UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, December 9, 2022

Albanian Language Media:

Osmani: There will never be police and soldiers of Serbia in Kosovo again (media)
Kurti: Kosovo Police is not oriented against Serbs (media)
Situation in north of Kosovo reported to be calm (RFE)
EU concerned about “very serious” situation in north Kosovo (RFE)
Rohde: Elections in the north must be postponed (RTK)
AJK condemns the attack on journalists in the north, demands security (media)
UK sanctions Milan Radoicic and Zvonko Veselinovic (Gazeta Express)
Masked persons attack vehicle of reporters in Mitrovica North (Kallxo)
Masked persons seen near Bosniak Neighborhood in north Kosovo (Klan)
S. recommends religious communities’ registration without criteria on number of their members (Koha)
LDK demands Minister Haxhiu’s resignation after disappearance of samples (RTK)

Serbian Language Media:

Petkovic: ZSO not a matter of Kurti's wishes, but an obligation from the agreement (KiM radio)
Serbian List reaction to Veselinovic, Radoicic, Tepic sanctions (Kosovo Online, Danas, Kontakt plus radio)
Situation in Mitrovica North calm, but tense (RTS)
Stano: EU calls for responsibility and calming of tensions in north of Kosovo (RTS)
Brnabic says Serbia to demand everything that is in line with UN SC Resolution 1244 (Tanjug)
Petkovic: “We sent final appeal to international community, Serbs will no longer endure Kurti’s terror” (RTS, Kosovo Online)
Tadic says Petkovic ‘deceives’ public (Danas)
Igor Simic: We are committed to peace, but it is boiling here (RTS, Tanjug, media)
Djuric: A textbook example of inflaming conflict in Kosovo (Danas)
Rasic: I will ask Kurti to delay the election (KiM radio, Danas)
Serbian Orthodox Church: Increased pressure of Kosovo institutions on Serbs (Beta, NMagazin)
In three settlements in Mitrovica North there were no members of Kosovo police this morning (N1)
Drecun: Ultimate Kurti’s goal is to send KSF to northern Kosovo (Kosovo Online)
Attempted robbery in Leposavic, Serbian bank confirms exchange of fire (KoSSev)
Stojanovic: Return of Serbian army in Kosovo at this moment unrealistic (Radio KIM)

International:

KALLXO Team and Police Attacked in the North (BIRN)
Branded ‘Scum’ in Serbia, Kosovo Serb Defends Cabinet Role (BIRN)
Serbia Considering Sending 1,000 ‘Security Personnel’ Into Kosovo (Balkan Insight)

Albanian Language Media

Osmani: There will never be police and soldiers of Serbia in Kosovo again (media)

Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani said today that the wounding of a police officer in the north of Kosovo on Thursday is a criminal act and oriented against Kosovo’s constitutional order and sovereignty and against law enforcement actions. “Attacks against reporters are also a flagrant violation of the right to free information. The authors of these crimes must be brought to justice urgently, while judicial institutions must act immediately. There will never again be police and soldiers of Serbia in the territory of the Republic of Kosovo. Serbia’s hegemonistic dream will never come to life!” she wrote in a Facebook post.

Osmani also said that “Serbia’s open threat for police and military aggression proves that a hegemonistic mindset still prevails there. This should be refused and opposed by the whole democratic world which gave the biggest blow to this mindset in 1999”.

Kurti: Kosovo Police is not oriented against Serbs (media)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti said today that law enforcement authorities in Kosovo do not prosecute anyone on ethnic or religious basis, but only according to their individual or group actions and behaviours.

“The Kosovo Police is never oriented against the Serbs. On the contrary, it has additional consideration for Serbs in Kosovo, precisely due to various misinterpretations that can be done by our northern neighbour,” Kurti said in a speech at the Kosovo Assembly.

“Belgrade has realised that it cannot divide Albanians and Serbs in explaining the situation in Kosovo. Serbs and Albanians meet in Kosovo everyday.”

