UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, June 26, 2024

Albanian Language Media:

Kurti: In Brussels we will see how we can move forward (media)
Kurti: OSCE has helped our country in establishing democracy (RTK)
Government responds to Stano: We submitted report on Banjska to EU (RTK)
Gervalla: Ministers’ Committee should convene for Kosovo admission (RTK)
Court rejects request to suspend implementation of CBK regulation (media)
Government: Vulin’s statement, proof of Serbia ties with Russia and China (Koha)

Serbian Language Media:

PM says Serbia ready to compromise on Kosovo (N1)
Instead of summer swimming season, Kosovo post office opened at Rajska Banja spa complex in Banjska (KoSSev)
Stano: No report on Banjska from Pristina (N1)
Kosovo Constitutional Court rejected request to suspend implementation of CBK regulation on dinar (Kosovo Online)
Nenezic on Constitutional Court’s decision, says timing indicative because of meeting in Brussels (KoSSev)
Lajcak: Dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina currently at crossroads; agreement exists, but implementation is lacking (Kosovo Online)
Dacic: Frontex also to be deployed at Serbia’s borders with non-EU countries (media)

International Media:

Kosovo Ex-Fighter’s Testimony Bolsters Prosecution Case at Thaci Trial (BIRN)
Risk of Radicalisation: Kosovo Struggles with Informal Worship Places (BIRN)

Albanian Language Media

Kurti: In Brussels we will see how we can move forward (media)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti said on Tuesday that in the new round of the high-level dialogue, which will be held in Brussels today, the state of the process and the way forward will be discussed. He told reporters in Pristina: “I believe that, among other things, tomorrow’s bilateral and trilateral meetings will be for the recapitulation of this three-year process. Let’s see what state we are in and what are the ideas on how to move forward”.

On the Basic Agreement and its Implementation Annex, Kurti said that they make possible the normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia “with de facto recognition at the center”.

Kurti: OSCE has helped our country in establishing democracy (RTK)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti participated on Tuesday evening in the event organized to mark the 25th anniversary of the OSCE mission in Kosovo. As announced by the government, Kurti emphasized that “while we celebrate the 25th anniversary of peace and liberation in Kosovo and the 25th anniversary of the OSCE mission in our country, we also find the time to recognize the individuals and institutions that have played a key role in ensuring freedom and peace. He emphasized the importance of Ambassador William Walker and his influence on the freedom of Kosovo”.

“Before the OSCE had a mission in Kosovo, there was a verification mission led by Ambassador Walker. This mission witnessed one of the most horrific massacres in our country, the Recak massacre, where 45 civilians were killed - which was one of over 400 massacres committed by the Serbian state apparatus in Kosovo. The truth about this massacre exposed the brutality that Kosovo was facing and helped to encourage NATO's intervention," said the Prime Minister.

Furthermore, he underlined that over the years the OSCE has helped Kosovo to build a more powerful democracy by investing in security and human rights, and among its initiatives he mentioned support for the Police Academy, assistance to the public broadcaster and with institutions that oversee election processes, such as the Central Election Commission.

He appreciated the close cooperation with Ambassador Davenport and the OSCE mission in Kosovo, especially regarding the non-majority communities. "At such an important time for the security of the country and the region, I am grateful for the professionalism, care and support shown, as well as for the passion for human rights and the rule of law, democracy and the prosperity of our people and society." Kurti said.

Government responds to Stano: We submitted report on Banjska to EU (RTK)

Spokesperson for the Kosovo government, Perparim Kryeziu, in a written response to RTK on Tuesday, commented on a statement by EU spokesperson Peter Stano who said that with regards to the attack in Banjska in September last year “Kosovo authorities are the ones responsible for the investigation and then sharing with us the complete final report of the investigation. This has not happened yet. So, of course, we cannot continue without getting results". Kryeziu said that “as the Government of the Republic of Kosovo, within our competences, we have compiled a 48-page report regarding the terrorist and paramilitary attack, which we submitted to the European Union and each member state since last year. I believe that spokesman Stano should have this information. If in his constant statements he is talking about the report that should be prepared by the country's prosecutor's office, then this is an issue for which we must ask for an answer from this institution itself”.

Kryeziu also said that Milan Radoicic, who claimed responsibility for the attack in Banjska, remains at large and that this poses a threat for security. “To us, it remains extremely disturbing and senseless that even after 9 months, on the one hand, there is no indictment from the country's prosecutor's office for Milan Radoicic, and on the other hand, the international community, including the European Union, has not taken measures against Serbia, despite the facts that testify to its involvement in the attack of September 24, 2023. We recall that Radoicic continues to remain free and a potential danger to security and peace in the region,” he argued.

