UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, May 24, 2024

Albanian Language Media:

Kurti: New embassy building in Washington strong proof of our alliance (media)
Gervalla: Thankful for unbreakable bond with U.S. (media)
Advancement of Kosovo’s status on agenda of NATO Parliamentary Assembly (media)
AAK through resolution, demands Kurti’s resignation and dissolution of Assembly (media)
Maqedonci meets COMKFOR, discuss transitioning of KSF (media)
Kryeziu: LDK, AAK mustn’t allow this government to continue functioning (media)
Haradinaj: Without resolution on genocide in Kosovo, justice incomplete (media)
Kosovo citizens advised to avoid crossings with Serbia on Saturday (media)

Serbian Language Media:

Survey: Serbs in Kosovo trust the most SOC, the least Kurti (Kosovo Online, social media)
EFJ Annual Assembly: UNS resolution proposal on murdered, kidnapped, and missing journalists adopted (Radio Mitrovica sever, KiM radio)
UNS writes to EFJ Annual Assembly participants about problems journalists face in Kosovo, refuses to take part in gathering (Radio KIM, media)
Komazec: Jedinstvo newspaper definitely the most endangered in Europe, request return of their premises in Pristina (Kosovo Online, media)
Pensions for residents of KiM at four administrative crossings (Politika)
Tajani: Italy will advocate for Serbia’s accession to the EU even before 2030 (RTV, Kosovo Online)
EU, US launch anti-disinformation mechanism for Western Balkans (N1)
Stano: EU does not comment on UN sessions, states voted based on national decisions (Tanjug)

International:

Europe anxious over potential Trump return, Kosovo PM admits (Semafor)
UN declares 11 July Srebrenica massacre remembrance day (BBC)

Albanian Language Media

Kurti: New embassy building in Washington strong proof of our alliance (media)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti said in a Facebook post today that “the building of the Kosovo Embassy in the United States is now a property of Kosovo and a permanent house of our Republic there … Its inauguration in a new building on the eve of the 25th anniversary of the liberation of our country is a deep symbolic, strong evidence and celebration of our alliance with the United States”.

Gervalla: Thankful for unbreakable bond with U.S. (media)

Kosovo’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Donika Gervalla, said in a post on X on Thursday that she was “honored to inaugurate Kosova’s new home in Washington, D.C. with Asst. Secretary Jim O’Brien. As we celebrate 25 years of liberation, we remember the crucial role the United States played in bringing Kosovo to where it stands. Thankful for this unbreakable bond.”

Advancement of Kosovo’s status on agenda of NATO Parliamentary Assembly (media)

Kosovo will be on the agenda of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, which will meet this weekend in Sofia, Bulgaria. On this occasion, the Assembly of Kosovo intends to advance its status from observer to associate member of this organization.

In the communiqué of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, it is stated that its MPs, among other things, “will decide on the requests of Malta and the Assembly of Kosovo to become delegations of associated members”.

“Continuous challenges in the Western Balkans will be addressed, as well as strategies for supporting partners at risk and for increasing engagement with the Global South”, the communiqué states.

The Kosovo authorities announced as early as March that the Permanent Commission of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly has advanced the status of the Assembly of Kosovo in this body.

In Serbia, the International Security Institute was committed to preventing Kosovo’s advancement in this organization.

AAK through resolution, demands Kurti’s resignation and dissolution of Assembly (media)

The Assembly of Kosovo will hold a plenary session today to discuss the three years of the Kurti Government.In today’s session, the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo, through a resolution, will demand the resignation of Kurti and the dissolution of the Assembly.

“The government should conclude its mandate with resignation or with a motion for its dismissal”, and after the resignation or dismissal, the Assembly of Kosovo should be dissolved, reads the AAK resolution.

Maqedonci meets COMKFOR, discuss transitioning of KSF (media)

Kosovo’s Minister of Defense, Ejup Maqedonci, met today with the commander of NATO’s peacekeeping mission in Kosovo, KFOR, Ozcan Ulutas. “In my conversation with the commander I expressed my appreciation for the KFOR troops and assessment of the high level of cooperation with the Kosovo Security Force in the function of the security of the country. I also informed the commander about the phase we are in with regards to the implementation of the Comprehensive Transitioning Plan and the development of the Kosovo Security Force,” Maqedonci said. He also said that Ulutas expressed his appreciation “for the achievements of the Ministry of Defense so far, and the readiness to continue coordination on issues of common interest”.