Kurti also said that he is in continuous consultation with international stakeholders. “But you need to understand that they expect us to be at the level of duty in our country. They are QUINT ambassadors, but they cannot become ministers. The ministers are the citizens of this country. Governments come and go, but the state remains,” he argued.

Situation in north of Kosovo reported to be calm (RFE)

An officer of the Kosovo Police, who preferred to remain anonymous, told Radio Free Europe this morning that the situation in the north of Kosovo is currently calm and that “there are no masked persons on the streets, who were seen in the morning hours”.

“The masked persons were there in the evening and in the morning, but now they have left,” the police officer said.

The news website reports that there are no police patrols on the streets of Mitrovica North, except in the multiethnic Bosniak Neighborhood.

EU concerned about “very serious” situation in north Kosovo (RFE)

The European Union is concerned about recent tensions in the northern part of Kosovo, saying that these tensions are a result of actions from both sides. “This is certainly very serious and is precisely a result of the escalation that we have seen in the last couple of weeks. It is also a warning how actions from both sides can lead to such a situation,” an EU official, who preferred to remain anonymous, told the news website.

“The EU Rule of Law Mission is now assisting the Kosovo Police, following the mass resignations. Italy, for example, sent reinforcements several weeks ago. We said in our statements that EULEX is the second security respondent that assists the Kosovo Police, but this mission can compensate 100 percent the gap created with the withdrawal of Serb police officers”.

Rohde: Elections in the north must be postponed (RTK)

The ambassador of Germany to Kosovo Jorn Rohde requested to postpone the elections for mayors in the North of Kosovo. Rohde shared the post of the ambassador of the United States of America, Jeffrey Hovenier, where he says that there are no right conditions to hold elections now.

"I agree with my colleague from the United States that the elections should be postponed. It is clear that the current situation is not favourable for holding them now," Rohde wrote on Twitter.

UK sanctions Milan Radoicic and Zvonko Veselinovic (Gazeta Express)

The news website reports that the UK Foreign Secretary Foreign has announced sanctions that targets corrupt actors, those violating human rights, and as perpetrators of sexual-violence in conflict. Among those sanctioned are Milan Radoicic and Zvonko Veselinovic. “Milan Radojcic, a construction industry businessman and Vice president of Serb List. Radojcic has profited from the misappropriation of state contracts and used his influence to award his own construction companies lucrative contracts. Zvonko Veselinovic, a construction industry businessman in Kosovo using public contracts to misappropriate state funds,” part of the statement reads.

Read full statement at: https://bit.ly/3FmsVIu

AJK condemns the attack on journalists in the north, demands security (media)

The Association of Journalists of Kosovo (AJK) is deeply concerned about the safety of journalists, after the attack this morning on a Kallxo.com team in the north of Mitrovica.

The vehicle in which journalist Shkodrane Dakaj and producer Valdet Salihu were travelling was attacked by a masked group of Serbs, near the Technical School.

AJK strongly condemns the attack, and again asks the Kosovo Police to provide adequate security conditions for the reporting of journalists from this part of Kosovo.

Masked persons attack vehicle of reporters in Mitrovica North (Kallxo)

The news website reports that masked persons attacked the vehicle in which two reporters were travelling near a school in Mitrovica North. The reporters were not injured. See video at: https://bit.ly/3VIFLaP

Masked persons seen near Bosniak Neighborhood in north Kosovo (Klan)

The TV station reported that several masked persons were seen staying near the Bosniak Neighborhood in Mitrovica North. The situation in the ethnically-mixed neighbourhood was calm on Thursday evening. The TV station also published a short video: https://bit.ly/3uA9SVV.

U.S. recommends religious communities’ registration without criteria on number of their members (Koha)

The U.S. ambassador to Kosovo Jeffrey Hovenier said in the public discussion about the draft law on religious freedoms, that the U.S. policy which does not require as a criterion the number of individuals who can officially form a religious community, should be followed.

"The changes proposed 10 years ago required 50 members as a minimum to register and not 100 members as in the current bill. The U.S. recommends removing any or all reference to the lower number and will point out that there are other European countries that are in line with the U.S. on no registration requirements. It would be better for all religious communities to be registered, regardless of their size or the duration of practising their faith in Kosovo," Hovenier said.

