Albanian Language Media:

• Borrell: Agreement on the missing, the first step in fulfilling the commitments (media)
• Lajcak and Chollet: Urgent implementation of agreements reached, necessary (RTK)
• KIA: exercises for destabilisation of north are being conducted in Raska (media)
• ‘I Expect Acquittal’: Thaçi Launches War Crimes Defence (Prishtina Insight)
• Finnish ambassador: We support Kosovo in its membership in EU, CIS and NATO (media)
• Hoxhaj: incidents in the north,  Serbia's message of obstructing the agreement (Reporteri)
• Tahiri: Kurti government violated Kosovo's sovereignty by talking with Serbia about Association (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic meets with French Senate delegation (Tanjug, media)
• Sarazzin met Brnabic: Implementation of what was agreed in the dialogue is crucial (Beta, N1)
• Sarrazin: Association of Serb majority communities accepted in Pristina (KoSSev, N1)
• James Rubin: It is a time of great hope in the Balkans (N1)
• NATO: Stoltenberg in regular contact with Vucic (FoNet, N1)
• Milatovic: Not realistic for Montenegro to withdraw the recognition of Kosovo, and it is a matter that is very clear (KoSSev, nova.rs)
• Petkovic: Concrete steps to Community discussed for first time (Tanjug)
• People’s  Party officials Jovanovic and Aleksic on initiating referendum on French-German agreement (KiM radio, Beta, Nova S)

International:

• Serbia, Kosovo Discuss Establishing Serb Municipalities Body (BIRN)
• War Crime Allegations ‘Absurd’, Kosovo Ex-Guerrilla Tells Court (BIRN)

     

Albanian Language Media  

  Borrell: Agreement on the missing, the first step in fulfilling the commitments (media)

Kosovo and Serbia have reached an agreement on the statement about the issue of missing persons by violence. This was announced by the head of the European Union's Foreign Policy, Josep Borrell, in a tweet.

The agreement they reached on the text of the statement on missing persons was reached at yesterday's meeting of the chief negotiators.

Serbia and Kosovo made a commitment on the Agreement on the path to normalization and its annex. The EU expects both to honour all obligations from it  and start implementing asap.

The parties must avoid any escalations. Translation of their commitments into their European paths is ongoing,” Borrell tweeted.

Lajcak and Chollet: Urgent implementation of agreements reached, necessary (RTK)

The EU's special envoy for the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia, Miroslav Lajcak, has spoken with the special adviser of the State Department, Derek Schollet, about the last meeting with the main negotiators from Belgrade and Pristina, which was held yesterday in Brussels.

“Good to discuss the latest developments in the Western Balkans with Counselor of the U.S. Department of State in Brussels. I updated him on the Dialogue and today’s Chief negotiators’ meeting. We agreed on the need for immediate implementation in good faith,” Lajcak tweeted.

KIA: exercises for destabilisation of north are being conducted in Raska (media)

The Kosovo Intelligence Agency (KIA) has information that exercises aimed at destabilising the north of Kosovo are being carried out in Raska of Serbia. The news has been confirmed by Ganimete Musliu, head of the Commission for the Supervision of the Kosovo Intelligence Agency. Musliu said that this information was given to them by the director of KIA, Petrit Ajeti, who reported on Wednesday to this Commission. According to her, members of the so-called Civil Defense are being trained in Raska for shooting weapons and tactics aimed at destabilising the north. 

Part of these organizations, she said, is also the Serbian List that is influencing the intimidation and lynching of Serbs in that part on the eve of the elections. As for the security situation in the rest of Kosovo, she said that they have received guarantees that everything is under control. 

"The so-called Civil Defense in cooperation with the Serbian List continue to have activities in the north of the country. The members of this organisation are being trained in Raska for destabilising actions in Kosovo. The burning of citizens' cars with RKS licence plates continues there. Also, lynching and persecution has increased against the those who do not obey the Serbian List. Therefore, as a country, we must prepare for any provocation of the situation so as not to catch us by surprise. KIA is carrying out its work successfully and has the support of the Commission for concrete actions. I speak officially as an institution, it is confirmed - they are being trained in Raska and might be taken in the north of Kosovo, there is training, shooting, tactical training," Musliu said.

