UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, May 15, 2024

Albanian Language Media:

Kosovo Police seize large weapons cache in north (media)
Kosovo, Serbia negotiators to meet in Brussels today on Serbian Dinar (media)
Quint, EU concerned over Kosovo govt decision not to allow Porfirije visit (media)
EU reacts to ban on Porfirije’s visit: Violation of 2014 agreement (Koha)
UNMIK chief closely following denial of Patriarch's entry to Kosovo (Albanian Post)
LDK calls for Kurti’s resignation before early parliamentary elections (media)
Svecla: Regional cooperation resulted with closure of 35 illegal routes (Koha)
Osmani says “Serbia is helping Russia open a new front against West” (media)
Rrustemi: Vetevendosje ready for early elections; will over 51 percent (Dukagjini)
Ahmeti: CoE is being used to pressure Kosovo to accept Lajcak’s draft (media)
Kurti: Made in Kosova platform represents Kosovo’s potential (media)
Turkish KFOR units conduct crowd riot control training at Camp Bondsteel (media)

Serbian Language Media:

During transition period without solution for dinar, uncertainty and anxiety of citizens increasing (Kosovo Online)
UNMIK carefully follows SOC Patriarch’s entry denial (Nova, Blic, RTV, Kosovo Online, Tanjug)
SOC Assembly: Ban on Patriarch, as if Pope is banned from going to Vatican, and Pristina wants to join Council of Europe (KoSsev, media)
Sentic on Patriarch's entry ban: Decision-makers should carefully consider consequences of their actions (Kosovo Online)
Svecla and Hoxha in a conference in Mitrovica North without translation into Serbian language provided, journalists react (KoSSev)
Serbian List on entry ban to theater play The Book of Milutin crew: How far madness of Pristina will go? (Radio KIM)
Graffiti with religious hatred inscribed on Holy Trinity Church near Pec (KoSSev)
Starovic reacts to desecration of Holy Trinity Church near Pec (media, social media)
Djuric receives Varhelyi (Tanjug)

Albanian Language Media

Kosovo Police seize large weapons cache in north (media)

All media reported on Tuesday evening that Kosovo Police seized a large cache of weapons and ammunition in the north of Kosovo which are believed to have been left after the September 2023 attack against Kosovo Police. The cache includes rifles, bullets, stun grenades, and explosives.

Kosovo Police General Director Gazmend Hoxha told a press conference that police got the information from citizens and the Kosovo Intelligence Agency. He said a former member of the Kosovo Police has been stopped for interviewing as he is believed to be linked with the weapons which were found near his home. Kosovo’s Minister of Interior Affairs, Xhelal Svecla, said law enforcement authorities are committed to fight the criminal group. “It is clear who stands behind this activity as well as behind other weapon caches, and attacks against our officials, KFOR troops, reporters, and citizens. These are the same people that organized the attack in Banjska, who are given shelter in Serbia and are protected and glorified by [Serbian President] Aleksandar Vucic,” he said. “These all belonged to Serb terrorist groups that planned to attack Kosovo’s institutions. This is another involvement by the Serbian state in attempts to destabilize Kosovo”.

Kosovo Police Deputy Director for the north, Veton Elshani, said the weapons are linked to the events in Banjska, and that it would not be a surprise for the police to find more weapons in the north. “We believe we will find more. It wouldn’t be a surprise at all. It consists of 17 percent of the territory of Kosovo, and we constantly find weapons and illegal equipment,” he said in an interview with KTV.

Elshani also said that Kosovo Police cannot rule out a major incident similar to the one in Banjska. “For us it is important to be prepared and in the event of an incident to react with as less damage as possible,” he said.

Kosovo, Serbia negotiators to meet in Brussels today on Serbian Dinar (media)

Chief negotiators from Kosovo and Serbia will meet in Brussels today in the EU-facilitated talks to try and find a solution on the Serbian Dinar in Kosovo. EU spokesperson Peter Stano said on Tuesday that both parties are expected to show flexibility and readiness to reach a compromise solution.

Quint, EU concerned over Kosovo govt’s decision not to allow Porfirije visit (media)

The Quint and EU issued a joint statement on Tuesday expressing concern “over the decision of the Government of Kosovo not to allow Patriarch Porfirije of the Serbian Orthodox Church and his accompanying bishops to enter Kosovo to attend the ceremonial start of the regular annual assembly of the Synod at the Patriarchate of Pec/Peja”.