Prime Minister Albin Kurti has said that the draft law will also offer small and new communities equal rights with other existing ones.

"The draft law will offer as many religious communities as possible the opportunity to be officially registered. Relatively, even those communities that are small and new in Kosovo will benefit from full and equal rights with those that are larger and have a longer history among our population," Kurti emphasised.

LDK demands Minister Haxhiu’s resignation after disappearance of samples (RTK)

The Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) has demanded the resignation of the Minister of Justice Albulena Haxhiu, after the disappearance of samples in the case of Astri Dehari.

Shkemb Manaj, from LDK, has presented the party's position on the disappearance of samples in the "Dehari" case, at a media conference.

"The LDK considers that this is a super-scandal and shows the state in which the justice system has fallen. The minister is incapable of leading this sector, so her resignation is the minimum," Manaj said.

He further emphasized that it is not enough to suspend the officials and as a political subject they also demand the resignation or dismissal of the minister.

"If she does not resign, we invite Prime Minister Albin Kurti to dismiss her and if he does not dismiss her, we consider him co-responsible for the case," Manaj said. He also said that the LDK called on the prosecution and the law enforcement agencies to clarify this case and all actors receive the punishment they deserve.

Serbian Language Media

Petkovic: ZSO not a matter of Kurti's wishes, but an obligation from the agreement (KiM radio)

"The formation of the Community of Serbian Municipalities is not a matter of Albin Kurti's wish, but an obligation of Pristina resulting from the Brussels Agreement, and the European Union guaranteed the implementation of the signed,'' pointed out the director of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija, Petar Petkovic, reported KiM radio.

Previously, Prime Minister of Kosovo Albin Kurti, as reported by Pristina based Express, said that Serbia's request for Kosovo to establish the Community of Serbian Municipalities is "childish", recalled KiM radio

"You can't make childish demands in dialogue. Belgrade does that. It means I want this for myself. You can't make childish demands, I want, and I don't look at what you want. So, you have to imagine what will happen if the same thing happens to you. It should always be presented that way, because it is another way to elaborate a little longer on reciprocity as a healthy principle of good neighborly relations,'' explained Kurti.

Responding to this statement, Petkovic announced that "the fact that Kurti boasts that he is the biggest opponent of the ZSO is a question for the international community, but also for experts from other fields outside of politics. The Community of Serbian Municipalities is not only a wish, but a need of all Serbs in the territory of Kosovo and Metohija who want to live in their own homes, and enjoy the guaranteed rights and protection provided by the CSM", stated Petkovic.

He pointed out that Kurti is trying to make the Brussels Agreement senseless, and run away from the formation of the CSM, so he ''is trying to forcibly occupy Serbian areas''.

"Why send hundreds of special forces, armed to the teeth, to the Serbian areas in the north of the province, when not a single Albanian living in a mixed area in the north of Kosovo is missing a hair from his head, while the Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija, both south and north of the Ibar, are being harassed day and night? It is clear that Pristina's explanation that Albanian police officers were sent to the north to protect Albanians is a pure lie."

He says that Kurti’s "obsession" is to expel Serbs and the state of Serbia from Kosovo, reported KiM radio.

Serbian List reaction to Veselinovic, Radoicic, Tepic sanctions (Kosovo Online, Danas, Kontakt plus radio)

The Serbian List today issued a statement in which it strongly condemned Great Britain's decision to impose sanctions on Zvonko Veselinovic, Milan Radoicic and Slobodan Tesic, reported portal Kosovo Online.

"We strongly condemn the slanderous moves carried out by the proven enemies of the Serbian people by blacklisting the vice-president of the Serbian List, Milan Radoicic, and other Serbs who are proven patriots and bearers of resistance to the occupation of northern Kosovo and Metohija by Albin Kurti," said the Serbian List.

The Serbian List stated that ''proven Serb haters have activated their agencies with the aim of crushing the resistance of the Serbian people by labelling free-thinking Serbs''.

