Albanian Language Media:

• Kurti talks about the Draft Law on Religious Freedoms with Bishop Dode Gjergji (media)
• Gervalla: Russia is a threat through Serbia, we demand clear messages from EU and allies (Klan)
• The Police Inspectorate starts an investigation into the incident in Leposaviq (Kallxo)
• Opposition reacts to increased property tax bills (media)
• Bogujevci at CoE: I come from a country where women and men experienced sexual violence (media)
• Vetevendosje and PDK accuse each other through videos (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic responds to the call of the right to discuss the Franco-German plan in the Parliament; parliamentary groups refused consultations? (Danas, Nova, FoNet)
• Vucic: I will inform parliamentary groups of details of European plan (Tanjug, media)
• Dacic today in Brussels at separate meetings with Borrell and Lajcak (Kontakt  plus radio, RTS)
• Konrad and Cochard: There is no question of sanctions if the plan for Kosovo is not accepted (NMagazin, Beta, TV Prva)
• Lajcak with representatives of countries that have not recognized Kosovo (KiM radio)
• Juratovic: Without settled relations, no entry into the EU for either Belgrade or Pristina (N1, Beta, Nova)
• Gervalla: Community/Association of Serbian municipalities is a dead proposition (Kosovo Online, Ekonomi Online)
• Bilcik's draft report: Serbia to align its foreign policy with the EU (media)
• SNF asks Bishop Teodosije to convene a town hall meeting, after Vucic’s statements on Kosovo (KoSSev)
• Protest in North Mitrovica tomorrow (Kontakt plus radio, Danas, KiM radio)
• Petkovic and Svecla share conflicting statements; KP: M.D. & D.S. accused of almost 100 crimes, including murder (KoSSev)

Opinion:

• Lazarevic: After Vucic's address, the whole north like a deflated balloon - and Serbian List's supporters (N1) 

International:

• Kosovo Police Confirm Shooting at Serb-driven Vehicle (BIRN)

 

 

 

Albanian Language Media  

 

Kurti talks about the Draft Law on Religious Freedoms with Bishop Dode Gjergji (media)

The Prime Minister of Kosovo Albin Kurti was received today in a meeting by the Bishop of the Diocese of Kosovo, Monsignor Dode Gjergji.

In the announcement of the government, it is stated that the commitment of the executive to the guarantee and full respect of religious freedom, equally, for all citizens of Kosovo was emphasized.

“Prime Minister Kurti expressed gratitude for the support and contribution given by the Bishopric of Kosovo. He thanked the bishop for his cooperation on the Draft Law on Religious Freedoms.”

"Discussing the importance of regulating the legal status of the Catholic Church, the commitment of the government to regulate it through law was confirmed. In the joint meeting with the Prime Minister's legal adviser, Tea Blakaj Hoxha, they discussed religious freedoms and cultural heritage. Their protection was reiterated through the Constitution of the Republic of Kosovo and special laws," the announcement states.

Gervalla: Russia is a threat through Serbia, we demand clear messages from EU and allies (Klan)

Kosovo’s Foreign Minister Donika Gervalla-Schwarz said that Russia is a threat to the region through Serbia, as she asked for clear messages from the European Union and other allies on this issue.

In an interview for an Estonian media, she also spoke about the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue, saying that Serbia is not a committed party.

"It is necessary to achieve the normalization of relations, it is about mutual recognition, and it can happen. But the dialogue requires two interested parties and at the moment I feel that Serbia is not very committed to it," she said

"A successful dialogue cannot take place if our neighbor threatens us and brings his army to our border. While Kosovo participates in military exercises with European Union and NATO countries, Serbia has had more than 100 joint military exercises with Russia until 2021. We understand these messages and know that Russia is a threat to the region through Serbia and that is why we need clear messages from the European Union and other allies," Gervalla-Schwarz said.

The Police Inspectorate starts an investigation into the incident in Leposaviq (Kallxo)

The Police Inspectorate of Kosovo has launched an investigation into the incident that happened on Monday near the Bistrica bridge in Leposaviq, where it is suspected that the Kosovo Police fired at a car which had attacked and hit them. A car with two suspects has managed to hit a police car, thus endangering the lives of the officials who were there. In order to neutralize the danger caused, the police officers present shot the suspects, who after the incident managed to leave the scene.

