UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, December 11, 2023

Albanian Language Media:

Kurti meets German Chancellor Scholz (RTK)
Bislimi participates at Budapest Balkan Forum (media)
Kurti in Berlin: Kosovo committed to aspiration for EU membership (RTK)
OSCE: There are no conditions for holding Serbian elections in Kosovo (RTK)
KFOR Commander: Security situation in the north calmer, but still fragile (Reporteri)
Draft of Association submitted by EU, worrying for opposition (RTK)
Von Cramon on KEDS-Elektroserver deal: Good news (RTK)
Kurti: We will continue to protect everyone's rights (media)
Haxhiu: Violence will not be normalized, we will work to protect women's lives (media)
Talat Xhaferi, Prime Minister of North Macedonia, from January 28 (RTK)

Serbian Language Media:

Vucic satisfied with the signed contact between KEDS and Elektrosever (Tanjug, N1)
Dacic congratulated the International Human Rights Day and pointed out their violation in Kosovo (Tanjug, Kosovo Online)
Office for KiM: At the ambulance in Suvo Dol broken windows and metal door (KiM radio)
Serbian List: The devastation of the Suvi Dol ambulance a shameful act (KiM radio)
SNV: The catastrophic political and security situation of the Serbs in Kosovo (KiM radio, Danas)
An initiative to replace the mayor submitted in Zubin Potok (KoSSev)
An Initiative to recall mayor submitted in Leposavic as well; Radovic: No party support (KoSSev)
Natural gas from Azerbaijan: Serbia-Bulgaria gas interconnector put in trial operation (N1, Tanjug)

International Media:

SafeJournalists: Investigations of Attacks on Journalists in Western Balkans Long and Ineffective (safejournalists.net)
Türkiye's efforts help resolve electricity dispute in northern Kosovo (dailysabah.com)
United opposition poses stern test for Vučić in Serbia’s election (politico.eu)
Aleksandar Vucic: The man who remade Serbia (BBC)
Kosovo Indicts 53 Members of Serbian Forces for 1999 Village Massacre (BIRN)

Albanian Language Media

Kurti meets German Chancellor Scholz (RTK)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti has met on Saturday with the German Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, in Berlin, where he is participating in the Congress of the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD).

“A pleasure to participate in this year’s SPD party congress, where I had a fruitful meeting with Bundeskanzler, underscoring the strength of our bilateral relations and our shared vision as social democrats fostering justice, progress and prosperity for our citizens,” Kurti wrote on X platform.

Bislimi participates at Budapest Balkan Forum (media)

Kosovo’s Deputy Prime Minister Besnik Bislimi announced that he participated in the Budapest Balkan Forum organized in Pristina.

"This week, at the Budapest Balkan Forum organized in Pristina, I emphasized our commitment towards EU integration and the achievement of visa liberalization. I also spoke about how our government is channeling efforts to improve the well-being of all our citizens" - Bislimi wrote on X.

Kurti in Berlin: Kosovo committed to the aspiration for EU membership (RTK)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti during his stay in Berlin, on the sidelines of the Congress of the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD), had meetings with the General Secretary of the Socialist International, Benedicta Lasi, as well as with the chairman of the SPD, who is also a member of the German Bundestag, Lars Klingbeil.

Prime Minister’s office informed that with secretary Lasi, he discussed the importance of deepening cooperation within the political family of the left social democratic spectrum and promoting the common values of democracy, justice and equality for all.

"Only united can we resist attempts at extreme policy deviations, especially the danger posed by the extreme right, at a time when election processes are approaching in many countries".

It is also known that with SPD chairman Klingbeil, Kurti talked about the dynamics of the situation in the Western Balkan region as well as the dialogue process.

Prime Minister Kurti said that the region belongs to the European Union, and Kosovo is committed to fulfilling its aspiration for membership in the EU, where it has taken the first step by applying for membership. Regarding the dialogue, he emphasized that Kosovo continues to remain constructive and active in the process, towards the normalization of relations with Serbia and mutual recognition, the announcement further states.

After the meeting earlier in the day with Chancellor Scholz, and meetings with Secretary Lasi and President Klingbeil, Prime Minister Kurti's agenda in Berlin will continue with meetings with diaspora in Germany.

