UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, December 6, 2022

Albanian Language Media:

Borrell: Pristina, Belgrade received updated text of French-German plan (RFE)
Kurti meets Lajcak, discuss “course and dynamization of dialogue” (media)
Lajcak after meeting Kurti: We have no time to lose (Nacionale)
Sources: Lajcak calls for postponement of elections in north (Express)
Bislimi: Accordance to keep content of French-German plan confidential (Kallxo)
Osmani in Tirana: Vucic is the continuation of the 90s mentality that led to war (Klan)
EC admits it mistakenly asked countries in region to introduce visas to Kosovo (RFE)
CDHRF reacts to death of Kosovar with Norwegian citizenship in Serbian prison (media)

Serbian Language Media:

Sirens in Zubin Potok; Petkovic: ''Kurti sent the police with long pipes''; Jaksic on Twitter (N1, RTS, media)
Vucic: Tirana summit good opportunity to protect Serbian interests (Tanjug)
Vucic meets with Macron in Tirana (Tanjug)
Dacic: Pristina lost large number of votes in UN (Danas)
Odalovic: Pristina does not want to cooperate on resolving missing persons cases (Kosovo Online)
Trajkovic on joining Kurti's government: The goal to find out what is being discussed (KoSSev, N1)
Radulovic appointed adviser to Nenad Rasic (KiM radio)
Gracanica municipality undertakes measures to protect new cemetery from desecration (KoSSev)
Sentence to Nedeljkovic reduced to six months (Kosovo Online)
Commission for the Protection of Competition: Proceedings initiated against MTS D.O.O (Kontakt plus radio)
Serbian opposition MPs in show of support for N1, Nova S (KoSSev, N1)

International:

Rama: EU accession not an ‘exam you can cheat on’, more work needed (euractive.com)
Kosovo Files Second Complaint to FIFA in Serbia Football Row (BIRN)

Albanian Language Media

Borrell: Pristina, Belgrade received updated text of French-German plan (RFE)

EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, confirmed today that Belgrade and Pristina have received the updated text of the so-called French-German plan for dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia.

“The latest version of the text was sent yesterday in Serbia and today in Kosovo. They [Kosovo and Serbia] must now engage in serious discussions because there is a great opportunity now,” Borrell told reporters in Tirana, where he is attending the EU-Western Balkans Summit.

Kurti meets Lajcak, discuss “course and dynamization of dialogue” (media)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti met today in Pristina with EU Special Representative for the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia, Miroslav Lajcak. A press release issued by Kurti’s office notes that the meeting focused on the course and dynamization of the dialogue, the elements of the main framework of the agreement, latest developments in Kosovo and other current issues.

Kurti thanked Lajcak for his engagement in dialogue and highlighted the elements of the framework for an agreement on full normalisation of relations centred around mutual recognition. Kurti said the Kosovo government was finalising preparations to apply for membership of the European Union.

Kurti also said that the Kosovo government is “committed to the rule of law and to safeguard peace and security in the Republic of Kosovo”.

Lajcak after meeting Kurti: We have no time to lose (Nacionale)

EU Special Representative for the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia, Miroslav Lajcak, said today in Pristina that Kosovo and Serbia should not lose time and return to the table of talks. After meeting Prime Minister Albin Kurti, Lajcak said work is being done on the normalisation of relations and that “there is no time to lose”. “It is important that the situation has returned to normal … We need to use this momentum and we are working on high-level meetings. We have no time to lose. We also talked about the situation in the north, and about the issue of energy,” he told reporters.

Lajcak said he discussed the return of Kosovo Serb representatives to the institutions, and that he discussed the same topic on Monday with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic. “I discussed this with Vucic yesterday and I presented it to Kurti today, saying that we have a security vacuum. This is not good for anyone, for the people either, and I hope they will return and the situation will go back to normal,” he said.

Sources: Lajcak calls for postponement of elections in north (Express)

The news website reports that the EU Special Representative for the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia, Miroslav Lajcak, came to the region, first in Belgrade and then in Prisitna, with an updated proposal of the French-German plan, which probably incorporates the comments sent by the parties.

Citing unnamed sources, Gazeta Express notes that Lajcak has asked for the postponement of elections in the four northern municipalities in Kosovo scheduled for December 18. The extraordinary elections were announced after Serbian List officials withdrew from municipal and central institutions. Lajcak reportedly asked for the postponement in order to convince the Serbian List to take part in the elections.

