UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, September 26, 2024

Albanian Language Media:

Kosovo Police deny that U.S. has canceled training for them (Klan Kosova)
Osmani joins world leaders for summit on Ukraine (media)
Haradinaj after U.S. warnings: We are entering a worse period (EO)
Svecla: Radoicic’s group being trained to cause instability in Kosovo (media)

Serbian Language Media:

Djuric with Sybiha: Serbia's commitment to peace and resolving issues through dialogue is universal (Kosovo Online)
Radosavljevic: No functional local governments in the north without new mayors and councilors (Kosovo Online)
Mazreku: Municipalities in north, like all others, should have legitimate authorities (Kosovo Online)
Building housing Office for KiM and other Serbian services handed over to Kosovo MIA (KoSSev)
Dismissed deputy minister Radomirovic accuses Rasic of neglecting northern Serbs (KoSSev)
Rasic responds to Radomirovic, calls him ‘controversial’ personality (Radio KIM)
European Greens stand with anti-lithium protesters (N1)

International:

Kosovo postpones trial for Banjska attack, awaits Supreme Court ruling (Prishtina Insight)
Massacres relived: Book sheds new light on Kosovo war’s atrocities (BIRN)

Albanian Language Media

Kosovo Police deny that U.S. has canceled training for them (Klan Kosova)

Several media reported on Wednesday evening that the United States of America have canceled training for Kosovo Police as a result of the government’s recent actions in the north. However, Klan Kosova learned from its sources in the special units of Kosovo Police that the media reports are not true.

Kosovo Police today denied the media reports. “One of the objectives foreseen in the Strategic Development Plan 2021-2025 is capacity building of human resources, through different training in and outside the institution, including training offered by different local and international partners, among them the United States of America are a key strategic partner. The Kosovo Police, since its establishment and to this day, has taken part in training of different levels, in cooperation with its partners in and outside Kosovo. These training were never stopped and are continued to this day,” police said in a statement.

The statement further notes that one of the key supporters and partners in offering training for Kosovo Police and sending officers for training abroad has been and remains the United States of America. “Training offered by the U.S. were mainly offered by agencies such as: OPDAT, ICITAP, DEA, ILEA, FBI, George Marshall Centre, ATA, U.S. KFOR, etc. The special units of Kosovo Police were also part of these training, and in 2024 there were increased training offered by the U.S. for these units,” the statement notes.

Police said that this week they selected officers to take part in training in the United States, and that the police have “exceptional relations” with the U.S. and the U.S. embassy in Pristina.

“The Kosovo Police views with concern the statements of the U.S. Embassy and is ready to proceed with everything that is necessary to eliminate misunderstandings and safeguard our outstanding partnership”.

Osmani joins world leaders for summit on Ukraine (media)

Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani shared a photo on Facebook today shaking hands with the U.S. President Joe Biden and wrote “honored by the invitation of the White House to join other world leaders for the summit on Ukraine, which was held in New York, as part of the UN High-Level Week”.

Haradinaj after U.S. warnings: We are entering a worse period (EO)

Leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) Ramush Haradinaj commented on a statement by U.S. Ambassador Jeffrey Hovenier who said that “if you want to join a club, don’t pee on the club’s house door”. “A lot of work was done for a long time for this bad climate or bad situation over the decisions made by the government, the Prime Ministers, and the ministers, not to affect the security institutions. I personally made sure that relations with the security institutions, the army, police, AKI, customs and the judiciary are not affected. However, it is obvious that we are entering a worse period, although we continuously try that the deteriorating relations over the political decision-making should not affect the law and order, the security and professionals,” he argued.

Svecla: Radoicic’s group being trained to cause instability in Kosovo (media)

Kosovo’s Minister of Interior Affairs, Xhelal Svecla, in an interview with TeVe1, claimed that the group of Milan Radoicic, who claimed responsibility for the attack in Banjska last year, was still being trained in Serbia. “We have intelligence, and also from our partners, that Radoicic’s group … is still being trained in Serbia. Their aspirations to cause instability in Kosovo and to invade parts of Kosovo are still active. At the same time, we are working so that if a new attack takes place, we will be victorious,” he said.

Serbian Language Media

Djuric with Sybiha: Serbia's commitment to peace and resolving issues through dialogue is universal (Kosovo Online)

Serbian Foreign Minister Marko Djuric stated in a meeting with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha, held today in New York, that Serbia will continue to consistently support Ukraine's territorial integrity and sovereignty in accordance with international law.

Djuric emphasized that the ongoing general debate at the UNGA has shown that the entire world shares concerns about the Russia-Ukraine conflict and its broader geopolitical consequences. He expressed hope that the international community would, in the coming period, work with greater dedication to seek peaceful solutions.

