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UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, January 31, 2025

Albanian Language Media: 

 

  • European MPs: EU’s unbalanced approach had negative impact on dialogue (RFE)

  • Freezing of U.S. funds not expected to affect work of Specialist Chambers (RTK)

  • CEC changes locations of three voting centers in Leposavic (Koha)

  • KSF participates in “Combined Resolve 25” international exercise (media)

  • Citizens in some Western Balkans countries called to boycott supermarkets (RFE)

 

Serbian Language Media:

 

  • Vucic signs institutional partnership agreement with Germany (N1)
  • Vucevic: We are closer to forming new government, but I do not rule out possibility of new elections (Tanjug)
  • Djuric, Swiss Ambassador discuss bilateral ties, situation in Kosovo (Tanjug)
  • Djuric for Le Figaro: We strive for historical compromise beneficial for both Serbs and Albanians (Kosovo Online)
  • Arsenijevic published video saying offices of Rasic’s party located within same building as Municipal Counting Centre in Leposavic (social media)
  • Prosecutors to halt criminal proceedings against 13 people pardoned by President Vucic (Tanjug)

 

International Media:

 

  • Trump’s suspension of US foreign aid hits hundreds of Balkan projects (Balkan Insight)

 

 

Albanian Language Media 

 

European MPs: EU’s unbalanced approach had negative impact on dialogue (RFE)

 

Members of the European Parliament told outgoing EU Special Envoy Miroslav Lajcak that the unbalanced approach to the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia had a negative impact on the process, sources in the European Parliament told Radio Free Europe. Lajcak met on Thursday with members of the European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee and discussed his five-year mandate as the envoy in the dialogue for the normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia. Sources said that at the meeting, which was held behind closed doors, the majority of MPs were critical of the EU’s approach toward the parties in the dialogue. Most of them also said that the EU’s penalty measures against Kosovo and the lack of measures against Serbia, especially after the armed attack in Banjska in 2023, had a negative impact on the EU-facilitated dialogue. The MPs again called for the removal of measures against Kosovo. Sources said that Lajcak agreed with the conclusion of the MPs that the measures against Kosovo should have been lifted and that he had called for this immediately after the attack in Banjska, but said that the removal of measures was not in his hands but rather a decision of the member states. He also admitted that there was not as much progress as he had expected in the implementation of the Brussels Agreement. 

 

Freezing of U.S. funds not expected to affect work of Specialist Chambers (RTK)

 

The freezing of U.S. funds is not expected to affect the work of the Specialist Chambers of Kosovo in the Hague in the short-term period. Officials from the court told the Radio Television of Kosovo on Thursday that their budget until June this year is secured by the European Union. “The current budget of €97,100,000 for the period 15 June 2023 until 14 June 2025 is financed by the European Union. All previous budgets too were secured by the European Union,” they said.

 

CEC changes locations of three voting centers in Leposavic (Koha)

 

Kosovo’s Central Election Commission has adopted the changing of locations of three voting centers in the municipality of Leposavic. Arianit Elshani, PDK’s representative at the Commission, said the previous centers do not meet the required conditions. The CEC also presented the cameras that will be placed in voting centers for the parliamentary elections on February 9.

 

KSF participates in “Combined Resolve 25” international exercise (media)

 

Most news websites reported on Thursday that the Kosovo Security Force (KSF) is participating with a contingent in the international exercise "Combined Resolve 25", which is underway at the US military base in Hohenfels, Germany. “The exercise aims to test and assess the readiness of NATO combat units, as well as prepare partner states for joint operations and interaction. KSF has joined the exercise at the invitation of the US Army, aiming to enhance professionalism, strengthen interaction with partner countries and increase readiness to operate in a combined multinational environment. Also, participating in ‘Combined Resolve 25’ provides the opportunity for sharing experiences with military forces of NATO countries, and partners participating in the exercise. This commitment reflects KSF’s dedication to contributing to security and stability at the international level, as well as advancing operational capabilities to the highest military standards,” the KSF said in a Facebook post.

 

Citizens in some Western Balkans countries called to boycott supermarkets (RFE)

 

The news website reports that angered by the constant increase of prices, citizens in several countries of the Western Balkans have been called on January 31 to boycott several food supply stores. The initiative started in Croatia on January 24 and resulted with a decrease of more than 50 percent of sales throughout the country. After the call of consumers’ representatives, Croats on January 30 started another similar action that will last one week. The boycott has targeted large trade stores over doubts that their prices are not in line with those in other EU countries. Calls for similar boycotts – mainly on social media – were made in other countries of the Western Balkans. They received a positive response in Serbia, North Macedonia, Montenegro, in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and in Slovenia. Organized actions are not expected in Kosovo and Albania although food prices in Kosovo have increased constantly in the last couple of years. 

 

 

Serbian Language Media  

 

Vucic signs institutional partnership agreement with Germany (N1)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said he has signed an agreement to continue institutional partnership with Germany, N1 reported. Vucic said in a post on his official Instagram account that he signed the agreement to continue the partnership in strengthening Serbia’s industrial development with German Ambassador Anke Konrad.

The post added that Vucic is proud of everything German Presidential Advisor Jorg Heeskens did to bring investors to Serbia. Vucic said he also had a brief conversation with Ambassador Konrad. An earlier post said Vucic had a brief meeting with the European Union Delegation to Serbia Head, Ambassador Emanuel Giaufret as well. 

Vucevic: We are closer to forming new government, but I do not rule out possibility of new elections (Tanjug)

Serbian Prime Minister in technical mandate Milos Vucevic said last night the ruling coalition is closer to a decision to form the new government, but that he can not rule out the possibility of calling new elections, adding the final decision would have to be made within the next ten days, Tanjug news agency reported.

