Albanian Language Media:

• 33rd failed attempt to form new Kosovo Assembly (media)
• Deadlock continues, MPs react about Trump’s statement on Kosovo (RFE)
• Osmani in Hungary: Important visit to further our relations (media)
• Court sentences Zivojin Nesic to 15 years in prison for rape during war (media)
• Osmani confirms extension of EULEX mandate (media)
• A Roma attacked in Prizren, police working to identify the assailants (media)
• “Milosevic regime, UDB behind killing of 6 Serbian youths in Peja in ‘98” (media)

Serbian Language Media: 

• Serbian List: Elek will respond to summons of special prosecutor in Pristina tomorrow (Tanjug)
• Petkovic: Elek's decision to respond to call of special prosecutor in Pristina an act of a brave and responsible man (Kontakt plus radio)
• Serbian Health Minister: Dr. Elek exposed to disgraceful political persecution (RTV)
• UNMIK on expulsions of Serbs: We urge for human rights respect and legal procedures (Kosovo Online)
• OSCE on deportations of Serbs from Kosovo, learnt about it from social and media reports (Kosovo Online)
• Rapajic: Pressure on Serbian community increasing, local elections path to normalization of life (media)
• Zivojin Nesic sentenced to 15 years in prison (Kosovo Online, media)
• Vucic: "We will also win on issue of Kosovo and Metohija, things are slowly changing in world" (RTS, Radio Mitrovica sever, media)
• Mojsilovic in Paris: Cooperation in function of strengthening operational capabilities of armed forces (Kosovo Online)
• UN Rapporteur Romero: Serbian government response disappointing (N1)
• United Media editors' appeal following unexpected leadership changes in United Group (N1)

Albanian Language Media 

33rd failed attempt to form new Kosovo Assembly (media)

Members of the Kosovo Assembly have failed today for the 33rd time to constitute the new legislative. For the 25th time, MPs failed to form a committee that would oversee a secret vote on the new Speaker of the Assembly. 

Deadlock continues, MPs react about Trump’s statement on Kosovo (RFE)

Members of the Kosovo Assembly have called today for the formation of new institutions amid geopolitical changes in the world and a recent reference by US President Donald Trump to relations between Kosovo and Serbia.

Vetevendosje MP Mimoza Kusari-Lila said that Trump’s remarks are “misused by domestic forces for political issues”.

Trump posted on Truth Social on Sunday that during his first mandate, “Kosovo and Serbia were going at it hot and heavy, as they have for many decades, and this long time conflict was ready to break out into WAR. I stopped it (Biden has hurt the longer term prospects with some very stupid decisions, but I will fix it, again!)”. His remarks were part of a post about the situation in the Middle East.

Kusari-Lila said that Trump was referring to the agreement reached in Washington between Kosovo and Serbia on economic normalization and not about the current events in Kosovo. “I am sure that with everything that is happening in the world, we have very little or no attention as a state or as the Balkans on his agenda,” she said, adding that it seems to her “absurd” that Trump’s statement was being used “for domestic political fighting”.

Leader of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) Memli Krasniqi said that if Kosovo receives a fast request from the United States for a more proactive approach to a potential agreement with Serbia “and if we don’t have consolidated institutions this will certainly damage Kosovo’s institutions”.

LDK MP Lutfi Haziri said that Trump will have a critical role in the peace process and concluding Kosovo’s statehood. “The biggest statement is the return to what he called a damaged peace process. He confirms the position of the LDK that the Ohrid Agreement was damaging. We believe that the EU and the Trump administration will coordinate on these developments, and above all President Trump will have a critical role in the peace process and the conclusion of statebuilding in Kosovo. So we need to be ready,” he said.

NISMA leader Fatmir Limaj called for the formation of new institutions, saying that politicians still haven’t clearly understood “what is happening around us and in the world”.

Osmani in Hungary: Important visit to further our relations (media)

Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani was welcomed with military honors in Budapest today by her Hungarian counterpart Tamas Sulyok. “An important visit to advance relations between Kosovo and Hungary in the service of our citizens and in the function of mutual cooperation,” Osmani said in a Facebook post. She is also scheduled to meet with the Speaker of the Hungarian Parliament, Laszlo Kover. 

