UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, November 1, 2024

Albanian Language Media:

The USA: Serbia has violated obligations deriving from dialogue with Kosovo (media)
EU considers that Kosovo has accepted draft statute for Association (Koha)
Gervalla: Support for Ukraine, key for the peace and stability of Europe (media)
LVV MP: Association draft should be written by the government of Kosovo (Reporteri)
Abdixiku: Current association is autonomy - we will reject it (Klan)
EU Reacts to approval of Law amending and supplementing Law on Public Officials (media)
Giaufret: Without normalisation with Kosovo, there is no EU for Serbia (RTK)
Bosnjacka Mahala blocked for a while, police intervene, disperse the crowd (media)
U.S. sanctions Serbian and Montenegrin firms for supporting Russia’s war (media)

Serbian Language Media:

Civil society organisations met Ombudsman, pointed out Kosovo police actions and harassments (Kosovo Online)
Tires of two vehicles with Serbian licence plates slashed in Bosnjacka Mahala, four persons taken for interrogation (KoSSev)
Arsenijevic: I would not be surprised if someone close to Atiq’s cabinet stapled sticker (KoSSev, social media)
Police Inspectorate recommends suspension of three police officers over arrest of EULEX security local staff member (KoSSev)
Giaufret: We expect to see progress in establishing A/CSM (TV Prva, Kosovo Online, media)
Vulin meets Lavrov: Serbia maintaining traditional friendships (N1)
RFE: State Department agrees with EU (N1)
Shea: State Department disappointed with Kurti and his actions in northern Kosovo (Kosovo Online)

International Media:

KLA saw outsiders as ‘traitors’, witness tell Kosovo war crime trial (Balkan Insight)
US sanctions companies from Serbia, Montenegro for military exports to Russia (Balkan Insight)

Albanian Language Media

The USA: Serbia has violated obligations deriving from dialogue with Kosovo (media)

The U.S. State Department said it agrees with the European Union that Serbia has violated the obligations from the Brussels dialogue, by approving the draft law on judicial jurisdiction in Kosovo and by declaring Kosovo a "special social protection area".

"We reiterate the support of the American Government for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Kosovo throughout its territory", said a Department of State spokesperson for RFE. A day earlier, the EU also criticised Serbia for the law approved earlier in the week by Serbia, which aims to prosecute criminal offences committed in the territory of Kosovo.

Washington said that the dialogue for the normalisation of relations between Kosovo and Serbia, which is mediated by the EU, has developed practical solutions that promote the rights of the citizens of Kosovo, including the Serbs living in the north of Kosovo.

"This must be implemented. We call on Kosovo and Serbia to implement, without delay, the commitments they made in the 2023 Agreement on the road to the normalisation of relations, including the establishment of an association of municipalities with a Serb majority," said the spokesperson.

EU considers that Kosovo has accepted draft statute for Association (Koha)

The European Union has reminded Kosovo that it accepted in principle the draft statute of the Association when it was presented to it, which it is currently rejecting. The statement of Prime Minister Albin Kurti to accept the draft statute for the Association of municipalities with a Serb majority, if Serbia agrees to sign the Basic Agreement and the Annex for its implementation, was read in Brussels as acceptance of the document by Kosovo.

In a response to the news website, Nabila Massrali, spokeswoman for the EU, told Koha that the Association should be founded on this document. "According to the relevant dialogue agreements of 2013 and 2015, the Statute for the establishment of the ASM should be drawn up and discussed in the dialogue. This means that any proposal must be discussed with Serbia and the EU mediator, and be consistent with the 2013 and 2015 agreements. In October 2023, in an effort to advance the normalisation process, the EU – supported by its member states and partners such as the USA – presented a European draft statute for the establishment of the Association based on European models and best practices, also as the legal framework of Kosovo, which both parties have accepted in principle", said Massrali.

Gervalla: Support for Ukraine, key for the peace and stability of Europe (media)

Kosovo’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Donika Gervalla, in the conference "Fair and Humane Treatment" panel of the Ministerial Conference on the Human Dimension of the Peace Formula for Ukraine,held in Montreal, stressed the importance of the commitment of the international community to provide concrete and sustainable support for Ukraine. She demanded the return of deported children and the release of war hostages.

