UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, October 30, 2019
Albanian Language Media:
- ECAP issues decision in NISMA's complaint regarding ballots from Serbia (Indeksonline)
- Astrit Dehari’s case to be investigated by Special Prosecution (media)
- Family's attorney reacts to Astrit Dehari’s case being transferred to Special Prosecution (media)
- EU HR Mogherini meets Western Balkans leaders (media)
- Bislimi: Agreement on President can only be reached between Kurti and Mustafa (Express)
- Kosovo Police with a statement on assault at Svirce village (media)
Serbian Language Media:
- UN Security Council session on Kosovo takes place tomorrow (Tanjug, B92)
- Vucic: Our strategic path is the path to the EU (B92, Tanjug)
- Western Balkans remains devoted to EU perspective, regrets for Macedonia and Albania (Tanjug, B92)
- Serwer: Pristina will be under pressure to reach an agreement with Belgrade (N1)
- Skopje: Kosovo deal on border change acceptable only as “unique case” (Beta, Al Jazeera, N1)
- EP rapporteur Bilcik says Serbia’s path to EU depends on reforms and Belgrade-Pristina dialogue (Beta, N1, Blic)
- “KLA” graffiti in Babin Most village, Srpska Lista reacts (RTS, Radio KIM)
- Civil society: Results weak; No expectations (KIM radio, Kontakt plus radio)
- Dacic on Bytyqi brothers’ case: Congress resolution sort of pressure (RTS, KoSSev)
- Pacolli: Foreign Affairs Ministry has nothing to do with entry ban to Dusica Nikolic (KoSSev)
- Serbian MFA employees in a two-day visit to Kosovo (KIM radio)
Opinions:
- Why Serbia Won’t Stop Playing the Russia Card Any Time Soon (The Moscow Times)
- The Neue Zürcher Zeitung claims: The West loses in the Balkans (DW, B92)
International:
- EU Must Be Clearer With Balkans If It Wants To Expand (Forbes)
- Serbia Must ‘Deliver Substantive Reforms’ Before Joining EU (Balkan Insight)
- Civil society needs support to fight corruption and organised crime in the Western Balkans (blogs.lse.ac.uk)
Humanitarian and Development:
- British Embassy launches project for strengthening justice system in Kosovo (media)
- CoE standards of freedom of expression promoted and supported in Kosovo (CoE)
Albanian Language Media
ECAP issues decision in NISMA's complaint regarding ballots from Serbia (Indeksonline) Elections Complaints and Appeals Panel (ECAP) had rejected the complaint presented by the NISMA-AKR-PD coalition requesting the Central Election Commission (CEC) to declare invalid ballots that arrived from Serbia. The justification behind the ECAP decision is that the NISMA-AKR-PD coalition filed the complaint after the expiration of the deadline. NISMA will appeal the ECAP decision with the Supreme Court. Astrit Dehari’s case to be investigated by Special Prosecution (media) Kosovo Chief Prosecutor Aleksander Lumezi has decided to transfer the case concerning the death of Vetevendosje activist Astrit Dehari in a detention facility from the Basic Prosecution in Prizren to the jurisdiction of the Special Prosecution of Kosovo. “Following a review of statements made to the media by the family of the deceased Astrit Dehari and their legal representatives, as well as the specific and urgent nature of the case, and in the function of criminal procedure’s efficiency and the avoiding of suspicions on the possible violation of the principle of impartiality, the Special Prosecution of the Republic of Kosovo is tasked with taking over further procedural treatment of this criminal case,” the Office of Chief Prosecutor said in a press release. “The State Prosecutor would like to assure the Dehari family and the public opinion that based on constitution and legal competencies and authorisations, I will conduct independent, professional and credible investigations for fully resolving this case,” Lumezi said. Family's attorney reacts to Astrit Dehari’s case being transferred to Special Prosecution (media) Tome Gashi, attorney for the family of Astrit Dehari, reacted to the announcement by the Kosovo Chief Prosecutor Aleksander Lumezi to transfer the investigations into the Vetevendosje activist's death from the Basic Prosecution in Prizren to Special Prosecution of Kosovo. "Slowly but surely all those involved in any way in the killing of Astrit Dehari, by inciting the killing, or covering it up, will be criminally prosecuted. The case is no longer with the Prosecution in Prizren and the investigators that intentionally changed the course of investigation will no longer have access to the case relating to Vetevendosje Movement's activist, who was murdered for political reasons," Gashi wrote on Facebook. EU HR Mogherini meets Western Balkans leaders (media) Federica Mogherini, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, hosted the leaders of the Western Balkans for a working dinner in Brussels on Tuesday, in what the media say is her farewell meeting before she ends her term in office on 1 December. The parties are said to have agreed that Western Balkans integration in the EU is a key strategic objective in the shared interest of the European Union and the region. “In this context, the High Representative and the Western Balkans leaders discussed what has jointly been done and achieved over the past five years. They also reflected on the shared challenges ahead. Western Balkans partners again confirmed their strong commitment to the EU perspective, to the reforms it entails, first and foremost for the benefit of their citizens, as well as to regional cooperation and good neighbourly relations,” a statement issued by the EU External Action Service reads. Bislimi: Agreement on President can only be reached between Kurti and Mustafa (Express) Besnik Bislimi, deputy leader of the Vetevendosje Movement (LVV), responded to the statements of the deputy leader of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) Lutfi Haziri, who mentioned the post of the President of Kosovo as part of the bargaining for LDK-LVV coalition. Bislimi said such requests are not discussed among