Albanian Language Media:

• European Council welcomes agreement on path to normalisation (media)
• Gervalla: We don’t have agreement, Serbia refused to sign (Nacionale/Diario de Noticias)
• American Chamber of Commerce welcomes Kosovo-Serbia agreement (Klan Kosova)
• Osmani: NATO prevented extermination of people of Kosovo (Klan Kosova)
• US: NATO’s use of force was both necessary and legitimate (media)
• Kurti to visit Tirana on March 26, will meet Rama and Nikolla (media)
• Krasniqi: Increase of energy tariffs, latest blow against Kosovo families (media)
• PDK spokesperson: We’ll get visa liberalisation as Kurti yielded on Association (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• 24th anniversary of NATO bombing commemorated (N1, media)
• Serbian List: We do not take part in elections because of institutional violence against Serbs (RTS, media)
• Brigadier General Giampiero Romano: We do not forget past, but we can go forward (Tanjug)
• Ambassador Hill offers condolence to families of those killed in war and NATO bombing (KoSSev, social media)
• Gasic met Botsan-Kharchenko (Tanjug)
• Four Serbian opposition parties send letter to EU officials and non-recognizers on European plan (Radio KIM)
• Vucic met Dendias (Tanjug)
• Bishop Grigorije: Great Problems Require Great Men to Solve Them (KoSSev)
• Members of opposition parties block traffic in front of Serbian Government (BETA)
• Grenell: No one signed "agreement" (media, social media)
• Chollet thanks Vucic for constructive engagement in Ohrid (Tanjug)
• Jovanovic: Authorities avoid discussion on Kosovo, that is why there is no assembly session (KoSSev) 

International:

• Kurti demands condemnation of Serbian List by EU, after their boycott of local elections (BIRN)
• In pictures: 24 years from NATO’s bombing of Yugoslavia (Prishtina Insight)
• As NATO Bombed Yugoslavia, Fear Gripped Serbs in Kosovo (BIRN)

 

 

Albanian Language Media  

 

European Council welcomes agreement on path to normalisation (media)

The European Council, said in one of its conclusions, that it welcomes “the Agreement on the path to normalisation of relations between Kosovo and Serbia and its Implementation Annex, reached in the EU-facilitated dialogue led by the High Representative, as an integral part of their respective European paths, and calls on both parties to implement expediently and in good faith their respective obligations”.

Gervalla: We don’t have agreement yet, Serbia refused to sign (Nacionale/Diario de Noticias)

Kosovo’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Donika Gervalla, said in an interview with Diario de Noticias, that there is no agreement with Serbia yet. “The truth is that we don’t have an agreement with Serbia yet. From our side, we were ready for an agreement twice, first on February 27 and then last weekend, with guarantees that our partners and allies – the European Union and the United States of America, gave us for the implementation of the agreement, but surprisingly Serbia was not ready for it. They simply continued the old game of conveying messages and different times, and then when the signing is near, they refuse it. It is regrettable that the European Union is allowing this situation and is not solving the challenges of the dialogue that it is mediating,” Gervalla is quoted as saying.

Read more at: https://bit.ly/40uKtec

American Chamber of Commerce welcomes Kosovo-Serbia agreement (Klan Kosova)

The American Chamber of Commerce in Kosovo has welcomed the agreement on normalisation of relations between Kosovo and Serbia, saying that it will pave the way to economic development for both countries and improve the exchange of goods and services.

AmCham called on the Kosovo government to join the initiative of Albania, North Macedonia and Serbia, for a common regional market, based on the agreement reached in Washington in September 2020.

“The American Chamber also calls on both countries to respect pledges made earlier for investments in the road and railway infrastructure. Developing the transport infrastructure, along with the mutual recognition of university diplomas and professional certifications, will enable the free movement of people and gods, and the free provision of services, while improving the mobility of businesses and professionals in the Open Balkan area,” the statement notes.

Osmani: NATO prevented extermination of people of Kosovo (Klan Kosova)

The news website reports that Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani, together with ambassadors of Quint countries, paid homage today at the memorial of fallen NATO soldiers on the 24th anniversary of NATO’s intervention. Osmani said that the will of the people of Kosovo for freedom was supported by the western world, the free world, which was on the right side of history and rightfulness.