"Parallel with the implementation of institutional violence and repression by armed special forces against Serbs south and north of the Ibar, proven Serb haters activated their agencies with the aim of crushing the resistance of the Serbian people by labelling free-thinking Serbs who do not agree to surrender and withdraw before the onslaught of the hordes from Pristina. All Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija, but also throughout Serbia, are clear with matrix according to which, at the moment when Pristina mistreats the Serbian people, anyone who raises its voice to defend the rights and freedom of our people will be denounced as a criminal," said the Serbian List.

The statement noted that ''there is no blacklist, or red or any other colour that can reduce the respect that the vice president of our party, Milan Radoicic, has among the Serbs in Kosovo'', reported the portal, citing the statement.

"What's more, these transparent moves and labelling without any evidence against him, which are in favour of Albin Kurti to present the north as a hotbed of crime, show all the nervousness of those who for more than two decades want to see Serbs on their knees, assimilated or expelled from their homes. If it were not sad, it would be funny that at the moment when the long pipes of Albanian special forces are hovering over our children, the British remember that they can help their child in Pristina by trying to tarnish the image of the honourable Serbs, but they will never remember to condemn the mistreatment of Serbs in Velika Hoca, Leposavic, Kosovska Mitrovica, Strpce or many other places throughout Kosovo and Metohija," the statement said.

The Serbian List said that they ''understood the message, but that their answer remains the same: "There is no surrender, because there is no going back from here!", reported the portal.

Situation in Mitrovica North calm, but tense (RTS)

After the entry of Kosovo police forces to Mitrovica North the situation was calm, but tense RTS reports this morning. Office for Kosovo and Metohija Director Petar Petkovic said the aim of Kosovo PM Albin Kurti was “to occupy northern Kosovo”.

The night in Mitrovica North also went calm and the situation this morning was as usual, people were going to work, children to school, shops were open, RTS correspondent Ivan Miljkovic reported.

He also said that as it was the case before there were two Carabinieri vehicles on the main bridge over the Ibar River and one police vehicle. At the Three Tower mixed settlement at the outskirt of Mitrovica North there were no police members. The only police patrol was in Brdjani settlement in western part of Mitrovica North, RTS said.

Later in the day, RTS correspondent reported that the situation in Mitrovica North remains calm but is particularly made tense by members of Kosovo police who were again deployed to some parts of the city. In Three Towers settlement, near the offices of the Municipal Election Commission around 20 police officers were present without long-barrel weapons. Also a group of several police officers was present on the corner of a street in Bosniak Mahala leading towards the city, the reporter said.

Stano: EU calls for responsibility and calming of tensions in north of Kosovo (RTS)

The EU and its member states call for responsibility and calming of tensions in the north of Kosovo, EU Spokesperson Peter Stano said in relation to the incidents in Kosovo, RTS reports.

Stano emphasised that the EU "follows with concern the development of events and condemns all violent attacks". The EU Spokesperson said that calming down the situation was necessary primarily for the well-being of the local population in Kosovo.

"The focus of Belgrade and Pristina should now be on talks on the normalisation of relations. This is crucial for the European path of both sides and for calming the situation on the ground. We are constantly calling for this, the last time we did it was this week at the EU-Western Balkans Summit in Tirana”, Stano said.

Brnabic says Serbia to demand everything that is in line with UN SC Resolution 1244 (Tanjug)

Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic said today that Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti with his acts brought us to the verge of armed conflict, adding Serbia has the right and intention to return a certain number of security personnel according to UN SC Resolution 1244, Tanjug news agency reports.

Brnabic said that daily we witness violations of the Kumanovo agreement, and the Brussels agreement.

“That is why we are very close to it and I believe that during the day President Aleksandar Vucic will give more information about his meetings that in line with UN Resolution 1244 we request return of our forces to Kosovo and Metohija. Because KFOR is not doing its job and because Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija can not feel safe. Their lives are threatened there, including also children in kindergartens”, she said.

Brnabic said Serbia in relation to Kosovo will request what is in line with UN SC Resolution 1244 which is a valid document and voiced expectations it would be accepted by all those urging all countries in the world to adhere to all UN SC resolutions.