Kryeziu: LDK, AAK mustn’t allow this government to continue functioning (media)

Head of the Pristina-based Kosovo Democratic Institute, Ismet Kryeziu, argued in a Facebook post that the current political class needs a new political legitimacy and that the opposition should use the opportunity to send Kosovo to new elections. “The opposition parties should not wait for a Cesarean intervention from the international community, especially in this period. If their only choice is the dissolution of the Assembly, they should use this opportunity to create a new political situation. Early elections … The LDK and the AAK must not allow this government to continue functioning without political legitimacy. The government does not only lack the power not only to assume responsibility for the Association of Serb-majority municipalities, but it also lacks the majority in parliament to push forward issues such as the Civil Code. This is why early elections are needed to unlock the political blockades and create a new political and governing legitimacy, by allowing citizens to express their political will and position through elections,” he said.

Haradinaj: Without resolution on genocide in Kosovo, justice incomplete (media)

Leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) Ramush Haradinaj said today that the UN resolution Srebrenica is a major step of acknowledging the truth about Serbian atrocities in Bosnia and Herzegovina. He also argued that “without a UN resolution for the crimes and genocide in Kosovo, the truth and justice for thousands of victims remains incomplete”. “The authors of the crime and genocide wherever they took place must get the merited punishment. Mass graves, massacres, the executions of thousands of citizens, the raping, and the persecution of one million Albanians from their homes can have no other name but genocide,” Haradinaj said.

Kosovo citizens advised to avoid crossings with Serbia on Saturday (media)

Kosovo’s National Centre for Border Management said in a Facebook post today that Kosovo citizens should avoid border crossings with Serbia on Saturday as protests have been announced for that day. “We encourage you to use other crossings for travel,” the statement notes.

Serbian Language Media

Survey: Serbs in Kosovo trust the most SOC, the least Kurti (Kosovo Online, social media)

Serbs in Kosovo have the highest trust in the Serbian Orthodox Church (SOC), and think it should be included in the internal dialogue with Kosovo Government, while the least trust they have in Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti, New Social Initiative and Institute for Social Policy “Musine Kokalari” research has shown, Kosovo Online portal reported.

According to the survey, carried out by Ubo Consulting, almost 80 percent of respondents from the north, and 51 percent from other Serbian areas, think that SOC can contribute to the internal dialogue between Serbs and the Kosovo Government. In addition to the SOC, Serbs from Kosovo in terms of dialogue have also trust in the Serbian Government.

Security issue comes first for Serbs in Kosovo, and as some respondents noted there is no progress when it comes to the guarantees for the rights of minorities.

Trust in Kosovo institutions is very slim, and Serbs have the least trust in Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti. The trust in international institutions, KFOR, EULEX, EU and NATO had also declined.

Almost 84 percent of respondents support establishment of the Community of Serbian Municipalities. Regarding dinar issue and CBK’s regulation, 96 percent of respondents from northern Kosovo when first interviewed said they receive payments in dinars, while in municipalities south of Ibar River this percentage is 68. According to the survey, in the first interview, the CBK decision impacted 48 percent of respondents, while 20 percent said they are somehow impacted.

New Social Initiative Program Manager Milica Rakic Andric said the highest differences are when it comes to the trust of communities in the institutions in the north and south.

“The essential problems faced by the Serbian community in Kosovo come from the central level. Serbs have very little trust in stakeholders of Kosovo authorities and this little trust that exists is smaller in the south than in the north of Kosovo. The only stakeholder, who scored one point on the list, one-being the lowest rating – is Kosovo Prime Minister, and research shows that trust in him is smaller in the south than in the north. Security issue is on the first place for the Serbs, and obviously this is the issue that should be started with to come to the solutions of other problems”, Andric Rakic said.

She also said that the Serbian community in Kosovo became almost apolitical, because they do not trust political representatives to resolve their problems.

“It is really unbelievable that a non-political actor such as SOC appears as a main actor community wants in the negotiations with the Kosovo Government. This reflects the situation from 1999, when Serbian institutions withdrew and the SOC did take part in the institutionalization back then, but that the situation is the same now as during the war, and that we have political representatives, it is truly an unbelievable result”, she added.

Director of the Institute for Social Policy “Musine Kokalari”, Visar Imeri said the survey was done aiming to speak with the Serbian community about internal dialogue, of which the Kosovo Government and PM Kurti have been talking for the last three years.

He also said Serbs are interested in improving relations with Albanians.

“If we look at the results, most of the citizens are interested in improving relations, for common life, but they feel like no one is listening to them. They are not satisfied with how the Kosovo Government treats them, but also with how the Serbian Government treats them as well, with their political representatives. I did not expect such big differences in rural and urban areas on some issues”, Imeri said.

The survey as part of the project Kosovo-Serbia: Different Approaches was done with the Serbian community twice, in July and August 2023, and in March and April in 2024.

