UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, February 20, 2025

UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, February 20, 2025

Albanian Language Media:

NATO reacts after report about possible withdrawal of U.S. forces (Telegrafi)
Kurti: EU must not watch Kosovo with binoculars (Albanian Post/Table Briefings)
Orav: Kosovo needs to meet more conditions (RTK)
Hehir: "Govt did in north what every state that respects itself would do" (media)
KFOR Italian troops conduct live fire exercises (media)
Osmani continues to receive congratulations on Kosovo day (media)

Serbian Language Media:

Vucic on the elections in Kosovo: We are waiting for the results, Kurti did not go as expected (Kosovo Online)
Djuric: Serbia interested in advancement of its relationship with Israel (Tanjug)
Sa'ar: Israel sees Serbia as a strategic partner (Tanjug)
CRTA: Serbian citizens’ massive support for students’ demands and protests (N1)

International:

Kosovo’s European Parliament Rapporteur urges removal of EU sanctions (PI)

Albanian Language Media

NATO reacts after report about possible withdrawal of U.S. forces (Telegrafi)

NATO’s peacekeeping mission in Kosovo, KFOR, said on Wednesday that the United States of America have made clear their commitment to NATO including their presence in Europe. The statement comes after a report by the German Bild that Italy is preparing for the eventual withdrawal of U.S. troops from Kosovo. NATO officials told Telegrafi that U.S. officials have reaffirmed their commitment and for protecting the Alliance. “As part of this, the U.S. have made clear their expectations that NATO allies need to contribute more, invest more and increase production in support of the joint defense. NATO is constantly adjusting to a changing environment, as part of efforts to maintain its readiness,” they said.

NATO reiterated its commitment to stability in the Western Balkans, specifically in Kosovo. “Our mandate remains unchanged, based on UN Security Council Resolution 1244. We continue to contribute to a safe environment for all communities in Kosovo, guaranteeing the freedom of movement and in close cooperation with the Kosovo Police and the EU Rule of Law Mission”.

NATO also highlighted the important role of the U.S. in KFOR, saying that currently there are more than 600 U.S. troops in the mission.

Kurti: EU must not watch Kosovo with binoculars (Albanian Post/Table Briefings)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti said in an interview with Table Briefings that the European Union needs to follow a more determined path towards Serbia and not continue to watch Kosovo with binoculars from afar, the Albanian Post reported on Wednesday. “I expect determination and clarity that the European values will not be sacrificed for short-term geopolitical considerations. I hope that they will put Serbia before a mirror instead of watching Kosovo with binoculars,” he said.

On Kosovo’s integration into the European bloc, Kurti said he is optimistic that Kosovo can become part of the EU in the next 10 years and added that the process should be based on merits and progress. “We want to become a member of the European Union not only to benefit but to contribute too. And I believe we are on the right track. The EU progress report notes that Kosovo has made progress in 36 out of 38 areas. We want this to be acknowledged more and we want a performance-based process,” he said.

Read more at: https://shorturl.at/6HPwD

Orav: Kosovo needs to meet more conditions (RTK)

Head of the EU Office in Kosovo, Aivo Orav, said during a visit to Prizren on Wednesday that consensus among the 27 EU member states is needed to lift the EU measures against Kosovo. “I think it is often said at the level of the EU that the EU is not complete until the countries of the Western Balkans become its members. I hope this will happen soon and that it will not be postponed for later. However, in Kosovo’s case, more conditions need to be met, and certain duties must be carried out. In order for the measures to be removed a consensus is required among the 27 EU member states and there are also ongoing discussions,” Orav is quoted as saying.

Hehir: "Govt did in north what every state that respects itself would do" (media)

Several news websites report that professor of international relations at Westminster University in London, Aidan Hehir, in an interview with TeVe1, said that the actions of the Kurti government in the north of Kosovo "were actions that every country would undertake to ensure domestic sovereignty". “What the government of Kosovo did is what every country that respects itself would do, by ensuring to have domestic sovereignty. If you don’t have domestic sovereignty, you are not a sovereign state. Kosovo’s attempts to get international recognition to present itself as an independent state would have been undermined. They could tell Kosovo that it doesn’t have control over the four northern municipalities,” he argued.

Hehir said that Kurti tried to stop the use of another currency in the north and parallel systems. “Kurti and his government wanted to stop this. I think they did it in a way that angered the international community, and I cannot pretend that this did not happen,” he said.

KFOR Italian troops conduct live fire exercises (media)

NATO’s peacekeeping mission in Kosovo, KFOR, said in a Facebook post on Wednesday that Italian soldiers from Regional Command West conducted live fire exercises in “Voloire” shooting range near Camp Villaggio Italia. “The exercise aims to maintain and improve soldiers’ shooting skills with individual weapon testing procedures and keeping high level of readiness and safety. KFOR continues to implement its mandate - based on UN Security Council Resolution 1244 of 1999 - to contribute to a safe and secure environment for all people and communities living in Kosovo and freedom of movement, at all times and impartially. KFOR works in close coordination with the Kosovo Police and the European Union Mission on Rule of Law in Kosovo (EULEX) in their respective roles as security responders,” the post notes.

