UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, December 20, 2022

Osmani: Final agreement must be based on mutual recognition (media)
Kurti asks for more work from the diplomacy (media)
Rohde: Association should be formed in line with Court’s decision (Koha)
Osmani and KFOR Commander discuss security situation (media)
Rohde criticizes Serbian List about Rada Trajkovic’s detention (Telegrafi)
Ceku says artifacts stolen from Serbia will also be discussed in Brussels (media)
LDK’s Haziri on Kosovo-Serbia "secret meeting" in Switzerland (Telegrafi)
Greek chief diplomat Dendias to visit Kosovo today (media)
Haradinaj: Kurti rejected Kosova C and U.S. gas pipeline project (Telegrafi)
TV Crew Attacked Near Serbs’ Barricade in Tense North Kosovo (BIRN)
Extreme Right-Wing Serbs Protest in Jarinje (Prishtina Insight)
EU conditions monitoring of elections with finalization of reforms (Koha)

Osmani: Final agreement must be based on mutual recognition (media)

Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani said on Monday that the final agreement with Serbia must be based on mutual recognition and must respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity, constitutional order and institutional functionality of Kosovo. She made these comments at the 6th Conference of Ambassadors, organized Monday by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora.

In her speech at the opening of the conference, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Donika Gervalla, said that during the next three working days, they will also discuss the new approach that Kosovo will have towards its diaspora and its inclusion in the social, political and economic development.

“Tonight, is a night that precedes the three working days during which we will talk with the ambassadors about foreign policy, the changes that have occurred in our country, but also in the foreign service, about the mission which is perhaps the most privileged greatness in this Republic to be an ambassador of this country and represent its interests,” she said.

Osmani also said such annual conferences of ambassadors serve to have an open discussion on foreign policy, the achievements, and the challenges that the foreign policy faces.

Kurti asks for more work from the diplomacy (media)

During the Sixth Conference of Ambassadors in Pristina, Prime Minister Albin Kurti requested more work from diplomacy and asked Kosovo's ambassadors to explain ‘our version of history to the countries where they operate.’

"The propaganda of our neighbor has imposed a date of the beginning of our history, as if before them, neither the time nor the place existed,” he said. He added that Serbia may have bought a lot of goods and weapons over the decades but "never the civilization".

"Belgrade plays with the pro-Serb and pro-Yugoslav spectrum to win from the extremes in Western countries. With the extreme left, Belgrade wins with the idea of Yugoslavia and with the extreme right it wins with the idea of Serbia, defender of Christianity. In terms of geopolitics, this great adversary of ours promises all the Westerners, but stays with the Russians up to fatality and plays with the duplicity of China. Serbia cannot easily betray Russia, without undergoing a radical transformation, because it sees itself as a project of Slavic conquest," Kurti argued.

“The reality is not the Yellow House, but the murdered Djindjic. It is not the Serbs who were violated in Kosovo by the state of Kosovo, but Oliver Ivanovic killed by the Serbian criminal structures. Their criminals released prematurely, are being arrested as criminals of drug cartels in Europe," he added.

"Instead of the three letters ICJ, they probably more often hear four numbers, 1244," asserted Kurti, talking about the engagement of the Serbian lobby.

Further, Kurti asked them to tell everyone about the fear and blackmail that the Serbs in Kosovo are facing, precisely from the illegal structures of Belgrade, transformed as he said recently into criminal gangs.

Kurti said that it is enough for the ambassadors to remind foreigners of these facts, and according to him, then "they themselves will research and cannot have sympathy for Serbia."

He also requested from the Foreign Ministry to compile a brochure with statistics and distribute it to the Kosovo Embassies.

Rohde: Association should be formed in line with Court’s decision (Koha)

German Ambassador to Kosovo, Jorn Rohde, said in an interview with KTV on Monday that the formation of the Association/Community of Serb-majority municipalities with a Serbian majority in Kosovo is an obligation that Kosovo has taken.

"I categorically reject Bosniasation, or this Serbian Republic, how many times have I and my colleagues from other embassies said that, clearly, this is not the Serbian Republic. And a German NGO, together with the European Institute for Peace, have recently published a proposal for the Association, which is very clearly designed to be in harmony with the judgment of the Constitutional Court from 2015, which also foresees some competences in the field of health and education and maybe even planning. And all this is in harmony with the laws of Kosovo. It is a type of autonomy in some spheres that does not threaten the territorial integrity or sovereignty of Kosovo. And, it improves a situation where you now have the reality of parallel structures, which are not always controlled by the Government of Kosovo, and then you have a structure that is fully in line with Kosovar regulations. I can only say: where is the problem here? Our whole discussion here is to fulfill the past agreements, in search of innovative solutions," Rohde said.

Rohde said that the proposal for the Association statute was prepared by a German NGO, the Ebert Foundation, together with the European Institute for Peace. He said that the government of Kosovo can use it to solve the situation, always respecting the Constitution of Kosovo.

Rohde also spoke about the proposal known as "French-German" although he did not go into details. "You've seen the European proposal inspired by Germany and France, you know, that tried to move things forward. All these proposals include agreements from the past, including the Association of Municipalities with a Serbian majority. They provide a path forward for Kosovo and you know, we want, and especially Germany, for this to happen. You have had visits from Germany. We had the Summit in Berlin, for the Berlin Process. You had this proposal now for the Association's statute, all these, let's say, are pushed by Germany, or they are German ideas to push Kosovo closer to the Euro-Atlantic structures," he said.

