UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, July 22, 2024

Albanian Language Media:

Kosovo’s leaders honor Biden, “one of Kosovo’s greatest friends” (media)
EU Council decides to lift visas for Kosovo Serbs with Serbian passports (media)
Szunyog holds farewell meetings with Kurti and Bislimi (media)
Political leaders’ statements on 14th anniversary of ICJ ruling on Kosovo (media)
Sources: Vucic met with Radoicic in Kragujevac in early July (RTK)
AJK condemns threats against journalists after reports on Faton Hajrizi (media)
Vehicles of Radoicic’s group now used by Kosovo Police (media)

Serbian Language Media:

Full text of the Serbia-EU memorandum (N1)
Vucic: Decision not to impose sanctions on Russia was the right call (N1, BETA)
Dacic: Pristina trying to avoid responsibility in connection with the murder of police officer Nikola Krsmanovic (Tanjug, TV Pink)
Lawyer: Note a single out of 35 witnesses saw Bajrovic taking part in murders of civilians (KoSSev)
EU Council made decision to abolish visas for Coordination Directorate passport holders (Kosovo Online)
Nemec welcomes decision on visa abolishment, says unacceptable that group of people remains discriminated against (Kosovo Online)
Shahini: Diaspora keeps Kosovo's economy stable (KiM radio, Slobodno srpski)

International:

Second generation immigrants: Kosovo Albanians making their mark in Swiss business landscape (Prishtina Insight)

Humanitarian/Development:

Fashion and Sports: Balkan Olympic Teams’ Outfits Introduced (Balkan Insight)

Albanian Language Media

Kosovo’s leaders honor Biden, “one of Kosovo’s greatest friends” (media)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti said in a post on X today that for decades U.S. President Joe Biden has been one of Kosovo’s greatest friends and most tireless advocates. “President Biden’s announcement marks the end of an era. The world — and especially Kosova — is a better and safer place due to his remarkable contributions. For that, we will always be grateful,” he said.

Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani said in a post on X that “from his days as a U.S. Senator to his tenure as Vice President, and now as President, Joe Biden, has always championed Kosovo’s freedom, independence, and democracy. The gratitude of the people of Kosovo will always remain profound”.

Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) leader M emli Krasniqi said in a Facebook post that “Kosovo and its people are lucky and very happy to have had such a vocal and important supporter” as President Biden. “Without you, the success story of our state would not have been the same. This success will remain an eternal testament of this special bond,” he said.

EU Council decides to lift visas for Kosovo Serbs with Serbian passports (media)

Most news websites cover a statement by the EU Council today which notes that it adopted “a regulation ensuring that the whole Western Balkan region is subject to the same visa regime, by removing the exclusion previously applied to holders of Serbian passports issued by the Serbian Coordination Directorate”.

The statement also notes:

Next steps

Today’s adoption by the Council concludes the legislative process. As soon as the regulation enters into force, which will happen on the 20th day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the EU, it will become applicable in all EU member states.

Background

Since December 2009, holders of Serbian biometric passports were exempted from the visa requirement when travelling to the Schengen area. One category of holders of Serbian passports was excluded from the visa requirement exemption at the time, namely the holders of passports issued by the Serbian Coordination Directorate in Belgrade.

On 16 November 2023, the Commission published a proposal to remove this exclusion by amending Regulation (EU) 2018/1806, thus enabling all citizens of the Western Balkan region to benefit from visa-free travel to the Schengen area.

Koha news website notes that the decision will affect around 18,000 Serbs living in Kosovo that are equipped with the Serbian passports.

Klisman Kadiu, advisor to Kosovo Deputy Prime Minister Besnik Bislimi, told Telegrafi today that they are disappointed by the EU’s decision. “We express our disappointment with the decision taken by the European Union on ‘visa liberalization’ for the holders of illegal passports issued by Serbian authorities for Kosovo Serb citizens. Any decision by the European Union does not undo the fact that those passports remain illegal, in full violation of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of our state, and as a result they are unacceptable for the Republic of Kosovo. Our authorities will continue not to recognize those passports,” he is quoted as saying.