Bislimi: Accordance to keep content of French-German plan confidential (Kallxo)

Kosovo’s First Deputy Prime Minister, Besnik Bislimi, is reporting about the dialogue with Serbia and the French-German plan to the Kosovo Assembly Committee for Foreign Affairs. About the updated proposal of the European Union, Bislimi said the dialogue should be seen in the new political context after the war in Ukraine. He said that there is an accordance between the proposers and advisors to the French and German Presidents, but also among Kurti and Vucic, to keep the content of the plan confidential. “Therefore, I cannot disclose any details,” he said.

Osmani in Tirana: Vucic is the continuation of the 90s mentality that led to war (Klan)

The President of Kosovo Vjosa Osmani is in Tirana to participate in the summit between the European Union and the Western Balkans.

"Vucic is the continuation of a mentality of the 90s in Serbia, and this mentality led to war, destruction, murder, a mentality that should be rejected by everyone," she told the journalists there.

She also said that she will inform the leaders of the EU that Kosovo will submit its application for membership in the EU at the end of this year.

EC admits it mistakenly asked countries in region to introduce visas to Kosovo (RFE)

The European Commission admitted today that in the annual monitoring report for countries that have visa liberalisation, published on December 5, it mistakenly included a sentence where North Macedonia and Montenegro were asked to introduce visas to Kosovo.

The European Commission said there are no changes in its positions, and it strongly supports visa liberalisation for Kosovo citizens and asks that the visa regime be lifted without delay.

“I can confirm that there is absolutely no change in the positions of the European Commission, and we absolutely support freedom of movement in the region,” a spokesman for the European Commission told reporters today.

CDHRF reacts to death of Kosovar with Norwegian citizenship in Serbian prison (media)

The Pristina-based Council for the Defense of Human Rights and Freedoms (CDHRF) has reacted to reports that a Kosovo Albanian from Peja, with Norwegian citizenship, has died in a prison in Serbia. “Kosovo nationals that are serving time in Serbia, but also Albanians that have different citizenships, feel unsafe in Serbia, therefore, it is necessary to have as soon as possible an agreement between Kosovo and Serbia for the transfer of inmates to their countries of origin in line with international standards,” the Council said in a statement.

Serbian Language Media

Sirens in Zubin Potok; Petkovic: ''Kurti sent the police with long pipes''; Jaksic on Twitter (N1, RTS, media)

N1 reported that in Zubin Potok, sirens were heard, as members of the municipal elected commission entered the premises of the Municipality of Zubin Potok, accompanied by the police.

The Director of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija, Petar Petkovic, announced that the Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, sent police with long pipes to the north of Kosovo "in order to forcefully try to prepare the ground for the holding of his illegal elections", reported the media.

"It is about the most brutal demonstration of force and causing new tensions and provocations on the part of Pristina, which is trying to implement its illegal, unlawful and unilateral measures with violence and unilateral acts and cause a new destabilization of the situation on the ground," Petkovic said in a statement.

He added that Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti directed and timed this to happen while the EU-Western Balkans summit was being held in Tirana.

"This is what the so-called democracy and the rule of law of Albin Kurti looks like - while he forbids Serbs to participate in the elections and the referendum, at the same time he is trying to bring about his elections in the north of the province with long pipes, guns and violence," said Petkovic.

He added that Kurti's intention is to use violence and weapons to "hijack four Serbian municipalities in the north" and install Albanian representatives in them in illegal and illegitimate elections.

"We call on the Serbs to remain calm and not succumb to provocations whose only goal is to cause conflict and crisis in the north of Kosovo and Metohija, because all our people want is the respect of rights and agreements, the right to stay and survival on their centuries-old homes, " concluded Petkovic.

The media reported that the members of the municipal election commission forcibly entered the premises of the Municipality of Zubin Potok, accompanied by the police, broke down the doors and changed the locks, and then left the building of the Municipality. Allegedly, two explosions were heard in Zubina Potok, and sirens were also activated, reported the media.

Meantime Marko Jaksic, lawyer, and former associate of Oliver Ivanovic, wrote on Twitter:

''So, Mr. Miroslav Lajcak, today normalization meaning Kurti's special police actions in Zubin Potok municipality and other villages in Ibarski Kolasin against common people from North Kosovo? Does he have yours support?''