The Police Inspectorate of Kosovo has launched an investigation into the incident that happened on Monday near the Bistrica bridge in Leposaviq, where it is suspected that the Kosovo Police fired at a car which had attacked and hit them. A car with two suspects has managed to hit a police car, thus endangering the lives of the officials who were there. In order to neutralize the danger caused, the police officers present shot the suspects, who after the incident managed to leave the scene.

This case is also being investigated by the Police Inspectorate of Kosovo, who have said that they have engaged a team of investigators. "IPK confirms that it has been notified by the Police regarding this case. A team of IPK investigators has been engaged immediately, while other actions will be taken in accordance with the legal authorizations of the IPK,” the IPK told the news website.

On the other hand, an announcement by the Kosovo Police says that the two suspects in this case have been verified and found to be involved in various criminal activities. The first suspect, Dusan Slavic, 32 years old, is suspected of being involved in more than 80 criminal offenses, including murder, coercion, possession of weapons without a permit, assault, obstruction of an official during the performance of official duty, threats, serious theft, causing general danger, robbery and other crimes. It is even said that the same person has committed more than 20 felonies. the second suspect, Millan Delevic, 38 years old, is suspected of being involved in 17 different criminal offenses such as murder, extortion, possession of weapons without a permit, serious theft, serious bodily injury, unauthorized border crossing, tampering with evidence and others. While he is said to have committed 3 felonies.

Opposition reacts to increased property tax bills (media)

The former Prime Minister of Kosovo Avdullah Hoti through a status on Facebook has accused the government of Kosovo of doubling property tax bills, especially for urban areas.

“Government officials start the year auspiciously. They double property tax bills, especially for urban areas. How is this justified in the biggest price crisis in the last 15 years?” Hoti asked.

"85,000 employees do not know how much their salary will be in February, but they know that their property tax bills have doubled."

Hoti emphasized that "the law requires a regular re-evaluation of the market value of properties" adding that "the re-evaluation is done in the context of economic and social developments in the country, and it is carefully analyzed when it is the right time for this to be reflected in the bills for citizens".

Meanwhile, the head of the parliamentary group of the Democratic Party of Kosovo, Abelard Tahiri wrote ‘Ideal solution for an irresponsible government. So, where it's hard, let's make it a little harder. Thus, state revenues will likely increase, in parallel with the acceleration of the emptying of Kosovo.’

LDK MP Hykmete Bajrami requested from the Ministry of Finance to find solutions for changing the value of taxation on property. She said that it is not municipalities that have made the recent increases and called on the Ministry of Finances, Labor, and Transfers to suspend the real estate evaluation, as it has been done in the time of a high inflation and to present to the Assembly the new law on real estate tax. 

Bogujevci at CoE: I come from a country where women and men experienced sexual violence (media)

Saranda Bogujevci, MP of the Vetevendosje Movement (LVV), gave a speech at the Council of Europe, where sexual violence as a weapon in war was discussed.

The MP from Kosovo spoke about sexual violence against Kosovars, stressing that she comes from a country that experienced this crime against humanity not long ago.

"Coming from a country where women, but also men, have experienced sexual violence in a conflict not long ago. I never thought that today we would be talking about another country in Europe that is experiencing the same fate," she initially said.

"It is not the first time that sexual violence has been used as a weapon of war. We experienced this in the Balkans in the 90s, including my country," Bogujevci added.

Vetevendosje and PDK accuse each other through videos (media)

The Vetevendosje Movement (LVV) has issued a new video accusing the former governments of extortion and speaking about the successes of the current Minister of Infrastructure.

"With dirty work and extortion schemes they have blocked our main roads for years, but the new administration has already unblocked them and started work to complete those projects," the LVV video says.

The Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) responded to this video with another video about the Ambassador of Kosovo to Slovenia, Martin Berishaj and the charges against him. It also talks about the incomprehensible protection of Martin Berishaj by the institutional leaders of Kosovo, his connection with Prime Minister Kurti and the funding of the Vetevendosje Movement campaign.

