Albanian Language Media:

• Rutte and NATO ambassadors expected to visit Kosovo (RTK)

• Maqedonci meets Hargreaves: Discuss importance of coordination (Express)

• Kurti does not appear at the Prosecutor’s Office, despite Court order (media)

• Kurti from Gjilan: The Prosecution is fighting the government (media)

• Prosecution on Kurti's failure to appear for interview (media)

• AJK condemns Kurti's attacks on media (media)

• Kurti speaks about eventual coalition with Nisma (Blic)

• CorrWatch: Stop practice of operating with acting CEOs (Klan)

   

Serbian Language Media: 

• Fight in the Serbian Parliament: Smoke bombs, torches, banners, mutual accusations (KoSSev, media)
• Petkovic: Now it is clear why Kurti supported the attack on Serbia from the beginning (Tanjug)

• Serbian List: Shameful scenes in the Serbian Parliament (KiM Radio)

• Endangered hermitage of St. Petar Koriski near Prizren (Radio KIM, Politika)

• Attorney Pantovic: When can we talk about espionage and when not (KiM Radio, KoSSev, Radio Mitrovica sever)
• Prosecution in Belgrade charges three over canopy collapse (N1)

International Media:

• Serbia, students and emperors (balcanicaucaso.org)
• ‘Eldorado’: Profits, politics and pitfalls of Balkan Green Energy subsidies (Balkan Insight)

Humanitarian:
 

• Sport brings communities together at children’s swimming classes in Pristina (Prishtina Insight)

Albanian Language Media 

Rutte and NATO ambassadors expected to visit Kosovo (RTK)

Based on unofficial sources, the national broadcaster reports that NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte will visit Kosovo next week. Reportedly, he will be accompanied by the entire North Atlantic Council, which includes ambassadors from the 32 member states of North Atlantic alliance. This will be Rutte’s first visit as head of the alliance, since he took office in October last year. Prior to arriving in Kosovo, Rutte will spend a day in Bosnia and Herzegovina, although without the company of other ambassadors. The visit to Kosovo is scheduled for March 11. Rutte himself had announced this visit earlier. On Monday, he spoke with the Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, and announced that the Serbian president will soon visit NATO headquarters in Brussels. 

Maqedonci meets Hargreaves: Discuss importance of coordination (Express)

Ksoovo’s Minister of Defense Ejup Maqedonci, hosted today Ambassador of the United Kingdom to Kosovo Jonathan Hargreaves. They discussed, among other things, strengthening bilateral cooperation in the field of defense and security. The announcement states that at the meeting they provided ideas and approaches on the most effective ways to cope with recent global developments, emphasizing the importance of coordination and strategic partnerships.

Kurti does not appear at the Prosecutor’s Office, despite Court order (media)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti was supposed to appear at the Special Prosecutor’s Office at 10:00 hours this morning, to testify on the issue of state reserves. However, he did not do so. The Basic Court in Pristina has ordered Kurti to appear as a witness, but according to the agenda of the Prime Minister’s Office, Kurti will at that time participate in the laying of the foundation stone of the new kindergarten in Gjilan. 

Kurti from Gjilan: The Prosecution is fighting the government (media)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti has stated that he is willing to testify but has invited investigators of the Special Prosecution to come to his office. Kurti said in Gjilan, where he participated in the laying of the foundation stone of a kindergarten, that the Prosecution is attacking the government. “I have never said that I will not give testimony and refuse it…I have said that I am willing and interested. I have written a letter where I have also indicated the schedules when it can be done. I welcome the State Prosecution to the Prime Minister’s office… There is no reason why it should not proceed. So, it has been possible since December to conduct this interview and give my testimony,” Kurti said. 

He further added that the Prosecution is abusing its freedom and is fighting the government, not the crime of corruption. “If the Prosecution had considered my testimony very important, it would have come to us. A prosecutor who is interested in the testimony of a witness, does not waste time. The question arises why the Prosecution wasted three months. In my opinion, it is more interested in filling the front pages of some oligarch's portal than in bringing justice. The State Prosecution in Kosovo has never been freer. It is using and abusing its freedom to fight the government, not crime and corruption. I have always been ready to testify,” he added.

