statement.

The Serbian List called on international representatives to take a clear stand against such abuses of authority by high-ranking representatives of the Government in Pristina as a matter of urgency, and restrain, as they stated, ''the hyenas in their ranks who are trying to bring this region into a vortex of conflict, which no honest person who cares about the future of his family and his children needs, reported KiM radio, citing the statement.

Petkovic: Svecla is afraid of Radoicic, that is why he attacks him without proof

Kosovo Online wrote that the Director of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija, Petar Petkovic, reacted on Twitter and cited the popular proverb "There are big eyes in fear", describing thus Xhelal Svecla's accusation of the vice-president of the Serbian List, Milan Radoicic, of wrongdoing in the north of Kosovo.

"As people say, 'There are big eyes in fear', thus Xhelal Svecla is trying to accuse Milan Radoicic, without evidence, of some kind of wrongdoing in the north of the province. Svecla knows how much security Milan instils in the Serbian people in KiM, that is why he is attacking him. And whoever Pristina attacks certainly is working in the interests of Serbia," wrote Petkovic on Twitter, reported the portal.

Vlajic: One-month detention to arrested person in Leposavic, charges on ‘attempted murder’ ungrounded (Radio KIM)

A.D. arrested for smuggling two days ago in Leposavic municipality was sent to one-month detention, his defence lawyer Nebojsa Vlajic told KoSSev portal.

A police chase and use of the firearms have preceded the arrest, and as police said five police officers were injured and one of their vehicles damaged. Kosovo Police Inspectorate said the use of firearms and force in this case “was necessary”.

Meanwhile, S.D. who claimed he is the brother of arrested A.D. said the police used excessive force against his brother and “discharged 15 clips to the truck and beat up his brother”.

A.D. defence lawyer Nebojsa Vlajic today voiced similar allegations, saying the police fired at the truck that was moving away and punctured five out of its six tires.

“Police used the firearms unlawfully as it had no right to shoot at the truck that was running away and did not stop at the signal of the police. The police had no right to shoot at such a vehicle, and they did. They punctured five out of six tires on the truck", Vlajic said.

After the truck was stopped, he added, the police officers beat up his client and inflicted physical injuries on him, which were documented by a medical report, but also visible by bare looking.

The lawyer also confirmed that the arrested A.D. is charged with three crimes - "attempted murder", "smuggling of goods" and "illegal border crossing".

Vlajic stressed that charges on "alleged attempt to kill the policemen" are ungrounded because A.D. did not intend to kill anyone, nor did he take any action leading to it.

"It is an absolutely ungrounded accusation, we will fight against it and I am sure we will prove that it is so", he said.

President of Egypt visits Serbia (Kosovo Online)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic will host President of the Arab Republic of Egypt, Abdel Fatah al Sisi who is paying a three-day official visit to Serbia starting as of today, Kosovo Online portal reports.

Vucic will welcome his Egyptian counterpart at Nikola Tesla airport later in the afternoon, Vucic’s press office announced. On Wednesday he will be given a ceremonial welcome at the Palace of Serbia in Belgrade, where an official meeting between Vucic and Fatah al Sisi will be held.

The meeting will be followed by plenary meeting of Serbian and Egyptian delegations, award ceremony and agreement signing ceremony. After the ceremony Vucic and Fatah al Sisi will address the media, followed by a Serbian-Egyptian business forum, the statement added.

Ambassador of Egypt to Serbia, Basel Salah said the visit of the Egyptian President was historic, adding it will be the first visit of the head of the state to Belgrade in the last 35 years.

Petkovic: Vucic never rejected dialogue (KiM radio, Radio Mitrovica sever, KoSSev)

"Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has never rejected dialogue and is unequivocally committed to negotiations, so the claims of the chief negotiator from Pristina, Besnik Bislimi, that Belgrade is sabotaging the talks are the most common replacement of theses," said the director of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija, Petar Petkovic, reported KiM radio.

