UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, February 27, 2024

Albanian Language Media:

Bislimi: Serbia is refusing to sign and implement the Basic Agreement (media)
Why did the Dinar spark Kosovo-US tension? (Atlantic Council)
Gerxhaliu on the Dinar: Biggest gift for Serbia, it speeds up the Association (EO)
EULEX: Security situation in the north is stable but fragile (Gazeta Blic)
U.S. European Command on meeting with Maqedonci (media)
Svecla meets head of Institute of Crimes committed during War in Kosovo (EO)
Maqedonci: Kosovo alongside UK continues to train Ukrainian recruits (media)
Kastrati: Ready for census; online registration system for diaspora (media)
Kusari welcomes European Parliament’s adoption of anti-SLAPP directive (media)
Osmani: We are grateful for Turkiye’s enduring support (media)
Sandulovic to Lajcak: You were silent about my assassination attempt (media)
16 anniversary of Kosovo independence to be celebrated in Belgrade today (Klan)

Serbian Language Media:

Momir Stojanovic elected the new president of the Serbian National Council in KiM (Blic, N1, media)
Members of KFOR in Prizren threatened, the police arrested one person (N1, KoSSev, Kallxo)
Workers of Jumkos in Z.Potok, Kindergarten teachers in Leposavic, Roma in Gracanica, in front of Postal Savings Bank branches (Kosovo Online, KiM radio)
Petrovic and Obrenovic admitted their guilt for participating in the conflict in Zvecan (KiM radio)
Attorney Arsic: The Prosecution did not provide strong material evidence for Djokovic's guilt (Kosovo Online)
Mijacic: The last year's agreement expected to calm the tensions between Kosovo and Serbia, but it didn't happen (Kosovo Online)

Opinion:

Zarkovic: Don’t Ignore the Real Causes of Kosovo Serbs’ Population Decline (BIRN)

International:

Turkish Women's Cup 2024 football: India finish runners-up after late heartbreak against Kosovo (olympics.com)
BIRN Crew Attacked While Covering Church-Building Initiative in Kosovo (BIRN)
Serbia Investigates Allegations of Police Assault on Two LGBT People (BIRN)

Albanian Language Media

Bislimi: Serbia is refusing to sign and implement the Basic Agreement (media)

Kosovo’s Deputy Prime Minister and chief negotiator in the EU-facilitated talks with Serbia, Besnik Bislimi, said today that one year after the Basic Agreement in Brussels and the implementation annex in Ohrid, Serbia is still refusing to sign and implement the agreement. “During this one-year period, we have been faced with violations by Serbia, its escalations on the ground, the verbal and official refusal of the agreement and a continuous destructive approach,” he writes in a Facebook post.

“On February 27 in Brussels, on March 18 in Ohrid, on September 14 in Brussels, on October 26 in Brussels and on February 8 in New York, on five occasions, we offered publicly the signing of the agreement, but it was rejected. Beyond this, Serbia has violated eight articles of the Basic Agreement, its preamble, and articles of the Implementation Annex”.

“After the agreements in Brussels and Ohrid, Kosovo Serbs were blackmailed and threatened not to take part in the April [2023] local elections, a month later there were attacks against our institutions, KFOR and reporters, three police officers were kidnapped inside our territory, there was an attack on the north of our country on September 24 with the aggression act in Banjska, they moved their military troops along our border and made a clear and open threat by stating that they will not recognize the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Kosovo, and officially in writing confirmed their rejection of the Brussels Agreement through the letter of Prime Minister Brnabic in December”.

“In one year alone, all these acts and behaviors proved that Serbia is strongly obstructing the advancement on the path toward the full normalization of relations and mutual recognition”.

“Kosovo, on its side, remains constructive and engaged on this path, on the full, fair, and unconditional implementation of the Basic Agreement and the Implementation Annex, through a sequenced and balanced plan between the parties. The Brussels Agreement and its Implementation Annex must be implemented as soon as possible. The region needs development and prosperity, harmony, and good neighborly relations between all countries of the region”.

Why did the Dinar spark Kosovo-US tension? (Atlantic Council)

Several news websites cover a debrief organized by the Atlantic Council with Arian Zeka, Executive Director of the American Chamber of Commerce in Kosovo, and Dragisa Mijacic, Executive Director of the Inter Institute for Territorial Economic Development. “Kosovo’s recent ban on the dinar, aimed by the Kurti government at curbing illegal cash flow, has sparked tensions with US and the European partners and raised concerns about its impact on the Kosovo Serb community, on the normalization dialogue with Serbia, and Kosovo’s wider relationship with its western allies,” the caption of the video from the debrief notes.