 

 

 

Serbian Language Media 

 

Vucic responds to the call of the right to discuss the Franco-German plan in the Parliament; parliamentary groups refused consultations? (Danas, Nova, FoNet)

Parliamentary groups NADA, Serbian Party Zavetnici and Dveri - Patriotic Block have announced that they will submit a request to the President of the Assembly to convene an extraordinary session of the Parliament without delay, where the so-called Franco-German proposal for Kosovo and Metohija, while the Nova.rs portal learns that President Aleksandar Vucic will probably appear at that session because the parliamentary groups refused separate consultations, reported Danas.

''The proposed plan represents an open ultimatum and the continuation of brutal political pressure on Serbia with the aim of our country permanently renouncing Kosovo and Metohija and legalizing the unilateral secession of the southern province,'' said the statement of these parties.

It is emphasized that in these moments it is necessary to conduct the widest possible discussion in the institutions, and for the National Assembly, as the highest representative body of citizens, to take a clear position on the inadmissibility of signing any agreements that have as a final consequence the recognition of ''the so-called Republic of Kosovo and its membership in international organizations''.

It is also reminded that the West does not have a mandate to unilaterally change the negotiation format for Kosovo and Metohija, because this issue is under the exclusive competence of the UN Security Council, without whose decision it is not possible to abolish the framework for negotiations defined by its Resolution 1244, reported Danas, citing the statement. 

The President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, will soon come to the Assembly, where he will talk with MPs about Kosovo and Metohija and the Franco-German proposal, it was confirmed for Nova.rs. 

According to Nova.rs sources, bearing in mind that certain parliamentary groups do not accept consultations with him, but also to publicly try to justify the decision to implement the Franco-German agreement on Kosovo, Vucic will come to the Assembly session, reported Danas portal.

Vucic: I will inform parliamentary groups of details of European plan (Tanjug, media)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Monday evening he would hold consultations with representatives of parliamentary groups in the coming days to inform them of all details of a European plan for the Kosovo-Metohija issue, reported news agency Tanjug.

"As early as in the coming days, I will make an invitation to all representatives of parliamentary groups who want to hear this to inform them, because I cannot speak openly and publicly about all the details. I will inform them of how all that went, what is behind everything, what the intentions are," Vucic said during a public address at the Presidency of Serbia.

"We will create real institutional transparency and seek a more important role of the parliament and the government," he said, noting that the "people need not worry", because nothing had been signed.

"We have not signed or initialled anything. We are just faced with facts, but we ourselves must be fair and understand that it is important to try to find compromise solutions," Vucic said.

"Nothing will happen today, tomorrow, in a month or in three months," he said.

"But once we are faced with those final demands, the National Assembly and perhaps the people, and perhaps everyone else, will decide on that. By 'everyone' I mean all other institutions in Serbia's political system and entire Serbian society," Vucic said.

He said he had always listened to the opinions of the Serbian Orthodox Church and all other religious communities in Serbia.

"In any case, a difficult period is ahead of us, and it will take more effort and much more work and energy to overcome all that in the best possible way," Vucic said.

It is very important that Serbia shows it is committed to peace, Vucic said.

N1 reported that according to Vucic, the new negotiation framework makes no direct mention of Kosovo’s membership in the UN or Council of Europe but does say that Belgrade won’t stop Pristina from acceding to international organizations.

“Faced with sanctions and isolation …. I favor compromise as much as possible,” he said. “It’s up to us to get to a normalization of relations and see the Serbs in Kosovo living normally,” he added.

He said the five international envoys he met with on Friday had presented to him the consequences Serbia would face in case it rejected the new plan for Kosovo-Metohija.

Vucic noted that, already in the second sentence, the envoys had said Serbia must accept the plan.

He explained that he had been told the plan was a new negotiation framework for Serbia's EU accession and that rejecting it would result in "a halt of European integration, stoppage and withdrawal of investments and comprehensive economic and political measures that will do great damage to Serbia."

He said this had been repeated three more times during the meeting and that he had reacted strongly to that every time.

Vucic also said a change of geopolitical circumstances due to the Ukraine conflict had resulted in the harshest Western approach to Serbia and the Kosovo-Metohija issue to date.

