UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, January 23, 2024

Albanian Language Media:

Joint statement of leaders of Western Balkans 6 (media)
Ulutas: KFOR is ready to respond to any threat (media)
Osmani meets Szynuog, discuss cooperation between Kosovo and EU institutions (media)
EU: Agreement is binding in its entirety (Koha)
Gervalla: I am not critical of the EU, but of the bureaucrats within it (TeVe1)
Lajcak talks about dialogue with representatives of opposition in Serbia (media)
Kurti remembers 26th anniversary of Serbian attack against Jashari family (media)
Rama about dinner with Kurti and Vucic: Communication was positive (Klan)
Tahiri: Joint conclusion that elections in Serbia were not free (Gazeta Express)

Serbian Language Media:

Western Balkan leaders committed to European standards (N1)
Vucic: I discussed Pristina's announcement with O'Brien (Tanjug)
Hill on abolishing dinar in Kosovo: Avoid such unnecessary surprises and unilateral acts (RTS, media)
Rasic says payment transactions issue to be resolved, no reason for fear (Radio KIM)
Petition to recall mayor submitted in Leposavic as well (KoSSev)
KFOR Commander met representatives of religious communities, discuss their role in promoting peace and tolerance (KoSSev)
Election Commission assigns mandates to new Serbian MPs (media)
Vucic says he expects new government by March 15 (BETA, N1)

International Media:

BIRN Fact-Check: EU-Funded Projects Suffer Most from ‘Measures’ against Kosovo (Balkan Insight)
Serbian Environmentalists Alarmed by Renewed Talk of Rio Tinto Mine (Balkan Insight)

Albanian Language Media

Joint statement of leaders of Western Balkans 6 (media)

Leaders of six Western Balkans countries, who meet in Skopje on Monday for the conference “The Growth Plan: Western Balkans Meets EU”, adopted the following joint statement:

Recognizing the intricate geopolitical landscape characterized by Russia's aggression against Ukraine and ongoing crises in the Middle East, we, the Leaders of the Western Balkans Six underscore the paramount significance of cooperation within the region and integration with the European Union and commit to the advancement of the four freedoms of movement (capital, goods, services, people) for all our citizens.

Acknowledging the significance of the Berlin Process summit's Chair’s Conclusions in Tirana on 16 October 2023, and the EU-Western Balkans Summit Brussels Declaration on 13 December 2023.

Noting that the Western Balkans' new Growth Plan represents a new opportunity to promote the economic and social convergence of our region with the European Union as a tool to advance in the accession process.

Committed to seizing the opportunities presented by the Growth Plan and meeting the expectations of our citizens for a more prosperous and stable future within the European Union.

Ready to implement this comprehensive plan, anchored in phased integration into the EU Single Market, enhanced regional economic integration, accelerated fundamental reforms, the primacy of democracy, fundamental rights and values and the rule of law, including those that combat corruption and curb political interference in independent institutions that should serve all citizens equally, and increased financial assistance through the Reform and Growth Facility, which carries the potential to inject much-needed dynamism into the enlargement process, enabling us to overcome obstacles hindering our progress.

We view the Growth Plan as a chance to incentivize and implement crucial reforms towards closing the convergence gap with the EU that will boost development, including socio-economic reforms and reforms on fundamentals, during a pivotal moment in the enlargement process. In this spirit, we have started our preparations for the Growth Plan's implementation, including the development of Strategic reform agendas, guiding actions and investments over the next four years.

Read full statement at: https://shorturl.at/cow68

Ulutas: KFOR is ready to respond to any threat (media)

Commander of NATO’s peacekeeping mission in Kosovo (KFOR), Major General Ozkan Ulutas, said in an interview with Anadolu Agency on Monday that KFOR is ready to respond to any threat. “KFOR continues to do its best to provide an impartial, safe, and secure environment for the benefit of all people living in Kosovo,” he said.

Ulutas said that the people of Kosovo want to live in permanent peace and security. “KFOR has been providing a safe and secure environment for all communities in Kosovo for some 25 years. We will continue this in 2024. We will continue our efforts to prevent tensions from escalating and I’d like to assure you that we are ready to respond to any threat,” he said.

“As NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said, stability depends on all parties choosing diplomacy over conflict. We will continue to support the Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue by providing the necessary safe environment for diplomatic efforts to progress. Lasting peace and stability for all people living in Kosovo. That's the only way,” Ulutas said.