According to Rohde, the request of Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic to KFOR regarding the return of Serbian troops to Kosovo, is absurd and unacceptable.

Rohde called for the implementation of the decision of the Constitutional Court on the land of the Monastery of Decan.

He also expressed optimism that the removal of the illegal barricades located in the north of Kosovo will happen soon.

Osmani and KFOR Commander discuss security situation (media)

Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani hosted COMKFOR, Major General Angelo Michele Ristuccia, announced the presidency, not giving many details from this meeting.

"Today, President Vjosa Osmani hosted the commander of KFOR, Major General Angelo Michele Ristuccia, with whom she talked about the latest developments and security in the country," reads the announcement of the presidency.

Rohde criticizes Serbian List about Rada Trajkovic’s detention (Telegrafi)

German Ambassador to Kosovo, Jorn Rohde, has criticized the Serbian List for not reacting to the treatment given to Rada Trajkovic by the authorities in Serbia. "The treatment of the Serbian activist from Kosovo, Rada Trajkovic, is unacceptable. I notice that Serbian List has not had any reaction. Double standards?" asked Ambassador Rohde.

Ceku says artifacts stolen from Serbia will also be discussed in Brussels (media)

Kosovo’s Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports Hajrulla Ceku, said on Monday that the return of artifacts taken from Kosovo should be part of the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia. He said that he has submitted a report on the damage that Serbia has done to Kosovo, including artifacts.

"There were only a few reports after the war that were made by some experts who were engaged by UNMIK for the needs of The Hague. We invited those experts again to the State Commission, but this time the documentation is more detailed. We also believe that this documentation not only helps the dialogue but also a lawsuit in the future for genocide in Kosovo."

Ceku said it is a report that documents in detail what deliberate destruction Serbia has done in relation to the Albanians by attacking their identity, culture and past. According to him, over 1,309 monuments and many other objects, such as shopping centers or libraries, have been destroyed in Kosovo.

"We are working on the bill for these destructions, and we are also attaching 1,247 stolen artefacts from Serbia. This will be an indisputable request in the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia. Besides this, it has also a cost because it has caused us an economic damage apart from their holding," he added.

LDK’s Haziri on Kosovo-Serbia "secret meeting" in Switzerland (Telegrafi)

Deputy leader of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) Lufti Haziri, has come out with a clarification about the research of the Swiss medium "NZZ am Sonntag" which reported that Switzerland is discreetly mediating between Serbia and Kosovo and is trying to prevent the "conflict" from escalating further. He said that it is already known that Foreign Department of Switzerland supports since 2015, through the CIG a meeting of political representatives of Kosovo and Serbia in the framework of the dialogue.

"This Department works according to the rules of "Chatham House" and the parties meet according to a schedule to discuss open issues between Serbia and Kosovo, on the lines of the Brussels dialogue, but which is more of a recommendatory meeting, like the last meeting held in Switzerland that came out with a non-paper and recommended the way to get out of this situation of boycott of our institutions by the Kosovo Serbs and the role of Serbia in this boycott," Haziri added.

"Such formats of meetings have been organized and supported by other countries. LDK participates in every table that is invited to discuss such issues, but the only negotiation is held in Brussels by the Prime Minister, respectively the government of Kosovo," he said.

Greek chief diplomat Dendias to visit Kosovo today (media)

Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias will visit Kosovo today. He will be welcomed by his Kosovo counterpart Donika Gervalla at Pristina Airport. The two ministers will hold a joint press conference around 11:00. Prime Minister Albin Kurti will reportedly host a lunch for the Greek Foreign Minister. Discussions are expected to focus on cooperation between Athens and Pristina, regional developments, the European perspective of the Western Balkans and developments in the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia.

Haradinaj: Kurti rejected Kosova C and U.S. gas pipeline project (Telegrafi)

Leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) Ramush Haradinaj, at the closing meeting for this year with the AAK General Council in Suhareke, has thrown a series of accusations against Prime Minister Albin Kurti and the government.

Haradinaj said that the Kurti government has failed to show satisfactory results in major topics that are vital for the country. According to him, Kurti has rejected the Kosova C thermal power plant, the American Pipeline project, has not implemented the Law on Wages, and has also blocked public investments.

In terms of security, Haradinaj said that Kurti has neglected the advice of allies, the U.S. in particular, doing great harm to Kosovo.

"But the Alliance will help Kosovo get out of this situation,” he said.

"Thanking you for the joint successes we have achieved this year, I wish that we will enjoy the successes together in 2023," Haradinaj said.

TV Crew Attacked Near Serbs’ Barricade in Tense North Kosovo (BIRN)

A Kosovo TV crew was targeted by masked assailants throwing stones near one of several barricades set up by Serbs in northern Kosovo amid continuing tensions which also saw four shops attacked.

As roads in northern Kosovo remain blocked for a tenth day on Monday because of barricades set up by local Serbs, a crew from Pristina-based TV Klan Kosova was assaulted near a newly-erected barricade near the ethnically-mixed village of Cabra in the Zubin Potok municipality.

Footage from the scene showed masked people throwing stones and shouting at the crew. No injuries were reported.

The Association of Journalists of Kosovo, AJK, condemned the attack and expressed concerns about the safety of journalists reporting from the volatile north.

The AJK once again calls on relevant institutions to take measures and provide security for journalists and asks for journalists to be allowed to perform their duties without obstacles,” the AJK said.

Tensions have spiked recently in Serb-majority municipalities in northern Kosovo and on December 9, local Serbs set up barricades on two roads leading to the Jarinje and Bernjak.