"Europe is de facto at war, whatever they might say," Vucic said.

For that reason, there is no tolerance for any divergence in the political sense, he said.

"In their backyard - and the Western Balkans and Serbia are, of course, their backyard - they want everything to be as they want," he said.

"We are on everyone's radar because we have not imposed sanctions on Russia," Vucic also said, noting that the present situation was also due to constant incidents caused by Pristina's PM Albin Kurti in order to provoke a conflict and then pin the blame on Serbia.

Dacic today in Brussels at separate meetings with Borrell and Lajcak (Kontakt  plus radio, RTS)

The head of Serbian diplomacy, Ivica Dacic, is in Brussels, where he will meet with the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Policy and Security, Josep Borrell.

Dacic will then speak with the special envoy of the European Union for dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, Miroslav Lajcak.

It is planned that the Serbian Minister of Foreign Affairs will meet with the EU Commissioner for Internal Affairs Ylva Johansson, as well as with the President of the Foreign Policy Committee of the European Parliament, David McAllister.

The conversation with Lajcak starts at 2 pm, Dacic will meet with Borrell at 3 pm, and then with Johansson and McAllister.

Before that, Dacic should speak with MEPs Demetris Papadakis, Matjaz Nemec, and Viola von Cramon.

Konrad and Cochard: There is no question of sanctions if the plan for Kosovo is not accepted (NMagazin, Beta, TV Prva)

Ambassadors of Germany and France in Serbia, Anke Konrad and Pierre Cochard, emphasized today that the goal of the Franco-German plan for Kosovo is to overcome the conflict that has been going on for years for the benefit of the region and the population, and that there is no talk of punitive measures or sanctions in the event that it does not be accepted, reported portal NMagazin, citing TV Prva. 

"We do not have a punitive approach towards Serbia, we are not talking about any sanctions or blackmail, we are just presenting one way to get out of this situation, which we are sure will be beneficial for the region and for the people," Cochard said in a joint interview with Ambassador Konrad for TV Prva, reported the portal. 

Cochard said that advantages and benefits for the people are being presented if the parties agree to go forward with that proposal and that otherwise there will of course be consequences, but that these are not sanctions.

"We are simply pointing out the fact that it will be a lost opportunity for the development of the region, a lost opportunity for the people to have more contacts with their neighbors, a lost opportunity for Serbia," said Cochard, who emphasized that he and the German ambassador were not participating in the negotiations of international envoys and representatives of Serbia and Kosovo.

Cochard pointed out that the request for the normalization of relations between Belgrade and Pristina was nothing new, that it was outlined as an important element of Serbia's path to the EU, and that it was not put on the table with this proposal, but has been current since the beginning, underlining that it was not "sanctions or blackmail", but "an incentive to speed up the path towards a solution".

The French ambassador said that the goal of the proposal for the normalization of relations between Belgrade and Pristina was to avoid the recurrence of crises as was the case in recent weeks.

"We want the Serbian minority in Kosovo to be able to live in peace, to have normal relations with all nations. We are talking about normalization, we hope that this path will enable Serbia and Kosovo to speed up their path to EU membership," said the French Ambassador to Belgrade. 

The German ambassador said that on the one hand they have a dialogue for the normalization of relations between Belgrade and Pristina and hope that under the auspices of the EU special representative those talks will lead to an agreement, and on the other hand there is european integration of Serbia where there are concrete steps that must be taken in the field of justice, media, as well as alignment with the EU's foreign and security policy.

"Regarding integration into the EU, we do not have access to sanctions, we want to support through the EU and bilaterally help Serbia's path towards the European Union, and that's all," Konrad said. 

The so-called red lines should be decided by the negotiations of both parties, Konrad said, and she supported the efforts of Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic to gain wider support for "decisions that must be made".

She expressed her hope that the Community/Association of Serbian Municipalities (ZSO) will be formed as soon as possible in Kosovo.

Konrad and Cochard could not say whether there was any sequence of reaching an agreement, whether the ZSO should be formed first and only then should the French-German proposal be discussed.

"I can't say that there is any order, but it is logical, the ZSO has already been adopted, as you saw, all the delegates and representatives of our countries insisted on it, so there is a consensus that the ZSO must be implemented and quickly established," he said and added that it was up to Belgrade and Pristina to discuss the details.

