Albanian Language Media:

• Osmani: Women in Kosovo always at forefront of peace and security processes (media)
• Gervalla reacts to Vucic: Kosovo’s independence doesn’t violate UN charter (media)
• Escobar: I don’t see any impartiality from Lajcak (Radio Free Europe)
• Osmani meets U.S. Deputy National Security Advisor Jon Finer (media)
• Explosion in Mitrovica North (Koha)
• Svecla: Grenade throwing, revolt to arrest of Serbs suspected of war crimes (RFE)
• Hate slogans in Zvecan; Police: We’re investigating, suspects unknown (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• KFOR: Kosovo police informed us about arrest of three Serbs a day later (Kosovo Online, RTS)
• Vucic meets Chinese Vice-President on UN GA sidelines (BETA, N1)
• Dacic in New York: We respect principle of territorial integrity, but we are victim of this principle violations (RTS)
• Jeremic on Vucic’s speech at UN GA (N1, BETA)
• Explosive devices thrown at Serbian families’ yards in Ranilug municipality (RTS)
• Office for KiM on Ranilug: The goal is ethnic cleansing of Serbs; KP: Investigation ongoing  (KiM radio, RTV Puls)
• Detonation in Bosniak mahala, suspected it was a shock bomb (KiM radio, KoSSev) 
• Serbia’s weapons exports to exceed $ 1.6 bn (BETA, N1)

Opinion:

• Latifi suggests referendum on Association of Serb-majority municipalities (Nacionale)
• Janjic: Deep security crisis in northern Kosovo (KiM radio, Beta, Demostat) 
• Enlargement: The EU’s imperative (Balkan Insight)

 

 

Albanian Language Media  

 

Osmani: Women in Kosovo always at forefront of peace and security processes (media)

At the invitation of the United States of America, Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani participated at the high-level meeting dedicated to the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda. At the event held at the headquarters of the United Nations, Osmani communicated Kosovo’s achievements and objectives in terms of the implementation of the Agenda for Women, Peace and Security. Madam President highlighted the exceptional role that the women of Kosovo have played in peace and security processes throughout the various stages of history. She emphasized that Kosovo is already leading the efforts in the region in the implementation of this agenda, a press release issued by Osmani’s office notes.

Osmani said that Kosovo is ready to contribute at the international level to the implementation of this agenda, highlighting Kosovo’s efforts to help women in Ukraine, Afghanistan and in every country where serious violations of human rights are taking place.

Osmani also spoke about the Global Women, Peace and Security Forum, which is being held this year for the second time in Kosovo, and announced that Kosovo will soon be the host country of the regional centre of excellence for Women, Peace and Security.

Secretary Blinken’s office highlighted Kosovo’s achievements in this regard and the work of the President dedicated to this agenda, naming Kosovo as one of the best examples of this commitment.

Osmani also wrote on X that “Kosovo is set to become the regional centre of excellence for Women, Peace, and Security, alongside hosting our annual int'l WPS Forum. We're dedicated to advancing the rights and security of women, not only at home but across the world. A strong, inclusive society is our goal.”

Gervalla reacts to Vucic: Kosovo’s independence doesn’t violate UN charter (media)

Kosovo’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Donika Gervalla, reacted to Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic’s speech at the United Nations General Assembly, arguing that it was an attempt to distort history.  

Gervalla writes: “As the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora of the Republic of Kosova, I strongly condemn and entirely reject as untrue and an attempt to distort history the statements made by the President of Serbia during his presentation today before the United Nations General Assembly. Among other things, he equates the Russian aggression in Ukraine with the independence of Kosova, shamelessly claiming that in 2008, Serbia experienced what Ukraine is going through today.

For both the domestic and international public opinion, it is crucial to reiterate these undeniable historical facts:

The independence of the Republic of Kosova, declared on February 17, 2008, represents the fulfillment of the will of the people of Kosova for freedom and independence. It followed organized efforts by the state of Serbia to eliminate the Albanian population in Kosova, for which some of the highest state officials, military, and police officers of Serbia from those years were tried and convicted by the United Nations International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in The Hague.

