Albanian Language Media:

• Kurti, senior officials: Attack on Valon Syla is unacceptable (Express)
• Haxhiu: Extraordinary job has been done to find causes of injury of Serb citizen (Klan)
• German Ambassador condemns incident in the north (media)
• General Secretary of EU Federation of Journalists calls on Kurti to condemn attack on journalist (Reporteri)
• Kurti: Draft law on general elections ends injustice against diaspora (media)
• Haxhiu: Government obeys demands of CEC on elections in the North (Express)
• The CEC does not meet, approval of polling stations list postponed again (Telegrafi)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic to Hill: Serbs in Kosovo face increasing difficulties (N1)
• Condemnation of Bistrica shooting incident, calls for withdrawal of Kosovo special police from north continue (Radio KIM, media)
• Youth Initiative for Human Rights in Kosovo condemns wounding of M.J. (Radio KIM)
• EULEX says it considers possibility of increasing reconnaissance patrols in area of Bistrica (Kosovo Online)
• Petkovic on Kosovo police statement and involvement in Bistrica shooting incident (Tanjug)
• Serbian officials slammed foreign ambassadors in Pristina for their reactions on Bistrica shooting incident (Kosovo Online, KoSSev)
• PIK: One of arrested police officers in case of M.J.’s injury suspected of attempted murder (KoSSev)
• Radojevic compares cases in Prizren and northern Kosovo, points out double standards (Kosovo Online, social media)
• The Politics of Sport (KoSSev)
• Vucic meets with US Congressman Swalwell (Tanjug)

     

Albanian Language Media  

  Kurti, senior officials: Attack on Valon Syla is unacceptable (Express)

Prime Minister of Kosovo Albin Kurti opened today's government meeting with a few words about the serious attack that took place Tuesday night on journalist Valon Syla.

Kurti said that the attack on the journalist is intolerable and unacceptable.

"Let me first say that last night's attack on journalist and columnist Valon Syla is intolerable and unacceptable. Disagreements in beliefs and positions cannot and should not be a trigger for physical attacks. In a democratic society which we proudly present and promote, we must never allow the fear of free speech to outweigh freedom of speech," Kurti said.

After the meeting of the government of Kosovo, the Minister of Justice Albulena Haxhiu has also condemned the attack on the journalist.

"I want to express our indignation for the internal attack on the journalist and columnist Valon Sylaj. We strongly condemn such a reprehensible act. The attack that happened last night is unacceptable and intolerable, and as I mentioned, it is also reprehensible. We wish that bodies such as the Police, the prosecution and the judiciary do their work with the highest seriousness and not only in this case, but in all cases where there are attacks on journalists. We wish a speedy recovery to journalist and columnist Valon Sylaj," Haxhiu said.

At this conference, the attack on Valon Syla was also condemned by the Minister of Trade, Rozeta Hajdari.

Tomas Szunyog, head of the European Union (EU) office in Kosovo, has condemned the attack on journalist Valon Syla.

“I join the AGK-AJK and other partners in Kosovo in condemning the last night's attack on Valon Syla, the Director and CEO of Gazeta Metro. Freedom of speech is a core EU value and must be protected. I wish Syla a speedy recovery. Attackers must be identified and prosecuted,” he tweeted.

Kosovo’s Ombusperson Naim Qelaj, Council for the Protection of Human Rights and Freedoms, Association of Journalists of Kosovo also condemned the attack.

Opposition leaders Lumir Abdixhiku, Memli Krasniqi and Ramush Haradinaj condemned the attack as well. 

Kurti: Draft law on general elections ends long-standing injustice against diaspora (media)

The Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, at the meeting of the government of Kosovo, spoke about the general draft of the Law on general elections, which was completed by the ad-hoc commission for electoral reform of the Assembly of Kosovo.

He said that this draft will soon be discussed in the government to give their opinion and comments. According to him, it facilitates the participation of the diaspora in the electoral processes in Kosovo.

"In essence, this draft law puts an end to a long-standing injustice towards migrants when it comes to voting, and finally fulfills our commitment to migrants,” he said.

He envisages that the diaspora will have real relief in expressing their political will at the embassies and consulates of Kosovo during the elections, which will be transformed into polling stations.