“The Government’s decision is contrary to the provisions of the Ahtisaari Plan, which clearly prescribes rights, privileges, and immunities for the clergy of the Serbian Orthodox Church, and is not consistent with Kosovo’s obligations in the EU Dialogue.”

“We expect the Government of Kosovo to meet the highest human rights standards both in its legal framework and in its actions, act in the interests of all its citizens, and uphold its core values and responsibility towards regional stability.”

“We continue to call upon both parties to refrain from any actions and rhetoric that could increase tensions and may lead to incidents.”

EU reacts to ban on Porfirije’s visit: Violation of 2014 agreement (Koha)

The European Union reacted to the decision of the Kosovo Government not to allow the Patriarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church to visit Kosovo. EU spokesperson Peter Stano told reporters in Brussels on Tuesday that the government’s decision violates the 2014 agreement on official visits. “By rejecting the visit, the Kosovo Government not only violated the 2014 agreement on official visits, but also flagrantly ignored the importance that the Serbian Orthodox Church continues to have for one part of the citizens of Kosovo. This goes against the basic principles of every democratic, multiethnic, and tolerant society. The EU repeats its calls for the full and unconditional implementation of all points of the dialogue agreements, including that for official visits,” he said.

UNMIK chief closely following denial of Patriarch’s entry to Kosovo (Albanian Post)

The Special Representative of the Secretary General and head of UNMIK, Caroline Ziadeh, said on Tuesday she is closely following the denial entry of Serbian Patriarch Porfirije to Kosovo to attend the session of the Holy Synod of the Serbian Orthodox Church. “While maintaining freedom of movement is a requirement, in line with existing agreements, access to religious sites is an indispensable component of the full realization of human rights, and in particular, the right to practice religion by all communities. The SRSG reiterates her calls for constructive engagement to resolve outstanding issues through the EU-facilitated Dialogue and to prioritize dialogue over unilateral action,” Ziadeh said in a post on X.

LDK calls for Kurti’s resignation before early parliamentary elections (media)

The Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) said in a statement on Tuesday that Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti must resign first before Kosovo goes to early parliamentary elections. Commenting on Kurti’s meeting with PDK leader Memli Krasniqi on Monday, the LDK said that Kurti’s resignation is the right way toward the dissolution of the Assembly and early elections. “Resignation, dissolution and then the date [of early elections]. This is the order of things,” the LDK said. “The LDK will not be part of any prearranged agreements behind closed doors and dinners. The LDK calls on political parties to seek and work only toward the legal resignation of the Prime Minister because it has actually already happened”.

According to the LDK, “after three and a half years of populism and without any essential progress, after three and a half years of polarization, social division, and inciting propaganda without any human or political consideration, the Kosovo Prime Minister has chosen to instrumentalize the opposition in order to save himself from the big failure. Unfortunately, in this instrumentalization, he has found an ally. The LDK does not accept this instrumentalization under any circumstance”.

Svecla: Regional cooperation resulted with closure of 35 illegal routes (Koha)

Kosovo’s Minister of Interior Affairs, Xhelal Svecla, said on Tuesday at the Interministerial Conference of the Western Balkans that cooperation between countries of the Western Balkans must be strengthened further and supported by other partner and strategic countries. He said that as a result of regional cooperation, 35 illegal routes were closed.

Osmani says “Serbia is helping Russia open a new front against West” (media)

Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani, during her address at the Copenhagen Democracy Summit on Tuesday, accused Serbia of abetting Russia to shift the attention from the war that Moscow started in 2022 against Ukraine and to open “a new front against the West”.

“Democracy needs us as much as we need democracy. In these past few years across the globe, and especially in our continent, democracy is being tested. Regrettably, we are witnessing a relentless assault on democratic values by autocrats who view democracy as a direct threat to their ambitions. However, the stronger their despite is to undermine democracy, the stronger should be our determination to protect it. I am convinced that democracy is as strong as the will of the people to embrace it, as resilient as our determination to protect it, and as robust as our resistance against the powers that constantly want to undermine it,” Osmani said.

Watch Osmani’s full address at: https://shorturl.at/jmuxD

Rrustemi: Vetevendosje ready for early elections; will win over 51 percent (Dukagjini)

MP from the Vetevendosje Movement, Adnan Rrustemi, said this party is ready for elections whenever they will be held and that they will score an even better result than in the February 2021 parliamentary elections. “We are at the end of our mandate. We have faced all challenges with dignity. We were committed to consolidating the state of Kosovo in every part of the territory. We are ready for early elections, we are confident that Vetevendosje will have an even better result than on February 14, 2021,” he said in an interview with TV Dukagjini.

