UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, December 18, 2024

Albanian Language Media

Kurti: Kosovo has great natural potential for renewable energy (media)
Lajcak: Banjska, Association and recognition of Kosovo symbols (media)
Haradinaj: I’ll send Association draft to court in my first week as PM (media)
Kurti calls on diaspora to register for next year’s elections (media)
Musliu: Milan Radoicic is behind attack on Iber Lepenc water canal (media)
Kosovo to have Museum of Genocide and Efforts for Freedom (Koha)
Kurti’s message to people of Vanuatu after devastating earthquake (media)
AJK condemns Nexhmedin Spahiu’s insulting remarks against Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian communities (media)

Serbian Language Media

Ambassador: China committed to implementing consensus between Xi Jinping, Vucic (N1)
Radosavljevic: It is not possible that Pristina bans Serbian List from participation in elections (Kosovo Online)
EU welcomes agreement between Belgrade and Pristina on implementation of missing persons declaration (Radio KIM)
Odalovic: Restoring the Declaration on Missing Persons gives hope to families (RTS, Tanjug, Kosovo Online)
Blakaj: Agreement on implementation of declaration on missing is positive, carefully with expectations (KiM radio)
A year of tragedy and protest: Professor Oliver Toskovic reflects on 2024 (KoSSev)

International

Report highlights Kosovo’s struggle to detect early warning signs of terrorism and radicalization (PI)
Kosovo political prisoner’s stories highlight Yugoslav state’s brutal tactics (BIRN)
Sandhurst graduate from Kosovo hails Army's role in keeping peace with KFOR (Forces News)
Dutch government to block Serbia’s next step toward EU membership (Dutch Times)

Albanian Language Media

Kurti: Kosovo has great natural potential for renewable energy (media)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti said today that Kosovo has great natural potential for renewable energy. “Our economy is growing at the fastest pace in the region, with a GDP growth rate of an average 6.36 percent in the last three years. Today, compared to when we started our governing mandate, we have twice as much exports and direct foreign investments. This is then reflected in the increase of energy consumption by the business. And there is no doubt that this economic growth needs to be reflected with increased energy capacities. The dependence on energy imports, especially from autocratic countries, are dangerous not only for our economy but for our national security too,” he said at the launch of the first competitive tender for wind-powered energy.

Kurti also said that the recent attack on the Iber Lepenci water canal in the north of Kosovo highlighted the importance of energy supply. “The kinetic attack against the critical infrastructure of the Iber Lepenci canal for water and energy supply showed us how important it is to get stronger even in terms of energy. Therefore, doubling energy resources through renewable energy is not a solution only for the energy sector but also to protect Kosovo’s energy independence,” he argued.

Lajcak: Banjska, Association and recognition of Kosovo symbols (media)

The European Union envoy for the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue Miroslav Lajcak, has listed the topics they discussed with chief negotiators Besnik Bislimi and Petar Petkovic on Tuesday in Brussels. In a post in X, Lajcak expressed his happiness over the agreement for a joint commission for the missing, saying that it is an important step and that the first meeting of the joint commission will be organized soon. He said that he reminded Bislimi and Petkovic that normalizing relations means integration into the EU and that there is no separation between the two. He said that they also discussed the steps that need to be taken to implement the Ohrid Agreement, according to the conclusions of the European Council. “De-escalation, responsibility for the 2023 attacks, the reintegration of Kosovo Serbs, the establishment of the Association of Serb-majority municipalities and the recognition of Kosovo documents and symbols”, were the issues mentioned by him.

Haradinaj: I’ll send Association draft to court in my first week as PM (media)

Leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) Ramush Haradinaj said on Tuesday that if he leads the government after the February 9 general elections, he will immediately send the draft statute of the Association of Serb-majority municipalities to the Constitutional Court. He argued that international dynamics and global security developments do not allow for delays in the process. He also said he is confident that the Constitutional Court will remove from the draft statute any element that could be in opposition with the Constitution of Kosovo. “In the first week in government, if I am head of the government, I will send the Association [draft] to court. The draft which exists today. Not another one. I don’t insist on a new draft, I don’t ask for more time. I don’t go for renegotiations, because you know that the world is in a very fast dynamic, because of security developments and because of the new administration in the United States. No one has the time to prepare something for you again. I believe in our Constitutional Court, and I believe it will remove any possible element that goes against the Constitution, because this court is the guardian of the Constitution,” he said. According to Haradinaj, this step would unblock Kosovo’s membership in international organizations like the Council of Europe, the European Union and NATO.