Court sentences Zivojin Nesic to 15 years in prison for rape during war (media)

Most news websites report that the Basic Court in Pristina today sentenced Zivojin Nesic to 15 years in prison for a rape during the war in Kosovo. The trial against Nesic was closed for the public because of the sensitivity of the case.

Osmani confirms extension of EULEX mandate (media)

Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani confirmed on Monday through an exchange of letters with the European Union the technical mandate of the EU Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX). She said that the renewed technical mandate, without executive powers, remains focused on monitoring, mentoring and advising. In a letter to EU High Representative Kaja Kallas, Osmani asked that EULEX send to Kosovo’s authorities all documents it has from the time it had executive powers. She also said that all EULEX activities must be in line with the European Convention on Human Rights and legal practices of the European Court of Human Rights.

A Roma attacked in Prizren, police working to identify the assailants (media)

Most news websites report that a Roma was attacked by two persons in Prizren this morning. Police said in a statement that the assailants were on a bike and wearing helmets and that they are analyzing video footage to identify the suspects.

“Milosevic regime, UDB behind killing of 6 Serbian youths in Peja in ‘98” (media)

Several news websites report that former Serbian politician and author Vuk Draskovic said in an interview with Serbian media on Monday that the regime of Slobodan Milosevic and the Serbian state security agency were responsible for the killing of six Serb youngsters in a café bar in Peja in 1998. He also criticized the Serbian Orthodox Church for keeping silent about crimes committed by Serbs in the wars in the former Yugoslavia. “Our Church has never condemned a single crime committed by Serbs during those wars that destroyed Yugoslavia. It has not even condemned the greatest crime against Ukraine, let alone the killing of our children in the ‘Panda’ cafeteria … Our children were killed by the Wehrmacht in 1941 in Kragujevac and by Slobodan Milosevic’s regime and the UDB in 1998 in Peja. Why? To falsely blame Albanians and incite hatred against them in Serbia. That was the purpose,” he said.

Serbian Language Media

Serbian List: Elek will respond to summons of special prosecutor in Pristina tomorrow (Tanjug)

The President of the Serbian List (SL), Zlatan Elek, will respond to the summons of the special prosecutor in Pristina tomorrow at 1:30 p.m., announced this party. 

The SL stated that Elek is responding to the call as Serbian List President, a respected paediatric surgeon, and an honest man, deeply aware of his legal and moral purity, because he has not committed any illegal act, reported Tanjug. 

It is emphasized that Elek is not responding out of belief in the fairness and impartiality of the procedure, which from the very beginning has all the hallmarks of a politically staged process directed against the Serbs and their legitimate representatives.

Petkovic: Elek's decision to respond to the call of the special prosecutor in Pristina the act of a brave and responsible man (Kontakt plus radio)

Office for Kosovo and Metohija Director Petar Petkovic said today decision of Serbian List President, Prof. Dr. Zlatan Elek to respond to the call of a special prosecutor in Pristina was an act of a brave and responsible man, "who decided to bear the biggest burden of Kurti's regime's pressure on the Serbian people in Kosovo", Radio kontakt plus reported.

As he said in the statement, dozens of Serbs have received similar calls, and the goal, as he pointed out, was "to further intimidate the Serbian people, but also to stigmatize and criminalize the Serbian List ahead of the upcoming local elections".

According to Petkovic, the Serbs "cannot hope for any honest and fair treatment" in this procedure.

"Like many times until now, when there is a political crisis in Pristina, legal and any other violence against Serbs escalates, and these senseless calls for a hearing are nothing more than an expression of Kurti's frustration because the Serbian List does not want to reconcile with his reign of terror", said the director of the Office for KiM. 

Petkovic said that Serbia and the entire Serbian people are with Elek and Serbian List, and that they are "aware of how difficult the political struggle is, which the citizens of Kosovo and Metohija are waging and how great is the holy place they defend".

Serbian Health Minister: Dr. Elek exposed to disgraceful political persecution (RTV)

Serbian Health Minister Zlatibor Loncar said today Clinical Hospital Centre (KBC) director in North Mitrovica and Serbian List President Zlatan Elek is being subjected to disgraceful and brutal politically motivated persecution by Albin Kurti and Pristina regime, who, as he said, do not wish anything good for the Serbs and the Serbian people in Kosovo, Radio television of Vojvodina reported. 

