UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, November 18, 2022

Albanian Language Media:

Kurti: I am optimistic about licence plate issue, but Belgrade's approach is quite destructive (media)
Brussels sends an invitation for a meeting to Kurti and Vucic (media)
Kusari-Lila announces solution for licence plates "within hours" (Express)
Osmani thanks Pelosi for her commitment and connection with Kosovo (media)
EC convinces Netherlands – now they are in favour of visa liberalisation (Express)
Kusari-Lila: EU plan has U.S. support and includes two phases (RTK)
Peci: In one version I’ve seen, plan includes Serb Orthodox Church (Klan)
Abazi: Kosovo to return to table of talks and coordinate with partners (Kallxo)
Hoti: Kurti doesn’t listen to U.S., but sends police to coordinate with EULEX (Koha)
EULEX on patrols in north of Kosovo: We have not assumed police responsibility (Telegrafi)

Serbian Language Media:

The EU invited Vucic and Kurti to Brussels: Find a European solution to get out of the crisis (N1)
Office for KiM: No agreement has been reached with Pristina (RTS, Blic)
Brnabic: No agreement with Pristina, it must implement agreements (Tanjug, media)
UNS and DNKiM: Urgently to determine who attacked the Insajderi cameraman (KiM radio, NMagazin, Insajder)
The KP confirms the attack on an Albanian cameraman and a student, but not a kidnapping (KoSSev)
NGO Aktiv launches a phone line for reporting cases of mistreatment by the police (KiM radio)
Drecun: We should expect Pristina to accept the EU's suggestions (Tanjug)
UNS and DNKiM not invited to the meeting of the CoE Platform for the Safety of Journalists (KiM radio)

International:

UN expert on truth and justice to visit Serbia and Kosovo* (ohchr.org)
Spain Suggests Kosovo’s Visa Liberalisation Process Be Finalised on January 1, 2024 (schengenvisainfo.com)
BIRN Conference Warns of Far-Right Groups’ Influence in Balkans (BIRN)

Albanian Language Media

Kurti: I am optimistic about licence plate issue, but Belgrade's approach is quite destructive (media)

Prime Minister Albin Kurti, who is on an official visit to Estonia, after the meeting with his counterpart, Kaja Kallas, has stated that the Estonian model of establishing institutions is an example that Kosovo follows seriously. He said that the two countries have very good bilateral relations as well as similar historical pasts.

"We discussed important issues for our countries and also for our continent. We discussed the war in Europe, which is Russia's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine and its implications, especially in Estonia and Kosovo. The Republic of Kosovo has condemned the invasion Russian in Ukraine since the first day and we have stood in solidarity with the Ukrainian people, imposing sanctions together with the EU and the USA on Russia," Kurti added.

On behalf of the Government of Kosovo, he thanked Estonia for the continuous support for state building and advancement of Kosovo towards EU integration, and also numbered the achievements of his government.

Asked about the issue of illegal licence plates and the solution to this problem in the north, Kurti said that the first deputy prime minister, Besnik Bislimi, is in regular and intensive communications with Brussels to solve this issue. He said that it is an extreme minority within the Serb community that is opposing the conversion of illegal licence plates into legal RKS licence plates, adding that in the coming days it is expected to see how the negotiations on this issue will be concluded.

"We are doing our best to maintain the legality and constitutionality of our country on the one hand and peace and security on the other hand. I am optimistic, but Belgrade's approach has been quite destructive. In the coming days we will see how successful we will be in these negotiations. We need a final agreement with Serbia, for full normalisation with mutual recognition at the center."

Meanwhile, the prime minister of Estonia, Kaja Kallas, said that the relations between Estonia and Kosovo have been very good and she expressed her happiness that now they are even closer than they were.

"We discussed the process of reforming Estonia, especially in the field of digital governance. The building of democracy never ends and we take care of it every day. A good example of our concrete cooperation is that our experts in cooperation with your experts will contribute to the creation of your governance strategy. The security situation in Europe has been an important reminder of the relations between the EU and the Western Balkans," Kallas said.

She also thanked Kurt for the support he offered to Ukraine after the Russian aggression.

