UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, March 18, 2024

Albanian Language Media:

Borell: Serbia and Kosovo have achieved very limited progress (RTK)
Rama: Implementation of Agreement between Kosovo and Serbia, important (RTK)
Von Cramon: Kosovo is lacking political will for progress in European integration (Klan)
CEC to decide today on voting centers in the north (media)
Escobar met during his visit, Director of Police and Afrim Bunjaku’s family (media)
Biserko: Vucic destabilizing neighbors through Serbian Orthodox Church and security services (Nacionale)

Serbian Language Media:

Vucic: There is no agreement on dinar issue (Kosovo Online, RTV, Tanjug)
Sentic: Instead of healing wounds that still hurt, we face attempts to relativize tragic events (KoSSev)
SNV says Kurti’s statement about March violence aim to further intimidate and expel Serbs, call upon Rasic and Trajkovic to resign (KoSSev)
UNS and DNKiM condemned RTK reporting over repeated untruth in relation to March riots (Kosovo Online, Radio KIM, media)
Vucic: Meeting with Lajcak addressed unbearable living conditions for Kosovo Serbs (Tanjug)
Kosovo Online: We expect arson vehicle case of our portal’s owner to be resolved (Kosovo Online)
Since CBK decision entered in force, stock market and banks without interest for work in northern municipalities (Kosovo Online)
Serbian List: Kosovo police to investigate Radoica Radomirovic over arsons of vehicles (Tanjug, media)
Stojanovic: Vucic admitted that his policy is harmful to Serbia and the Serbian people in Kosovo (Beta, NMagazin)
Smiljanic: The Serbs in the YU program building in Pristina survived a calvary on March 17, thought we would all be killed (Kosovo Online)
The UN SC meeting on March 25 on the anniversary of the NATO bombing against the FRY (Kosovo Online)

Albanian Language Media

Borell: Serbia and Kosovo have achieved very limited progress (RTK)

The Eu High Representative for foreign policy and security Josep Borrell, has admitted that he expected more success in the implementation of the Ohrid Agreement.

"Today is the first anniversary of the Ohrid Agreement. Time flies and it's already been a year since we reached an agreement between Kosovo and Serbia to move towards normalization. Unfortunately, despite the broad support of the European Union and the international community, Serbia and Kosovo have achieved very limited progress. Soon it will be the annual meeting of the chief negotiators here in Brussels. I am very sorry that this agreement, which was very difficult to reach, has not been implemented. It will continue with pressure on both sides to move forward. But a year later, the implementation has not been as much as I expected it to be", said the head of European diplomacy.

Rama: Implementation of Agreement between Kosovo and Serbia, important (RTK)

The Prime Minister of Albania, Edi Rama, has said that the implementation of the Agreement and the Annex agreed between Kosovo and Serbia is important for maintaining security, stability, and peace in the Western Balkans.

"In order to ensure progress, the Agreement and the implementation Annex must be officially included as an integral part of the respective processes of the membership of Kosovo and Serbia in the European Union. Any delay in doing so only strengthens the status quo. And the status quo regarding this strategic key for a peaceful, prosperous and European neighborhood in the middle of Europe does not serve the security of Europe itself", Rama wrote on the X social network.

Von Cramon: Kosovo is lacking political will for progress in European integration (Klan)

The rapporteur for Kosovo in the European Parliament, Viola von Cramon, in an interview for the Bulgarian News Agency, said that the government of Kosovo lacks the political will for progress in the European integration of the country. "The Cabinet has applied for membership in the Council of Europe and the EU, but the necessary steps for progress in these applications have not been made," she said.

She emphasized that "Kosovo wants to become a member of NATO, the EU and the Council of Europe, but if someone knows the rules of the club, he should play with those rules instead of breaking them."

The MEP added that "The Government of Kosovo is currently not making the lives of the citizens any easier; it is sending very mixed signals. International partners are tired of Pristina's inaction, and this led to the introduction of punitive measures by the EU last year."

Von Cramon said that in order to join the EU, Kosovo must be recognized as an independent country by the member states. Five of them do not recognize the independence of Kosovo.

