UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, June 21, 2023

Albanian Language Media:

Kurti confirms participation in Brussels meeting (media)

Kurti publishes new evidence: Serbia violated the Kumanovo Agreement (RTK)

Gervalla says families expected to visit the three police officers on Friday (RTK)

The border points in Bernjak, Jarinje and Merdare, unblocked (Klan)

Escobar: Kosovo-Serbia tensions have potential to turn into "regional conflict" (media)

Lajcak meets with Undersecretary Nuland, talk about situation in the north (media)

Biden extends Western Balkans National Emergency Executive Order (Klan)

KFOR: Our intervention on May 29 in Zvecan, decisive to prevent fighting between Serbs and Albanians (Klan)

Ambassadors: Association only according to the Constitution of Kosovo (RTK)

Bujar Osmani talks to Gervalla and Dacic: Situation in the north should calm down (RTK)

Sources: Kurti to visit Vatican on Wednesday (Koha)

Serbian Language Media:

Petkovic: Serbs arrested in Kosovo harassed, beaten (Radio KIM, N1)

Bishop Tedosije: Arrests and maltreatment of Serbs lead to greater conflict (Radio KIM)

Lawyer: Vukasinovic sent to one-month detention (Radio KIM, Kosovo Online)

Peaceful night in northern Kosovo, Serbs continue protesting (RTS)

UNS and DNKiM: Participants in protest do not have right to impede work of journalists (KoSSev)

Brnabic asks EU to help preserve peace (RTS, media)

Serbian media and civil society organizations in Kosovo condemned attacks on journalists (KoSSev)

International Media:

Protests Cause Travel Disruptions and Roadblocks Between Kosovo and Serbia (BIRN)

Hungary's PM Orban urges Serbia to release arrested Kosovo policemen (Reuters)

NATO ready to react to acts of violence in Kosovo: commander (TVPWorld)

Serbian protestors block border crossings for Kosovo vehicles (SeeNews)

Trucks Blocked at Balkan Border as Serbia-Kosovo Spat Escalates (Bloomberg)

Osmani urges immediate de-escalation in Kosovo (mirage news)

Defence, Prosecution Argue Over Witness Protection at Kosovo War Court (BIRN)

In Montenegro, Memories of Pain and Generosity on the Refugee Road (BIRN)

German-French tie-up gets 12.2 mln euro contract for ID system in Kosovo (SeeNews)

Albanian Language Media

Kurti confirms participation in Brussels meeting (media)

EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, invited leaders from Kosovo and Serbia to a crisis management meeting in Brussels this week. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, has already refused to meet with the Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti. Kurti meanwhile has said that he is interested in going to Brussels, in the meeting mentioned by Borrell, RFE reported. “I am ready and interested to go to the next meeting in Brussels, to present these data in detail, and to make them understand that the reduction of tensions means the immediate and unconditional release of the three policemen and the punishment of Serbia’s aggression in Kosovo, while normalization means the immediate implementation of the Basic Agreement,” Kurti said.

Kurti publishes new evidence: Serbia violated the Kumanovo Agreement (RTK)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti said in a Facebook post on Tuesday that the international community should condemn what he called Serbia’s aggression and its violation of the Kumanovo technical-military agreement, signed on June 9, 1999.

"At the time of the kidnapping, our three police officers were at the improvised dining table, having lunch together. They were surrounded by 15 people who attacked and kidnapped them. Our ambassador in Belgrade, Jetish Jashari, today visited the three policemen, who are being held hostage by Serbia, separately. There are three identical testimonies from the three policemen. The place where the dining table is located is 7 meters from the police vehicle. Exactly in that place where we have pointed out since June 15: 1 kilometer inside along the blocked illegal road, and 300 meters, respectively 670 meters, from both sides away from the border and inside Kosovo," Kurti wrote on Facebook.

"We are in our right, in the right of the Republic, and this is clearly documented by the evidence that our security institutions possess, as well as the testimony of our three policemen. We demand the immediate release of the three police officers. They should be released unconditionally and intact", Kurti wrote.

"At noon on June 14, Serbia's aggression against the democratic state of Kosovo was carried out, with the kidnapping of three officers of our Police, deep inside the territory of the Republic", Kurti said.