The Declaration of Independence of Kosova does not violate international law, nor relevant UN resolutions and documents, including the UN Charter. This was affirmed and determined by the highest legal body of the UN, the International Court of Justice, in its advisory opinion issued on July 22, 2010, at Serbia’s request.

With these falsehoods and attempts to distort history, the President of Serbia has severely abused the platform of the United Nations General Assembly. If there is any resemblance between the Russian aggression in Ukraine and the case of Kosova, it is only in the fact that Russia today targets Ukraine and Ukrainians just as Serbia did with Kosova and the Kosova Albanians in 1999.”

See more at: https://shorturl.at/epsvw

Escobar: I don’t see any impartiality from Lajcak (Radio Free Europe)

United States Envoy for the Western Balkans, Gabriel Escobar, said in an interview with Radio Free Europe, that he doesn’t see any impartiality from EU Special Representative in the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia, Miroslav Lajcak. After the latest round of dialogue in Brussels, Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti claimed that Lajcak sided with Serbia and positioned himself against Kosovo. Escobar during the interview calls on Kosovo to be more pragmatic in its approach toward the European Union.

See full interview here: https://shorturl.at/hjx35

Osmani meets U.S. Deputy National Security Advisor Jon Finer (media)

Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani, during her stay in New York for the 78th session of the UN General Assembly, also met with U.S. Deputy National Security Advisor Jon Finer. She said that at a time when security in the Western Balkans and all of Europe is threatened, the U.S. has a crucial role in safeguarding peace and security.

Osmani said that regardless of political and security developments in the region, Kosovo remains committed to peace, dialogue, and partnership. “We are committed to furthering our relations with the United States at the strategic level. We need more political cooperation, as well as in the security sphere, to protect our shared achievements,” he said.

Osmani argued that Kosovo’s membership to NATO and EU is in the service of peace and stability in the region and beyond. 

Commenting on recent developments in Kosovo, Osmani said that Kosovo has made steps to de-escalate the situation in the north of Kosovo and remains committed to working with its allies, especially with the U.S, to address security challenges.

Osmani said that Kosovo is committed to the full implementation of the agreement reached in Brussels this year. “The lifting of EU’s measures against Kosovo will enable a constructive restart of the dialogue, and the U.S. have a decisive role in the dialogue,” she said.

Explosion in Mitrovica North (Koha)

Kosovo Police confirmed that a powerful explosion believed to have come from a hand grenade happened at the Bosniak Neighborhood in Mitrovica North around midnight. No injuries were reported from the blast. Police went to the site and are investigating the incident.

 Svecla: Grenade throwing, revolt to arrest of Serbs suspected of war crimes (RFE)

Kosovo’s Minister of Interior Affairs, Xhelal Svecla, said today that a hand grenade that was thrown in Mitrovica North on Thursday evening was a sign of revolt against the three Serbs suspected of war crimes against civilians. “Crimes committed during the war in Kosovo will be prosecuted to the end, whereas the throwing of a military hand grenade by criminal groups cannot set off justice,” he said. According to Svecla, the arrested Serbs are suspected of being accomplices in tortures, woundings, killings, expulsion, and massacres against Albanians in Vushtrri, the nearby villages and at Smrekovnica Prison. He also argued that the “inspiration, support, and order” for the blast on Thursday night “came from Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic”.

Hate slogans in Zvecan; Police: We’re investigating, suspects unknown (media)

Kosovo Police said in its regular 24-hour report that they saw slogans inciting hatred in the municipality of Zvecan. Police said the suspects are unknown and that the prosecutor has recommended investigations into the matter. Kallxo news website learns that the slogans say “When the [Serbian] army returns to Kosovo”.

