UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, September 25, 2024

Albanian Language Media:

Kurti: Serbia is responsible, it must be held accountable (media)
One year from the attack that can be repeated (Koha)
Osmani: The women of Kosovo have always been at the forefront (media)
Osmani meets Albright and Rand during stay in NY (media)
Lajcak meets O’Brien and Kasanof, discuss Kosovo-Serbia normalisations (media)
CEFTA, German minister: We’re trying to find a solution on Kosovo (media)
Study: High level of mistrust between Albanians and Serbs in Kosovo (RFE)

Serbian Language Media:

Vucic: There is no justice for Serbs in Kosovo, why UN Charter was not respected in case of Serbia (Kosovo Online, Tanjug, media)
Petkovic in Paris talks about situation of Serbs in Kosovo, difficulties they face (Kosovo Online)
Petkovic: “Who authorised Stano to violate status neutrality and recognise Kosovo?” (Tanjug)
Trade Minister: Blockade on Serbian goods in Kosovo must end (N1)
Dacic: No dramatic turn to West, relations with Russia, China not in jeopardy (Tanjug)
Marinkovic: Banjska discredited interests of Serbian community (Radio KIM)
Banjska: A year later, poll highlights fear and unresolved questions (KoSSev)
Serbian diaspora in New York warns of difficult situation Serbs face in Kosovo (Kosovo Online, KoSSev)

Albanian Language Media

Kurti: Serbia is responsible, it must be held accountable (media)

All media covered a post on X by Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti on the first anniversary of the attack against Kosovo Police in the north of Kosovo where police sergeant Afrim Bunjaku was killed. “On this anniversary we paid homage to him, by laying flowers on his grave and unveiling the sign of a street in Banjskë named after him. Sergeant Afrim Bunjaku was ambushed before dawn on September 24th by a paramilitary terrorist group whose leader publicly accepted responsibility for the attack. Our security institutions have collected, shared with our partners and published evidence of Serbia's involvement in preparing and sponsoring this attack, yet to this day, there is no justice for Afrim Bunjaku and his family. We know the perpetrators of the crime, we know where they are, and we know who is protecting them. Serbia must be held accountable because Serbia is responsible,” Kurti said.

One year from the attack that can be repeated (Koha)

One year after the attack by an armed Serb group in Banjska in the north of Kosovo, which was aimed at annexing the north, political commentators argue that the threat is still present.

Daniel Serwer, U.S. commentator on the Balkans, told the TV station on Tuesday: “there is certainly a risk of escalation. Belgrade has made it very clear last year by kidnapping two Kosovo police officers, with the attack against KFOR troops, and the terrorist incident in Banjska, that it is ready to destabilize the situation in the Balkans. It does this to benefit and achieve its goals. This is an intimidation policy that both the west and Pristina are absolutely right to oppose. The problem is that Washington and Brussels have failed to react properly to these intimidating policies by Belgrade”.

UK MP Alicia Kearns said in a post on X that justice needs to be established in order to have peace in the Balkans. “One year since the Banjska attack. One year since the murder of Afrim Bunjaku. Milan Radoicic and those responsible must face justice. Justice is requisite for reconciliation and peace in the Balkans,” she argued.

The TV station notes that Kosovo’s leaders accused Serbia of organizing the attack, claiming that it was part of Belgrade’s strategy to destabilize Kosovo. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic denied involvement but did not openly condemn the attack saying that it was a rebellion of local Serbs because of the policies of the Kurti-led government.

Meanwhile, some opposition politicians in Serbia have accused Vucic of being involved in the September 24 attack. MP from the Serbian Popular Movement, Aleksandar Ivanovic, said in an interview with N1 that “Banjska was the final blow in Kosovo so that Serbia could fully withdraw from there. It is not normal for a person [referring to Milan Radoicic] who for years stands on the side of the Serbian President, to put on a uniform and to lead such an operation on the ground, and then admit that he organized everything by himself. When that person is compromised, the president of the country is compromised too. And then the pressure moves on the country’s president, the president is asked to make concessions, because a logical question arises – are you the political wing of that terrorist organization, because from the standpoint of the international community, that was a terrorist organization”.

Osmani: The women of Kosovo have always been at the forefront (media)

Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani said on Tuesday that in New York she took part in a discussion by the Clinton Global Initiative about “Women on the Frontlines”. “The women of Kosovo have always been at the forefront—from the days of resistance, through the war, to peace and state-building, and now in shaping the future of our country,” she wrote in a post on X.

