Albanian Language Media: 

• Sarrazin: Kosovo to form government to continue dialogue with Serbia (media)

• EU Office: Judicial independence must be respected at all times (media)
• “Kosovo's status advancement postponed, Brnabic’s reaction regretful” (RTK)
• Maqedonci: We have no official information about withdrawal of NATO (Koha)
• Exhibition documenting war crimes in Kosovo opens in The Hague (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Diocese: Prizren municipality conducted work on a 13th-century shrine in a specially protected zone Illegally and without the SOC consent (KoSSev)
• Request for marking "Epopee" and to municipalities with Serbian population, Bisevac: Spread of nationalism (KiM radio, KoSSev)
• British and German MPs also supported the removal of Kosovo’s request from the CoE agenda (Kosovo Online)
• Picula: EU lacks political capacity for greater engagement in Serbia (N1)
• CoE platform warns of risks, threats to media freedom (N1, Beta)

International Media: 

• ‘Pump It!’: Poster art brings creativity to Serbia’s mass protests (Balkan Insight)

Albanian Language Media 

Sarrazin: Kosovo to form government to continue dialogue with Serbia (media)

Manuel Sarrazin, Germany's representative for the Western Balkans, has stressed the importance of quickly forming a government in Kosovo to enable further engagement in the dialogue with Serbia. " This, of course, is also expected by Serbia. However, it is not in our hands to decide how the process of forming a government in the Republic of Kosovo will develop, this is a decision that Kosovo itself makes," Sarrazin said.

He stressed that the time has come to intensify efforts to find concrete solutions and that Peter Sorensen, the new EU special envoy, is the right person to lead this process. "With Peter Sorensen, the new EU Special Envoy for the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia, we have a new person who will continue to lead this process on behalf of the EU. The first talks we have had have left a very good impression of him as an individual. He will ensure that a new emphasis is placed on the dialogue, while trying, at the same time, to make progress through in-depth work on bringing the two states closer together," Sarrazin stressed.

He said that the dialogue has been delayed due to other challenges in the region, but added that Germany and the EU will continue to support the work of European institutions and negotiators. "Previously, Germany, but also I personally, had the task of supporting the work of the European institutions and the EU's chief negotiator. We will cooperate closely in the coming weeks and months. This will also include the new German government. Because Germany supports the European approach to dialogue and the people who led it," he said.

EU Office: Judicial independence must be respected at all times (media)

The European Union has replied to Gazeta Express about Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti’s not showing up at the Office of the Prosecution. The spokesperson for the EU Office in Kosovo, Ioanna Lachana, told “Express” that a legal state is built on the independence of the judiciary and the prosecution, and that this principle must be respected in all circumstances.

“The independence of the judiciary and the prosecution is the cornerstone of the legal state and must be respected at all times. The judiciary and the prosecution in a democratic system can be subject to public scrutiny and political debate. While there are reasons to discuss improvements in the justice system in Kosovo, all criticism must be balanced, aiming to promote accountability, integrity and efficiency of the justice system,” she said.

“Kosovo's status advancement postponed, Brnabic’s reaction regretful” (RTK)

The Head of the Delegation of the Assembly of Kosovo to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Saranda Bogujevci, has explained the situation that occurred on Wednesday in the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy, following the statement by the Speaker of the Serbian Parliament, Ana Brnabic, that Kosovo's application for special guest status in the Council of Europe has been withdrawn.

"This point is a procedural part of a state applying for membership. The Committee handles the request upon the proposal of the Bureau and provides an opinion for the Bureau, which makes the decision. At the request of MP Pablo Hispan, leader of the EPP group, this agenda item has been postponed. Kosovo has achieved extraordinary success when, with over 80% of the votes, it passed the report to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe for membership”, she explained.

Bogujevci further said that the statement of the Serbian Assembly Speaker Ana Brnabic that this their achievement, is regrettable. “It is regrettable that a state presents the achievement of an issue that is not related to them at all, for their internal political battles as Serbia has done today. The Republic of Kosovo will become a full member of the Council of Europe because the Assembly has already said this by vote. This is an unstoppable and irreversible process”, she wrote on Facebook.

Maqedonci: We have no official information about withdrawal of NATO troops (Koha)

Kosovo’s Minister of Defense, Ejup Maqedonci, has said that there is no official information that there may be a withdrawal of NATO troops from Kosovo, despite recent reports regarding this. He stressed that Kosovo continues to coordinate with KFOR as long as it is present. He added that Kosovo has increased its defense budget and has made investments in the army and defense.