Loncar emphasized that Zlatan Elek is one of the most respected pediatric surgeons and a professional who dedicated his life to treating and helping others, as well as that he has strong and unequivocal support of the state of Serbia and the Ministry of Health in a fabricated process conducted against him.

“We emphasize that the entire Serbian healthcare system in Kosovo and Metohija has always operated exclusively on highly humane principles, providing healthcare services equally to Serbs and Albanians, always putting the welfare of people first, regardless of their religion, nationality or political affiliation”, Loncar said in a statement reacting to summons Elek received from the office of the special prosecutor in Pristina.

Loncar also said “instead of providing healthcare services, as one of the best surgeons, Elek has to answer to false and meaningless accusations, as do his colleagues from the Serbian List, but also our doctors throughout Kosovo and Metohija, who are suffering strong pressure from Pristina on our healthcare system”.

Loncar warned that Serbian people are being expelled from their homes, while Dr. Elek and his colleagues from the Serbian List are experiencing unprecedented political persecution by, as the statement said, Albin Kurti’s regime because they have never agreed to be blackmailed or backed down under pressure.

UNMIK on expulsions of Serbs: We urge for human rights respect and legal procedures (Kosovo Online)

UNMIK said today the Mission is aware of the recent arrests and deportations of the four Serbs from Kosovo and called for human rights respect and legal procedures, Kosovo Online portal reported.

In a written response to Kosovo Online portal, UNMIK also said they are closely following the situation.

“UNMIK is aware of the recent arrests and expulsions and urges all actions be guided by human rights standards. Due process must be fully observed. UNMIK continues to closely monitor the situation”, UNMIK said.

Kosovo Online portal recalled that four Serbs were deported from Kosovo and banned from entering for the next five years. The four Serbs have lived in Kosovo with their families and are employed in the Serbian Ministry of Internal Affairs.

OSCE on deportations of Serbs from Kosovo, learned about it from social and media reports  (Kosovo Online)

The OSCE Mission in Kosovo said it closely follows the situation regarding deportation of the four Serbs from Kosovo, adding the Mission learnt about the case from posts published on social media by Kosovo outgoing Interior Minister, Xhelal Svecla and media reports.

"We learned about this decision from Svecla’s post (Kosovo Minister of Internal Affairs in technical mandate) and from newspaper articles. However, we lack further information and official details, so we cannot comment on the specifics of the case. We emphasize that in such situations, institutions must adhere to the rule of law and act in accordance with international law", the OSCE Mission in Kosovo said. They added "the Mission continues to closely monitor the situation".

Kosovo Online portal recalled that four Serbs were deported from Kosovo and banned from entering for the next five years. The four Serbs have lived in Kosovo with their families and are employed in the Serbian Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Rapajic: Pressure on Serbian community increasing, local elections path to normalization of life (media)

Failure to constitute the Kosovo Assembly has led to even greater pressure on the Serbian community and even worse living conditions. Things unimaginable until recently are happening – people being expelled or threatened with the demolition of their homes (in reference to Leposavic municipality decision to issue demolition notices on to 17 household Serb owners in Lesak settlement). I hope this will motivate the Serbian community to turn out in greater numbers for the local elections, and that these elections will be a step toward normalizing life here, Advocacy Center for Democratic Culture (ACDC) Program Director Aleksandar Rapajic told Kosovo Online.

Although the Kosovo Assembly is yet to be constituted and there is no new government, Rapajic believes campaigns for local elections will proceed without major issues.

“People here have, to some extent, gotten used to the fact that institutions don’t function and have begun to accept that they can’t rely on Kosovo’s institutions, which mostly create problems for them rather than helping”, he said.

According to his assessment, it is more favorable for the Self-Determination Movement if the local and potentially repeated parliamentary elections are held simultaneously, since the party tends to perform worse in local elections, noting that this party at last local elections won in only four municipalities.

Zivojin Nesic sentenced to 15 years in prison (Kosovo Online, media)

Zivojin Nesic (71) was sentenced today to 15 years in prison under the charges of war crimes against the civilian population, his lawyer Milos Delevic told Kosovo Online portal. 