“Everything that is in line with Resolution 1244, voted by all and which is a valid document. I believe when we demand it, and how many years had passed since Resolution 1244 was adopted, it will wholeheartedly be accepted by all those urging all countries in the world to adhere to all SC resolutions, in order to have ensured principles of the international law and as they would say – peace in the world”, Brnabic said.

Petkovic: “We sent final appeal to international community, Serbs will no longer endure Kurti’s terror” (RTS, Kosovo Online)

Office for Kosovo and Metohija Director Petar Petkovic said everybody could witness yesterday “synchronised attacks by Albin Kurti against the Serbs south and north of the Ibar River”, Kosovo Online portal reports.

“Those in Pristina do not shy from anything, they intruded Velika Hoca because the owner of the winery didn’t pay some tax duties. Since the coronavirus pandemic broke out he was not selling that wine, he kept it in the basement. Although he tried to make an agreement with them (pay fine) they didn’t want to hear about it, but confiscated 42.000 litres of wine. The way they did so was imprudent, they literally poured 25 different types of wine into a single tanker”, he said.

He said no one can understand what Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti was doing, adding Belgrade has informed all international representatives, including Miroslav Lajcak, demanding from KFOR and EULEX to react and protect the Serbian people.

“This is the last call to the international community because people do not wish longer to endure terror of Albin Kurti”, he said.

He added much can change if Kurti continues to mistreat the Serbian population and that is why he said Serbia will consider the return of up to 10000 members of its security forces, in line with UN SC Resolution 1244.

“We want to adhere to international law. If KFOR and EULEX are not able and in a position to protect Serbian people and allow mistreatment of the people, there are those who will protect the Serbian population”, Petkovic said.

Speaking if there would be normalisation of relations and the talks at all, Petkovic said Belgrade’s approach has always been to talk, however it is now questionable because of Kurti. “First someone should bring Kurti to reason, he wants war every day and is causing unrest. Let’s first someone bring him to reason, then we can talk. He does not want an agreement, he wants to bury the Brussels agreement”, Petkovic said.

Commenting on the entry of the Kosovo special police vehicles to the kindergarten yard in Leposavic yesterday, Petkovic said it was “a mere provocation”.

“They are doing it intentionally, wanting to create incidents, generate new crises, and intimidate people. The reason for that was some robbery, and later it turned out this vehicle came from the south, and after they failed to rob the bank, it moved in the direction of the south Mitrovica. The idea was to stage that entire event in order for them to start with actions that happened during the night”, he said.

He also said he needs to comment on the fact that yesterday there was no reaction from Minister for Communities and Returns, Nenad Rasic or his adviser Rada Trajkovic on the events that took place.

Tadic says Petkovic ‘deceives’ public (Danas)

Former Serbian president and leader of Social Democratic Party (SDS) Boris Tadic took it on Twitter to comment on Office for Kosovo and Metohija Director Petar Petkovic statement that Serbia will consider the return of 1000 of its security forces members in line with UN SC Resolution 1244, Danas daily reports.

“The Director of the Office for KiM deceives the public that Serbia will ‘consider’ returning up to 1000 our security forces members to KiM aiming to protect our population. And the truth is they can come to Kosovo and Metohija only with approval of the KFOR Commander and not for that purpose”, Tadic wrote in a post.

“Therefore, Office for KiM is headed eihter by a person who is not even familiar with Resolution 1244 or is consciously deceiving the public on alleged patriotism of these authorities in order to conceal that they handed over almost all remaining leverages of Serbia’s statehood following Kumanovo agreement”, he added.

Igor Simic: We are committed to peace, but it is boiling here (RTS, Tanjug, media)

''The situation in the north of Kosovo is calm, but tense, after last night's raid by ROSU and the attempt to occupy the north of Kosovo by sending around 300 Albanian members of special units,'' the vice-president of the Serbian List, Igor Simic, told Radio Television of Serbia, cited Serbian media.

He told RTS that ''Albin Kurti for 16 hours created a crisis in Velika Hoca, by snatching the Petrovic family property, then he broke into a kindergarten in Leposavic while the Serbian children were sleeping, and last night he tried to conquer Kosovska Mitrovica''.

