Albanian Language Media:

• Over 66% of postal votes counted, LVV leads (Koha)
• Osmani congratulates Bulgaria on Liberation Day (RTK)
• Abdixhiku: LDK has grown by 70 thousand votes (media)
• MLGA signs agreements, about 8 million euros for 12 municipalities (RTK)
• Riinvest Institute: Kosovo is aging rapidly (Telegrafi)
• EP Rapporteur on Serbia blames Vucic for failure to hold meetings (media)

Serbian Language Media: 

• Jevtic: Dozens of Serbs from Strpce municipality received summons to report to Kosovo police (Kosovo Online, Danas, Tanjug)
• Trial of Kostic and Milovic postponed, defence requests measure of house arrest with bail (Kosovo Online)
• Vucic: We will invite everyone to Belgrade (Alternativna.com)
• Brnabic: There will be no counter-protest on March 15 (N1, media)
• Prosecutor Stefanovic on NGO business checks: Those who haven’t committed criminal acts have nothing to fear (N1)
• The Student Edict adopted at rally in Nis (N1)

Opinion:

• Justice and Realpolitik: Trump, Thaci and the Kosovo Special Court (Balkan Insight)

Albanian Language Media 

Over 66% of postal votes counted, LVV leads (Koha)

124 polling stations out of a total of 187, or 66.31 percent of postal votes, have been counted as of Monday morning. Of these votes, the Vetevendosje Movement leads with 52.72 percent. The Democratic League of Kosovo is second with 29.80 percent, followed by the Democratic Party of Kosovo with 7.98 percent. Currently, the Vetevendosje Movement is close to securing 49 mandates and could even reach 50 if it wins around 70 percent of postal votes. The counting of votes cast in diplomatic missions was completed a few days ago, while the remaining votes to be counted are those sent by mail, then conditional votes and votes from people with special needs.

Osmani congratulates Bulgaria on Liberation Day: Our ties are based on friendship (RTK)

Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani congratulated the people and President of Bulgaria, Rumen Radev, on their Liberation Day.

“Warm congratulations to the President of Bulgaria and the people of Bulgaria on your Liberation Day. The ties between Kosovo and Bulgaria are founded on friendship and cooperation, and we remain deeply grateful for Bulgaria’s steadfast support. We look forward to strengthening our partnership in the years ahead. Wishing Bulgaria continued prosperity and success,” Osmani wrote on social platform X.

Abdixhiku: LDK has grown by 70 thousand votes (media)

The leader of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), Lumir Abdixhiku, has thanked the people of Kosovo living in the diaspora for voting for the party he leads. So far, from postal votes, the LDK has received over 12 thousand votes. “Now that the counting of votes from the diaspora is nearing its end, we have a clear picture of the final picture of our elections. No, we did not achieve the intended result. No, we did not change the ranking that seemed to have been predetermined for us. I have taken responsibility for this! But, yes, we have grown! And that by a full 70 thousand votes! Like never before! For a full 7 more MPs! Therefore, keep your heads up.”, Abdixhiku wrote.

He said that growth is slow and requires a lot of work. He has indicated that after the certification of the results, a thank-you tour will begin.

MLGA signs agreements, about 8 million euros for 12 municipalities (RTK)

The Minister of Local Government Administration, Elbert Krasniqi, has signed agreements for the financing of capital projects with the mayors of the twelve beneficiary municipalities. Through this grant, MLGA and donors finance municipalities in projects that aim at local economic development, inclusiveness and digitalization of municipal services. “This competition only makes sense when the competition is transparent and this competition now has greater importance since it has been institutionalized and is based on the relevant law voted in the assembly. Through this grant, MLGA and donors finance municipalities in projects that aim at local economic development, inclusiveness and digitalization of municipal services. Congratulations to the mayors of the beneficiary municipalities!”, Krasniqi wrote.

Riinvest Institute: Kosovo is aging rapidly (Telegrafi)

The Riinvest Institute informed that birth rate in Kosovo is falling, youth emigration is increasing, while life expectancy is increasing. “According to data from the Kosovo Agency of Statistics (ASK), the aging ratio (the population aged 65+ compared to the population aged 0-14) has more than doubled since 2011 and more than quadrupled since 1981 – an alarming increase! What's happening? Birth rates are declining. Youth emigration is increasing. Life expectancy is rising.