Defence lawyers for ex-President Hashim Thaçi and his three co-defendants argued that they did not have control over Kosovo Liberation Army guerrillas who allegedly committed crimes against prisoners during the war.

Former Kosovo President Hashim Thaçi addressed the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in The Hague on Tuesday as defence lawyers began their opening statements in his trial, saying he anticipates that he will be cleared.

“I expect to be acquitted,” Thaçi told the court.

Thaci and his three co-defendants, Kadri Veseli, Rexhep Selimi and Jakup Krasniqi – all former Kosovo Liberation Army, KLA leaders who later became senior politicians – are charged with war crimes and crimes against humanity allegedly committed between at least March 1998 and September 1999, during and just after the war with Serbian forces.

They are accused of having individual and command responsibility for crimes that were mainly committed against prisoners who were held at a series of detention facilities set up by the KLA in Kosovo and neighbouring Albania, including 102 murders.

The prosecution laid out its case in its opening statements on Monday, claiming that the KLA had a well-structured chain of command that allowed the accused, as leaders of the guerrilla force, to be aware of what was happening on the ground and have control over it.

Read more at: http://bit.ly/3U9OEdk The Finnish ambassador: We support Kosovo in its membership in EU, CIS and NATO (media)

Finland will be committed to providing security and stability for the countries of the Western Balkans, said the country's ambassador to Kosovo, Matti Nissinen.

On the day when Finland became the 31st member of the North Atlantic Alliance (NATO), Ambassador Nissinen in an interview for The Geopost guaranteed that this country will continue its support for Kosovo.

"Finland has been committed to security and stability here in the Balkans for many, many years and we will definitely continue to do so," Nissinen said.

"Since the time of President Martti Ahtisaari, we have been fully committed to promoting Kosovo's future in European and Euro-Atlantic organisations and we will definitely continue to provide that unwavering support for Kosovo in the future," he added.

Ambassador Nissinen said that Finland's membership in NATO is historic.

"We have been very close to NATO already earlier with training in various joint activities with NATO, also at the same time many things remain the same with Finland, but still this is an important historical day for us", said the Finnish ambassador.

In the message sent to the people of Kosovo, the ambassador of Finland in Pristina emphasised that the support for our country will continue in Finnish politics.

“Our political leaders have repeatedly and publicly emphasised that Finland supports Kosovo's various international memberships in organisations, be it the Council of Europe or the European Union or eventually NATO membership, and our politicians have said this publicly and I am happy to repeat it here with you today, and this is something that will definitely continue in Finnish politics,” he said.

Hoxhaj: incidents in the north,  Serbia's message of obstructing the agreement (Reporteri)

Enver Hoxhaj, MP of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), said that incidents in the north are acts orchestrated by Belgrade and are a message to prevent the implementation of the agreement reached in Ohrid.

"The burning of cars in the north is one of the acts orchestrated by Belgrade. Here the government of Kosovo is required to exert pressure on the partners to be determined to implement this agreement. It makes no sense to reach an agreement while the incidents in the north of the country continue. This was a message from Serbia, to prevent the implementation of the Ohrid agreement," Hoxhaj said.

Speaking about about the two-year Kurti administration, he said that citizens have become poorer and living costs have increased.

"What has happened in these two years has been the impoverishment of citizens and the increase in living costs, as well as an external isolation of the state of Kosovo"

He also spoke about Kosovo’s foreign policy, where ‘there is no advancement of its European integration agenda, where there is no concrete step for rapprochement with NATO. My expectations were such and they are being confirmed.'

Tahiri: Kurti government violated Kosovo's sovereignty by talking with Serbia about Association (media)

Kosovo’s former coordinator of the dialogue Edita Tahiri through a post on Facebook, said that on the day when the former leaders of the KLA were defending themselves in The Hague, the Kurti government violated the sovereignty of Kosovo by talking with Serbia about the implementation of the Association.