Ahmeti: CoE is being used to pressure Kosovo to accept Lajcak’s draft (media)

Kosovo’s Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, Kreshnik Ahmeti, said that the meeting of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe on Tuesday did not address the recommendation of the Parliamentary Assembly on Kosovo’s membership application.

Ahmeti said that the last remaining step for Kosovo’s membership in the organization – the final vote by the Foreign Ministers – could be postponed. He argues that the eventual postponement comes as a result of confusing two independent processes and that in this case the Council of Europe is being used to pressure Kosovo into accepting Lajcak’s draft statute [for the Association of Serb-majority municipalities] and to send it to the Constitutional Court, in discordance with the process of dialogue in Brussels. “This new condition, late and unofficial, in no way corresponds with the values and principles of the Council of Europe and the European Charter for Local Self-Government. If there is one thing from the Basic Agreement of Brussels that could be linked to the membership in the Council of Europe is its Article 4, whereby Serbia agreed not to obstruct Kosovo’s membership in international organizations. As is well known, Serbia has violated this article several times and the European Union has failed to address these violations even once,” he wrote in a Facebook post.

Ahmeti also argues that “the eventual postponement of the vote will limit the possibilities of citizens, including the Serb minority, to use the mechanisms of the Council of Europe, including the Strasbourg Court to address their rights. Moreover, the postponement will send a very concerning signal to countries in the region. The message that compliance with values and principles and the implementation of standards, criteria, conditions, and preconditions are not the right or sufficient factors for progress on integration in European institutions, but that the destabilizing potential is assessed more than these values, will encourage hegemonistic leaders in our region again, as they were encouraged by impunity and appeasement last year”.

Kurti: Made in Kosova platform represents Kosovo’s potential (media)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti said on Tuesday at the launch of the online platform “Made in Kosova” that it is “Kosovo’s platform that provides data on the key 10 sectors of our country, and through which you can establish contact with us”.

Turkish KFOR units conduct crowd riot control training at Camp Bondsteel (media)

Several news websites reported on Tuesday that Turkish from the Regional Command East of the NATO-led KFOR mission conducted a crowd riot control training at Camp Bondsteel. KFOR said in a Facebook post that it “continues to implement its mandate - based on UN Security Council Resolution 1244 of 1999 - to provide a safe and secure environment for all communities living in Kosovo and freedom of movement, at all times, and impartially. KFOR is the third security responder, after the Kosovo Police and the EU Rule of Law (EULEX) mission, respectively, with whom we work in close coordination.”

Serbian Language Media

During transition period without solution for dinar, uncertainty and anxiety of citizens increasing (Kosovo Online)

The three-month transition period set by Kosovo Central Bank in February, intended to "ease citizens' access to financial services", following its decree to phase out the dinar from monetary circulation, has proven too short to resolve all the problems caused by this decision. With the expiration of the transition period, uncertainty has only increased for citizens in Kosovo who receive their salaries, pensions, and other incomes from Serbia, as well as for those who have used dinars in their business operations, Kosovo Online portal reported.

It is still unknown whether the end of the transition period will also mean automatic penalties for those who would use dinars, for example, to purchase groceries and other goods, and for traders who would accept dinars. Mostly outraged citizens have little hope the troubles that have befallen them will be overcome even after today's seventh round of dialogue in Brussels on the dinar issue.

Read more at: https://shorturl.at/jEJT5

Svecla and Hoxha in a conference in Mitrovica North without translation into Serbian language provided, journalists react (KoSSev)

Although they have called an extraordinary press conference in Mitrovica North, to present information about larger confiscation of weapons in Zvecan municipality, belonging to, as they said, “group of Milan Radoicic’s Serbian terrorists”, mentioning also Serbian president, two highest officials of the Kosovo police had not ensured translation into Serbian language, last evening, initially greeting journalists in Albanian language only, KoSSev portal reported.

Near the bridge in Zvecan, a larger amount of armament, ammunition, military and police equipment was confiscated, the portal further wrote, adding that a former Kosovo police member was arrested. It is not known yet what he is accused of. Kosovo police linked this confiscation with previous confiscation of weapons in Zvecan, primarily with Banjska.

Language Issue

Kosovo Interior Minister Xhellal Svecla and Kosovo police director, Gazmend Hoxha were in a police station in Mitrovica North. They addressed present journalists in Albanian language, while translation into Serbian had not been provided, the portal writes. Asked by a KoSSev portal journalist what it was about, the reply from officials was that after the introductory part, they would respond to journalists’ questions.

