UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, January 17, 2023

Albanian Language Media:

Kurti: Serbia is trying to regain influence in Kosovo, Bosnia and Montenegro (media)
KPC says Haxhiu’s statements about treating war crimes are not true (Koha)
LDK blames the government for increase in imports from Serbia (Reporteri)
Krasniqi: Kurti interrupted ex-KLA fighter, and praised Ivanovic (media)
Gucati & Haradinaj case: Appeal judgement on 2 February (media)
Abbott: Past should not be forgotten, but Kosovo and Serbia must make compromises (Klan)
Jahjaga: NATO and U.S. crucial role for security in Europe and the world (media)
“Municipalities concerned with govt’s tendency to interfere in local level” (Koha)

Serbian Language Media:

Kosovo Govt passes decision on expropriation of land in north Kosovo (N1)
Petkovic says Kurti generates crises again, expects EU reaction to land expropriation in Leposavic (Kosovo Online, Tanjug)
Serbian List reacts to decision to expropriate land in Leposavic (Kosovo Online)
Vucic: Community of Municipalities must be formed for Serbs to return to Pristina's institutions (Tanjug)
Kurti on late Oliver Ivanovic in 2023 and three years prior to it (KoSSev)
Fajon: BG and PR to work on further steps to prevent escalation because people are afraid (KoSSev)
Vucic met UK Envoy Peach: Serbia committed to preserving peace, formation of ZSO key issue (RTV)
Grenell for RTS: Mutual recognition does not bring food to table, economic development needed
Vucic to attend World Economic Forum meeting in Davos (Tanjug, media)
Dussey: Togo's derecognition of Kosovo definitive (Tanjug)

Opinion:

The difference between Pristina and Belgrade (peacefare.net)
I saw my fellow Albanians in Kosovo die from afar (BIRN)
Serbia and Kosovo – rejecting or accepting guilt (Kosovo 2.0)

Albanian Language Media

Kurti: Serbia is trying to regain influence in Kosovo, Bosnia and Montenegro (media)

The Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, in an interview with the Swiss newspaper Tages-Anzeiger, stated that Serbia is trying to create pan-Slavic hegemony in the Balkans. According to him, Serbia is trying to return influence on Bosnia, Kosovo and Montenegro. "Serbia wants the Republic of Serbs in Bosnia, Montenegro and northern Kosovo, wants to return them into sphere of influence. The same as Russia behaves with Belarus and Ukraine. Our problem is that our Western partners believe that Serbia is being guided only by opportunism, that it is waiting for the end of the Putin era and then it will be clearly oriented towards Europe. This is naïve," Kurti said.

Journalist Stephan Israel also asked Kurti about the statements of the Head of the EU's foreign policy, Josep Borrell, who accused him of being the main obstacle to blocking normalization talks with Serbia and why he does not implement agreements such as those on the autonomy of a Serbian association of municipalities. Kurti emphasized that Serbia insists on the Association of Serb-majority municipalities to make Kosovo, like Bosnia, a state within the state. "In the last ten years, we have signed 33 agreements with Serbia. Almost nothing has been implemented. Some of these agreements would also be in our interest, but Belgrade always insists on the autonomy of municipalities with a Serb majority. Why do you think that is? Serbia wants Kosovo, like Bosnia, to have a state within a state with Republika Srpska, i.e. to become non-functional. I told Vucic that if he really wants to do something for the Serb minority, he should recognise Kosovo. He cannot say that Kosovo is a "fake state" and at the same time demand municipal autonomy within this state. It's like ordering tea without a cup. We are not stupid," Kurti added.

“Aleksandar Vucic expects Donald Trump's return to Washington more than the end of the war in Ukraine. 80 percent of the population has a positive opinion of Vladimir Putin. Serbia sees itself as part of a pan-Slavic, Orthodox sphere outside of Europe," Kurti continued. Kurti emphasized that the EU should think about whether it wants to continue providing funds without conditions. According to him, Belgrade has not approved sanctions against Moscow and gets cheaper gas from Russia. He added that for Belgrade, relations with Russia and also with China have priority and this should have a price.

