UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, June 25, 2024

Albanian Language Media:

VV, AAK don’t expect results “if Serbia doesn’t change approach” (EO)
Vogel: The dialogue has been moribund for a long time (media)
Serwer: A successful and democratic Kosovo doesn’t suit Vucic (Express)
Qelaj: Government has not clarified objectives of expropriations in north (Koha)
Kurti: Over 700k objects scanned in less than month at Digitization Center (media)
Blinken appoints Tom Sullivan as new Counselor of State Department (media)
PDK threatens government with sending two laws to Constitutional Court (Koha)
Kosovo Defence Minister Maqedonci to visit Croatia tomorrow (media)
Osmani: Kosovo grateful for Slovenia’s strong and continued support (media)
Szunyog meets Lladrovci, discuss local governance issues (media)

Serbian Language Media:

Vucic: To ensure safety of Serbs in Kosovo, implement agreements made thus far (Tanjug)
Drecun: The Brussels talks just a shell without substance (Kosovo Online, RTS)
Sljuka: By going to Brussels, Kurti wants to demonstrate he is constructive so punitive measures would be lifted (Kosovo Online)
Varhelyi: Serbia committed to the EU path, the goal is to open the next clusters (RTS)
Warrant for an Albanian from Kosovo due to expulsion of Serbs (Politika, Kosovo Online)

International:

Kosovo Serb jailed for 2023 mob attack on NATO peacekeepers (BIRN)
Kosovo struggles to rein in wild west medication market (BIRN)
Kosovo law ignores tech-facilitated abuse of women: Report (BIRN)

Albanian Language Media

VV, AAK don’t expect results “if Serbia doesn’t change approach” (EO)

Vetevendosje Movement (VV) and the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) representatives said in separate interviews with the news website that they don’t expect any results from today’s meeting between Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic if Serbia does not change its approach vis-à-vis the dialogue with Kosovo.

Vetevendosje MP Arberesha Hyseni-Kryeziu said she doesn’t have high expectations “because Serbia still has the same mindset and approach”. “If this mindset changes and if Serbia shows that it has changed its approach vis-à-vis the dialogue with Kosovo and if it is ready to accept the Basic Agreement and move forward in the process. However, since the new names in the Serbian government still have the same mindset, I believe things will remain the way they have been,” she said. “We said we accepted it [Basic Agreement] and we are willing to sign it and implement it in its entirety. But Serbia refused it and assumed no obligation.”

Kryeziu-Hyseni also argued that the EU penalty measures against Kosovo are unfair and that they should have been removed by now. “They [the measures] were unfairly imposed on us and they should have been removed. The injustice is that they have kept us under measures for over a year now even after what happened in Banjska in September last year. These are some of the actions that show that the European Union does not have a fair approach,” she added.

AAK MP Time Kadrijaj told the news website that Kurti and Vucic are going to Brussels only to meet and not reach an agreement. “Because setting a date unexpectedly and without making public the agenda of the meeting is creating confusion. Kurti is obliged to make public the agenda of the meeting and he is also obliged to report to the Assembly upon his return and explain what was discussed there. Not only are they going to the dialogue, but they are also making more concessions … They [the Kosovo government] accepted the draft statute [of the Association of Serb-majority municipalities] and now they are rejecting it. This is the worst draft possible and Kosovo should not make concessions,” she argued.

Vogel: The dialogue has been moribund for a long time (media)

Toby Vogel, foreign policy expert with the Brussels-based Democratisation Policy Council (DPC) commented on a statement by EU High Representative Josep Borrell who when asked about the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia said that he doesn’t want to give up before he reaches the end of his mandate. Vogel argues in a post on X that “the dialogue has been moribund for a long time, serving only as a forum for managing manufactured crises. So tomorrow’s dialogue meeting is a legacy-building exercise to allow Borrell and Lajcak to declare that the process continues and is delivering. In return, Vucic and Kurti will get Growth Plan handouts and praise from the EU. All purely performative”.

Serwer: A successful and democratic Kosovo doesn’t suit Vucic (Express)

Daniel Serwer, political commentator on the Western Balkans, said that a successful and democratic Kosovo that respects the rights of the Serb community does not suit Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and that he will continue his destabilising efforts especially in Kosovo and North Macedonia.