As he said, convening of the Assembly session will take place at which MPs have to acknowledge his resignation, followed by a 30-day period. He said both options are on the table. “I can not deal with predictions, and one should wait ten days to see a decision – whether the new government will be formed or political conditions are ripe for new elections”, he said.

Vucevic also noted he wished his decision to resign the post of prime minister would help to ease tensions in the society, adding he wanted to demonstrate there is accountability in politics. 

Djuric, Swiss Ambassador discuss bilateral ties, situation in Kosovo (Tanjug)

Serbian Foreign Minister Marko Djuric met with Swiss Ambassador to Belgrade Anne Lugon-Moulin on Thursday to inform her of difficult situation Serbs in Kosovo face “because of Pristina's unilateral acts and continued gross violations of human rights and democratic principles as well as all agreements”, and noted necessity of international presence to protect the Serbs' rights and security there, Tanjug news agency reported.

The two officials also discussed continuation of the positive dynamic of political dialogue between Serbia and Switzerland and meetings at the highest level, the Serbian MFA said in a statement. Djuric thanked Switzerland for its significant bilateral donations and development aid in many areas, noting that Switzerland was one of Serbia's most important development partners.

The meeting also addressed upcoming Swiss OSCE Chairmanship in 2026 - in that context, Djuric conveyed Serbia's "openness to and readiness for any form of consultations, support and assistance", the statement said.

Djuric for Le Figaro: We strive for historical compromise beneficial for both Serbs and Albanians (Kosovo Online)

Serbs and Albanians are not destined to be enemies, and currently both are suffering and enduring the consequences of unilateral actions by the authorities in Pristina, whose aim is to undermine the collective political, economic, and cultural rights of minority communities, especially the Serbian one, warned the Serbian Foreign Minister Marko Djuric in an interview with Le Figaro, Kosovo Online portal reported.

He pointed out that hundreds of thousands of Serbs go for vacation in Albania each year, while established economic ties with Albania prove that a paradigm shift in relations between Serbs and Albanians is possible. However, he notes, what stands in the way are the unilateral and aggressive moves by Pristina.

"The Kosovo conflict is not as complex as the Middle East, but with serious work, we can achieve a compromise that will be beneficial both for Albanians and Serbs. We aim for a historical compromise in which no side will get everything, nor will one side lose everything", Djuric said in response to Le Figaro's question on how he sees the solution to the Kosovo issue.

Read more at: https://shorturl.at/AYKTe(link is external)

The interview in French is available at: https://shorturl.at/fsRk9(link is external)  

Arsenijevic published video saying offices of Rasic’s party located within same building as Municipal Counting Centre in Leposavic (social media)

Serbian Democracy President Aleksandar Arsenijevic shared on his Facebook account a video recorded by his party colleague, claiming that the office of the party For Freedom, Justice and Survival (SDO) is located within the same building as Municipal Counting Centre (MCC) in Leposavic. Kosovo Minister of Communities and Returns Nenad Rasic is leader of this party.   

“Today we finally exposed the plans of SDO of Nenad Rasic to distort the electoral will of the citizens. Vladimir Radosavljevic from SD today visited and exposed Nenad Rasic’s office in Leposavic, which is located within the Municipal Counting Centre. This violates a number of procedures and laws, and numerous criminal acts are being committed with the tendency to distort the electoral will of the citizens in the municipality of Leposavic. They continue to pamper Rasic as they do with their most beautiful flowers, so that they can build (police) bases for us in all Serbian municipalities”, Arsenijevic said along with the video published. 

Prosecutors to halt criminal proceedings against 13 people pardoned by President Vucic (Tanjug)

Following a decision by President Aleksandar Vucic to pardon 13 people detained during protest blockades in the country, the Public Prosecutor's Office of Serbia will halt criminal proceedings against them immediately after receiving the decision, whereby the second demand of student protesters will be met in full, Public Prosecutor Branko Stamenkovic said on Thursday.

Stamenkovic, who is also the spokesperson of the Public Prosecutor's Office, reiterated a call to the students to engage in dialogue with the Prosecutor's Office. "The essence of the dialogue we are offering is not to try to convince anyone but to explain our actions over the course of time, as well as to fully understand the students' expectations", Stamenkovic told Tanjug.

He noted that the students' first demand - publication of all available documentation on construction works at the Novi Sad railway station, which he noted constituted evidence for the Prosecutor's Office - had been met by the publication of the entire documentation on the website of the Public Prosecutor's Office of Novi Sad.

"The students' third demand, regarding identifying and criminally prosecuting all those who have attacked students and professors who are protesting has also been met, based on reports from the prosecutor's offices acting in the cases. Public prosecutor's offices in our country have launched criminal proceedings against 41 people for attacking students and professors, specifically, 26 people in Belgrade, 12 people in Novi Sad, two people in Sabac and one person in Vrsac", he said.

 

International Media

 

Trump’s suspension of US foreign aid hits hundreds of Balkan projects (Balkan Insight)

The three-month pause in foreign aid imposed by the new US administration has left the future of numerous civil society, human rights and independent media projects in the Western Balkans in limbo.

During his first days in office, US President Donald Trump has caused widespread unease with some of the executive orders he has signed.

Some of his diktats have been declarative, like changing the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America. But others have had more concrete consequences far from Washington DC.

One of them, the Executive Order on Reevaluating and Realigning United States Foreign Aid, has suspended all projects financed by the United States Agency for International Development, USAID, and the State Department. 

The order, which became effective on January 27, halts activities financed by the US for three months, until an evaluation process is complete "to ensure they are efficient and consistent with US foreign policy under the America First agenda", a USAID statement said.

Read more at: https://shorturl.at/qSAYd(link is external)