Kurti also said that said that Serbia has never distanced itself from Slodoban Milosevic's policy.

KPC says Haxhiu’s statements about treating war crimes are not true (Koha)

Kosovo’s Prosecutorial Council (KPC) said in a statement today that Minister of Justice Albulena Haxhiu made untrue remarks when she said that the prosecutorial system led by former chief prosecutor Aleksander Lumezi lacked the readiness and interest to seriously address war crimes committed in Kosovo.

KPC said that four prosecutors, and six professional associates and two legal officers were appointed at the Department for War Crimes in the Special Prosecution of Kosovo.

The Council said that “72 international arrest warrants were issued for suspects of war crimes; concrete investigative actions were carried out to reveal the perpetrators of the criminal acts and those that ordered them; dozens of charges were filed; a database was prepared at the Special Prosecution of the Republic of Kosovo to address war crimes and the database was harmonised with the database of the Kosovo Police. With the initiative of former chief prosecutor Lumezi, the strategy for treating war crimes cases was drafted and adopted. These and numerous other actions were carried out on a daily basis to investigate war crimes committed in Kosovo”.

The Council also said that it appreciates Lumezi’s work and that “any tendency to discredit the institutional achievements implies marginalising state achievements”.

LDK blames the government for increase in imports from Serbia (Reporteri)

The Democratic League of Kosovo has said that during 2022, Serbia has increased imports by a full 70 million euros.

The Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) has said that during 2022, Serbia has increased imports by € 70 million.

In a post on Facebook, this political party noted that wrong policies of the Kurti government continue to favour Serbia’s economic presence in Kosovo.

“During the year 2022. Serbia has increased imports to a total of €70 million. With €370 million of import per year, Serbia during the mandate of this government has reached a new record.

The wrong policies of the Kurti government continue to favor Serbia’s economic presence in Kosovo. Complaining about the past does not improve the economy and does not solve the problems of the future. We need concrete actions and not empty promises and words,” reads the LDK reaction.

Imports from Serbia in the last year have increased by about 21.7 percent, or over €66 million.

Krasniqi: Kurti interrupted ex-KLA fighter, and praised Ivanovic (media)

The leader of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) Memli Krasniqi, said that Prime Minister Albin Kurti and his government did not allow the mayor of Recak, Adem Ramadani (former KLA soldier) to speak at the commemoration ceremony of the Recak massacre on Saturday.

"You have to be unscrupulous and extremely ungrateful, like Albin Kurti, to mind the words of freedom fighters and their presence in public activities," Krasniqi said.

"The government bans the speech of the mayor of Recak, former KLA fighter, Adem Ramadani, at the Memorial Academy for the 24th anniversary of the Recak Massacre, just because he was going to mention Hashim Thaci and Kadri Veseli in the speech, unfortunately , it is in the wake of successive attacks that this prime minister is making on the values of the liberation war and our veterans," he said.

"While, as if for irony and shamelessness, Albin Kurti yesterday spoke good words and praised only Oliver Ivanovic - whom, while he was alive, he himself accused of killing and expelling Albanians in Mitrovica during the war. After the war, Albin's beloved Ivanovic was the head of the "Bridge Guards" who, through violence and terror, kept the city of Mitrovica divided," he said.

"I understand to some extent the historical jealousy of a fake veteran like Albin Kurti, but the disparagement of the veterans of the Kosovo Liberation Army will never pass in front of us and the citizens of Kosovo. Shame!" Krasniqi wrote.

Gucati & Haradinaj case: Appeal judgement on 2 February (media)

Most news websites cover a press release issued by the Specialist Chambers of Kosovo noting that “today, 16 January 2023, the Court of Appeals Panel scheduled the pronouncement of the appeal judgement in the Hysni Gucati and Nasim Haradinaj case for 2 February 2023 at 14:00.”