OSCE: There are no conditions for holding Serbian elections in Kosovo (RTK)

The Office for Information in the Mission of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in a response to Radio Kosova said that there are no conditions for the process of collecting the votes of Kosovo Serbs for the extraordinary presidential elections that are expected to be held on December 17 in Serbia.

"The mission also needs support from Kosovo institutions and the main one is the need for security from the Kosovo Police, as the first security provider. At the moment, these conditions do not exist", reads the response of the OSCE in Pristina.

The government's spokesperson, Perparim Kryeziu, through an electronic response to Radio Kosova, said that in in the previous meetings of Prime Minister Kurti with the OSCE ambassador in Kosovo, and the QUINT ambassadors, Serbia's request to the OSCE for holding elections in the territory of the Republic of Kosovo was also discussed. In these meetings, Prime Minister Kurti said that an inter-state agreement is necessary and that the request for such an agreement should come from Serbia as an interested party.

Meanwhile, the political analyst, Artan Muhaxhiri, said that it would be good for Prime Minister Kurti to find a modality to offer voting to the Serbian minority, but respecting the Constitution of Kosovo.

"This should be done respecting the laws, constitutionality and the political will of the government of Kosovo. In fact, this process has not been problematic in the past. But, now also because of the delicate momentum of the dialogue process and for a kind of negative change in Serbia's approach towards Kosovo and the dialogue in general, the circumstances have also changed", Muhaxhiri said.

The international community has repeatedly called on the government of Kosovo to find ways to hold Serbian elections. The holding of parliamentary elections in Serbia takes place at a time when the entire international community is making efforts to normalize Kosovo-Serbia relations, through dialogue facilitated by the European Union.

KFOR Commander: The security situation in the north is now calmer, but still fragile (Reporteri)

The KFOR commander Ozkan Ulutash said that the security situation in the north is now calmer, but still fragile. He emphasized that the mission of the North Atlantic Alliance in Kosovo has always proven its ability to tackle any challenge and to continue implementing its UN mandate, fully and impartially.

"We have quadrupled the presence of KFOR in the north of Kosovo and tripled the number of patrols, including along the administrative line. Overall, the security situation is now calmer, but remains fragile. These are prudent steps to ensure that KFOR's mission continues to fulfill the UN mandate – based on UN Security Council Resolution 1244 of 1999 – to ensure a secure environment for all communities living in Kosovo and freedom of movement; at any time and impartially".

"KFOR continues to act as the third responder in Kosovo, after the Kosovo Police and the EU Rule of Law Mission (EULEX). NATO is strongly committed to security in Kosovo and KFOR will stay as long as necessary, in accordance with our UN mandate," he said.

Among other things, Ulutash has stated that the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue is the only way to peace and stability.

"KFOR continues to create a security framework, which is necessary for the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia to progress with the mediation of the EU, which is the only way to lasting peace and stability for the benefit of all communities and regional stability", emphasized the KFOR commander.

Draft of Association submitted by EU, worrying for opposition (RTK)

The draft of the Association that was submitted to Kosovo and Serbia continues to be the main topic that is being followed with many reactions. Speaker Konjufca once again spoke about the draft. He sees no possibility for the Association to take place without Serbia's steps towards the recognition of Kosovo.

This draft has recently reached the opposition. Ramush Haradinaj, leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) was the first to announce that he has read the draft, and called the entire document disturbing. Haradinaj, finds the Arbitration Commission particularly disturbing, stressing that at this point "the power of any legal institution in Kosovo falls."

The draft has already been distributed to MPs of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), while Lumir Abdixhiku, leader of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) emphasizes that the draft is autonomy that leads to federalization.However, he emphasized that he will attend the announced meeting with the president as soon as he receives the invitation. The presidency informs that this invitation will soon go to the parties for a meeting. Abdixhiku also emphasized that the party in power, Vetevendosje, has already realized that Kosovo would have to draft the association's statute itself.

The draft statute for the Association, drawn up by Western diplomacy, was submitted to the two governments in Kosovo and Serbia at the end of October. However, Speaker Konjufca has even emphasized that it was not up to the European Union to present the draft statute for the association of municipalities with a Serb majority.

