UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, September 5, 2022

Albanian Language Media:

Bislimi and Nagavci in the Valley, promise support for the Albanians (media)
KCK: Government is trying to undermine the independence of the judiciary (media)
Brnabic from North speaks of "peace" and says that they will "fight" for Serbs (media)
Kosovo continues lobbying for membership in the Council of Europe (RTK)
Haradinaj wants investments in gas pipelines and new coal-fired power plant (media)
Another protest about the case of the 11-year-old girl in Pristina (media)
COVID-19: One death, 21 new cases (media)

Serbian Language Media:

Brnabic in a visit to Kosovo north: Dialogue is important, we will insist on ZSO (media)
Kosovo ministers in Presevo, without a meeting with the mayor (Beta, N1)
Jeremic: Request to Russia and China to use veto ‘puts an end’ to Pristina’s UN membership issue (Danas)
Serbian ID cards issued to Kosovo Serbs valid to enter Albania via Vrbnica crossing – but not Kosovo (KoSSev)
SNS official announces composition of new Serbian Government by September 25 (N1)
Erdogan to visit Serbia (RTS)

International:

Serbia, Albania to cooperate in energy, mining sectors (seenews.com)

Albanian Language Media

Bislimi and Nagavci in the Valley, promise support for the Albanians (media)

Deputy Prime Minister of Kosovo Besnik Bislimi and the Minister of Education Arberie Nagavci during their visit in the Presheva Valley today, promised a serious approach to help change the position of Albanians in the Valley.

Bislimi said that Kosovo's approach towards the Albanians in the Valley will be constructive.

After the meeting with Bislimi and Nagavci, the Albanian MP in the Parliament of Serbia Shaip Kamberi said “we believe and hope that the issue of the Albanians of the Valley will be part of the final agreement between the governments of Kosovo and Serbia."

KCK: The government is trying to undermine the independence of the judiciary (media)

The head of the Judicial Council of Kosovo Albert Zogaj said that the case of the 11-year-old girl, who was allegedly raped, has never been in court.

Zogaj criticised in a press conference the government, which according to him has targeted the judicial system in a tendentious manner, trying to violate its independence. While he was talking about the issue of minors, he was interrupted by a protest from civil society activists.

"Yesterday's conference of the Minister of Justice is confirmation of the failure of the Ministry of Justice in the vetting process. We are convinced that no one can get out of the opinion of Venice. No coordination and no evaluation have been done for any of the alternatives related to the vetting process. Today we have a package that has been submitted to the Assembly, but which in the view of the Council, has no value," he said.

Brnabic from North speaks of "peace" and says that they will "fight" for Serbs (media)

Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic, spoke today during her visit in the north of Kosovo. Although she said she would send messages of peace, she accused the Kosovar authorities of "provocations" and said they would protect the Serbs and their dignity.

In her visit to a media centre in North Mitrovica, Bernabic said that she is "satisfied that after the provocations of July 31, we managed to keep the peace".

She also said that she should affirm "the fact that the number of incidents in Kosovo is increasing" and that Serbia will continue to help the Serbs through investments.

"I am proud to be part of the team of President Vucic. Dialogue is important, and I hope that the institutions of Pristina will be open to dialogue".

"We want long-term peace and stability, I am optimistic, and we will stick to the Association of Serb-majority municipalities," she said.

The Serbian Prime Minister said that in her visit she came to convey the message of Vucic, that Serbia will stand with the Serbs.

She said that the "dignity" of the Serbs will be protected.

“As we have proven, we will be with the Serbs at all times. We will continue to fight for our people and their dignity in Kosovo," Brnabic said.

During this address, she campaigned for Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vucic, saying that the investments for Serbs these years are greater than what has been done for 40 years.

Kosovo continues lobbying for membership in the Council of Europe (RTK)

Kosovo applied on May 12 for membership in the Council of Europe. Daniel Holtgen, the spokesperson of the Council of Europe, has said that Kosovo's application has been sent to the Ministerial Committee.

"We have no news about this, as the application was submitted to the Secretary General, who submitted it to the Committee of Ministers. The Committee of Ministers will decide on the next steps," said the response of the spokesperson of the Council of Europe.

Kreshnik Ahmeti, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, in a written response, stated for Radio Kosova that the intense lobbying is continuing to ensure support for the membership of the Republic of Kosovo in the Council of Europe.

