UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, April 11, 2024

Albanian Language Media:

QUINT: Serbian List should reconsider its position on boycotting voting in the north (media)
Rohde: Serbian List should calculate the consequences of the boycott (RTK)
Svecla about incident: Time to place explosives has passed (media)
Serb who found explosive under car says it was a threatening message (Koha)
Kadiu: Serbia's illegal passports violate Kosovo's sovereignty (RTK)
Pahor confirms plans to replace Lajcak, has Golob's support (Koha)
Next OSCE Chairman , to visit Kosovo today (RTK)
Former COMKFOR: Attack in Banjska was terrorist, institutions of Serbia were also involved (Klan)
Vucic met OSCE head: I emphasized consequences of violation of agreements by Kosovo and international community (Klan)

Serbian Language Media:

CEC certified voters’ lists for mayoral recall vote in the north, almost 1.500 voters more compared to April 2023 local elections (KoSSev)
Marinkovic: Pristina would directly benefit from referendum boycott, there are no objective conditions on ground for census (KoSSev)
Gogic: If mayors in north remain in power, they will continue to act against interests of local population (Kosovo Online)
Dacic: Eleven years after Brussels deal, Pristina still refusing to form Community of Serb Municipalities (Tanjug)
Greece's position on Kosovo remains unchanged – news report (Tanjug, ANA)
Vucic meets with Chinese minister of commerce (Tanjug, media)
MoD: Purchase of Rafale jets no violation of Serbia's military neutrality (media)
Pahor Slovenia’s candidate for EUSR for Belgrade-Pristina dialogue (N1 Slovenia, N1 Belgrade)
KFOR helps Kosovo police remove IED (N1)

International Media:

Kosovo Urged to Address Concerns About Census Amid Serb Boycott (Balkan Insight)
Kosovo Deplores European Parliament’s Vote to Provide Visa Free Travel to Serb Citizens with Serbian Passports (Prishtina Insight)
Kosovan police load up with weapons on the Serbian border as tensions rise (The Telegraph)
Serbia says it's close to a deal to buy French-made fighter jets. That would be a shift from Russia (AP)

Albanian Language Media

QUINT: Serbian List should reconsider its position on boycotting voting in the north (media)

The QUINT states have reacted after the resignation of the members of the Serbian List and the Civic Initiative for Freedom, Justice and Survival from the municipal electoral commissions in the north.

“The Embassies of France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, and the United States and the EU Office in Kosovo acknowledge that, consistent with its legal requirements, Kosovo will hold mayoral recall votes on April 21 in the four municipalities in the north of Kosovo. This vote is required as a result of the successful initiation efforts carried out by citizens within the existing legal framework, and as certified by the Central Election Commission.

We regret the statements by Srpska List and other Kosovar Serb political actors that call for withdrawing from participation in this mayoral recall vote. Democratic participation is key to ensure that elected institutions are representative of the populations they serve. Voting is a critical freedom of democratic societies.

We acknowledge that the 23 April 2023 elections did not provide a long-term political solution for these municipalities and that representative governance in the north will be restored when elections for mayors will be held with the active participation of all communities. However, boycotting the April 21 vote will not deliver this result, nor will it bring any benefit to the citizens living in the north. Therefore, we call on Srpska List and all others who have called for a withdrawal to reconsider their positions and to make full use of the democratic tools available to advance effective and representative democracy.

We call on the Government of Kosovo to be responsive to the concerns of its citizens and to act with professionalism throughout this process. We call on all stakeholders to act in such a manner that all citizens having the right to vote in the north of Kosovo have the opportunity to participate,” reads the QUINT statement.

Rohde: Serbian List should calculate the consequences of the boycott (RTK)

The German ambassador to Kosovo, Jorn Rohde, in the interview with RTK, said that the decision of the Serbian List to boycott the voting process for the dismissal of the mayors in the north is not a constructive policy and harms the Serbs of that part.