Read the full publication at: https://shorturl.at/3FxzD

EFJ Annual Assembly: UNS resolution proposal on murdered, kidnapped, and missing journalists adopted (Radio Mitrovica sever, KiM radio)

The resolution proposal of the Association of Journalists of Serbia (UNS) on murdered, kidnapped, and missing journalists was unanimously adopted at the Annual Assembly of the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) in Pristina, reported Radio Mitrovica sever.

Croatian journalist Maja Sever formally presented the UNS draft resolution to the EFJ Supervisory Committee in Pristina.

Due to the boycott of the Association of Journalists of Serbia and the Rules of Procedure, Maja Sever had to present the document to the delegates.

UNS writes to EFJ Annual Assembly participants about problems journalists face in Kosovo, refuses to take part in gathering (Radio KIM, media)

Association of Journalists of Serbia (UNS) sent a letter to the participants of the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) Annual Assembly taking place in Pristina today and yesterday, informing them about burning issues journalists face in Kosovo, adding UNS refuses to take part in a gathering, because, despite promises of EFJ president, this association was excluded from organization of the assembly, Radio KIM reports.

In a letter to the representatives of the journalists organizations from European countries visiting Pristina, UNS wrote that at this moment, while the Annual Assembly is taking place, journalists of Jedinstvo newspaper, the only newspaper in Serbian language in Kosovo, are being evicted from their premises without any court’s decision that would relate to their eviction.

Jedinstvo newspaper must vacate their editorial premises it had been using for more than 20 years, because their premises were allegedly sold.

UNS also listed the bans on entry to Kosovo imposed on Serbian journalists of Radio Television of Serbia, Svetlana Vukmirovic and Tanjug news agency, Andjelko Utjesanovic.

The recurring problem is denial of translation into Serbian language at press conferences and the meetings of Kosovo officials, UNS added.

UNS also described lack of professionalism of the side of Radio-Television of Kosovo (RTK), which on the anniversary of March 17 riots in 2024 published on its webpage the same fake news from 20 years ago that three Albanian boys have drawn in the Ibar River “while running away from a group of Serbian youths”. UNS added it has sent the complaint to the Kosovo Press Council over this news but that body rejected their complaint as “ungrounded”.

UNS explained why it refuses to take part at this year’s EFJ annual gathering saying they were excluded from preparation and organization of this gathering.

“UNS and its branch in Kosovo are not taking part in this year’s Annual Assembly of EFJ in Pristina, because it had been excluded from its preparation and organization. UNS in Kosovo, unlike the Association of Journalists of Kosovo (AGK) which is a partner of EFJ in organization of the Annual Assembly, had been ignored, despite the promise of EFJ president, Maja Sever, that it will not be so”, UNS said to delegates.

It added that UNS in Kosovo, same as AGK, has been registered in this territory since 2002, and has existed in Pristina since 1950.

EFJ secretary general, Ricardo Gutierrez called the UNS letter “deceitful”. He said the UNS had the right not to take part in the assembly, but that he wishes “to correct wrong information that UNS spread”. He said EFJ has never excluded the UNS and UNS in Kosovo from organizing the event, adding the invitation was sent to all its members to apply for organizing the event, but UNS did not apply, while AGK did and EFJ accepted their application.

Komazec: Jedinstvo newspaper definitely the most endangered in Europe, request return of their premises in Pristina (Kosovo Online, media)

The Editor-in-Chief of Jedinstvo newspaper Rada Komazec held a new collegium today under the open sky, after the newspaper was evicted from their premises, saying that this newspaper and its journalists are the most endangered in Europe, which is a shame for democratic world, Kosovo Online portal reported.

She also said it had been agreed at today’s collegium to send a request to Pristina authorities to enable the newspaper return to its premises in Pristina.

“This year our newspaper should turn 80 years old, and this is perhaps our birthday gift, to be expelled onto the street. We will send a request to the provisional institutions in Pristina to return us back to our home. They expelled us from there in 1999. We do not want anything that belongs to someone else, we only want to return to what is ours, and that is the request from today’s collegium”, Komazec said.

Pensions for residents of KiM at four administrative crossings (Politika)

According to Politika daily the Pension fund of Serbia planned to pay the May benefits in the first half of June. The daily published on Thursday that after KP closed six branches of Postal Savings Bank in four municipalities in the north of od Kosovo, the pensioners who live there and receive benefits are worried about how they will get money in the future.

In a reply to Politika’s question whether the Pension and Disability Insurance Fund (PIO Fund) still pays pensions in dinars in Kosovo or does it have to be in euros, they replied that the “PIO Fund is disbursing the pensions in dinars to 28,436 beneficiaries in the territory of AP Kosovo and Metohija”.

“Pensions are paid into an account in the commercial banks, most of which are opened in Postal Savings Bank, or by home delivery. The fund planned to pay the pensions for May in the first half of June, in the same way and with the same dynamics as before,” the PIO Fund replied.