According to him, with the new draft law in the upcoming parliamentary elections, compatriots will be registered as voters electronically, while they will be able to vote in embassies and consulates the day before the elections, they will be able to send their ballots by mail to an address assigned by the embassy, as well as sending the ballot to the Central Electoral Commission, from countries where Kosovo does not have embassies or consulates.

Haxhiu: Extraordinary job has been done to find causes of injury of Serb citizen (Klan)

The Minister of Justice Albulena Haxhiu has said in a press conference that the government of Kosovo condemns the wounding of a Serb citizen in the north. 

"An extraordinary job has been done to find the causes and all the circumstances of the injury of the Serb citizen. As you know, the Kosovo Police is the most credible police in the region, and during this time, especially the last time, there has been a maximum effort to fight crime in that part of our country, of course also to provide security to our citizens, regardless of ethnicity or nationality".

"Therefore, as a government, we congratulate the Kosovo Police, we condemn last night's case. As you know, four police officers have been suspended, and four police officers are in custody," Haxhiu said.

German Ambassador condemns incident in the north (media)

The German ambassador to Kosovo Jorn Rohde has condemned the incident that happened on Monday night in the north, where a Serb citizen was injured. Commenting on the tweet of the European Union office in Kosovo, which condemns the incident, Rohde wrote:

“I fully agree. Yet another worrying security incident. It’s good to see that Kosovo Police reacted with extensively investigating the case. Possible misconduct by the police need to be scrutinised like any other. I wish the victim a speedy recovery.” 

General Secretary of EU Federation of Journalists calls on Kurti to condemn attack on journalist (Reporteri)

General Secretary of the European Federation of Journalists, Ricardo Gutierrez, reacted after the physical attack on the Kosovar journalist, Valon Syla.

"I call on Prime Minister Albin Kurti, Minister of the Interior Xhelal Svecla and Minister of Justice Albulena Haxhiu to publicly condemn the attack and make it clear that such attacks on a journalist are unacceptable. I find their silence particularly disturbing. Political leaders have a duty to publicly condemn such attacks," he wrote.

Gutierrez further emphasised that policymakers must act, otherwise they become partners with the attackers.

"Together with our AGK colleagues, I call on the police to conduct a serious investigation and the justice bodies to identify the criminals and bring them to justice and impose the maximum penalties. Kosovo has not yet implemented the recommendations of the Council of Europe and the European Union for the safety of journalists. This tragedy is a good opportunity to launch a national plan to implement European standards for the safety of journalists. Policy makers must have the courage to act. To remain passive means to be an accomplice of the attackers," Gutierrez said.

Haxhiu: Government obeys demands of CEC on elections in the North (Express)

The Minister of Justice, Albulena Haxhiu, during today's media conference, was asked by journalists about the Government's position on whether the elections should be held due to the incidents in the North.

She said that they have no information that the elections should not be held, but the moment they accept such a thing, I will give her position.

"The government obeys the demands of the Central Election Commission and acts on the basis of the circumstances and suggestions given by the security institutions that are mandated for this matter. At the moment when we receive such information that the elections will not be held or should not be held, then of course we will give our position. Otherwise, we obey the demands of the CEC, as you know, it is a constitutional institution and it is in charge of organizing elections. Therefore, allow me to inform you that I have nothing to add here except what I mentioned, the moment the security institutions will give information that the elections should not be held, then of course the attitude will change. I personally am not aware, because it is not in my mandate, it is certainly in the mandate of the Minister of Internal Affairs," Haxhiu said.

The CEC does not meet, approval of polling stations list postponed again (Telegrafi)

The Central Election Commission (CEC) will not hold a meeting today (Wednesday). After the cancellation of Tuesday's meeting, the CEC was expected to meet to approve the list of polling stations that will be opened for the April 23 elections in the north of Kosovo.

"The meeting planned for today will not be held. We are preparing the materials for the meeting, about which we will notify you in time," stated the spokesperson of the CEC, Valmir Elezi.

The CEC is undertaking all the preparations for holding the elections in the north of Kosovo, scheduled for April 23.