 

 

 

Serbian Language Media

 

KFOR: Kosovo police informed us about arrest of three Serbs a day later (Kosovo Online, RTS)

The Kosovo police informed us about the arrest of three Serbs, which happened on September 20, only a day later, it was stated in the written response of KFOR for Kosovo Online to the question of whether they were informed about the mentioned action.

KFOR's response further recalled the statement of NATO Secretary General Jans Stoltenberg during the press conference with Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani, when he stated that "there is a need for coordination and close consultation between the authorities in Pristina and KFOR for any deployment that may affect our posture and security in Kosovo".

He (Stoltenberg) also clearly said that "we expect timely and meaningful consultations on any action of the Kosovo Security Forces or the Kosovo Police that could affect the security environment", KFOR wrote in the response.

Finally, the mission states that KFOR Commander, Major General Angelo Ristuccia, remains in regular contact with the Kosovo police and the EU-led Rule of Law Mission, in accordance with the procedure for prior coordination that has already been agreed between these entities.

Vucic meets Chinese Vice-President on UN GA sidelines (BETA, N1)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic met on the sidelines of 78th United Nations General Assembly session (UNGA) in New York with Vice-President of China Han Zheng, BETA news agency reports.

Vucic said he and Han Zheng discussed a series of issues, including the current geopolitical situation, joint efforts to preserve peace and the strengthening of friendly bilateral relations.

“We also talked about our coming visit to China in mid-October, when we expect to sign a Free Trade Agreement, which will significantly change our overall bilateral relations and raise them to a higher level”, Vucic wrote in a post on his official Instagram account.

The Serbian President delivered a speech at the UN General Assembly in which he, among other things, accused the leading Western countries of trampling, in Serbia’s case, on the UN Charter and principles, including the one on territorial integrity. 

Dacic in New York: We respect principle of territorial integrity, but we are victim of this principle violations (RTS)

Serbian Foreign Affairs Minister Ivica Dacic said the speech of Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic at 78th UN General Assembly session was the most powerful speech that any Serbian president had ever had at this forum, adding this was very important day for Serbia, as it emphasised its commitment to the UN Charter and its principles, as well as clearly presented its stance on the most important topics of territorial integrity and sovereignty of the state, RTS reports.

Dacic told Tanjug on the margins of the 78 UN GA session, that this was of crucial importance for Serbia, because Vucic summarised the main problem – interpretation of the principles of territorial integrity and sovereignty protection by double standards.

He pointed out that major world powers advocate for the territorial integrity of Ukraine, and when someone mentions Serbia they say it is not the same, which speaks of the absence of the feelings that these are universal principles.

Vucic recalled that the essence of the problem was violation of the foundational principle of territorial integrity and sovereignty of Serbia and relativization of it by some countries that decided to recognize Kosovo, Dacic added.

"His key sentence is that this should apply to every member of the UN without exception. So, anyone addressing Serbia with some irrational demands should be aware that Serbia has not changed its mind, that we respect the principle of territorial integrity but that we are also the victim of that principle violation”, Dacic said. 

Jeremic on Vucic’s speech at UN GA (N1, BETA)

President of Serbian opposition People's Party (NS) Vuk Jeremić said address of Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic at UN GA session was one of the most meaningful addresses representatives of the Serbian government had at the sessions of UN General Assembly in New York from 2012 until today, but that, unfortunately, he repeated the mistake from last year without mentioning that Kosovo seat in the UN was unacceptable for Serbia.

"Truth be told, Vucic said a lot of meaningful things, primarily about the way a number of Western countries treated Serbia in the past when it comes to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of our country”, Jeremic said in New York, where he as a former President of UN General Assembly participates in the annual session of that body of this world organisation.

"The big objection to Vucic's speech is that neither this year nor last year did he mention that the membership of self-proclaimed Kosovo, that is, Kosovo seat in the UN, is absolutely unacceptable for Serbia", he added.

