UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, October 12, 2022

Albanian Language Media:

Berlin confirms there are proposals for Kosovo-Serbia dialogue (Gazeta Express)
EC report: Kosovo has met all conditions for visa liberalisation (Telegrafi)
EP President in favour of Kosovo visa liberalisation, says EULEX chief (Gazeta Metro)
Kosovo Foreign Minister to visit Germany, meet Baerbock (RTK)
Gervalla calls on EU to suspend talks with Serbia (media)
Haradinaj to Kurti: Increase salaries and pensions (media)
Kosovo welcomes another two Ukrainian reporters (Zeri)
Electricity is not being saved, even greater alarms for winter (Koha)

Serbian Language Media:

Petkovic, Vujic banned from visiting Kosovo (Kosovo Online)
New Serbian Embassy building opens in Washington (RTS)
PACE adopts Resolution on support to Western Balkans (N1, Beta)
Stoltenberg: Western Balkans important for NATO (Tanjug, RTV, Kosovo Online)
Foreign Ministry official says EC report focused on policy alignment (N1)

International:

Borrell wants a bolder, faster EU — and scolds diplomats to get to it (euobserver.com)
Kosovo’s eternal asterisk (emerging-europe.com)

Albanian Language Media

Berlin confirms there are proposals for Kosovo-Serbia dialogue (Gazeta Express)

The German Federal Government said in a response to the news website that there are proposals by Berlin and Paris in recent high-level meetings with leaders from Kosovo and Serbia, but that the proposals remain confidential and that discussions are ongoing.

“We strongly believe that political issues related to the path for full normalisation should be treated in a more decisive and fast manner in order not to allow any room for escalation on the ground. This was outlined in the latest high-level meetings and proposals for this are being discussed confidentially. These discussions are ongoing,” the German Government said.

EC report: Kosovo has met all conditions for visa liberalisation (Telegrafi)

The news website notes that the progress report of the European Commission for 2022 is clear with regards to visa liberalisation for Kosovo saying that all conditions have been met. “Kosovo has met all conditions for visa liberalisation and visa liberalisation should be given to Kosovo as soon as possible,” the report notes.

In the report, the European Commission calls on Kosovo and Serbia to reach a comprehensive agreement on the normalisation of relations saying that it is crucial for European integration.

“Kosovo needs to engage more constructively and make further essential efforts to implement all agreements reached so far and help in reaching a comprehensive and legally-binding agreement for the normalisation of relations with Serbia. Such an agreement is urgent and crucial to help Kosovo and Serbia advance on their European paths,” the report notes.

EP President in favour of Kosovo visa liberalisation, says EULEX chief (Gazeta Metro)

Head of the EU Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX), Lars-Gunnar Wigemark, said today that the President of the European Parliament too is supporting visa liberalisation for Kosovo. “And @EP_President Metsola also spoke strongly in favour of visa liberalisation for Kosovo referring to a discussion she had with @VjosaOsmaniPRKS at the EU Western Balkans Summit in Brussels a few months ago,” Wigemark tweeted.

Kosovo Foreign Minister to visit Germany, meet Baerbock (RTK)

Kosovo’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Donika Gervalla, has travelled to Berlin following an invitation from her German counterpart, Annalena Baerbock. A press release issued by Gervalla’s office notes that the meeting will focus on strengthening bilateral relations between Kosovo and Germany, the European integration and pro-Western orientation of Kosovo and its Euro-Atlantic aspirations. They are also expected to discuss reforms in Kosovo and the political and security situation in Europe.

Gervalla calls on EU to suspend talks with Serbia (media)

Kosovo’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Donika Gervalla, in an interview with APA news agency, called on the European Union to take a more determined stance toward Serbia because of its ties with Russia. “Serbia is showing that it has no interest in joining the European Union, so it would be logical to suspend the candidate status and funds associated with the candidate status,” she said.

Gervalla argued that the EU should also impose sanctions against Serbian oligarchs that reach energy agreements with Russian oligarchs. “Because it is not OK for a European country in the middle of Europe to be the only one that financially supports and serves those that are waging war against Ukraine,” he said.

Gervalla said the Russian aggression in Ukraine has changed the situation in the Western Balkans and that while all other countries in the Western Balkans are trying to weaken Russia, Serbia is not doing the same.

“I think the European Union is doing very little. In the 1990s too, the EU tried to view the conflict in the Balkans only from one side, in order to make it easier to ignore the problems,” she said.

Gervalla also called for “a very clear strategy” about the conclusion of the process of normalisation of relations between Kosovo and Serbia.