Osmani meets Rand and Albright during stay in NY (media)

Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani said on Tuesday that she had a productive discussion in New York with U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, Dafna H. Rand, “on Kosovo’s steadfast commitment to democracy, the rule of law, and human rights. I highlighted the many initiatives that the Office of the President of Kosovo has undertaken to promote these values, both in Kosovo and globally”. She also said that she raised Kosovo’s deep concerns “about the blatant violations of the fundamental rights of Albanians in Presheve, Bujanoc, and Medvegje, as well as the ethnic cleansing by Serbia through administrative measures”.

Osmani also met with Alice Albright, CEO of the Millenium Challenge Corporation. “In New York, I thanked her for MCC's continued support for Kosovo's energy sector through the historic $236.7 million agreement, which is contributing to the sustainable economic development of our country,” Osmani said.

Lajcak meets O’Brien and Kasanof, discuss Kosovo-Serbia normalisations (media)

EU Special Envoy for the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia, Miroslav Lajcak, said in a post on X on Tuesday that he met with U.S. Assistant Secretary Jim O’Brien and U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary Alexander Kasanof. “Always useful to have a strategic discussion about the Dialogue on normalisation of relations between Kosovo and Serbia and regional dynamics with O’Brien and Kasanof. Looking forward to continuing our conversation next week in Brussels!” Lajcak wrote.

CEFTA, German minister: We’re trying to find a solution on Kosovo (media)

CEFTA or the new free trade agreement between the Western Balkans and the European Union was one of the main topics of the economic ministerial meeting on Tuesday in Brussels, Deutsche Welle reported. German Minister for the Economy and host of the meeting, Robert Habeck, said he hopes that a solution will be found for Kosovo in the agreement. “Today there was a lot of discussion on Serbia and Kosovo, because CEFTA depends on them. We are trying to find a compromise that enables us to close the deal. The region is very important, and it should not remain dependent on regional conflicts,” he said. “No matter how complicated the conflict is, it is important to show flexibility in order to move forward, otherwise, we are going to have to find alternative solutions”.

The meeting in Berlin is aimed at preparing for the Summit of the Berlin Process, which will be held on October 14-15, under the leadership of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and where the free trade agreement is expected to be signed.

Asked if an agreement is possible without Kosovo, Habeck did not answer directly. “It is crucial to keep the countries of the Western Balkans together, and Kosovo is at the center. It is in the common interest to develop an integrated region and this is what we are working on now,” he said.

Study: High level of mistrust between Albanians and Serbs in Kosovo (RFE)

Political tensions related to the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia, not understanding the specific position and needs of the Serb community by the Albanian majority, and the high level of nationalism are among the factors that further interethnic divisions in Kosovo.

These are some of the main findings of a study on the state of interethnic relations in Kosovo – the Trust Index, by the Barabar Centre. The Center was established by non-governmental organizations from Pristina and Mitrovica North – Integra and the Center for Affirmative Social Actions – with the aim of promoting a multiethnic and multilingual Kosovo, dialogue, tolerance and trust-building.

Research for the study about the state of interethnic relations was conducted from late March to mid April this year, with 500 respondents, 302 Albanians and 192 Serbs.

Around 57 percent of respondents from the Serb community and around 52 respondents from the Albanian community think that Albanians and Serbs will never be able to trust each other again, while 69 percent of respondents from the Serb community and over 64 percent from the Albanian community believe it is important to achieve reconciliation so that future generations can live better.

The results of the study on interethnic relations were presented on September 24 in Pristina on the anniversary of the attack in Banjska in Zvecan, where a group of armed Serbs killed a Kosovo police officer. During the ensuing firefight, three Serb attackers were killed. The attack was preceded by a continuous crisis in the north of Kosovo after the withdrawal of Serbs from Kosovo’s institutions due to a decision by the Kosovo government to convert Serbian-issued license plates into Kosovo plates.

Asked how a solution can be found, 71 percent of respondents from the Serb community and 62 percent from the Albanian community said promoting peace and tolerance by politicians of all communities would help reach peace and tolerance in Kosovo.

Moreover, public narratives and hate speech in public space were mentioned as one of the main factors that incite mistrust between the ethnic communities in Kosovo.

The conclusions of the study note that respondents from both communities expressed scepticism about mutual relations but at the same time showed a dose of optimism and interest for their improvement.