"Everyone agrees that there is a need for a successful conclusion of the dialogue for the normalization of Belgrade-Pristina relations", she emphasized.

"It would be much easier for everyone if Kosovo would say that it has met all the requirements and fulfills all the criteria; then the EU and international partners will exert great pressure on Serbia to fulfill its part. However, Kosovo is not doing this, which makes it extremely easy for Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic to say that it makes no sense for him to invest political capital if there is no interest in Kosovo's progress", added the MEP.

Von Cramon has also commented on the decision of the Central Bank of Kosovo that cash transactions must be in euros from February 1.

"Kosovo as a sovereign state has the right to decide which currency it will use, but the way it tried to implement that decision is problematic," von Cramon said. "They did not inform the people who would be affected about the decision; they did not circulate information in Serbian about the decision and no consultations were held", she emphasized.

"Everyone in the EU and Washington is asking why they are doing this, but, at the end of the day, they are targeting regular people from the Serb minority," she continued.

“When Kosovo declared independence, it was clear that it was a question of a multi-ethnic state and society, and mechanisms are needed to protect that multi-ethnic society. However, the ruling party and its supporters now do not care about this," said Viola von Cramon.

According to the EP rapporteur, Kosovo is completely capable of joining the EU, but she hopes to see a government that works in the interest of the people in the country to achieve this goal. The current reality is different and quite disappointing, she added.

She told BTA that none of the EU's mechanisms for dealing with such crises have been effective enough so far, and imposing restrictive measures that directly affect the country's citizens would be unfair.

CEC to decide today on voting centers in the north (media)

The Central Election Commission will review and approve today the voting centers for the voting process for or against the removal of mayors of Leposaviq, Zubin Potok, Zvecan, and North Mitrovica municipalities.

In a meeting that will start at 01:00 p.m. the CEC is expected to review and approve the recommendation for the appointment of the Municipal Election Commission for the process of voting for or against the removal of the mayors of four municipalities.

According to CEC announcement, ‘report of the Councils of CEC, the Council for Electoral Operation, Review and approval of the Report of the Preliminary List of Voters, as well as the notification for the change of the voting center, objection and confirmation of the voters list,’ are on the agenda of today’s meeting.

Escobar met during his visit, Director of Police and Afrim Bunjaku’s family (media)

The U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Gabriel Escobar During his visit to Kosovo met the Director General of the Kosovo Police, Colonel Gazmend Hoxha and the family of the hero Sergeant Afrim Bunjaku.

“Escobar , in the presence of the U.S. Ambassador Jeffrey Hovenier and DOJ-ICITAP Attache Kimberly Riffle, expressed sincere condolences to the family on the tragic loss of their father/husband. The event was very emotional and heart-felt and the dignitaries expressed their condolences to the family and the Kosovo Police,” the announcement of the Kosovo Police reads.

The announcement also notes that in a special meeting, Hoxha informed Escobar and attaché Riffe about the attack on the police in Banjska on September 24, 2023, where Sergeant Bunjaku was killed. Hoxha also informed the emissary of the current security situation in the northern part of Kosovo. Escobar appreciated the opportunity to communicate directly with the head of the Kosovo Police.

"DP Hoxha conveyed his deep gratitude to the United States and the numerous embassy staff who assist the police and are committed to continuing their excellent cooperation," the announcement states.

Biserko: Vucic destabilizing neighbors through Serbian Orthodox Church and security services (Nacionale)

The head of the Helsinki Committee in Serbia, Sonja Biserko, said that Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic is destabilizing Serbia and its neighbors including Kosovo through the Serbian Orthodox Church and security services.

"In fact, it can be concluded that the international community is paying more attention to the neighboring countries that Serbia is destabilizing with its policy, first of all through the activities of the Serbian Orthodox Church and the security services with great financial support", Biserko told Danas.

However, according to her, given the Pentagon report that predicts the possibility of ethnic conflict in the Balkans, attention should be paid to his bellicose declarations, such as the one when it comes to Kosovo.

"In front of elementary school students from Kosovo, he emphasized that he does not rule out the possibility that Serbia will use force in Kosovo, due to the behavior of the Pristina authorities and the international community that supports it," Biserko further stated.