Kadiu argued that “every citizen of the country, from every community, is fully entitled to benefit from visa free travel, through the passport of the Republic of Kosovo”. “Therefore the justification that the holders of these illegal passports will remain isolated is inaccurate and in full discordance with the reality. Unexplainable is also the hastiness to make this decision, without verifying the facts on the grounds, without analyzing the implications which could and will follow the enforcement of the decision, and without consulting the institutions of our state from the beginning,” he argued.

According to Kadiu, today’s decision by the EU damages the continuous efforts for the integration of the Serb community in Kosovo.

Deputy leader of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) Vlora Citaku writes in a Facebook post that “the passports issued by Serbia’s parallel structures got the seal of legitimacy by the EU today. What a political and diplomatic debacle for the Kurti government. This is where the infantile and adventurous behaviors of this government have brought Kosovo”.

MP from the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), Ariana Musliu Shoshi, in a Facebook post recalls a statement by former Assembly Speaker Kadri Veseli who said that “Albin Kurti would bring back Serbia to Kosovo” and argues that this is no longer just a bad omen. “With the decision of the EU Council to recognize the illegal passports that Serbia issues to Kosovo Serbs, where Kosovo is presented as part of Serbia, this is now a fact. The Government of Kosovo, with anti-national policies and an extreme lack of competency has enabled what they themselves called ‘interference in the sovereignty of the state’. There is no more time, this government needs to be stopped at any cost. The damages are irreparable by the day,” she argued.

Leader of the Social Democratic Party, Dardan Molliqaj, claims in a Facebook post that today’s decision is “a serious symptom of the upcoming Association [of Serb-majority municipalities]”. “The main responsibility for this falls on the Government of Kosovo. In its mandate it was obliged to ensure well-being for all citizens without any difference, but it furthered the differences even more, both in terms of political representation and in the economic and social aspects,” he argued.

Former Kosovo chief negotiator in talks with Serbia, Edita Tahiri, in a statement to Nacionale news website argued that “the EU violated the Brussels agreement on free movement by recognizing the documents of Serbian illegal structures that still operate in this field”. She also said that “with this action, the EU does not help the normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia as it encourages Serbia’s destabilizing interference in Kosovo and the region as a whole”.

Editor in chief at Albanian Post and reporter, Lirim Mehmetaj, writes in a Facebook post that “today the European Union has decided to recognize the passports that Serbia issues illegally for the Kosovo Serbs, where Kosovo is treated as part of Serbia. Practically, these are the passports of Zajednica [Association of Serb-majority municipalities]. From today, the European Union recognizes and enables visa-free travel with these passports. This is the biggest scandal that has happened to Kosovo since the start of the talks with Serbia. Practically, the EU is recognizing a special status to the Kosovo Serbs”.

Director of the Pristina-based Kosovo Law Institute, Ehat Miftaraj, sarcastically notes in a Facebook post that today’s decision by the EU Council is another “success” of the Kurti-led government.

Szunyog holds farewell meetings with Kurti and Bislimi (media)

Outgoing EU Head of Office in Kosovo, Tomas Szunyog, said in a post on X today that he had a farewell meeting with Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti whom he thanked for the cooperation. “Reaffirmed the EU's role as a stable & irreplaceable partner for Kosovo & encouraged him to accelerate the necessary reforms for Kosovo's EU path,” he said.

Szunyog also met with Kosovo Deputy Prime Minister Besnik Bislimi thanking him for cooperating on important issues related to European integration and added that “Kosovo’s European path goes through the EU-facilitated Dialogue, the only viable platform to address outstanding issues”.

Political leaders’ statements on 14th anniversary of ICJ ruling on Kosovo (media)

All media cover statements by the main opposition parties in Kosovo on the 14th anniversary of the International Court of Justice’s advisory opinion that the declaration of Kosovo’s independence “did not violate international law”. Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) leader Lumir Abdixhiku said that on 22 July 2010, “Kosovo brought together the most professional people in coordination with strategic friends, to prove the legitimacy of our right for freedom, independence and democracy”. The Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) said in a statement that the ICJ ruling “sealed Kosovo’s right to be an independent and sovereign state”. Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) leader Ramush Haradinaj said that the ICJ ruling “is one of the most important moments in our history of statehood and state-building”. He also said that “Kosovo must continue to pursue western values and further its partnership with friends and allies, especially with the United States of America”.