“The high percentage of negative positions speaks of a deeply rooted level of mistrust, but a considerable number of undecided respondents shows that there is room for potential change,” Boban Simic, from the Centre for Affirmative Social Actions.

Serbian Language Media

Vucic: There is no justice for Serbs in Kosovo, why UN Charter was not respected in case of Serbia (Kosovo Online, Tanjug, media)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic in his address to the UN General Assembly 79^th session in New York told participants that Serbia, despite difficulties in the world, persists in defending UN Charter principles and international law. He pointed out that modern breakdown began with violation of the UN Charter by failing to respect the territorial integrity of Serbia, Kosovo Online portal reported.

"Today we heard from many that the attack on Ukraine opened a Pandora's box, a violation of the UN Charter, international law, but this is not true. Of course, Serbia supports the UN Charter, the territorial integrity of Ukraine, but when they talk about freedom and rights Ukraine, I wonder why the territorial integrity of Serbia was not respected, why the UN Charter and Resolution 1244 were not honoured, which were violated in a display of power, believing that they could dismantle the norms of international law and rushing unstoppably to dismantle all the norms", Vucic said in his address.

Vucic also pointed out that those who attacked Serbia and attempted to seize part of its territory, today on a daily basis are arming Kosovo Security Forces, which “will later evolve in an army of Albanians in the territory of Serbia”.

“And when you ask them based on what international act they do it, because all this is an attempt to provoke the war and UN norms violation, you hear the most nonsensical possible response – well, we do not accept UN Charter and UN Resolution because for us the reality has changed as we recognized Kosovo”, he said. He asked what small countries should do, and how they should fight for their rights? “Because everybody in the world is talking about Ukraine, but no one dares talk about Serbia. And if they talk about us, then they say how we, as instructed by Russia, will wage the war in the Balkans. And they lie, all the time, for more than two years and a half”, he added.

Speaking about the Serbs in Kosovo he said there is no justice for them there. “There are various things being done there, abolishment of Serbian currency, it goes on for more than six months, ban on postal services which hampers the lives of Serbs and other non-Albanian population, ban on Serbian Orthodox Church Patriarch Porfirije to visit Pec Patriarchate. Can anything, but brutality, be used to explain the raid of armed special police forces of Pristina on September 9, of the “Support Me” office used by parents and children with disabilities (the office was located in the same building hosting the Provisional Municipal Authority of Leposavic). It is also one senseless act”, Vucic said.

Read more at: https://shorturl.at/emNoX

The video of Vucic’s address to UN GA is available at: https://shorturl.at/FZ8ji

Petkovic in Paris talks about situation of Serbs in Kosovo, difficulties they face (Kosovo Online)

Office for Kosovo and Metohija Director Petar Petkovic held discussions in Paris yesterday on challenges in Belgrade-Pristina dialogue and the difficult situation Serbs in Kosovo face. He met with Bernard Boulliat, advisor to the French President for continental Europe and Turkey, France's special envoy for the Western Balkans, René Troccaz, and Margarita Borégard, head of the Western Balkans Department at the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Kosovo Online portal reported.

In a post published on his official Instagram account Petkovic said that they discussed Belgrade-Pristina dialogue in light of the latest round of talks in Brussels, as well as the political and security situation in Kosovo. He specifically emphasised the series of unilateral and escalatory moves by Pristina and Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti.

Petkovic stressed that Belgrade is dedicated to fulfilling its obligations from the dialogue, but expects Pristina to start fulfilling its commitments as well, particularly regarding the formation of the Community of Serb Municipalities, which the Serbian people have been waiting for over 11 years. “I thanked my counterparts for their time and for the constructive and open conversation, emphasising that Serbia highly values France's willingness to always listen to our country's position”, Petkovic added in a post.

Petkovic: “Who authorised Stano to violate status neutrality and recognise Kosovo?” (Tanjug)

“Who has authorised EU spokesperson Peter Stano to violate the EU's status neutrality and recognise the so-called Kosovo?”, the Office for Kosovo and Metohija Director Petar Petkovic said in a post on X social platform, Tanjug news agency reported.

Petkovic was responding to a post in which Stano placed Kosovo flag, alongside the Serbian flag and, as Petkovic said, violated the EU's mandatory status neutrality.

"On whose behalf is he speaking and why is he overstepping his mandate, when five EU member states do not recognise the so-called Kosovo as independent? If Stano has switched employers, he should say that clearly!", Petkovic said.