Watch the debrief at: https://shorturl.at/gzC07

Gerxhaliu on the Dinar: Biggest gift for Serbia, it speeds up the Association (EO)

Former chairman of the Kosovo Chamber of Commerce, Safet Gerxhaliu, in an interview with the news website, argues that the regulation of the Central Bank of Kosovo which provides that the Serbian Dinar cannot be used for payments in Kosovo, is right but at the wrong time. He said that the decision should not have been made at a time when Kosovo is under sanctions from the European Union, and that it is “the biggest gift for Serbia”. “The decision was made at a time of Kosovo’s application at the Council of Europe, when it was expected that we could move forward in terms of the NATO Partnership for Peace program, and to make such a decision at this time it is the biggest gift someone could give to Serbia and to Serbian diplomacy,” he argued.

According to Gerxhaliu, the decision of the CBK will only accelerate the formation of the Association/Community of Serb-majority municipalities, and that Kosovo’s domestic issues are being discussed in Brussels.

EULEX: Security situation in the north is stable but fragile (Gazeta Blic)

The European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX) told the news website today that the security situation in the north of Kosovo is currently stable but that it remains fragile. “The European Union Rule of Law Mission remains vigilant and is closely monitoring all developments that impact the security of Kosovo, and the security of all communities in Kosovo,” the statement notes.

U.S. European Command on meeting with Maqedonci (media)

The United States European Command said in a post on X today that “leaders from the U.S. Department of Defense and the USEUCOM met for discussions with the Kosovo Minister of Defense to strengthen security cooperation & support the Kosovo Security Force's transition into a NATO-interoperable, multiethnic territorial defense force subject to civilian control. #StrongAndStrategic.”

Svecla meets head of Institute of Crimes committed during War in Kosovo (EO)

Kosovo’s Minister of Interior Affairs, Xhelal Svecla, met today with the Executive Director of the Institute of Crimes committed during the War in Kosovo, Atdhe Hetemi, and said that inter-institutional cooperation especially between the Department for Investigating War Crimes and the Institute of Crimes committed during the War in Kosovo “contributes to recording all evidence of crimes committed by Serbia during the war in Kosovo and helps bring all perpetrators to justice”.

Svecla briefed Hetemi on “the serious and successful engagement of Kosovo Police to bring the suspects of war crimes to justice and highlighted the commitment for close cooperation between the two institutions”.

A press release issued by the Ministry of Interior Affairs also notes that “the opening of the Institute and the engagement of all actors in strengthening it will help preserve collective memory, the institutional addressing of the genocide carried out by Serbia in Kosovo and for delivering justice for all victims”.

Maqedonci: Kosovo alongside UK continues to train Ukrainian recruits (media)

Kosovo’s Minister of Defense, Ejup Maqedonci, shared today a Facebook post by the UK Ministry of Defense which notes that the “UK and 11 partner nations stand as one to support Ukraine in the training of recruits. Op Interflex, based in the UK, has trained over 34,000 Ukrainian recruits with the help of our partners, including newest member Kosovo.”

Kastrati: Ready for census; online registration system for diaspora (media)

Acting Director of the Kosovo Agency of Statistics, Avni Kastrati, said in an interview with RTV Dukagjini that they are ready to start the census in April and that the diaspora too will be registered. He said the process will start on April 5 and end on May 17.

“Yes, we are ready for the census. But not only we the Agency of Statistics, because the project includes the municipalities, the central commission, the government … all stakeholders are on the same line and I believe there will be no challenges before we go out on the field,” he said.

“Because of developments in Kosovo, the process will also include the population living on the border of Kosovo, including the north, and the resident population that currently lives in Kosovo … We have also planned the registration of the diaspora … The online system enables everyone feeling like they are in the diaspora to be registered. There will be an online application,” he added.

Kastrati also said that the Kosovo Agency of Statistics will publish preliminary data on July 2 including the number and structure of the population at the level of municipalities.