"I want to thank you for the support given to Ukraine. You set a good example that means a lot to us. You have provided humanitarian aid to Ukraine and supported Ukrainian refugees. The Russian attack affects us all and its consequences go beyond Ukraine. And here we are dealing with destabilisation and impact on your neighbourhood," she added.

Brussels sends an invitation for a meeting to Kurti and Vucic (media)

According to the spokesperson of the European Union, Peter Stano, the prime minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, and the president of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic have received an invitation for a meeting in Brussels. Stano stated that Kurti and Vucic have been invited for a meeting within the framework of the dialogue process, although he did not give any date when such a thing could happen.

Stano however said he hopes that meeting will happen soon, giving an indicative time frame.

Recalling the qualifications of the head of European diplomacy, Josep Borell, regarding the urgency of the license plate issue in the north of Kosovo, Stano said that it is hoped that this meeting will take place before, and not after, November 21.

This is because November 21, is the date of the implementation of the second phase of the decision of the Government of Kosovo to fine citizens who continue to have illegal KM license plates, instead of legal RKS ones, on their vehicles.

Kusari-Lila announces solution for licence plates "within hours" (Express)

The head of the Parliamentary Group of Vetevendosje Movement (LVV) Mimoza Kusari-Lila said that finding a solution for licence plates is "a matter of hours."

She said that she has information that the issue is being treated very seriously and that there is intensive communication between Brussels and chief negotiator Besnik Bislimi.

She added that she expects a solution to be found within hours, since there is not much time left until November 21.

"Regarding the licence plate agreement, I am informed that they are taking it very seriously and there have been constant exchanges by Deputy Prime Minister Bislimi in relation to the European Union about the next steps. I believe that it is a matter of hours, not to say a matter of days, that there are very few days left to come up with a solution," Kusari-Lila said today.

Osmani thanks Pelosi for her commitment and connection with Kosovo (media)

The President of Kosovo Vjosa Osmani thanked the Speaker of the House of Representatives in the United States of America, Nancy Pelosi, for her commitment and connection with Kosovo.

Osmani tweeted that Pelosi is a strong champion of democracy and has made history with unparalleled professionalism, dedication and service, adding that she is also a true champion of the special bond between the two nations.

Nancy Pelosi, who has led Democrats in the US House of Representatives for nearly two decades, has announced that she will step down from that role. Pelosi, an 82-year-old California politician who has served twice as speaker, said she will remain in Congress, representing San Francisco in the House, as she has done for 35 years.

EC convinces Netherlands – now they are in favour of visa liberalisation (Express)

The news website reports that the updated report of the European Commission has removed the doubts that Netherlands had about visa liberalisation for Kosovo, and they are now in favour of waiving the visas.

The Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs told Gazeta Express that they can now agree on visa liberalisation for Kosovo after they have seen the findings of the European Commission’s report. “The Netherlands can now agree on visa liberalisation because the updated report shows a positive trend,” they said.

They also praised the current government for making progress in areas that were concerning in the past. “We have seen mainly progress in the fight against corruption and organised crime, migration, and border management, as well as the fight against terrorism. We commend the Kurti government’s progress on the reform agenda. This progress must continue. It is very important for Kosovo to continue to harmonise its visa policy with the EU visa policy,” they added. “We will continue to monitor progress in this direction”.

Kusari-Lila: EU plan has U.S. support and includes two phases (RTK)

Head of the Vetevendosje parliamentary group, Mimoza Kusari-Lila, said today during a debate titled “New momentum in Kosovo – Serbia relations: What is the way forward?” that Kosovo has undergone democratic changes, whereas the same has not happened in Serbia. She argued that the process of talks in the past did not result in the normalisation of relations between the two countries but on the contrary brought increased demands on Kosovo. “Serbia is trying to present itself as a country that pushes forward the process of integration and other processes,” she said.

Kusari-Lila said that the so-called French-German plan is in fact a European plan that has the support of the United States. “What I can say here is that the plan includes a final solution, the process of general normalisation, divided in two phases. The first phase includes all outstanding issues, but it does not include mutual recognition. The second phase includes the mutual recognition between the two countries,” she said.

Kusari-Lila also said that the Serbian List MPs have not attended the sessions of the Kosovo Assembly for four months. “And the reason is not principled but has exclusively to do with one issue, protecting Milan Radoicic,” she argued.