Trade Minister: Blockade on Serbian goods in Kosovo must end (N1)

Following a ministerial meeting within the Berlin Process, Serbian Domestic and Foreign Trade Minister Tomislav Momirovic said Tuesday in Berlin that the blockade of trade involving Serbian products in Kosovo must be stopped once and for all, and emphasised that he expects concrete steps and solutions to permanently safeguard Serbian rights and ensure the free flow of goods, N1 reported.

Momirovic pointed out that the key issues for Serbia were the ban on Serbian goods and the blockade of the CEFTA agreement, which has been ongoing for more than two years. The Ministry of Trade quoted him as saying that this not only undermines economic activity but also directly destabilises the entire region.

“During tough discussions held today in Berlin, I reminded my counterparts that the constant pressure on our population in the southern province (Kosovo) is unacceptable and that this issue can no longer be ignored”, Momirovic said. He added that Serbia is finally seeing clear signs of understanding from German officials, particularly Vice Chancellor and Minister of Economic Affairs Robert Habeck, as well as from European Union (EU) representatives.

Dacic: No dramatic turn to West, relations with Russia, China not in jeopardy (Tanjug)

Serbian Interior Minister Ivica Dacic said on Monday he disagreed with interpretations that Serbia had made a dramatic turn to the West, and noted that its relations with Russia and China were in no jeopardy, Tanjug news agency reported.

"When it comes to the US, significant progress has been made in our relations, even though there are differences on the substantial issue - the Kosovo and Metohija issue. When it comes to the EU, there is no doubt the issue of progress towards the EU is tied to the issue of the fate of dialogue with Pristina, and that is why we are managing to stay on the European path while defending, in a principled manner, our position on the territorial integrity of Serbia", Dacic told Radio Television of Vojvodina (RTV).

He said Serbia's relations with Russia and China had not been in jeopardy at any time but were developing, and noted that this was especially the case with the ties with China. Commenting on an energy deal recently signed with the US, Dacic said Serbia had signed an identical agreement with Russia 16 years ago. "That will in no way change our position when it comes to Russia and China. None of those agreements are aimed at neutralising earlier agreements with Russia and China. Diversification of the energy market was also our goal before this and it was never our objective to be oriented towards only one side", Dacic also said.

Marinkovic: Banjska discredited interests of Serbian community (Radio KIM)

“Consequence of Banjska is a fact that legitimate interests of the Serbian community have been completely discredited”, CASA Director Miodrag Marinkovic told Radio KIM. He also said that after the armed incident in Banjska on September 24, last year, Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti obtained an open space to do whatever he wanted in northern Kosovo. He added the life of Serbs in Kosovo following the incident in Banjska has become much more difficult.

"That collapse of normal life and the period of wrong politics of Pristina began with the construction of (Kosovo special police) bases as some preparation to enable the use of force in the north. On the Serbian side, we are talking about a series of wrong moves that led us to this situation - the exit from institutions, the exit of Serbs from the police, Banjska, everything else that happened", he said. According to Marinkovic Serbs have no possibility to fight for their rights, in any way. “{…} we are simply forced to wait with anxiety for the next day and next step from Pristina”, he said.

“{…} There is no room even to discuss with Pristina about that, because there is no dialogue at the level of the governments in Brussels. I am not sure that Pristina in this situation has the willingness to hear ordinary people and civil society, and they have plenty to say”, Marinkovic explained.

Banjska: A year later, poll highlights fear and unresolved questions (KoSSev)

A year has passed since an armed incident in Banjska, northern Kosovo, in which a Kosovo police officer and three Serbs were killed and several wounded. The armed Serbs were later identified as residents from northern Kosovo municipalities. Despite the lapse of time, for many Serbs living in northern municipalities, the events remain shrouded in mystery. As residents of Banjska, Zvecan, and North Mitrovica shared with the KoSSev portal, the true motives behind the incident are still unclear. Some believe that Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti may hold the answers, the portal further reported.

The Enigma of Banjska: Mystery or Political Deal?

“Banjska remains a complete enigma. We don’t know what happened or why it happened. Everyone has their own story, but we know that four lives were lost for someone’s gain. It’s senseless. One day, the truth will come out“, a resident of Zvecan said in a vox pop conducted by KoSSev.

Others express frustration that the case has not been properly investigated, with a respondent from North Mitrovica describing the lack of clarity as “a great shame and tragedy for the Serb people in Kosovo“.