"It best reflects the situation, but also how the citizens feel in the north of KiM. Another sleepless night for Serbs, in which people were thinking about whether they could send their children to school tomorrow, to go to the store and work, things which are normal everywhere. The atmosphere here is such that everything is boiling. And not only for the Serbs, but also for the Albanians, Bosniaks, Roma, Gorani and everyone else who was caught by additional Pristina destabilisation with such moves,'' said Simic.

"The plan is clear - to create such conditions that the Serbs give up and withdraw"

When asked where the special forces are now, Simic says that on the outskirts of the city in mixed multi-ethnic settlements there are still some units that came from the south.

"What I want to emphasise in particular is that the excuse they used, that they needed to come, absolutely does not hold up. There was no destabilisation of circumstances here - both Serbs and Bosniaks, Albanians and Gorani had a normal day here yesterday," said Simic.

He said that in the past few years ‘’there were plenty of attacks on Serbs’’.

"When we insisted on increasing the presence of the police south of the Ibar, where the Serbs are most vulnerable, where they suffer the greatest pressure, no one from Pristina thought of sending an additional patrol, let alone hundreds of special forces armed to the teeth. So, that is the hypocrisy that Albin Kurti and his poltroons show, because the plan is clear - to create such conditions, to exert such pressure on the Serbs, on the Serbian children, on the Serbian farmers struggling to provide their children food in Velika Hoca, so that the Serbs would give up, so that the Serbs withdrew from these areas," Simic pointed.

"People can't live like this in the 21st century"

Speaking about how the Serbs will behave in the coming days, Simic says that not a single incident in the past months in the north of Kosovo was caused by Serbian citizens who calmly and dignifiedly try to preserve peace for themselves and their families in impossible conditions.

"We are trying, the Serbian List especially insists on this, to give space to the negotiators to resolve open issues between Belgrade and Pristina through dialogue, between Serbs and Albanians," said Simic.

He said that they cannot predict Pristina's moves.

"So, our actions, the actions of our citizens, will absolutely depend on the situation on the ground. What I can confirm is that we are committed to peace and will do everything to preserve peace, but believe me, the key here is that people cannot live this way in the 21st century on the soil of Europe, while Pristina tramples basic human rights, all signed agreements, mistreats the Serbian people, and the international community is silent," concluded Simic.

Djuric: A textbook example of inflaming conflict in Kosovo (Danas)

Serbian Ambassador to US, Marko Djuric wrote on Twitter that Pristina authorities continue to demonstrate force and violently discriminate against Serbian community in Kosovo, daily almost, to the detriment of European Union and US to maintain stability and create an environment conducive for normalisation, Danas daily reported.

“Kosovo* authorities continue to show force and violently discriminate the already shaken Kosovo* Serb community almost on a daily basis now, much to the detriment of EU/US-led efforts to preserve stability and create an atmosphere conducive to normalisation”, Djuric wrote on Twitter last night.

“Tonight, we are witnessing a textbook example of an attempt to reignite the Kosovo conflict. In blatant violation of the Brussels Agreement, a monoethnic force counting hundreds of armed KPS officers has occupied the only remaining Serb-majority city in Kosovo* - North Mitrovica”, he added.

“Earlier today, another example of such behaviour stood out as being particularly offensive to many in Serbia - as the many centuries-old Kosovo-Serb wine-producing enclave of Velika Hoca, inhabited by 650 out of the fewer than 2500 Serbs remaining in Western Kosovo and Metohija region, was raided under a trivial pretext (the alleged "customs law violation" by a family producing wine there for generations) by Kalashnikov-armed "special KPS units", visibly abusing force in order to instil fear”, Djuric wrote.

“By intimidating and removing people's source of livelihood, such actions are forcing them to move from their ancient and beautiful UNESCO-protected homes. Also, a kindergarten playground in North Kosovo* town of Leposavic had an unexpected deliberate visit by an armoured machine gun vehicle armed with KPS APC while the kids were asleep. As the Kurti government continues to apply its radical nationalistic playbook across the board, for Kosovo* Serbs, life has become a daily struggle filled with anxiety and fear for the future”, he concluded.