"The normal order of things is for the Republic of Kosovo to introduce such a statute. This has also been the position of our government, a very fair and principled position, which I support. As for the European Union, I am trying to perhaps explain why they are in a hurry to propose such a statute. This is mainly due to the fact that the process probably stalled. The Ohrid Agreement was not signed by Serbia. Then there was the terrorist attack and the act of aggression of Serbia on Kosovo, in the village of Banjska on September 24. Then the international community realized that maybe this will block the political process and the dialogue process with Serbia for a long time. It is for this reason that they are in a hurry to propose a statute, taking a competence from the Republic of Kosovo itself and the state of Kosovo", Konjufca said.

PDK did not give any comment so far. However, the MP of this party, Ariana Musliu - Shoshi, expressed reservations, briefly saying to Radio Free Europe that the MPs of the PDK have not received the draft statute of the Association to read and review it, since the leaders of the party haven't delivered it to them yet.

Von Cramon on KEDS-Elektroserver deal: Good news (RTK)

The rapporteur for Kosovo in the European Parliament, Viola von Cramon, reacted after the signing of the energy contract between KEDS and Elektrosever, calling this good news.

"Good news to see the signing of the energy contract between KEDS and Elektrosever. This is a step in the right direction towards the full implementation of all pending agreements to finally have full normalization between Kosovo and Serbia. Integration in the EU is our common goal", Von Cramon wrote in "X".

The EU special representative for dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia, Miroslav Lajcak, has said that he welcomes Saturday's signing of the commercial contract between KEDS and Elektrosever.

But according to KEDS, this prolonged process has been very delicate and challenging for the entire energy system in Kosovo, and they say that they are pleased to have reached this historic moment.

Kurti: We will continue to protect everyone's rights (media)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, has said that Kosovo reaffirms its commitment to protect the rights of all without exception and discrimination.

“On UDHR's 75th anniversary, the Republic of Kosovo reaffirms its commitment to the Declaration, expressly enshrined in our Constitution. We continue to work tirelessly—today and every day—to promote and protect the rights of all, with no exception and without discrimination,” Kurti wrote on X platform.

Haxhiu: Violence will not be normalized, we will continue work to protect women's lives (media)

Kosovo’s Minister of Justice, Albulena Haxhiu, at the end of the "16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence" through a video address, said that the commitment and campaign against violence will continue.

"As the Minister of Justice, I am very concerned about cases of violence and cases of femicide, therefore I inform you that there will be no closing ceremony, but we will continue the work even stronger, as well as the inter-institutional coordination in order to protect the life and dignity of girls and women in our country", she said.

She further said that over 80 activities were organized throughout Kosovo during the campaign, during which two very important issues were achieved: the economic measure for the employment of survivors of domestic violence and the first program for the rehabilitation of abusers.

Further, Minister Haxhiu said that with dedication and professionalism, Kosovo will become a better and safer country for every girl and woman.

Talat Xhaferi, Prime Minister of North Macedonia, from January 28 (RTK)

The current speaker of the Assembly, Talat Xhaferi, is expected to be the next prime minister of North Macedonia, marking history as the first Albanian prime minister in North Macedonia. Through a video presentation, Xhaferi said that the nomination for Prime Minister of the Technical Government represents special respect and trust for him.

He will be the Prime Minister of North Macedonia from January 28 until the election of the new Government.

"For me, it means special respect and trust from the party bodies to nominate me for this position. I believe that I will respond to the new task entrusted to me with greater responsibility and I hope that the expectations of the citizens will be fulfilled", Xhaferi said.

Serbian Language Media

Vucic satisfied with the signed contact between KEDS and Elektrosever (Tanjug, N1)

The President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, said that he was satisfied that the Kosovo Electricity Distribution Company (KEDS) and Elektrosever signed the contract.

"I am satisfied that KEDS and Elektrosever signed the contract, because with this we avoid the possibility that the people in the north of Kosovo and Metohija remain without electricity, and the contract does not prejudge the issue of property," said Vucic after the trial operation of the Serbia-Bulgaria gas interconnector in the town of Trupala. He added that the signing of the contract with the population will now follow and pointed out that only 11 percent of them in the north of Kosovo paid for electricity.

The EU envoy for dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, Miroslav Lajcak, informed the public about the signing of the contract on Saturday. Without publishing the contract, as well as details of it, Lajcak said that it is an important step in the implementation of the Energy Roadmap.

KEDS announced on Sunday that the goal of the contract is to normalize the distribution and supply of electricity in four municipalities in the north of Kosovo.