It was only upon the insistence of several journalists reporting in Serbian language, that Svecla presented summarized information. The portal said that allegedly “after receiving information from citizens”, but also from Kosovo intelligence agency, police carried out a search, Svecla explained in Serbian, without saying where the search took place. In his previous address, in Albanian, he said the search was carried out in Zvecan.

Svecla also said that ten automatic rifles, explosive, shock bombs, wests, uniforms of, as he said, “Serbian army”, and parts of Kosovo police uniforms were confiscated. “It was prepared that Kosovo institutions, primarily police, be attacked by a terrorist group headed by (Milan) Radoicic”, Svecla said. He also claimed it was about the weapons “similar” to the one previously confiscated in Banjska.

Serbian List on entry ban to theater play The Book of Milutin crew: How far madness of Pristina will go? (Radio KIM)

Serbian List officials reacted to Pristina’s ban on the transport of theatrical equipment necessary for a play The Book of Milutin performance into Kosovo, thus preventing the play, starring Nenad Jezdic, from being performed, Radio KIM reports.

“While awaiting representatives of international community to finally take concrete steps and replace anaemic statements “calling on the both sides” with concrete measures and decisions over violation of the rights of the Serbian people and Serbian Orthodox Church in Kosovo, the Albin Kurti’s regime continues with persecution of Serbs and violation of the basic human, religious and civic rights, bringing us back to the darkest days from the past”, Serbian List said in a statement.

“We wonder how far the madness of official Pristina will go, as much as we are interested in how long the international representatives and ambassadors of the Quint will remain silent about this oppression of our people”, Serbian List said, adding that they want to be very clear, and that Serbian people perceive the silence of international representatives on violations of the rights of Serbian people as a form of complicity, and it is something that no campaigns and promotional activities will change.

Graffiti with religious hatred inscribed on Holy Trinity Church near Pec (KoSSev)

Graffiti with discriminatory content of religious motives had been inscribed on the Holy Trinity Church in the village of Naklo, near Pec, which is being renovated, KoSSev portal reports.

A local priest and Raska-Prizren Diocese clergy, discovered graffiti in the church this week concluding with yesterday. The church has been under renovation since 2020. The graffiti with messages “Allahu Akbar”, “Remove this church from here, only Muslims are there”, “We do not want church, we want mosques”, “Islam is the only right faith” and others were inscribed on the church.

The reconstruction of the church started in 2020, when the church interior and cemetery have been cleaned, and fenced in a later stage. Meanwhile, the doors and windows have been placed and the new roof reconstructed. The church was burned down in March riots in 2004. The case has been reported to the Kosovo police, and KoSSev portal said it addressed police for more details. Around 300 Serbs used to live in Naklo village, and left it immediately after the end of the conflict in 1999. It is them who are largely financing reconstruction of the church in their village.

Starovic reacts to desecration of Holy Trinity Church near Pec (media, social media)

Serbian Minister of Labour, Employment, Veterans and Social Affairs Nemanja Starovic reacted to the desecration of Serbian Orthodox Holy Trinity Church in the village of Naklo, in Pec municipality.

“Another day, another sacrilege in #Kosovo*. Only a day after HH Patriarch Porfirije was banned from entering Kosovo*, Albanian extremists have desecrated yet another Serbian Orthodox Christian church in a small village near Peć. The church of Holy Trinity was already demolished during the March pogrom of 2004, as were the tombstones in the cemetery that surrounds it, and it has been under reconstruction since 2020”, Starovic wrote in a post on X social platform.

Djuric receives Varhelyi (Tanjug)

Serbian Foreign Minister Marko Djuric received EU Enlargement Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi on Tuesday, noting that full EU membership was a strategic commitment and a priority of Serbia's foreign policy, Tanjug news agency reported.

Djuric said the new Serbian Government would work towards that objective with renewed vigor and noted that Serbia had opened 22 of 35 chapters in its EU accession talks since 2014, provisionally closing two, and that it hoped to open at least one cluster in the period to come. "Serbia is committed to cooperation with the EU in the field of foreign and security policy, to an extent that would not jeopardize vital national, political and economic interests of our country", Djuric said.

He noted Belgrade's commitment to solve problems in Kosovo through dialogue and also warned of the increasingly difficult position of Serbs there. "Belgrade's readiness for dialogue and implementation of commitments undertaken is unquestionable and unequivocal, while, on the other hand, there is evidently no such readiness in Pristina, as is best reflected in the case of the Community of Serb Municipalities", Djuric said.