Media reported that in the northern part of Mitrovica sirens were heard as well.

Vucic: Tirana summit good opportunity to protect Serbian interests (Tanjug)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Tuesday in Tirana he would attend an EU-Western Balkans summit in the city not only because of a friendship with Albania but also because "it is always better to be at the table when discussions are underway, because when you are not at the table, you are usually on the menu", reported Tanjug agency.

"This is a good opportunity to protect Serbian interests," Vucic told reporters after arriving in the Albanian capital. When asked who he would meet with during the summit, he noted meetings with the Dutch and Belgian PMs.

"Separate bilateral meetings include a meeting with Italian PM Giorgia Meloni. Those will be separate bilaterals. I will speak with almost everyone from both the region and the EU," Vucic said.

Meanwhile, Vucic has met with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Council President Charles Michel, Albanian PM Edi Rama and the Serb member of the Bosnia and Herzegovina Presidency Zeljka Cvijanovic.

"With European Council President Charles Michel, I discussed all issues of interest to Belgrade and Brussels," Vucic wrote in a post on his buducnostsrbijeav Instagram account.

After the meeting with von der Leyen, Vucic posted that he had thanked her for the EU's 165 mln euro assistance to the Serbian energy sector and discussed "all current affairs between Serbia and the EU."

Vucic meets with Macron in Tirana (Tanjug)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic met with French President Emmanuel Macron on the sidelines of an EU-Western Balkans summit in Tirana on Tuesday.

In a post on his buducnostsrbijeav Instagram account, Vucic wrote that he had had a cordial meeting with Macron and that they had exchanged views on current global affairs, EU-Western Balkans ties and Serbia's European path.

"We also discussed regional stability, and I reiterated Serbia's consistent commitment to maintaining peace and to dialogue as the only way of solving all issues", Vucic noted in the post, which also included a photo from the meeting.

Dacic: Pristina lost large number of votes in UN (Danas)

Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic said today Pristina lost a large number of votes in the United Nations and could count currently on 83 votes out of 193 members of this organisation, Danas daily reports.

“They lost votes because each country started thinking where that separatism could go, in particular after the war in Ukraine broke out. Respectively, is Kosovo really ‘sui generis’ case, or could the same political repercussions happen on their territories”, Dacic told Prva TV.

He added that the situation in the UN is significantly different from that in Europe, because “most of the states in Europe under influence of Western countries recognized unilaterally declared independence of Kosovo”.

Speaking about the decision of the Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic to attend the EU-Western Balkans Summit in Tirana, Dacic said it was “a matter of tactics”, respectively assessment of what is the best for Serbia at this moment.

“Of course, it is always better to participate, because if you are not there they talk about you without your presence. If you do not take part, then others present their vision of all those events”, Dacic said.

Commenting on the reports that a declaration calling for respect and implementation of all previously signed agreements should be adopted in Tirana, Dacic said he does not believe this declaration “would bring Pristina to reason”, however it was good to mention previous agreements.

“That is good formulation, however my personal conviction is, and I think it is shared by many in Europe and the world, nothing will happen as long as (Kosovo Prime Minister Albin) Kurti is on that post”, Dacic said.

Odalovic: Pristina does not want to cooperate on resolving missing persons cases (Kosovo Online)

Chairman of the Serbian Government Missing Persons Commission Veljko Odalovic said Pristina authorities do not want to cooperate on resolving missing persons cases in Kosovo and Metohija, Kosovo Online portal reports.

“Last year a working group meeting was held in Belgrade, and it has been agreed what needs to be done. Belgrade gave to Pristina ten locations, and they gave to us two locations. At the end of last year, we gave them information where seven bodies were exhumed to find their ones, while we got nothing from them”, Odalovic told a conference organised by Kosmet Victims Association ahead of International Human Rights Day.

Odalovic also said the most brutal violation of fundamental human rights was taking place in Kosovo for decades. He noted Pristina institutions still keep arresting Serbs, using, as he said, false witnesses in the proceedings, thus sending a message to Serbs they have nothing to do in Kosovo.

Odalovic said 1621 persons are still listed as missing, adding families have the right to know their whereabouts and provide them dignified burial. He also informed that the working group resolved 1800 cases and that cases of missing Albanians were resolved in 90 percent of the situation.