Lajcak with representatives of countries that have not recognized Kosovo (KiM radio)

KiM radio reported today that the Special Representative of the European Union for the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, Miroslav Lajcak, started a series of meetings with countries that have not recognized Kosovo’s independence.

Lajcak published on Twitter that he met with high officials of Spain, Slovakia, and Cyprus.

With the Spanish Foreign Minister, Lajcak discussed the issue of dialogue and speeding up the process.

“I met with José Manuel Albares to update him on the state of play in the Dialogue. We need quick progress towards normalisation of relations between Kosovo and Serbia at this critical juncture. Grateful for Spain’s strong support to the EU-facilitated efforts. Gracias!” he posted on Twitter. 

Lajcak also announced that he had a meeting with Slovak Foreign Minister Rastislav Kacer.

“Met with RastislavKacer, Slovakian FM in the margins of FAC to discuss the latest developments in the Western Balkans. I briefed him on my recent visit and our efforts on normalisation of relations between Kosovo and Serbia. I appreciate Slovakia’s strong support for the region’s EU future,” Lajcak posted.

Lajcak also met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Cyprus, Ioannis Kasoulides.

“I welcomed the warm, friendly, and open discussion with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Cyprus, Ioannis Kasoulides. It was very useful to discuss the latest developments in the EU facilitated Dialogue and exchange our views,” wrote Lajcak on Twitter.

Juratovic: Without settled relations, no entry into the EU for either Belgrade or Pristina (N1, Beta, Nova)

German Social Democratic Party (SPD) MP Josip Juratovic said that Serbia should not prioritize blocking Kosovo's entry into international institutions, because Kosovo through international institutions will have to respect international rules regarding Serbs, reported N1.

Juratovic told the daily Nova that "without settled relations between Kosovo and Serbia, neither Serbia nor Kosovo will enter the EU".

"Both of them should tell their peoples that, because any delay may prolong their political existence, but endangers their peoples, not only in terms of war and peace, but also in terms of everyday life," said Juratovic.

He pointed out that "the best example for this is the two Germanys before the fall of the Berlin Wall", which never recognized each other, but were members of the international community.

"The time will come when modern democratic societies will be built in both Serbia and Kosovo, and they will easily find a solution before joining the EU. Who is interested any more in the dispute about Croatia's border with Slovenia after Croatia's entry into Schengen," said Juratovic.

According to Juratovic, "it would be more important for Serbia to improve its image in the world, which is disastrous", reported N1, citing Nova daily.

Gervalla: Community/Association of Serbian municipalities is a dead proposition (Kosovo Online, Ekonomi Online)

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kosovo, Donika Gervalla, stated that the Community/Association of Serbian Municipalities is a dead proposal, and that the Constitutional Court has determined that 23 articles of the Agreement on the CSM are not in accordance with the Constitution, reported Kosovo Online, citing Ekonomia Online. 

"Belgrade is really talking about the Community/Association, but that proposal is dead and cannot be revived. The Constitutional Court has decided that it cannot happen. It is impossible to find a government in the democratic world that is ready to implement something that violates its constitution," said Gervalla in an interview with the Estonian media ERR.

According to Gervalla, "a single national association, which Serbia is looking for", is a solution from the 19th century.

"It is not a problem for us to give Serbs the same rights that minorities in Serbia have. We currently guarantee greater rights to minorities than anyone else in the region," Gervalla added.

Gervalla cited BIH as an example, which, according to her, turned into a dysfunctional state, because the Serbian entity received executive power.

"We will not do something like that in Kosovo. Minority rights are important, we are a multi-ethnic country, but giving such rights that paralyze our country and make it dysfunctional will not happen," said Gervalla, reported Kosovo Online, citing Ekonomia Online.

Bilcik's draft report: Serbia to align its foreign policy with the EU (media)

The rule of law, the normalization of relations with Kosovo and Metohija and compliance with the EU's common foreign policy will determine the dynamics of further negotiations on Serbia's membership in the EU, according to the draft of the European Parliament's annual report on Serbia prepared by the rapporteur Vladimir Bilcik, reported Serbian media. 