In his address at the University of Tetovo in North Macedonia, Serwer argued that Vucic managed to get executive power in Montenegro and the Serbian entity in Bosnia and Herzegovina without firing a single bullet and that in doing so he has implemented the first phase of the so-called Serbian World project. “He won’t be able to do the same in Kosovo, but he did try through violence: the kidnapping of three Kosovo police officers, the attack against NATO peacekeepers and the September 24 terrorist action. All these efforts failed but he will keep trying,” he said.

According to Serwer, the United States and the European Union are still trying to appease Serbia and have done nothing to condemn the violence it incited in Kosovo especially in September last year. “A successful and democratic Kosovo that respects the rights of Serbs does not suit Vucic. He is likely to be active in North Macedonia too. Increased tensions between the Macedonians and Albanians will be one of the options,” he argued.

Qelaj: Government has not clarified objectives of expropriations in north (Koha)

The People’s Attorney in Kosovo, Naim Qelaj, said in an interview with KTV on Monday that the Kosovo government has not clarified the objectives and public interest in the case of the expropriation of lands in the north. He said they have asked for explanations from the government on the decision to expropriate land in the municipalities of Leposavic and Zubin Potok, but that they have not received any answer yet. “The [government] decision mentions infrastructure projects, but this term is broad, and it does not specify what will be achieved with these expropriations. The Constitution and the law on expropriation requires the government to clarify the reason for the expropriation and this has not happened yet,” Qelaj argued.

Qelaj also said that “we need to ensure that the owners’ rights are respected during the expropriations. There was a public hearing. The right to appeal was also allowed, and so was the right to compensation, but the only issue that has not been completed was the objective of the expropriation”.

Kurti: Over 700k objects scanned in less than month at Digitization Center (media)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti said in a post on X today that over 700k objects were scanned in less than a month at the Digitization Center, “in our first ever public undertaking to digitise the archive of the National Library of Kosova”. He also said that “equipped with the most advanced & sophisticated technology in the region, this centre has given us the chance not only to catch up, but also to take the lead in the digitization of records and collections”.

See more at: https://t.ly/uyrGF

Blinken appoints Tom Sullivan as new Counselor of State Department (media)

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement on Monday that he has appointed Tom Sullivan as the new Counsellor of the State Department. “For the past three and a half years, I have depended on Derek Chollet’s wise counsel and steady hand in helping navigate the toughest issues the United States faces. Derek is a quintessential five-tool player. Over the course of his career, he has served in positions across the national security community and academia, building a breadth of experience that the rest of us rely on every day. During his time at the State Department, he has taken on some of the toughest diplomatic assignments, from the Balkans and Burma to Pakistan and Northern Ireland, and for the past nine months has been key to shaping our response to the crisis in the Middle East. While I am sad to lose Derek from our team at the State Department, I know the country will continue to benefit from his service at the Pentagon. Secretary Austin couldn’t have made a better choice for his next Chief of Staff. I am appointing Tom Sullivan as the next Counsellor of the United States Department of State. Tom has been my Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy since my first day as Secretary, serving in a position he previously held under Secretary Kerry. Tom has an unmatched depth of knowledge about how national security policy is formulated and implemented, one that he brings to bear every day on behalf of the American people. He has travelled the world with me and been by my side for meetings with heads of state, foreign ministers, and other world leaders as we rebuilt our alliances and partnerships, confronted Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, stabilised our relationship with China while standing up for American interests, and worked to build lasting peace, security, and stability in the Middle East. I look forward to continuing to draw on his wit and wisdom in this new role,” Blinken said.

PDK threatens government with sending two laws to Constitutional Court (Koha)

Perparim Gruda, member of the chairmanship of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), told a press conference in Pristina today that the Kurti-led government is politicising and destroying the public administration and that the PDK will send two laws – the Law on Public Officials and the Law on the Prosecutorial Council – the Constitutional Court.

According to Gruda, the initiative to amend the Law on Public Officials falls in contravention with the Constitution of Kosovo and Kosovo’s Stabilization/Association Agreement with the European Union. “The law violates the Stabilization/Association Agreement because Article 120 requires cooperation with the European Union for reforms in public administration. It is worth noting that the EU Office in Kosovo has objected to this law. Moreover, Article 19 of the Constitution clearly outlines that international agreements ratified by the Kosovo Assembly have superiority over the laws of the Republic of Kosovo,” he is quoted as saying.

Gruda also said that the amendment of the Law on the Prosecutorial Council is also in contravention with the Constitution. “There is a tendency for political influence over the body of the prosecution, because the content [of the law] is in opposition with the verdict of the Constitutional Court,” he said.