Gervalla says families expected to visit the three police officers on Friday (RTK)

Kosovo’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora Donika Gervalla said on Tuesday that the three Kosovo policemen taken by Serbian forces will be visited by their families very soon.

Relying on the contacts with the lawyers, the minister said that there is a possibility that the family members can visit them this Friday, although she said that this remains to be seen.

Speaking about the visit of a representative of the Liaison Office of Serbia in Kosovo, who met with the six Serbian detainees for the attacks in the north, the minister confirmed that they are also citizens of Serbia.

"So it is up to them and we adhere to international conventions and in such cases a visit is up to them", said Gervalla, clarifying that on the other hand, the visit of the head of the Liaison Office of Kosovo in Serbia, Jetish Jashari, to the three policemen, was realized with the help of international partners. "But if it was up to Belgrade, even this visit would not be possible," she said.

In the joint press conference with Prime Minister Albin Kurti, Gervalla also spoke about the warning of international partners that they will not help Kosovo, with new recognitions.

"We have tried in all our ways, and we will continue persistently together with our partners to find ways to realize new recognitions", she said.

"We do not stop in that direction", said Gervalla.

The border points in Bernjak, Jarinje and Merdare, unblocked (Klan)

The border points in Bernjak, Jarinje and Merdare have been unlocked for vehicle traffic. This was announced by the Ministry of Internal Affairs according to the latest updated data.

On Monday these three border points were blocked due to protests in the territory of Serbia, so the citizens were called to use the other border points.

Escobar: Kosovo-Serbia tensions have potential to turn into "regional conflict" (media)

U.S. Envoy for the Western Balkans, Gabriel Escobar, said on Tuesday that tensions between Kosovo and Serbia have the potential to turn into a regional conflict. During a debate at the Atlantic Council in Washington, together with the EU special representative Miroslav Lajcak, Escobar expressed the concern of the USA and the EU about this danger. Meanwhile, Lajcak emphasized that the de-escalation of the situation in the north of Kosovo constitutes the main priority.

"This [situation] has the potential to turn into a regional conflict, a regional confrontation. Therefore, we are very supportive of European efforts," said Escobar.

Asked to comment on Escobar’s remarks, Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti told a press conference in Pristina ‘you would have to ask the Envoy Escobar when he spoke about regional conflict, which countries besides Kosovo and Serbia was he thinking about. I don't believe [it was about] Montenegro or North Macedonia. Prime Minister Rama has threatened Belgrade, perhaps. But you would have to ask the emissary Escobar about that,’ Kurti said.

Escobar, in the debate, also answered the question regarding the accusations that the USA and the EU have been softer in their positions towards Serbia and tougher towards Kosovo.

"I challenge everyone to tell me when we have been tough with Kosovo and soft with Serbia. What we are asking from Kosovo is close coordination and acceptance of international obligations. I don't think this can be translated that we are tough on Kosovo. I think it's the opposite," Escobar said.

"To remove people from the street and return to dialogue. As part of the normalization process, we should have new elections, with the participation of Kosovo Serbs, without preconditions. If we do not manage to de-escalate the situation, then we are expecting to have victims", Lajcak said.

Lajcak meets with Undersecretary Nuland, talk about situation in the north (media)

EU Special Representative for the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia, Miroslav Lajcak, said in a Twitter post that he met with the U.S. Under Secretary of State, Victoria Nuland, with whom he spoke about the situation in the north of Kosovoand finding a way out. “I had a good conversation with the U.S. Under Secretary of State, Victoria Nuland. We shared the same assessment of the situation in the north of Kosovo and the way out. Agreed on the importance of immediate de-escalation and return to the EU facilitated dialogue", Lajcak wrote.

Biden extends Western Balkans National Emergency Executive Order (Klan)

The U.S. President Joe Biden has extended the Western Balkans National Emergency Executive Order pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to address the unusual and extraordinary threat to national security and foreign policy of the United States.

This executive order was originally signed on June 26, 2001. The order addresses the threat to the security of the United States, caused by the actions of persons acting to obstruct the implementation of UNSC Resolution 1244 of June 10, 1999, in Kosovo.

The U.S. President, justifying the continuation of the Executive Order for the national emergency regarding the Western Balkans, said that "the actions of persons who threaten peace and international stabilization efforts in the Western Balkans, including acts of extremist violence and disruptive activity, and the situation in the Balkans Western countries, which hinder progress towards effective and democratic governance and full integration into transatlantic institutions, continue to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States".