“In addition to investments within the army, we have recently started investments in the defense industry, specifically we have concluded a contract for the opening of an ammunition factory. In addition to the fact that this factory with production will meet the needs of our country, it will have the opportunity to export abroad. Even before this final debate between the U.S. Administration and European countries has taken place, we are already where the Trump administration requested and now the EU is requesting, namely an increase in the defense budget.”

“In addition to being the host country of Defender 2025, in addition to the KSF participating in it, we will also be expecting one of the most important commands of the U.S. Army in Kosovo and the main part of the exercise in the Western Balkans will be led from Kosovo,” he said.

The minister emphasized that Kosovo is prepared to face risks, while he reiterated that it will always coordinate with KFOR. Asked if KSF can face Serbia without the help of KFOR, he said: “Absolutely.”

Exhibition documenting war crimes in Kosovo opens in The Hague (media)

The Embassy of Kosovo in The Hague co-hosted the opening event of the photographic exhibition organized by the Coordinating Council of Family Associations of the Missing in Kosovo and For New Life Kosovo, within the framework of the project “Reflection of massacres and other crimes from the last war in Kosovo through a photographic exhibition”. The exhibition has the primary aim of raising international awareness of the crimes committed during the war by Serbia in Kosovo, with a focus on clarifying the fate of persons forcibly disappeared during the war.

“The opening event offered the opportunity to reflect in a collected atmosphere about the atrocities and to listen to the stories of the survivors of the massacres, so that the memory is perpetuated over time to ensure that these acts of violence never happen again. Through these haunting reflections, the photos serve as a call for justice and accountability.

The Embassy of Kosovo gives a heartfelt thank you to the members of the Coordinating Council of Family Associations of the Missing in Kosovo for their unwavering efforts and dedication to the cause and joins them in the mourning of Bajram Qerkini, a steadfast activist for the rights of families of the missing persons from the war in Kosovo,” the Embassy wrote in social platform Facebook.

Serbian Language Media  

Diocese: Prizren municipality conducted work on a 13th-century shrine in a specially protected zone Illegally and without the SOC consent (KoSSev)

The Hermitage of St. Peter Koriski, one of the significant Serbian Orthodox monuments, located in the vicinity of Prizren, was badly damaged during the construction works of the Municipality of Prizren, the Eparchy of Raska-Prizren announced yesterday, reported KoSSev. 

The works are being conducted contrary to the Law on Specially Protected Zones, which deals with the preservation of historical complexes, of which the ancient shrine is a part. In addition, the works are taking place without the consent and knowledge of the Serbian Orthodox Church, which is seeking urgent steps from international and Kosovo institutions to stop further desecration of the complex.

The full statement of the Diocese with photos and a video available at: https://tinyurl.com/mrdumd7j

Request for marking "Epopee" and to municipalities with Serbian population, Bisevac: Spread of nationalism (KiM radio, KoSSev)

At the beginning of the commemoration of the "Epopee of the KLA", the municipalities in Kosovo received a request from the Ministry of Local Self-Government of Kosovo (MALS) to hold ceremonial meetings within the framework of this manifestation. Among these municipalities are those with a Serbian majority, such as North Mitrovica, Strpce, and the authorities in Gracanica say that the invitation did not arrive.

In the North Mitrovica Municipal Assembly, a solemn session was held dedicated to the leader of the KLA, Adem Jashari, who was killed with more than 50 members of his family in Prekaz by Serbian security forces in 1998.

The only councilor from the Serbian community, Dusan Milunovic, did not attend the session. As he confirmed for KiM radio, he did not even receive an invitation to the session.

The municipality of Strpce confirmed for KiM radio that their councilors did not hold a formal session, although the same request was sent to the local Assembly. This local self-government also said that the Ministry of Administration and Local Self-Government of Kosovo ordered all municipalities in Kosovo to solemnly celebrate this day.

The Gracanica Municipality Assembly, it was confirmed for KiM radio, did not receive an official email with this request.

Milija Bisevac, a former councilor in the Zubin Potok Municipality Assembly, says that the local councilors from the Serbian community there also did not receive an invitation to hold a formal session. Neither he, nor the Serbian councilors and employees in that municipality have any information that the formal session was held.

Referring to the commemoration of the "Epopee" in the Assembly of the North Mitrovica Municipality, Bisevac told Radio KiM, among other things, that the order to hold the ceremonial session came directly from the Minister of Local Self-Government Administration, Elbert Krasniqi.