“The biggest friend of Kosovo, the President of the United States of America, Bill Clinton, on the day when the order was given to start the bombing, in his historic address, said: ‘our military force joined our NATO allies in air raids against Serbia forces responsible for the brutality against Kosovo,” Osmani said.

Osmani said that “NATO stopped a criminal regime for carrying out the ethnic cleansing of the people of Kosovo”. “We are therefore forever thankful. March 24 was a day of hope and freedom. We will always repeat that the people of Kosovo were a victim in 1999, and that Serbia was the aggressor. This will forever remain so in the history books,” she said.

Osmani also thanked the women and men from NATO member states for their contribution to the freedom of Kosovo in 1999 and said that they all enjoy the deep gratitude of the people of Kosovo.

U.S.: NATO’s use of force was both necessary and legitimate (media)

Most news websites cover a statement by the U.S. Mission to the OSCE, delivered by Political Counselor Elisabeth Rosenstock-Siller on theOn the 24th anniversary of NATO Response to the Humanitarian Crisis in Kosovo. 

“Twenty-four years ago, NATO launched Operation Allied Force to end a decade of bloodshed in the Balkans.  This intervention came only after exhausting all diplomatic avenues to put an end to a brutal campaign of ethnic cleansing sponsored by the Milosevic regime.  

NATO’s use of force in this case was both necessary and legitimate.  The UN Security Council had expressed its concerns about the grave humanitarian situation in Kosovo, the mounting number of refugees, and the threat posed to international peace and security.  Weremember the hundreds of thousands of innocent people driven from their homes and the thousands who were killed or remain missing due to the violence of Milosevic’s ethno-nationalist regime and its forces. 

It is incumbent on the governments of both Serbia and Kosovo to ensure that all victims and their families have full access to justice and information about the fate of their loved ones.  We urge both governments to support justice and accountability efforts, including by speaking out against the glorification of war criminals.”  

Read more at: https://bit.ly/3FQb9Oy

Kurti to visit Tirana on March 26, will meet Rama and Nikolla (media)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti is scheduled to visit Tirana on March 26 and meet his Albanian counterpart Edi Rama and the President of the Albanian Parliament Lindita Nikolla. According to RTSH, the focus of the meeting between Kurti and Rama will be on “the unsigned Ohrid agreement”.

Krasniqi: Increase of energy tariffs, latest blow against Kosovo families (media)

Leader of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), Memli Krasniqi, said today that the decision to increase the energy tariffs by 15 percent is the government’s “latest blow against Kosovo families which in this period of crisis and increase of all other prices, are getting poorer every day”. “In the last two years, with all its actions, this government has only increased the living costs for Kosovo citizens, by misunderstanding and misusing its mission. One thing is certain: with this kind of governance, which is making the lives of people more difficult in every aspect, the number of those that will flee will continue to set new records. I am deeply outraged with this governing chaos which is continuously threatening the well-being of the citizens and the stability of our country. Enough!” Krasniqi wrote in a Facebook post.

PDK spokesperson: We’ll get visa liberalisation as Kurti yielded on Association (media)

Spokesperson for the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), Faton Abdullahi, said in a Facebook post today that the failure to give visa liberalisation to Kosovo citizens was a political issue and that for years now Kosovo has met all requirements in the process. “The lack of visa liberalisation is a socio-political discrimination (bordering racism) by Brussels against the citizens of Kosovo. For years now, Kosovo has met the EU requirements for visas. But it was not given to us. The main reason was that in its political offer of ‘sticks and carrots’, the EU treated the visas as a special carrot. The EU turned visas for Kosovo into a ‘political joker’, suitable for everyone and for everything. If the concessions that Kurti is making today for the Association were made earlier, we would have gotten the visas. But those concessions were not made. Even when they were made, the Constitutional Court corrected them. Whereas Kurti is making concessions today, so we will get the visas,” he argued.

 

 

Serbian Language Media 

 

24th anniversary of NATO bombing commemorated (N1, media)

On this day in 1999, at 19:41, the first bombs hit the surroundings of Pristina marking the beginning of NATO bombing campaign against the-then Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, N1 reports. The bombing lasted 78 days and ended with the signing of the Kumanovo Military Technical Agreement. The last bombs fell on June 10, 1999 at around 13.30 in the area of the village of Kololec, Kamenica municipality.  