“Yesterday we saw a dignified defence of the leaders of the KLA in the special court as they fought for the freedom and independence of Kosovo: On the other hand, on the same day the Kurti Government violated the sovereignty and the Constitution of Kosovo by talking with Serbia in Brussels about the implementation of Association,” she wrote.

She further noted that internal affairs of the state are not discussed with another state, nor with international mediation.

“As a result, yesterday Serbia not only intervened in the internal affairs of the state of Kosovo but gave an ultimatum to Kosovo to draw up the draft of the association's statute within 20 days.

Chief negotiator Bislimi yesterday desperately tried to deceive the opinion by avoiding the acceptance of this fact. He did not even dare to mention that the draft statute of the Association will go to the Constitutional Court of Kosovo, which is required by the Association Agreement of 2015, which the Kurti Government has pledged to implement with the acceptance of the implementing Agreement in Ohrid on March 18,” Tahiri wrote.

   

Serbian Language Media 

  Vucic meets with French Senate delegation (Tanjug, media)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic met with a French Senate delegation in Belgrade on Wednesday to discuss all major affairs, from the situation in the region and the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue to strengthening of political dialogue and expansion of bilateral and economic cooperation, especially in the field of new large-scale investments, reported Tanjug agency.

France's role in the region is extremely important - not only in the traditional and historical context, but also in terms of efforts aimed at lending the Western Balkans a new impetus on the European integration path, Vucic wrote in a post on his buducnostsrbijeav Instagram profile after the Palace of Serbia meeting.

"I am grateful for France's support in the efforts our country is investing in regional connectivity, preservation of stability and constructive cooperation on the path to the EU," he added.

Sarazzin met Brnabic: Implementation of what was agreed in the dialogue is crucial (Beta, N1)

The special representative of the German government for the Western Balkans, Manuel Sarazzin, assessed that the talks between Belgrade and Pristina are a good basis for further discussion and progress, and that the recent steps in the dialogue represent an important step on the way to the European Union, and that the implementation was key, reported Serbian media, citing the announcement of the Serbian government. 

In a conversation with Serbian PM Ana Brnabic, Sarazzin also emphasized the importance of further steps to establish a common regional market, underlining that he expects the results of the Berlin Process initiative to enable the creation of a more prosperous environment and provide concrete benefits for the residents of the region, the Serbian government announced.

The announcement stated that Brnabic and Sarazzin, today in Belgrade, discussed the improvement of bilateral relations, European integration, as well as the current regional situation and the latest developments within the Berlin Process initiative.

The PM said that Serbia was interested in strengthening synergy with Germany, emphasizing that in addition to continuing investment cooperation, especially in the high-tech sector, there are great opportunities for deepening relations in the fields of energy, the auto industry, as well as science and education.

She emphasized that cooperation in the region is Serbia's strategic commitment with the aim of not only the economic development of the region, but also as an idea of connecting and unifying the Western Balkans and bringing it closer to the European Union.

When it comes to Kosovo, Brnabic emphasized Belgrade's commitment to preserving peace and stability and stressed that she expects constructive support that will enable lasting stability in the region with the implementation of existing agreements, and above all the formation of the Community of Serbian Municipalities, the statement said.

The meeting was also attended by German Ambassador to Serbia Anke Konrad.

Sarrazin to KoSSev: Association of Serb majority communities accepted in Pristina (N1)

German Special Envoy for Western Balkans Manuel Sarrazin told KoSSev portal that his impression was that for the Kosovo side very difficult topic of the Association of Serb majority communities has been accepted in Pristina, while Germany and international partners have always been clear about the fact that we expect Kosovo to fulfill this, reported N1. 

The German official’s work week began with a visit to Kosovo, where he met with senior officials. 

Before setting off to Belgrade, where he will meet Serbian officials, he gave an interview to KoSSev, commenting on the agreement that the Kosovo Prime Minister and the Serbian President agreed on last month in Ohrid, and on its implementation.

He described the agreement as an important opportunity for the entire region on its path to the European Union (EU) but stressed that implementation was key so this could “truly be a big story of success.”