Kosovo Defence Minister Maqedonci to visit Croatia tomorrow (media)

Kosovo’s Minister of Defense, Ejup Maqedonci, will visit Croatia tomorrow, where he will meet Croatian Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister, Ivan Anusic. The meeting will focus on “cooperation in the area of defence, the security situation in South-East Europe, and global security challenges”. The ministers will give a joint press conference after the meeting.

Osmani: Kosovo grateful for Slovenia’s strong and continued support (media)

Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani, in a post on X today congratulated her Slovenian counterpart Natasa Pirc Musar on Slovenian statehood day. “Today, we join you in celebrating your remarkable achievements throughout the years. The people of Kosovo are grateful for our longstanding alliance and for Slovenia’s strong and continued support for our Euro-Atlantic future!” Osmani wrote.

Szunyog meets Lladrovci, discuss local governance issues (media)

EU Head of Office in Kosovo Tomas Szunyog said in a post on X today that he met with Ramiz Lladrovic, mayor of the municipality of Gllogoc, with whom they discussed local governance issues. “I congratulated him on implementing an EU-funded project aimed at addressing the needs of Kosovo's education system & improving the quality of teaching,” Szunyog said.

Serbian Language Media

Vucic: To ensure safety of Serbs in Kosovo, implement agreements made thus far (Tanjug)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic met today with the EU Commissioner for Internal Affairs Ylva Johansson and said on this occasion that Belgrade remains fully committed to the dialogue with Pristina, but it was necessary to ensure safety of the Serbian people in Kosovo and without further delay implement obligations deriving from the agreements made thus far.

“I stressed that as far as the Kosovo and Metohija issue is concerned we are in an extremely difficult situation, that Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija suffer unbearable pressure and other types of coercion caused by Pristina’s unilateral acts”, Vucic said in a post on Instagram.

He also said he had a good conversation with the European Commissioner on cooperation with the EU, including illegal migrations, harmonisation of visa regime, continuation of Belgrade-Pristina dialogue and other important topics.

Drecun: The Brussels talks just a shell without substance (Kosovo Online, RTS)

Milovan Drecun, chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee for Defense and Internal Affairs, told RTS that he does not believe it is possible to reach any concrete agreement at the meeting in Brussels between Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Albin Kurti scheduled for tomorrow, reported Kosovo Online.

Dracon points out that the formation of the Community of Serbian Municipalities is a priority issue for Serbia.

"There are completely opposing positions regarding the Community of Serbian Municipalities of Belgrade and Pristina, it seems to me that the West also has some positions that absolutely cannot be consistent and lead to the solution of the problem," Dracut said.

He does not believe that it is possible to reach a concrete agreement, but that Kurti is gathering points for political support.

"I'm interested to see if it will be possible to reach any kind of agreement on anything at all, except to say how the dialogue continues and how some measures are taken. I think this is a shell with no substance inside, and that no special result will be achieved at that meeting," said Dracon.

The meeting between Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti is scheduled for tomorrow in Brussels.

Sljuka: By going to Brussels, Kurti wants to demonstrate he is constructive so punitive measures would be lifted (Kosovo Online)

Aleksandar Sljuka from New Social Initiative (NSI) told Kosovo Online portal that upcoming high-level dialogue round in Brussels comes in the light of announced lifting of punitive measures on Kosovo, adding the acceptance of Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti to travel to Brussels to attend this meeting could be interpreted in the context of him wishing to demonstrate how constructive he is and that he wished to talk.

“Acceptance of Kurti to (go) to this meeting can be interpreted in this direction – that he wants to demonstrate an act of goodwill, how constructive he is, how he wishes to talk, and perhaps strengthens the willingness of those member states still reluctant about lifting the (punitive) measures (on Kosovo)”, Sljuka said.

He said the story about “grandiose topics” to be discussed in a meeting such as implementation of Ohrid agreement should not put aside “smaller topics”, respectively everything that caused the crisis over the last years.

“Dinar issue still remains unresolved. There were seven meetings and no solution found. I think those things should also be discussed {…}. We saw that talks on grandiose topics and the latest version of the agreement did not resolve those smaller disagreements and did not prevent unilateral actions of the Kosovo government which induced escalation on the ground”, Sljuka said.

He added the problems Serbian community is facing in Kosovo are still numerous and would remain unresolved even after the meeting tomorrow, including the dinar issue, fact that people can not withdraw the money in Kosovo, ban on Serbian goods import, presence of Kosovo special police units, police bases constructed lately and expropriation of properties issue.

