UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, December 11, 2023

Albanian Language Media:

Kurti returns from visit to Berlin, describes meetings with German officials (media)
Lajcak: Preparing for separate discussions with chief negotiators (media)
Rohde welcomes KEDS-Elektroserver commercial contract (media)
Schmid: Western Balkans belong to the EU (media)
Ex-KLA senior member Haxhi Shala interviewed by Specialist Chambers (RFE)
Abbott: Impunity is becoming cornerstone for corruption (EO)
Isufaj elected for another term as head of Kosovo Prosecutorial Council (media)
Osmani meets Qatar Prime Minister, discuss efforts to further cooperation (media)

Serbian Language Media:

Lajcak announces separate discussions with chief negotiators of Belgrade, Pristina (Tanjug)
Jeremic: Kosovo must not join UN, we must reject Franco-German proposal (Kosovo Online, Danas)
Vucic: All important topics of mutual interest discussed with Aliyev (Tanjug, media)
Dveri Movement: Elektrosever has become part of Kosovo (Radio KIM)
Lepaja: Serbs from Kosovo hostages of bad relations between Pristina and Belgrade (KiM radio, Slobodno Srpski)

Opinion:

Vasic: Serbs are losing fear of regime’s election scare tactics (BIRN)

International:

24-year electricity dispute in northern Kosovo resolved thanks to Türkiye's intensive efforts (AA)
Prishtina Named European City of Sports 2024: A Boost for Sports in Kosovo’s Capital (Prishtina Insight)
With Leak Of Private Video, The Dirty Tricks Begin In Key Belgrade Election Battle (RFE)

Albanian Language Media

Kurti returns from visit to Berlin, describes meetings with German officials (media)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti writes in a Facebook post today that during his stay in Berlin he attended the Congress of the Social Democratic Party of Germany. “On the margins of the Congress, the meeting with Chancellor Scholz proved strong and excellent bilateral relations and the shared social democratic vision for development and greater well-being in both countries. Strengthening cooperation in the political family of the social democratic spectrum was at the focus of the meeting with the Secretary General of the Socialist International, Benedicta Lasi and the leader of the SPD and member of the Bundestag, Lars Klingbeil,” Kurti writes. “Kosovo is a state of law, democracy, and equality for all. We also talked about the dynamics of the situation in the Western Balkans, the process of dialogue and Kosovo’s commitment to European integration”.

Lajcak: Preparing for separate discussions with chief negotiators (media)

EU Special Representative for the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia, Miroslav Lajcak, said in a Facebook post today that “yesterday, the two companies KEDS and Elektrosever signed a long-awaited commercial contract. This is an important step in implementing the EU-facilitated Energy Roadmap and means progress on the path to normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia. More concretely, Elektrosever will start supplying electricity to the four northern Kosovo-Serb majority municipalities, which will end the non-regulated current practice”.

Lajcak said in the past few days together with his team they are preparing for upcoming separate discussions with the Chief Negotiators of both parties. I also had a series of insightful discussions and engagements. On Wednesday, I had an open exchange with the EU Affairs Committee members of the German Bundestag, who were visiting the heart of our EU institutions. We discussed the new momentum for 🇪🇺enlargement and I briefed them about the state of play in the Dialogue and the next steps. I am grateful for 🇩🇪strong support to my work, their engagement in the Balkans, and their advocacy for the European future of the entire region.”

“Towards the end of the week, I was invited to speak on a panel organized as a part of the annual Friends of Europe - EU-Western Balkans Summit in Brussels. In my address, I stressed that for the first time in a while, the EU is ready for enlargement. It’s high time to seize the opportunity to take the European integration of the Western Balkans forward. On Friday, I met with the US Ambassador to Serbia Christopher Hill. It is always useful to compare notes and plan next steps. I'm grateful for the excellent EU-US cooperation on the Dialogue.”

Rohde welcomes KEDS-Elektroserver commercial contact (media)

German Ambassador to Kosovo, Jorn Rohde, welcomed today the commercial contract between KEDS and Elektrosever. “Good news indeed: we now need sustainable implementation without further delays!” Rohde wrote in a post on X.