As he pointed out, Serbia will continue to steadfastly support Ukraine's territorial integrity and sovereignty in line with international law.

The head of Serbian diplomacy thanked his counterpart for Ukraine's support of Serbia's territorial integrity and sovereignty, emphasizing that Serbia's commitment to peace and resolving issues through dialogue is universal, and applies to the challenges the Serbian people face in Kosovo.

In his first meeting with Ukraine's new foreign minister, Djuric highlighted that the people of Ukraine can count on Serbia's solidarity and support. He affirmed that Serbia will continue, within its means, to send aid to help alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine.

Djuric also noted that Serbia has initiated the process of appointing an ambassador to Ukraine, aiming to make bilateral contacts more efficient on a daily basis and to intensify political dialogue.

Radosavljevic: No functional local governments in the north without new mayors and councilors (Kosovo Online)

The executive director of the non-governmental organization New Social Initiative, Jovana Radosavljevic, says that the most certain scenario regarding the local elections in the north is that they will be held in the regular period in the fall of 2025, despite the fact that Western countries expect Kosovo to create the conditions for holding extraordinary elections in the north and Belgrade's request regarding those elections, which was recently presented by the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic.

"Western countries expect Kosovo to create the conditions for extraordinary local elections to take place. This is also within the framework of the requirements that were set for Kosovo last year, when measures were introduced against Kosovo that are still in force, and Kosovo has not fulfilled any of those points However, although there will be additional demands, according to what we heard in the recent address of President Vucic, which is in a way aligned with what the West is asking from Kosovo, it is very unlikely that Kosovo will accept and create circumstances for new local elections to take place in extraordinary circumstances," says Radosavljevic for Kosovo Online.

She recalls that Kosovo Minister of Local Administration and Self-Government, Elbert Krasniqi, said that there will be no possibility of holding extraordinary elections, but only regular ones, next fall.

"That is the scenario we can expect. In the meantime, we will still have mayors, that is, councilors from the Albanian community who represent the minority in the north of Kosovo. The initiative that was launched with the aim of organizing a referendum to replace the mayor at the beginning of this year was unsuccessful because there was an agreement for the two sides to meet halfway, that is, for the mayors to resign themselves with the start of petition,'' said Radosavljevic, adding that wouldn't solve the problem either, because the mayors and councilors are also the problem.

Only with new elections of mayors and councilors we can talk about functional local self-governments, that we do not have currently in the North of Kosovo,'' pointed out Radosavljevic.

Mazreku: Municipalities in north, like all others, should have legitimate authorities (Kosovo Online)

Professor of European Law Avni Mazreku said municipalities in northern Kosovo, or any other municipality in Kosovo, should have legitimate authorities emerging from a free and democratic process. Free and democratic elections and their legitimacy, he added, depend on the will or interest of the citizens to participate in democratic processes.

When there is a boycott of democratic processes, he emphasizes, there is no legitimacy in the electoral process.

Mazreku said this to Kosovo Online, commenting on the measures presented by Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic aimed at advancing dialogue, which, among other things, include the call to organize free and democratic local elections in northern Kosovo.

"The process of free and democratic elections in northern Kosovo has been used by both sides for political purposes. The last elections were boycotted as a result of a specific political stance”, Mazreku said. To resolve open issues, he adds, the will of both sides is required.

Building housing Office for KiM and other Serbian services handed over to Kosovo MIA (KoSSev)

The former building of the Fire Station, which housed the Kosovo-Mitrovica District, and several other Serbian services, including the Office for Kosovo and Metohija, was officially handed over to the Kosovo Ministry of Interior for a period of 99 years, reported portal KoSSev.

The decision was made today before noon by the councilors of the North Mitrovica Municipal Assembly at an extraordinary session with 12 votes in favor and one against.

As chair Nedzad Ugljanin confirmed for KoSSev, the only Serbian counselor Dusan Milunovic was against it.

KoSSev also states that there was no notification to the media about holding of an extraordinary session, and when asked why there was no invitation to media, Ugljanin said he was not aware, and that the "technical service was in charge" for that.

Dismissed deputy minister Radomirovic accuses Rasic of neglecting northern Serbs (KoSSev)

Radoica Radomirovic, a resident of Leposavic and former deputy minister in the Kosovo Government, was dismissed from his post this week by the same individual who appointed him just over a year ago - Kosovo Prime Minister, Ablin Kurti. Radomirovic, who previously served under the Minister for Communities and Return, Nenad Rasic, confirmed that his dismissal was expected after tensions arose between him and Rasic. Radomirovic has since left Rasic’s party and is now preparing to launch a new political movement.

