UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, November 28, 2022

Osmani: We coordinate with NATO for entire territory of Kosovo (RTK/Koha)
Kurti: Serbia is using its influence in the north of Kosovo (RTK)
Stano: Deadline for final agreement is not in hands of EU (ABC News)
Kurti seeks increase in Albania-Kosovo cooperation (Albanian Daily News)
MPs call for a formal border between Kosovo and Albania (Koha Ditore)
Kosovo minister promises ‘results’ against car burners in north (BIRN)
Kosovo complains to FIFA about ‘aggressive’ Serbian banner in Qatar (BIRN)
Serbia charged over locker room Kosovo flag at World Cup (AP)
Ceku says he received hundreds of threatening messages from Serbia (media)
Abazi ready to resign if Constitution is changed because of Association (EO)
Gervalla to attend conf on prevention of sexual violence in conflict (Kallxo)
Why trouble flared up between Serbs and the Albanian-led government? (BBC)

Osmani: We coordinate with NATO for entire territory of Kosovo (RTK/Koha)

Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani visited on Sunday the KSF (Kosovo Security Force) "Adem Jashari" barracks in Pristina. "Until now, I have had several meetings with the Secretary General of NATO, Jens Stoltenberg, and of course we discuss our interaction with NATO and our coordination with NATO is necessary for the entire territory of Kosovo and not only for the north. We are talking about the entire territory; Kosovo is whole and indivisible. Therefore, our every coordination with the international community is for the entire territory of Kosovo," Osmani said.

KTV highlights in its coverage that Osmani commented on a written pledge that Kosovo authorities made with NATO not to deploy KSF troops in the north without an approval from NATO. According to the TV station, Osmani downplayed the importance of the document. “Documents referring to certain parts of the territory are valid only if they are ratified by the Assembly. The accord that we as current institutions have with NATO is that coordination with NATO is valid for the whole territory of Kosovo and we do not discuss on specific solutions, specific areas, only for the whole territory unseparated and this coordination is applied similarly to Istog, Prizren, Gjilan and Mitrovica, as for every part of the Republic of Kosovo,” was quoted as saying.

Kurti: Serbia is using its influence in the north of Kosovo (RTK)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti delivered a speech at the 26^th Congress of the Socialist International, which is being held in Madrid, Spain. He stated that the missing ingredient for peace in the Western Balkan region is a democratic Serbia. According to him, Kosovo's northern neighbor - Serbia, is still an authoritarian country with territorial aspirations towards Kosovo and with extensive and close ties with the Kremlin.

"Since the end of the war in 1999, they have repeatedly threatened us with belligerent behavior. To date, they maintain 48 military and gendarmerie bases across its border with Kosovo. Moreover, since our declaration of independence in 2008, it has continuously engaged in campaigns aimed at undermining our statehood. Although in 2010 Serbia requested the opinion of the International Court of Justice on the legality of our independence, it has chosen not to respect the court's findings. Recently, it has tried to use its influence in the northern part of our country to undermine the rule of law in that region," Kurti said.

Furthermore, he said that it is difficult to achieve a true peace along what he called Kantian lines, with a Serbia that refuses to accept war crimes from the recent past.

"My government is focusing on developing our economy, reforming our justice system and strengthening our defense capacities. At the same time, I remain committed to this EU-facilitated dialogue with the current leadership of Serbia. Dialogue even with those who do not share the same values," Kurti said. He added that Kosovo is one of the most democratic countries in the region.

Stano: Deadline for final agreement is not in hands of EU (ABC News)

Peter Stano, spokesperson of the European Union has spoken about the reference regarding the Serbia-Kosovo agreement, where it is stated that if any of the parties hinders the dialogue, then the EU mediator can end the process. Stano said that the nature of the EU is to focus on results and not on failure.

In an interview with ABC News, he confirmed that the top EU leader has invited the Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, and the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, to Brussels to mediate the negotiations.