Rasic: I will ask Kurti to delay the election (KiM radio, Danas)

"As far as I remember, according to Resolution 1244 itself, Serbia can send 1,000 security forces to Kosovo, only with approval and coordination with KFOR. And in this case, I'm not sure that KFOR is thinking about that option at all," Minister for Communities and Return Nenad Rasic told Danas, KiM radio cited.

He thus comments on the announcement by the director of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija, Petar Petkovic, that due to the latest events, Serbia will consider the possibility of sending up to 1,000 security forces to Kosovo

Rasic said that it was necessary for everyone to calm their passions, so that the conflict does not escalate.

When asked what the real reason for the incursion of the Kosovo police into the north of Kosovo was, he said that, as far as he knew, police were sent at the request of Albanian and Bosniak citizens, because, according to them, they felt unsafe.

Minister Rasic also announced that at today's meeting with the Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, he would insist that the elections for mayors in four municipalities in the north of Kosovo be postponed, reported KiM radio.

Serbian Orthodox Church: Increased pressure of Kosovo institutions on Serbs (Beta, NMagazin)

The Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC) stated last night that every day it receives worrying news from the believers that the pressure of the Kosovo authorities on the Serbs was increasing, and called for peace and restraint, reported portal NMagazin.

The SOC (SPC) stated that it cannot look indifferently at the implementation of measures that cause inter-ethnic mistrust and tension and, it warned, may encourage Serbs to emigrate even more.

It was pointed out that such a situation could lead to an escalation of violence, which is not beneficial to anyone, reported the Information Service of the Serbian Orthodox Church.

"We appeal to Kosovo institutions to show restraint and awareness that political and legal problems cannot be solved by a demonstration of force in front of the Serbian people, especially in areas such as Velika Hoca, where Serbs have barely survived in the ghetto for 23 years," added the SPC.

They stated that they expect the international representatives to do everything they can to stop the latest wave of pressure on the Serbs who, as indicated, perceive the actions of the Kosovo institutions as a direct threat that there is no place for them there.

In a statement, the Serbian Orthodox Church expressed concern that "interethnic relations and trust in Kosovo and Metohija are at their lowest level in the last twenty years" and called for peace and restraint.

They stated that all problems must be solved without ethnic tensions and possible escalation of violence, which is unacceptable and can have far-reaching negative consequences.

The portal recalled that yesterday in Velika Hoca, the Kosovo Police and Customs, despite the resistance of the Serbs there, seized more than 40,000 litres of alcoholic beverage in the "Petrovic" Winery, which, they said, was produced and sold without authorization.

In three settlements in Mitrovica North there were no members of Kosovo police this morning (N1)

In the three multiethnic settlements in Mitrovica North as of this morning there were no members of the Kosovo police who deployed there last night, N1 correspondent said. Members of the Kosovo police during the night entered the northern part of Mitrovica, with the aim, as they said, to step up presence in parts of the city populated by an ethnically mixed population.

N1 correspondent also said EULEX police officers patrolled in the city, however they withdrew early this morning. There was no precise information on the number of police officers that came to Mitrovica North last night, the estimates go between 100 to 200, some say 300, and they deployed at several locations.

There were no provocations, the residents gathered in Mitrovica North but more to see what was going on, N1 said. The only incident that took place was in Srbovac village, N1 added, resulting in slight injuries of the Kosovo police officer and material damage to the car.

Drecun: Ultimate Kurti’s goal is to send KSF to northern Kosovo (Kosovo Online)

Chairman of the Serbian Assembly Committee for Kosovo and Metohija, Milovac Drecun said today Serbs are not behind alleged attacks by explosive devices in northern Kosovo, adding the main aim for causing the incidents in northern Kosovo was to permanently deploy large number of Kosovo special police officers there and send members of Kosovo Security Forces (KSF) to northern Kosovo.