Prosecution on Kurti's failure to appear for interview (media)

The Special Prosecution has made an announcement regarding the failure of Prime Minister Albin Kurti to appear for interview, which states that Kurti did not appear despite the fact that he was obliged by Order of the Basic Court in Pristina to appear as a witness. "The Special Prosecution of the Republic of Kosovo, following the interest of many journalists, informs that witness A.K. did not appear at the Special Prosecution to give his testimony despite the fact that he was obliged by Order of the Basic Court in Pristina to appear as a witness, to give his testimony on 04.03.2025 at 10:00, at the Special Prosecution of the Republic of Kosovo".

"The Special Prosecution of the Republic of Kosovo, in this criminal case, as in all other cases, will act in accordance with the legislation in force," the statement further notes.

AJK condemns Kurti's attacks on media (media)

The Association of Kosovo Journalists has condemned acting Prime Minister Albin Kurti's attack on the media. Kurti today from Gjilan when asked why he did not go to testify at the Prosecutor's Office in the State Reserves case, said that "my judgment is that the Prosecutor's Office is more interested in filling the front pages of some oligarch's portal than in bringing justice".

"He made this statement when asked by journalists about his failure to appear as a witness in the State Reserves case, an interview scheduled for 10:00. AJK condemns this language of the acting Prime Minister and reiterates that such rhetoric is unacceptable, endangers journalists and the media, and undermines freedom of the media and expression in Kosovo," the AJK's reaction states.

Kurti speaks about eventual coalition with Nisma (Blic)

Kosovo’s acting Prime Minister Albin Kurti did not answer journalists' question directly today in Gjilan about Fatmir Limaj’s offer and saying that he does not have red lines with LVV. “First, we are waiting for the certification of the results and then we will sit down and look at the way forward, but the situation has not changed for us to have other positions regarding our opponents. A hybrid war has been waged against our government, but we have emerged victorious, and the winner must and will form the government,” he said. 

CorrWatch: Stop practice of operating with acting CEOs (Klan)

The CorrWatch initiative has expressed concerns regarding recent developments on the process of operating with acting CEOs in the public enterprises such as KEK and Trepca. CorrWatch emphasized that it is closely following the frequent changes of those selected for the position of Chief Executive Officer in public enterprises – with a special focus on KEK and Trepca. “It is unacceptable that these enterprises, which due to their operating sectors and economic importance, operate with acting CEOs. The lack of a full mandate as defined by the Law on Public Enterprises and the Code has also had its consequences in the smooth running of public enterprises, which have been reflected in the failure to achieve strategic objectives and fulfill the business plan”.

“The exercise of the Chief Executive Officer’s duty without a full mandate puts at risk the economic operation not only of the enterprises in question, but also of the economy in general due to the critical sectors of operation of these two enterprises. Through these movements, a bad practice of corporate governance is being created which could bring major consequences to the country’s economy”. Through this reaction, CorrWatch demanded the selection of the Chief Executive Officer of KEK and Trepca with a full mandate.

Serbian Language Media

Fight in the Serbian Parliament: Smoke bombs, torches, banners, mutual accusations (KoSSev, media)

KoSSev reported today that the spring session of the Assembly of Serbia and the first one in 2025 was underway. The agenda contained 62 points, and ahead of its voting, an incident occurred in the parliament hall. 

Torches were lit, smoke bombs activated, and the opposition pelted MPs from their positions with eggs, bottles of water... There was also a physical conflict, which was soon stopped. The Speaker of the Parliament insisted that the session continue, although in difficult conditions in the hall, due to the smoke, but also the noise and chanting of the opposition. The session started around 10 am, with the singing of the national anthem. The 62-point agenda did not include the announced resignation of PM Milos Vucevic, but the Speaker said it would be discussed at the end of the session. SNS MP Milenko Jovanov then suggested that the point on the dismissal of the President of the Assembly, Ana Brnabic, be removed from the agenda. Despite the opposition's displeasure, the government's deputies adopted this proposal. The opposition began to unfurl banners, the largest of which was: "Serbia rises up so that the regime falls." The present opposition MPs also carried the banners "General strike", "Fulfill the demands", "Students are right" and "Educators are with you", and shouted "pump it". 