Jeremic said this is the second year in a row that Vucic addresses the United Nations, when the whole world listens carefully to what everyone has to say, and this is the second time that Vucic did not say that Kosovo seat in the UN is unacceptable for Serbia.

Explosive devices thrown at Serbian families’ yards in Ranilug municipality (RTS)

Three explosive devices were thrown last night in the yards of Serbian families in Ranilug municipality, RTS said citing local sources. According to the report two devices exploded causing material damages, while the third one did not go off.

First, at 2.20 a.m. a bomb was thrown into the yard of Vladica Aritonovic, deputy mayor of Ranilug municipality. Second bomb was thrown at 2.30 a.m. in the yard of Srdjan Ristic, director of a preschool facility.

Third bomb, which did not go off, was thrown into the yard of Zoran Ristic, director of the Centre for Social Affairs.

The police were on the spot, carrying out investigations.

Recently, five explosive devices have been thrown at the houses and premises owned by Serbs in Pomoravlje region, RTS recalled. 

Office for KiM: The goal is ethnic cleansing of Serbs; KP: Investigation ongoing  (KiM radio, RTV Puls)

The Office for Kosovo and Metohija assessed throwing of explosive devices at the houses of representatives and the leader of the Serbian List as a way to intimidate them and force them to leave their homes "all with the aim of ethnic cleansing of the Serbs, which Kurti is continuously carrying out", reported KiM radio. 

The announcement states that a lot of material damage was caused, but that no one was injured.

"It is about the brutal intimidation of the representatives of the Serbian List, which came only a few days after Albin Kurti's threats that the Serbs and the Serbian List would 'suffer and pay'. Kurti began to realise his plan by first arresting three Serbs, and now we see that on three Serbian houses bombs were thrown,'' read the statement. 

The Office said they would also inform international representatives about these "synchronised and planned attacks, because such acts with signs of terrorism should not be taken lightly".

KiM radio reported, citing RTV Puls, that deputy director of the police for the Gnjilane region, Shaban Azizi, confirmed that the police investigated and established that there were no victims or injuries, but that more material damage was done.

Referring to the statements of the victims, Azizi said that all of them received threatening messages about twenty days ago, accusing them of irritating the public due to double salaries in the Kosovo and Serbian systems.

The Kosovo police told RTV Puls that the investigation is ongoing.

Detonation in Bosniak mahala, suspected it was a shock bomb (KiM radio, KoSSev) 

Late last night, a strong detonation was heard in the northern part of Mitrovica. It is suspected that it was a shock bomb. 

The Kosovo Police confirmed to KoSSev that minor material damage was caused to the window of a van, but that no one was injured.

The police are investigating the case. 

Serbia’s weapons exports to exceed $ 1.6 bn (BETA, N1)

Assistant Minister for Material Resources at the Serbian Ministry of Defense, Nenad Miloradovic said the total value of licences for the export of Serbian arms and military equipment will exceed 1.6 billion US dollars this year.

Miloradovic told Politika daily that this is an increase of 25 percent compared to 2022, when the value of issued licences amounted to 1.3 billion US dollars.

Commenting on the Partner 2023 Defense Exhibition, due to start on Monday, September 25, at the Belgrade Fair, Miloradovic said there will be 154 exhibitors and that over 30 foreign military delegations have announced their attendance.

Miloradovic said that 26 new “capital combat systems” made in Serbia will be presented at the exhibition, along with a few novelties manufactured in cooperation with foreign partners.

 

 

Opinion 

 

Latifi suggests referendum on Association of Serb-majority municipalities (Nacionale)

Political commentator Blerim Latifi writes in a Facebook post that the issue of the Association of Serb-majority municipalities has turned into a real Gordian Knot. “The West is adamant on its implementation but is failing to convince Kurti. The pressure in the form of penalty measures does not seem to be successful. Even going to early elections is not being seen as a solution. The opposition parties have not made convincing promises that they will implement the Association. Same as them, Kurti is influenced by the fear that this implementation will go down in history books as national treason,” he argues.