Sarrazin said the Ohrid agreement could be a turning point for the situation in the region to change for the better, adding that Germany mainly tried to be of help in reaching this agreement, but admitted that it “exerted strong pressure on both sides to agree.”

“We tried to tell them – listen, this is your chance, do not miss it, maybe you will not get many new ones,” said Sarazzin.

He said, however, that many did not believe in the political will expressed in Ohrid and stressed that it was time to prove this political will by implementing what has been agreed.

Although he declined to comment in detail on the meaning of the term “self-management for the Serbian community” that was listed as Pristina’s obligation in Article 7 of the Agreement on the path to normalization between Kosovo and Serbia, Sarazzin said it was now clear that the 2013 and 2015 agreements on the Community of Serb Municipalities must be fulfilled.

He said Pristina has agreed to fulfill this obligation and that he expected it to also show it.

Sarazzin said he believed that Pristina officials’ messages were “credible” but added that, in the Western Balkans, “you never know,” and that sometimes it helps to take one’s word and tell them: We are listening to what you are saying in public, but we will stick to what you told us.

The German official admitted that Belgrade and Pristina have different visions of the Community of Serb Municipalities, but said he believed it was possible to reach an agreement, one that both sides would have to comply with.

James Rubin: It is a time of great hope in the Balkans (N1)

US Special Envoy James Rubin told N1’s Newsnight show that “It is a time of great hope in the Balkans.”

Agreement between Serbia and Kosovo gives the possibility of ending the time of conflict and disagreement, and pain and suffering, and moving to a brighter future, a future where children can grow up with a normal life instead of spending their days and nights worrying about who did what to whom, said Rubin.

The former Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs and Chief Spokesman for Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright will be visiting the Western Balkans over the next few days.

Read more at:https://bit.ly/3UaolDT NATO: Stoltenberg in regular contact with Vucic (FoNet, N1)

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg is in regular contact with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, said chief of the NATO Military Liaison Office in Belgrade Brigadier General Giampiero Romano, adding: Everything we do is based on Serbia’s requests and tailored to its needs, reported N1 yesterday, citing FoNet news agency.

Serbia chooses in which areas it wants to advance or improve itself, where NATO can provide added value, while the dynamics and scope of our support depend on Serbia, said General Romano.

He noted that Belgrade is a valued partner of NATO and that for the past 16 years Serbia and the Alliance have been developing a mutually beneficial partnership, whilst fully respecting Serbia’s military neutrality.

Explaining that NATO trains Serbian troops for peace missions, Romano said education and training of officers and other staff is also provided.

We are helping Serbia modernize its security forces and institutions. We have invested millions of euros to help Serbia destroy hundreds of tons of obsolete ammunition, said Romano.

He said Serbian scientists are working with colleagues from NATO members on solutions that improve life in the fields of energy, environmental security, fight against terrorism, cyber defense and environmental protection.

Read more at:https://bit.ly/3zxXmsx Milatovic: Not realistic for Montenegro to withdraw the recognition of Kosovo, and it is a matter that is very clear (KoSSev, nova.rs)

The new president of Montenegro, Jakov Milatovic spoke in an exclusive interview for Nova S News on whether his victory was the victory of the Serbian world, does the church interfere too much in the politics of Montenegro, what are the first steps to guarantee that he will remain honest in politics, reported KoSSev portal.

Jakov Milatovic, who defeated Milo Djukanovic in the presidential elections, with a turnout of almost 70 percent, said that Sunday was a historic day for Montenegro.

"A three-decade regime was defeated, which symbolized divisions, which symbolized a captured state, institutions captured by crime and corruption, and an economic destruction of our economy. The first step in recovery, with the victory over Djukanovic, was already taken on Sunday. More than 70 percent of citizens turned out, I got almost 60 percent, so the victory was big and convincing. However, the challenges are great. The sleeves should be rolled up. I hope that after the parliamentary elections, with the new government and me in the position of president, that things will get better," said the new president of Montenegro.