The Central Election Commission has postponed the review of the recommendations of the Municipal Electoral Councils for the polling stations in North Mitrovica, Zubin Potok, Leposavic and Zvecan several times.

   

Serbian Language Media 

  Vucic to Hill: Serbs in Kosovo face increasing difficulties (N1)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Wednesday that he informed US Ambassador Christopher Hill of the increasingly bad situation facing Serbs in Kosovo.

An Instagram post after Vucic’s meeting with the ambassador said that he reiterated his concern over the increasingly frequent attacks, arrests and other forms of pressure the Serbs are exposed to. “I informed Ambassador Hill about the increasingly difficult situation and challenges that our people in Kosovo and Metohija are facing”, the post said.

Vucic wrote that Serbia is trying, through its consistent and responsible policies, to maintain peace and secure a safer and easier life for all of its citizens with respect for and the implementation of international law and everything agreed in the dialogue with Pristina. “I asked Ambassador Hill for the full support and engagement of the United States on that path”, the post added.

The meeting comes a day after Kosovo special police officers are reported to have wounded a Serb man near their checkpoint at Bistrica bridge in Zvecan municipality.

Condemnation of Bistrica shooting incident, calls for withdrawal of Kosovo special police from north continue (Radio KIM, media)

Mitrovica North based non-governmental organisation Center for Affirmative Social Actions (CASA)  expressed deep indignation and in the strongest terms condemned the latest incident in northern Kosovo in which members of Kosovo special police forces, as they said, without reason shot at and endangered life of Milan Jovanovic, from Zerovnica village, in Zvecan municipality, Radio KIM reports.

“Citizens and civil society have warned multiple times of arrogant and unprofessional conduct of special police members and of the threats they present for the safety of the citizens. The latest incident had confirmed this because they shot at a random passerby, without any reason or provocation. Any resident of northern Kosovo using that road could have been a victim”, CASA said in a statement.

CASA added it was impermissible that responsible institutions and the international community tolerate a critical level of insecurity for the citizens, and as they said, an open hatred that members of Kosovo special police display towards residents of northern Kosovo.

CASA welcomed the decision to suspend four members of the special forces over their involvement in the incident and qualification of a criminal act as attempted murder. They also called for the most severe punishment of those responsible in line with applicable legal regulations, arguing that such an act would unequivocally affirm corrective character of the legal system, contrary to up to date practice to relativize responsibilities in criminal acts affecting the Serbs, thus creating feeling of impunity among members of the special police.

CASA also called on the international community, EU and Quint states to urgently find a solution for return of the Serb police officers in northern Kosovo and create conditions for withdrawal of Kosovo special police from the north, as a necessary precondition for normalisation of the situation on the ground there.

Meanwhile, the Party of Kosovo Serbs (PKS) in the strongest terms condemned the shooting incident and, as they said, the attempts to cover it up. PKS also called on EULEX and KFOR to get involved in the further investigation and ensure its impartiality in finding out all circumstances of an attempted murder of a Serb citizen.

Civic Initiative Serbian Survival in the strongest terms condemned the conduct of the Kosovo special police forces and wounding of M.J.

They said that following a series of incidents caused by Kosovo special police members they believe that “they no longer have a place in the north of Kosovo, populated by a majority Serb population”.

“We request from KFOR and EULEX to send their patrols immediately to all control points of the Kosovo police in northern Kosovo”, adding that only by KFOR and EULEX presence “violent conduct of the Kosovo police towards citizens” may be diminished. 

Youth Initiative for Human Rights in Kosovo condemns wounding of M.J. (Radio KIM)

The Youth Initiative for Human Rights in Kosovo (YIHR) in the strongest terms condemned the wounding of a Serb man at Bistrica bridge in Zvecan municipality, Radio KIM reports.

“This is a clear violation of the rights to life and security and we call upon all relevant institutions to do their job and ensure that justice is served in this case”, reads the statement delivered to the media.

They also said it was deeply concerning that Kosovo police initially refuted any involvement in the case without conducting appropriate investigation.

“Such an attitude undermines the trust of the public in law enforcement bodies. It is of crucial importance that Kosovo police immediately undertake the steps in resolving this issue, in order to ensure that all future incidents are treated in a transparent and appropriate manner (…)”, the statement adds.