Kusari welcomes European Parliament’s adoption of anti-SLAPP directive (media)

Media lawyer, Flutura Kusari, said in a Facebook post today that the European Parliament has adopted a directive that protects journalists from strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPP). “A historic achievement for the protection of journalists. The European Parliament just adopted the EU Directive against Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPP). Journalists, media, and activists will have greater protection from baseless lawsuits filed by bad lawyers and ill-will people with the aim of intimidating and discouraging them. I am extremely happy that as a member of the Experts Group of the European Commission, I contributed to the drafting of the directive together with a dozen other experts. The work of the Experts Group will continue to implement the directive in practice,” Kusari said.

Osmani: We are grateful for Turkiye’s enduring support (media)

Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani said in a post on X that she extended birthday greetings to Turkish President Recep Taip Erdogan. “We also discussed the excellent Kosovo – Turkiye relations & the upcoming Antalya Diplomacy Forum. We are grateful for Turkiye’s enduring support,” Osmani said.

Sandulovic to Lajcak: You were silent about my assassination attempt (media)

Several news websites report that Nikola Sandulovic, leader of the Republican Party in Serbia, has reacted to a post by EU Special Representative Miroslav Lajcak about his meeting with representatives of the Serbian opposition. Sandulovic writes in a post on X: “This is not the real Serbian opposition! The real Serbian opposition, which is the real opponent of your beloved Aleksandar Vucic, which wants, can and knows how to solve the issue of Kosovo and Serbia, , the one which sincerely wants to bring Serbia into the EU and NATO, which wants and can to get rid of Russian and Chinese influence in Serbia, is only the Republican Party with me at the head! You Miroslav Lajcak were silent about my assassination attempt by your lover Aleksandar Vucic, just like this false opposition of yours and Vučić's was silent! You Miroslav Lajcak can't represent anyone else because your policy on the issue of resolving the Kosovo and Serbian issues experienced a human and political fiasco! I am looking forward to your speedy change and the responsibility you have to bear for all your manifestos that you carried out with the Serbian dictator and this fake Serbian opposition of yours!”

16 anniversary of Kosovo independence to be celebrated in Belgrade today (Klan)

The TV station reports that a ceremony celebrating the 16th anniversary of Kosovo’s independence will be held at Kosovo’s Liaison Office in Belgrade today. Nevzad Lutfiu, leader of the Albanian National Council in Serbia, who is invited to the ceremony, told Klan Kosova that the ceremony is organized by Ambassador Jetish Jashari, head of the liaison office. Lutfiu said that this is the second year that the ceremony is held and that everything went well during the ceremony last year. Different personalities from the public life in Serbia have also been invited to the event.

Serbian Language Media

Momir Stojanovic elected the new president of the Serbian National Council in KiM (Blic, N1, media)

Former member of the presidency Momir Stojanovic was elected as the new president of the Serbian National Council (SNV) of KiM, SNV announced today.

The announcement states that at the session of the Presidency of the SNV of KiM held in Belgrade, the Statute of the SNV was adopted, and the situation after the resignation of the recent president, Nenad Kojic, was also discussed.

- The presidency noted that in order to break up the SNV, pressure and blackmail were applied to the former president with the aim of breaking up the SNV. After the discussion, the presidency, while not accepting the explanation, noted the resignation and assessed that, unfortunately, the previous president, Nenad Kojic, accepted to participate in the destruction of the organization that only two months before, unanimously elected him as its president at the Parliament - the announcement reads.

The announcement added that the recent president did not respond to the invitation, even though he was invited to the session where he was supposed to explain the reasons for his resignation to his colleagues.

Momir Stojanovic is a retired general and former director of the Military Security Agency.

Members of KFOR in Prizren threatened, the police arrested two person (N1, KoSSev, Kallxo)

While they were visiting the Prizren village of Ljubicevo, members of the Italian KFOR were threatened with death by two persons, reported N1 yesterday. KiM radio reported today, citing KP daily report that two persons were arrested.

The news was confirmed for Kallxo by the spokesperson of the Kosovo police, Shaqir Bitiqi, reports portal KoSSev, citing Kallxo. Bitiqi says that the police patrol went to the scene and contacted the carabinieri.

They stated that while they were staying in a bar in the village, two suspects first approached them insulting them, and then one of them threatened to kill them.

"The police patrol went to the scene and contacted the carabinieri who stated that the suspects, while they were staying in a bar in the village, first approached them insulting them, and then one of the suspects threatened them with murder, telling them that he would 'go home to take a Kalashnikov and kill them all,'’ Bitiqi told Kallxo.com, according to KoSSev.

The police spokesman says that the suspects then drove off in the direction of Prizren.