Gervalla: Ministers’ Committee should convene for Kosovo admission (RTK)

Kosovo’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Donika Gervalla held a meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania, at the same time, president of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, Gabrielius Landsbergis.

According to the announcement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the main topics of this meeting were the completion of the process of the full membership of Kosovo in the Council of Europe after the support of 82% of the votes that the General Assembly gave to membership in the Council of Europe, as well as the strengthening of cooperation in Kosovo's Euro-Atlantic route.

"During this meeting, Minister Gervalla, accompanied by the Deputy Speaker of the Assembly of Kosovo, Saranda Bogujevci and Ambassador Lulzim Hiseni, congratulated Minister Landsbergis on taking the Presidency of the Council of Europe and expressed deep gratitude for the support that Lithuania has given to the Republic of Kosovo for membership in the Council of Europe", the announcement states.

Further in the announcement it is stated that Minister Gervalla during this meeting emphasized that, as confirmed by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, the Republic of Kosovo has met all the conditions for membership and offered the cooperation of Kosovo's institutions in order for the Committee of Ministers to be able to meet and make the historic decision for the membership of Kosovo in the Council of Europe.

Court rejects request to suspend implementation of CBK regulation (media)

Most news websites reported on Tuesday that the Constitutional Court of Kosovo rejected the request for a temporary measure, namely the suspension of the implementation of the regulation of the Central Bank of Kosovo on cash flow operations. The Court said that the request by Vasilje Arsic’s was inadmissible, due to non-exhaustion of legal remedies.

“The Court, unanimously, found that: (i) the referral should be declared inadmissible due to non-exhaustion of legal remedies established by law; and consequently (ii) to reject the request for issuing an interim measure, namely to reject the request for suspension of the implementation of the aforementioned Regulation of the Central Bank of the Republic of Kosovo. According to the clarifications given in the Resolution on Inadmissibility, the circumstances of the present case are related to the adoption of the Regulation on Cash Operations by the Board of the Central Bank of the Republic of Kosovo, in accordance with article 35 (Euro currency) through which, it is determined that (i) the only currency allowed to be used for carrying out cash payment transactions and in the payment system in the Republic of Kosovo, is euro, as the sole currency also within the meaning of article 11 [Currency] of the Constitution of the Republic of Kosovo and articles 16 (Issuance of currency), 17 (Exchange of euro banknotes and coins) and 18 (Unfit euro banknotes and coins) of Law no. 03/L-209 on the Central Bank of the Republic of Kosovo; and (ii) the Central Bank of the Republic of Kosovo is the only monetary authority that can decide on the permitted denominations of the euro currency for circulation in the Republic of Kosovo,” the press release notes.

Government: Vulin’s statement, proof of Serbia ties with Russia and China (Koha)

The Kosovo government reacted to a statement by Serbia’s Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vulin who said that Serbia should consider the alternative of joining the BRICS coalition, which includes Russia and China. Klisman Kadiu, advisor to Kosovo Deputy Prime Minister Besnik Bislimi, told Koha on Tuesday: “day by day it is becoming clearer that Serbia’s orientation is not peace and democracy, good neighborly relations, and integration in Euro-Atlantic structures. Their ties with Russia and China are getting stronger and are now being crowned with further approximation with the BRICS alliance. The policies of appeasing Serbia have created a counter-productive result, with Serbia seeking funds from the EU, although Vulin says that the EU is an institution that is nearing its end, and at the same time Serbia is getting ever so close to BRICS”.

Serbian Language Media

PM says Serbia ready to compromise on Kosovo (N1)

Prime Minister Milos Vucevic said on Tuesday that Serbia is ready to compromise in talks on Kosovo, N1 reported. Speaking to AFP a day before a high-level meeting of the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue in Brussels, Vucevic said that Serbia is ready to make “agreements and compromises“ in talks with Kosovo.

European Union High Representative Josep Borrell and Special Representative Miroslav Lajcak are due to host meetings with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti in Brussels on Wednesday.

“We are ready to make agreements and compromises, compromises that mean neither side is an absolute winner or an absolute loser, but that Serbia and the Albanians must be equally satisfied — or better said, equally dissatisfied“, Vucevic is quoted as saying.

Instead of summer swimming season, Kosovo post office opened at Rajska Banja spa complex in Banjska (KoSSev)

Instead of the summer swimming season, within Rajska Banja spa complex in Banjska village, a Kosovo post office branch was opened, KoSSev portal wrote on Tuesday.

Seven months after the Kosovo Privatization Agency (KPA) took over the control over health-touristic complex Rajska Banja, in Banjska village, in a place where a hotel and restaurant used to be, a Kosovo post office branch was opened a month ago.