The first debate on the report will be held on February 9, and the deadline for the submission of amendments by deputies is February 15. The report, in the form of a resolution, should be adopted at the plenary session in May.

The EP annual report on Serbia available at:https://bit.ly/3Db4z4a

SNF asks Bishop Teodosije to convene a town hall meeting, after Vucic’s statements on Kosovo (KoSSev)

In an open letter, the Serbian National Forum (SNF) yesterday called on the Bishop of Raska-Prizren Teodosije to convene a town hall meeting as soon as possible. The open letter arrived after the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, said recently that Serbia would face problems and challenges if it fails to accept the European proposal for Kosovo. „That can only mean one thing – the disappearance of the Serb people, the Serbian state and the Serbian church from these areas,“ they underlined.

„After the latest information about the course of the Kosovo-Metohija process that we got from the President of the Republic of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, we address you, as our shepherd, with this letter, in a state of deepest concern for the future of our Church in Kosovo, for the future of our people and state,“ the SNF said.

They underlined that they are “deeply concerned” over both the future of the Serbs and the Serbian Orthodox Church.

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

Protest in North Mitrovica tomorrow (Kontakt plus radio, Danas, KiM radio)

The civic initiative "Serbian Survival" called on "all citizens throughout Kosovo and Metohija" to protest on Wednesday, January 25, in North Mitrovica for several reasons, reported Kontakt plus radio. 

As stated by the initiative, the protest is being organized on the occasion of - the disastrous negotiation policy of the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, and the unconditional acceptance of the new agreement; frequent ethnically motivated attacks on Serbs; the usurpation of citizens' private property by the government in Pristina through irregular expropriations, as well as the presence of '' heavily armed mono-ethnic special units of the Kosovo Police, that are light on the trigger''.

The protest will be held on the Mitrovica promenade at 3:30 p.m.

Petkovic and Svecla share conflicting statements; KP: M.D. & D.S. accused of almost 100 crimes, including murder (KoSSev)

Another incident occurred in the north of Kosovo yesterday when Kosovo Police officers opened fire on a moving vehicle. One person was injured in the shooting. Police officers at the checkpoint on the Bistrica bridge were “forced to open fire in the direction of the vehicle in order to neutralize the situation”, claimed the Kosovo Minister of the Interior, Xhelal Svecla. In turn, the head of the Office for KiM accused Svecla of spreading disinformation, noting that M.D. and D.S. “ran from bullets and did not attack”. In the meantime, the Kosovo Police announced that both M.D. and D.S. were accused of several dozen crimes, including murder.

The Office for KiM was the first to react to today’s incident at the Bistrica bridge checkpoint, stating that members of the special unit of the Kosovo Police opened fire at a vehicle carrying two ethnic Serbs.

They specified that M.D. sustained injuries in the shooting, while his companion D.S. was not harmed.

Read more at:https://bit.ly/3R64Ivs

 

 

Opinion 

 

Lazarevic: After Vucic's address, the whole north like a deflated balloon - and Serbian List's supporters (N1) 

The editor of the KoSSev portal, Tanja Lazarevic, told N1 that the Serbs in the north of Kosovo feel like a deflated balloon after last night's address by President Aleksandar Vucic, including the Serbian List’s sympathizers. 

"The whole north looks like a deflated balloon. I am thinking here even of sympathizers of the Serbian List. Of course, there is always a significant group of people, mostly of the older generation, who believe every word from Pink, not the words of the president. But, when we talk about that long-term privileged wider group of the younger population that used the benefits of the SNS and the Serbian List, and with very little responsibility, I am almost sure that they faced a different reality after barricades were dismantled, and they see more realistically and understand the president's words more carefully, which are always multi-layered, but of course no one will say that publicly," Lazarevic believes.

However, she adds that the question is how realistic this defeatist opinion is now, just as the question is how realistic the earlier positive opinion was.

When asked if there are expectations from the new European proposal, for which Vucic said that the world five with whom he met on Friday directly told him several times that it must be signed, Lazarevic reminded that the Serbian president himself said last night that Serbia did not sign nothing now, but added that "even in this kind of ending, there is considerable room for maneuver in what Serbia can do, not only when it comes to the protection of Serbs in Kosovo and that it can significantly influence the situation on the ground".