Police have arrested one of the suspects, while the other has been identified and is being sought.

The media reported during the day that the KP daily report stated that two people were arrested yesterday, Monday, after they threatened KFOR members with death in a restaurant.

Workers of Jumkos in Z.Potok, Kindergarten teachers in Leposavic, Roma in Gracanica, in front of Postal Savings Bank branches (Kosovo Online, KiM radio)

Portal Kosovo Online reports that today around hundred citizens, mostly female workers of 'Jumkos' textile factory, were waiting in front the Postal Savings Bank (Postanska Stedionica) his morning, around a hundred citizens were present, trying to raise their salaries provided by the state of Serbia.

The workers of the “Jumkos” factory have pointed out that they have no other income and that dinars are their only income, from which they feed their children, buy medicine, and pay their bills.

“Pristina is letting us know every day that it is trying to close all the doors of help for us, as well as that there is no place for us in the area,” one of the workers, Stana Djukic, told Kosovo Online. She added that the salary was due a few days ago, but they were unable to collect it.

“Someone can go to central Serbia to get money, but most of them can’t,” she said.

Angelina Đorđević stated that they can only withdraw up to five thousand dinars. “It is difficult for us, we want to realize our rights, to stay and survive here in Kosovo,” she said. The gathered Serbs also state, among other things, that many of them are unable to go to Serbia for their money, because they do not have the funds for the trip, reported Kosovo Online.

An unsuccessful rally of Roma against the dinar decision

A group of Roma from Gracanica gathered this morning in front of the Post Office of Serbia in this place with the intention of protesting against the Regulation of the Central Bank of Kosovo and the lack of dinars for payments, reported KiM radio.

The report added that the rally ended immediately after the people gathered and after the arrival of members of the Kosovo Police. KiM radio learned that the protest was not reported to the Police.

Naser Jasarevic from Gracanica receives his salary from the budget of the Republic of Serbia. “Now we have no income, we have no place to receive a salary, we manage as best we can... We have children, they go to school, that’s the only income we have. How we manage, we eat and drink what we have. To tell you the truth, it is difficult for medicines, we have no money, and we ourselves buy everything (meaning they have to buy the medicines). The other day, my wife was sick, medicine needed to be bought and there was no money. It’s unbelievable that you don’t have any income, it’s a disaster. We have no life here,” Jasarevic said.

Apart from Jasarevic, none of the gathered Roma wanted to speak to the media. Among them was Gazmen Salijevic, civil activist, and representative of the Municipality of Gracanica, reported KiM radio.

Kindergarten teachers in Leposavic say they are on the verge of existence

In a separate media report, Kosovo Online says that today in Leposavic, in front of the Postal Savings Bank branch, about fifty teachers and workers of preschool institutions gathered to point out the increasingly difficult situation for withdrawing earned money. They called on the international community to react and ensure a normal life for the Serbs in these areas, because due to the current situation and the abolition of the dinar, as they told Kosovo Online, they are on the verge of existence.

Petrovic and Obrenovic admitted their guilt for participating in the conflict in Zvecan (KiM radio)

Dusan Obrenovic and Rados Petrovic, accused of participating in the protest in Zvecan last May, during which there was a conflict with members of KFOR, pleaded guilty before the Basic Court in Pristina, KiM radio reports.

The defense of the two Serbs made an agreement with the prosecutor, so they were sentenced to six months in prison. Obrenovic has already served his sentence in custody, while Petrovic is obliged to pay the conversion of the sentence to a fine in the amount of six thousand euros, as he was previously released on bail.

KiM radio recalls that the Special Prosecutor's Office charged two Serbs with four crimes: attack on the constitutional order of Kosovo, attack on international personnel under international protection, attack on an official and participation in a crowd that commits criminal acts.

During the investigative procedure, three criminal offenses were dropped, so Petrovic and Obrenovic were charged only for participating in the protest that escalated, in which KFOR soldiers were attacked.

The defense and the prosecutor made an agreement for that crime.

Attorney Arsic: The Prosecution did not provide strong material evidence for Djokovic's guilt (Kosovo Online)

Vasilije Arsic, the defense attorney of Milorad Djokovic from Vitomirica, who is charged with an alleged war crime, said after today's witness hearing that the defense's assessment is that the prosecution did not provide strong material evidence to prove Djokovic's guilt.

