UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, September 13, 2022

Jasharaj: Our membership strongly rejects the €50 offer (media)
Kosovo teachers’ strike drags on as talks between unions and govt fail (BIRN)
Albania and Kosovo Prime Ministers meet in Tirana (media)
Lajcak meets Macron’s chief diplomatic advisor (media)
Kosovo Telecom targeted by cyber-attacks (Radio Free Europe)
Gervalla: Good chances of moving to next stage for membership in CoE (Klan)
Feith: Disappointing that situation in north hasn’t changed for 10 years (media)
Vetting in the judiciary heading toward finalization (RTK)
Western Balkans security a priority for Hungary (Hungary Today)
Kosovars pay price of unregulated water supply with their health (BIRN)
Prosecutors seek 35-year prison term for ex-rebel accused of torture (Reuters)
Albanian MP clashes with Vucic in Serbian Parliament (Albanian Daily News)
Regional missing persons database announced for November (BIRN)

Jasharaj: Our membership strongly rejects the €50 offer (media)

Leader of the Union of Education, Science and Culture (SBASHK), Rrahman Jasharaj, said on Tuesday that the unionists are ready to continue the dialogue with the government to end the strike in the educational sector, but he asked for their demands to be treated seriously and not be faced with threats and lynching.

In an interview with RTK, Jasharaj talked about the meeting he had early Tuesday with Prime Minister Kurti, saying that SBASHK has been asking for nine months to be part of the new law on wages. “Because when the law is being finalised it is good that we are included in the debate as a party. We presented our requests through the Ministry of Education, and we want to see if our requests have been addressed for every coefficient separately, and not for us to be left as an audience and give comments knowing that the comments are not binding for the other party,” he said.

Jasharaj said that the membership of the unions refused the government’s offer for an additional monthly payment of €50 for the educational staff. The unions have been asking for an additional €100 until the new law on wages is adopted. Jasharaj left open the possibility of accepting an offer less than €100 but added that the membership would have to decide about this.

Kosovo teachers’ strike drags on as talks between unions and govt fail (BIRN)

It has been more than two weeks since pupils in Kosovo have not sat at their school desks, due to a teachers’ strike. Prime Minister Albin Kurti’s meeting with education unions on Tuesday ended without agreement.

After the meeting, the head of the teachers’ union, Rrahman Jasharaj, told a press conference that the strike will continue.

The parties failed to agree on whether teachers’ wages should rise by 50 euros, or 100 euros, as the unions are demanding.

“We insisted that the mentioned amount [50 euros], which has not been accepted by any trade unionists in Kosovo, be changed. We were ready to make a small compromise for the sake of the situation but the government stuck by the amount proclaimed with the package,” said Jasharaj.

Jasharaj added that, “the good news is that the dialogue will continue”. According to him, the government refused to offer more than 50 euros but was at least ready to discuss 100 euros.

Kurti said at a different press conference on Tuesday that the unionists were the first ones to receive the news that the public hearing for the Law on Salaries will begin this week.

“We were told at the meeting that they will consult with the rest of their [union] members. As soon as the trade unionists came out [of the meeting], they told the media that the strike will continue. When did they ask the rest of their members?” Kurti asked.

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

Albania and Kosovo Prime Ministers meet in Tirana (media)

One of the leading stories in the media on Tuesday was an unannounced meeting between Albania and Kosovo Prime Ministers, Edi Rama and Albin Kurti, in Tirana. A spokesperson for the Kosovo government said that the meeting, which lasted for two hours, focused on challenges in the energy sector. “The two prime ministers talked about public and government policies and the social economic situation in Kosovo and Albania, with special emphasis on the energy challenges and the exchange between the two power corporations,” the spokesperson said.

According to Koha Ditore, Rama and Kurti also discussed cooperation on infrastructural projects, the construction of the Durres Port and the construction of the Durres – Prishtina railway. Another topic of discussion could have been Rama’s upcoming address at the Council of Europe where he will reject Dick Marty’s claims about organs trafficking during the war in Kosovo.

Lajcak meets Macron’s chief diplomatic advisor (media)

EU Special Representative for the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia, Miroslav Lajcak, met on Tuesday with Emmanuel Bone, chief diplomatic advisor to French President Macron. “Very glad to meet with Emmanuel Bonne, Chief diplomatic adviser of French President Macron, in Paris today. We spoke about our recent visit to Pristina and Belgrade, as well as current developments and next steps. Grateful for France’s strong support to my work,” Lajcak tweeted after the meeting.