What does this mean? Fewer young people - A shrinking future workforce. Increased pressure on pension systems and social services. An urgent need for policies that align education with labor market demands, boost employment, and reform social and pension systems to make Kosovo more attractive to both citizens and investors.

The Riinvest Institute, in collaboration with UNFPA Kosovo, is conducting an analysis to examine demographic trends and identify the policies that need to be revised in light of demographic shifts and to support demographic resilience. Stay tuned for further detailed graphics and in-depth analysis on this topic!” this Institute wrote today.

EP Rapporteur on Serbia blames Vucic for failure to hold meetings (media)

The European Parliament's permanent rapporteur on Serbia, Tonino Picula, after his visit to Belgrade, during which he did not meet with top state officials, said that Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic had planned such a thing. "The decision to reduce direct contacts with me, on behalf of the government, exclusively to talks in the National Assembly and the Ministry for European Integration was, of course, made by President Vucic, since only he decides on such moves," Picula confirmed to Radio Free Europe.

Picula went to Belgrade after the draft report was presented to the European Parliament's Foreign Policy Committee on February 20, which was met with criticism from the Serbian authorities. Vucic refused to meet with the rapporteur on Serbia, calling Picula a "liar." In addition to Vucic, the meeting was also rejected by the head of the parliamentary group “Aleksandar Vucic – Serbia Must Not Stop” in the Serbian Parliament, Milenko Jovanov.

Picula claims that the government’s negative attitude towards the draft report on the situation in the country was promoted even before his arrival. “On the other hand, it would not be fair to reduce the meaning and results of my stay in Serbia only to the meetings I did not have with the president of the state, the acting prime minister and the minister of foreign affairs,” said Tonino Picula.

During his stay in Serbia, a police action also took place at the premises of several non-governmental organizations in Belgrade. Picula confirms that this element, along with all the impressions from the visit, will also be included in the continuation of the work on the report on the situation in Serbia. He assessed that the four-day mission in the capacity of the European Parliament's permanent rapporteur for Serbia has shown that it will not be possible to easily overcome the differences in assessments of the situation in the country between him and the representatives of the government with whom he did not have the opportunity to talk.

Serbian Language Media

Jevtic: Dozens Serbs from Strpce municipality received summons to report to Kosovo police (Kosovo Online, Danas, Tanjug)

Strpce mayor Dalibor Jevtic said today that dozens of Serbs, workers of Strpce municipality within the Serbian system, received summons to report to Kosovo police, department of serious crimes in Pristina, as suspects, describing it as “a method of institutional violence carried out by outgoing regime in Pristina”, Kosovo Online portal reported.

In a post on Facebook, Jevtic said the cases refer to “so-called undermining of Kosovo constitutional order”.

“In other words it is about a pure political process with a clear goal and implementation of ethno-nationalistic policy of Albin Kurti who can not stand defeat he faced in elections by Serbian people, who despite all pressure and repression by the very same Kurti, voted for Serbian List”, Jevtic said.

Jevtic urged representatives of the international community in Kosovo to react and stop detrimental Pristina’s act.

“Our fellow citizens should remain calm, and they should know they are not alone in this fight against repression and institutional violence carried out by Kurti. None of those receiving summons in this regard are criminals, on the contrary they are decent people who only want to remain in their places and live lives worthy of a dignified human being. The time of policy of violence and repression by Albin Kurti will pass, and the time of peace and co-existence will come because justice always wins at the end”, Jevtic said.

Trial of Kostic and Milovic postponed, defence requests measure of house arrest with bail (Kosovo Online)

The trial of Zoran Kostic and Dragan Milovic accused of allegedly committing war crimes against civilian population in Vucitrn during the conflict in 1999 had been postponed as witnesses of prosecution did not appear before the court today for the second time, Kosovo Online portal reported.

Defence lawyers of Kostic and Milovic requested their detention measure be replaced with house arrest with a bail. Lawyer Predrag Miljkovic proposed a mortgage be imposed on the family house of Zoran Kostic, or the family may place 15.000 euros as a bail, so he is enabled to defend from freedom.Lawyer of Dragan Milovic, Milos Delevic also requested a house arrest for his client. 