Peci: In one version I’ve seen, plan includes Serb Orthodox Church (Klan)

Executive director of the Pristina-based research institute KIPRED, Lulzim Peci, said today during a debate in Pristina that he has seen several versions of the plan for an agreement between Kosovo and Serbia, and that one of the versions includes a point about the Serb Orthodox Church.

“I’ve seen several versions of the plan and I don’t know which is the real one. In essence it is about the model of two Germanies in the first phase and then it has to do with final recognition which would also imply the normalisation of relations between Kosovo and Serbia. There cannot be any normalisation of relations without recognition between the two countries and without diplomatic relations,” he said.

“There are another two elements, in one of the versions I’ve seen. I’m not certain if this is the real version, until we see the official plan, and one of the points will be the Serb Orthodox Church, and also the implementation of all agreements that have been reached so far. Do not take my word as final, before we see a final version, but one of the versions that I’ve seen includes this element.”

Abazi: Kosovo to return to table of talks and coordinate with partners (Kallxo)

Head of the Kosovo Assembly Committee for Foreign Affairs, Haki Abazi, said today that the Kosovo government must coordinate with its international partners after the situation created with the withdrawal of Serbs from the institutions.

“The situation in the north after they received orders from Belgrade has caused an institutional vacuum. The licence plates were only a pretext for Serbia to show its muscles after the Berlin Process. We are near November 21, everyone is alarmed, including our international partners, and for us it is important for every citizen to feel safe. An exit strategy from this situation should return us to the table of talks and coordination with our partners. It is important to return to the focus of reaching a final agreement including mutual recognition,” Abazi said.

Hoti: Kurti doesn’t listen to U.S., but sends police to coordinate with EULEX (Koha)

Former Prime Minister of Kosovo and LDK MP, Avdullah Hoti, took to Facebook today to criticise Prime Minister Albin Kurti for not heeding the U.S. request to change the decision on licence plates, but that he sends the heads of police to coordinate with the EU Rule of Law Mission (EULEX).

“The United States of America stopped the visits of [Kosovo government] ministers because of the situation in the country. Whereas the Prime Minister stays more abroad than in Kosovo to send a message to the U.S. He doesn’t change the decision on licence plates according to the U.S. request, saying that we are a sovereign country. But he does send the Director of Police and the Director of Operations to the EULEX Chief to coordinate on security issues,” Hoti argued.

EULEX on patrols in north of Kosovo: We have not assumed police responsibility (Telegrafi)

After the situation created in the north of Kosovo where members of the Kosovo Police from the Serb community resigned, the European Union Mission for the Rule of Law in Kosovo (EULEX) has sent new troops there, but this mission has not assumed police responsibility in north of Kosovo. This is what the EULEX Press and Public Information office said in a response sent to Telegrafi.

According to them, after the resignation of the members of the Kosovo Police, there is a security vacuum in the northern part of Kosovo. In their answer, it is stated that EULEX can fill this vacuum only partially, but EULEX cannot replace the Kosovo Police.

Serbian Language Media

The EU invited Vucic and Kurti to Brussels: Find a European solution to get out of the crisis (N1)

The European Union invited Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti to Brussels to discuss finding a "European solution" to get out of the most difficult situation in Kosovo since 2013, EU spokesperson Peter Stano announced, reported N1.

It is not known whether Vucic and Kurti have accepted Brussels' invitation, reports N1's correspondent.

N1 recalled that on Monday, November 21st, the second phase of the decision of the Government of Kosovo on the re-registration of vehicles should begin, from when the owners of vehicles with Serbian licence plates would be fined 150 euros.

Some media announced earlier today that Belgrade and Pristina agreed to postpone the decision on re-registration of vehicles for ten months, which the Office for Kosovo and Metohija strongly denied, stating that no agreement on licence plates or the return of Serbs to institutions had been reached.

Office for KiM: No agreement has been reached with Pristina (RTS, Blic)

According to the Office for Kosovo and Metohija, no agreement has been reached on the vehicle plates or the return of Serbs to the institutions, reported RTS.

According to the Office for Kosovo and Metohija, “this is the most ordinary disinformation and the distribution of fake news with the aim of Pristina attempting to remove responsibility for the violation of all agreements’’.