Speaking to the KoSSev news portal, Radomirovic said that “the one who appointed me is the same one who dismissed me. It was expected. I entered into conflict with Rasic knowing the outcome. I cannot act in my own interest, but only in the interest of my associates and citizens”.

Radomirovic has accused his former colleague of neglecting the Serb population in northern Kosovo, citing financial disparities in the distribution of resources from the Ministry of Communities and Return. He pointed out that only a fraction of the ministry’s budget was allocated to the region, highlighting that over two years, just €180,000 was provided to northern Kosovo residents out of a total of €7 million.

Read more at: https://shorturl.at/eTwqg

Rasic responds to Radomirovic, calls him ‘controversial’ personality (Radio KIM)

Following dismissal of his deputy, Radoica Radomirovic, Kosovo Minister of Communities and Returns, Nenad Rasic told press conference organized at noon today he was aware that “Radomirovic lacked personal and intellectual capacities” for this position but journalists “should understand that politicians work with what they have”, Radio KIM reported.

Rasic also said that he was informed “by his colleagues, such as (interior) minister (Xhelal) Svecla and (minister of local government administration, Elbert) Krasniqi about certain suspicion political behavior of Radomirovic”, and that in line with “his poor professional performance” he requested Radomirovic to resign two or three weeks ago.

Rasic voiced further criticism about his former deputy, with whom he worked for longer than a year, adding that Radomirovic was “a very controversial personality”. Rasic also said that changes in the politics are a normal occurrence, and it is not important who would be the minister or deputy minister, but strategic direction, which according to him is “integration of Serbs into Kosovo system”.

Asked to respond to Radomirovic’s accusations that he neglected the northern Kosovo and the funds from the ministry were mainly going to central Kosovo, Gracanica, Laplje Selo and Dobrotin, but not to Strpce and the north, Rasic said there is a list of beneficiaries, municipalities and ethnicities and he will deliver that to the media to determine whether some region was neglected.

He added that around 340.000 was invested in the north through various projects, and that during the last year they had 150 applicants, out of which 88 were approved, while out of 33 requests for construction materials, 31 were approved.

European Greens stand with anti-lithium protesters (N1)

The European Greens expressed solidarity with Serbians protesting against plans to mine lithium in the west of the country and warned that the European Union-Serbia memorandum does not ensure standards, a statement said, N1 reported.

“Ahead of a debate on lithium mining in the Serbian Parliament next week, European Greens stand in solidarity with the tens of thousands of people in Serbia who protested in fifty cities across the country this summer against the decision of the Serbian authorities to allow the multinational mining company Rio Tinto to mine for lithium in the Jadar valley, the statement reads. It added that Rio Tinto will benefit from the project which will harm the environment and local population in the fertile Jadar valley which has significant reserves of underground drinkable water that are highly valuable for the region.

The statement quoted European Green Party co-chair Thomas Waitz as saying: “Let’s not repeat the errors of the past, when the rush for critical materials for energy led to pollution and disruption of societies. Genuine consultations must be held, and processes put in place to ensure accountability before any operations are even considered. The current Memorandum of Understanding between EU and Serbia does not legally ensure any of these standards. The European Union must first assure that there is a legal framework in Serbia that allows for people to hold Rio Tinto and the Serbian Government to account“.

International

Kosovo postpones trial for Banjska attack, awaits Supreme Court ruling (Prishtina Insight)

The first trial hearing for the 2023 deadly attack in Banjska was postponed to October, and Kosovo's Supreme Court was asked to rule on whether the trial of fugitive kingpin Milan Radoicic and 41 others can be held in absentia.

Scheduled to start on Wednesday, the trial at the Prishtina Basic Court over the deadly attack that left one Kosovo Police officer dead on September 24 2023, was postponed to October 9.

Judge Arben Hoti postponed the initial hearing after defence lawyers said the prosecution had not provided the indictments in Serbian for their defendants.

Three defendants, Blagoje Spasojevic, Vladimir Tolic and Dusan Maksimovic, who were due to enter a plea deal on Wednesday, were the only defendants present in the courtroom. Spasojevic and Tolic were arrested at the scene, while Maksimovic was apprehended the following day.

When it comes to Kosovo Serb kingpin Milan Radoicic and 41 other defendants, the Basic Court on Wednesday asked Kosovo’s Supreme Court to rule if they can be tried in absentia.

Radoicic has taken sole responsibility for leading and organising the Banjska attack. He is now in Serbia, and has made no further public comment about the indictment.