Ulutas said that KFOR would continue its mission in Kosovo as long as needed. He also said that KFOR boosted its presence and patrols last September after a clash broke out in the village of Banjska in northern Kosovo, near the Serbian border, when a group of armed Serbs blocked a bridge with two trucks.

Osmani meets Szynuog, discuss cooperation between Kosovo and EU institutions (media)

Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani met on Monday with the EU Head of Office in Kosovo, Tomas Szunyog, and discussed recent developments, including security, and “cooperation between Kosovo and EU institutions “with the aim of meeting common objectives”.

EU: Agreement is binding in its entirety (Koha)

European Union officials have said that the Brussels agreement and the annex for its implementation will be an integral part of the path of Kosovo and Serbia towards integration in the European Union.

The EU spokesman, Peter Stano, has said that the agreement is binding in its entirety. However, Serbia, through a letter from Prime Minister Ana Brnabic, informed the EU that it does not undertake the implementation of all agreements. Serbia has opposed the articles that require it not to prevent Kosovo from joining international organizations.

"In general, we do not comment on the content of correspondence with the EU. However, we can confirm that the EU has received a final version of the letter from the Serbian Prime Minister, Bernabic. The European Union reiterates that the Agreement is binding in its entirety for both parties. Its implementation will be an integral part of their respective European path. The agreement with its implementing annex has been made legally binding through the written declaration of the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, dated March 18, 2023. This has been the consistent position of the EU, which also has been publicly communicated in several cases", Stano said.

The EU expects the parties to demonstrate serious commitment and efforts to reach a compromise that advances the normalization of relations.

"They (the parties) must support their dialogue commitments and commit to the full implementation of all agreements from the past dialogue, in particular the Agreement on the Road to Normalization and its Implementation Annex. The normalization of relations is an essential condition in the European path of both parties, and both risk losing important opportunities in the absence of progress", Stano emphasized.

But the U.S expert on the Balkans, Daniel Serwer, said that the reaction of the EU and the USA against Serbia's obstructions, including the non-implementation of the agreements, has been weak.

"In Kosovo, Belgrade has outdone itself. It removed Serbs from Pristina's police, courts and administration in the four northern Serb-majority municipalities. Sponsored a boycott of municipal elections, organized mobs to protest the election of non-Serb mayors and attacked NATO peacekeepers, trained and equipped a terrorist operation on September 24 intended to create a pretext for military intervention, denied the validity of agreements on which the USA and the EU claim are legally binding", Serwer emphasized.

In the absence of results in the dialogue, the leaders of Kosovo have on several occasions reiterated that the priority is security in the country, warning that Serbia is preparing another attack in the north, after the one in Banjska where the sergeant of the Kosovo Police, Afrim Bunjaku, was killed.

Gervalla: I am not critical of the EU, but of the bureaucrats within it (TeVe1)

Kosovo’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Donika Gervalla-Schwarz, has stated that she is not critical of the European Union, but of the bureaucrats within it.

Gervalla made this statement referring to the recent criticism of the dialogue process and emissary Miroslav Lajçak, whom she said was a failure because, according to her, he entered this process without a strategy and vision.

"I am not critical of the European Union because the institution I lead and the government I am a part of, we work every day to bring Kosovo closer to the European Union. I am critical of the unrealistic support of the bureaucrats within the European Union, of those who sometimes with great ease ignore the reality in the region and in our country. And they give advice which not only doesn't work but creates future conflicts and not because I say it, but because many representatives of different EU member states say this", she said.

Gervalla added that the dialogue process, especially during the last two years, has shown that it is a failure. “A process cannot be called otherwise when while important topics are being discussed at the table, one of the parties is exercising paramilitary troops to attack that country whose representative is in front of him. And this should be a very clear signal that the dialogue as it has been designed so far is a failure and we must have new ideas and a completely new approach".

Lajcak talks about dialogue with representatives of opposition in Serbia (media)

The EU Special Representative Miroslav Lajcak announced that today he met with the representatives of the Serbian opposition party, the Left Green Front.

“Met with representatives of the Serbian opposition party Green-Left Front for an honest conversation about the Dialogue on normalization of relations with Kosovo. We also spoke about the elections, their aftermath and recent developments in Serbia”, Lajcak wrote on X platform.

Kurti remembers 26th anniversary of Serbian attack against Jashari family (media)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti remembered the day of 22 January 1998, when the Serbian police unit carried out the second criminal action on the family of Shaban Jashari in the Lower Prekaz of Drenica.