The Initiative also called on Kosovo police to strengthen internal mechanisms of responsibility and oversight, and that its members who violate the law and public trust are held responsible immediately. They also expressed solidarity with the victim of this incident and his family. 

EULEX says it considers possibility of increasing reconnaissance patrols in area of Bistrica (Kosovo Online)

In light of the recent incident, we consider the possibility of increasing the frequency of our reconnaissance patrols in the area around Bistrica bridge, in close cooperation with Kosovo police, EULEX told Kosovo Online portal.

EULEX added they established a police unit of 105 Polish police officers, and a reserve unit of 25 Italian gendarmes and five Lithuanian gendarmes.

“They carry out mobile reconnaissance patrols 24 hours a day, seven days a week, working in shifts. In addition to this, an established police unit of EULEX and a unit made of reserve patrol on foot in Mitrovica North, Zvecan, Leposavic and Zubin Potok”, reads the replay sent to the portal.

Petkovic on Kosovo police statement and involvement in Bistrica shooting incident (Tanjug)

In reaction to the statement by which Kosovo police eventually admitted to involvement in Monday night's shooting and wounding of a Kosovo Serb, Serbian Government Office for Kosovo and Metohija Director Petar Petkovic said Kosovo police had thus shown “they had lied about the case”, Tanjug news agency reports.

"The Kosovo police have just admitted to shooting Serb Milan Jovanovic, showing that they had been lying all day about the Serb who was shot - a family man and a father of three who survived only by sheer luck", Petkovic said.

"When we called out the so-called minister to show evidence and footage from an illegal checkpoint at Bistrica bridge, he was forced to admit that claims that Kosovo police did not fire at Serb from Zvecan were lies".

"It is now clear to everyone illegal Kosovo police checkpoint must be removed urgently because its sole purpose is to be used for manhandling and torturing Serbs", he added, noting that Belgrade and Serbian List had repeatedly warned of this. 

“After this incident, no one can say Albin Kurti's Kosovo police are in the north of Kosovo and Metohija to ensure peace and security, but on the contrary - to terrorise and intimidate Serbs”, Petkovic concluded.

Serbian officials slammed foreign ambassadors in Pristina for their reactions on Bistrica shooting incident (Kosovo Online, KoSSev)

Office for Kosovo and Metohija Director Petar Petkovic took to Twitter to criticise German Ambassador in Pristina Jorn Rohde for his lack of reaction to the shooting incident in which a Serb man M.J. from Zvecan municipality was wounded by Kosovo special police near Bistrica bridge checkpoint, Kosovo Online portal reports. Petkovic termed the absence of Rohde’s reaction as “seriously worrisome”.

“Kosovo police admitted that they shot an innocent man, only because he is a Serb!  Almost a whole day passed, and you still haven't condemned @GermanAmbKOS the attempted murder of Milan Jovanovic. In some other cases, you react in seconds. That is seriously worrying!”, Petkovic said in a post yesterday.

Meanwhile, Ambassador Rohde reacted to the incident this morning. In a post on Twitter replying to the post of the EU Office in Kosovo condemning the incident, Rohde said “I fully agree. Yet another worrying security incident. It’s good to see that @Kosovo_Police reacted with extensively investigating the case. Possible misconduct by the police needs to be scrutinised like any other. I wish the victim a speedy recovery”.

On a separate occasion Serbian List termed the reaction of the US Ambassador Jeff Hovenier to the Bistrica wounding as “shameful”, arguing that he didn’t clearly condemn the incident KoSSev portal reports.

“Instead of clearly condemning the attempted murder of M.J. last night at an illegal checkpoint of parapolice units at Bistrica bridge, he is concerned”, Serbian List said in relation to Ambassador Hovenier’s statement. 

Serbian List added this is not for the first time that attacks on Serbs are relativized and responsibilities of perpetrators diminished. 