Decision to bomb the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was made without approval of the United Nations Security Council, and the order to launch it was given by NATO Secretary General Havier Solana to US General Wesley Clark. A total of 19 states took part in the bombing.

During two and a half months of the bombing in addition to military targets, barracks and premises, civilian objects were bombed as well – hospitals, factories, bridges, railways, various infrastructure, media outlets and antenas, energy warehouses and energy infrastructure, N1 said. 

Serbia was attacked under the pretext of being responsible for failure of negotiations in Ramouliet and Paris on Kosovo, N1 recalled.

Precise number of victims still unknown

Precise number of victims still remains unknown, and assessments vary from 1.500 to several thousands human victims. According to the Humanitarian Law Centers in Belgrade and Pristina, the number of those identified as direct victims of NATO strikes is 754.

Following the signing of the Kumanovo Military Technical Agreement Serbian military and police forces left Kosovo, followed by convoys of Serbian civilians. According to Serbian records around 200.000 persons left Kosovo in the aftermath of the conflict.

Material damage between 30 to 100 USD billions

There is no precise data on material damage Yugoslavia suffered from NATO bombing, however it is certain that the number goes around dozens of USD billions.

The Government of the-then Federal Republic of Yugoslavia assessed the damage to be around 100 USD billions, while a group of economists from G17 in the study The Final Bill assessed the damage to be around 30 USD billions.

According to domestic sources 25.000 residential objects were either destroyed or damaged during the bombing, 470 kilometres of roads and 595 kilometres of railway tracks were also damaged.

14 airports, 19 hospitals, 20 health houses, 18 children kindergartens, 69 schools, 176 cultural monuments and 44 bridges were damaged, while 38 bridges were fully destroyed.

There were in total 2.300 strikes, and 22.000 tons of various projectiles used or thrown on Yugoslavia during that time.

N1 further reported that The Remembrance Day ceremony to pay the tribute to all the victims of NATO bombing and fighters who fought for their country will take place in Sombor, starting at 18.00 in presence of highest state officials, Army of Serbia, police and religious communities. Memorial service will be served by Serbian Orthodox Church Patriarch Porfirije.

Serbs commemorate NATO bombing anniversary in Kosovo

The 24th anniversary of NATO bombing will be marked in Gracanica, starting at 11.00 today, Radio KIM reports. A memorial service to those who died in aggression will be served near the cross in the House of Culture yard. Raska-Prizren Eparchy, Pristina Provisional Municipal Authority and Cultural-Educational Community of Kosovo and Metohija organise the ceremony.

Meanwhile, the anniversary was marked in Zvecan by laying the wreath at the monument of Zvecan residents killed in the period from 1998 to 2001. Laying of the wreath ceremony was also organised in Zubin Potok at the monument dedicated to the killed residents of this municipality. 

Commemoration was held in Leposavic at the monument dedicated to fallen heroes, including memorial service and the laying of the wreath ceremony. Members of the families, various war veterans, municipal council, assistant director of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija, Jelena Stojkovic and Leposavic Provisional Municipal Authority President Zoran Todic were present. 

With the consecration of the monument to the Milic brothers, located on the square with the same name in Mitrovica North, the 24th anniversary of NATO bombing was marked.  

Wreaths were laid at the monument dedicated to the Milic brothers, officers of the Serbian Army, killed during the bombing, by assistant director of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija, Borislav Tajić, Mitrovica Provisional Municipal Authority President, Aleksandar Spiric and Serbian List representatives in presence of several hundred people, media reported. 

Selakovic lays wreath at memorial to children killed in NATO bombing

Serbian Minister of Labour, Employment and Veteran and Social Affairs Nikola Selakovic laid a wreath at a memorial to children killed in the 1999 NATO aggression on Serbia, then part of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

City of Belgrade Manager Miroslav Cuckovic, Russian Ambassador to Serbia Alexander Botsan-Kharchenko, Serbian Armed Forces and police representatives, the victims' families and others also took part in the Tasmajdan Park ceremony in downtown Belgrade.

It is a part of commemorations marking the anniversary of the beginning of NATO air strikes on Serbia 24 years ago today.

Serbian List: We do not take part in elections because of institutional violence against Serbs (RTS, media)

Serbian List said in a statement its decision not to take part in extraordinary elections in four northern Kosovo municipalities due in April, was a consequence of continuous institutional pressure carried out by Albin Kurti’s regime against the Serbian people, depriving them of all human rights on the European soil in XXI century, RTS reports.