KFOR: Our intervention on May 29 in Zvecan, decisive to prevent fighting between Serbs and Albanians (Klan)

NATO's peacekeeping force in Kosovo said Tuesday that its "intervention was decisive" to keep Serbs and ethnic Albanians apart during riots that injured 38 KFOR officers in north.

On May 29, KFOR separated protesting Serbs from Albanians in Zvecan amid clashes following a Serbian boycott of votes in the north that allowed Albanians to take control of local councils.

"It was very violent, but I think the intervention of KFOR was decisive because we avoided clashes and contacts between the two sides," said Captain Davide Inglese, a company commander who was present during the clashes.

"I was only thinking about my soldiers, I was only thinking about my duty", which was "maintaining security", he said, AFP reported.

The violence was the worst encountered by KFOR since 2004, its chiefs say, and it prompted NATO to bring in 500 additional Turkish troops to bolster the peacekeeping force. The EU and the United States are calling on both sides to de-escalate the situation.

Inglese said that, after the May 29 riots, he had spoken to both sides on the ground in Mitrovica.

"They want peace, they want our protection," he said. "They want impartiality between the two parts and we are here for that."

Ambassadors: Association only according to the Constitution of Kosovo (RTK)

German Ambassador to Kosovo Jorn Rohde and French Ambassador Olivier Guerot, in an interview for RTK Prime on Tuesday, talked about many issues related to Kosovo, their countries and the EU. The recent situation in the north and the Association of Serb-majority municipalities were also among the main topics.

Guerot said he would agree that the situation seems a bit dim or tense, but according to him, leaders who manage to see the wider picture even beyond the current crisis are needed. "We are ambassadors in the Republic of Kosovo and we have a common strategic goal, the normalization of relations with Serbia," he said, adding that there is a path that has been clearly defined with the agreements in Brussels and Ohrid. He said that it is not easy for Kosovo to take some steps even when the Association is concerned.

Guerot expressed his belief that the government of Kosovo would actually be able to listen more and be less lonely. "We have been Kosovo's best friends for a long time and we will remain Kosovo's best friends," he said.

"In any case, it is good to be together and listen to each other, just like in the EU, since when there are differences, and we often have differences, we resolve the differences by talking to each other and making compromises."

Meanwhile, Rohde, speaking about the measures taken against the government of Kosovo, confirmed that some meetings have been postponed.

“I don't have to go into depth, but I don't want to talk about the relations that are being cooled, but to talk about the relations that will improve, and in this direction we need some steps from the government of Kosovo", said the ambassador of Germany.

He said that these steps are being awaited by the EU, USA and UK.

"I want to say one more word that the wise policy for me is that one of the difficult steps for Kosovo is the establishment of the Association and now we have several proposals. Even the Prime Minister of Albania has made a proposal. But the most important actor in this space is the government of Kosovo", he said, asking why it does not offer a statute proposal in accordance with the Constitution of Kosovo, which fulfills the government's requirements.

"They have agreed and it is not a wise policy to do nothing. The association is part of the Brussels and Ohrid agreements and the parties have said that it will be established and it is an obligation of Kosovo,” Rohde said.

"We want a permanent solution and compromises are needed, Serbia also needs to make compromises and I believe that this is the beauty of the European proposal, which offers very important things for both sides, especially for Kosovo, because it is de-facto recognition, and there can be no more campaigns against Kosovo for de-recognition and membership in all organizations".

Rohde said that he sees no other way and if no compromises are made, it will be difficult. "But now the situation is very worrying because there is a risk of further escalation of the situation out of control".

Guerot said he would very much like to comment on Kosovo's proposal for the Association's statute and not on the proposals of others.

"This is the missing piece," he said. According to him, Kosovo belongs to the EU and the expansion should go further. "We don't want Kosovo to be dysfunctional," said Guerot. "We have helped to create this country and we see it as a member of the EU and we want it to be functional as a state".

Bujar Osmani talks to Gervalla and Dacic: Situation in north should calm down (RTK)

The Foreign Minister of North Macedonia, Bujar Osmani, has informed that he has talked with his counterpart from Kosovo, Donika Gervalla, and with the Serbian one, Ivica Dacic, about the developments in the north of Kosovo, requesting that the situation calm down immediately.