Kurti calls on diaspora to register for next year’s elections (media)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti called on the diaspora today to register for next year’s general elections, scheduled for February 9. “To our fellow compatriots in every corner of the world, eight days are left until the final day of the deadline to register to vote from abroad, namely on December 26, and don’t wait until the last day. I am addressing our diaspora from the meeting of the government because their vote was determinant for the composition of this government the same way that their contribution was determinant for the fate and well-being of our country for years,” he said. “With our government, our diaspora will be able to vote in embassies and consulate offices in the countries they live in. This has been made possible because we have amended the law as promised. Voting through mail and in embassies and consulate offices is a great victory for our hard-working and patriotic diaspora and for our independent and democratic state”.

Musliu: Milan Radoicic is behind attack on Iber Lepenc water canal (media)

MP from the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) and chair of the Kosovo Assembly Committee for oversight of the Kosovo Intelligence Agency (AKI), Ganimete Musliu, said today that Milan Radoicic is behind the attack on the Iber Lepenci water canal in the north of Kosovo. She made these remarks after a closed meeting with AKI chief Petrit Ajeti. “We discussed all issues related to security in the country. The security situation in Kosovo is stable but with provocations from Serbia. We talked about the attack on the Iber Lepenci water canal and other issues. Based on what the AKI director said, Radoicic is behind the attack and supported by the Serbian state,” Musliu told reporters.

Kosovo to have Museum of Genocide and Efforts for Freedom (media)

The Kosovo government paved the way today for the establishment of the Museum of Genocide and Efforts for Freedom. Minister of Culture, Hajrulla Ceku, said the museum would initially be established as a special unit within the National Museum of Kosovo and will then function as a separate institution once the legislation is passed. “We have allocated the necessary budget … The museum aims to document and present the crimes of the former Yugoslavia and Serbia against Albanians and other communities,” Ceku told reporters after the government meeting.

Several news websites note that Minister for Communities and Returns, Nenad Rasic, abstained from voting on the establishment of the museum. “Because I believe that every crime has a name and last name, and crimes should not be generalized to this point. The name of the museum is not appropriate ‘genocide of Serbia and Yugoslavia’,” Rasic said when asked by Koha. He also said that he is against referring to the state of Serbia as genocidal and that he made several proposals on the issue. “For example ‘genocide of war’, ‘genocide by war criminals’, ‘genocide by paramilitary groups’, ‘war crimes’ or maybe another description that I cannot find because of the language, but not refer to a whole state as being genocidal,” he argued.

Kurti’s message to people of Vanuatu after devastating earthquake (media)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti said in a post on X on Tuesday that “our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Vanuatu after today's devastating earthquake. On behalf of the Republic of Kosova, I also extend my well-wishes to Prime Minister Charlot Salwai, with whom I had a warm and productive meeting in September on the margins of UNGA High-Level Week. Our Government stands ready to extend our help and support at this difficult time”.

AJK condemns Nexhmedin Spahiu’s insulting remarks against Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian communities (media)

The Association of Journalists of Kosovo said in a statement today it is “outraged by the insulting and unacceptable language of the professor of political sciences, Nexhmedin Spahiu, against the Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian communities in Kosovo”.

“In two media appearances in the last few days, Spahiu has used offensive and discriminatory language in relation to the Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian communities in our country. AJK invites Mr. Spahiu to publicly apologize for the remarks, and from the media to work in order to not allow space for a language that violates the integrity of the citizens of Kosovo that belong to these communities. AJK also asks the IMC and PCK to monitor hate speech against communities in the media. Through several collaborations and activities, AJK is constantly committed to the inclusion of the three communities, Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian in the public life of Kosovo and against the use of offensive and exclusionary language towards them,” the statement notes.

Serbian Language Media

Ambassador: China committed to implementing consensus between Xi Jinping, Vucic (N1)

Chinese Ambassador to Serbia Li Ming said in Belgrade that the friendship between China and Serbia encompasses all areas of cooperation and emphasized that his country will continue to firmly support Serbia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity while resolutely opposing any attempts to interfere in Serbia’s internal affairs, N1 reported.

“China is committed to implementing the consensus reached between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic. We will do everything in our power to strengthen our cooperation for a shared future”, Li Ming said.

During a lecture titled China’s Development and Foreign Policy at the Institute for International Politics and Economics, the ambassador noted that with the implementation of the China-Serbia Free Trade Agreement, Serbia has become China’s first partner in Southeast Europe. He also highlighted that Serbia’s decision to host the Expo exhibition demonstrates that even small nations can achieve significant success.

Ambassador Li recalled that Chinese companies are actively involved in the construction of the Expo, as well as in projects that are part of the Belt and Road Initiative. He added that China takes pride in its partnership with Serbia and its role in supporting the country’s development and progress for the benefit of all its citizens. Li also announced that in the coming weeks, Air Serbia will launch a direct flight between Belgrade and Shanghai. With the existing direct flights from Belgrade to Beijing and Guangzhou, this new route will mean three direct flights connecting the two countries.