"I am not sure that Serbia will use such a chance. In the event that Serbia really pursues a state-building policy, that it has qualified diplomats, that it works 24 hours a day, there is room for negotiation, but I find it hard to believe in that. In the region, no one was a bigger champion than Serbia to ruin every chance," Lazarevic assessed.

As for the mood of the people in the north, she said that there was a defeatist spirit on the streets and that people perceive Vucic's presentation last night as another confirmation of the justification of the defeatism in which they currently found themselves.

She agreed with Vucic that the new proposal itself was not the chance that Serbia was looking for or something that was favorable, but that even when you get unwanted opportunities, as an experienced negotiator you can turn it into an opportunity or avoid damage.

"I think there is room for that," she said. 

Asked what the Serbs want from Kosovo, she said that the majority do not want to go to the Kosovo state, even the Serbs south of the Ibar, and especially in the North, want all Serbian institutions to return.

However, the opinion of the Serbian community was not important before, so it will not be now when it comes to a new agreement, she believed.

"The Serbian community in Kosovo in the previous 10 years, and as far as Belgrade and Pristina are concerned, was not considered a relevant factor, except as a punching bag, and the Serbian community itself was not authentically organized, even though everything that Belgrade and Pristina agree on directly concerns life of Serbs in Kosovo," Lazarevic assessed.

And when asked about the messages from Pristina and whether Kurti was in the mood for a compromise, she said that he was not at all.

"If he was to give his wish list, he would not talk to Serbia for a single moment, unless if Serbia would recognize Kosovo, but if there would also be mutual recognition, as a basis for what Kosovo would further deliver to Serbia - to recognize war crimes, pay off war reparations, to agree that genocide was committed in Kosovo," said Lazarevic. 

She added that, however, the political reality was completely different, and that Kurti was not currently able to implement his program as he planned.

She stated that Kurti was under strong international pressure, but that "in essence, the Kosovo Albanians are not ready for any fundamental change in their attitude towards the Serbs in Kosovo", reported N1.

 

 

 

International 

 

Kosovo Police Confirm Shooting at Serb-driven Vehicle (BIRN)

Kosovo police confirmed that they shot at a vehicle in which there were two Serbs in Bistrica, in the northern municipality of Leposavic, after trying to stop the vehicle.

Police on Monday said the police unit had been deployed at a checkpoint “with the aim to preserve order and public safety and also to prevent crime and smuggling”.

“The police unit which was at the checkpoint tried to stop a car which … hit a police car, putting the life of a police officer in direct danger, and in order to neutralise the risk, police shot at them,” they said.

According to the police, the suspects, together with their car, escaped from the scene while “investigations on the case are being conducted in cooperation with justice institutions”.

Earlier on Monday, Serbia’s Office for Kosovo said that “special Kosovo police” at around 11.30 am shot at a vehicle in which there were two Serbs.

“Miljan D[elevic] was wounded, while his co-driver, Dusan S, fortunately, escaped unhurt, while the entire car was destroyed,” the Serbian office said in a press release

“Delevic was shot in the left chest area and has a gunshot wound with which he was transported urgently to the hospital in Kraljevo,” it added.

Serbia’s Kosovo Office said Kosovo Police “fired at the Serbian vehicle and the Serbs in it with bursts of fire only because they [the Serbs] did not want to allow the ROSU police to mistreat them without any basis or reason”.

In other reportedly ethnic-related violence, on Sunday, in the village of Brdjani/Suhodoll, Kosovo Police reported that a Kosovo Serb juvenile sustained light body injuries when he was assaulted by four people in the northern Mitrovica neighbourhood.

“According to the complainant, he was physically assaulted while he was walking in Suhodoll. Regarding the case, Police investigators are undertaking investigations,” police said.

According to Serbia’s Kosovo Office, the 15-year-old Kosovo Serb was moving on foot “when he was shouted at in Albanian from a moving car”.

“The child lowered his head, which was a sign to the Albanian extremists that he did not understand the language and that he was a Serb, so they stopped the vehicle and beat the boy,” the Kosovo Office said in a press release.