A little before 11:00, there was a physical confrontation between those present, and then the opposition lit torches, threw smoke bombs, eggs, and bottles. And after this, in a room now full of smoke, the opposition and the position physically clashed in the middle of the hall. The deputies pushed, hit, and threw water at each other, but security managed to separate them. 

Parliament Speaker Ana Brnabic insists that the session continue, because "the Assembly works for the people." "This is not Serbia that will win," she said, while the opposition chanted and blew vuvuzelas all the time. In a series of accusations against the opposition, at one point she said: "Albin Kurti's pets. You work like him, he taught you….”

Petkovic: Now it is clear why Kurti supported the attack on Serbia from the beginning (Tanjug)

The Director of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija, Petar Petkovic, said today that the opposition in Belgrade created chaos in the Serbian Parliament, and that it is clear why Kosovo PM, Albin Kurti, supported the attack on Serbia from the beginning. 

"According to Albin Kurti's recipe, the violent opposition in Belgrade created chaos in the Serbian Parliament! It is clear why Kurti supported the attack on Serbia from the beginning. Kurti and his associates in Belgrade will never defeat Serbia!!!", Petkovic wrote in a post on X. 

Petkovic also published photos from today’s Serbian Parliament session, and photos from a few years ago showing members of the Self-Determination movement of Albin Kurti in the Pristina Assembly throwing tear gas during the session.

Serbian List: Shameful scenes in the Serbian Parliament (KiM Radio)

The Serbian List (SL) condemned today’s incidents in the Serbian Parliament, reported KiM Radio. 

The SL accused the opposition of the events in the parliament, associating them, like the President of the Assembly Ana Brnbic, with what Albin Kurti used to do in the Kosovo parliament as a member of the opposition.

"The shameful scenes and direction of the quasi-opposition in the Serbian Parliament were copied from their patron Albin Kurti, who came to power in Pristina with violence and the idea of expelling all Serbs. Without wanting to hide their alliance with Kurti, today's opposition members tried their best to make Kurti and his regime, which was defeated in the elections, happy with red and black smoke bombs," the SL’s statement read. 

They say that “the Serbian people from Kosovo are watching the events in the Serbian Parliament with disbelief’’, claiming that they provide "full support to President Aleksandar Vucic" to save Serbia. 

At the end of the announcement, they call on the citizens of Serbia to "not be an instrument in the hands" of those who, as they say, would once again rob and destroy Serbia.

Endangered hermitage of St. Petar Koriski near Prizren (Radio KIM, Politika)

The Hermitage of Saint Petar Koriski from XIV century, located in the hills above Korisa village, near Prizren has been seriously threatened and devastated by extensive construction works that undermined very foundations of this ancient sanctuary of the Serbian Orthodox Church (SOC), Radio KIM writes today. Recently, a video material is available on YouTube documenting the situation in this Special Protection Zone in which any construction works are banned in line with the law. Video in Serbian is available at: https://shorturl.at/NH6UQ

Despite it, a wider road was reconstructed leading next to the foundations of the hermitage. It ends at the entry to a cave at the end of the complex, Belgrade-based daily Politika reported a few days ago.

Prizren Municipality and its Department of Tourism and Economic Development, without permit from Serbian Orthodox Church and Raska-Prizren Eparchy carried out the works and committed, as the article said, one of the greatest destructions and desecrations of the holy shrines since March 17 violence in 2004.

Although domestic and international legislations say it is about an object in ownership of the Serbian Orthodox Church, there are clear and accepted maps of the Special Protection Zones, Kosovo institutions have affected the area, violating their own law, whose Point 1 clearly says “This law enables protection of the Serbian Orthodox Monasteries, Churches and other religious objects, of both historic and cultural localities of particular importance for the community of Kosovo Serbs”.