Kosovo Telecom targeted by cyber-attacks (Radio Free Europe)

The Kosovo Telecom said in a statement on Tuesday that it was targeted by cyber-attacks. Mobile service operator, Vala, said that although the attacks continued, it had managed to restore internet services to the mobile and landline network. The news website notes that this is the second time this month that institutions in Kosovo reported they have been targeted by cyber-attacks. On September 6, the Kosovo government said cyber-attacks were launched against websites of state institutions. The government said the attacks were carried out from abroad but did not reveal further details.

Gervalla: Good chances of moving to next stage for membership in CoE (Klan)

Kosovo’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Donika Gervalla said on Tuesday that Kosovo has a good chance of moving to the next stage of becoming a member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.

"We very much hope that we will have a transition from the first stage to the second... There can be no predictions about the dates and months, but we will leave no stone unturned for Kosovo to join the Council of Europe for many reasons, not only because it is an international organization and a political success, but it is an organization that best embodies the protection of the rights and freedoms of citizens," Gervalla said.

She added that Kosovo will face challenges, that there are countries that do not recognize Kosovo, that are members of the Council of Europe, but that she believes that with the work that has been done and the support of international partners, they will move forward.

"We know that Serbia very strongly, instead of supporting Kosovo's membership in the Council of Europe, fights it with all means,” Gervalla said.

Feith: Disappointing that situation in north hasn’t changed for 10 years (media)

The former International Civilian Representative for Kosovo Pieter Feith is visiting Kosovo, marking the 10^th anniversary of the end of the international supervision of Kosovo's independence, at the invitation of Prime Minister Albin Kurti. He has spoken in an interview with the national broadcaster RTK about the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue and the possibility of an agreement between the two countries. Feith said his only advice is not to have a top-down dialogue, but to work from the bottom up. “So by this I mean that it is important for the citizens of Kosovo, the civil society, to be more informed, to create a convincing motive that the dialogue is in their interest and that of Kosovo, and of stability in the entire region. It has nothing to do with the leaders in Brussels, it is necessary to talk to citizens and others in Kosovo and Serbia to explain, in order to create space for the leaders to seek their own concessions," he told RTK.

Fieth also talked about the problems in the north of Kosovo. "We had a problem with Serbs and local mayors in the north. During that period, we as ICO managed to create an office in the north to offer services to citizens in the north. Many citizens of the north, receive pensions, need help, and this was done through this office that had a direct connection with Pristina. I have no illusions that we resolved the problems in the north. They are the same as they were 10 years ago, it is disappointing, but this is the reality, it is not that we can do more in this direction," he said.

Feith also said there were three principles of work to expand or extend Prishtina’s authority in the north, without causing acts of violence, without creating frozen conflicts and without allowing the north to be separated from the southern bank of the river Iber.

"Have we achieved 100% full compliance, no. Right here I faced one of the main challenges, there was no cooperation from the Serbian government, this was the most surprising. When we were in the preparatory phase before they declared independence, we should have reflected. We hoped that President Tadic was different. One cannot predict everything, we can do what we have," he said.

Vetting in the judiciary heading toward finalization (RTK)

The vetting in the judiciary is heading toward finalization and for this process to be concluded successfully, the Constitution needs to be amended and this requires 2/3 of votes of MPs, including 2/3 of votes of community MPs. Legal commentators argue that the ruling Vetevendosje Movement needs to convince the MPs to support the vetting process.

On September 4, Prime Minister Kurti and Justice Minister Haxhiu submitted to the Assembly the file with documents on the vetting in the judiciary. The file includes the proposed constitutional amendments and the draft law on vetting. The documents are expected to be discussed in the coming months during the winter session of the Assembly.

The ruling party will need the votes of the opposition and it could also face difficulties with securing the votes of Serbian List MPs. Vetevendosje MP Adnan Rrustemi told RTK on Tuesday that will respect all recommendations of the Venice Commission about the vetting and that he hopes the opposition will support the process.

Western Balkans security a priority for Hungary (Hungary Today)

Hungarian Defense Minister Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky paid a visit to the Hungarian-led KFOR mission in Kosovo. He stressed the strategic importance of the Western Balkans to Hungary.

The security of the Western Balkans is a priority for Hungary, and Hungarian soldiers participating in the KFOR mission are making a significant contribution, Defense Minister Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky said in Kosovo on Monday.

Szalay-Bobrovniczky was visiting the headquarters of the Hungarian-led NATO operation in Kosovo (KFOR). He stressed that the past period is proof that the Hungarian Defense Forces are ready and capable of leading and managing NATO operations.

He recalled that Hungarian soldiers have been participating in the KFOR mission since its launch in 1999, and from October 2021 the mission has been led by Hungarian Major General Ferenc Kajári. “His reputation in both the international military diplomatic and political arena confirms and underlines the importance of the Western Balkans for Hungary,” the Minister said.