Schmid: Western Balkans belong to the EU (media)

Nils Schmid, spokesperson for the Social Democratic Party in Germany, said after meeting with Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti, that the Western Balkans belong to the European Union. “The Western Balkans belong to the EU. In a conversation with the Prime Minister of Kosovo Albin Kurti, Lars Klingbeil [leader of the Social Democratic Party of Germany] and I thanked him for his tireless commitment to a free and democratic Kosovo and his commitment to the Berlin Process,” Schmid wrote in a post on X.

Ex-KLA senior member Haxhi Shala interviewed by Specialist Chambers (media)

Former senior member of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA), Haxhi Shala, was summoned for an interview by the Specialist Chambers today, his son confirmed to Radio Free Europe. He said Shala is being interviewed at the premises of the European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX). “They summoned him for an interview. This is the only information we have so far. We don’t know the reasons. Now he is at EULEX premises in Fushe Kosove,” Shala’s son said. Shala’s brother told Koha that he is suspected of obstruction of justice.

The Specialist Prosecutor’s Office, based in the Hague, did not comment on the case, but confirmed there are ongoing operations in Kosovo. “The Specialist Prosecutor’s Office is carrying out continuous operations in Kosovo and has no further comment,” they told the news website.

Abbott: Impunity is becoming cornerstone for corruption (EO)

The CorrWatch Initiative, consisting of the Group for Legal and Political Studies (GLPS), the GAP Institute and the Institute for Development Policies (INDEP) held a conference in Pristina today titled “From transparency to trust, solutions for combating corruption and organized crime at the institutional level”.

GLSP Director, Arbresha Loxha-Stublla, said the project is centered around regular monitoring of five key areas, and is also aimed at providing continuous expertise and support for public institutions to eliminate irregularities and legal violations, and to establish good practices. She also said that the aim is through good practices to prevent corruption and the impact of organized crime in public institutions. “Recruitment processes in the public sector; public procurement practices and the management of contracts; the distribution of grants and subsidies; the issuing of permits, licenses and tariffs, and the performance and management of public institutions,” she added.

UK Ambassador to Kosovo, Nicholas Abbott, said corruption has led to lower public trust in the institutions and greater social inequality, and that therefore the fight against corruption requires a collective effort and that public officials must be held accountable for their actions. He argued that impunity is becoming a cornerstone for corruption. “Today is a day to reflect on the impact of corruption, a day to renew the objectives for principles of transparency, accountability, and integrity. Corruption is not only a legal matter, but also a matter of morale, which leads to lower public trust in the institutions and increases social inequality, because the fight against corruption requires a collective effort from the society and the government,” he said.

Abbott also said that the British embassy through different projects is helping build the culture of transparency. “It is known that the fight against corruption and organized crime is almost impossible without an independent civil society and without strong institutions, and impunity is becoming a cornerstone for corruption. We are helping the institutions to increase transparency and giving recommendations that help the institutions in their work,” he added.

Minister of Justice, Albulena Haxhiu, said that this ministry has sent over 200 files to the police and prosecution, but received no response, and that this negligence does not help the fight against corruption. She said the government has undertaken several measures and that a series of laws have been adopted. “What we have noticed is a lack of action by the judicial institutions with regards to the cases we have sent them. I believe it is a serious problem when an institution sends a case to the prosecution and the prosecution neglects it. I have been often criticized for interfering in the judiciary with my public statements, but I will not stop criticizing the system. The Ministry has also launched many initiatives that strengthen the mechanisms against corruption and address the legal framework against corruption. We have adopted the rule of law strategy for 2021-2026. There are ongoing recommendations, and also activities aimed at greater accountability and efficiency of judicial institutions. We have also drafted the legal framework against corruption which includes the agency for the prevention of corruption, the law on declaration of wealth, and the law for the state bureau for the confiscation of unjustifiable wealth. The latter is the most important law because it addresses the concept of civil confiscation in Kosovo,” Haxhiu said.