They also said their clear prerequisites for which they have left Kosovo institutions remained unfulfilled – establishment of Community of Serb Municipalities (ZSO) and withdrawal of Kosovo special police units from the north.

“Over the last two years, anti-Serbian regime of Albin Kurti denied Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija the right to vote in elections and referendum, banned vaccination against coronavirus, prevented delivery of medications and medical material, arrested, persecuted and accused reputable Serbs without any evidence”, Serbian List said in a statement, adding that despite agreement in Brussels on licence plates, Pristina prevents use of KM licence plates in Kosovo and deprives people of freedom of movement.

They also recalled that “Kosovo special police forces confiscate the land from Serb owners in Leposavic and Zubin Potok and build bases there, mistreat the Serbs on a daily basis and shoot at them, applauded by Kurti’s (interior) minister Svecla”.

Serbian List also said that incidents targeting the Serbs, their properties and that of Serbian Orthodox Church are per rule remain without closure and in cases perpetrators get arrested, as was the case with Gotovusa shooting incident, they are accused of milder offences and not for the acts they actually did.

They also recalled the prison sentence of Ivan Todosijevic for his remarks on Racak, while those in Pristina referring to Serbs in the most derogatory manner suffer no consequences.  

Brigadier General Giampiero Romano: We do not forget past, but we can go forward (Tanjug)

Chief of NATO Military Liaison Office in Belgrade, Brigadier General Giampiero Romano said on the occasion of the anniversary of NATO bombing of the-then Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SRJ) that we do not forget the past, but that we can move forward.

In a written statement delivered to the media he said it is exactly what NATO and Serbia do, looking towards a better future.

He added NATO remains fully committed to further support stability in the Western Balkans, including through the KFOR Mission, which continues providing a safe and secure environment and freedom of movement for all communities in Kosovo, in line with the mandate entrusted to it by UN SC Resolution 1244 from 1999.  

Ambassador Hill offers condolence to families of those killed in war and NATO bombing (KoSSev, social media)

The US Ambassador to Serbia, Christopher Hill offered today condolences to the families of those who lost their lives during the wars in 1990’s, including those who died during NATO bombing in 1999, KoSSev portal reports. In number of posts on Twitter, US Ambassador wrote:

“I’ve dedicated my life to diplomacy - to finding diplomatic solutions to seemingly intractable problems. In the course of my career, I’ve learned that sometimes diplomacy fails. When it does, the results can be tragic. (1/4),

“I offer my personal condolences to the families of those who lost their lives during the wars of the 1990s, including as a result of the NATO air campaign. I know that the Serbian people will never forget that terrible time, nor should they. (2/4),

“The Serbian people will never set aside their grief, but I believe they are strong enough to set aside their grievances. The United States’ dedication to our partnership with Serbia is unwavering, as is our commitment to diplomacy. (3/4),

“Together, we can build the better future the Serbian people deserve and want for future generations. (4/4)”, Hill said. 

Gasic met Botsan-Kharchenko (Tanjug)

Serbian Interior Minister Bratislav Gasic met with Russian Ambassador to Serbia, Alexander Botsan-Kharchenko on Thursday.

Gasic and Botsan-Kharchenko agreed that the level of bilateral cooperation in interior affairs to date was high, the Interior Ministry said in a statement.

Ambassador Botsan-Kharchenko reiterated the consistent position of the Russian Federation on the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Serbia, for which Gasic thanked him, the statement adds.

Four Serbian opposition parties send letter to EU officials and non-recognizers on European plan (Radio KIM)

28 MPs from four Serbian opposition parties, Dveri Movement, New Democratic Party of Serbia (Nova DSS), Movement for Renewal of Serbian Kingdom (POKS) and Oath Keepers (Zavetnici) sent a letter to the EU officials and embassies of EU states that do not recognize Kosovo, expressing their opposition to the European plan and assessed it as a null, Radio KIM reports.

The parties also said that “Proposal Agreement on Normalisation of Relations between Kosovo and Serbia” was null, adding it produces no legal effect in international legal relations. They noted the proposal is in full contradiction with positive legal regulations of Serbs and that, as they said, it is also contrary to a number of relevant sources of international law.

"We inform you that all acts, actions and implementation of the Proposal are against the norms of international law and the legal order of Serbia", reads the letter.