He added that the current process to look for missing persons has been frozen, accusing Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti of halting the process and being unresponsive to Belgrade’s requests. He said Pristina institutions do not want to do anything, even when things are clear.

“In the movie on Kosare there is a man seen standing above a dug hole in which three Serbian soldiers are dumped. And that man is a journalist and part of the authorities in Pristina, and we are still searching for those missing soldiers. If the situation were the opposite, half of Europe would be on their feet to pressure us to give all (information)”, Odalovic is quoted as saying.

Trajkovic on joining Kurti's government: The goal is to find out what is being discussed (KoSSev, N1)

Rada Trajkovic, appointed adviser to the new Minister for Communities in the Government of Kosovo Nenad Rasic, told N1 yesterday that her and Rasic's involvement in the government of Albin Kurti is aimed at finding out what is being discussed in the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina. She repeated that this was the beginning of taking away the complete control of Aleksandar Vucic over the Serbs in Kosovo and that this, to her, was the greatest success, reported portal KoSSev.

"Our involvement in the government of Kurti itself aims to find out what is being discussed, given that it is a completely closed topic not only for the public of Serbia, but also for those who are directly affected by it, namely the Serbs from Kosovo and Metohija. The Serbian list was satisfied with what the president says and what the president knows," said Trajkovic in the show "Behind the News".

Commenting on Vucic's meeting with Lajcak yesterday, she said that she could only guess what they discussed - about Vucic's behavior after the election of Rasic as minister, and his insistence that that election was illegitimate and illegal.

To the accusations that the election (of Rasic), and hers, as an adviser, was not according to the Kosovo constitution, Trajkovic thinks it was according to the constitution and that Kurti, as prime minister, has the right to replace ministers in the government.

She also rejected accusations that Rasic has no legitimacy, stating that in such a situation the question of legitimacy was less important.

"I understand it all and I realise it all. But now when you have a crisis like this, do you think that legitimacy is so important? For me as an adviser it is not a priority. You have people who are advisers to Vucic, such as Blair, they have no legitimacy and did not go to the elections. In the past, the way the Serbian List acquired legitimacy was very problematic," Trajkovic assessed.

Asked why she accepted to be an adviser in the Kosovo government, she pointed out that she thinks ''this is a decisive moment''.

"I see that the situation is getting very complicated and that maybe I can have an insight into what will happen. So, it does not happen or look like what happened to the Serbs in Krajina..." said Trajkovic.

Commenting on her earlier statement that one of her priorities was to break the monopoly of the Serbian List, she explained that the Serbian List did not draw its power from the people and the voters, but that its power came from President Vucic.

"The Serbian List implements everything that Vucic says. Part of Vucic's power in Kosovo was partly changed by our election. He will no longer be able to make decisions without anyone telling us anything," said N1 interviewee, wrote portal KoSSev.

She said that the idea was to strengthen the Serbian community south of the Ibar and pointed out that the Kosovo prime minister "most directly threatens the enclaves", reported KoSSev, citing N1.

"And then he threatens the cultural heritage as well. And Gracanica, and Decane, and Pec Patriarchate and The Mother of God of Ljeviska. And this way, exerts pressure on the emigration of Serbs and the stay of our cultural heritage without citizens of Serbian nationality, who are otherwise believers of our church," Trajkovic said in the N1's TV show.

Asked if she and Rasic got into a personal conflict between Vucic and Kurti, the N1's interlocutor denied it, and repeated that her desire and goal was to reduce Vucic's influence in some area, as much as she could.

"Rasic told me that there are over 50 phone calls from Serbs, who did not dare before. The awakening of the people on the ground is already noticeable. People in the north are waking up as well. There is no other way but this one, which is very difficult. Do you think it's easy for me to endure insults, the most terrible labeling, even setting myself as a target," asked Trajkovic.

Asked about the German-French proposal, she opined that ''it has been accepted at some level with certain changes".

"It does not carry a final solution; it carries one level of solution and I think Vucic accepted it. This essentially implies the implementation of the Brussels agreement. For European institutions to be accessible to Kosovo. He recognized Kosovo as a separate entity," said Trajkovic.

When it comes to the extraordinary local elections in the north of Kosovo, she said that it would be embarrassing for her to hold those elections if there was not a single Serb candidate in North Mitrovica, reported KoSSev, citing N1.