Milatovic added that he does not have a "magic wand", and that he is very realistic, and work, focus and reconciliation will be needed in the coming period.

When asked about corruption and crime in Montenegro, Milatovic said:

"One year ago, a new independent special state prosecutor came to Montenegro, who, together with the first democratic government and the current one, did a lot against crime and corruption. Let me remind you that the first woman of judiciary in Montenegro, close to Milo Djukanovic, the president of the commercial court, and others from politics and the state apparatus are also in the process. Justice is slowly coming to Montenegro, that's what people expected. As for Mr. Djukanovic, I am sure that our judicial authorities will do their job. It was up to me to beat him, and I did that," said Milatovic.

When asked whether the decision on the recognition of Kosovo's independence by Montenegro will now be withdrawn, Milatovic said that it was clear.

"It is not realistic to expect de-recognition of Kosovo and that is a matter that is very clear," said Milatovic and added:

"We support everything that Belgrade and Pristina agree on, and I believe that the normalization of relations between Belgrade and Pristina would be significant for all countries in the region. In this sense, Montenegro wants to be a good neighbor, which will somewhere promote good neighborly relations".

Milatovic also said that Montenegro is truly moving towards Brussels, and that is why his first visit will be to Brussels.

"I want the best possible relations with Serbia, and while I was the Minister of Economic Development, I always put that in focus. Serbia is the largest country in the Western Balkans, and it is completely natural that my visit to Serbia will also follow after Vucic's invitation," Milatovic pointed out and emphasized that it is important to him that all these visits result in tangible results for citizens and the economy.

Petkovic: Concrete steps to Community discussed for first time (Tanjug)

Speaking to reporters in Brussels after Tuesday's trilateral meeting of the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue, Belgrade's chief negotiator Petar Petkovic said the most concrete steps to establishing of a Community of Serb Municipalities had been discussed for the first time in years and that a declaration on missing persons had been agreed, reported Tanjug agency.

The discussions were long and difficult, but the Serbian side demonstrated constructiveness and respect of all its commitments up to its clearly stated red lines, Petkovic said after meeting with Pristina's chief negotiator Besnik Bislimi and EU special envoy Miroslav Lajcak.

"It is important for us to hold discussions because that is the only way to protect peace and Serbs in Kosovo-Metohija, as well as to have normalisation of relations, because that is how we can preserve stability in the Western Balkans. We discussed ways to continue the implementation process and the establishment of a Community of Serb Municipalities because it is the first commitment agreed in Ohrid, and today was the first time we discussed in trilateral dialogue the most concrete steps to forming a Community of Serb Municipalities and what the steering team needs to do under agreements from 2013 and 2015, the first step being the presentation of the statute prepared by the steering team as part of high-level dialogue," Petkovic said.

He noted that a declaration on missing persons had been agreed and would be adopted at a high-level meeting.

"We were especially careful with all the terminology, and we did not accept the term mentioned in the convention on enforced disappearances so that we do not endanger Serbia's interests," Petkovic said.

He said energy had been discussed as well and that discussions with Pristina's power company would be continued to address distribution services, but added that vehicle licence plates had been addressed, too.

"That is when I pointed out all the violations by Pristina in that regard, and violations of agreements from 2021 and 2022. We came out with constructive proposals that were rejected by Pristina," Petkovic said, adding that the most important thing was to resolve everything peacefully and that stopping ambulances and vehicles was not the solution.

He concluded that discussions on the issue had primarily been with Kosovo-Metohija Serbs and their security in mind.

"We also discussed attacks. In any case, it was a significant series of questions, we will continue to talk and that is the only way to move forward," said Petkovic, who also heads the Serbian government Office for Kosovo-Metohija.

People’s  Party officials Jovanovic and Aleksic on initiating referendum on French-German agreement (KiM radio, Beta, Nova S)

The spokesperson of the People's Party, Stefan Jovanovic, estimated today that Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and his policy will be defeated in the referendum on the "French-German agreement" on Kosovo, which was proposed by that party, reported KiM radio, citing Beta agency.