"Minister Gervalla called for full support for Ukraine, adding that no compromise with Russia will bring lasting peace because Russia will not stop without being completely defeated," reads the statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

LVV MP: Association draft should be written by the government of Kosovo (Reporteri)

Fitore Pacolli, MP from Vetevendosje Movement, has spoken about the Association of Municipalities with a Serbian majority. "The association which is included in the annex of the agreement reached in Brussels and in Ohrid, does not mean an association which will give executive competences to the municipalities which would affect institutions at the level of Kosovo. It will be in accordance with the level of institutions of local government, in accordance with the Constitution of the Republic of Kosovo," she said.

Pacolli added that they will not rush to make the Association. "We, are not in a hurry to form the Association, to take a few steps when Serbia does not take any steps", she said.

Abdixiku: Current association is autonomy - we will reject it (Klan)

Lumir Abdixhiku, leader of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), at the same time candidate for prime minister, in an extensive interview with Klan, has spoken about the establishment of the Association of Municipalities with a Serb Majority and the Ohrid Agreement. He accused Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti, for removing the mutual recognition from the dialogue.

"This agreement has two elements in the preamble and one and a half elements in the text. The two elements of the preamble remove mutual recognition. Kosovo, for the first time in the history of dialogue, agrees to negotiate without being recognized with the other party. So, normalisation is no longer mutual recognition", he said.

Among other things, Abdixiku said that the Association of Municipalities with a Serb Majority, in its current version, is autonomy for Serbs. "I refuse to call it an Association. It is autonomy. Let's call it autonomy. And it comes as a document where for two years I told (Kurti) don't let the mediators write the draft statute of the Association, write it yourself", Abdixhiku said. He said that if the LDK comes to power, it will reject this autonomy.

EU Reacts to approval of Law amending and supplementing Law on Public Officials (media)

The Office of the European Union has reacted to the approval the Law Amending and Supplementing the Law on Public Officials (LPO) on Wednesday by Kosovo's Assembly in the second reading without taking on board the extensive and consistent advice the EU has offered throughout the drafting process to align it with merit principles and EU standards.

“Our key concerns, raised in various EU opinions on the law, relate to the changes introduced to the managerial positions in civil service by allowing temporariness and instability through the introduction of time-bound mandates and external recruitments for all managerial positions, rather than security and predictability in careers of civil servants needed for its professionalisation. Additionally, it allows excessive discretion in the recruitment and transfer of civil servants undermining its impartiality. We also regret to see that all such amendments to the LPO were submitted to Parliament without prior public consultations,” the EU statement notes among other things.

Giaufret: Without normalisation with Kosovo, there is no EU for Serbia (RTK)

The normalisation of relations with Kosovo and harmonisation with the EU's foreign policy remain the main challenges for Serbia on the European path, said Emanuele Giaufret, head of the EU Delegation in Serbia, during the presentation of the European Commission's Progress Report. He added that progress will depend on success in normalising Serbia-Kosovo relations.

"Although it is a difficult matter, dialogue is important. The implementation of the agreement on the normalisation path, as well as other agreements, is very important because they are part of Serbia's European path. We expect that those responsible for the violence in the north of Kosovo will be brought to justice", Giaufret said, adding that Serbia must harmonise with the EU's foreign policy, which will be monitored during the negotiations.

Bosnjacka Mahala in Mitrovica blocked for a while, police intervene, disperse the crowd (media)

An incident was registered in the Bosnjacka Mahala of North Mitrovica on Thursday evening. About 10 people were irritated after a "sticker" was placed on a memorial of a former KLA soldier. As a result, the crowd reacted by slashing the tires of two cars that were nearby.

The deputy police director for the northern region, Veton Elshani, said that the situation has calmed down and the police are investigating the case. "A sticker was first placed on a memorial nearby. A mass of people has gathered and we have slashed tires of two cars with sharp tools and now the police are investigating this case". The police later informed that four people were sent to the police station to be questioned about the case.

Klan Kosova quotes an Albanian resident as saying that they were provoked by some Serbs who, according to him, raised three fingers and used insulting words and insults towards the Albanians.