"In addition to the meetings held by the Consulate General of the Republic of Kosovo in Strasbourg, with the Permanent Representatives of the member countries of the Council of Europe, lobbying is also taking place in the capitals of the member countries and their diplomatic missions in Pristina. While the Council of Europe is a multidimensional organisation, lobbying is being done by various state institutions and by civil society organisations, all of which are coordinated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora," reads the response of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Haradinaj wants investments in gas pipelines and new coal-fired power plant (media)

The chairman of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) Ramush Haradinaj has invited Prime Minister Albin Kurti to undertake some actions to overcome the economic crisis, including investing in gas pipelines and the construction of a new coal-fired power plant.

Through a post on Facebook, on Monday, Haradinaj called on Kurti for other actions.

"Prime Minister, get out of the siege! Raise wages by law; Invest in pipelines; Build a coal-fired power plant; Return capital investments by increasing the value of contracts based on cost increases; Give agricultural subsidies immediately; Invite Kosovo businessmen and Albanians wherever they live for joint investment; Bring back the hope because you have the opportunity," he wrote.

Another protest about the case of the 11-year-old girl in Pristina (media)

Another protest against violence against girls and women was held today in front of the government of Kosovo.This protest is the continuation of the one that gathered thousands of people last week for the case of the rape of an 11-year-old girl by five people.

It was reported in the meantime that she was also raped by six people in June, however they were arrested only now.

The protest was organized by the Collective for Feminist Thought and Action.

COVID-19: One death, 21 new cases (media)

One person died of COVID-19 on Monday, while 21 others tested positive from the 140 tested, the Ministry of Health announced.

88 patients recovered in the last 24 hours, while the number of active cases is 589.

Serbian Language Media

Brnabic in a visit to Kosovo north: Dialogue is important, we will insist on ZSO (media)

The Prime Minister of Serbia, Ana Brnabic, in her first visit to Kosovo, said today in Kosovska Mitrovica that dialogue was important and that she hoped that institutions in Pristina would be open to dialogue, reported media.

"We want long-term peace and stability, I am an optimist, and what we will insist on is the Community of Serbian Municipalities (CSM)," said Brnabic.

She added that she brought the message of President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, that Serbia would always be with its people in Kosovo.

"I am honoured to be in Kosmet. I want to send a clear message from here, from Kosovo and Metohija, a message of peace, stability and tolerance and a message from the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, that we will always be with our people in Kosovo and Metohija. I am satisfied that after the 31 of July provocations, we managed to preserve peace. Investments will enable our people and children to stay here," the Prime Minister of Serbia emphasised, reported Serbian media.

Prime Minister Brnabic began her visit in the morning, in Kosovska Mitrovica, with a tour of the first multimedia centre in the north of Kosovo and the Spiritual Academy.

She will visit the Banjska monastery, in the municipality of Zvecan, where she will be welcomed by Bishop Teodosije, the leaders of the municipality and representatives of the Serbs.

In the afternoon, in Leposavic, she will visit several households, both vulnerable ones and those who have built large family farms.

The director of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija, Petar Petkovic and the director of the Office for IT and eGovernment Mihailo Jovanovic are accompanying the Prime Minister.

As announced by the Government of Serbia, the purpose of the visit is to convey messages for the preservation of peace and stability, within which the only way to achieve the survival and survival of Kosovo Serbs.

Prime Minister Brnabic's visit to Kosovo was taking place in the northern municipalities, and political representatives of Serbs from that area said that her visit would send a message that Serbs were not alone, cited Serbian media.

Kosovo ministers in Presevo, without a meeting with the mayor (Beta, N1)

Kosovo's Deputy Prime Minister Besnik Bislimi and Kosovo's Minister of Education Arberie Nagavci will meet in Bujanovac and Presevo with all political representatives of Albanians, except Shqipirim Arifi, the president of the municipality of Presevo, reported N1.

Arifi says it was a "revenge" for all the criticisms he directed at the Kosovo government.

In the agenda of today's visit of the Kosovo delegation, Arifi was not mentioned anywhere, but "a working lunch with political representatives of Presevo".

"I will not be at that meeting," Arifi confirmed to Pristina media, reported N1.

According to Arifi, the Kosovo authorities were ignoring him because he criticised Kurti's government N1 reported.

He emphasised that since April of this year, he had been asking to meet with Kosovo PM Kurti, but that he never received an answer.