They pointed out that the payment of pensions in euros, for countries with which they have signed agreements, is more expensive for the PIO Fund compared to the payment in dinars for the amount of currency differences.

The pensioners can also withdraw their income at the four branches of the Postal Savings Bank located in containers that are in the immediate vicinity of the administrative crossings of Jarinje, Brnjak, Konculj and Merdare, in order to enable regular cash payments to its clients in Kosovo, but also to ensure the closest possible access to cash registers, ATMs, as well as other banking services.

As a support to the residents, the bank also sent two mobile branches on wheels that will be available at these locations in accordance with the needs of residents. In this way, Serbs do not have to travel to branches in Raska, Novi Pazar, Kursumlija, Vranje to get their income, but will be able to get what they need in this financial sense in the immediate vicinity of administrative crossings.

Tajani: Italy will advocate for Serbia’s accession to the EU even before 2030 (RTV, Kosovo Online)

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Italy, Antonio Tajani, said today that Italy will advocate for Serbia’s accession to full membership in the European Union before 2030, reported Kosovo Online, citing RTV.

Tajani said this at a joint press conference with the Prime Minister of Serbia, Milos Vucevic, in Trieste, where the Italy-Serbia Business Forum is being held.

“That is our wish, and we stand for it. Italy is a supporter of Serbia’s entry into the EU, and we believe that its accession is natural, and that it should be a priority not only for the Italian government but also for all EU governments,” said Tajani responding to journalists’ questions about the deadlines for the region’s accession to the European Union.

Tajani said that Italy will do everything to make the deadlines as short as possible and to make it happen as soon as possible, adding that he sincerely believes in the unification of Europe.

Tajani, on the occasion of the adoption of the resolution on Srebrenica in the UN GA, said that Italy’s position is clear and that what happened is not the responsibility of one state, but individual responsibility.

“For us, it’s something in the past,” Tajani said.

When asked about the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, Tajani said that Pristina must respect the obligations it has undertaken before Europe, especially regarding the establishment of the A/CSM.

“The obligations that have been taken should be respected. Our soldiers will continue to guarantee stability and peace and protect the monasteries,” said Tajani.

EU, US launch anti-disinformation mechanism for Western Balkans (N1)

The European Union and United States launched a Coordination Mechanism on the Western Balkans focused on disinformation and propaganda, a press release said on Friday, reported N1.

“Following the U.S.-EU Trade & Technology Council Ministerial held in Belgium last month, the U.S. Department of State and the European Union’s External Action Service (EEAS) launched a joint U.S.-EU Coordination Mechanism on the Western Balkans – focused exclusively on foreign information manipulation and interference (FIMI), which includes disinformation and propaganda,” it said.

It said the Mechanism will strengthen the integrity of the information environment in the Western Balkans. “This Mechanism will empower like-minded partners to become self-sufficient in addressing the FIMI threat and to work together to reduce Russia’s and the People’s Republic of China’s ability to employ propaganda and information manipulation campaigns in the region,” it added.

“This policy looks to strengthen Europe as a geostrategic partner, fortifies democratic governance and rule of law, and makes regional partners more secure and prosperous. This policy rests on safeguarding the integrity of the digital information space,” the press release said, adding that an open and fact-based information domain is an indispensable facet of successful democratic governance.

Stano: EU does not comment on UN sessions, states voted based on national decisions (Tanjug)

EU Spokesperson Peter Stano said today, in relation to adopted Srebrenica Genocide Resolution at UN General Assembly, that it is not up to EU to comment on resolutions voted at UN, adding that EU member states voted based on their national decisions, Tanjug news agency reported.

Asked by an Albanian journalist in a press briefing in Brussels what is the EU stance on resolution and how will impact EU policy in the region the fact that some states did not vote for resolution, Stano said the stance of Brussels goes against denial or relativization of what had happened in Srebrenica.

“When it comes to voting in the UN, I can only repeat that the EU as such is not a member of the UN General Assembly, and therefore it is not on us to comment on resolutions that are being voted there by UN member states”, Stano said.

International

Europe anxious over potential Trump return, Kosovo PM admits (Semafor)

The growing potential of Donald Trump’s return to the White House fills European leaders with “stress and anxiety,” in large part because of the former US president’s proclivity for wild and unexpected policy swings, Kosovo’s prime minister told Semafor in an interview.

Albin Kurti also said that his own poor relations with Richard Grenell — previously a Trump special envoy for peace negotiations between Kosovo and Serbia — “could be a challenge,” were Grenell to secure another senior foreign policy or national security position in a new Trump administration.

Kurti urged Western nations to ease Kosovo’s path to join NATO and the European Union, pointing to increased defense spending amounting to 2% of GDP, a target set by the military alliance for its members.

“We deserve more,” he said.