Sources: Vucic met with Radoicic in Kragujevac in early July (RTK)

Citing unnamed sources from Kosovo’s security mechanisms, the news website reports that Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic met with Milan Radoicic in Kragujevac in Serbia early this month. According to the sources the meeting focused on different topics, “including support for Milan Radoicic’s criminal group, possible protests, the opposition in Serbia and causing incidents/attacks in the north of Kosovo”. Sources said that “because of international pressure the meeting was tried to be kept secret, and that Vucic and Radoicic have agreed to criticize one another in certain circles in order to conceal their close cooperation”. “It is said that Vucic confirmed Radoicic increased support by the state and institutions of Serbia to continue their activities, while Radoicic has once again pledged his loyalty to Vucic,” the sources said.

Sources also said that Radoicic recently met with several senior members of Serbian Police to discuss security topics and asked for support for his group, and that he “continues to have regular meetings with members of the Serbian Intelligence Agency”.

AJK condemns threats against journalists after reports on Faton Hajrizi (media)

The Association of Journalists of Kosovo (AJK) said in a statement on Sunday that it is deeply concerned over a series of threatening videos, mainly on Tik Tok, against some reporters and media about their reports on Faton Hajrizi, who fled a Kosovo prison and was later reported as killed in Serbia after he killed a Serbian police officer. The association notes that some of the threatening videos are titled “The killers of Faton Hajrizi” and they include accusations against the media and reporters for contributing to the events in Serbia which resulted in Hajrizi’s killing. “Accusations against the media and reporters in addition to being ungrounded are also very dangerous and they seriously threaten the safety of reporters and their families. The AJK calls on colleague reporters to report the individuals and the accounts from where the threats are made and calls on the Kosovo Police to activate the cybercrime unit to find and hold those who make the threats accountable. As most of the threats come from outside Kosovo, the AJK expects the security authorities to cooperate with their partners abroad, and to reveal the authors of death threats against the reports,” the statement notes.

Vehicles of Radoicic’s group now used by Kosovo Police (media)

Vehicles used by Milan Radoicic’s group that carried out the attack in the north of Kosovo in September last year are now being used by different units of the Kosovo Police, TV Dukagjini reported on Sunday. As Radoicic’s group was fleeing Kosovo they left behind a major amount of weapons and ammunition, including 34 vehicles, some of them armored. “The Kosovo Police in all cases treats the confiscated evidence, including vehicles, in line with the legal competency in cooperation and coordination with judicial bodies. After foreseen legal procedures, and based on the decision of the competent court and the agency for the administration of seized and confiscated property, the vehicles were dedicated to state institutions, including the Kosovo Police, as needed," the Kosovo Police said in a statement to the TV station.

Serbian Language Media

Full text of the Serbia-EU memorandum (N1)

N1 published the full text of the Memorandum of Understanding between the European Union and the Republic of Serbian on Strategic Partnership on Sustainable Raw Materials, Battery Value Chains and Electric Vehicles.

The full text of the memorandum is available at: https://shorturl.at/H5JKi

Vucic: Decision not to impose sanctions on Russia was the right call (N1, BETA)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said he still believes the decision not to impose sanctions on Russia was the right call, but that he hasn’t spoken with the Russian president for two and a half years, N1 reported.

“Maybe the government will make a different decision, but I believe we made the right one”, Vucic is quoted as saying. Vucic told TV TV that the issue of sanctions has nothing to do with lithium mining or with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s recent visit to the country.

In response to Western media reports suggesting that “Scholz absolved Vucic” and that the issue of sanctions is no longer important, Vucic said he has a different take on this matter. He believes Europe isn’t preoccupied with Serbia’s actions and cited Serbia’s readiness to fully embrace European Union (EU) market integration as an example.