Haradinaj to Kurti: Increase salaries and pensions (media)

Leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK), Ramush Haradinaj, called on Prime Minister Albin Kurti today to increase salaries and pensions “and not turn the state into a social circus”. “Life in Kosovo is becoming unbearable, as a result of the uncontrolled increase of prices while the Prime Minister, in the style of an ordinary deceiver, is trying to keep the pensioners ‘alive’ by giving them aid that does not suffice even for buying medicine … The state cannot be run with ‘aids’ … The solution lies in permanent measures. Increase the salaries and pensions and don’t turn the state into a ‘social circus’,” Haradinaj wrote on Facebook.

Kosovo welcomes another two Ukrainian reporters (Zeri)

Liudmyla Troitska and Olena Solodovnikova, two reporters from Ukraine, have arrived today in Kosovo. The two reporters were welcomed at the airport by the head of the Association of Journalists of Kosovo (AJK), Xhemajl Rexha, and the senior legal officer of the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF) Flutura Kusari, as well as representatives of the Ministry of Interior Affairs and the Kosovo Police.

“Troitska and Solodovnikova will be sheltered in Kosovo as part of the ‘Journalists in Residence – Kosovo’ program initiated by the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom and financially supported by the Government of the Republic of Kosovo. The program is being implemented by the Association of Journalists of Kosovo in close cooperation with the ECPMF,” a press release by the AJK notes.

Electricity is not being saved, even greater alarms for winter (Koha)

Kosovo citizens are not saving electricity despite calls and campaigns by institutions and authorities, for the Kosovo Energy Distribution System (KEDS), Viktor Buzhala said in an interview with KTV today. He warned that if the current trend continues, the coming winter will be even more difficult in terms of electricity supply than previously thought.

“Regrettably, even despite major campaigns, electricity in Kosovo is not being saved. Compared to September last year, this year the energy consumption has been five times higher. This is a warning that the coming winter will be even more difficult than we have predicted. All of Europe is faced with a crisis and an unpredictable situation. Knowing that even the biggest economy in Europe, Germany, is affected by this crisis, the impact in Kosovo will be far greater,” Buzhala said.

Serbian Language Media

Petkovic, Vujic banned from visiting Kosovo (Kosovo Online)

Office for Kosovo and Metohija Director Petar Petkovic was banned from visiting Kosovo once again, Kosovo Online portal reports.

Petkovic was supposed to attend the enthronement of the Serbian Orthodox Church Patriarch Porfirije at Pec Patriarchate and attend the ceremony in Gornje Kusce village in Gnjilane municipality, the Office for KiM said in a statement.

“This is the tenth time that authorities in Pristina, headed by Albin Kurti, by demonstrating force and arbitrariness, banned Petkovic from visiting southern Serbian province. It is about a brutal violation of the agreements, including the one on freedom of movement, and the one on official visits – that envisaged simplified procedures for visits in Kosovo concerning chief negotiator in the talks with Pristina”, the statement said.

It added that Petkovic announced his visit and presence at the ceremonies in a timely manner, respecting all procedures. The Office underlined it will inform official Brussels, as guarantor of the agreements and other international factors about this violation of the agreement and religious freedoms.

Meanwhile, the portal also reported that Pristina banned Ivan Vujic, Office for Kosovo and Metohija Assistant Director from entering Kosovo. He was supposed to attend a religious ceremony in Velika Hoca on the occasion of Miholjdan (Cyriacus the Anchorite) holiday. In reaction to this latest Pristina’s ban, Petkovic wrote on Twitter that “Kurti demonstrates his intentions to prevent religious freedoms and freedom of movement”.

Petkovic also recalled that according to the agreement on official visits, his assistants are not obliged to announce their visits to Pristina beforehand.

“Once again Albin Kurti demonstrated that he is not interested in any normalisation of relations and that he tramples over all European values”, Petkovic said.

New Serbian Embassy building opens in Washington (RTS)

In the centre of Washington, not far from the White House a new Serbian Embassy building opened last night, RTS reports. Serbian Ambassador to the US, Marko Djuric said this is yet another indicator of good relations between two states. Serbia acquired the building in February this year.

"In a year in which we celebrate the 140th anniversary of relations between Serbia and America, which is a crown of the efforts over the previous two years to bring our two countries closer together. Of course, in that period the Serbian focus doubled, and our economic relations grew substantially. Despite the world crisis, trade volume between Serbia and the USA has almost doubled", Djuric said.

Gabriel Escobar, the US special envoy for the Western Balkans, said that diplomatic relations between the two countries have never been better.

"As we enter the 141st year of diplomatic relations between our two countries, I can say that those relations have never been better and I hope that the opening of this embassy, as you said - in the immediate vicinity of the White House, also symbolises a new beginning in bilateral history”, Escobar said.

"Thank you for opening your home here. As we celebrate 140 years, our diplomatic relations have never been better. And we continue to work step by step with the help of the White House to improve them", he added.

PACE adopts Resolution on support to Western Balkans (N1, Beta)

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) adopted Tuesday a Resolution Supporting the European Perspective of the Western Balkans which calls for new impetus to be given to the European Union (EU) enlargement process and urges the Western Balkans to address without delay outstanding challenges, N1 reported, citing Beta agency..