Radulovic appointed adviser to Nenad Rasic (KiM radio)

The president of the Association of Montenegrins "Lovcen", Lazar Radulovic, was appointed as an advisor to the Minister for Communities and Return in the Government of Kosovo, Nenad Rasic.

According to the press release delivered to the media, Radulovic resigned from the position of president of the Association ''Lovcen'' due to the conflict of interest, reported KiM radio.

Gracanica municipality undertakes measures to protect new cemetery from desecration (KoSSev)

Following reports from residents that new Orthodox cemetery in Gracanica is being desecrated by letting cattle graze on it by a local Albanian farmer, municipal department inspectors visited the cemetery and established that reports were accurate, KoSSev portal reports, adding procedures stipulated by the law were undertaken against the perpetrator.

Gracanica mayor Ljiljana Subaric visited the Orthodox cemetery along with director of inspection, Jelena Stojanovic, director of the public services, Vladica Trajkovic and director of urbanism department Aleksandra Djekic.

Stojanovic termed the case as shameful, adding she has spoken with the police that will open the case. Municipal officials said that in addition to desecrating the cemetery, the local farmer with his cattle also causes damages to the public property located across the cemetery, currently under administration of the Agency for Privatisation.

Sentence to Nedeljkovic reduced to six months (Kosovo Online)

The Court of Appeals has partially accepted an appeal in the case of Nikola Nedeljkovic, a young Serb man arrested on June 28, at Gazimestan and sentenced to eight months in prison for allegedly chanting offensive phrases, thus deciding to reduce his sentence to six months in prison, Kosovo online portal reports.

His defence lawyer Jovana Filipovic said Nedeljkovic should be released latest by December 28, as the sentence also includes the time Nedeljkovic spent in detention. Nedeljkovic was serving the sentence in a prison in Mitrovica North, the portal recalled.

Commission for the Protection of Competition: Proceedings initiated against MTS D.O.O (Kontakt plus radio)

The Kosovo Commission for the Protection of Competition announced that "proceedings have been initiated against the company MTS D.O.O. due to the existence of reasonable suspicion that this company, which provides internet and cable services, sold and bought shares on the stock exchange, gained control over other companies, although there is a legal obligation to inform the competent institutions beforehand about all the mentioned actions," reported yesterday Kontakt plus radio, citing Koha.

The Commission says that MTS D.O.O violated the Law on Protection of Competition.

"Transactions, if they were carried out without submitting a report on it, according to the Law on the Protection of Competition, represent a form of restriction or distortion of competition. The aim of the aforementioned law is equal and fair competition, and prevention of monopolies," the announcement stated.

They add that the proceedings against MTS D.O.O. were initiated in order to "investigate the distortion of competition, find out the facts and prove the violation of the law".

Serbian opposition MPs in show of support for N1, Nova S (KoSSev, N1)

Several Serbian opposition MPs supported N1 and Nova S by raising signs saying Darkness in Serbia without free media at the opening of a session of parliament.

The MPs raised the signs while TV camera crews and photographers entered the hall. The signs were raised by MPs from the United MP group, People’s Party, Democratic Party, Moramo-Zajedno and Green-Left Club. One ruling coalition MP also raised a flag with the words No Surrender over a map of Kosovo.

Ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) MP group chief Milenko Jovanov refused to speak, demanding that chairwoman Elvira Kovac provide conditions to continue the session. Kovac called the opposition MPs to lower the signs, saying that the message of support was conveyed. “You were obviously waiting for the media, you’ve finished your performance, everyone saw it, I think that’s enough,” she said.

N1 and Nova S TV stations have been broadcasting the words Darkness in Serbia without free media instead of their regular programming since midnight on the night of Monday-Tuesday.

See at: https://bit.ly/3uv2fQs

International

Rama: EU accession not an ‘exam you can cheat on’, more work needed (euractive.com)

The EU accession process of the Western Balkans is not an exam you can cheat on as Greece did, and its importance has increased because of the geopolitical situation facing the region and the bloc, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama told EURACTIV in an exclusive interview on Monday (5 December).

On Tuesday, Albania will host the EU-Western Balkan summit bringing together leaders from the EU27 and the Western Balkan six, along with European Commission and Council officials.

Rama spoke on the eve of the summit about enlargement, regional tensions, and the need to push ahead with reforms to ensure the authenticity of the enlargement process.