"I repeated my call for urgent de-escalation in the northern municipalities of Kosovo. It is very important that Serbia immediately release the arrested Kosovar policemen", Osmani wrote.

As OSCE Chairperson-in-Office he said they are ready to help with developments in the north.

"It is essential that all parties work towards peace, and I asked them to do so!" Osmani wrote.

Sources: Kurti to visit Vatican on Wednesday, then travel to Brussels (Koha)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti will stay in the Vatican on Wednesday where he is expected to be received at the Holy See by Pope Francis, Koha learns from unnamed sources. The sources also said that Kurti will then travel to Brussels following an invitation from EU High Representative Josep Borrell for a meeting with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic.

Serbian Language Media

Petkovic: Serbs arrested in Kosovo harassed, beaten (Radio KIM, N1)

Serbian Government Office for Kosovo and Metohija Director Petar Petkovic said Belgrade liaison officer in Pristina, Dejan Pavicevic visited arrested Serbs from northern Kosovo and that they have been harassed and beaten up, Radio KIM reports.

Dejan Pavicevic visited Rados Petrovic and Dusan Obrenovic in Gnjilane prison facility, and four other arrested Serbs staying in Podujevo, Milun Milenkovic Lune, Nemanja Vlaskovic, Dalibor Spasic but also Milovan Bozovic from Zubin Potok arrested at the beginning of April, Petkovic said, adding that Uros Vukasinovic arrested on Monday is still in 48-hour police custody and is yet to be taken before a judge, following which Pavicevic will ask to see him as well.

Petkovic said Pavicevic is yet to submit a report on the visit, but that he said that all the Serb prisoners were harassed and beaten by the Kosovo police, especially during their arrest.

“(…) What is common for all arrested Serbs is - that they were all mistreated and beaten up by Kosovo police, in particular during arrest and while being taken to the detention facilities. Some of them sustained serious injuries in particular Milenkovic and Obrenovic. They still have visible injuries, in particular Milenkovic and Obrenovic. Pavicevic told us that Milenkovic has stitches on his head, bruises under his eyes, that traces of violence are visible and that he told him he was beaten up while he was sitting tied up on a chair during the interrogation. Also, at one moment doctors requested that Milenkovic do a scan of his head (…)”, Petkovic said.

Petkovic said they are also exposed to psychological torture.

Unlike them, the Kosovo police officers detained in Serbia were neither harassed nor beaten, Petkovic said, adding that the Pristina liaison officer who visited them on Tuesday confirmed this, N1 reports.

“They each have their own room, they have food, drinks, fruits, cake…That is the kind of treatment that the arrested Pristina police officers who entered the territory of Serbia proper, armed to their teeth, are getting”, he said.

Petkovic also underlined that allegations of Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti that Kosovo police officers were “kidnapped” in the territory of Kosovo were lies.

Bishop Tedosije: Arrests and maltreatment of Serbs lead to greater conflict (Radio KIM)

Serbian Orthodox Church Raska-Prizren Eparchy Bishop Teodosije expressed deep concern over the recent arrest of six Serbs, Radio KIM reports. Bishop Teodosije recalled that arrested Serbs are staying in prison facilities in Gnjilane and Podujevo.

“Arrests and maltreatments of Serbs by the police lead to even greater conflict”, Bishop Teodosije warned, and called for urgent calming down of the tensions.

He also announced he will try to visit arrested Serbs as soon as possible.

At the same time, he expects that EULEX will look into allegations of the indictments against the arrested Serbs and into facts about the course of the arrests and aftermath of it.

He also appealed to preserve the peace and restraint from all sides, condemning the violence from all sides.

“It is difficult to continue the dialogue in the environment of constant threats, arrests and rhetoric which criminalizes all Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija and which threatens by escalation of greater violence”, Bishop Teodosije said in a statement.

He noted the Church will continue to serve the prayers for peace in Kosovo.

Lawyer: Vukasinovic sent to one-month detention (Radio KIM, Kosovo Online)

Lawyer Nebojsa Vlajic said Uros Vukasinovic, arrested near Leposavic on Monday morning, has been sent to one-month detention as per decision of the court in Mitrovica South, Radio KIM reports.