“No agreement has been reached on the plates or the return of Serbs to the institutions, as the media in Pristina are trying to spread that propaganda, and some media in Belgrade have reported it," said the Office for Kosovo and Metohija.

At the same time RTS apologised for the publication of the unverified and incorrect news of the FoNet agency that an agreement on licence plates between Belgrade and Pristina was reached in Brussels, which was published in the Morning News.

Brnabic: No agreement with Pristina, it must implement agreements (Tanjug, media)

Serbian PM Ana Brnabic said on Friday no agreement whatsoever had been reached with Pristina on vehicle licence plates in Kosovo-Metohija and noted that both Belgrade and Serbs in the province wanted to see signed agreements implemented and respected, reported agency Tanjug.

In a statement to Tanjug, Brnabic said Belgrade was concerned because it did not see any results of Pristina's discussions with the EU and the US.

"(Pristina PM) Albin Kurti is saying that the Brussels Agreement does not exist. Those are bad signals. The agreement does exist and what has been signed must be respected," Brnabic said.

She also noted that Belgrade expected Pristina's discussions with the EU and the US to produce results.

She said rule of law was a European principle also reflected in implementation of signed agreements and noted that Belgrade had met its commitments a long time ago.

She recalled that, under a 2021 agreement on licence plates, a sticker regime had been introduced and an agreement made that it would not be changed without mutual consent, but that Pristina had unilaterally breached the deal.

Commenting on Pristina's claims about 20 modalities, Brnabic said: "They can have as many as 120 modalities."

"I do not care about that. Pristina must implement what has been signed," she said.

UNS and DNKiM: Urgently to determine who attacked the Insajderi cameraman (KiM radio, NMagazin, Insajder)

The Association of Journalists of Serbia (UNS) and its branch, the Association of Journalists of Kosovo and Metohija (DNKiM), strongly condemned yesterday the physical attack on Jetmir Muji, the cameraman of the media company Insajderi from Pristina, reported KiM radio.

The Kosovo police announced that the investigation in connection with this case is ongoing.

UNS and DNKiM ask the international police to investigate all the circumstances of this case and find out who attacked colleague Muji.

UNS and DNKiM demanded that media workers in Kosovo be provided with a safe working environment and the necessary conditions for reporting without delay.

They point out that in crisis situations it is especially necessary for citizens to receive accurate information and that the basic condition for this is the need to ensure the safe work of journalists and media workers.

The KP confirms the attack on an Albanian cameraman and a student, but not a kidnapping (KoSSev)

What precisely happened in North Mitrovica today, when two Albanians sustained injuries – a young man G.GJ, who was transferred to North Mitrovica Hospital Center, and Jetmir Muji, a cameraman of the Insajderi portal, who sought help in the south?

Insajderi journalist Visar Duriqi, whose colleague was injured, told KoSSev that the incident happened because he and Muji spotted an alleged attempt to kidnap a young ethnic Albanian near the main bridge. On the other hand, the Kosovo police announced that a group of Albanian high school students were returning from a walk in the north when one of them was attacked near the intersection, while the other students managed to run away.

According to Duriqi’s testimony, upon crossing the main bridge, near the site where members of the Carabinieri are stationed, he and Muji purportedly spotted “a young Albanian being dragged” into a blue Renault vehicle. Muji reportedly sprinted after the car. Upon reaching an intersection, Muji found a group of people placing the injured G. GJ. in an ambulance. Some members of the same group of people allegedly attacked Muji, claimed Duriqi.

On the other hand, the Kosovo Police confirmed this morning that two young men of Albanian ethnicity were injured, one of whom was treated in a hospital in North Mitrovica, and the other sought help in the south.

Read more at: https://bit.ly/3EHO9kF

NGO Aktiv launches a phone line for reporting cases of mistreatment by the police (KiM radio)

After the recent physical and verbal attack on Miodrag Milicevic by members of the Special Unit of the Kosovo Police, the NGO Aktiv from North Mitrovica decided to launch a telephone line through which citizens moving towards the Jarinje and Brnjak crossings will be able to report similar inconveniences, reported KiM radio.