Radosavljevic: It is not possible that Pristina bans Serbian List from participation in elections (Kosovo Online)

It is unrealistic that Pristina bans Serbian List from participation in February elections, although such threats could be heard from Kosovo officials, Jovana Radosavljevic from New Social Initiative said, Kosovo Online portal reported citing Pristina-based Insjaderi.

“I think it is not possible. We have had statements and threats in the previous period as well, that the Serbian List will be designated a terrorist organization, and it did not happen as it is not an easy thing to do. In this case, ban on a political party, which submitted its electoral list for parliamentary elections that should be held on February 9, could occur only with an enforceable court’s decision which decides so. At the moment this does not seem as something realistic, although we heard from PM (Albin) Kurti and other Kosovo officials statements directly accusing Serbian List for the attack on Ibar-Lepenac canal”, Radosavljevic said.

She also assessed that upcoming holidays are a risky period when it comes to the security situation in Kosovo, as during this time the focus of the international community would be reduced significantly.

“A rather unpredictable period is ahead of us, not long one, but very much unpredictable as we are approaching the holiday season, and the focus on international community would be significantly reduced, same as their presence in this period, so one could, unfortunately, expect anything in a sense of direct incidents, but also pressure on individual level. I reiterate, the ban on participation of one political party is perhaps something that some wish for, but it does not seem a realistic scenario at this moment”, she added.

EU welcomes agreement between Belgrade and Pristina on implementation of missing persons declaration (Radio KIM)

The European Union (EU) has welcomed an agreement reached by Belgrade and Pristina chief negotiators on implementing a declaration on missing persons, Radio KIM reports.

“The progress is an important step ahead in normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia and implementation of the Agreement on path to normalization from 2023. This is a direct benefit to the citizens of Kosovo and Serbia”, reads the statement, while both sides are urged to start working on implementing the Agreement as a whole.

The chief negotiators of Belgrade and Pristina made an agreement on December 17 in Brussels to appoint a joint commission which would implement a declaration on missing persons, adopted previously by Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti on May 2, 2023 in Brussels.

The cooperation of the parties in the following fields would be particularly followed: identification of burial sites and excavations, access to accurate and reliable information, including all relevant domestic and international documentation, use of satellite records, light detection and ranging (LIDAR), as well as advanced technology to detect mass graves, as well as respecting the rights of missing persons’ families.

Odalovic: Restoring the Declaration on Missing Persons gives hope to families (RTS, Tanjug, Kosovo Online)

President of the Serbian Government Missing Persons Commission, Veljko Odalovic, expressed his satisfaction that during yesterday's round of dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina in Brussels, the last obstacle to the implementation of the Declaration on Missing Persons was removed and pointed out it is necessary to return to the mechanism that has already produced significant results.

Odalovic told RTS he fears Brussels is not doing enough to put pressure on Pristina. He pointed out that, since the text of the declaration was agreed upon, the obstacles were on the part of Pristina, and that Belgrade was a very constructive side and was not a hindrance. Odalovic added the issue of the missing is a humanitarian issue.

"I invited Mr. Lajcak to invite the representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross, which chairs the Working Group on Missing Persons, which has not met for four years thanks to Pristina's behavior towards this process, to schedule a meeting of the working group and for us to go to work, to return simply into a mechanism that has so far resulted in over 1,008 solved cases of missing persons," Odalovic said.

He stated that the joint commission will support the work of the working group, and that the working group continues to work according to the rules. "If in the process we have any topic, a problem that we cannot overcome at the level of working groups, we inform the joint commission," Odalovic explained.

He stated that the joint commission will be composed of representatives of the EU, representatives of Belgrade and Pristina, and representatives of the working group of the International Committee of the Red Cross.

Odalovic said that the families of the missing persons, with the EU's strength, will be given hope that certain questions will be answered.

"Various documents, archives, information, satellite images. That with their support it will be much easier to get to those, primarily international archives and international sources, because none of what happened in the area of Kosovo and Metohija was without the direct or indirect participation of representatives of the international community through the missions in that area", stated Odalovic.

He reminded that the largest number of missing and killed Serbs and other non-Albanians died after June 10, 1999, that is, after the arrival of 50,000 peacekeepers, who had absolutely the entire security and administrative structure in Kosovo.

He pointed out that they are dealing with all the victims and missing people and that around 1,600 people are still missing and stated that before leaving for Brussels in Belgrade, he spoke with ten representatives of the families of Albanians from Pristina.