The signatories also claim that "any National Assembly or Government of Serbia will inevitably annul such a political-legal act and the resulting consequences".

"We suggest that you take into account the remarks from this letter and the relevant sources of international law and the legal regulations of Serbia, which can represent a completely adequate guide for considering the "Proposal", the letter reads.

They added that everything stated in the letter "is evidenced by international law, as well as the practice of international and national courts".

The letter was sent to EU High Representative Josep Borrell and special envoy for Belgrade-Pristina talks Miroslav Lajcak, members of the European Parliament and embassies of EU member states that do not recognize Kosovo - Spain, Romania, Greece, Cyprus and Slovakia.

Vucic met with Dendias (Tanjug)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic met on Wednesday with Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias, who is visiting Serbia, Tanjug news agency reports.

"I took the opportunity presented by a nice day to host Minister Dendias, with whom I reviewed the situation in the region and the continuation of the process of normalisation of Belgrade-Pristina relations and discussed the strengthening of the cooperation between our two peoples and states", Vucic wrote in a post on his buducnostsrbijeav Instagram profile that also included a photo from the meeting.

He thanked Dendias for Greece's principled position, as well as for his personal engagement, in terms of support for the dialogue, respect of international law, preservation of peace and stability in the region and advocacy of Serbia's progress on the EU integration path.

Bishop Grigorije: Great Problems Require Great Men to Solve Them (KoSSev)

What hurts me the most as a person is the fact that those who have failed to normalise life in Kosovo so far will not succeed either now or in the future, no matter what they have formally agreed or whether discussions are still ongoing, Serbian Orthodox Church Bishop Grigorije from Dusseldorf-Germany Eparchy during an exclusive interview for KoSSev.

He recalled the words that Patriarch Pavle said to him as a young man - Great problems require great men to solve them.

He is convinced that Aleksandar Vucic and Albin Kurti have agreed to fulfil the new agreement from the first to the last point, so he is surprised by the surprise of others – “Everything pointed to such an outcome long before. In fact, I am surprised by everyone who is now surprised by such an outcome“, Bishop told the portal.

He also emphasised no administrative agreement can bring about any good if there is a lack of freedom and true coexistence between people.

Read the full interview at: https://bit.ly/3z3dYIp

Members of opposition parties block traffic in front of Serbian Government (BETA)

Members of four opposition parties, referring to themselves as state-building opposition, blocked the traffic in front of the Serbian Government at Nemanjina Street in Belgrade, in a protest demanding refusal of European proposal on Kosovo, resignation of the Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and calling for extraordinary elections, BETA news agency reports.

Leader of the Dveri Movement told the agency ahead of the gathering that similar “warning blockades” will be organised in front of the provincial government in Novi Sad, and in front of city administrations in Nis, Krusevac, Cacak, Loznica and Sabac.

“The idea is for this to be a beginning of a warning of protests that will be held in the upcoming period”, Obradovic said, adding that earlier today protest gatherings were held in Vrbas, Lazarevac and Arandjelovac.

Dveri, Zavetnici, POKS and Nova DSS earlier said that with those protests they will also commemorate the 24th anniversary of NATO bombing of the-then Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

Grenell: No one signed "agreement" (media, social media)

Former US presidential envoy for the Western Balkans, Richard Grenell, reacted to the statement of US Secretary of State Antony Blinken who welcomed the agreement between Belgrade and Pristina, by saying that no one had signed the agreement.

"No one signed the "agreement". Seriously", Grenell said in a post on Twitter.

He made those remarks commenting on Blinken's message that "the USA welcomes the agreement reached by Kosovo and Serbia" in Ohrid.

"We are proud to support the agreement and remain committed to progress in European and Euro-Atlantic integration”, Blinken also said.  

Chollet thanks Vucic for constructive engagement in Ohrid (Tanjug)

US State Department Counsellor Derek Chollet has thanked Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic for his constructive engagement in a March 18 round of high-level dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina in Ohrid, North Macedonia.

"Important to take immediate steps to implement and set a firm path toward normalisation and EU integration", Chollet wrote in a post on his official Twitter account.

He also thanked Serbia for "reengaging with the US on defence exercises" such as Platinum Wolf.