"In a state of law, if you don't have a power to change things, a boycott is the least necessary. Therefore, we invite all citizens and political parties in the north to do their utmost to participate in this process and to complete it. We wish to have a result for mayors and municipal assemblies to be elected, which will reflect the majority of the residents there and at the moment it is not. And this with the boycott and the call for a boycott, then this goes completely in a different direction. For 18 months we only have boycotts and this is not a constructive policy. The government of Kosovo has offered a democratic process to the Serbs in the north and this offer must be accepted by the Serbs. Now, we wait for them to accept this. I don't see why this shouldn't happen. If Serbian List calls for a boycott, then it must also account for the consequences", Rohde said.

Svecla about incident: Time to place explosives has passed (media)

Kosovo’s Minister of the Interior, Xhelal Svecla, has said that the time has passed for criminal actions by gangs in the north and that now, according to him, the rule of law is working. On Tuesday, Svecla published a video where explosives were placed under a car in Leposaviq. Earlier, the police confirmed that they managed to remove the explosive without detonating it from the scene, with the help of KFOR.

According to the Minister of the Interior, Serbia is returning to acts of violence after losing political battles.

"When Serbia loses political battles, in the absence of arguments, it turns to warmongering rhetoric and acts of violence up to terrorism. The tendency to control the members of the Serb community in Kosovo continues, but every day with less success. Opposing voices in the ranks of the community are increasing every day, to free the citizens from gangsters and pro-Serbia quasi-politicians", he wrote on Facebook.

Svecla wrote that the rule of law is now extended throughout the territory of Kosovo.

"The time of threats, burning property, placing explosives and endangering lives, but also suppressing those who think rightly and differently, has passed. Now, the rule of law has been extended throughout the territory of our Republic. Security, justice and well-being for all without distinction and accountability for law breakers," Svecla wrote further.

Serb who found explosive under car says it was a threatening message (Koha)

The citizen who found explosives under his car in Tvergjan of Leposaviq is an employee of the Kosovo institutions from the ranks of the Serb community. To the police, he said that the crime against him was done as a sign of revenge and intimidation. As it was announced by the police, explosives and other explosive devices were found under his car, are production of Serbia.

"The male Kosovar Serb complainant reported that he noticed something suspicious in his car that could be explosive. The relevant police units and the demining unit of the KP have come to the scene of the event, which has deactivated the explosives. The following were recovered from the scene: a PENT plastic explosive package (Serbian production), an electric detonator, a 9 volt battery, 6 magnets and a conductive wire. The complainant declares that he has no problem with anyone, but he suspects that the placement of explosives was done as a sign of revenge and intimidation, since he works in the institutions of the Republic of Kosovo. The case is being investigated", says the police announcement.

Kadiu: Serbia's illegal passports violate Kosovo's sovereignty (RTK)

Klisman Kadiu, adviser to the Deputy Prime Minister Besnik Bislimi, has reacted to the decision of the Commission for Civil Liberties and Internal Affairs of the European Parliament (LIBE), which approved the report on the liberalization of visas for holders of Serbian passports living in Kosovo.

Kadiu said that the institutions of Kosovo express regret for the vote in LIBE, which according to him does not reflect the reality of the right to visa-free travel of citizens of the Serb community.

"Our citizens from the Serb community are not isolated, nor are they the only community that cannot travel to Europe. Our citizens from the Serb community continue to be provided with documents of our state and there is high interest, and we continue to call on citizens to be provided with them, in order to use the right of free movement after reaching of visa liberalization for our country. We continue to be ready and with full capacity to meet their demands", Kadiu emphasized.

He further said that illegal passports issued by Serbia violate the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Kosovo, therefore they cannot be recognized or be a valid travel document.

"This position risks creating a dangerous precedent, when just over a year ago, a similar attempt to recognize Russian travel documents issued in Ukraine and Georgia was condemned and not accepted by the EU institutions themselves. The postponement of this proposal has a negative impact on the integration of the Serb community in Kosovo, but also on the dialogue process. From the moment when this proposal was initiated by the European Commission, we have continuously informed all EU institutions about the consequences and negative effects of such a decision", Kadiu underlined in his reaction.