Stano commented on the statement of the high representative of the EU, Josep Borrell, that "In case of obstruction of the dialogue by either side, the EU mediator can end the process" and spoke about the concrete consequences for both sides in case the EU mediator had to end the process.

"The nature of the European Union is to focus on results, to focus on success and not failure. It is important to state what might happen in case of failure, but it would be better not to speculate about the possibility of abandoning or ending the process. Especially after the agreement reached this week, we have some momentum. This agreement really paves the way for the crucial work to move forward with the normalization process between Kosovo and Serbia. We are focusing on this and we expect both parties to work in this direction and find European solutions in a European way".

He also spoke about a date for the high-level Kosovo-Serbia meeting.

"The dates for the high-level meeting in Brussels are arranged shortly before the meeting is held, simply for logistical reasons. We have to have everything in order, which means confirming the parties if they can come on a certain date and time. It is not important for us to speculate on dates ahead of time. It is important to have them in Brussels, to have their confirmation of coming to Brussels on the same day and for the same agenda, hoping that there will be results. But the high representative of the EU has invited Prime Minister Kurti and President Vucic in the coming days. I hope, that they will be able to come, so that we can continue in the positive spirit that was achieved this week and use this momentum to move forward. This is not done for the European Union, but for the interests of the citizens of Kosovo and Serbia, for the beginning of stopping the escalation of the situation and benefiting from the European perspective," he said.

He also spoke about the urgency of reaching a final agreement between Kosovo and Serbia and the possibility of it being reached in March 2023.

"When we talk about emergency; yesterday seems already too late, because this situation has been going on for more than 10 years and this is not in the interest of the citizens of Kosovo and Serbia. Instead of setting artificial deadlines, we are helping the parties, as it is the parties who decide when they will be ready to reach the final date to reach a comprehensive agreement on the normalization of relations between them and to move forward. To move forward from the method of permanent crisis management to the method of reconciliation. We are not the ones who set the deadlines. The deadlines are entirely in the hands of the parties, for the benefit of their citizens, and the European Union will do everything possible for the parties to find a compromise. But it is up to the parties to find the courage to reach the necessary compromises with the European spirit," Stano said.

Kurti seeks increase in Albania-Kosovo cooperation (Albanian Daily News)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti has called on Sunday from the Assembly of Tirana, for increased cooperation between Albania and Kosovo.

In the speech at the joint meeting of the two Assemblies in Tirana, Kurti said that the governments of the two countries should not only meet on holidays, but they should work together more often and accept each other’s criticisms, adding that “we all have to put a stone in the castle.”

“We need to be together more often, and not only in celebrations. We must share ideas with each other and accept each other’s criticisms, that is work with each other.

Immigrants are the greatest support for our countries but also a source of culture and democracy. I know that you are not going there for fun, but because of troubles. I know that we have not restored their faith in the justice and democracy of our countries, but I guarantee you that we will win this battle until the end,” Kurti said.

MPs call for a formal border between Kosovo and Albania (Koha Ditore)

The daily reports on its front page this morning that to celebrate the 110^th anniversary of the declaration of independence of Albania, the Assemblies of Albania and Kosovo held a joint meeting in Tirana on Sunday. MPs from both Kosovo and Albania called for cooperation and implementation of joint projects, but there were also differences. Opposition MPs from Albania criticised the Open Balkan, a regional initiative over which Tirana and Pristina are mostly divided. The opposition MPs also walked out of the session when Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama started his speech.

Kosovo minister promises ‘results’ against car burners in north (BIRN)

Kosovo’s Interior Minister says ‘intensive investigations’ into arson attacks on cars in north will expose the perpetrators

Interior Minister Xhelal Svecla has said that results are expected from the incidents that took place in the north of the country, such as attacks on police officers and burning of cars.

“Based on the information I receive, I am convinced that very soon there will be results in addressing the criminals who participated in these attacks. Intensive investigations are being carried out,” said Minister Svecla.

According to the minister, the police is investigating each case separately. “As a result of this, we have already had the first results in the fight against the groups involved in smuggling. This does not deny that they are the same groups,” Svecla added.