''Miroslav Lajcak and the countries of the Quint are well informed about President Vucic's views and his concern for the stability of the region, as well as his absolute readiness to resolve all open issues at the negotiating table. And that is why no one believes in the claims of Bislimi, who is already heavily in the running for the role of Pinocchio from Pristina,'' it was stated in the statement sent to the media.

Petkovic pointed out that Albin Kurti was not ready for dialogue, nor Bislimi, who refuses to talk on a technical level, and that this blockade of dialogue has been going on for months.

"Bislimi persistently refuses to talk with me, as a representative of Belgrade, about the Community of Serbian Municipalities, so precisely because of the Pristina side, there has been no substantial progress in the dialogue for a very long time," he added.

"Pristina, instead of feigning readiness for dialogue, while, at the same time doing everything to destabilize the situation on the ground, must finally understand that what they would like to negotiate is not being negotiated, but that what is on the table is their obligation to take over the previously undertaken obligations, among which is enabling the formation of the ZSO in the manner provided for in the First Brussels Agreement and accompanying documents,'' concluded Petkovic.

Dacic says first session of new Serbian parliament next week (N1)

Outgoing Serbian Parliament Speaker Ivica Dacic said Monday the new parliament will meet for the first time by the end of next week, N1 reports.

Speaking after a meeting with President Aleksandar Vucic, Dacic said that the deadline to form the new parliament is August 4. He said the constitutive session of parliament would be called late this week or early next week.

Dacic headed a delegation of his Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) at the consultations with the President on the naming of a prime minister designate.

The new parliament could not convene to date because voting at a single polling station in Veliki Trnovac village, Bujanovac municipality, had to be repeated several times to complete the election process which began on April 3.

Rakic met the head of UNMIK: Permanent peace has no alternative (Radio Mitrovica sever, TV Most, Kosovo Online)

The importance of a constructive approach in solving many problems that burden the normal functioning of the Serbian and other non-majority communities, as well as the necessity of continuing the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina and solving open issues that stand in the way of better relations between the Serbian and Albanian people were the topics of today's meeting between the Minister of return and Communities and the President of the Serbian List, Goran Rakic and the head of the United Nations Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) Caroline Ziadeh, announced the Kosovo Ministry of Return and Communities, reported Radio Mitrovica sever.

"We are living in a very challenging time in which we all have to show maximum seriousness in order to influence the primarily unstable security situation and avoid anything that can further threaten it. We make maximum efforts to resolve all disagreements in such a way that both parties are satisfied, and for such a thing we need an understanding of all relevant factors," said Minister Rakic to the head of UNMIK.

The minister emphasized that lasting peace has no alternative and that it must be insisted on and worked on constantly.

''We have frequent incidents and attacks on Serbs, threats to their property and the facilities of the Serbian Orthodox Church, which shows the extent to which it is threatened'', reported Radio Mitrovica sever, citing the statement.

Humanitarian/Development

Rapidly escalating COVID-19 cases amid reduced virus surveillance forecasts a challenging autumn and winter in the WHO European Region (who.int)

New WHO/Europe strategy urges countries to urgently address gaps in pandemic monitoring and response to avoid preventable deaths and severe disruptions to health systems

Statement by WHO Regional Director for Europe Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge  

At this time last year, WHO/Europe spoke about a new wave of COVID-19 sweeping across the Region, driven by the Delta variant amid the lifting of restrictions and increased social mixing.

It’s now abundantly clear we’re in a similar situation to last summer – only this time the ongoing COVID-19 wave is being propelled by sub-lineages of the Omicron variant, notably BA.2 and BA.5, with each dominant sub-lineage of Omicron showing clear transmission advantages over the previously circulating viruses.

With rising cases, we’re also seeing a rise in hospitalizations, which are only set to increase further in the autumn and winter months as schools reopen, people return from holidays and social mixing moves indoors with the onset of colder weather. This forecast presents a huge challenge to the health workforce in country after country, already under enormous pressure from dealing with unrelenting crises since 2020.