UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, January 23, 2024

Albanian Language Media:

Kurti: We have to support each other (RTK)
Montenegro to consider increasing number of soldiers in KFOR (Albanian Post)
IMF: Kosovo with lowest per capita income in Europe, according to purchasing power (Reporteri)
Government signed memorandum for creation of new jobs for non-majority communities (media)
Kosovo joins northern sub-group of European region in World Customs Organization (Klan)
Konjufca and Basha meet at Council of Europe (media)
Balla and Svecla visit joint police training center (RTK)
UK ambassador donates a drone and other professional equipment to TAK (media)
Serbian nationalist messages with map of Kosovo in Srebrenica (Express)

Serbian Language Media:

Due to ban on importing Serbian goods in Kosovo, damage is about 150 million euros (KoSSev)
Specialist Court extends detention of Shala for two more months (Kosovo Online)
Nemec: Debate on Serbian elections aimed at initiating independent investigation (N1)
Brnabic meets with Braathu, Hill (Tanjug)

Albanian Language Media

Kurti: We have to support each other (RTK)

Kosovo Prime Minister, Albin Kurti, has said that Albanians must be united towards the path of the European Union, stressing that the challenges are often in common.

"In Skopje, on the sidelines of the regional leaders' conference on the EU Growth Plan, together with Prime Minister Rama, we met and talked with Arben Taravari, the Chairman of the Alliance for Albanians. Albanians, more than luck, have historical and national awareness of the clear Euro-Atlantic orientation and the building of alliances based on values and convictions. We often have similar and common challenges. We must always have service to the citizens as an unshakable goal of political commitment. And on the road ahead, we must be side by side for each other, for development, democratization, reform, progress and well-being," Kurti wrote on Facebook.

Montenegro to consider increasing number of soldiers in KFOR (Albanian Post)

The Minister of Defense of Montenegro, Dragan Krapovic, in a joint press conference with the chairman of the NATO Military Committee, Rob Bauer, stated that Montenegro will continue to maintain the military presence in Kosovo within the Force of NATO (KFOR), while the increase in the number of members of the Montenegrin army in KFOR is still expected to be reviewed.

Asked by journalists why Montenegro does not make a decision on increasing the number of soldiers in the KFOR mission in Kosovo - out of over 4,000 members, only two are Montenegrins - Minister Krapovicemphasized that such an initiative can be sent to the Assembly of Montenegro from the Security and Defense Council if necessary, the "Vijesti" newspaper reported on Tuesday.

"We will have soldiers in Latvia and Bulgaria, but we will continue to send soldiers to Kosovo and Iraq as well. As for Russian aggression against Ukraine, we will send soldiers in line with NATO's mandate. KFOR is welcome for both sides - Kosovo and Serbia - if there is a need for growth, this issue should be on the agenda," Krapovic said.

IMF: Kosovo with lowest per capita income in Europe, according to purchasing power (Reporteri)

IMF data show that Albania and Kosovo continue to remain last in Europe in the per capita income indicator measured according to purchasing power parity, measured in international dollars.

In 2023, this indicator for Albania was 19.5 thousand international dollars (the indicator eliminates price differences between countries). Albania leaves behind Kosovo, which has this indicator of 15.8 thousand dollars.

The highest level of per capita income in the region, according to purchasing power parity, is in Montenegro, at 28 thousand international dollars, followed by Serbia, with 26 thousand and North Macedonia, with 21.4 thousand.

Albania is turning out to be one of the countries with the best economic performance in the region, in terms of numbers and resistant to various shocks such as earthquakes, pandemics, or war, but this progress does not seem to have impacted the improvement of the lives of its citizens.

Government signed memorandum for creation of new jobs for non-majority communities (media)

The government of Kosovo has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the International Organization of Communities, with the aim of creating new jobs, with a focus on non-majority communities.

The memorandum was signed by the Deputy Prime Minister Emilija Rexhepi, who stated that through this the establishment of infrastructural projects and the strengthening of enterprises is aimed.

"The Republic of Kosovo is a democratic and multi-ethnic state, the country of all its citizens. Our government is committed to the rule of law and protecting the rights of all without distinction. The implementation of new projects is always aimed at increasing prosperity, understanding and coexistence between our citizens", read the announcement of the government.

In the presence of Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti the Deputy Prime Minister, Emilija Rexhepi, on behalf of the government of Kosovo, signed today a Memorandum of Understanding with the International Communities Organization.

This Memorandum will serve as a basis for investments with the aim of creating new jobs with a focus on non-majority communities, setting up infrastructure projects and strengthening enterprises in order to increase stability in municipalities.

Kosovo joins northern sub-group of European region in World Customs Organization (Klan)

The Ministry of Finance, Labor and Transfers has announced that Kosovo has managed to become a member of the northern subgroup of the European Region in the World Customs Organization (WCO).

According to the ministry, although Kosovo joined the World Customs Organization in 2017, until now it has not had the opportunity to be represented in the geographic region and therefore has not participated in the policy-making processes, as one of the main goals of the WCO.

"Kosovo's representation in the geographic region group is very important because the WCO regional bodies are involved in the design and implementation of policies as well as in the promotion of trade and development".

"Kosovo's participation in the policy-making level of the WCO strengthens it at the international level by increasing cooperation with the WCO member countries", the announcement states.

Konjufca and Basha meet at Council of Europe (media)

The Speaker of the Assembly of Kosovo, Glauk Konjufca, and the member of the Albanian Parliament, Lulzim Basha, met this Tuesday at the Council of Europe facility. This was announced by Basha himself, who posted photos where they are seen together.

"It was a pleasure to meet the Speaker of the Assembly of Kosovo, Glauk Konjufca, in CoE. Cooperation and coordination among Albanians in these times of challenges is very important for peace and stability in the region.