U.S. sanctions Serbian and Montenegrin firms for supporting Russia’s war (media)

The United States has imposed sanctions on the Serbian company, Ventrade, and on the International Business Corporation Bar (IBC), based in Montenegro, due to the export of dual-use goods to Russia, which can be used in the defence industry. The U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) said in a statement that Ventrade sold military-grade radios to Russia, while IBC transferred machining equipment and ball bearings to Russian companies, including one that is under US sanctions.

Five other Serbian firms – MCI Trading, Kominvex, Goodforwarding, Soha Info and TR Industries – are also under OFAC sanctions for their cooperation with Russia.

Serbian Language Media

Civil society organisations met Ombudsman, pointed out Kosovo police actions and harassments (Kosovo Online)

Representatives of five civil society organisations from northern Kosovo held a meeting with Kosovo Ombudsman Naim Qelaj, during which they discussed “police brutality, patterns of excessive use of force, as well as verbal attacks by local and government officials on civil society representatives”, Kosovo Online portal reported. Following the meeting, civic activist Jovana Radosavljevic said the aim of the encounter was to get updates on the investigations being conducted regarding the excessive use of force by Kosovo police.

“We requested a meeting with the Ombudsman’s Office, the leading institution for human rights protection, to discuss issues in the work of the Kosovo police in the north and the increasingly frequent testimonies from people about physical abuse. Our goal was to learn more about the progress of investigations into these allegations and to explore how we can support the process and help our citizens”, Radosavljevic emphasised. She noted civil society organisations believe the judicial system can protect individuals and communities.

“We are here because we believe that the legal system still has the capacity to protect individuals and communities from improper actions by public authorities. One of the affirmative mechanisms is guaranteed by the Anti-Discrimination Law, which places the burden of proof on the accused rather than the victims. We remind everyone who has, over the past few days, characterised our actions as premature and accusations as baseless of this fact”, she said.

They also pointed out to the Ombudsman the targeting of the civil sector by public officials. The most recent example includes North Mitrovica mayor Erden Atic, against whom the Executive Director of the Centre for Advocacy of Democratic Culture, Dusan Radakovic, filed a complaint with the Ombudsman’s office.

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

Tires of two vehicles with Serbian licence plates slashed in Bosnjacka Mahala, four persons taken for interrogation (KoSSev)

Tires of two vehicles with the Serbian licence plates had been slashed last night in Bosnjacka Mahala settlement in Mitrovica North, KoSSev portal reported. Previously a sticker was placed on the monument dedicated to the KLA, after which, as Kosovo police said a group of young people “revolted with this act” had gathered. Police also claim they do not know what sticker was about as it was removed before they came, and is yet to establish who slashed the tires. They also confirmed that four persons were taken for interrogation.

The owner of one of the targeted vehicles told KoSSev portal the damage to his car was made by the young men from that group, and that he personally saw them slashing the tires.

Residents of Nemanjina Street told KoSSev that four Kosovo police vehicles and a number of police officers, including those armed with long-barrelled weapons were present. They were standing on the street, separating Serbs residents of a nearby building on one side, and a group of 15 young men, who residents said were Albanians, on the other side of the street.

Serbs complained of the provocations from that group, to which one of the police officers said “that they are not provoking, and they will leave soon”. However, the portal added, the group did not disperse immediately while the police spoke constantly with one and the other side, residents said.

Kosovo police deputy director for the region north Veton Elshani did not link those two events. He said police were not present when the sticker was stapled, nor when the tires were slashed. He confirmed that a dozen people “revolted because of a sticker” have gathered but provided no details about their ethnic background. According to Elshani “everything was fine” and the group dispersed in the meantime. As far as slashed tires are concerned, he said the investigation is ongoing and that four persons are taken to the police station in relation to this incident.

Kostic: I saw them slashing the tires

While Kosovo police said it is yet to establish who slashed the tires, the affected vehicle owner, resident of the building, told the portal it was done by a group which had gathered last evening.