He said that he is concerned about the role of the EU, because, as he stated, the European Union and European mediators have done very little in the topics and issues for which they have assumed full responsibility, and he assessed that they either lack strength or sometimes lack understanding.

Odalovic also stated that yesterday in Brussels, all difficult questions concerning Kosovo were raised, from the formation of the CSM to the upcoming elections.

Blakaj: Agreement on implementation of declaration on missing is positive, carefully with expectations (KiM radio)

The director of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija Petar Petkovic, the EU special envoy for dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina Miroslav Lajcak and Pristina's chief negotiator Besnik Bislimi reached an agreement on a joint commission on missing persons yesterday in Brussels.

Director of the Humanitarian Law Centre in Kosovo, Bekim Blakaj, told KiM Radio "it is a positive event, but we have to be careful about expectations. It is not the first time that the parties in the dialogue reached an agreement, even on the issue of missing persons. Much earlier, the parties committed to treat the issue of missing persons as a humanitarian issue, but we have not actually seen that in action. So, we are also cautious about this agreement from yesterday.''

"It is even better that the commission will be led by someone from Brussels. It is important that the EU will monitor the implementation of the agreement and that it will even have an instrument to sanction any party that does not implement the agreement," he added.

According to Blakaj's opinion, it is possible to expect a positive development of events in connection with investigations into the fate of missing persons.

"But we always have to be careful, because more than once we, from civil society, have been disappointed, especially the family members of missing persons," said the director of the Humanitarian Law Centre in Kosovo.

Provisions in the declaration from May 2023

In the declaration, it was agreed that the parties will cooperate closely on the identification of grave sites, that they will ensure full access to reliable and accurate information to help locate and identify the remaining missing persons in the period from January 1, 1998, to December 31, 2000.

"The provisions contained in that joint declaration of the two parties date back to May 2023. But since then, we have not seen the implementation of that joint declaration," said Blakaj.

Blakaj is still skeptical about the implementation of the agreed on missing persons by Belgrade and Pristina.

"There were no obstacles before. The parties could have contributed to solving the issue of missing persons, but that did not happen. There were no obstacles, except for the lack of political will on both sides to do it," concluded Bekim Blakaj in an interview with KiM Radio.

A year of tragedy and protest: Professor Oliver Toskovic reflects on 2024 (KoSSev)

As the year 2024 comes to a close, Serbian society finds itself grappling with an unsettling reality—one marked by a seemingly endless series of crises, tragedies, and political upheaval. Speaking to KoSSev, university professor Oliver Toskovic offered a sobering reflection:

“Just as our society is divided, so are my impressions of this year. It began like any other, but soon became overwhelmed by numerous scandals. Just when we thought we had emerged from the horrors of 2023—marked by terrible losses—we entered new tragedies this year, which continued to cast a shadow over us.”

In a conversation at the National Theatre in Belgrade, following the award ceremony for the prestigious “Knight of the Profession” accolade presented by the League of Experts Serbia (LEX), Toskovic reflected on a year he described as being overwhelmed by scandals “too numerous to count.”

These culminated in the tragic collapse of the newly renovated awning at Novi Sad Railway Station on November 1, a disaster that claimed 15 lives—mostly young people and children—and left two others severely injured.

From grief to protest

The tragedy in Novi Sad became a tipping point, sparking mass protests across Serbia. University campuses were at the forefront of the movement, with students and faculty alike demanding accountability.

The protests were initially triggered by an incident on December 2, when students from the Faculty of Dramatic Arts in Belgrade were attacked while holding a 15-minute vigil for the victims of the railway station collapse.

Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/wyxjwd9w

International

Report highlights Kosovo’s struggle to detect early warning signs of terrorism and radicalization (PI)

A BIRN report on Kosovo’s mechanisms for terrorism prevention revealed significant shortcomings in implementing the national strategy on early prevention. The report emphasises the need for stronger coordination between central and local authorities to combat both religious and right-wing political extremism.

Kosovo faces significant shortcomings in implementing the national counterterrorism strategy, which relies heavily on early prevention and coordination between central and local governance, a BIRN report concluded.

The report, which is titled “Challenges of Counter-Terrorism Prevention Mechanisms in Kosovo,” was published on Tuesday and emphasises serious issues in the implementation of this strategy, where the concept of early prevention is still in its initial phase of development.

According to surveys, fieldwork, and document observation gathered over a 6 month period, Kosovo has made limited progress in the early identification of vulnerable groups and individuals at risk of radicalization, as well as in the design and implementation of specific intervention measures to support these groups and individuals.

Xhelal Svecla, Kosovo’s Minister of Interior, stated that terrorism and right-wing extremism are challenges not only for Kosovo but also for other countries.