Miljkovic also said the court ordered these two witnesses be summoned and if they do not appear at the upcoming hearing for the third time, he would request prosecution to give up on those witnesses.

Speaking of the witnesses who failed to appear at the hearing today, Miljkovic said they are witnessing a separate part of the indictment and as such can only confirm one part of that indictment. “{…} It is easy to talk to the police and prosecution, however, when you must face the court and the defence…it seems to me as if the witnesses have lost the courage or changed their mind. The court issued an order to summon them, and we shall see what would happen with that at the upcoming hearing, there is one more hearing scheduled. If they do not appear, I would propose prosecution to give up on them and that we continue the process with other witnesses”, Miljkovic said.

He also recalled that witnesses in the previous hearing made statements that were in favour of defendants Zoran Kostic and Dragan Milovic. The next hearing will take place on March 19.

Zoran Kostic and Dragan Milovic were arrested on September 20, 2023 and remain in detention ever since. Ilija Elezovic from Mitrovica North was also arrested for alleged involvement in the same case. Elezovic who suffered from terminal cancer died a few months later upon being released from detention.

Vucic: We will invite everyone to Belgrade (Alternativna.com)

In the wake of allegations from Kosovo that Serbian Government is preparing Serbs from Kosovo to defend President Aleksandar Vucic in Belgrade, that they should allegedly be the reason for breaking up students’ protests and while there is still no official confirmation, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said yesterday supporters of the Serbian Progressive Party will soon come to Belgrade, reported Alternativna.com portal.  

"And we will soon invite you all to Belgrade. We will invite everyone to Belgrade, all of Serbia, to show that Serbia is not a handful of oats that they will eat with ease", Vucic said in a meeting in Bor.

"Because in Serbia, if you want a referendum on me, you will get it. You want elections? You will always have them, and we will beat you even more convincingly. Everything is possible, but it must be democratic; and for you to come to power through the streets, you will never see that movie again", he added.

Alternativna.com recalled claims that Serbs from Kosovo should "defend" the Serbian President by staying in the tents in front of the official seat of the President of Serbia at Andric's Venac. These claims were first made by the Otadzbina (Fatherland) Movement, Serbian National Council (SNV) and Serbian National Forum (SNF) movements, and then by the deputy president of the Serbian People's Movement, Branimir Stojanovic.

Brnabic: There will be no counter-protest on March 15 (N1, media)

Serbian Parliament Speaker Ana Brnabic said there will be no large gathering organized by the government in Belgrade and that no counter-protest is planned.

“March 14, 15 and 16 are work days for us, the Parliament will be in session to discuss the situation in Republika Srpska (RS), I will also invite RS President Milorad Dodik to attend”, Brnabic told Pink TV, stressing that if someone wants to take over institutions, they should consider the timing and its implications for Serbia.

She expressed hope that a majority of students will distance themselves from the idea of storming the Parliament. Brnabic added that a rally of government supporters will not be organized on March 15, but that it can be expected on another date, though she emphasized that this government has “never organized counter-protests”.

Prosecutor Stefanovic on NGO business checks: Those who haven’t committed criminal acts have nothing to fear (N1)

Nenad Stefanovic, Chief Prosecutor of the Higher Public Prosecutor's Office in Belgrade said claims that arrests carried out these days started only with approval from the top of the government were not true. He emphasized the process in the fight against corruption is continuous, but that the public only comments on the part of the process visible to them. Regarding control of non-governmental organizations (NGOs), he said anyone who hasn't committed criminal acts has no reason to fear.

“As for the state officials, the legitimately elected representatives of the state, I believe they articulate what citizens feel, which is that we need justice and an efficient fight against corruption“, Stefanovic said in an interview with Kurir.

When asked about the check of the operations of several NGOs, he responded that “those who haven’t committed criminal acts have no reason to worry“. “In this specific case, the highest representatives of the United States, as well as the director of the FBI, have repeatedly made serious accusations against USAID’s operations for misappropriating American taxpayers’ money and possible money laundering, and in the same context, they also mentioned NGOs from Serbia“, he said. Stefanovic added that “our job is to take actions within our jurisdiction to verify the situation on the domestic ground and determine whether there is any foundation to these suspicions“.