"As far as I know, some municipalities refused to hold such meetings. Such a meeting was held in North Mitrovica, and it is an indicator that that municipality is not functional and has no real purpose. Albanians have the right to celebrate and that is their business, but I think that it should have nothing to do with institutions, with local self-governments".

He adds that it is a matter of imposing central institutions on municipalities where the majority Serb population lives.

"This is another form of spreading nationalism, especially in municipalities with a Serbian majority, especially in the north, where the majority of the population is Serbian. This is an indication that those municipalities have the purpose of serving politics, and their primary task is actually to deal with local issues, such as roads, streets, lighting, sewerage in the city, which is in a catastrophic state, and not to deal with such political topics which are unnecessary at this moment".

British and German MPs also supported the removal of Kosovo’s request from the CoE agenda (Kosovo Online)

Among the members of the Political Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) who voted today to remove Kosovo’s request for special guest status from the agenda, ten MPs from countries that recognize Kosovo also supported the decision, Kosovo Online learned. This included two MPs from the United Kingdom, Richard Baker and Don Touhig, as well as one from Germany, Andrej Hunko.

Among the 21 MPs who voted to remove the request, there were also representatives from Kosovo-recognizing countries, including Zsolt Nemeth (Hungary), Martin Graf (Austria), Boriana Aberg (Sweden), Ricardo Carvalho (Portugal), Deborah Bergamini and Elisabetta Gardini (Italy), and Birute Vesaite (Lithuania).

MPs from non-recognizing countries who supported the removal included Pablo Hispan, Gutierrez Limones, Gonzalo Robles, and Gutierrez Prieto from Spain; Sorin-Titus Muncaciu and Titus Corlatean from Romania; Nicos Tornaritis and Giorgos Loucaides from Cyprus; Miroslav Vujicic from Bosnia and Herzegovina; and members of the Serbian delegation, Biljana Pantic Pilja and Dunja Simonovic Bratic.

Other Serbian delegation members, Aleksandar Mirkovic, and Elvira Kovac, also contributed to the outcome, though they did not have voting rights.

On the other side, among the ten committee members who voted to keep Kosovo’s request on the agenda, there were MPs from non-recognizing countries, including Iulian Bulai from Romania and Yelyzaveta Yasko from Ukraine.

Picula: EU lacks political capacity for greater engagement in Serbia (N1)

“Following the talks I had during my three-day visit to Belgrade and Novi Sad, I can say that it is currently unclear in which direction the entire process is heading and what the political articulation of conflicting interests will be, both within and outside institutions,” European Parliament (EP) standing rapporteur for Serbia Tonino Picula said in an interview with N1.

He added that the European Parliament is “actively debating” developments in Serbia, while the European Commission and the European Council are currently “keeping one eye on the events across the Atlantic.”

Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/4s6ejz7b

CoE platform warns of risks, threats to media freedom (N1, Beta)

The Council of Europe (CoE) media protection platform annual report warned of risks facing journalists covering the war in Ukraine and threats such as digital surveillance in some countries including Serbia.

The CoE Safety of Journalists Platform report identified as serious threats the digital surveillance of journalists and its risks to source confidentiality, the transnational repression of journalists – notably, from Russia and Belarus -, and the trend towards media capture by governments in some countries. It said that the risks that journalists faced covering the war in Ukraine remained the most pressing concern to the safety of journalists in Europe in 2024.

The report was drafted with CoE partner organizations.

Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/bdetae6k

The CoE Safety of journalists Platform report available at: https://tinyurl.com/bv9pumjt

 International Media 

‘Pump It!’: Poster art brings creativity to Serbia’s mass protests (Balkan Insight)

During three months of demonstrations against official corruption and negligence in Serbia, banner designs and slogans on placards have given people an outlet to express their hopes, frustrations and anger.

“Pump it!” (“Pumpaj!”) has become the slogan of the student-led protests sparked by anger at perceived official corruption after the Novi Sad railway station disaster in November, as seen on countless banners, placards and posters. The slogan refers to the protesters’ persistence in rallying for months for anti-corruption measures, official transparency and accountability. 

Another slogan, “Don’t let anyone lower the tension” (“Nemoj da je neko spustio tenzije”), has also appeared on many banners, referring to the pressure caused by the huge discontent that has been swelling in Serbian society about what protesters see as an increasingly authoritarian government that has exerted dominance over all the country’s institutions.

Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/y5cpmmdj