UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, December 19, 2024

Albanian Language Media:

Osmani: Holding Serbia accountable for aggression against Kosovo is key (media)
First final census results published, Kosovo with 1,586,659 inhabitants (Koha)
Kurti: Census, essential for national planning and development (media)
Government: Kosovo did not start the tensions in the north (Klan Kosova)
Ceku's request for a visit to Presevo, rejected (Koha)
Hamza: Dialogue has degraded, Brussels agreement insufficient (media)
Konjufca meets outgoing US Ambassador Hovenier (media)
AJK condemns the death threat against Ilir Mirena (media)

Serbian Language Media:

Petkovic: First convening of Joint Commission for Missing Persons in January (RTS)
Office for KiM: Miladinov banned from entering Kosovo, Pavicevic from visiting detained Serbs (Kosovo Online, media)
D.D. sentenced for attack on KFOR and KP last year in Zvecan (Kosovo Online, KoSSev)
Ilir Mirena, Periskopi director, receives death threats (KoSSev)
Barbano welcomes MIA initiative to develop regulatory framework on use of social media by KP, Andric Rakic says regulation exists but not implemented (social media)
Vucic meets with Tajani, thanks Italy for supporting Serbia on EU path (Tanjug)

International Media:

Kosovo government unveils plan for museum of genocide (PI)
Kosovo, Serbia pledge to implement Declaration on Missing Persons (BIRN)

Humanitarian:

Inclusive education is just words on paper (Kosovo 2.0)

Albanian Language Media

Osmani: Holding Serbia accountable for aggression against Kosovo is key (media)

Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani said in a Facebook post today that the EU-Western Balkans Summit “remains an important platform for our region”. “In discussions with leaders of EU institutions and member states, I highlighted that Kosovo’s future in the EU is inevitable and that it remains an everyday engagement for us; if the principle of meritocracy is respected then concrete steps must be made on this path by immediately starting to discuss our membership application and removing the measures against Kosovo which are unjust and un-European; there cannot be a successful integration of Western Balkans countries if peace and security are constantly under threat. Therefore, it is key for Serbia to be held accountable for its continuous acts of aggression against Kosovo; regardless of the challenges, Kosovo does not give up on integration in Euro-Atlantic institutions, because above all this is the will of our people,” Osmani said.

First final census results published, Kosovo with 1,586,659 inhabitants (Koha)

The Kosovo Agency of Statistics (KAS) has published the first final results of the population census. Based on these results, Kosovo has 1,586,659 inhabitants. According to the results, compared to 2011, the age group 0-14 years has decreased by 6.07%, the age group 15-64 years has increased by 1.83%, while the age group over 65 years has increased by 4.26%.

According to the results, in 2011 the average age was 29.97 years, while now the average age of the population is 34.84. The results show that the average age of women is 35.66 while that of men is 34.03.

On the other hand, the rural rate has decreased from 62% in 2011 to 49.8% in 2024. According to the results, for the first time, the urban population (50.2%) exceeds the rural population (49.8%). This change, according to ASK, indicates a movement of the population towards urban areas.

Based on the published results, compared to 2011, when the preliminary census was conducted, there is an increase of 21.5% in the number of buildings, apartments and houses. “The number of general housing units has also increased significantly, compared to 2011, by 41%, and the number of ordinary housing units has also increased by 35%. This suggests that construction in Kosovo has experienced a massive increase during this period”, said the director of ASK, Avni Kastrati, during the presentation of the data.

The data show that in Kosovo the population has a large dominance of owned housing with 92.8 percent, while the number of rented housing in other forms remains very low, 5.3 and 1.2% respectively. The number of households has increased by 69 thousand 505 or by 23.4%.

Kurti: Census, essential for national planning and development (media)

The Kosovo Statistics Agency (KAS) announced today the results of the census of Kosovo’s population household and housing census. Kosovo Prime Minister, Albin Kurti, thanked the work of the Kosovo Statistics Agency for carrying out the census within seven weeks, from April 5 to May 24 of this year. “The publication in a completely record time, when it comes to censuses, constitutes an additional component, since qualitative statistics take time and timely statistics are of great value”, Kurti said.

He recalled that the previous census was carried out in 2011. Kurti said that thanks to advanced standards and technology, ‘an accurate picture of our rarity has been made and a new basis for developing and building the future of our country.’

He further added that the population census is more than the collection of statistics, which, according to him, is a clear picture that highlights ‘who we are, what we are, how many we are and how we are and how we can move forward.’