Latifi suggests that an eventual way out of the stalemate, “which if continued could cause irreparable damages to our state”, could be the referendum. “The Assembly convenes, adopts the law on the referendum, and then the people can express their will on this issue. When politicians cannot decide on behalf of the people, the people themselves should do this. Certainly, I am not inclined to think that the people have a better understanding than the politicians on what is the right alternative to solve a problem, but sometimes the people’s position through a referendum can help them [the politicians] to remove dilemmas and a paralysing fear from making hard decisions,” he concludes.

Janjic: Deep security crisis in northern Kosovo (KiM radio, Beta, Demostat) 

There is political instability throughout Kosovo, but security risks exist only in the north, said the director of the Forum for Ethnic Relations, Dusan Janjic.

Janjic stated that the war in Ukraine raised the price of the Kosovo and Bosnian conflicts and added that the relevant assessments said that the scenario from May, when protestors attacked and injured 90 KFOR members, cannot currently happen, but that no one can guarantee that one, other or third party will not launch incidents.

“Not only Kurti or Vucic, but some criminal groups can also organize occasional terrorist confrontations, armed conflicts... A part of the civil protection is not disarmed, there is also a part of people who were trained by Wagner, and on the Albanian side there is an Islamic jihad that is linked to Palestine and Russia,” Janjic said in the show “Half an hour of Demostat”, reported KiM radio. 

According to Janjic, the West is not the only one wondering “what will happen” in the north, but Russia is also involved.

Janjic added that there are estimates that Belgrade will not send the army, police, or gendarmerie to the north of Kosovo, nor will they be allowed to cross the administrative line, which is a fear that existed last year, and that Belgrade does not want such a scenario politically.

Serbian List, on the other hand, is discredited and cannot mobilize the people en masse in this kind of action.

According to Janjic, the assessment is that a small conflict in Kosovo would mostly benefit “Putin and Russia, in order to demonstrate the inability of NATO and the West to control such a small situation”.

Asked whether such occasional conflicts can be controlled, Janjic stated that they were easily controlled, but not stopped.

He also stated that politicians were playing a game that created motivation for such activities, as well as that they were fighting for military-police control of the territory of northern Kosovo, and not for the survival of Serbs or a better life for Serbs integrated in Kosovo.

Asked if he could imagine a situation in which Serbian security forces would enter the territory of Kosovo and arrive south of the Ibar, Janjic stated that part of the security structures are already operating in the north, that a number of members of the gendarmerie could be relocated, but that this was not possible in the sense of more massive presence. 

“Can the gendarmerie cross? Covic tried to abuse 2004 and to stage the entry of the Gendarmerie to protect the people, in fact to divide Kosovo, and it didn’t work even then. General Krga didn’t allow that, even Tadic didn’t fall for it, although he liked the idea,” Janjic said.

When asked how the international community would react in that case, Janjic stated that there are plans that foresee that, as soon as a crisis is recorded, KFOR separation and deterrence forces will be placed around the administrative line.

“If it is connected with possible conflicts in Bosnia and Herzegovina, then NATO will occupy the external borders of Serbia, but later about that...” Janjic said.

He emphasizes that, if Belgrade were to launch such an action, it would practically contribute to the legalization of the Kosovo army, because it would be necessary to close the borders.

“It would be the first opportunity for the Kosovo security forces and Belgrade is very aware of that,” Janjic said.

He also added that it is clear to Belgrade that by withdrawing the Serbs from the police force, they enabled Kurti to change the security reality in the north.

Janjic said that it should not be ruled out that there are actions without the knowledge of the authorities in Belgrade, through (sports) fan groups or mercenaries, who are under the control of Russia.

Speaking about the Community of Serb Municipalities, Janjic said that the CSM in Belgrade has become a political mantra to be and stay in power.

He stated that the Franco-German proposal has resolved the issue of status.