On Tuesday, police confirmed that in the early hours of the morning, another car belonging to a Serbian citizen was burned in the north.

The deputy director of the Police for the North Mitrovica region, Besim Hoti, told BIRN that the burned car had Serbian license plates.

“The car was burned in the north with Serbian license plates. The complainant is a Serb, an ordinary citizen,” said Hoti.

The attacks on cars started after the government started to implement the plan in three stages for the re-registration of cars with illegal number plates issued by Serbia.

Read more at: http://bit.ly/3APkweR

Ceku says he received hundreds of threatening messages from Serbia (media)

Kosovo’s Minister of Youth, Culture and Sports, Hajrulla Ceku, said on Sunday he received hundreds of insulting and threatening messages, including death threats, from Serbia after he informed the world public after a provocation by the Serbian national team against Kosovo at the World Cup in Qatar.

“The insults against my family and the death threats are the latest indicator that Serb chauvinism is the biggest threat to peace in our region. The democratisation of Serbia and its breakaway from Russian control are preconditions for security and progress in the Western Balkans. One of the best ways to protect our right and truth is civic diplomacy. The public reactions of many of our citizens gave right to the complaint of the Kosovo Football Federation to FIFA. We believe that Serbia will get the merited punishment for their scandalous act which turns sports into a means of invading aspirations,” Ceku wrote in a Facebook post.

Abazi ready to resign if Constitution is changed because of Association (EO)

MP from the Vetevendosje Movement, Haki Abazi, said in an interview with the news website that the Association/Community of Serb-majority municipalities will be part of a final settlement between Kosovo and Serbia.

Abazi, who heads the Kosovo Assembly Committee for Foreign Affairs, said he does not believe that there will be constitutional amendments for the Association, but that if that happens, he will resign his post.

“I am certain that the issue of the Association is unfortunately part of the discussions but the way it will be included in the final agreement and full respect for the Constitutional Court are the limits about the way forward. If the Association was not part of the agreement, we surely wouldn’t even be talking about it … I don’t believe there will be constitutional amendments to accommodate executive competencies for the Association. If this happens, I am ready to resign,” he said.

Gervalla to attend conference on prevention of sexual violence in conflict (Kallxo)

Kosovo’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora Donika Gervalla traveled on Sunday to London to participate in the International Ministerial Conference on the Prevention of Sexual Violence in Conflict. According to the announcement of the Ministry, Minister Gervalla will be participating in this conference at the invitation of the Foreign Secretary of Great Britain, James Cleverly.

"During the proceedings of the conference, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Mrs. Donika Gervalla will also hold a series of bilateral meetings with counterparts, representatives of various participating states and international organizations," the announcement states. The International Ministerial Conference on the Prevention of Sexual Violence in Conflict is held from November 28-29 in London, United Kingdom, under the patronage of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Great Britain.

Why trouble flared up between Serbs and the Albanian-led government? (BBC)

Tensions were raised between ethnic Serbs and the Albanian-led government in Kosovo, south-east Europe, over a car licence plates dispute in northern Kosovo.

There were fears violence between ethnic Serbs and ethnic Albanians could flare up again, 23 years after the Kosovo war.

However, on 23 November, the two sides reached a deal to defuse the row.

Where is Kosovo and who lives there?

Kosovo is a small, landlocked country in the Balkans, bordering Albania, North Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia.

Many Serbs consider it the birthplace of their nation.

But of the 1.8 million people living in Kosovo, 92% are Albanian and only 6% Serbian. The rest are Bosniaks, Gorans, Turks and Roma.

How did Kosovo gain independence?

After the break-up of Yugoslavia in the 1990s, Kosovo - a province of the former country - sought its own autonomy and independence.

Serbia responded with a brutal crackdown against ethnic Albanians seeking independence.

This ended in 1999, with a Nato bombing campaign against Serbia, between March and June. Read more at: http://bit.ly/3OG8IBu