When asked whether the case initiated by the Higher Public Prosecutor’s Office regarding the collapse of the roof at the Novi Sad railway station involves elements of corruption, he responded that the “corrupt element in this case lies in the failure to perform oversight duties and neglecting official duties, which in a way represents professional shortcomings“.

The Student Edict adopted at rally in Nis (N1)

At the massive protest rally held on March 1 in the southern city of Nis, students read and adopted The Student Edict.

The full text of the Students Edict:

We, the students and free citizens of Serbia, gathered in the city of Nis – a city of new ideas and change, a city that has been a crossroads of history through the centuries, and a place where freedom has always found its way – issue this edict proclaiming the values we fight for, as our oath for the future and to the country in which we want to live:

On Freedom

Serbia is a land of free people. Freedom is not a mercy but a fundamental right, tied to the dignity of every citizen. It is the foundation of our democratic society, our laws, our words and our thoughts.

On the State

The state is the collective good of all its citizens. The institutions of Serbia must serve the people and be a source of trust, not an instrument of individual power. We advocate for a state where the law is the highest authority, and where political office is a service to the people, not a privilege.

On Justice

Justice is the foundation of a stable society. An independent judiciary, free media and institutions must act in accordance with the law, not under political pressure. Equality before the law must be a reality for every citizen of Serbia.

On Youth

The youth have proven that they are not just the heirs of Serbia but its constitutional guardians. Students, as the bearers of this struggle, uphold the values on which our society must be based. The youth of Serbia demand a system built on effort and knowledge.

On Dignity

We advocate for a society that respects the dignity of every individual. Dignity means that no person should be humiliated for their views and opinions. We envision a Serbia where experts are not undervalued, where knowledge is prized over obedience, and where young people can see hope in their own country.

On Knowledge

Knowledge is the foundation of progress in any society. We demand a Serbia that invests in science, research, education and culture, as priorities in its development. Universities must be independent centers of excellence, not arenas for buying diplomas and political influence.

On Solidarity

The roads of our cities, from Nis to Novi Sad, from Belgrade to Kragujevac, testify to the strength of national unity. This solidarity, previously unknown to systems built on division, becomes our pledge and our strength, which we will defend and nurture. By turning individual voices into a force for change, we have proven that Serbia is not a collection of divided interests, but a community of citizens united by a shared vision for the future.

On the Future

Let this edict be our commitment, our promise to one another that we will build a country that belongs to all, where every child can dream big. A country where justice and freedom are stronger than any individual, where power does not rule over the people, but serves them.

Opinion

Justice and Realpolitik: Trump, Thaci and the Kosovo Special Court (Balkan Insight)

By Dean B. Pineles

Donald Trump’s sympathy for Hashim Thaci – and his propensity to take bold action – could end the ordeal of Kosovo’s former president before the Hague court, over which the US has significant leverage.

During the first weeks of US President Donald Trump’s second administration, he has taken a wrecking ball to American governmental institutions through the unconstrained efforts of Elon Musk.

He has also thrown US foreign policy into turmoil, particularly with regard to Ukraine, Russia and Europe, as well as Gaza and the Middle East.

Do Trump’s style and personal interests have any implications for Kosovo’s former president, Hashim Thaci, and the war crimes court based in The Hague known as the Kosovo Special Chambers, KSC, before which Thaci is on trial?

At the moment there are many moving parts in this scenario. The Trump administration is new and Trump himself has not yet spoken about Thaci, or even Kosovo. To date, no US ambassador has been assigned to Kosovo. And Trump is presently busy with numerous foreign policy challenges, as noted. Also, Kosovo just held parliamentary elections and has not yet formed a new government.

But there are certain immutable facts. President Trump has been Thaci’s friend and supporter in the past. He loathes Jack Smith, the American prosecutor who indicted Thaci and, later, Trump himself. He trusts Richard Grenell, his recently appointed envoy for special missions, who spoke out recently about Thaci and the European Union-funded KSC. And he is not averse to creating chaos if it suits his purposes.

Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/yrjn7vdy