Abbott: Past should not be forgotten, but Kosovo and Serbia must make compromises (Klan)

The British ambassador to Kosovo Nicholas Abbott, held on Tuesday a conversation with the students of the Faculty of Philosophy. Abbott told them that the past should not be forgotten, but that Kosovo and Serbia should make compromises.

"I am very proud that the United Kingdom is with Kosovo at every step. The past between Kosovo and Serbia should not be forgotten, but a compromise should be made," he said.

"In the Western Balkans, no country should question the future. Although the United Kingdom has left the European Union, we fully support the future of Europe."

"Today we have no greater priority than to support Ukraine until its liberation. Since last summer, we have seen many, many Albanians going to Great Britain, and this constitutes a problem in itself," Abott said.

Jahjaga: NATO and U.S. crucial role for security in Europe and the world (media)

Former President of Kosovo, Atifete Jahjaga, said that NATO and the United States of America have a crucial role for security in Europe and the world. She wrote in a Facebook post that she made these remarks during a discussion with the heads of some of the biggest global companies during the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

“During my address I focused on the crossroads that Europe is in, faced with geopolitical challenges, the consequences of the war in Ukraine, tensions in the Taiwan Strait, and the importance of safeguarding peace in the Balkans Peninsula. Security is the key precondition for sustainable economic development and therefore it is especially important for us to work actively, together with all stakeholders, to keep the impact on the citizens as low as possible. The role of NATO and especially the role of the United States is crucial in safeguarding security in the continent and the world,” Jahjaga wrote.

“Municipalities concerned with govt’s tendency to interfere in local level” (Koha)

Director of the Association of Kosovo Municipalities (AKK), Sazan Ibrahimi, said in an interview with KTV that there are concerns over what he called the central government’s tendencies to take the budget and competencies from the municipalities. “We analysed what happened since the meeting in September last year, the meeting in January between [Prime Minister] Kurti and the mayors, and we noticed that there was regress on two points. In September, the mayors were asked to initiate the fourth grant for capital investments in municipalities and there was a tendency to take funds from own incomes from the Ministry of Finance, but this was stopped by the Kosovo Assembly,” he said.

Ibrahimi argued that despite the request from the municipalities, the draft law on local finances, which foresaw the initiation of the fourth grant, was removed from the legislative agenda.

He said he hopes that such cases when pledges were not respected and there were tendencies to take funds from the municipalities are not repeated in the future.

Ibrahimi also said that mayors have complained about an unequal division of the budget.

Serbian Language Media

Kosovo Govt passes decision on expropriation of land in north Kosovo (N1)

The Kosovo Government adopted a decision on declaring immovable property a special public interest that, it said, is necessary for the implementation of infrastructure projects in the territory of the Leposavic municipality in north Kosovo.

The property in question is the cadastral area of Dren and Lesak, N1 reports citing KoSSev.

Under the Kosovo Government decision, the implementation of these “infrastructure projects of public interest” requires the initiation and implementation of expropriation procedures and valuation of all the registered owners’ property, said the statement.

In mid-December the Kosovo Government also declared certain immovable property a special public interest for the implementation of infrastructure projects in Saljska Bistrica, Leposavic municipality, and in Jasenovik, in the territory of the Zubin Potok municipality, north Kosovo.

It is in these municipalities that a number of Kosovo police special unit bases were recently built.

Expropriation of private land, that is, the construction of a number of bases in these municipalities’ hamlets caused the locals’ concern, who described the situation as occupation. They fear that these bases will in future be turned into military bases.

Petkovic says Kurti generates crises again, expects EU reaction on land expropriation in Leposavic (Kosovo Online, Tanjug)

Office for Kosovo and Metohija Director Petar Petkovic said Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti is once again generating crises with unilateral moves to the detriment of the Serbian people, Kosovo Online portal reports.

Petkovic pointed out on Twitter that he had informed the international community about Pristina’s decision to seize Serbian land in Leposavic.

“I informed Miroslav Lajčák and international representatives about Priština’s decision to seize Serbian land in Leposavić. We know very well that last time expropriation led to the construction of illegal bases. Kurti is again generating crises with unilateral moves, to the detriment of the Serbian people”, Petkovic said in a post on Twitter.

