UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, March 8, 2024

Albanian Language Media:

Kurti: Feminist policies are advancing democracy (RFE)
Kurti congratulates Sweden on becoming 32nd member of NATO (media)
Osmani on Sweden in NATO: Strengthens European peace and security (media)
New UK Ambassador reconfirms support for EU-facilitated dialogue (media)
Elshani on Banjska: We confiscated 55 RPGs, they fired seven or eight (media)
Kosovo “needs a law on the currency” (RFE)
Two premises owned by Zvecan deputy mayor set on fire in north (media)
Awareness-raising campaign for census starts today (Telegrafi)

Serbian Language Media:

Djuric: Kurti causes crisis because he is not faced with adequate consequences (RTV, Tanjug)
Zecevic: International community not ready to pressure Kurti in the right way (RTS)
Filipovic: Cooperation between Serbia and NATO continuously good, important for preservation of peace in Kosovo (Tanjug)
Antonijevic: For membership in Council of Europe, Kosovo needs to meet broader set of standards (Kosovo Online)
German Ambassador: Transition period necessary (N1, BETA)
New Serbian parliament to elect speaker on Monday (Tanjug)
Kosovo police said business premises in Zvecan set on fire (KoSSev)
Vucevic: Belgrade elections should be called as soon as possible (media)

Opinion:

Yugoslavia Pioneered Abortion Rights in Constitution Long Before France (BIRN)

International:

Women in Albanian Textile Sector Pay High Price for Lek’s Rally (Balkan Insight)

Albanian Language Media

Kurti: Feminist policies are advancing democracy (RFE)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti said today on the occasion of March 8 that his government supports feminist equality policies which are advancing democracy all over the world. He said his government would undertake measures to improve the lives of women and girls by offering them support in different areas. “Feminist policies are safeguarding and advancing democracy all over the world. They have won the political fight because there is no longer a doubt that the two can move forward together. This is the state that we are working for every day, democrats yes, but feminist too,” Kurti said.

Kurti further argued that strengthening the position of women in society and especially strengthening their economic standing are some of the substantial changes his government pushed forward since the start of their mandate.

Kurti congratulates Sweden on becoming 32nd member of NATO (media)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti in a post on X congratulated Sweden on becoming the 32nd member of NATO. “A stronger NATO means a safer Europe and a greater chance for peace after Russia's brutal invasion of Ukraine. We hope soon to welcome new upcoming Swedish KFOR soldiers to Kosovo to help defend our border against Serbia's aggression,” Kurti said.

Osmani on Sweden in NATO: Strengthens European peace and security (media)

Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani, in a post on X on Thursday, posted a photo with the Swedish Ambassador to Kosovo Westerlund “and other friends and allies, celebrating this landmark day as Sweden formally joins NATO. This significant leap forward strengthens not just the security of Sweden but also the fabric of European peace & security. Grattis, Sverige!” Osmani wrote.

New UK Ambassador reconfirms support for EU-facilitated dialogue (media)

Newly appointed UK Ambassador to Kosovo, Jonathan Hargreaves, said in a post on X that he met Kosovo Deputy Prime Minister and chief negotiator in the EU-facilitated talks with Serbia, Besnik Bislimi. “Useful and interesting first exchange of views with DPM Besnik Bislimi on Kosovo’s economic growth and prospects for partnership. I also reaffirmed the UK support to the EU facilitated dialogue,” Hargreaves said.

Elshani on Banjska: We confiscated 55 RPGs, they fired seven or eight (media)

Kosovo Police Deputy Director for the north, Veton Elshani, revealed new details about the attack by a Serb armed group in Banjska in the north of Kosovo in September last year. He told RTV Dukagjini on Thursday: “They [the Serb armed group] fired seven or eight RPGs against us. We earlier confiscated 50 RPGs, and with the latest five RPGs we found, there are a total of 55. This is a large number that we confiscated during the operation in Banjska, and they are very dangerous”.