“Census data is essential for all aspects of national planning and development,” said Kurti, adding that they enable us to understand demographic conditions, economic and social conditions, as well as the challenges that lie ahead.

Government: Kosovo did not start the tensions in the north (Klan Kosova)

Spokesperson for the Kosovo government, Perparim Kryeziu, said that Kosovo did not start tensions in the north and that Kosovo’s institutions were constantly a target of attacks by criminal structures organized and orchestrated by Serbia. “Beyond the measures that were imposed on Kosovo, our country has been a target of two major terrorist attacks. First in Banjska near Zvecan, on September 24, 2023, where a Kosovo police sergeant was killed. And then on November 29 in Zubin Potok where a critical infrastructure came under attack. The first attack was aimed at annexing the northern part of the country. The second attack was aimed at cutting off essential services and deregulating social, civic, institutional and economic life,” he argued.

According to Kryeziu, there is no reason for the EU measures against Kosovo to remain in force. “The Republic of Kosovo has met its obligations from the Bratislava agreement. It has been six months since Borrell recommended that the measures against Kosovo should be lifted. For some time now there has been no valid reason for the measures to remain in force. We call on the EU to remove the measures as soon as possible and fully, based on the situation on the ground and the recommendation of former EU High Representative Borrell, and to turn its eyes on Serbia which has continuously engaged in an aggressive approach against Kosovo and is a source of tensions throughout the region,” he said.

Ceku's request for a visit to Presevo, rejected (Koha)

Kosovo’s Minister of Culture, Hajrulla Çeku, has been rejected for a visit to Presevo, announced the Albanian politician in the Presevo Valley, Ragmi Mustafi, who is also an advisor to the Deputy Prime Minister of Kosovo, Besnik Bislimi. Mustafi called this an attempt by Serbia to isolate Albanians. Despite the efforts, he said, the Valley will always have the support of Kosovo.

"The refusal of Minister Hajrulla Ceku's visit to Presevo is another attempt to isolate Albanians and to interrupt the cultural exchange between Kosovo and the Presevo Valley. But no one can stop the spirit of cooperation and solidarity between Albanians wherever they are. Isolation and obstacles cannot undo our historical, cultural and human connection," Mustafi wrote on Facebook.

The Mayor of Presevo, Ardita Sinani, has provided details about the ban on the entry of Kosovo’s Minister of Culture, Hajrulla Ceku, into Serbia. In a Facebook post, she said that the Serbian government refused Ceku’s entry just an hour before the planned visit.

“Last-minute refusal, another act of isolation against the Albanians of Presevo. Today, at 12:30, the visit of the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports of Kosovo, Mr. Hajrulla Ceku, to the Municipality of Presevo was planned. The Serbian government refused this visit just an hour before the planned time, violating the 48-hour response deadline, as stipulated in the Brussels Agreement.”

“This action is another evidence of attempts to isolate the Albanians of Presevo, hindering institutional cooperation and communication. "The Albanians of Presheva deserve equal treatment and respect for their rights, just like all other citizens in the region," Sinani said.

Hamza: Dialogue has degraded, Brussels agreement insufficient (media)

Candidate of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) for Prime Minister, Bedri Hamza, said in an interview with RTV21 on Wednesday that if he leads the next government after the February general elections he will be in full coordination with the international community. Commenting on the EU-facilitated dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia, Hamza said that the process has degraded. “The dialogue has degraded. The dialogue started with the final objective of mutual recognition between the Republic of Kosovo and the Republic of Serbia. Along the way, it deviated and there was also regress. The last agreements in Brussels and Ohrid do not center around mutual recognition, and they leave open the possibility of certain issues in the future. If we refer to the letters of U.S. presidents, recognition was at the center of the process,” he said.

Asked if he does not accept the Brussels and Ohrid agreements, Hamza said: “we say that they are insufficient which means that some parts need to be reviewed and amended”. He also said that UN Security Council Resolution 1244 “must not be part of the document” and that the issue of arbitration reduces the trust in Kosovo’s judicial institutions.

Konjufca meets outgoing US Ambassador Hovenier (media)

Speaker of the Kosovo Assembly, Glauk Konjufca, met on Wednesday with outgoing U.S. Ambassador to Kosovo, Jeffrey Hovenier. Konjufca thanked Hovenier for his “very important contribution to increasing cooperation between the United States of America and the Republic of Kosovo, committed to safeguarding and advancing our shared interests”. He also said that Kosovo’s institutions would continue to fully engage in strengthening relations with the U.S., “which has an irreplaceable contribution and role in our country”.