In the presence of defendant Milorad Djokovic and lawyers Vasilije Arsic and Dejan A. Vasic, the evidentiary hearing of the prosecution's witnesses began today in front of the Special Department of the Basic Court in Pristina, reported Kosovo Online.

"The prosecution accuses Djokovic of participating in the murder of 14 civilians in the village of Ozdrim in May 1999. According to the defense, we think that the prosecution did not provide strong material evidence to prove the guilt of the accused Djokovic. On the other hand, the defense has its own conception, which we believe will be difficult to achieve, because the greater number of witnesses are in central Serbia and Montenegro. In the investigation, the prosecution itself refers to several witnesses who were not heard, and for this reason we believe that the investigation was not conducted well enough to prove the basis of the indictment. The proceedings are ongoing, and as a defense, we will do everything to defend Djokovic against the accusations," said lawyer Vasilije Arsić.

Arsic pointed out that the impression was that Djokovic was being accused when he started to settle his property rights.

"What is interesting for Djokovic is that this case was initiated in 2017, and he has been in Vitomirica since 2008 as a returnee. He is the only Serb who returned to Vitomirica and lived there in his house, and from 2008 to 2017 he did not have any problem regarding the accusation, even though it is an event from 1999. The impression is that when he started to sort out his property rights in Kosovo, when he regained the land and built a house, he began to suspect that he had committed a war crime. So, one gets the impression that there are tendencies," Arsic concluded.

Djokovic was arrested in June 2022. A year after his arrest, Djokovic pleaded not guilty to the charges against him at the trial.

Until his arrest, Djokovic was the only Serb living in Vitomirica, where his house was burned down in the March 2004 pogrom.

A few years before his arrest, Djokovic started a process with the local authorities in Pec regarding the plot of land he once received from the municipality and on which he built a house. Although a final court decision was made, the house was never re-registered in Djokovic's name.

In the meantime, Djokovic received the news in prison that his house had been demolished.

Mijacic: The last year's agreement expected to calm the tensions between Kosovo and Serbia, but it didn't happen (Kosovo Online)

“Following the agreement on the path to normalization between Kosovo and Serbia on February 27 last year, it was expected that the situation in Kosovo, as well as in relations between Kosovo and Serbia, would normalize to calm tensions and attempt to find a solution to the accumulated political problems, however, unfortunately, this did not happen,” says Dragisa Mijacic, Coordinator of the National Convention for Chapter 35, reported Kosovo Online in English.

Read more at: http://tinyurl.com/2ezknn3b

Opinion

Zarkovic: Don’t Ignore the Real Causes of Kosovo Serbs’ Population Decline (BIRN)

Opinion piece by Jelena Zarkovic, a professor at the Faculty of Economics and Business at the University of Belgrade.

A recent paper by a Berlin-based think tank suggesting that the declining numbers of Serbs in Kosovo are not unusual in terms of wider demographic trends misses some of the underlying reasons – concerns about human rights and personal security as well as economic hardship.

If a decline in school enrolment for primary school children in Leskovac in southern Serbia is similar to the decline in Zubin Potok in Kosovo, could one assume that the reasons behind it are the same?

Fertility rates are generally low among Serbs and we know that many emigrate in search of a better life abroad. So the explanation for this population decline must be the same, no matter if the Serbs live in Knjazevac in eastern Serbia or in the Gorazdevac enclave in Kosovo?

Well, this is the assumption that underpins the conclusions in a recent European Stability Initiative, ESI ‘background paper’ entitled ‘Invented Pogroms: Statistics, Lies and Confusion in Kosovo’.

The report’s authors note that among the Serb population of Kosovo there has been “a dramatic population decline from 2002 to 2024 of around 22%. A look at the numbers of primary school students from 2004 to 2024 shows the same trend, here with a decline of around 26%.”

International

Turkish Women's Cup 2024 football: India finish runners-up after late heartbreak against Kosovo (olympics.com)

The Indian women’s football team lost the match 1-0 after Ereleta Memeti scored for Kosovo in injury time.

India lost 1-0 to Kosovo in their final match of the Turkish Women's Cup 2024 football tournament at the Gold City Sports Complex in Alanya, Turkey, on Tuesday.

Needing a victory in the game to win its first-ever senior title outside the SAFF region, the Indian women’s football team put on a valiant effort before succumbing to an injury time goal from Ereleta Memeti.

Kosovo, with three victories and nine points, won the four-national invitational football tournament while India finished runners-up with six points, logging their best performance in three appearances at the competition.