He added he expects a reaction from the EU to this issue.

Serbian List reacts to decision to expropriate land in Leposavic (Kosovo Online)

Serbian List in reaction to the decision of Pristina government to expropriate land in two settlements within Leposavic municipality said Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti despite already high tensions does not end with unilateral acts creating additional instability in northern Kosovo, Kosovo Online portal reports.

“By decision to confiscate the properties in Leposavic municipality Pristina directly interferes into internal life of Serbian municipalities and by its legal violence attempts to provoke reaction of the Serbian people already familiar with previous experience and aware that this decision goes to the detriment of our population”, Serbian List said.

Added that despite the clearly voiced intent of Serbs to preserve the peace and contribute to defusing tensions, Kurti, as they said, constantly creates new problems and makes the already fragile situation worse.

The Serbian List called upon the international community “to stop Kurti on time and not allow new jeopardy of the fragile peace in those areas”. They also said they will not allow implementation of activities that “aim at further militarization of the north, occupations of our municipalities and reinforced presence of his (Kurti’s) special or some other units in northern Kosovo and Metohija because their presence for months generates problems, and at the same is illegal and runs contrary to the interests of our citizens”, Serbian List said.

Former Leposavic mayor and Interim Municipal Authority President Zoran Todic said Pristina continues with unilateral and illegal expropriations of properties in northern Kosovo, without the consent of population and local authorities and even without consultation with them.

He said by doing so Pristina authorities do not respect their own legal provisions, as the law stipulates consultation with local population and holding public discussion on matters as such.

He also said he expects the international community to react and prevent such Pristina's acts.

Vucic: Community of Municipalities must be formed for Serbs to return to Pristina's institutions (Tanjug)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic says the establishment of a Community of Serb Municipalities in Kosovo is a condition for a return of local Serbs to Pristina's institutions, Tanjug news agency reports.

"It is a condition set by Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija, not by Serbia. It must be formed before a return to the institutions can happen. The Serbs can be police officers in the north (of Kosovo), but only when they have a Community of Serb Municipalities", Vucic told TV Happy talk show Monday evening.

When asked what international negotiators said about that, Vucic responded that some would like a Community of Serb Municipalities to be an organisation "printing pencils and lighters with CSM written on them".

Commenting on Serbia-US relations, Vucic said good ties with Washington were very important for Serbia.

"The Americans are not on Serbia's side now - they are looking for a way to act in a rational and serious manner rather than waste their strength and energy on someone else because they have focused all their strength on Russia", he said.

"Can we make some use of that? Perhaps, tactically, but strategically, it would not be easy to do. In any case, good relations with America are important to us, whether someone likes it or not", Vucic said.

Kurti on late Oliver Ivanovic in 2023 and three years prior to it (KoSSev)

Yesterday was the fifth anniversary since the assassination of Civic Initiative Freedom, Democracy, Justice leader Oliver Ivanovic. Ivanovic was gunned down in front of his party premises in Mitrovica North, on January 16, 2018. The organisers and perpetrators of this crime are still unknown, KoSSev portal reports.

It adds that for the first time, Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti paid tribute to late Ivanovic in a video message in Serbian with words of praise. Three years ago, the portal recalls, Kurti claimed that Ivanovic was a war criminal.

“Oliver Ivanovic was a person dedicated to fighting for the interests of his community and city. He did this by being open, honest, always sharp on the issues that mattered, but also respectful to those with whom he disagreed. I would like his memory to remain alive, his memory as a man who worked for a stable future and for a multiethnic Kosovo", reads part of Kurti’s message yesterday. According to Kurti the crime of taking the life of Oliver Ivanovic also killed political pluralism among the Serbs.

Reporting further on this issue KoSSev writes that Kurti spoke of Oliver Ivanovic as a criminal also after his murder.