Hovenier said in a post on X: “Had a farewell call with Assembly President Glauk Konjufca this afternoon. The enduring U.S.-Kosovo partnership remains a foundation for future cooperation. I look forward to Kosovo’s continued progress and success as it advances toward full European and Euro-Atlantic integration”.

AJK condemns the death threat against Ilir Mirena (media)

The Association of Journalists of Kosovo said in a statement on Wednesday that it is alarmed by the death threat received by the journalist and head of the online media outlet "Periskopi", Ilir Mirena. “Mirena has posted a comment on Facebook in which a person wrote: "He should get a bullet, he deserves it”. AJK is deeply concerned with the life-threatening nature of the message and invites the Kosovo Police to urgently investigate the case. This threat is a continuation of other similar threats against journalists and activists in recent times. AJK again invites the Government of Kosovo and the party in power not to encourage, but to contribute to softening the aggravated public discourse against journalists and media in Kosovo,” the statement notes.

Serbian Language Media

Petkovic: First convening of Joint Commission for Missing Persons in January (RTS)

Office for Kosovo and Metohija Director Petar Petkovic said in relation to the last talks in Brussels that significant and important things were heard about Serbia, while Pristina was dissatisfied with yesterday's meeting of the EU-Western Balkans Leaders' Summit. Petkovic hoped that the Joint Commission for Missing Persons would be convened at the beginning of January. He also pointed out that during the tripartite meeting, in front of Miroslav Lajcak, he asked the representative of Pristina, Besnik Bislimi, about the formation of the Association/Community of Serbian Municipalities, to which he answered with silence.

Petkovic said in relation to the agreement on the formation of the Joint Commission for Missing Persons that cooperation between Belgrade and Pristina in finding missing persons would continue only thanks to the merits of Belgrade.

He hoped that the Joint Commission would convene at the beginning of January.

"A year and a half ago, we adopted the High-Level Declaration on Missing Persons, and after that we moved towards the adoption of work regulations and a joint commission that should support the working group, which remains the main mechanism for work when it comes to finding missing persons, which is under the auspices of the UN Special Envoy and on the other hand the International of the Red Cross Committee", recalled Petkovic.

He explained the working group has so far managed to find and discover more than 1,800 missing persons and that it was important to find the remaining 1,608, of which almost 570 were Serbs.

He pointed out the issue of finding the missing persons was primarily humanitarian, not political.

"Pristina, which wants to monopolize that issue, when we need to specifically agree on the missing, always runs away from that topic. It won't open the archives of the so-called KLA, it will not start excavations at the other nine locations for which Belgrade long ago sent its requests. On the other hand, Belgrade fulfilled all its requirements and all the places for which Pristina asked to be investigated. They were investigated, including the last location, Stavalj," explained Petkovic, as a guest of the RTS Morning news.

Pristina's silence on the topic of A/CSM (ZSO)

Petkovic said during the tripartite meeting energy, telecommunications issues, issues of Serb rights and other topics were discussed. Among the topics was the A/CSM, and that no answers were received from Pristina.

"On several occasions, I asked Mr. Bislimi the most open question. Does he accept the European draft statute for the CSM which is an important, necessary step for them to move on. He kept silent", said Petkovic, adding that he asked five times in front of Lajcak because he wanted it to be recorded that the representative of Pristina remained silent on that question.

"Because they don't want the formation of the CSM. They never wanted it and that is absolutely clear to you," says Petkovic.

He pointed out that without the A/CSM, there was no survival of Serbs in Kosovo, because that community should provide a framework for the collective and individual rights of Serbs, which ''do not exist today''.

Lajcak's mandate ends at the end of January. Petkovic believed that it would be most normal to appoint a new special envoy for the dialogue, so that they could continue with the works "tapping in place". When asked if the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina was revived at the last meeting, Petkovic replied that it never ceased to exist. According to him, Belgrade was always present in Brussels, wanting a compromise solution to be reached, as the only way in preserving peace and stability, a better life and future for the Serbs in Kosovo. He added that the problem was in Pristina.

Regarding the elections in Kosovo, Petkovic reiterated again that it was important for Serbs to be united and that as many Serbs as possible go to the polls on February 9, reported RTS.

Office for KiM: Miladinov banned from entering Kosovo, Pavicevic from visiting detained Serbs (Kosovo Online, media)

Serbian Government Office for Kosovo and Metohija said Pristina authorities banned this morning Assistant Director Svetlana Miladinov from visiting Kosovo and congratulate Serbian Orthodox believers an important Saint Nicholas Day there, while Belgrade liaison officer in Pristina, Dejan Pavicevic was banned from visiting detained Serbs, Kosovo Online portal reported.