Miodrag Milicevic, executive director of the NGO Aktiv, held a press conference yesterday in Pristina to explain what happened to him following numerous speculations in the public, which primarily come from representatives of various Kosovo institutions, and related to the incident that happened on Monday, November 14 near Jarinje. His claims about the physical and psychological abuse of Kosovo special forces and the statement that Aktiv made public were first denied by the Kosovo police.

"That is actually the key reason for today's conference, but also for all other public appearances in the Kosovo public, and it should only serve the domestic, above all I mean the majority Albanian public in Kosovo, to look more realistically at the facts and accept this information that was provided to the public by the announcement we announced," Milicevic said.

KiM radio recalled that the Deputy Prime Minister of Kosovo and the main negotiator in the dialogue with Serbia, Besnik Bislimi, said that ''the attack on Milicevic by the special forces was not confirmed, but only a matter of suspicion''.

Milicevic described in detail the event of Monday morning when he drove his vehicle from North Mitrovica to Sarajevo.

Milicevic announced that this organisation has decided to activate a contact phone from today on which citizens who are moving towards the Jarinje and Brnjak crossings and experience similar situations will be able to receive advice on how to proceed.

"We have no intention as an organisation to replace the official police authorities in Kosovo, but we have to make it easier for citizens to communicate with official institutions and encourage them to report any incidents, mistreatment or unpleasant situations in which they believe that the police have violated their powers and that they reacted in an inappropriate way".

This line will be open 24 hours a day, but will be functional only during the working hours of this organisation, that is, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

"After four in the afternoon, citizens can send a message, and we will call them the next day to explain the procedures and what they need to do," said the executive director of NGO Aktiv.

Milicevic filed a complaint with the Kosovo Police Inspectorate the day after the incident.

"I am absolutely sure that the lawyers will take over the case in order to force the police to carry out a detailed investigation of everything that happened and to have a full report on whether the authority of the special police was exceeded and why the special police in the north of Kosovo regulate traffic in general instead of the traffic police," he said.

Milicevic requests to review video surveillance

At the place where Milicevic was stopped, as he said, the base of the Kosovo Special Police was established.

"I will officially request the camera footage from the police in order to determine which of the police officers violated their authority and how the whole situation unfolded, so that I hope it will help shed light on this incident," he concluded.

As a reminder, the Police Inspectorate of Kosovo has confirmed that an investigation has been launched based on Miodrag Milicevic's complaint about physical and psychological abuse by members of the Special Police Unit near Jarinje.

Drecun: We should expect Pristina to accept the EU's suggestions (Tanjug)

Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee for Kosovo and Metohija, Milovan Drecun, said today that “there is an intensive exchange of opinions and stances between Brussels and Pristina and that, due to the stances of Western countries and the USA, we should expect Pristina to accept their suggestions at the last moment”.

Drecun told Tanjug agency that there was “an ongoing attempt of the EU, in agreement with the provisional institutions in Pristina, to somehow prevent the rise of tensions that will surely follow, if Pristina starts fining Serbs for not re-registering their cars.”

“The very fact that Borrell invited Besnik Bislimi, Pristina’s chief negotiator, to talk to Miroslav Lajcak shows that the EU is aware that there is a problem in Pristina, and that it must be solved by Pristina giving up its intentions,” Drecun said.

He opined that these intentions were clearly aimed at causing conflict in the north of Kosovo.

“It seems that there is an intensive exchange of opinions and stances between Brussels and Pristina, and it should be expected, due to the positions of Western countries, especially the USA, that Pristina, nevertheless, accepts their suggestions at the last moment,” Drecun said.

He pointed out that the postponement of the implementation of unilateral decision on the licence plates was not a solution, but rather to give up this decision and to reach an agreement on the plates during a later period through the talks with Belgrade.

“Without that, there is no return of political representatives of Serbs to the institutions of provisional self-government, as well as without the formation of the Community of Serb Municipalities,” Drecun said.

“We have to wait to see if the activities carried out by the EU towards the provisional institutions in Pristina would yield any results,” Drecun said.

He added that reaching an agreement that would delay the implementation of Pristina’s unilateral decision or completely abolish it, which is Belgrade’s request, would make it impossible for Pristina to use violence.