Dacic congratulated the International Human Rights Day and pointed out their violation in Kosovo (Tanjug, Kosovo Online)

First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Serbia Ivica Dacic congratulated yesterday the International Human Rights Day and warned of serious violations of the human rights of Serbs in Kosovo, reported Tanjug agency.

"International Human Rights Day, December 10, and this year, unfortunately, we celebrate in an environment in which the basic human rights of Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija are severely violated. Our people in Kosovo and Metohija have been living in an atmosphere of fear of persecution and violence for a quarter of a century. Serbs are systematically denied many basic human rights, guaranteed by the UN Charter and other fundamental international documents, including the right to freedom of movement, the free expression of will in elections, the right to property, economic development, and even the right to life," said Dacic in a congratulatory message, announced the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Dacic said that the world community did not stand up to the heavy and long-term violence against the Serbs in Kosovo to the extent that it was obliged to, and that today's International Human Rights Day remains a dark stain on its conscience.

Office for KiM: At the ambulance in Suvo Dol broken windows and metal door (KiM radio)

"In the continuation of the wave of ethnic incidents in Kosovo, the target of which is all Serbs, at the ambulance in the multi-ethnic settlement Suvi Dol near Kosovska Mitrovica, the windows were broken and even the metal door with the bars that secured this health facility was torn out," read the statement of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija, reprted KiM radio on Saturday.

"The consequences of this hooligan attack were noticed by a nurse upon arriving at the clinic that was repeatedly targeted by extremists," it was added. It is pointed out that although this health facility provides medical assistance to both Serbs and Albanians, it is clear that the extremists, blinded by hatred, do not care, but break and vandalize everything that bears the prefix Serbian.

"This attack has caused great concern to the locals who are receiving much-needed medical assistance here. The Office for KiM, through its representatives on the ground, will repair this damage and continue to invest in Serbian health institutions in Kosovo and Metohija," concluded the statement sent to the media.

Serbian List: The devastation of the Suvi Do ambulance a shameful act (KiM radio)

The Suvi Dol ambulance's devastation, which is part of the Kosovska Mitrovica Health Center, is a shameful act and a reflection of intolerance and ethnic hatred, announced the Serbian List.

Bearing in mind that the health system is one of the basic pillars of the survival of the Serbian people in Kosovo, the attack on the premises of the clinic in Suvo Dol is an attack on the survival of the Serbian people, it was pointed out in the announcement of the Serbian List. This, they say, is also an attack on the coexistence of Serbs and Albanians, because Serbian health workers in that clinic provided health services to both Serbs and Albanians from that village.

"The provision of health services and health protection is one of the basic human rights, which obviously does not apply to our people in the area of Kosovo and Metohija. The fact that this clinic has been ransacked and devastated countless times, and that the perpetrators of those crimes have never been found, is particularly irritating," the statement said.

The SL appeals to the competent institutions and international missions in charge of security to do everything in their power to prevent such attacks that threaten peace and cause concern among citizens, because this is the 170th ethnically motivated incident this year. Thanks to the support of the Office for KiM, the SL expects that the damage will be repaired very quickly, and the clinic will be restored to function.

SNV: The catastrophic political and security situation of the Serbs in Kosovo (KiM radio, Danas)

The Serbian National Council held the second session of the Presidency today in Gracanica, at which it was assessed that the political and security situation of the Serbs in Kosovo is catastrophic, and that the people are in a serious process of emigration, reported KiM radio.

As they state, no one is doing anything to stop these processes. Particular attention was paid to "the militant policy of Kosovo PM Albin Kurti, which instills fear in the remaining Serbian population". The presidency of SNV called on Serbs from Kosovo to turn out en masse for the elections scheduled for December 17. Voters from Kosovo will vote in Kursumlija, Vranje, Raska and Tutin. SNV warns that "voting for SNS and Aleksandar Vucic is equal to suicide, because by supporting Vucic's policy they authorize him to complete the betrayal of Kosovo and Metohija and leave them to Greater Albania".

Established red and black Kosovo peony

Similar to the journalistic awards given by the branch of the Association of Serbian Journalists in Kosovo, the Serbian National Council today established the "red and black Kosovo peony" awards for, as they state, "the activities of individuals and institutions in the field of respect for human and political rights, national, democratic, humanitarian and moral values in Kosovo and Metohija".