Biserko’s reaction also comes after the decision on the Monastery, and the implementation of the judgment of the Constitutional Court. In the past there were accusations that monasteries and churches are being used to carry weapons.

Serbian Language Media

Vucic: There is no agreement on dinar issue (Kosovo Online, RTV, Tanjug)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said today there is no agreement on dinar issue, because Serbia is requested to abolish its own currency on its own territory, Kosovo Online portal reported. Speaking of upcoming dialogue in Brussels, he said he has no expectations.

“What I was talking about is something with far-reaching consequences and I would talk about that in detail on Friday. There is no agreement on the dinar issue, you are asking that we agree on abolishing our own currency on our own territory. We will not and can not”, Vucic said responding to the journalist’s question related to Brussels agreement and dinar issue in Kosovo.

He said Europeans can do that by force, together with Pristina, but that Serbia will find a way to deliver money to its people.

“I am only waiting to see all those things around Council of Europe, and then they will have to face that I would make it public to entire world how and in what ways they lied to and deceived Serbia, and what they did against Serbia, not those from Pristina, but those Westerners who presented themselves as fair brokers and fair mediators”, he said in relation to Pristina’s bid to join the Council of Europe.

Sentic: Instead of healing wounds that still hurt, we face attempts to relativize tragic events (KoSSev)

“Accepting the facts, in particular painful ones, is crucial to the reconciliation process and normalization of relations”, Kosovo Deputy Ombudsperson Srdjan Sentic said on the 20^th anniversary of March pogrom, KoSSev portal reported.

The anniversary of the worst violence and ethnic cleansing against the Serbs following the end of the conflict and arrival of international military and civilian forces was marked in the Serbian areas in Kosovo with a number of activities, with the main manifestation taking place in Gracanica.

“Memories about those days when lives were lost and shrines demolished are painful”, Sentic added.

However, instead of healing those wounds, in Kosovo there are attempts to relativize an entire event by those who have an impact on public opinion. “Instead of healing the wounds that still hurt, we are facing attempts by those who have power to create public opinion to relativize this tragic event”, Sentic said. And it is particularly expected of them to make careful and responsible statements, he noted.

Following the ruling party's Self-Determination statement and their interpretation of March violence in 2004, Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti also made an announcement from Cabra village, in Zubin Potok municipality, where three Albanian children drowned.

The three Albanian children drowned in Ibar River in Cabra, on March 16, 2004, which was a cause for the violence against the Serbs the day later. Kurti claimed, although it was never established, that children jumped to the river to avoid being followed by Serbian young men. He also claimed that violence was first directed against international forces, and “it was never clarified who directed participants of the protest towards settlements populated by Serbs, and Orthodox churches and monasteries”.

The portal further wrote that Kurti also presented his interpretation of the context in which the violence occurred, assessing uncertainty to the-then future of Kosovo and fresh wounds from the previous conflict in 1999. He also claimed the protests were a massive, spontaneous reaction and because “they were not organized, it was difficult to control them”.

SNV says Kurti’s statement about March violence aim to further intimidate and expel Serbs, call upon Rasic and Trajkovic to resign (KoSSev)

Serbian National Council (SNV) called upon Kosovo Minister for Communities and Returns, Nenad Rasic and his advisor Rada Trajkovic to resign from their positions following the statement of Kosovo Prime Minister, Albin Kurti in Cabra village on March 16, respectively his interpretation of the context of March violence in 2004.

Ahead of the March violence anniversary, Kurti visited graveyards of three Albanian boys who drowned in Ibar River in Cabra village and said that “children jumped to the Ibar river in order to avoid being followed by Serbian young men”. He also claimed that violence was first directed towards international forces and it “has never been clarified who directed participants of the protests towards settlements populated by Serbs and Orthodox churches and monasteries”. According to Kurti, protests were massive spontaneous reactions and “because they were not organized, it was difficult to control them”.

Serbian National Council termed those statements as “unbelievable unscrupulousness and shamelessness”, adding that those statements are made “in the function to further intimidate and expel the remaining Serbian population from their ancient homes, those who endure and sustain under the most difficult conditions, despite daily (Albin) Kurti’s cowardice conflict with them”.