Read more at: https://shorturl.at/L0Rco

Dacic: Pristina trying to avoid responsibility in connection with the murder of police officer Nikola Krsmanovic (Tanjug, TV Pink)

Serbian Interior Minister Ivica Dacic said today Pristina institutions are trying to avoid responsibility in connection with the murder of police officer Nikola Krsmanovic in Loznica because, as he said, no arrest warrant was issued for the murderer Faton Hajrizi after his escape from prison in Kosovo, reported Tanjug.

Dacic told TV Pink that it was a premeditated murder, in which several different centers of power were involved, but that the Albanian side was trying to connect the murder with crime, not with terrorism.

"They are now trying to get out of that situation - he escaped from prison, without any arrest warrant being issued for him. The question arises as to how this is possible, and how he was already here in Presevo and Bujanovac in the following days, and he did not legally cross the administrative line," said Dacic.

Lawyer: Note a single out of 35 witnesses saw Bajrovic taking part in murders of civilians (KoSSev)

“Following today’s verdict, one may conclude that special department of the Basic Court in Pristina adopted a stance it is sufficient for defendant to be seen on the spot on the event armed and in uniform, and be convicted to such draconian punishment”, lawyer Milos Delevic said on Friday, reacting to the court’s decision to sentence Ekrem Bajrovic to 12 years in prison, KoSSev portal reported.

Bajrovic was arrested in October 2022, and is accused of allegedly committing war crimes against the civilian population as part of the Serbian police and military forces in Istok municipality.

Announcing appeal to the first-instance verdict, Delevic argued that not a single witness out of 35 witnesses of prosecution saw his client taking part in murders of the civilians.

Moreover, he pointed out, those same witnesses said they saw Brajovic saving several people.

He also said, following the verdict, for the court in Pristina sufficient evidence for the war crimes is to see someone on the spot of the event armed and in uniform.

“Following today’s verdict, one may conclude that special department of the Basic Court in Pristina adopted a stance it is sufficient for defendant to be seen on the spot of the event armed and in uniform, and be sentenced to such draconian punishment, no matter what that person was doing at that moment, even if he was saving civilians”, Delevic said.

EU Council made decision to abolish visas for Coordination Directorate passport holders (Kosovo Online)

The EU Council has made a decision today to abolish visas for Serbian Coordination Directorate passport holders in Kosovo, thus completing the legislative process in this regard in the EU, Kosovo Online portal reported.

As the EU Council said, adopted regulation ensures that the entire Western Balkans region is subjected to the same visa free regime, by abolishing the requirement which earlier applied to Serbian Coordination Directorate passport holders.

By today’s decision, the legislative process in this regard had been completed. The moment the decision enters into force, which would happen on the 20^th day after publication in the EU Official Gazette, its implementation in all EU member states will start, the portal added.

Reacting to this decision, Office for Kosovo and Metohija Director Petar Petkovic said this was evidence that Serbia does not give up on the fight for rights of Serbs in Kosovo.

Foreign Minister Marko Djuric welcomed the decision. “A small but important victory for human rights of #Serbs in #KosovoandMetohija. I welcome the @EUCouncil’s decision on finally removing the visa requirements for holders of #Serbian passports issued by the Coordination Directorate for Kosovo and Metohija”, Djuric wrote in a post on X social network.

Nemec welcomes decision on visa abolishment, says unacceptable that group of people remains discriminated against (Kosovo Online)

“I welcome today’s positive decision of the EU member states’ foreign ministers to ensure travel visa free regime for the last group in the Western Balkans, respectively for the holders of the Serbian passports in Kosovo”, MEP Matjaz Nemec said in a statement, Kosovo Online portal reported.

For me as the main rapporteur at the EP on this issue, this step is even more important as we are heading now to the aim of introducing visa free regime into practice, given that the legislative process in this regard has concluded, he added. He also said ever since he took over the duty, four months ago at the EP, he defended stance that this is about technical and not a political decision.

“For me it would be an unacceptable fact that a relatively small group of people in the Western Balkans would remain discriminated against, while we finally abolished visas in the EU for all countries in the region {…}”, Nemec said.

Shahini: Diaspora keeps Kosovo's economy stable (KiM radio, Slobodno srpski)

President of Kosovo Business Association, Agim Shahini, said in Slobodno srpski (Free in Serbian) TV Show that economic data of Statistics Agency in Pristina cannot be considered completely accurate as long as the gray or "black" economy in Kosovo makes up 35 to 40 percent of the market, reported KiM radio.