Director of the Anti-Corruption Agency, Ylli Buleshkaj, said he is certain that inter-institutional cooperation is the best basis for the fight against corruption. “We are challenged by corruption which has an impact on society and the institutions. Society has shown that it emerges even stronger whenever it is challenged, therefore, I hope that we will emerge stronger from this challenge too,” he said.

Isufaj elected for another term as head of Kosovo’s Special Prosecution (media)

Most news websites report that Blerim Isufaj has been re-elected for another four-year term as head of the Special Prosecution of Kosovo. Nine members of the Special Prosecution Council voted in favor and one voted against Isufaj’s reelection.

Osmani meets Qatar Prime Minister, discuss efforts to further cooperation (media)

Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani said in a post on X today that during her stay in Doha, she met the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Qatar, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani. “A good discussion on Kosovo-Qatar relations, and on our shared efforts to bolster cooperation between our countries across a range of areas. Expressed gratitude for Qatar’s continued support for our country,” Osmani wrote.

Serbian Language Media

Lajcak announces separate discussions with chief negotiators of Belgrade, Pristina (Tanjug)

EU special envoy for Belgrade-Pristina talks Miroslav Lajcak said he and his team had been preparing in Brussels for "upcoming separate discussions" with the chief negotiators of Belgrade and Pristina, Tanjug news agency reports.

Recapping last week's activities in a Facebook post, Lajcak wrote that he had on Wednesday "an open exchange with European Affairs Committee members of the German Bundestag, who were visiting the heart of our EU institutions".

"We discussed the new momentum for EU enlargement, and I briefed them about the state of play in the Dialogue and the next steps. I am grateful for Germany's strong support to my work, their engagement in the Balkans, and their advocacy for the EU future of the entire region", he wrote.

"Towards the end of the week, I was invited to speak on a panel organized as a part of the annual Friends of Europe - EU-Western Balkans Summit in Brussels. In my address, I stressed that for the first time in a while, the EU is ready for enlargement. It’s high time to seize the opportunity to take the European integration of the Western Balkans forward. On Friday, I met with the US Ambassador to Serbia Christopher Hill. It is always useful to compare notes and plan next steps. I'm grateful for the excellent cooperation on the Dialogue", Lajcak noted.

Jeremic: Kosovo must not join UN, we must reject Franco-German proposal (Kosovo Online, Danas)

Leader of Serbian opposition Peoples’ Party (NS) Vuk Jeremic told Belgrade-based Danas daily he would be only pleased “if Franco-German proposal for independence of Kosovo and Metohija is rejected”, Kosovo Online portal reports. He said one of the red lines of his party policy is rejection of the Franco-German proposal.

“Just as in the case of non-introduction of sanctions on Russia, investments were not withdrawn from Serbia and visas were not introduced, this will not happen either in the case of the rejection of the Franco-German ultimatum”, he said in an interview with Danas.

He added he is not surprised by the attitude of some pro-Western opposition candidates who in their statements voice completely opposite stances in comparison to the crucial stances of their coalition representatives foremostly in relation to the Franco-German plan.

Asked if the geopolitical status of Serbia shall change following elections, Jeremic responded it depends upon results on elections.

"If the ruling party (SNS) prevails over them, with or without a post-election agreement with part of the pro-Western opposition, the Franco-German plan will be put into practice, which implies that Kosovo will become a member of international organizations, including the UN”, Jeremic said.

“This would lead to the creation of “Greater Albania”, because what two fully-fledged UN member states which have decided to unite (specifically Albania and Kosovo) should only do is send a joint letter to the UN Secretary General informing him of their decision. (...) Considering the large number of Albanian national minorities in neighboring countries, a single Albanian state created by such a precedent would undoubtedly cultivate further territorial claims, causing instability and very likely conflicts in the region. History teaches us that as a rule, world powers also get involved in such conflicts", he added.

Asked if Kosovo would be able to obtain an observer status in the UN, Jeremic said UN General Assembly assigns this statuts to a specific entity, and this decision cannot be vetoed, so it is important for Serbia to continue having support from majority UN member states in order to be able to prevent that from happening.

Vucic: All important topics of mutual interest discussed with Aliyev (Tanjug, media)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic met with Azerbaijani counterpart Ilham Aliyev in Nis on Sunday to discuss all important topics of interest for bilateral and economic relations between the two countries as well as current geopolitical affairs.