The article further said the place that is explicitly mentioned in the law by its name is at risk, the place of one of the largest and most famous hermitages where monks did asceticism for hundreds of years, the place of a rich library, the place that Serbian Emperor Dusan visited with his family and gifted it.

The article also said Serbian Orthodox Church facilities that are not located in majority- Serbian areas or the areas populated by them have been exposed to vandalism and theft for years. The hermitage of St. Petar has been the target of vandals and thieves also before.

Attorney Pantovic: When can we talk about espionage and when not (KiM Radio, KoSSev, Radio Mitrovica sever)

Espionage is a complex criminal offense that is regulated in the current Kosovo Criminal Code through seven paragraphs under Article 124. The minimum sentence for this criminal offense is five years, although the law provides for a life sentence in certain cases, reported KiM Radio. 

Precisely because of its complexity, this criminal act often scares citizens, so when this topic is actualized due to a specific case, the question arises who is a spy, how do I know that I have not in some way even inadvertently participated in this act and how to protect myself? Attorney Ljubomir Pantovic explains the nature of the criminal offense of "espionage" and emphasizes that at least one of the two prerequisites must be met for a person to be suspected before the law of this criminal offense. 

"Espionage is handing over or providing access to a state secret, to a foreign state or a foreign organization or a person who works for that foreign state or foreign organization," explains Pantovic in an interview with Radio Mitrovica sever. 

The first condition is that the disclosed information must be marked as "state secret". Not every information sharing is espionage. 

"Communicating every piece of information is not espionage. A state secret must be declared as such based on some law or by the decision of a state authority, the information that is being transmitted must be declared a state secret. So not everything is a state secret," says the lawyer. 

Some information is declared a state secret when the state or its authorities assess that disclosing that information in any way could negatively affect the interest of that state. Usually, these are documents primarily related to the security of the state, although some apparently banal data can also be found under the state secret. Another condition necessary to talk about the criminal act of "espionage" is that the person has knowledge about who he is transmitting the information to, i.e., to knowingly hand over information to a person who works for a foreign country, that is, an intelligence organization. 

"The act of espionage can be carried out with direct intent - when you know that this person works for a foreign country or its intelligence organization, you know that your information is a state secret, and yet you communicate it to them. So, the assumption is that you know. If you don't know what that person is doing, you haven't committed the criminal act of espionage, unless you know that the information you gave is a secret," Pantovic explained. 

However, citizens usually don't read the laws, they don't really have the opportunity to find out state secrets just like that, but if something like that happens, Pantovic says that it's very simple to act here - when the data is a state secret and if you find out about it by any chance - you don't give it to anyone. 

Pantovic also adds that “criminal responsibility is always realized before the law of the country, which good or interest is violated, so wherever in the world you reveal a state secret, for example Kosovo, you will be criminally responsible under Kosovo law”.

Media and reporting on serious crimes... 

The case of J.Dj. who was detained in North Mitrovica last week for alleged espionage, brought this topic into the public's focus. Before she was detained, one Pristina media even published a photo of her on its website, which is not in accordance with the law, notes Pantovic. 

"When reporting on suspects for this or similar crimes, the media must be careful, not like these days... Some media immediately published a picture, initials, full name, and surname, and recounted what they learned, read, or heard - what they are accused of, what is at stake. No, the media is not allowed to do that, data from any investigation cannot just be released to the public without some filter. I was not at the session when detention was ordered to the woman, but I am sure that the trial judge who ordered the detention informed those present about it and first excluded the public. Not everyone could come there. What these media are doing is an absolute violation of the law, but unfortunately no one is paying attention. Simply, don't do that and use only official information", appeals the lawyer.