Varhelyi: Serbia committed to the EU path, the goal is to open the next clusters (RTS)

The European Commissioner for Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, Oliver Varhelyi, announced on X, after a meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Serbia, Marko Djuric, on the sidelines of the EU Council for Foreign Affairs in Luxembourg, that the goal was to open further clusters in the negotiations with Serbia and support the rapid finalisation of the reform agenda.

"On the sidelines of the EU Council for Foreign Affairs, I met with Minister Marko Djuric. Serbia is committed to the path to the EU and the continuation of reforms. Our goal is to open the next clusters in the negotiations and support the quick finalisation of the reform agenda," said Varhelyi.

As previously announced by the MFA of Serbia, Djuric met in Luxembourg with Varhelyi, after an informal meeting of the ministers of foreign affairs of EU member states and representatives of the Western Balkan region.

Djuric expressed satisfaction with the frequency and continuity of meetings with high-ranking EU officials, stressing that this was an opportunity for Serbia's voice to be heard, and that no one has any doubts that Serbia remains committed to the European path and that full membership in the EU is a strategic commitment and priority of our foreign policy.

Warrant for an Albanian from Kosovo due to expulsion of Serbs (Politika, Kosovo Online)

The War Crimes Prosecution issued a warrant for E.B, an Albanian from Kosovo, accused of serious violence against a Serbian married couple, N.K. and Z.K. from Urosevac, committed after the arrival of peacekeeping forces in Kosovo in June 1999, reported Kosovo Online, citing Politika daily.

Referring to its findings, the daily reports that the recently elected acting Chief War Crimes Prosecutor Dusan Knezevic filed an indictment on June 14 against E.B. because of a war crime against the civilian population.

''The unavailable Albanian is accused of being a member of the KLA with several N.N. members of the same unit, to create an ethnically pure territory, and conducted forced displacement and expulsion of the non-Albanian population from Kosovo,'' reported the portal, citing Politika. It's about civilians who remained in their homes after the withdrawal of the Yugoslav Army and Serbian police forces from Kosovo.

''The defendant E.B., knowing that they were civilians of Serbian nationality, after forcibly entering their house, he pointed the weapon at the married couple N.K. and Z.K. He held them at gunpoint, while another member of the KLA started torturing N.K., inflicting numerous blows with his hands and feet to N.K. body and head. N.K. fell and lost consciousness several times. A member of the KLA threatened to slaughter him with a cleaver and shoved bullets into his throat, forcing him to swallow them''.

After that, ''he attacked Z.K. performing various lewd acts on her. He punched her in the head and knocked her down on the bed. During this time, the defendant continued to hold the spouses at gunpoint. Both demanded weapons, money, and gold from them. They demanded to move out, but not to take any of the belongings with them, claiming that it was theirs now and that they would return soon. They did that by bringing three more members of the KLA with them''.

Then they drove "Opel" from the couple's garage.

They threatened the spouses, told them to leave the house and leave all their possessions, otherwise they would be killed, according to the indictment.

Fearing for their safety, these people left their homes and left Kosovo. They never came back.

Prosecutor Knezevic submitted the indictment to the High Court for confirmation. It was suggested that the defendant be tried in absentia due to his unavailability to the Serbian state authorities.

Previously, the court in the investigation ordered him to be detained and issued a warrant for him.

International

Kosovo Serb jailed for 2023 mob attack on NATO peacekeepers (BIRN)

Pristina Basic Court on Monday sentenced a Kosovo Serb, Nenad Orlovic, to 15 months’ imprisonment and fined him 12,000 euros for participating in violent clashes between Serb protesters and the NATO peacekeeping mission in Kosovo, KFOR, on May 29 last year in the Serb-majority northern municipality of Zvecan.

He was convicted of assaulting an official and being part of a crowd that committed “criminal offences and hooliganism”.

“The time spent in detention since June 23, 2023, will be calculated towards the prison sentence,” the court said. The verdict can be appealed.

Protests by Serbs on May 29 last year against the installation of ethnic Albanian mayors in the Serb-majority northern Kosovo municipalities of Zubin Potok, Leposavic and Zvecan turned violent, and scores of KFOR personnel were injured.

Pristina Basic Court found that Orlovic, nicknamed Nemac (German) and Rus (Russian), in coordination with other Kosovo Serbs, attacked and threatened KFOR peacekeepers using “improvised explosive devices as well as firearms”.

At least 30 KFOR troops were injured, as well as several Kosovo Police officers who were on duty.