He said that the Serbian police started the action on January 22, 1998, "but they had only failed to plan one thing: that Shaban Jashari and his family would not surrender, because he was armed with firearms, and with the weapons of the ideals of freedom, of the courage to fight and live in freedom according to the Albanian traditions".

Kurti added that the action began with three shells thrown from a distance, while everything happened within half an hour, until 06:00 when the policemen started to retreat, wounded among them, and leaving behind in the courtyard of Shaban Jashari's house projectiles and ammunition.

"...The Serbian state authorities kept silent about the murder and injuries, activating the propaganda about the "Albanian terrorists" who had attacked the police and who had then retreated to the house of Shaban Jashari, from where they had resisted," Kurti remembered.

He emphasized that dozens of newspaper reports and television stories were produced proving the truth of those events and added that these events are remembered today and, on every anniversary, because they are chapters of history in the long road of the Albanians to be liberated from Serbia and to live freely in Kosovo.

Rama about dinner with Kurti and Vucic: Communication was positive (Klan)

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama has commented on Sunday's dinner in Skopje, which took place within the framework of the summit of Western Balkan leaders, where the Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, and the Serbian President, Aleksandar Vucic, were also present. Rama said that he was for the first time at a dinner where Vucic and Kurti were present, stressing that it was a positive meeting.

"It is the first time that I am at a dinner together with Albin and President Vucic and there was a positive communication between everyone. And it seems to me that this format and these demands that the EU has today from everyone to give us the opportunity to get much more back in economic and financial terms speak for themselves about what I have been talking about all these years, as we must to integrate ourselves internally. We are not ready because we have wasted time dealing with terminology. The EU has made it clear that whoever becomes the cause will penalize themselves. Instead of dealing with the content, we should deal with concrete work", he said.

Tahiri: Joint conclusion that elections in Serbia were not free (Gazeta Express)

Head of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) parliamentary group, Besnik Tahiri, said in a video message after the meeting of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, that it discussed the report about elections in Serbia and that there is a joint conclusion that the elections were not free, and that democracy is under threat.

Tahiri also said that in the coming days, the Kosovo delegation will have several meetings “and we will do everything we can to convey a unifying position that Kosovo deserves membership.”

Serbian Language Media

Western Balkan leaders committed to European standards (N1)

Western Balkan six leaders said they are committed to abiding by European standards, N1 reports. A statement issued after the Western Balkans – European Union meeting in North Macedonia capital Skopje said that they would make full use of a 6 billion Euro EU growth plan for the region which includes Serbia, Kosovo, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Albania.

The EU Growth Plan for the Western Balkans was presented by the European Commission in November and is intended to promote the region’s economic integration with the EU as well as among the Western Balkans six. It is also meant to push forward essential reforms. Speaking after the meeting, Director General for Neighborhood and Enlargement Negotiations at the European Commission, Gert Jan Kopmann said the Growth Plan is a potential game changer which could double the size of the regional economies in the next decade. He said the EU wants to provide greater stability to the region.

Media reports also said that Serbia, North Macedonia and Albania signed protocols on free access to their respective labor markets within the Open Balkan initiative. A government press release said that the protocols complete the legal steps leaving technical issues in the three countries' e-services systems to be resolved.

Read the joint statement from the meeting at: https://shorturl.at/nFGKV

Vucic: I discussed Pristina's announcement with O'Brien (Tanjug)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Monday Pristina's ban on trade in Serbian goods and an announcement it would stop payment transactions with central Serbia was a "hysterical attack" on Serbs in Kosovo, and that he had discussed this with US Assistant Secretary of State for Europe and Eurasia James O'Brien.

Speaking to reporters in Skopje, where he is attending a Western Balkans-EU summit, Vucic said he would continue consultations about the issue with O'Brien. "We will always be with our people, we will be trying and seeking - and finding - answers", he said.

He said a veto by a CEFTA member had been blocking the adoption of 10 major agreements and initiatives in the organization since 2021. "Try to guess who that is. Everyone else agrees, and everyone else is willing. What is important is that, as O'Brien said today, those who will be stopping others in the period to come will, in fact, be stopping themselves. So, I think that is an important message and I hope this will change", Vucic said.

Hill on abolishing dinar in Kosovo: Avoid such unnecessary surprises and unilateral acts (RTS, media)

US Ambassador to Serbia, Christopher Hill said the decision of the Central Bank in Pristina on abolishing dinar in payment transactions was unnecessary surprise, adding that US and European Union are closely monitoring and analyzing development of the situation, Serbian public broadcaster RTS reported.

He also said that at this stage of dialogue such unilateral acts should be avoided.