Prosecution in Belgrade charges three over canopy collapse (N1)

Higher Public Prosecutor Nenad Stefanovic said Tuesday that, following an efficiently conducted preliminary investigation and inquiry, the Special Department for Combating Corruption of the Higher Public Prosecutor's Office in Belgrade has filed an indictment charging three people in connection with the commission of several criminal offenses with elements of corruption, which resulted in the collapse of a canopy at Novi Sad train station on November 1, 2024 that killed 15 people and severely injured two, N1 reported.

The prosecution has charged Slobodanka K., the investment development manager at Serbian Railways Infrastructure, Milutin S., the president of the Commission for Technical Inspection of Novi Sad Train Station, and Biljana K., a Commission member. Stefanovic said that the investigation against two members of the Commission has been suspended due to a lack of evidence that they committed any criminal offense that is prosecuted ex officio.

He explained that the Higher Public Prosecutor’s Office in Novi Sad has filed charges in the same case against other suspects who are charged with a criminal offence against the public within the scope of so-called general crime. “The Public Prosecutor’s Office for Organized Crime is conducting a preliminary investigation regarding the financing of the Novi Sad train station reconstruction project”, he said.

International

Serbia, students and emperors (balcanicaucaso.org) 

Protests in Serbia continue. On March 1st, a new protest was held in Niš. With a bit of irony, students issued the “Students’ edict”. Vučić reacted harshly, attacking the students and the media outlets that cover the demonstrations

The Roman Emperor Constantine the Great (272-337 AD) is mostly known for the Edict of Milan of 313, also known as “Edict of Constantine”, which allowed freedom of religion and stopped the persecution of Christians in both the Eastern and Western Roman Empire. Not everybody knows that Constantine was born in the Roman town of Naissus, which is today’s Niš in Serbia. A few Roman mosaics remain in the municipality of Mediana today.

In more recent times, Niš was also the first Serbian city to rebel against Milošević regime in 1996, when it was ruled by the coalition Zajedno. In even more recent times, in summer 2024, Niš was the place where, in the 2024 administrative elections, a local opposition party, led by a well-known doctor, Dr. Dragan Milić, came very close to securing the majority in the city against the ruling SNS troubled by internal disputes.

Eventually SNS secured the votes  for the election of the Mayor, but the municipality of Mediana became the first, and only, municipality in Serbia to be ruled by an opposition party.

Last Saturday, Niš, after Belgrade, Novi Sad and Kragujevac, was also the latest destination of the students’ protest in Serbia, which has been ongoing following the collapse of the canopy of the station in Novi Sad on November 1st. On March 1st, as it happened before, students arrived in Novi Sad on foot and by bicycle from other cities in Serbia. They were joined by thousands of citizens who warmly greeted them.

Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/37h8jkez

‘Eldorado’: Profits, politics and pitfalls of Balkan Green Energy subsidies (Balkan Insight)

For a select few, the green transition in the Balkans has been very lucrative. And political connections don’t hurt.

From 2020 to the end of August 2024, BB Hidro, a renewable energy producer in Montenegro, benefitted from a total of 310,000 euros in state subsidies under a system created to help drive the country’s transition away from fossil fuels.

The subsidies work both for companies like BB Hidro, and for the transition. But there’s another element of note in the BB Hidro success story: the executive director and co-owner is Blazo Djukanovic, son of Milo Djukanovic, the man who until 2023 led Montenegro as either president or prime minister for the best part of three decades.

BB Hidro clinched the state concession for a hydroelectric power plant in 2016, when Djukanovic senior was prime minister.

The case is well known in Montenegro, a textbook example of how private companies led by politically well-connected individuals have exploited the opportunities opened up by the green energy transition.

Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/35489ap5

Humanitarian/Development

Sport brings communities together at children’s swimming classes in Pristina (Prishtina Insight)

“Young girls and boys from different countries break cultural barriers through swimming in Kosovo.”

It’s evening on January 30, and swimming trainers in a pool of a Pristina’s suburb are ready to prepare their young swimmers with swim caps and goggles.

Swimmers begin with some warm-up exercises before going into the 25 meters long swimming pool.

Coach Elona Tovërlani said that swimming lessons often include youngsters from different countries and ethnic groups.

Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/2p8tab99