"With my friend Aliyev, today I discussed all important topics of interest for our bilateral and economic relations", Vucic wrote in an Instagram post, adding that the meeting had also addressed "current geopolitical affairs that are a burden to the region and the whole world".

Earlier, Vucic also met with Bulgarian President Rumen Radev. Vucic, Aliyev and Radev were in Nis for the ceremonial launch of a Serbia-Bulgaria natural gas interconnector.

Dveri Movement: Elektrosever has become part of Kosovo (Radio KIM)

Serbian opposition Dveri Movement said in a statement today that penning the contract between Serbian Elektrosever and Kosovo company KEDS not only means that Serbs in Kosovo would as of now pay electricity to the company owned by Kosovo, but that also Elektrosever has factually become part of the Kosovo energy system, Radio KIM reports.

“This all has been done in a complete media darkness, away from public eyes, at the times of elections and technical Serbian Government which must not make any strategic decision during technical mandate”, Dveri said in a statement, adding it was a scandal that this topic was never on the parliament’s session agenda.

Dveri also said it finds in particular shocking the fact that Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said he was pleased with the signed agreement.

The Movement said the truth was completely opposite, adding the state of Serbia by each negotiating step undertaken by current authorities has more and more diminished scope of authority over Kosovo.

Lepaja: Serbs from Kosovo hostages of bad relations between Pristina and Belgrade (KiM Radio, Slobodno Srpski)

Pristina publicist and political analyst Fadil Lepaja told Slobodno srpski TV talk show that the Serbian side, which is, the current government in Serbia, is solely responsible for the problems in relations between Pristina and Belgrade, reported KiM Radio.

"Serbian politics wanted to normalize the situation in Kosovo by making the municipalities act as Serbian municipalities, that is, as part of Serbia, on the other hand, the Kosovo side saw it differently - as the normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia. The European Community would not come here just to normalize the situation, nor the West, they are here to normalize relations between Kosovo and Serbia, between two neighbors who aspire to be together in Europe tomorrow and then they should build relations based on European principles”, he said.

According to him, Serbs from Kosovo are hostages of bad relations between Kosovo and Serbia.

"I think that those who lead that nation should really work to normalize relations, to provide those people with democratic institutions and to put the past behind us and see where we will go together. I think that if the relations between Kosovo and Serbia are normalized and if the European process proceeds quickly, we will very soon have a situation like between Germany and France, where when you go by car you will not know which country you are in", said Lepaja.

According to Lepaja, the European community and the American administration wanted to solve the existing problems between Belgrade and Pristina with an agreement in Brussels and the Ohrid annex to the agreement.

"The relations of forces in Serbia were not such that they could digest that agreement, and they simply blocked that agreement. Banjska was in a way a blow to all that, someone tried to actually take control of the situation in the north, and then to talk about something completely different, and not about the agreement that was in Brussels", Lepaja opined.

Opinion

Vasic: Serbs Are Losing Fear of Regime’s Election Scare Tactics (BIRN) Opinion piece by Milenko Vasic, Serbian journalist and former editor in Serbian media.

The authorities are employing all their usual intimidatory games in the run-up to December 17 elections – but this time fewer people are falling for them.

Novica Petrovic, an employee in the local administration of the Serbian city of Kragujevac, was suddenly transferred to a new workplace in the abandoned office of the Bukorovac local community.

Before his transfer, Petrovic had refused to promise to secure votes for President Aleksandar Vucic and his ruling Serbian Progressive Party in the upcoming legislative elections on December 17.

Those familiar with the political situation in Serbia will recognise that this was revenge for disobedience.

This is the way Serbia’s authorities behave before every election – and they do not even try to hide it.

Petrovic claims his superiors told him: “You will be kicked out because of this” – and he was duly “kicked out”, 10 kilometers away to damp premises with poor working conditions.

Since Vucic and Progressive Party came to power in Serbia in 2012, thousands of people in state institutions and companies have been pressured not only into voting for them but into participating in the election campaign.