Special Prosecution in Pristina raised indictment against Nesic, last year in August, under accusations that he allegedly committed sexual violence in 1999 against the victim of Albanian ethnicity.

As the lawyer said the verdict was made despite the fact that the affected party in this case gave several different statements during the time.

“After the war she claimed it was an attempted rape, and 25 years after she changed her mind and accused Zivojin Nesic of raping her. I underline that Nesic all the time after the war have lived in Kosovo, in Mitrovica North. Since the start of this process, he denies knowing the victim or having anything to do with mentioned events”, Delevic said.  

He added, together with his colleague, lawyer Ljubomir Pantovic, he will file an appeal against the verdict. 

Vucic: "We will also win on issue of Kosovo and Metohija, things are slowly changing in world" (RTS, Radio Mitrovica sever, media)

President Aleksandar Vucic said today the Serbian state will always be with its people in Kosovo and pointed out that ''we will win on the issue of Kosovo and Metohija, because things in the world are changing slowly',' reported Radio Mitrovica sever.

When asked to comment on the daily incidents in Kosovo, the arrests and deportations of Serbs and decisions of Pristina that contradict basic norms of international law, Vucic said there is no end to it, and there won't be soon, but that in the end Serbia will win.

"And I'm not going to tell you what that means, in the end Serbia will win. And I'm absolutely sure of that. As things are slowly but surely changing in the world, I'm convinced that Serbia will win", Vucic said among other things. 

He added it will not take long for water to flow through the Sava and Danube rivers for people to notice that. 

Mojsilovic in Paris: Cooperation in function of strengthening operational capabilities of armed forces (Kosovo Online)

The Chief of General Staff of the Serbian Armed Forces, General Milan Mojsilovic, attended yesterday, at the invitation of the Chief of the Joint General Staff of the French Armed Forces, General Thierry Birkar, the ceremonial opening of the 55th International Air Show in Paris.

At the meeting, Mojsilovic and Birkar discussed current security challenges in the region and the world, as well as further improvement of cooperation in areas of common interest.

In the conversation, it was assessed that military-to-military cooperation between Serbia and France was meaningful and served the purpose of strengthening the operational capabilities of the armed forces, mutual trust and overall relations between the two countries, announced the Ministry of Defense of Serbia, reported Kosovo Online. 

The International Aviation Fair in Paris is the largest aero-meeting and exhibition event of the aviation industry in the world, and this year almost 2,500 exhibitors from 48 countries took part in the fair, the portal added. 

UN Rapporteur Romero: Serbian government response disappointing (N1)

Special Rapporteur on freedom of peaceful assembly and of association Gina Romero told N1 that the response of the Serbian government to her query about the use of a sonic weapon at a mass protest in Belgrade on March 15 was disappointing.

“I have to say that it's very disappointing, the response of the government. The government says that nobody from the Ministry of the Interior, Defense, Health, or Security and Information Agency heard, saw, or used the so-called sound weapon, which contradicts thousands of people who did hear it and then felt the impact, she said, recalling that the sonic weapon was alleged to have been used during the silent memorial observed for the victims of the Novi Sad Railway Station tragedy.

Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/bdxcw6a3

United Media editors' appeal following unexpected leadership changes in United Group (N1)

United Group employees were informed late on Monday night that two of the group’s most senior officials were stepping down from their post.

A United Group corporate newsletter said that founder and Advisory Board Chairman Dragan Solak and CEO Viktoriya Boklag were dismissed from their posts and would be replaced by Stan Miller and Libor Voncina as CEO and Deputy CEO respectively. “There is no disruption to our operations. It is business as usual across all markets. We remain focused on our priorities, our customers and our continued growth,” United Group Corporate Affairs said.

Senior editors of United Media outlets expressed concern over the future of independent journalism in the company in a letter to the international community including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, several commissioners, MEPs and the European Parliament’s Culture and Education Committee (CULT), the European Federation of Journalists, Reporters Without Borders, International Press Institute and Committee to Protect Journalists.

The editors’ full letter available at: https://tinyurl.com/4yztc9fy