Pahor confirms plans to replace Lajcak, has Golob's support (Koha)

The former president of Slovenia, Borut Pahor, has confirmed that he wants to replace Miroslav Lajcak in the position of the special representative of the European Union for the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue, reported the Slovenian news agency "STA".

According to this agency, Pahor has the support of the Prime Minister of Slovenia, Robert Golob, and has spoken with many EU officials on this issue in the past month. The Slovenian newspaper "Delo" said that Prime Minister Golob expressed unconditional support for Pahor to replace Lajcak.

"Former President Pahor, with his work and previous political experience, has proven to be a great friend of the countries of the Western Balkans and his efforts, as well as the efforts of Slovenia, are aimed at the inclusion of the countries of the Western Balkans in the European Union, ensuring peace and stability in the Western Balkans and all of Europe", said the Prime Minister Golob's office.

Next OSCE Chairman to visit Kosovo today (RTK)

The OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Malta's Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Affairs and Trade, Ian Borg, will visit Kosovo on April 11 to discuss the OSCE engagement and meet with political leaders. During his visit, Chairman Borg will meet with President Vjosa Osmani-Sadriu, Prime Minister Albin Kurti and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Donika Gervalla-Schwarz.

He will also hold meetings with the Head of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo, Michael Davenport, and mission staff, and will meet participants from the OSCE Dialogue Academy.

"Chairman Borg will travel to the OSCE Regional Center in Gjilan to meet with local civil society organizations and community representatives from various municipalities to discuss community rights, youth engagement and women empowerment. He will also meet with mayors of municipalities representing different communities to discuss inter-municipal cooperation supported by the OSCE. Minister Borg will also meet with Bishop Teodosije from the Serbian Orthodox Church", the OSCE announced.

Former COMKFOR: Attack in Banjska was terrorist, institutions of Serbia were also involved (Klan)

General Erhard Buhler, who was KFOR commander for a year, continues to monitor the situation in Kosovo, especially the security situation. He commented on the terrorist attack on the monastery in the village of Banjska.

"The attack on the monastery in the village of Banjska was definitely a terrorist attack. As far as I know and can judge, it is not possible that they carried out the attack alone. Several institutions of the Serbian security forces must have been involved. At least they knew about the attack and supported it. Otherwise, they cannot be exercised on the official territory of the Serbian forces. (…) In a country like Serbia, this is not possible without knowing the highest levels", Buhler said in an interview for Croatian public television, HRT.

Asked about the recent statement of Kosovo’s Minister of the Interior, that two hundred people from Serbia are armed and ready for some kind of attack in Kosovo, he said that he has no such information but the intelligence services probably have.

"Kosovo is in a very good position. In Kosovo, there are military forces under the mandate of the Security Council. They worry about the security of Kosovo. No decision to be made, no Article 5 consultation, you don't need any decision. The peacekeepers are already there. There are 6000 soldiers from our countries: from Croatia, Germany, USA, etc. If we know this, there is no reason to continue with that belligerent rhetoric, from both sides", said the former commander of KFOR.

He added that it is not acceptable to support a terrorist group, nor is it acceptable for the Serbian army to send troops to the border with Kosovo and threaten Kosovo.

"The rhetoric of the Serbian government is not acceptable either. But it is also not necessary to constantly talk about war. It is an obstacle in the development of the entire region. We should not feed such rhetoric that scares people, especially in Kosovo, but also in the countries surrounding Kosovo", said Buhler.

Vucic met OSCE head: I emphasized consequences of violation of agreements by Kosovo and international community (Klan)

The President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, has hosted the Chairman of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Malta, Ian Borg. He announced through the Instagram social network, that he also spoke about the issue of agreements between Kosovo and Serbia.

"I emphasized the importance of the role of the OSCE in maintaining security and stability in Europe and respecting international public law. Even on this occasion, I warned about the negligence and continued violation of the agreements reached in the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina and I emphasized the serious consequences of such behavior on the part of Pristina and the international community", said Vucic.