"At this stage of dialogue that we have reached and that Mr. (Miroslav) Lajcak has reached, unnecessary surprises and unilateral acts should be avoided. We think that the most important thing now is the formation of the Community of Serbian Municipalities, but also that Kosovo is enabled access to international institutions. One should focus on that and avoid topics that are not of common interest", Christopher Hill said during a visit to the Ozren Special Hospital in Sokobanja, to which the US Embassy in Serbia donated a CT scanner worth 600,000 euros.

Rasic says payment transactions issue to be resolved, no reason for fear (Radio KIM)

Kosovo Minister for Communities and Returns Nenad Rasic said the Kosovo government adopted a Strategy for protection of rights and Interests of non-majority communities in public administration, adding that the payment transactions issue with central Serbia will be resolved, Radio KIM reports. According to him there is no reason for fear among people over this issue.

Asked by a journalist how the payment transactions issue with central Serbia will be resolved, following announcements from Kosovo Central Bank that euro will be the only payment currency as of February 1, Rasic said solution must be found, adding there is no reason for fear.

Rasic also said that the Ministry will open different calls for vacancies in February and March and 150 people from non-majority communities will be employed in central-level institutions as foreseen by the above mentioned strategy for 2023-2027.

Petition to recall mayor submitted in Leposavic as well (KoSSev)

Following confirmation that members of the initiators group to recall the mayor in Mitrovica North submitted a signed petition to the MA chair, the same was done in Leposavic municipality, KoSSev portal reported citing Tanjug news agency.

Members of the initiators group in Leposavic told the news agency that they collected more than sufficient number of votes to recall mayor Lulzim Hetemi. They submitted a signed petition to the Leposavic MA chair.

Tanjug also reported that current mayors of four northern municipalities were in Leposavic municipal building yesterday afternoon for a meeting, but that reason for the meeting remained unclear.

KFOR Commander met representatives of religious communities, discuss their role in promoting peace and tolerance (KoSSev)

KFOR Commander Major General Ozkan Ulutas met yesterday at Film City base in Pristina with representatives of the religious communities, KoSSev portal reports.

General Ulutas spoke with Islamic Community Mufti Naim Ternava, Serbian Orthodox Church Raska-Prizren Diocese Bishop Teodosije and Catholic Prizren-Pristina Bishop Dode Gjerdji.

“The meeting was an important occasion to highlight the role of religious leaders in promoting peace, tolerance and dialogue for all people living in Kosovo”, KFOR said in an announcement. KoSSev portal recalled that KFOR frequently organizes and takes part in joint meetings with religious communities representatives and that it gathered religious leaders in the Pec region at the beginning of this year.

Election Commission assigns mandates to new Serbian MPs (media)

Serbian Republic Election Commission adopted on Monday a decision assigning mandates to the members of Serbian new parliament.

The Aleksandar Vucic-led Serbia Must Not Stop electoral list will have a majority in the 250-seat parliament - 129 MPs, and is followed by the Serbia Against Violence list (65), the Ivica Dacic – Prime Minister of Serbia list (18), NADA coalition (13), the Branimir Nestorovic-led We, A Voice From The People list (13), the Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians (6), the Usame Zukorlic - Tomislav Zigmanov - United For Justice list (2), the Sulejman Ugljanin-led Democratic Action Party of Sandzak list (2), Saip Kamberi's The Political Struggle of Albanians Continues list (1) and the Slobodan Nikolic - Russian Party list (1).

The deadline for forming the new parliament is February 12 - 30 days after the announcement of the final electoral results.

Vucic says he expects new government by March 15 (BETA, N1)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said he expects the new Serbian government to be formed by March 15. Following the Western Balkans – European Union (EU) Summit in Skopje, North Macedonia, Vucic told the media that the constitutive session of the new Serbian Parliament can be expected starting February 1, BETA news agency reports.

“We have to react quickly and pass many legal norms related to the EXPO and the plan we presented two days ago. That is of vital importance for us”, he said.

International Media

BIRN Fact-Check: EU-Funded Projects Suffer Most from ‘Measures’ against Kosovo (Balkan Insight)

High-level contact between the EU and Kosovo continues despite ‘measures’ imposed by the EU in June last year, but local EU-funded projects are suffering.

Eight months since it froze funding for Kosovo and suspended all high-level visits, the European Union continues to resist calls from Pristina for the sanctions to be lifted.

“Of course, we are watching the situation every day very closely,” the European Commission’s foreign affairs spokesman Peter Stano said on January 8.