Jovanovic said that "Vucic is intoxicated with power" and that he "thinks that, like his political partner Milo Djukanovic, he is invincible."

He also assessed that Vucic "is facing a radical turn in relation to the Kosovo policy that he publicly advocated", and that by turning towards "Europeanism" and "peacemaking" he is trying to obtain the support of the West, as Djukanovic had, who was defeated in the recent presidential elections in Montenegro.

Jovanovic assessed Vucic's statement that the opposition "will never defeat him, because he knows how frivolous and irresponsible it is", as "pathological hatred".

On the same topic, the head of the parliamentary group of the People's Party in the Parliament of Serbia, Miroslav Aleksic, spoke yesterday and said that "no one voted for the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, to accept the recognition of Kosovo as an independent state, because he said the opposite in the election campaign", and it was therefore normal and logical for citizens to decide on the acceptance of the Franco-German agreement in a referendum.

The People's Party reported that Aleksic told Nova S that "the most important national and state issue, such as the issue of state territory, must be declared by the citizens."

Aleksic stated that throughout Serbia, the People's Party has started collecting signatures of citizens to hold a referendum on the so-called Franco-German plan, and that they will submit the signatures to the President of the Assembly of Serbia, Vladimir Orlic.

He added that the idea of organizing a referendum was supported by Aleksandar Jovanovic - Cuta from the Environmental Uprising, Savo Manojlovic from the Start-Change Movement, Milos Parandilovic from the New Face of Serbia Movement, as well as public figures, actors, professors, and intellectuals.

"Why would anyone be against the referendum? It is a cross-party issue, because both those who are against the agreement and those who are in favor of the agreement can vote in the referendum. The question to the citizens of Serbia would be: Would you accept the Franco-German agreement on the normalization of relations - Yes or No," Aleksic added.

   

International 

  Serbia, Kosovo Discuss Establishing Serb Municipalities Body (BIRN) Representatives of Serbia and Kosovo met in Brussels to talk about establishing the Association of Serb-Majority Municipalities in northern Kosovo as part of the recent agreement between the two countries’ leaders. Serbia and Kosovo on Tuesday discussed the initial steps for establishing the Association of Serb-Majority Municipalities in Kosovo at a meeting in Brussels between the ‘technical level’ negotiators in the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue process, Petar Petkovic and Besnik Bislimi. The meeting came just over two weeks after the leaders of the two countries, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti, agreed in the North Macedonia town of Ohrid on an implementation plan for an agreement they reached at the end of February to break the deadlock on their longstanding political dispute. Petkovic and Bislimi met EU envoy Miroslav Lajcak in Brussels on Tuesday, first separately and then at a joint meeting. After the meetings, Petkovic said that “today for the first time we discussed the most concrete steps for the formation of the Association of Serbian Municipalities”. Read more at: https://bit.ly/3UqvY9H War Crime Allegations ‘Absurd’, Kosovo Ex-Guerrilla Tells Court (BIRN)

Jakup Krasniqi told the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in The Hague during opening statements in the case against him and three other ex-guerrillas that he denies the charges, some of which he described as “absurd”.

Krasniqi, 72, told the court he had nothing to do with the war crimes and crimes against humanity mentioned in the indictment.

“I have not committed any crime before, during and after the war,” Krasniqi told the court.

“I have always acted with honesty for freedom and national unification, which has been among my lifelong goals,” he added.

Krasniqi is on trial alongside former Hashim Thaci, Kadri Veseli and Rexhep Selimi, all former Kosovo Liberation Army, KLA leaders who later became senior politicians. The other three men’s lawyers gave their opening statements to the court on Tuesday.

A history teacher by profession, Krasniqi was arrested back in 1981 for his political activities against communist Yugoslavia and served ten years in prison.

After his release in 1991, he became part of Ibrahim Rugova’s Democratic League of Kosovo, LDK political party until the Kosvo Liberation Army, KLA took over his region of Drenica in the first year of the guerrilla force’s war against Yugoslav forces and Serbian police in 1998.

Read more at: https://bit.ly/40I4Bdr