“The U.S. is concerned about an incident in which a Kosovan Serb was shot in Zvecan/Zveqan last night. Kosovo Police officials and institutions must conduct a thorough, credible investigation. We are deeply concerned by the initial denial made without due diligence. ½

“All citizens must have confidence in the transparency of law enforcement and the justice sector. U.S. support for Kosovo’s rule of law institutions advances a shared vision of a democratic, multiethnic state. Those responsible for criminal actions must be held accountable. 2/2”, Hovenier said in relation to the incident.

PIK: One of arrested police officers in case of M.J.’s injury suspected of attempted murder (KoSSev)

Shortly after Kosovo Interior Minister Xhelal Svecla announced that four police officers had been suspended and later arrested, Kosovo Police Inspectorate (PIK) released a late-night statement with a new detail – one of the police officers involved in the wounding of a Serb on the Leposavic – Zvecan road is charged with attempted murder. While Svecla points out that the police officers were suspended and arrested for not reporting a criminal offence, the PIK confirms that one of them is charged with attempted murder (as mentioned in this morning’s 24-hour police report), KoSSev portal reports.

The Serb M. J. from the village of Zerovnica near Zvečan was wounded on Monday night by gunfire on the Bistrica bridge, where Kosovo police special units have been stationed since December of last year.

Although they initially strongly denied involvement in the wounding of the Serb, the Kosovo police changed their statement yesterday afternoon, admitting involvement of its members in the incident. 

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

Radojevic compares cases in Prizren and northern Kosovo, points out double standards (Kosovo Online, social media)

Former Mitrovica North mayor Milan Radojevic reacting to the wounding of M.J. shot at by Kosovo special police near Bistrica bridge, in Zvecan municipality pointed out double standards people in Kosovo are exposed to depending on, as he said, their ethnic background.

He compared the case of M.J., with a case of a driver in Prizren some Serbian and Kosovo media reported about earlier citing a police report.

“In Prizren, a driver attacks a police officer with a vehicle and gets released to defend from freedom, while the case goes into regular procedure. In the north of Kosovo, it only requires that you are a Serb, have a vehicle with KM licence plates, and police shoot you in the back. (Kosovo interior minister) Svecla justifies the wounding of Jovanovic because he allegedly didn’t stop”, Radojevic wrote on Instagram.

“(…). Your land is confiscated, and they build military bases on it. (Serbian Orthodox Church) Patriarch is banned from entering Kosovo ahead of Christmas because he didn’t condemn barricades in the north. Children are banned from sports and playing for the clubs they love, and the international community is calling for “fair and democratic elections”, he added. 

The Politics of Sport (KoSSev)

The issue of sports in Kosovo once again became the subject of an exchange of accusations between Belgrade and Pristina after several Serbian clubs in Kosovo allegedly received a letter from the Kosovo police banning them from all sports activities and prosecuting the organisers, KoSSev portal reports.

The long-simmering problem of Serbian athletes in Kosovo has reached a new crescendo.

Pristina authorities have been banning Serbian league matches in Kosovo for years now, claiming that they are “illegal activities” and demand that Serbian clubs register in the Kosovo system and compete in Kosovo leagues. According to them their main argument for pursuing this policy is membership in UEFA and FIFA.

For this reason, and for a number of years now, local Serbian clubs have relocated to nearby cities in central Serbia in order to hold matches within the Serbian league.

In an alleged letter from the director of the police, Gazmend Hoxha, that KoSSev has seen, he demanded that regional police directorates ban all sports activities of clubs that are not registered in Kosovo sports federations. At the same time, it was demanded measures be taken against the organisers of such events, as well as a ban on the entry of sports clubs from central Serbia that do not have an appropriate invitation or permit.

The Kosovo government and the police have not yet confirmed or denied the authenticity of this letter. No answer to the portal’s inquiry, sent on Saturday, has been received.

Read more at: https://bit.ly/3msBU5m Vucic meets with US Congressman Swalwell (Tanjug)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic met with US Congressman Eric Swalwell on Tuesday to discuss further advancement of bilateral cooperation.

"An excellent meeting with Eric Swalwell. We discussed further advancement of bilateral cooperation. I am very grateful to our American friend for visiting Serbia at our invitation and for wanting to hear our arguments on all important issues", Vucic wrote in a post on his buducnostsrbijeav Instagram profile.