Kosovo “needs a law on the currency” (RFE)

The news website notes that Kosovo does not have a specific law that would determine its national currency but has an administrative instruction that denotes the Euro as the currency for payments. Article 11 of the Constitution provides that a single currency needs to be used as means of payments but not determine which currency. Citing the article, the Central Bank of Kosovo enforced a regulation on February 1 which specified the Euro as the only currency for cash payment operations in Kosovo. Consequently, the Serbian Dinar which was used in Serb-majority municipalities in Kosovo was stopped.

Radio Free Europe asked the CBK and the Kosovo Government why Kosovo does not have a law on the currency and if work is being done in this respect but received no response.

Legal and economic experts meanwhile argue that in the absence of a specific law on the currency, the regulation of the CBK is “mistaken” and that Kosovo will need a specific law.

The news website notes that after the war in 1999, when the UN administration was deployed in Kosovo (UNMIK) its authorities through a regulation decided that the Deutsche Mark would be the currency for payments in Kosovo. Until then, the Yugoslav Dinar was used. Around two years later, namely in December 2001, UNMIK issued an administrative instruction (2001/24) which determined that the Euro would be used as a currency in Kosovo starting from January 1, 2002.

Ehat Miftaraj, director of the Kosovo Law Institute, said the UNMIK administrative instruction is the legal basis for using the Euro as means of payments in Kosovo. He said that when this was adopted there was “a silent agreement” between UNMIK, Kosovo’s international partners and the Central European Bank, and that it did not go through the process of criteria adoption. “Every UNMIK regulation remains in power until it is revoked with a special law,” he told Radio Free Europe.

According to Miftaraj, the recent regulation was unnecessary “given the legal basis deriving from the UNMIK instruction for using the Euro as the only currency for payments”. He said that the instruction could have been implemented even without the CBK regulation, which he views as an action with a political background.

Mejdi Bektashi, professor of economics at Pristina University, agrees that the lack of a specific law on Kosovo’s currency does not render illegal the use of the Euro because there is the administrative instruction from UNMIK. But he also adds that the lack of the law causes technical problems for the Central Bank of Kosovo when it issues sub-legal acts – such as the recent regulation that denotes the Euro as the only currency for payments. “First a law on the currency of the Republic of Kosovo must be adopted. The law needs to be sponsored by the Central Bank of Kosovo, adopted by the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo, and following a transitional period – several months, one or more years – to enforce the law, and not a sub-legal act which in this case is the CBK regulation,” said Bektashi, who also served as member of the Board of the Central Bank of Kosovo.

Two premises owned by Zvecan deputy mayor set on fire in north (media)

Two premises owned by the Deputy Mayor of municipality of Zvecan Natasa Tomanic, were set on fire early Friday. Police said Tomanic believes the fire was intentional. Deputy Minister for Local Government, Arber Vokrri, commented on the incident saying that “it is an attempt to intimidate Serbs that have become free from the terrorists of the Serbian List”. “This comes one month after Vucic’s regime illegally blocked the family business of Deputy Mayor of Mitrovica North, Katarina Adjancic and two months after the vehicle of the chair of Leposavic Municipal Assembly, Gorski Buric, was set on fire. Terrorists and bandits feel encouraged whenever internationals call on the Republic of Kosovo to give up on sovereignty and the rule of law,” Vokrri said.

Awareness-raising campaign for census starts today (Telegrafi)

The Kosovo Agency for Statistics will launch today the awareness-raising campaign for the registration of the population, households and flats in Kosovo. The campaign is aimed at all-inclusion in the process of the registration of the population [census] which will start on April 7 until May 17, and the Agency for Statistics will hold a press conference today.

Acting director of the Agency of Statistics, Avni Kastrati, said recently that all preparations have been made to start the census in April.

Serbian Language Media

Djuric: Kurti causes crisis because he is not faced with adequate consequences (RTV, Tanjug)

Serbian Ambassador to Washington, Marko Djuric said Belgrade for a long time is pointing out the fact that Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti is part of the problem and not part of the solution, as well as that he continues causing acute crisis every few weeks because he is not faced with adequate consequences and sanctions for his actions, Radio Television of Vojvodina (RTV) reports.

He added Belgrade was warning at different levels of destabilizing activities of the Pristina regime, which systematically violates individual and collective human rights, economic and political rights of non-majority communities in Kosovo, in particular that of Serbs.