“That is the maximum status solution - Serbia recognizes the existence of the Republic of Kosovo, but does not send ambassadors, does not recognize international legal status. That’s the maximum it can get, it’s like Palestine and Israel,” Janjic said.

Janjic believes that when the elections in Serbia, Kosovo, the EU, and the USA are over, an international conference organized by Quint will be held, where all the solutions discussed and accepted so far will be presented.

Asked what he thinks about the frozen conflict, which opponents of dialogue often cite as a possible solution for Kosovo, Janjic replied that nothing can stand still in life and that frozen conflict can often escalate through conflicts.

“Put it off until we make a solution. Meanwhile, reality is changing. Kurti established such a situation that the Serbs did not return to the institutions, he filled the situation through the vacancy announcements, and gave away Serbian quotas to non-Albanians. There are no Serbs in the judiciary. He established the conditions not to control the territory, but he significantly limited Serbia from being able to do anything legally,” Janjic said.

When asked whether it can be said that Vucic was more constructive in the dialogue, Janjic said that Serbia was a much more serious player, whoever leads it, and that in the small world of the Western Balkans, Serbia was a potential desired main partner.

“We cannot imagine giving priority to Kosovo joining NATO, while Serbia remains outside,” Janjic said and added that the fact that the Albanians became a partner was a combination of circumstances, which also came about because of Slobodan Milosevics bad decisions.

When asked how he understood the EU proposal that found on the table at the last meeting in Brussels, Janjic said that it was a six-step paper in which they demand something that, according to him, should not be accepted, namely that the Serbs participate in the elections held as soon as possible in the four municipalities in the north of Kosovo.

“It seems naive, but I am against it and draw Vucic’s attention to the fact that he must not accept it. There are several reasons why it should not be accepted, why it is a trap. Because the elections were illegitimate and illegal, the second thing is that Kurti came up with some procedure to impeach the mayors, as if he couldn’t impeach them the way he elected them, that’s a political decision. Third, it can only be a part of a package that does not exist regarding the return of Serbian representatives to all institutions, so normally you have those elections first, and the EU avoids that because they encouraged Kurti to go to the elections,” Janjic said.

He asks why Belgrade and Vucic, as a politician and the state, would risk legalizing the political adventure of Kurti, when they know that it will cause discontent among the Serbs, but it would also show that Vucic did not have a plan B when he pulled people out of the institutions.

“And then you have internal political problems, there is no opposition that won’t take advantage of that, and I think that a serious stratification will begin within the ruling coalition, then the story of betrayal will begin,” Janjic said, adding that someone who wants an unstable situation in Serbia could take advantage of this.

Janjic added that he hopes that Vucic will use the UN session to lobby for two packages: the package for the return of Serbs to the institutions and the peace package.

Enlargement: The EU’s imperative (Balkan Insight)

By Ivan Vejvoda

The report from a Franco-German group of experts is the most significant, concrete contribution coming on the heels of pronouncements about the need for the EU to take its destiny more forcefully into its own hands.

The debate on how the EU needs to reform is now open. On September 19, the report titled “Sailing on High Seas: Reforming and Enlarging the EU for the 21st Century”, presented by a Franco-German “group of twelve” experts, instigated by the Europe ministers of France and Germany, Laurence Boone and Anna Lührmann, was discussed in the EU General Affairs Council. It is the most significant, concrete contribution to the wave of pronouncements about the need for the EU make bold geopolitical, geo-strategic choices if it is to remain relevant on the world stage.

The report studies how the EU can be made “enlargement ready” by 2030, a date that EU Council President Charles Michel recently suggested at the Bled Security Forum in Slovenia.

It delineates forthrightly the necessary steps that lead to deepening before the widening of the EU. Emphasis on observing the EU’s fundamental values of the rule of law and democracy, both in member states and candidate countries, underpins the whole approach of the report.

In sum, if the EU cannot uphold these values through rules and procedures, it shall not live up to its mission.

Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/4phujc5v