Osmani continues to receive congratulations on Kosovo day (media)

Most news websites report that Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani is continuing to receive congratulations on Kosovo’s day. Kuwait Crown Prince Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al Sabah in a congratulation letter to Osmani said received a message of congratulations from the Crown Prince of Kuwait Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al Sabah on the 17th anniversary of Kosovo's Independence

“I hereby convey my best wishes for full health and happiness for the Republic of Kosovo and its friendly people, further development and prosperity”.

President of the Czech Republic Petr Pavel, in his letter to Osmani, reaffirmed the Czech Republic's unwavering support for Kosovo's democratic development and its journey towards Euro-Atlantic integration. “President Pavel has expressed his confidence that bilateral relations between Kosovo and the Czech Republic will continue to develop successfully, based on friendship and mutual devotion to democratic values and regional stability,” a Facebook post by Osmani’s office notes.

Serbian Language Media

Vucic on the elections in Kosovo: We are waiting for the results, Kurti did not go as expected (Kosovo Online)

The President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, stated, commenting on the situation in Kosovo after the parliamentary elections, that for any assessment one must wait for the final results, but that Albin Kurti "certainly did not go as he expected".

During a tour of the stands at the Belgrade Tourism Fair, when asked by journalists how he would comment on the situation in Kosovo, given the messages from the opposition that Kurti would not form a government, Vucic said that no one can be trusted, because there are no final results.

"You can't trust anyone. They haven't counted the votes yet, they've only been counting for 11 days... I'm waiting for another 11 days, I guess they'll count... When they count the votes, I'll be able to comment. We will see," Vucic said.

He added that Kurti "definitely didn't do as well as he expected."

Djuric: Serbia interested in advancement of its relationship with Israel (Tanjug)

Serbian FM Marko Djuric said on Wednesday in Jerusalem Serbia was interested in the advancement of its relationship with Israel and wanted to see growth and prosperity in that country.

At a press conference with Israeli counterpart Gideon Sa'ar, Djuric conveyed the best wishes of the people of Serbia and the Government and the president of Serbia to Israel.

He said the two sides were "working to advance our relationship, which is already very strong."

"Serbia has a good story to tell in this period. We are a country that has advanced economically very significantly," said Djuric, who began his address in Hebrew.

Read more at:https://tinyurl.com/2p9w6u3j

Sa'ar: Israel sees Serbia as a strategic partner (Tanjug)

Israeli FM Gideon Sa'ar on Wednesday thanked Serbia for supporting his country during the war that is underway and noted that Israel saw Serbia as a strategic partner, reported Tanjug.

At a press conference with Serbian FM Marko Djuric, who is visiting Israel, Sa'ar said Djuric was "a great friend from a great country."

"I want to convey our appreciation for the fact that, during this tough war, Serbia proved itself as a true and sincere friend of the State of Israel. When everyone spoke about Israel's right to self-defence, Serbia said it, but also did things accordingly. Of course, we appreciate that, and we look at Serbia as our strategic partner," he said.

"You were supporting us, you condemned Hamas, and as I said previously, you were real supporters of our right to self-defence," Sa'ar told Djuric.

"We are determined to strengthen bilateral relations with Serbia," Sa'ar also said, adding that the meeting with Djuric had also addressed his visit to Serbia.

"I also said that we will participate in the 2027 EXPO that will take place in Serbia. We spoke about many fields - economy, tourism, innovation - in which we want to strengthen our bilateral relations, and we will do that," Sa'ar said.

CRTA: Serbian citizens’ massive support for students’ demands and protests (N1)

Around 80 percent of Serbian citizens back most of the students’ demands, a third of the population reports that they have participated in the ongoing protests, while student protests are supported by 64 percent of citizens, said the Center for Research, Transparency and Accountability (CRTA) following its latest survey.

Students protests have become a key driver of political and social change in Serbia, with the potential for further expansion and growing support, according to a new public opinion survey conducted by CRTA.

Even after nearly three months, students’ protests are not fading but actually gaining stronger support, said CRTA.

Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/2p8th4dc

International Media

Kosovo’s European Parliament Rapporteur urges removal of EU sanctions (PI)

In a draft report to the European Parliament, the Kosovo rapporteur urged the immediate removal of EU sanctions imposed on Kosovo in June 2023 due to tensions in the country's northern region, calling them unjustified.

The European Parliament’s Rapporteur for Kosovo, Riho Terras, in a draft annual report on the situation in Kosovo and its progress toward EU membership, called for the immediate lifting of the EU sanctions imposed on Kosovo in June 2023. The sanctions were initially introduced due to tensions in the northern part of the country, which is predominantly inhabited by ethnic Serbs.

“The measures are no longer justified and stand in contradiction to Kosovo’s demonstrated commitment to European values and alignment with EU policies,” Terras wrote.

The sanctions include the freezing of certain EU funds and the suspension of high-level meetings with Kosovo’s officials.

The report also advocates for Kosovo’s EU membership and calls on countries that have yet to recognise Kosovo to do so without delay.

This report is based on the European Commission’s assessments of Kosovo in 2023 and 2024, as well as Kosovo’s commitment to EU accession.

In an explanatory statement, Terras emphasised that the European Parliament is closely monitoring political and socio-economic developments in Kosovo, and that the report is presented in line with the European Commission’s progress report on Kosovo.