“Kurti’s ethno-nationalistic regime undermines everything in which international community invested dozens of billions of dollars during several decades”, Djuric said.

According to him, although the primary responsibility for the dialogue rests with the EU, application of sanctions mechanisms that both the EU and US have at disposal would serve well as deterrent from new unilateral acts and restoring the focus on the dialogue process.

Zecevic: International community not ready to pressure Kurti in the right way (RTS)

Professor Slobodan Zecevic from Institute for European Studies told RTS Pristina has simply banned the dinar and caused a social blow to the Serbian population, adding that the international community has capacities but the question remains if it wanted to stop Pristina.

“It is unbelievable that this takes so long. These are some simple processes, to recall some mayors and hold local elections, implement what had been already agreed in Brussels, and that is the Community of Serb Municipalities. Still, everything gets dragged for so long”, Zecevic said.

He also said it has become obvious that for now the international community is not ready to pressure Albin Kurti in the right way.

Filipovic: Cooperation between Serbia and NATO continuously good, important for preservation of peace in Kosovo (Tanjug)

Serbian Ambassador to NATO Mission in Brussels, Branimir Filipovic told Tanjug news agency the cooperation between Serbia and NATO was continuously very good, with high level of communication at different levels, adding it is very important for preserving peace and security in Kosovo as NATO is the only legal military force there, present in this area in accordance with the UNSC Resolution 1244.

"Partnership cooperation between Serbia and NATO takes place with the usual dynamics based on principles of partnership, which include voluntariness, inclusiveness and transparency. And what is most important, it is based on the needs of the partner countries. The current partnership cooperation between Serbia and NATO is a continuation of our cooperation that we have had since 2006, when Serbia became a member of NATO Partnership for Peace Program", Filipovic told Tanjug news agency in Brussels.

Antonijevic: For membership in Council of Europe, Kosovo needs to meet broader set of standards (Kosovo Online)

Lawyer and human rights activist Milan Antonijevic told Kosovo Online portal that at upcoming debate of Parliamentary Assembly of Council of Europe (PACE) on Kosovo request to become a member, not only the three points singled out by Rapporteur Dora Bakoyannis as "major unresolved issues" will be considered, adding it is necessary to take into account a broader framework of rule of law and human rights, meaning a broader set of standards must be met if Kosovo wishes to proceed further in this membership process.

Bakoyannis’s Information Note, presented to PACE Political Committee on Tuesday, and which Kosovo Online had access to, as the main unresolved issues regarding Kosovo membership request include Constitutional Court's decision on Visoki Decani Monastery land, effective protection of the Serbian community in northern municipalities, and expropriation of land in municipalities with Serbian majority.

Even if Kosovo were to fulfill its obligations regarding these three issues in the foreseeable future, Antonijevic says membership in the Council of Europe is not solely tied to these topics.

"Kosovo membership in the Council of Europe is not only and exclusively related to the implementation of their international obligations such as the obligation to form the Community of Serb Municipalities, the obligation to implement decisions of the Constitutional Court, or the issue of expropriation, but it concerns a much broader rule of law, human rights, or other issues that are currently open. Promptness in problem-solving must be demonstrated, rather than fulfilling something in crisis situations to achieve some international steps towards independence", Antonijevic said.

German Ambassador: Transition period necessary (N1, BETA)

German Ambassador to Serbia Anke Konrad said the issue of the Serbian dinar prohibition in Kosovo needs to be resolved in the interest of the people, and that there should be a “transition period” for the implementation of this decision, N1 reported.

Possibilities should be opened up for supplying people with cash, Konrad told the daily Blic. She said the European Union (EU) is very involved in resolving this issue, that EU Special Representative for the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue Miroslav Lajcak had discussions on this matter last week and when he visited Pristina he announced a new round of talks at the level of chief negotiators.

As you know, Germany is supporting this process, which means that the EU is already involved. However, she explained that the EU can encourage a solution and open the possibility for dialogue, but that it cannot see the process through instead of Belgrade and Pristina, or present a final solution.