"For this year, 2023, the Red Kosovo Peony was awarded to Nicifor Anicic, president of the Host Association of Serbia and Hotel M in Belgrade. Thanks to the courage and determination of Nicifor Anicic, after several months of persecution of the SNV in Kosovo and Metohija and the ban on the use of the halls for holding the Assembly of the Serbian National Council, with his efforts and support the Assembly was held in Belgrade on November 26, 2023. His decision was supported and followed by Hotel M in Belgrade, which resisted unprecedented pressure from the authorities to cancel the hall".

The first "black Kosovo peony" was awarded to Aleksandar Vucic and the Serbian List for accepting the Brussels, Washington and French-German agreements and the Ohrid road map, which, as they point out, betrayed national and state interests. "With their policies, they brought the Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija to a catastrophic political, economic, social and hopeless situation, due to the emigration of over 40 thousand Serbs since they came to power."

Also, the "black Kosovo peony" was awarded to Zivojin Rakocevic, director of the House of Culture in Gracanica and president of the Association of Serbian Journalists, due to, as they point out, the ban on the use of the hall of the House of Culture in Gracanica for holding the Assembly of the Serbian National Council. They recalled that the members of this Assembly, 73 of them, had to travel to Belgrade, while, as they point out, the House of Culture remained empty, reported KiM radio.

An initiative to replace the mayor submitted in Zubin Potok (KoSSev)

The initiative for the removal of the mayor of Zubin Potok was submitted to the chairman of the MA of this municipality on Friday, reported KoSSev portal. The chairman of the Zubin Potok MA, Vedat Mehmeti, confirmed for KoSSev that the initiative was submitted via email. This initiative also has three signatories, one of whom is Dalibor Galjak.

“Today, via email, I accepted the request, that is, the initiative for the removal of the mayor of Zubin Potok, Izmir Zeqiri. The initiative was signed by three citizens,” Mehmeti told KoSSev, adding that he will immediately contact the Ministry of Local Self-Government Administration, as well as the CEC, as prescribed by the Administrative Instruction.

“Five days is the deadline. We will see what the outcome of the request will be,” he explained.

Mehmeti was unable to specify the reasons listed by the signatories for the dismissal of the mayor of this municipality.

Similar to North Mitrovica, this request was finally officially submitted Friday after a group of citizens, as some media reported, personally tried to submit the same request on Tuesday in the village of Cabra, where the municipal administration is now located.

This initiative was also signed by Dalibor Galjak, who then told Kosovo Online that they were told the request could not be accepted because there is no records management office in this building.

According to Galjak, the mayor of Izmir Zeqiri also told them that “the petition is not in his interest”. On the contrary, on the same day, Zeqiri told Pristina-based Koha that the three signatories “recommended that their request goes through the parliamentary procedure, according to the Administrative Instructions”. Zeqiri also underlined that he „does not know“ whether the signatories have contacted the chairman of this assembly.

An Initiative to recall mayor submitted in Leposavic as well; Radovic: No party support (KoSSev)

After North Mitrovica and Zubin Potok, an initiative for the removal of the mayor had also been submitted in Leposavic.

The request for the removal of the current mayor, Lulzim Hetemi, was submitted to the president of the Leposavic Municipality Assembly, Gorski Buric.

The news was confirmed for KoSSev by the Deputy Minister of Communities and Return, Radoica Radomirovic, who is a Leposavic local.

“They submitted the request to Gorski. The procedure is underway, on Monday the request will be taken to Pristina,” he told KoSSev.

International Media

SafeJournalists: Investigations of Attacks on Journalists in Western Balkans Long and Ineffective (safejournalists.net)

On the occasion of the International Human Rights Day, the SafeJournalists network, indicates that this year, for the most part, stagnation or a slight decline was recorded compared to the previous two years when it comes to the Journalists Safety Index in the Western Balkans region.

Many cases of attacks on journalists remain unreported, because the existing institutional mechanisms are not effective enough in preventing and punishing attacks, and an increased number of online threats has been recorded. Investigations are long-lasting and without real, positive effects on victims and the rule of law. SLAPP lawsuits are also on the rise, especially against investigative journalists where the SLAPP’s are seeking large monetary damages and even imprisonment. Also, the number of slanders and insults against journalists is increasing.