One of the favourite resorts for gathering, and the only spa-medical facility in the north, where Serbs used to go, was sealed by Kosovo Privatization Agency in December last year, three months after the armed clashes that took place in Banjska village. The complex stopped working on 24 September, the day of clashes, with staff continuing to come to their working place. Kosovo police were around the facility, carried out searches in the premises several times, and said they confiscated weapons there. Kosovo Privatization Agency, on the first day of sealing the complex, said it gave it for lease to the Kosovo police, respectively to the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Rajska Banja spa complex was reconstructed with the funds of the Serbian Government. Its reconstruction started in 2015 and was completed in 2019. The value of the project was 121 million RSD (almost 11 million euros). KoSSev portal also said that apart from public statements of the Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Office for Kosovo and Metohija Director Petar Petkovic, on the day KPA sealed the complex, that Serbs will preserve their capital and properties, it remains unknown if the Serbian side undertook any step to return the property in which it invested millions.

KoSSev said it sent an enquiry to Kosovo post office on how and from whom they received the premises of a sealed Rajska Banja complex, but received no reply by the time of publishing the article.

Local residents told the portal that the post office was opened three weeks ago, with one of them saying that he heard about it, but did not go there, nor does he need their services.

Stano: No report on Banjska from Pristina (N1)

European Commission spokesman Peter Stano said on Tuesday that the authorities in Pristina have not shared the results of their investigation into the Banjska armed incident, N1 reported.

“The investigation into Banjska has to be done by the Kosovo authorities. They are in charge of investigating, providing and sharing a full report. We can’t proceed without the results of the investigation”, Stano said, answering questions about possible measures against Serbia for its alleged involvement in the incident.

“Immediately after the attack, in the days, weeks and months that followed, we made our position clear about what we expect from both Kosovo and Serbia when it comes to possible participation and support for this terrible attack. I am not talking here about Serbia as a country, but about the Serbian side. All of this would have to be part of the investigation, the findings of which will hopefully be included in the final investigation report, which has not yet been completed, or at least not shared with us as of yet”, Stano is quoted as saying.

Kosovo Constitutional Court rejected request to suspend implementation of CBK regulation on dinar (Kosovo Online)

The Constitutional Court has rejected a request to suspend the implementation of Kosovo Central Bank (CBK) regulation which prohibits the use of dinar in Kosovo. The Court unanimously decided to reject the request for an interim measure, namely the suspension of the enforcement of the CBK’s regulation on dinar, reports Kosovo Online citing Pristina-based Gazeta Express.

According to explanations provided in the Decision on Inadmissibility, it was established that the euro is the only currency which can be used for conducting cash payment transactions in the payment system in Kosovo and that CBK is the only monetary authority that can decide on the permitted denominations of the euro currency for circulation.

CBK’s regulation, which stipulates only the euro currency be used for payments, came into effect on February 1st of this year, banning use of dinar in Kosovo.

Nenezic on Constitutional Court’s decision, says timing indicative because of meeting in Brussels (KoSSev)

“My assumption is that the timing of their (Constitutional Court) announcement is very indicative. We will see what will happen tomorrow. I think their argumentation is ridiculous because first there is a Constitutional Court practice we referred to, in relation to exhaustion of legal means, but I would talk about it later, once we see in detail what is written in their decision”, legal professional Dragutin Nenezic told KoSSev portal on Tuesday, following Kosovo Constitutional Court decision to declare inadmissible request to asses constitutionality of the Kosovo Central Bank’s regulation on currency. Nenezic is one of the authors of this request. The request was submitted by lawyer Vasilije Arsic from Gnjilane on February 20, this year. In addition to Arsic and Nenezic, Faculty of Law Professor Dusan Celic also took part in its complying.

They argued that CBK’s regulation is not in line with Articles 7, 11, 22, 23, 24, 25, 46, 49, 51, 57, 58 and 59 of Kosovo Constitution, nor with Article 16 of the Law on Central Bank of Kosovo. The main objection also related to Article 35 of the CBK’s regulation on euro as the only currency for cash and payment transactions in Kosovo. They argued that article 35 of this regulation violates basic human rights – the right to property, work, carrying out professional duties, health and social protection. They also noted this article was discriminatory as no consultations with the Serbian community were made in this regard. They said this regulation was contradictory to the constitutional provision that the issue of currency must be regulated by the law and not CBK’s regulation, as well as that UNMIK’s regulations were still in force. At the end they asked CBK’s decision be postponed until the final judgement of the Constitutional Court is made in this regard.

Nenezic also said he “will pursue the process til the very end” as he believes he has arguments which relate to what they already mentioned in their request that there is a practice of the European Court of Human Rights, “which they are obliged to take into consideration in accordance with their own Constitution, which says that if some legal mean is not effective, it may go directly – in this case – to the Constitutional Court”.