“I was watching them slashing the tires on my vehicle and on the vehicle of my neighbour. I saw a group of about 15 young men, I saw them around the building. First they slashed the tire of my neighbour's vehicle, then of my vehicle. I yelled at them both in Albanian and Serbian, and they only moved ten metres away”, Nenad Kostic said. He added Kosovo police came after, but officers “couldn’t do anything to them”. He confirmed he reported the case to the police, but says “it has no effect”. “There is no point. Obviously, given how they were acting towards them (police officers)”, Kostic added.

The portal recalled that Mitrovica North is covered with surveillance cameras, and those cameras are controlled by Kosovo police.

Arsenijevic: I would not be surprised if someone close to Atiq’s cabinet stapled sticker (KoSSev, social media)

While Kosovo police said last night that they do not know what kind of sticker was stapled on the monument dedicated to KLA member in Bosniak Mahala in Mitrovica North, causing tensions between gathered group of young Albanians and Serb residents of the nearby building, as the sticker had been removed before police came to the spot, some Albanian media and profiles of Albanian users on social media allege that the sticker “Do not be afraid. This is your town” has been stapled on the monument.

The stickers “Do not be afraid. This is your town” are visible across northern Mitrovica and their author is Serbian Democracy expressing the protest against policy of local and central authorities against the Serbs in the north, as part of Whistle Initiative.

Serbian Democracy in a statement late last night said that they saw “remains of some sticker on the monument, for which no one can be sure if that was the sticker “Do not be afraid. This is your town” placed there at all or was it some other sticker”.

They rejected responsibility and condemned the act, if such a sticker had been stapled there at all.

“We can not be responsible if someone staples that sticker on the monument. As a matter of principle, I condemn in the strongest terms if someone has stapled the sticker on the monument”, Aleksandar Arsenijevic, leader of the Serbian Democracy said. “As I do not like when the monument to Brothers Milic is affected or our flag, or when our cemeteries are desecrated, or when the municipality desecrates our cemetery in Mitrovica North, at the same time as a matter of principle it is unacceptable for someone else’s monuments and I condemn this act”, he added.

He, however, did not dismiss the possibility that someone close to the current Albanian mayor of Mitrovica North, Erden Atiq, could have done that.

“Honestly, given that only Self-determination is interested in tensions, I would not be surprised if someone close to Atiq’s cabinet had stapled the sticker on that memorial plaque in order to attack the Whistle Initiative and cause tensions with Serbs”, Arsenijevic said.

Police Inspectorate recommends suspension of three police officers over arrest of EULEX security local staff member (KoSSev)

Kosovo Police Inspectorate (PIK) has recommended suspension of three Kosovo police officers, members of the rapid intervention unit, over arrest of security worker of the EULEX Mission, following the incident in relation to the parking of a private vehicle of a police officer in front of the seat of this mission, KoSSev portal reported.

The incident, as it was said, occurred yesterday morning at around 8.00 near the sports stadium Fadil Vokrri in Pristina, in front of the parking lot of EULEX Mission. At that moment a local staff member of this mission was securing the parking lot.

“There is suspicion that police officers arrested and escorted the citizen – staff member of the EULEX Mission security, following the incident related to the parking of a private vehicle driven by a police officer in front of the parking lot of EULEX Mission nearby the football stadium”, PIK said in a statement. That is why PIK has recommended suspension of the police officers, members of the rapid intervention unit, the portal added.

Giaufret: We expect to see progress in establishing A/CSM (TV Prva, Kosovo Online, media)

Head of the European Union Delegation to Serbia Emanuele Giaufret said the EU expects to see progress in establishing the Association/Community of Serb Municipalities (A/CSM) in Kosovo, adding that dialogue must continue.

Giaufret told TV Prva that Serbia's speed of accession to the EU depends on reforms in the areas of rule of law, anti-corruption efforts, as well as the relations between Belgrade and Pristina. "We are now in a situation where we have several agreements reached in 2013 and 2015, and the Agreement on the Path to Normalisation from last year. The question now is the implementation of numerous obligations. Key issues are on the table, and both sides have obligations they need to fulfil”, Giaufret said.

He reminded that the EU has criticised a series of unilateral actions by Pristina that have made life difficult for people in Kosovo. "We are discussing within the framework of the dialogue how to move forward. And that is the message we have conveyed to the negotiators on both sides. One of the key aspects is the establishment of the A/CSM. The Europeans have provided a draft statute, and we expect to see progress in establishing the A/CSM", he said.