The President of Serbia claims to have said in the meeting that "Serbia acts responsibly in all matters, protecting its people and interests".

Serbian Language Media

CEC certified voters’ lists for mayoral recall vote in the north, almost 1.500 voters more compared to April 2023 local elections (KoSSev)

Kosovo Central Election Commission (CEC) certified the voters’ lists for the mayoral recall vote in four northern municipalities, namely Leposavic, Zubin Potok, Mitrovica North and Zvecan, which will take place on April 21, 2024, KoSSev portal reported citing RTK. There are in total 46.556 voters on the lists, respectively 1.461 voters more compared to local elections held in those four northern municipalities in April 2023.

According to the information, the number of young voters who will vote for the first time is 1.826, out of which 293 turned 18 after the extraordinary local elections held on April 23, 2023, while 1.533 voters were not even on the voters’ lists for the extraordinary local elections on April 23, 2023, the portal said. They can be considered as voters for the first time enlisted in the central registry or as voters who have changed municipality after the last local elections in April 2023.

According to the report the number of voters who passed away, changed the municipality or renounced Kosovo citizenship after extraordinary local elections held on April 23, 2023 is 365. In relation to the mayoral recall vote there were 12 requests to change the polling stations within the set deadline and they were approved, while only two requests were received for registration of the voters outside of Kosovo by the deadline of April 5, and those two requests were approved.

Marinkovic: Pristina would directly benefit from referendum boycott, there are no objective conditions on ground for census (KoSSev)

Albin Kurti will directly benefit from the referendum boycott, and will then have additional levers of the government at his disposal to continue the pressure on the Serbian community. The reasons for the decision to boycott the referendum shared by Serbian political representatives are not enough to justify it, Center for Affirmative Social Actions (CASA) Director Miodrag Marinkovic said. Marinkovic, on the other hand, does share the position of the political representatives of Kosovo Serbs regarding the decision not to participate in the census, saying that there are currently no conditions for it to be held.

The population census and the vote to recall the mayors in the north are the two currently trending topics in Kosovo. The majority of Serbian parties in Kosovo announced that they would boycott both processes. The former because, among other things, they believe that the census was organized at an unfavorable political point for Serbs, and the latter because impossible conditions were given for the recall process to be successful.

Read more at: https://shorturl.at/hoCQ2

Dacic: Eleven years after Brussels deal, Pristina still refusing to form Community of Serb Municipalities (Tanjug)

Serbian First Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic said Wednesday that, 11 years after the signing of the Brussels Agreement, Pristina had still not established a Community of Serb Municipalities, Tanjug news agency reported. Rather than face pressure over its refusal to meet its commitments, Pristina is being rewarded by the international community, Dacic said at a press conference after a meeting with OSCE Chairperson and Maltese Foreign Minister Ian Borg.

"It has been 11 years since I signed the Brussels Agreement with Hashim Taci and Catherine Ashton. However, the Community of Serb Municipalities, which is the main commitment, remains unfulfilled to this day, primarily due to the refusal of the Pristina authorities", Dacic said. Due to a lack of pressure from the international community, Pristina feels no obligation to meet its international commitments, he added.

"We will continue to be a constructive factor, but this position is bringing our people in Kosovo and Metohija into a very difficult situation", Dacic also said. The EU-facilitated First Agreement on the principles of normalization of Belgrade-Pristina relations was signed in Brussels on April 19, 2013.

Greece's position on Kosovo remains unchanged – news report (Tanjug, ANA)

Quoting unnamed diplomatic sources, the Greek news agency ANA reports that Greece's position on Serbia and Kosovo remains completely unchanged. "There has been no change of attitude, nor do we intend for there to be a change of attitude", the sources were quoted as saying, Tanjug news agency reported.

Speaking about a Council of Europe (CoE) report on Pristina’s bid for membership in the organization, the sources said "it has no influence on the Greek diplomatic position towards Serbia and Kosovo, it is an internal matter of the Council of Europe and in any case, it is non-binding".