“That would be a significant contribution to the reduction of the possibility of wider conflicts. In the announcement, we see the possibility that Pristina will take advantage of the situation and cause destabilisation, tensions, and possible conflicts again by calling elections in four municipalities in the north of Kosovo. Instead of solving the cause of the problem, Pristina further complicates matters, it goes with force, with the threat of intimidation of the Serbs,” Drecun said.

He emphasised that it is completely clear that the majority of Serbs will not vote in the elections if they are held.

“Despite this, Pristina wants to somehow hold those elections and even the Central Election Commission announces that they will recognize the results, regardless of how many people go to the polls. Some Albanians will take part, maybe some Bosniaks, but the Serbs will not go to the polls. This is from the very beginning a new announcement of destabilisation. We are going from one bad situation towards another, which is even worse,” Drecun said.

He added that the problem with the licence plates would be temporarily solved, and the situation defused, but later, an even worse situation was being prepared regarding the elections.

“Pristina does not want any agreements; their only goal is to provoke conflicts and they will use every possible situation to provoke it. The problem of Pristina is an institutional and political crisis. The problem for both Pristina and the West is when there are no…Serbs. There is no multi-ethnicity in those institutions, or as the West likes to say, there is no progress in Kosovo,” Drecun said.

He added that this is creating a serious political crisis and putting pressure on Pristina, so, as he said, it is very possible that in the next few months there will be snap elections in Kosovo.

“We can already see some contacts of the representatives of PDK and LDK with American and European officials and diplomats. It seems that, perhaps, the whole thing is directed towards those possible new elections and towards the changes in the composition of the government, so that Albin Kurti would simply leave from power and maybe these two parties form the majority,” Drecun said.

UNS and DNKiM not invited to the meeting of the CoE Platform for the Safety of Journalists (KiM radio)

KiM radio reported that the Association of Journalists of Serbia (UNS) and its branch, the Association of Journalists of Kosovo and Metohija (DNKiM), were not invited to a meeting in Pristina held on Wednesday with the seven partner organisations of the Council of Europe Platform for the Safety of Journalists.

The Association of Journalists of Serbia announced that ''this happened even though UNS was the only organization that conducted a multi-year study on murdered and missing journalists in Kosovo and forwarded the results to this Platform'', reported KiM radio, citing the announcement.

UNS reported that Serbian journalists Tatjana Lazarevic from KoSSev, Andjelka Cup from Euronews and Bojan Tomic from Radio Kosova were invited at a meeting, with the invitation in Albanian language, with the organisation "Article 19", the International Press Institute (IPI), the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), the Committee for the Protection of Journalists (CPJ), Reporters of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), Reporters Without Borders (RSF ), the European Center for Press Freedom (ECPMF).

After a two-day visit to Pristina, seven organisations made observations about the position of journalists and media in Kosovo.

Among other things, they concluded that documents and information in the Serbian language are difficult to access in Kosovo, and the safety of journalists reporting on the north of Kosovo was also a problem.

The delegation announced that it had received a promise from the Prosecutor's Office that investigations into the murders and disappearances of journalists from 1998 to 2005 would continue, but that no evidence of significant progress in these cases had been presented.

At the meeting of the seven organizations, there was not even a word about the need to form an international commission in Pristina that would deal with investigations into the murder and disappearance of journalists, although Ricardo Gutiérrez, Secretary General of the European Federation of Journalists, which in 2018 and 2021 adopted resolutions on the need to form such a body.

The representatives of the organisations assessed that the media environment in Kosovo was pluralistic, and they stated that significant progress has been made in recent years in strengthening the legal framework that was in line with European and international standards.

During the visit, the organisations did not meet with representatives of the UNS branch in Kosovo, but, as they announced, they met with other journalist associations, editors and journalists, ministers and state officials, judicial authorities, police, representatives of the parliamentary media committee, regulatory bodies, the agency for the protection of privacy and information.

International

UN expert on truth and justice to visit Serbia and Kosovo* (ohchr.org)

GENEVA (17 November 2022) – The UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion of truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence, Fabian Salvioli, will conduct an official visit to Serbia and Kosovo* from 22 November to 2 December.

During his visit, the UN expert will examine the progress made in redressing the legacy of serious violations of human rights and humanitarian law committed during the armed conflicts that engulfed the region in the 1990s.