That is why they called upon Kosovo Minister for Communities and Returns Nenad Rasic and his advisor Rada Trajkovic to resign their posts, and all other political stakeholders among the Serbs in Kosovo to halt and boycott further conversations with Kurti, until he apologize publicly for insulting Serbs and their innocent victims.

SNV also said that despite Kurti's statements, which they termed as lies – 17 March would remain as one of the most shameful days in the history of Kosovo and Albanian people.

“The persecution and killing of unarmed people, the burning of their neighbors' houses, the destruction of churches and monasteries, are indisputable and stubborn facts that condemn and deny Albin Kurti's shameful statement. With these attitudes, Kurti excluded himself from any agreements and discussions for the further fate of the Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija", SNV said in a statement. The statement said they expect international community representatives to react to such Kurti’s statements but also free-thinking Albanians, primarily intellectuals.

UNS and DNKiM condemned RTK reporting over repeated untruth in relation to March riots (Kosovo Online, Radio KIM, media)

Association of Journalists of Serbia (UNS) and its branch in Kosovo (DNKiM) in the strongest terms condemned reporting of the Radio Television of Kosovo (RTK) website in Serbian language which “forges the facts and falsely informs the public of the facts about event, in the world public known as March pogrom”, Kosovo Online portal reported.

UNS and DNKiM also requested an urgent removal of yesterday’s information in which RTK already in the second sentences repeated fake news that 20 years ago three Albanian boys drowned in the Ibar River “while running away form a group of Serbian young men”.

They warned that this sentence was a trigger for eruption of a violence in which innocent people were killed, 39 churches and monasteries destroyed, villages and urban areas set on fire, more than 900 persons beaten up and harassed, and around 4.000 Serbs expelled.

The journalists’ associations also recalled that all international organizations condemned such RTK reporting, and that RTK back then received 100.000 euros to advance its editorial capacities. “The news published yesterday on RTK to the large extent is copied news from 20 years ago and brings with it not only the risk of tragic consequences for the entire area, but also an obvious attempt of historic revision of this event. In the news yesterday it is not mentioned whose houses and religious objects were set on fire, but the untruth “that Serbs reacted back by doing the same to the Albanian houses” was emphasized”, the added.

UNS and DNKiM also said that this news violates all professional norms and requested immediate reaction of local regulatory bodies and international organizations because, such reporting, as they said, directly endangers security of the entire community, encourages, supports and abolishes perpetrators of one of the most tragic events of the contemporary history.

Vucic: Meeting with Lajcak addressed unbearable living conditions for Kosovo Serbs (Tanjug)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Friday evening his meeting with the EU Special Envoy for the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue Miroslav Lajcak had addressed the situation in Kosovo and the unbearable living conditions for Serbs there, Tanjug news agency reported.

"We assessed possibilities and topics for a continuation of constructive discussions in Brussels, as well as the necessary steps for progress towards normalization of Belgrade-Pristina relations", Vucic wrote in a post on his official Instagram account.

He added that he had reiterated a call to the international community to "engage in a concrete and determined manner on substantial issues for the survival of Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija and regional stability".

Kosovo Online: We expect arson vehicle case of our portal’s owner to be resolved (Kosovo Online)

In the evening between Saturday and Sunday, a vehicle owned by Dusan Milanovic, the owner of VIM Info Company in the Kosovo system, founder of the Kosovo Online portal, was set on fire in Leposavic, the portal reported. The case had been reported to Kosovo police which opened an investigation.

“Without wishing to prejudge and bring this case in relation to the owner of a burned vehicle and our portal, we expect respective institutions to shed light on the motive, identify perpetrators and bring them to justice”, the Kosovo Online portal said in a statement.

It added the news on vehicle arson was published yesterday, but the collegium of the portal decided not make an announcement in this regard due to March pogrom anniversary and reverence for the victims.

Since CBK decision entered in force, stock market and banks without interest for work in northern municipalities (Kosovo Online)

Since the Central Bank of Kosovo (CBK) regulation on cash transactions entered into force, not a single bank requested CBK’s permission to open branch offices in the northern Kosovo, the portal reported citing ATV. As ATV further reported this shows that financial institutions have no interest to work in the municipalities in northern Kosovo.