I and Democratic Party will be by Kosovo's side and we will raise our voice in the international institutions, so that Kosovo becomes a part as soon as possible and Serbia's attempt to destabilize is stopped", he wrote on Facebook.

Balla and Svecla visit joint police training center (RTK)

The Minister of the Interior of Albania, Taulant Balla, and his counterpart, Xhelal Svecla, were in Vlora, where they saw closely the condition of a confiscated hotel, which will be turned into a common training and rest center for Albanian and Kosovo police officers.

Minister Balla, in a post on Facebook, announced that "together with the Ministry of the Interior of Kosovo, they will invest to turn it into a vacation hotel for the employees of the Kosovo Police and the employees of the State Police of Albania.

"We have made the decision that the assets confiscated in the fight against crime and corruption will be put to the use of state institutions. Together with the Minister of the Interior of Kosovo, Xhelal Svecla, we were in Vlora, where very soon we will have a large rest and training house for the police forces", writes Balla on Facebook.

UK ambassador donates a drone and other professional equipment to TAK (media)

The Ambassador of the United Kingdom in Pristina, Nicolas Abbott, has donated to the Tax Administration of Kosovo a drone and other professional equipment that will help to improve the efficiency and capacities of this institution.

During his visit to TAK, which is the last in his mandate, Abbott has expressed his deep appreciation for the close and constructive cooperation with the tax authorities of Kosovo during these years.

He said that the Embassy of the United Kingdom has worked on supporting and strengthening the professional and technical capacities of tax investigations, which are in the interest of fighting and preventing tax evasion, as well as improving the business environment and creating opportunities for new investment.

Serbian nationalist messages with map of Kosovo in Srebrenica (Express)

A group of people, said to be Serbs living in Bosnia and Herzegovina, provoked with some banners at the entrance of Srebrenica. In the image that has been shared on social networks, they are seen holding banners - where the map of Kosovo with the flag of Serbia was also seen.

The expert for the Western Balkans in the European Parliament, Federica Woelk, strongly condemned their action. Woelk has called for Bosniaks in Srebrenica not to feel threatened and endangered, warning that "this should not be allowed".

“You see this? This, exactly this, is why war crimes should be prosecuted thoroughly. We cannot allow Bosniaks in Srebrenica to feel threatened and at risk. We cannot allow this to happen,” Woelk wrote on X.

Serbian Language Media

Due to ban on importing Serbian goods in Kosovo, damage is about 150 million euros (KoSSev)

Due to ban on importing Serbian goods in Kosovo from June 2023, when it was introduced, until January 1, 2024, the Serbian economy suffered damage of around 150 million euros, said the head of the Center for Regional Cooperation in the Serbian Chamber of Commerce (PKS), Aleksandar Radovanovic, reported KoSSev.

Radovanovic told Beta agency that Pristina authorities banned the import of all goods on June 14, 2023, and already on July 8 of that year they allowed the import of the goods they needed.

"They saw that, when they introduced the ban, that decision had great consequences for the Kosovo economy, that they cut their own supply chains of raw materials and semi-finished products. They realized that they needed machines and equipment for production, and they allowed the import of the goods they needed", said Radovanovic.

He added that the ban on importing goods from Serbia from July 8 does not apply to raw materials, semi-finished products, mineral fertilizers, machines, equipment, and animal feed.

Everything that, as he said, is intended for further production, such as raw materials, can be imported from Serbia, but finished goods for further sale cannot.

In June 2022, the value of exported goods from Serbia was, according to him, 40.7 million euros, and in the same month of 2023, the value of exports fell to 16.7 million euros, which is 59 percent less.

Exports from Serbia in July 2022 were worth 45 million euros, and in the same month of 2023 only 17 million euros or 62 percent less.

In August 2022, 45 million euros worth of goods were exported, and in the same month of 2023, 21 million euros, which is a drop of 52 percent.

Exports in the period July-November 2022 were worth 177.5 million euros, and in the same period in 2023, 83.4 million euros or 53 percent less.

Radovanovic said that international companies that have plants in Serbia and participate in exports with 40 percent of the placement of finished products suffer significant damage.

"Those companies cannot export food, beverages, hygiene products, chemical products, everything that can be found in markets for consumption," said Radovanovic.

As Radovanovic said, Serbia imports from Kosovo steel, iron, fresh fruit, plastic, leather, beverages, ethanol, and cellulose from wood. The value of imports for 10 months of 2023 was 37.1 million euros, which is 15.6 percent less than in 2022.

Specialist Court extends detention of Shala for two more months (Kosovo Online)

Detention of former KLA member Pjeter Shala has been extended for two more months, with a remark that there was a risk of his flee, Specialist Chambers said in a statement, Kosovo Online portal reports.

Shala was arrested on March 16, 2021 in Belgium and transferred to Specialist Court on April 15 of the same year. According to the indictment he is charged with individual criminal responsibility in different forms for war crimes, including arbitrary imprisonment, cruel treatment, torture and unlawful murders. According to the indictment those crimes were carried out in the period from May 17, 1999 to June 5, 1999 against persons imprisoned in a metal factory in Kukes, Albania, used by KLA.

Nemec: Debate on Serbian elections aimed at initiating independent investigation (N1)

Matjaz Nemec MEP of the Socialists and Democrats political group in the European Parliament (EP) said that this group initiated a debate in the EP on Serbian election so as to pave the way for an independent investigation and support the thousands of people seeking justice at the protests in Serbia, N1 reports.

He told the Nova.rs portal that there is a feeling in the European Parliament that the Serbian December elections were undemocratic, and that the information on vote buying and mass registration of voters causes particular concern. The European People’s Party (EPP) backed the EP debate on Serbian elections.