Vukasinovic is accused of allegedly attacking journalists.

Peaceful night in northern Kosovo, Serbs continue protesting (RTS)

The night in northern Kosovo went calm, RTS reports this morning, adding that Serbs continue protesting in the vicinity of municipal facilities in Leposavic, Zvecan and Zubin Potok, demanding release of arrested Serbs and withdrawal of Kosovo special police units.

The situation at administrative crossing points is getting worse, as the access is now blocked for all trucks exiting Kosovo. Drivers of the trucks with Serbian license plates blocked the roads in protest over Pristina’s decision to ban them entry in Kosovo, while the goods they transport are getting spoiled and deadlines crossed, which is causing great financial damages to them.

They said around 700 trucks are at the parking lots from Kraljevo to Jarinje and called upon Pristina to enable them entry, adding they are not interested in politics nor the license plates they have on their trucks.

UNS and DNKiM: Participants in protest do not have right to impede work of journalists (KoSSev)

Association of Journalists of Serbia (UNS) and its branch in Kosovo (DNKiM) condemned threats and verbal attacks on journalists by a group of people that took place in Zvecan yesterday during the visit of Serbian opposition MPs to the protest there, KoSSev portal reports.

They explained to the citizens the rules of behavior in a public space and appealed to them not to impede journalists while working.

Brnabic asks EU to help preserve peace (RTS, media)

Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic said the European Union is a largest peace project in the history of the world, adding that Serbia wants to be part of this unique economic, political and security project, to which it belongs long time ago, not only geographically but also because of its culture, history, tradition and system of values, RTS reports.

She made those remarks at the “EU Week of Opportunities” event organized by the EU Delegation in Belgrade.

“Our highest interest and top priority is peace. I am using this opportunity to kindly ask our partners from the EU to help us preserve the peace and ensure that Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija live without fear from every day torture, arrests, mistreatments, inhuman treatments – to ensure at least basic principles of the rule of law in Kosovo and Metohija”, Brnabic emphasised.

Serbian media and civil society organizations in Kosovo condemned attacks on journalists (KoSSev)

Civil society organizations and media reporting in Serbian language in Kosovo strongly condemned in a joint statement the recent attacks against Serbian and Albanian media teams while reporting from northern Kosovo. Attacks against journalists represent a serious threat to the media freedom and democratic principles we strive to as society, they added.

“We express deep concern over the increase of verbal and physical attacks on journalists carrying out their duties on the ground. Free journalism is a pillar of democracy and crucial to building an open society in which human rights and rule of law are respected. The attacks on journalists represent a direct violation of those values'', the statement reads.

Signatories of the statement include: Aktiv, Avenija, Democratic Culture Advocacy Centre, Centre for Social Initiatives, Centre for Peace and Tolerance, Forum for Development and Multi-ethnic Cooperation, Gracanica Online, Human Centre Mitrovica, Inter, New Social Initiative, Production New Press, Youth Partes Activity, Radio Gorazdevac, Radio KIM, RTV Mir, Sanja Sovrlic N1 journalist, Media Centre Caglavica, Communication for Social Development and CRZ/KoSSev.

International Media

Protests Cause Travel Disruptions and Roadblocks Between Kosovo and Serbia (BIRN)

Trucks coming from Kosovo have been blocked in Serbia near the border points in Jarinje, Merdare, and Bernjake due to ongoing protests. The Kosovo Ministry of Foreign Affairs has requested that citizens avoid using these roads.

As a response to the Kosovo government’s measure to prohibit the entry of Serbian goods into Kosovo, road blockades near the border points in Bernjake, Merdare, and Jarinje have resulted in the blocking of many trucks with RKS plates in the north.

On Monday, the Kosovo Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that the passage of buses and trucks coming from Kosovo through these roads is not possible.

“The passage of vehicles is currently unsafe as well,” stated the Kosovo Ministry of Foreign Affairs, appealing to citizens who have already entered Serbia to use the border points in Mutivoda, Dheu i Bardhë, or travel through North Macedonia via Skopje.

For citizens who have not yet entered Serbia, the Ministry strongly advises against traveling through the country.

During the summer season, the Kosovar diaspora usually relies on these roads to come to Kosovo.