According to former deputy governor of Kosovo Central Bank, Fatmir Gashi this is happening because the CBK’s regulation has become a political issue. He also said the CBK had to start extension of financial institutions in the north long before it approved regulation on payment transactions.

Serbian List: Kosovo police to investigate Radoica Radomirovic over arsons of vehicles (Tanjug, media)

Serbian List said today in a statement that Kosovo Deputy Minister for Communities and Return, Radoica Radomirovic “instead of dealing with returns of displaced persons, presents himself as an experienced pyromaniac who knows how to set a vehicle on fire”, Tanjug news agency reported.

Serbian List also said in a statement that Radomirovic, who is from Leposavic and often meets Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti and whom Kurti describes as his associate, “in detail explains in an audio recording how to set a fire and burn the vehicles, only few days after the two vehicles belonging to reputable and honorable Leposavic residents were set on fire”.

“What is particularly concerning and requires an immediate reaction from respective bodies is information that based on the photos of burned vehicles, it looks as if the fire has been set, respectively the modus operandi is as the one heard on the audio recording. We believe that this audio recording would be sufficient for police and responsible bodies to bring in Radomirovic and investigate his possible involvement in those misdeeds that caused disturbances among residents”, the statement said.

Stojanovic: Vucic admitted that his policy is harmful to Serbia and Serbian people in Kosovo (Beta, NMagazin)

The President of the Serbian National Council (SNV) of Kosovo and Metohija, Momir Stojanovic, said today that the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, admitted that his agreements with the Pristina authorities and the international community were harmful to Serbia and the Serbian people in Kosovo, and that he must bear responsibility for that, reported portal NMagazin, citing Beta. Stojanovic told Beta news agency Vucic's statement that there will be changes in "doctrine and approaches" in the continuation of the dialogue with Pristina is "shocking" so that Belgrade would no longer be faced with a fait accompli.

"From this statement, the citizens can conclude that the President of Serbia feels deceived and that his policy towards Kosovo and Metohija has been defeated and failed. Vucic admitted that his talks and agreements with the Pristina authorities and the international community were harmful to Serbia and the Serbian people in Kosovo. The fact that Vucic negotiated Kosovo all these years without any influence from the Government or control of the Serbian Parliament gives a special dimension to that defeat and failure," said Stojanovic.

According to him, it is obvious that Vucic was deceived, "and through Vucic, the Serbs in Kosovo and Serbia were deceived."

"The question arises as to how the Serbs in Kosovo feel today after Vucic's admission that he was deceived, and that his policy was defeated and thus failed. There is no doubt that these people were deceived. The question of the responsibility of the President of the Republic for leading wrong and harmful policies towards Kosovo must be asked in a sharp form," emphasized the SNV president.

He believes that Vucic should "urgently" exclude himself from any talks on resolving the issue of Kosovo.

He added that all the decisions of Aleksandar Vucic in the past ten years were aimed at creating an independent Kosovo.

"Vucic handed over all the elements of Serbian statehood in Kosovo to Pristina, and he proclaimed every such decision as his victory and wisdom. The consequences of Vucic's policy are that today the Serbs in Kosovo are the most endangered national community in Europe. While ordinary citizens are moving out of Kosovo, politicians gathered around the Serbian List are still trying to take advantage of the par excellence state problem like Kosovo and Metohija," Stojanovic said.

Smiljanic: The Serbs in the YU program building in Pristina survived a calvary on March 17, thought we would all be killed (Kosovo Online)

From 8:30 PM until around midnight, when we were rescued and evacuated by Irish KFOR troops, the Serbs living in the YU program building in Pristina on March 17, 2004, went through a real calvary. We thought we would all be killed. Three Albanians attacked me with knives in the hallway of the building. I had 12 stab wounds, one of which was in the neck area and could have been fatal. Unfortunately, no one has ever been held accountable for what the Serbs endured in this building, as well as in many other places on March 17, Dragan Smiljanic said for Kosovo Online portal.