He also mentioned that one of the key aspects is Article 9 of the Agreement, which concerns the return of Serbs to institutions. He stressed that dialogue must continue, as there is no other path to resolving the situation, especially to improve the quality of life for the local population.

Vulin meets Lavrov: Serbia maintaining traditional friendships (N1)

Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vulin told Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Thursday that Belgrade will continue maintaining its traditional friendships, N1 reported. A government press release said that Vulin and Lavrov met on the sidelines of the II Minsk International Conference on Eurasian Security.

Vulin is quoted as telling Lavrov that Serbia will continue to pursue policies exclusively in the interest of its people. He also thanked Moscow for providing a stable natural gas supply at favourable prices.

The press release said that Vulin also met with Hungarian Foreign and Trade Minister Péter Szijjártó.

RFE: State Department agrees with EU (N1)

Radio Free Europe (RFE in Serbian) said that the US State Department agrees with the European Union view that Belgrade has violated the Brussels Agreement with its draft law on judiciary powers on Kosovo, N1 reported.

The Serbian Government recently adopted two draft laws giving the Serbian judiciary powers over crimes committed in Kosovo and making it a special social protection zone.

The State Department is quoted as saying in a reply to RFE that “Washington supports Kosovo’s territorial integrity and sovereignty”. According to the State Department, the EU-facilitated Dialogue has developed practical solutions to promote the rights of everyone in Kosovo, including the Serbs in the north. The State Department called Belgrade and Pristina to immediately implement their obligations under the Agreement to normalise relations, including the forming of the Community of Serb Municipalities.

Shea: State Department disappointed with Kurti and his actions in northern Kosovo (Kosovo Online)

Former NATO spokesperson Jamie Shea is quoted as saying that the US State Department is disappointed with Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti and his actions in northern Kosovo over the past two years, Kosovo Online portal reported citing Pristina-based Gazeta Blic.

In an interview with this media outlet, Shea expressed belief that a potential change in the U.S. administration would not significantly impact the progress of Pristina-Belgrade relations. He explained that the success of the dialogue largely depends on the "willingness of Kurti and Vucic to take action" and that no amount of pressure or U.S. diplomacy would "move them if they are not willing to move themselves". He illustrated this by pointing to the "growing disappointment within the State Department regarding Kurti and his actions in northern Kosovo over the past two years".

According to Shea, the Western Balkans is not a priority for the U.S., given the conflicts and tensions in the Middle East, Ukraine, and the Indo-Pacific. He has also said that Washington has long looked to Europeans, expecting them to address Western Balkan issues through the EU expansion process. Shea also mentioned that a key task would be to convince Washington to maintain U.S. participation in KFOR. He advised Kosovo to restore its trust-based relationship with the United States, which has recently been strained.

Shea highlighted that U.S. Ambassador Christopher Hill succeeded in improving U.S.-Serbia relations in Belgrade, pointing out that Serbia's president chose not to attend the BRICS Summit in Kazan. According to Shea, closer U.S.-Serbia relations could also help Kosovo reach an agreement with Belgrade if Kurti is willing to implement prior agreements and contribute to reviving the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue.

International Media

KLA saw outsiders as ‘traitors’, witness tell Kosovo war crime trial (Balkan Insight)

A former KLA unit commander told the Hashim Thaci trial that certain KLA members considered everyone who did not follow them or even met with ethnic Serbs, collaborators of Serbia’s regime, bolstering the prosecution case. If you were not part of the Kosovo Liberation Army’s (KLA) inner circle you were viewed as a traitor who should be punished, revealed a witness at the war crime trial of former Kosovo President Hashim Thaci.

Haxhi Mazreku, a former KLA unit commander told the trial against Thaci and three others at the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in the Hague, that the KLA considered that anyone not close to key members of ethnic Albanian militia would be considered a traitor.

“If you were not close to them [certain KLA members] or were unsuitable [someone who did not fit in], then you were either a traitor, a spy, or a collaborator [working for the Serbian regime or Yugoslavian forces]. This is what the KLA did,” said Mazreku, the 102nd witness at the trial, where the defendants are also accused of crimes against humanity.