In an interview to Jugoslav Cosic, former director of N1 Belgrade upon his insistence with counterargument questions that he called Ivanovic a war criminal, in attempt to back up his claims Kurti mentioned the book of Bernard Kouchner in which he allegedly claimed so, through the bridge watchers to the statement that he thinks “Oliver Ivanovic switched the side from Belgrade’s point of view and started cooperating with EULEX”.

In an interview to Life in Kosovo (Kallxo), Kurti said one of the explanations for the murder of Oliver Ivanovic could be the result of his involvement in the war crimes.

“Because of the court punishment and because many witnesses have seen Oliver Ivanovic in different paramilitary formations….criminal among others, he is also a witness to this crime and someone could eliminate him as a witness of such crime at the time he had very bad relations with Vucic”, the portal quotes Kurti as saying.

Also, in an interview for N1 Sarajevo, three months after Ivanovic’s murder, Kurti said “it was clear that he was Vucic’s enemy. I also think that Oliver Ivanovic was a war criminal. EULEX war crimes judges convicted him to nine years. However he was such a type of criminal, who most probably regretted his deeds and perhaps agreed to become a witness in order to testify about Serbian crimes – committed in Kosovo during the war”.

KoSSev portal also posted videos containing those statements.

Opinion

The difference between Pristina and Belgrade (peacefare.net)

Opinion piece by Daniel Serwer, US analyst on the Balkans:

Derek Chollet, Counselor at the State Department, is the highest-ranking US government official dealing with the Balkans these days. He was in Pristina and Belgrade last week. What should we understand from his tweets about the trip?

The caveats

First: the caveats. We don’t know whether Chollet tweets for himself or has staffers do it. He surely supervises the tweeting, but that might be after the fact, not necessarily before. Nor should we expect tweets to reveal anything the US government regards as confidential. But tweets have become a main vehicle for getting into the public domain a diplomat’s narrative about trips and meetings. So it is worth some time and mental energy to interpret them.

Pristina

Derek began his trip on January 11 with this meeting and tweet:

Had a wide-ranging conversation with Kosovan journalists today. Once again commended for immediate and strong solidarity with Ukraine & discussed our perspective on ASM and next steps for the EU-facilitated, US-supported Dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia.

That “Kosovan” may signal that there was at least one Serb journalist in the group. Albanians in Kosovo refer to themselves as Kosovars; Kosovan is an accepted way of referring to “citizens of Kosovo,” regardless of ethnicity. I can’t imagine why he would commend journalists for their solidarity with Ukraine. More pertinent was his mention of the Association of Serb-majority Municipalities (ASM), which the Americans are pressing hard. So no real surprises here, but a pretty clear indication of priorities: Ukraine, dialogue, ASM.

Read full piece at: https://bit.ly/3H7ORJc

I Saw My Fellow Albanians in Kosovo Die from Afar (BIRN)

Opinion piece by Arber Gashi, an activist and ethnographer who has a BA in History from Goldsmiths, University of London and a MA in Gender, Sexuality and Culture from Birkbeck, University of London.

Born in Britain after his family fled ethnic persecution in Kosovo, Arber Gashi discovered how his fellow Albanians suffered during wartime when he saw images of mass graves online. He argues now that the victims deserve to be treated with more care and respect.

The images published of mass graves and mass burials that happened because of the Kosovo war significantly shaped the associations I established with Kosovo and my identity.

These associations were supported by the intergenerational trauma within my community. “War has a catastrophic effect on the health and wellbeing of nations,” psychiatric experts R. Srinivasa Murthy and Rashmi Lakshminarayana wrote in their research paper ‘Mental Health Consequences of War’. I believe this is also true for those of us who live in the diaspora – but it expresses itself in a different way.

Having been born in London, I fully acknowledge the privilege afforded to my family and me. I did not experience the Kosovo war first-hand, but I cannot say it left me completely unscathed.

Kosovo had its autonomy revoked in 1989, and Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic’s system instigated policies, rescinding people’s social, economic, political, and cultural freedoms. The Kosovo Albanian people and authorities resisted; however, the situation intensified, resulting in the beginning of the Kosovo war in February 1998.