According to him, one thing increased the tension to such an extent that the Kosovo authorities ignored him even when they came for a visit. "I do not submit to the politics of Self-Determination (Kurti's party)," he said.

He added that he had repeatedly spoken about the two million euros of aid that Kurti's government had promised to Bujanovac, Presevo and Medvedja, but had not yet sent that money.

Kosovo officials will be in Bujanovac and Presevo at the same time as Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic in Kosovo.

When it was announced that Brnabic would visit Kosovo, Arifi invited Kurti to visit Bujanovac and Presevo, wrote N1.

Jeremic: Request to Russia and China to use veto ‘puts an end’ to Pristina’s UN membership issue (Danas)

Leader of Serbian opposition People’s Party (NS) Vuk Jeremic said today it was a high time to approach Kosovo and Metohija issue in a serious and institutional manner as well as reach a state unity on this topic, given the looming pressure to recognize Kosovo and open a path to Pristina to join the United Nations, Danas daily reports.

"Letter of the leaders of Germany and France, Olaf Scholz and Emmanuel Macron to the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic looks ominous. They are asking Serbia for difficult decisions and a comprehensive normalisation of relations between Belgrade and Pristina, which is a European mantra implying that Serbia and self-proclaimed Kosovo will not block each other from membership in international organisations, including the UN", Jeremic told Impression of the Week broadcast on Nova S TV.

He pointed out that "Pristina's membership in the UN would be tantamount to a disaster", adding People's Party MPs will propose at the upcoming Serbian Assembly session on Kosovo to “put an end’’ to that road of Pristina.

“We will do so by proposing that Parliament requests Vucic to send official letters to the presidents of Russia and China, Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping requesting them to use the veto right in the Security Council of the United Nations if Pristina’s membership bid comes to the agenda. It would mean they would hold the veto until a new letter from Belgrade arrives in which Russia and China would be kindly asked to recognize self-declared Kosovo”, Jeremic explained.

Jeremic also said he sees no reason why Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic would not send such a letter, arguing that only Russia and China may prevent Pristina’s membership in the UN.

“After the war in Ukraine started Moscow explicitly said it would follow the official stance of Belgrade when it comes to Kosovo, and China said the same. If they receive a letter from Belgrade, Russian and China diplomacy would take the stance to use veto should membership bid of the self-declared Kosovo come to the UN, as long as Belgrade doesn’t send a new letter”, Jeremic said.

He added MPs of his party would propose rational solutions at the upcoming session on Kosovo at the Serbian Assembly and would do their utmost not to make the session look like a ‘bar’s fight’.

Serbian ID cards issued to Kosovo Serbs valid to enter Albania via Vrbnica crossing – but not Kosovo (KoSSev)

While it is possible to enter Albania via the integrated Vrbnica-Morina crossing using Serbian IDs issued to Kosovo Serbs, the same cannot be said when it comes to entering Kosovo from Albania, KoSSev portal reported. On that side of the crossing, the passenger ID checks are carried by members of the Kosovo police, who say that these ID cards are not valid.

Following the visit to Jarinje earlier this week, the portal continues where it was confirmed in the field that the implementation of the new agreement between Belgrade and Pristina on freedom of movement is moving ahead without issues, as well as the information shared by activist Aleksandar Arsenijevic that it is still impossible to enter North Macedonia with Serbian IDs issued to Kosovo Serbs, the KoSSev team headed to Albania on Friday.

The goal was to verify whether we would be able to enter this country and return to the territory of Kosovo only using Serbian IDs issued to Kosovo Serbs. At the integrated Vrbnica-Morina crossing, which is rarely busy, passenger ID checks are carried out by only one side, depending on the direction you are travelling.

International

Serbia, Albania to cooperate in energy, mining sectors (seenews.com)

The governments of Serbia and Albania signed a Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) in the area of energy and mining, Serbia's ministry of mining and energy said.

Under the MoC, the two countries will cooperate in energy investments, such as the construction of the LNG terminal in Albania, as well as development of power capacities and energy links, Serbia's ministry of mining and energy said in a press release on Friday.

The MoC also envisages the exchange of scientific and technological research in the field of green energy sources and the improvement of business and economic ties in the field of energy, including the use of transport, transmission and storage capacities. Cooperation in the field of geology and mining is also foreseen, with a special emphasis on cleaner technologies and sustainable development, the press release read.