“Detonations that took place two nights ago (Wednesday) took place in Bosniak Mahala in a part in which only Albanians are living, but everything is connected to the Serbs, to undermine the effects of a peaceful, democratic protests of the Serbs, resulting in their departure from Kosovo institutions. Also those were not explosive devices, there is no evidence for that. Detonations that could be caused by pyrotechnic devices were heard”, Drecun said.

According to him, the intention of Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti “was to portray Serbs as villains and that it was about some Serbian gangs and former members of the Kosovo police service, in order to create a story on existence of parallel formations of the Serbs in northern Kosovo”, he opined.

He also said he was concerned with a possibility of “a false flag operation” in which, as he said, Albanians alone or supported by some Western services could carry out attacks against special police forces in the north or international forces present there and accuse the Serbian side of being responsible for it.

Attempted robbery in Leposavic, Serbian bank confirms exchange of fire (KoSSev)

An attempted robbery of the Public Accounting Service (SDK) in Leposavic took place yesterday before midday, KoSSev portal reports. The attempted robbery was carried out against a Henderson company responsible for transporting the money and one of their members sustained injuries, the portal added.

Meanwhile, the Serbian National Bank (NSB) in relation to the incident said it “informs the public that today (Thursday) at around 11.30 in front of the National Bank of Serbia building in Leposavic, unknown persons attempted to carry out armed robbery of a money transported for the need of domestic banks in Kosovo and Metohija”. They said the attack happened in a moment of taking the money from the transportation vehicle to the bank post in Leposavic.

“Several attackers shot at security staff of Henderson Company, who provided security to the vehicle transporting the money”, NBS said. Henderson staff fired back and one of their members sustained slight injuries. He was medically treated, while attackers fled away, the NBS said.

KoSSev portal recalled that since May 2018 this was the fourth attack against Henderson company in Leposavic municipality.

Stojanovic: Return of Serbian army in Kosovo at this moment unrealistic (Radio KIM)

Former chief of Military Security Agency (VBA) retired general Momir Stojanovic said that at this moment the possibility of sending 1000 Serbian soldiers to Kosovo was not realistic, Radio KIM reports.

Commenting on the statement of Office for Kosovo and Metohija Director Petar Petkovic that Serbia will consider returning up to 1000 security personnel to Kosovo, Stojanovic told BETA news agency Resolution 1244 stipulates that Serbian soldiers armed with small weapons can only guard religious objects and boundary zones.

“It is not realistic to send 1000 Serbian soldiers in Kosovo and Metohija now. Authorities in Belgrade, headed by Aleksandar Vucic for years made no reference to Resolution 1244, saying that this document was “a dead letter on a paper’. Now, when Vucic’s politics on Kosovo faced a debacle, they refer to Resolution 1244 as a drowning person clutching at a straw”, he said.

According to him, Vucic brought Serbs in Kosovo into a very difficult position by handing over to Pristina authorities everything Kosovo and European officials asked for and getting nothing in return. It includes judiciary, police, energy, telecommunications, cadaster, civil protection, licence plates…

He also said someone in the West “instrumentalized” Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti who “over the last three, four months, made moves that Belgrade has no adequate response to”.

“Kurti, with someone’s support, made several moves that endangered the security situation in Kosovo. It is possible that the aim was to accelerate making the final decision on Kosovo by deteriorating the situation on the ground”, he added.

International

KALLXO Team and Police Attacked in the North (BIRN)

A KALLXO team was attacked in Northern Mitrovica the night after a police patrol was also attacked there – as Serbia threatens to redeploy security forces in Kosovo.

The car of a KALLXO.com team of journalists was attacked on Friday morning in Northern Mitrovica by masked persons, while they were circulating the municipalities with a Serbian majority to report on the tense situation there.

A masked man hit the car with his fists, while tools were also thrown by other gang members. The team suffered no injuries.

Regarding the attack, the Association of Journalists of Kosovo, AGK, expressed concern about the safety of media in the Serb-majority north.

“The Association of Journalists of Kosovo is deeply concerned about the safety of journalists after the attack this morning on a team of Kallxo.com in the north of Mitrovica,” said AGK.