The Resolution was adopted at the plenary session in Strasbourg with 134 votes in favour, three against, with three abstentions.

The resolution reads that strengthening democratic resilience and respect for the rule of law and human rights, promoting reconciliation and good neighbourly relations, and creating the conditions for stronger economic and social progress in the Western Balkans are a geostrategic investment in peace, stability, and democratic security for the whole of Europe.

The Parliamentary Assembly, therefore, firmly believes that helping Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, and Kosovo meet their aspirations for closer European integration is important not only for the countries concerned but for the European continent and will benefit all European citizens.

It notes that, since the 2003 Summit in Thessaloniki, the commitment to enlargement has been repeatedly confirmed at the highest political level, by both the European Union and the leaders of the region, but that the length of time that has elapsed, however, and failure to adequately reward progress have sapped political momentum and public enthusiasm. At the same time, an increasing number of people in the Western Balkans, especially amongst the youth, are pessimistic about the prospects of EU accession.

“The European vision is losing its shine. In its place, ethno-nationalism has resurfaced, a very worrying development in a region in which the spectrum of violence still looms large,” reads the Resolution.

The document says it is “imperative not to lose focus on the Western Balkans,” even if the need to support the European aspirations of other countries, such as Ukraine, Georgia, and the Republic of Moldova, has emerged in the meantime.

PACE calls for a new impetus to be given to the EU enlargement process, while it urges the Western Balkans to address with resolve and without delay outstanding challenges, such as a polarized political climate, serious rule of law and good governance issues which affect the independence and impartiality of the judiciary and the functioning of the public administration, issues relating to the rights of national minorities and minority communities and problems relating to freedom of the media and media ownership.

Greater efforts are also necessary to strengthen reconciliation and enhance civil society engagement, says the Report.

The Assembly believes that the Council of Europe should redouble its efforts to help the Western Balkan countries make tangible and measurable progress towards meeting the EU enlargement criteria.

The Parliamentary Assembly considers that the Council of Europe, as a political organization, should play a greater role in promoting effective and inclusive regional co-operation, the normalization of relations and the solution of bilateral differences and disputes. This should be done hand in hand with the European Union and other like-minded actors.

The Assembly calls on Council of Europe member states to support the Western Balkans on the path of European integration and to promote reconciliation efforts and good neighbourly relations in the region.

Stoltenberg: Western Balkans important for NATO (Tanjug, RTV, Kosovo Online)

Secretary General of NATO, Jens Stoltenberg told the Tanjug agency that Western Balkans is extremely important for NATO.

Answering the agency question how he sees the situation in the WB in terms of war in Ukraine, he replied:

"We, NATO, have a KFOR mission in Kosovo, we have a headquarters in Sarajevo, we work closely with the EU. NATO works to ensure security and freedom of movement, helps the EU in Kosovo in diplomatic efforts in the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina. We also work with the EU in Bosnia and Herzegovina. We have members from the Western Balkans in our ranks, North Macedonia, and Montenegro. Therefore, the Western Balkans is important, and we will continue to be focused on that region," said Stoltenberg.

Stoltenberg, arriving at the meeting of defense ministers of NATO member countries, reminded of NATO's presence in the Balkans since the 1990s and of two missions - KFOR and Altea.

"The Western Balkans is important for NATO, we have been there for many years, we have been present for many years in the Balkans, we helped to end two brutal wars during the nineties of the last century," Stoltenberg said, reported Tanjug.

Foreign Ministry official says EC report focused on policy alignment (N1)

A senior Foreign Ministry official said on Wednesday that the latest European Commission report on Serbia will focus on the European Union’s desire to see Belgrade fully aligned with its foreign and security policies, N1 reports.

Ministry State Secretary Nemanja Starovic told the Serbian public broadcaster RTS that alignment with EU policies, that is joining in the sanctions regime against Russia is “not fundamentally or even formally part of our obligations in the accession process, at least not in that way”. According to him, Serbia can’t join in the sanctions “because of a lot of political reasons” including political and economic security.

He said the entire report will be “marked with those tones” which he said is “a certain distortion of what it should be”. “People forget that we implemented constitutional changes and if those are not fundamental reforms which lead us to full EU membership, then I don’t know what fundamental reforms could be”, he said.

International

Borrell wants a bolder, faster EU — and scolds diplomats to get to it (euobserver.com)

Most in Brussels were not keen to follow the speech of EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell on Monday (10 October) to EU ambassadors. It is very much an internal EU event.

When people started pouring over the speech on Tuesday, it turned out Borrell not only scolded his own diplomats seated around the world, he told them to be bolder, faster and communicate the EU's narrative more assertively.

The former Spanish foreign minister laid out plainly some uncomfortable statements about where Europe stands and where it is headed in a multipolar world, stuck between a competing US and China.