New Serbian parliament to elect speaker on Monday (Tanjug)

Serbia's new parliament will continue its constitutive session on Monday, March 11, to elect its speaker. The sitting was called by temporary speaker Stojan Radenovic, the oldest MP. It is scheduled for 11 am.

The Presidency of Serbia's ruling Serbian Progressive Party decided on Wednesday to put outgoing PM Ana Brnabic forward as new parliament speaker.

Kosovo police said business premises in Zvecan set on fire (KoSSev)

Last night, after midnight, a business premises respectively a boutique owned by N.T. was set on fire, KoSSev portal reports, citing Kosovo police.

As the portal further said it learnt that the boutique belongs to Zvecan deputy mayor, who herself reported the fire at her business premises. She told the police that she suspects the boutique was set on fire intentionally, but persons are unknown to her. She also said the damages were large. The firefighters extinguished the fire immediately. The case of “arson” has been opened and investigation launched.

KoSSev portal also said the owner of the premise was appointed deputy mayor in Zvecan municipality, after Sladjana Pantovic was dismissed from this post.

Vucevic: Belgrade elections should be called as soon as possible (media)

Serbian Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Milos Vucevic said on Friday new local elections in Belgrade should be called as soon as possible.

In an appearance on Prva TV, Vucevic said there should be no waste of time as that took away time needed to prepare for EXPO 2027 and major infrastructure projects as well as improve the citizens' living standards and carry out major investments in Belgrade. He said putting outgoing PM Ana Brnabic forward as new parliament speaker was a good proposal and that, through her work and efforts, Brnabic had earned the trust and support of not only one political party but the public as well.

Opinion

Yugoslavia Pioneered Abortion Rights in Constitution Long Before France (BIRN)

Opinion piece by Tanja Ignjatovic, a Serbia women’s rights activist and psychologist at Autonomous Women’s Center, Belgrade.

The inclusion of women’s right to abortion in France’s constitution is significant and welcome – but it’s not quite the ‘pioneering’ move it’s being called.

The recent decision of the French parliament to include the right to abortion in the constitution has been met with emotion by women and feminist activists. Although France legalised abortion back in 1975, it was believed that a constitutional provision would make this right irreversible. It was even called a “revolutionary move”, with France being hailed as the “first country in the world to enshrine the right to abortion in its constitution”, thus becoming a “pioneer in guaranteeing freedoms related to abortion”.

In the current era, the decision of the French parliament is undoubtedly significant. It is mentioned that it is a reaction to the 2022 decision of the United States Supreme Court, which overturned the Roe v. Wade ruling, which had guaranteed the right to abortion for all women up to the 24th week of pregnancy since 1973. Following this, several federal states either banned or significantly restricted access to abortion. This served as a reminder to us all that, once achieved, women’s rights (in any area) are not inviolable and irreversible.

In France, the constitutional amendment proposed by the leftist La France Insoumise party was passed with an overwhelming majority, including votes from representatives of the far-right National Rally. The proposal specifies that “the law establishes the conditions under which women are free to resort to abortion, which is guaranteed”. The decision is in line with the majority opinion of French citizens, with over 80 per cent supporting this right and the constitutional proposal.

But let’s return to the comment about France being the “first country in the world” to enshrine this right in its constitution – because we live in a country, the successor to the former SFR Yugoslavia, which had this right in its Constitution as early as 1974. Further back in the history of the former state, a proposal to legalise abortion (for non-medical reasons) appeared in 1935 at the 17th Congress of Yugoslav Physicians due to the large number of illegal abortions, untrained perpetrators and unsanitary conditions leading to a significant number of health complications and fatalities. This was strongly opposed by the Serbian Orthodox Church, and thus the proposal was not adopted.

International

Women in Albanian Textile Sector Pay High Price for Lek’s Rally (Balkan Insight)

Critics say the government is not doing enough to protect Albanian textile exporters from the rapidly strengthening lek currency. Most of the industry’s employees are women at risk of sliding into poverty.

Nazmie has been working in textiles since 2017, first in Durres on the coast then in the Albanian capital, Tirana, producing clothes for export.

In the past month, however, the 58-year-old and her colleagues have been told on several occasions not to come into work because there was no work to do.

“I went back on Monday but I don’t know how it will go,” she said.