International

24-year electricity dispute in northern Kosovo resolved thanks to Türkiye's intensive efforts (AA)

Türkiye's intensive efforts successfully resolved a long-standing electricity distribution dispute in Serb-majority municipalities in northern Kosovo, which has been ongoing since the end of the 1999 war.

On Saturday, the Kosovo Electricity Distribution Company (KEDS), operated by a partnership of Türkiye’s leading holdings Limak and Calik, and the Serbian company Elektrosever, inked a contract to contribute to the resolution of the electricity distribution issue that has plagued Serb-majority municipalities for years, as well as paving the way for Kosovo and Serbia normalization.

Miroslav Lajcak, the EU special representative for the Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue and other Western Balkan regional issues, welcomed the contract signing between KEDS and Elektrosever in a statement on X.

“This is an important step in implementing the (EU) -facilitated Energy Roadmap and on the path to normalisation of relations between Kosovo and Serbia. Congratulations to all who made it possible!” Lajcak said.

In a statement, KEDS also welcomed the signing of the contract for the normalization of electricity distribution in the northern Kosovo municipalities of North Mitrovica, Zvecan, Leposavic, and Zubin Potok after a long and delicate process and congratulated the parties involved.

Ankara also welcomed the contract between KEDS and Elektrosever, describing it as an important step that contributes to the normalization process by enabling the solution to the electricity distribution issue in the north of Kosovo, according to diplomatic sources.

Türkiye has made great efforts to reach an agreement between Kosovo and Serbia on the energy issue, which is one of the most important elements of the Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue Process, the sources said.

According to the sources, Türkiye will continue to support the dialogue process with the understanding that lasting peace in the region can only be established through dialogue and reconciliation, and it will continue to make constructive contributions to the process if requested by the parties.

Read more at: https://shorturl.at/COX69 Prishtina Named European City of Sports 2024: A Boost for Sports in Kosovo’s Capital (Prishtina Insight)

The Kosovar capital has been declared the European City of Sports for 2024, anticipating significant investments in sports infrastructure and activities throughout the coming year.

The announcement of Prishtina as the European City of Sport for 2024 was made on Thursday in Brussels by ACES Europe, a non-profit association that assigns recognition to European Capitals, Cities, Communities, and Towns of Sport.

Alongside Prishtina, ACES Europe has also selected 12 other cities in Europe as Sports Cities for the upcoming year.

Prishtina’s Mayor, Përparim Rama, shared the news from Brussels, emphasizing that the city is looking forward to a year filled with sporting events.

“I am pleased to share with you the news that Prishtina has been declared the European City of Sport for 2024. This title is evidence of our unwavering commitment to creating a city that embraces health, inclusivity, and transformation. A year filled with sporting events, commitments, and investments in sports infrastructure awaits us,” expressed Rama in a video message.

The Municipality of Prishtina submitted its candidacy to be selected as the European City of Sport for the year 2024 on October 31, 2023. During that period, an evaluation commission from ACES Europe was in Prishtina to closely inspect sports facilities and infrastructure. Read more at: https://shorturl.at/lEOS9 With Leak Of Private Video, The Dirty Tricks Begin In Key Belgrade Election Battle (RFE)

"The point of this recording was not only to intimidate me, but it is a message to all opponents of this regime. If you raise your voice, we will look into your private lives, your friends, wives, children, the parties you go to, the websites you visit," Djordje Miketic said.

When international observers visited Serbia at the end of November, they noted that the campaign for the December 17 local and regional elections was "highly polarized" and marked by "unprecedented" fearmongering and attacks on the opposition.

A few days after the election monitors from the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) left, things got even worse.

A video showing a Belgrade opposition candidate, Djordje Miketic, enjoying an intimate moment was shared across social media and messaging apps. Screenshots of the video were then plastered across the front pages of pro-government tabloids. On some TV channels, family-friendly clips of the private tape were broadcast on the news.

While the latest polls show that the country's longtime leader, President Aleksandar Vucic, and his Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) are on course to win the elections nationwide, the race for Belgrade hangs in the balance, with one October poll forecasting what would be a rare triumph for the opposition.