However, this does not change the fact that the average salary of 521 euros in Kosovo is the lowest in the Balkans, and in the private sector it is significantly lower and amounts to around 420 euros. According to Shahini, the ranges in the amount of monthly income are huge. "The highest salary is in the public sector, because there are, for example, salaries of up to 5,000 euros, but that's why in Kosovo, the lowest salary in the entire Balkans and Europe, is still 170 euros," said Shahini.

It indicates that the inflow of money from the diaspora is large and that keeps the Kosovo economy as it is. "Officially, according to the data of the Central Bank, more than one billion and 400 million euros come from the diaspora, and informally it is how the money comes into the pocket, because when the diaspora comes here, it goes up to two and a half billion. That is almost the budget of the whole of Kosovo, which amounts to about 3 billion. That's what keeps our economy going," said Shahini.

Lower prices do not mean higher standards

However, as he claimed, Kosovo is the cheapest place to live in the Balkans.

"Let's say in Kosovo, a person can still eat with two euros, whether it's kebabs, beans, or else, still it is possible in Kosovo, while in no country around us it is possible. Still, when you go to buy a bottle of small water, it's 20 cents, and everywhere in the region it is 50 cents. Edible oil in Kosovo is still the cheapest in the entire Balkans. We even have from 80 cents to 1.10 cents. In Kosovo, bread is still 30 cents, everywhere in the Balkans it is more than 60 centers, up to 1 euro. Kosovo is still the cheapest country," he said, reminding that no toll is paid anywhere in Kosovo, although it is charged in the entire region, and its introduction will be a challenge for any government because of the votes.

Although the data shows that the prices in Kosovo are the lowest, it does not mean that the standard is the best.

"In Kosovo, if salaries were more than 800 euros, then that would be a good standard, but our citizens, who, according to our data and UNDP data, from 2020 to 2023, about 205,000 of them, left Kosovo and went abroad, were not all unemployed, 35 percent were unemployed and had a salary of more than 450 euros, but they were looking for a better life and standard.

In Kosovo, we still do not have life and health insurance, schooling and education are still below the level where PISA does not accredit Kosovo, the air in Kosovo is still not at a very satisfactory level, all this affects and that is why now the citizens are looking for a better life because we do not live 200 years,” said Agim Shahini as a guest in the show Slobodno srpski.

International

Second generation immigrants: Kosovo Albanians making their mark in Swiss business landscape (Prishtina Insight)

The Kosovo Albanian community, once displaced by political turmoil and war, has recently been surging Switzerland’s business landscape at an incredible pace.

The halls and offices of Google in Zurich, Switzerland, were buzzing with a harmonious blend of chit-chat and banter in Albanian and Swiss German as everyone enjoyed the AI-inspired beer ‘Mu’Pi’ on the evening of May 31. The event, titled “AI und Die Zukunft der Arbeit (AI and the Future of Work),” was organised by Google and swissalbs, a business network that connects Albanian Swiss entrepreneurs in Switzerland.

The event, also initiated by 42 year old Kosovo Albanian entrepreneur, Kristian Kabashi, brought together many successful Kosovo Albanian entrepreneurs, each representing the community’s presence in Switzerland’s business landscape.

“Your job will be taken by someone who is using AI, not AI,” the casually dressed Kabashi said.

In 2020, Kabashi founded his company Numrics, which uses AI to provide digital and centralised management for accounting, finances, payroll, and administration. Currently, Numarics has 180 employees, 40 of whom are based in Prishtina.

He is only one of approximately 300,000 Albanian speakers who currently live and work in Switzerland, many of whom arrived in Switzerland as refugees after being forced to flee the Kosovo war or the pre-war unrest.

Ambitious individuals of the Kosovo Albanian community in Switzerland have transformed adversity into opportunity, bringing fresh perspectives to sectors such as AI, finance, healthcare, and fashion, as well as reshaping the immigrant narrative and establishing stronger connections between Kosovo and Switzerland.