“On one hand, it is about direct violation of the agreement on freedom of movement and it happens only two days after the last dialogue round in Brussels, which demonstrates that Albin Kurti and Besnik Bislimi do not care about the European Union, nor the dialogue process itself. During the tripartite meeting, two days ago in Brussels, we once again agreed full adherence to the agreement on official visits and yet, Pristina has trampled upon it again”, Office for KiM said in a statement.

Dejan Pavicevic was supposed to visit detained Serbs at 9.00 today and get familiar with the conditions of their stay and health, given numerous accusations of inhuman treatment and their basic human rights violations.

“These bans also showed all the weaknesses of (Albin) Kurti’s regime and confirm that his rating has been seriously shaken ahead of upcoming February 9 elections, so he attempts to reinstate it by banning Serbian representatives from visiting Kosovo and Metohija. It has been clear to us for long, but also to the international community, that Kurti finds it much more important to attempt “flexing the muscles” on Serbian people and Belgrade, than respecting dialogue and reached agreements, therefore Belgrade is left with nothing but to act same in line with Pristina’s latest acts”, Office for KiM added.

D.D. sentenced for attack on KFOR and KP last year in Zvecan (Kosovo Online, KoSSev)

The court in Pristina sentenced D.D. for the criminal offenses of co-perpetration, including assault on an official and participation in a mob committing a criminal offense and hooliganism, reported Kosovo Online, citing Reporteri. D.D. was sentenced to 18 months in prison for assault on an official, with time spent in detention to be credited toward the sentence.

For the offense of participation in a mob committing a criminal offense and hooliganism, the court sentenced him to six months in prison, which, with the defendant's consent, was substituted by a fine of €15,000 to be paid within 15 days after the verdict becomes final or, at the latest, within three months of the verdict taking effect.

Judge also stated that the defendant will remain in custody until the verdict becomes final but for no longer than the duration of the prison sentence imposed in this judgment. A separate decision will be made by the court, and the dissatisfied parties have the right to appeal this decision.

This criminal case reached its conclusion after the court approved a plea agreement between the Special Prosecution and the defendant before the verdict was announced.

According to Kosovo Online, D.D. was one of 45 Serbs against whom Kosovo Special Prosecution has filed criminal charges. Among those charged are members of the Serbian List party, including Goran Rakic, Igor Simic, Aleksandar Spiric, Dragisa Milovic, Milan Radojevic, and the already arrested Milun Milenkovic Lune.

As previously reported by Novosti, recalled Kosovo Online, other individuals “targeted by Pristina include Vucina Jankovic, Vladan Radivojevic, Danijel Smigic, and Slobodan Miletic from Zvecan, as well as Stevan Pavicevic, Lazar Dejanovic, Zivojin Sikimic, Dusan Drobac, Nikola Miljkovic, Bogdan Dimic, Dragoje Kastratovic, Stojan Antosijevic, Marko Djukic, Tomislav Kostic, Marko Danic, and Nebojsa Ordic from North Mitrovica”. The portal added that the charges stem from the events of May 29, 2023, “when members of the Kosovo special police opened fire on Serbs who were peacefully protesting, severely injuring Dragisa Galjak by shooting him in the back”.

According to Kosovo prosecution, the Serbs from Kosovo are accused of actively participating in leading criminal groups that allegedly attempted to violently prevent the establishment of Kosovo constitutional order in four northern municipalities and to re-establish Serbia's constitutional order.

They are accused of endangering persons under international protection, participating in hooliganism, and committing attacks on official personnel.

Ilir Mirena, Periskopi director, receives death threats (KoSSev)

Ilir Mirena, the director of the Pristina-based portal Periskopi, has received death threats, prompting a strong response from the Association of Journalists of Kosovo (AGK). The organization has urged the Kosovo police to conduct an urgent investigation and called on the government to refrain from fostering hostility against journalists and media outlets, KoSSev portal reported.

The Trigger: A Critical Joke

The threats emerged after the portal Nacionale published Mirena’s critical remark on social media.

The comment was aimed at a recent photo of Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti with well-known singer Edona Llalloshi, who was announced as a candidate for Kurti’s Self-Determination Movement in the upcoming elections.

A comment from a Facebook user, identified as Visar Kabashi, stated, “This man deserves a bullet.”

Mirena responded by sharing a screenshot of the comment on his Facebook page, accompanied by the message: “Militants are getting nervous. Keep that energy when the police and courts call you. Don’t be cowards there”.