Jovanovic: Authorities avoid discussion on Kosovo, that is why there is no assembly session (KoSSev)

People’s Party (NS) MP and spokesperson Stefan Jovanovic said the situation in Kosovo and Metohija is the main reason why spring session of the Serbian Assembly, that was supposed to take place in March, was not scheduled, because, as he said, authorities want to avoid discussion about this topic, KoSSev portal reports.

“The People's Party submitted an initiative to call for a session on Kosovo and Metohija and I see no possibility for this issue not to be the topic of the session”, Jovanovic told Nova.rs.

He also said “there are no indications that the session of the Serbian Assembly will be held”, accusing Assembly Speaker Vladimir Orlic that he in a creative but wrong and detrimental manner interprets provisions of the Constitution, law and manual for assembly sessions. 

 

 

International 

 

Kurti demands condemnation of Serbian List by EU, after their boycott of local elections (BIRN)

The Prime Minister of Kosovo has requested the EU to condemn the violation of the basic agreement by Serbia, since the Serbian List party will not participate in the local elections in the northern municipalities with a Serbian majority in Kosovo.

PM Kurti called the Serbian List’s decision not to participate in the snap local elections an “exercise of control by Belgrade” towards it,  on Twitter on Thursday.

“The Serbian List refused to participate in local elections in the 4 northern municipalities of Kosovo, this April. This is a clear sign of Belgrade’s control over the party and nonstop interference in Kosovo’s domestic affairs. The EU must condemn this prompt violation of the Basic Agreement”, tweeted Kurti.

The Central Election Commission, CEC in Kosovo announced on Wednesday that no political entity has applied to participate in the extraordinary elections for the four Serbian-majority municipalities in the north of Kosovo on the period from 9 to 22 March 2023, for the elections that will take place on April 23.

The elections, expected to be held in December last year, were postponed at the request of the international community, to April 2023.

Read more at: https://bit.ly/42zs3L7

In pictures: 24 years from NATO’s bombing of Yugoslavia (Prishtina Insight)

Friday marks the 24th Anniversary of NATO air strikes on Yugoslavia to Stop Ethnic Cleansing of Albanians in Kosovo. We bring some of these moments in pictures.  

On March 24th, 1999 the North Atlantic Alliance, NATO, launched airstrikes against the military police targets in the former Yugoslavia to halt ethnic cleansing of Kosovo Albanians.

The airstrikes began after the failure of talks in Rambouillet, France which led to the decision of Western countries and NATO to launch an air campaign against Serbian military targets.

After 78 days of attacks, the bombing ceased on June 10, 1999, with the adoption of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244.

On June 12, 1999, the deployment of some 50,000 troops from 36 countries began, of which 30,000 were from NATO countries.

Read more at: https://bit.ly/42Q1pOv

As NATO Bombed Yugoslavia, Fear Gripped Serbs in Kosovo (BIRN)

The launch of NATO’s air campaign against Slobodan Milosevic’s Yugoslavia in March 1999 brought fear and uncertainty to Serbs living in Kosovo and forced many to flee their homes.

Fifteen-year-old Darko Dimitrijevic did not have to go to school on March 24, 1999.

A week earlier, the directorate of the Economic High School in the western Kosovo city of Peja/Pec, where he was studying, had informed the pupils that there would be no classes for the rest of March.

They were told that they would be informed in due course about when classes would resume. But Dimitrijevic never went back to the school.

“On March 24, I noticed that my parents were worried more than ever. It was an anxious day. My father did not have to go to work,” Dimitrijevic told BIRN. “In the evening we heard that the bombing had started and there were explosions.”

He recalled that the first target hit by NATO bombs was in the Peja/Pec region of Kosovo, which at the time was still part of Yugoslavia, and was the local Yugoslav army base. “That night my parents and the others decided to stay downstairs in the basement. The windows were shaking from the bombing and artillery. It was scary,” he said.

Although he was young, he said he could feel that things were changing dramatically. “My parents tried not to tell us everything. I understood that they wanted to save us from the bad things happening,” he said. “But it was no longer possible. You can’t hide a war.”

NATO launched its 78-day campaign of air strikes against Yugoslavia in what it described a humanitarian intervention to end the ethnic cleansing and violent repression of Kosovo Albanians by the Yugoslav Army and Serbian police, which were controlled by President Slobodan Milosevic’s regime in Belgrade.

Read more at: https://bit.ly/40e06a7