The Committee on Political Affairs of the CoE Parliamentary Assembly adopted in late March a report in which rapporteur Dora Bakoyannis - who comes from Greece - recommended that Kosovo be admitted to the CoE. In response, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said Bakoyannis had abruptly changed her opinion about Kosovo membership in the organization “after receiving a phone call”. She gave up on the demand that Pristina must first implement a Community of Serb Municipalities, Vucic said. "She abruptly regretted having been very firm and strong and then she remembered that a Community of Serb Municipalities is not important, and then that (land) expropriation is not important either", Vucic said.

Vucic meets with Chinese minister of commerce (Tanjug, media)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic met with Chinese Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao in Belgrade on Wednesday to discuss strategic aspects of bilateral and economic relations as well as concrete projects that will strongly accelerate Serbia's growth, Tanjug news agency reported.

"I am proud of the partnership cooperation with China, which has been strengthened further by the visit by esteemed Minister Wang Wentao and a session of the joint intergovernmental commission on trade and economic cooperation, at which numerous important guidelines were formulated for continued cooperation, especially in terms of large investments in the most important economic sectors", Vucic wrote in a post on his official Instagram account.

MoD: Purchase of Rafale jets no violation of Serbia's military neutrality (media)

The Serbian Ministry of Defence dismissed on Wednesday as "extremely unfounded and incompetent" allegations that a purchase of 12 new Rafale multirole fighter jets was a violation of Serbia's military neutrality, adding such claims were aimed at generating artificial publicity and deceiving the public.

In a statement, the ministry said the Rafale was one of the most advanced aircraft of its kind and that its induction into the arsenal of the Serbian Air Force and Anti-Aircraft Defense would ensure long-term protection of Serbian airspace and contribute to overall security of the country and its citizens.

In recent years, Serbia has completed a series of purchases of modern aircraft, anti-aircraft missile systems, radars, combat vehicles, electronic systems and other equipment from different countries including Russia, China, the US, Spain and France, the statement also said.

Pahor Slovenia’s candidate for EUSR for Belgrade-Pristina dialogue (N1 Slovenia, N1 Belgrade)

Slovenia's former president Borut Pahor is this country’s candidate for the next European Union (EU) special representative for the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue, reported N1 Slovenia.

This post is currently held by Slovak diplomat Miroslav Lajcak, who is reportedly soon to take on a new post as EU Ambassador to Switzerland.

Slovenian Prime Minister Robert Golob has expressed support for this bid, and has already held bilateral talks on this topic with the leaders of European countries and highest EU representatives. N1 Slovenia reported that a few more obstacles are expected on the path to this goal, as well as that there are some outstanding issues to be resolved.

KFOR helps Kosovo police remove IED (N1)

KFOR sappers assisted Kosovo police in removing an explosive device in the northern town of Leposavic, a press release said. It said that “a suspicious device was found by the Kosovo police placed under a car”, N1 reported.

“Following a request from the Kosovo police, an Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team from the Regional Command East of the NATO-led KFOR mission rapidly intervened at the scene. Kosovo police personnel safely removed the unexploded device from the site, in close coordination with a US KFOR EOD Team”, it added. The press release also said that “the joint response highlights the strong cooperation developed between KFOR and the Kosovo police”. It recalled that KFOR is the third security responder, after the Kosovo police and the EU Rule of Law (EULEX) mission.

International Media

Kosovo Urged to Address Concerns About Census Amid Serb Boycott (Balkan Insight)

OSCE calls on Kosovo to improve information for non-majority communities about the census – which the Serbian community is boycotting. The OSCE Mission in Kosovo has called on Kosovo to engage more in raising awareness among non-majority communities, as the census, which started last week, saw its first problems in the field.

“Even at this stage it is important that more is done to provide full information to all communities,” the OSCE Mission said in a statement on Tuesday.

“Low participation could bring further repercussions, including budgetary consequences at municipal level. Ultimately, however, it is for individuals – rather than political parties – to decide on their participation,” it added.