the working groups and they must be addressed by Albin Kurti and Isa Mustafa. Immediately after being nominated member of the working group, Lutfi Haziri said that part of the bargaining is also the position of the President, who would replace Hashim Thaci. Furthermore, Haziri predicted crisis if this is not clarified. “In order for the agreement to be functional, all positions should be clarified now. If we do not clarify the post of the President now, we are predicting crisis in 2021. In Kosovo, when political parties did not agree on consensual name, the same came from an envelope,” Haziri said on Tuesday. Bislimi said Haziri cannot make such request or treat the matter during the discussions of the working groups, adding that such request should be addressed to Albin Kurti. Gazeta Express has learned from its well-informed sources that the parties agreed at their initial meeting not to include the post of the President as part of the agreement. The news portal informs that the fact that LDK would not give up the post of the President was evident ever since Mustafa nominated Vjosa Osmani as candidate for Prime Minister. Mustafa even said publicly that he considers nomination for President a special honor. Kosovo Police with a statement on assault at Svirce village (media) Kosovo Police informed about an injured individual on Tuesday in village Svirce, by so far unknown perpetrators. According to the police, he was injured by a firearm in the forest at the borderline between Kosovo and Serbia. The victim is in Gjilan hospital and prosecutor was informed about the case, media report.Serbian Language Media
UN Security Council session on Kosovo takes place tomorrow (Tanjug, B92)
UN Security Council session on Kosovo will be held tomorrow in New York, Tanjug news agency reports. UN Secretary General report on Kosovo for the period from May 16 to September 15, 2019 will be discussed at the session. Serbian Foreign Affairs Minister Ivica Dacic will represent Serbia and would elaborate on the UN Secretary General report on the work of UNMIK in this period, present Belgrade’s assessment of the current situation in Kosovo and Metohija as well as the work of UNMIK, the Serbian Foreign Affairs Ministry announced. “I would convey stances of the President Aleksandar Vucic that we want compromise, continuation of the dialogue, but that obviously the other side still wants to impose its stance on recognizing the independence of Kosovo, which is absolutely unacceptable to Serbia. We want a compromise and we will take part in the continuation of the dialogue, if conditions are created for it, if tariffs are lifted,” Dacic stressed. Vucic: Our strategic path is the path to the EU (B92, Tanjug) Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic attended a farewell dinner hosted by EU High Representative Federica Mogherini in Brussels last night, Serbian media report. The outgoing EU High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy, Mogherini, invited Vucic and other Western Balkans leaders to a farewell working dinner at the EU headquarters in Brussels, and on that occasion, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic thanked Mogherini for her efforts and support of Belgrade's European integrations, presenting her with a bouquet of white orchids. Besides Vucic, the guest at the working dinner included Milo Djukanovic, President of Montenegro, Hashim Thaci, President of Kosovo, Zoran Zaev, Prime Minister of North Macedonia, and all three members of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Zeljko Komsic, Milorad Dodik and Sefik Dzaferovic. Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama was not in Brussels because of a previously scheduled bilateral visit to Greece. In addition to the topics announced, such as the assessment of the situation in the region, common challenges and results, it is expected that the Serbian President will insist that the resumption of the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue be discussed during the dinner. The dinner hosted by Federica Mogherini is already a traditional format in which the EU foreign minister gathers leaders from the region since 2017. This time it is also a farewell dinner, given the end of Federica Mogherini's term as EU High Representative, which expires on December 1st. At the conclusion of the dinner, Vucic addressed the press. At the beginning of the interview, Vucic said that "it is obvious that most people are disappointed with the decisions of the European Council", but that he "said earlier that this would be the result". "Our strategic path is the path to the European Union, and no one will question it", Vucic said. https://bit.ly/31VuLKj Western Balkans remains devoted to EU perspective, regrets for Macedonia and Albania (Tanjug, B92) Western Balkans leaders agreed at EU High Representative Federica Mogherini's farewell dinner in Brussels last night that the region remains firmly committed to Europe's future, B92 reports. On the other hand, they have also expressed deep regrets about the European Council's failure to set a date for the opening of the accession negotiations with North Macedonia and Albania. The leaders noted agreed that the region’s integration into the bloc was in the common interest of the Western Balkans and the EU. Statement from Mogherini's office, following the talks at a working dinner, said WB leaders exchanged opinions on the EU and Western Balkans relationship and the events developing in the region. In this context, it has been discussed what has been jointly done and achieved in the last five years. The challenges ahead of the region were also discussed. "The Western Balkans partners reiterated their firm commitment to the EU membership perspective, the necessary reforms on that road, which are above all for the benefit of their citizens, as well as for the regional cooperation and good neighborly relations'', the statement said. Serwer: Pristina will be under pressure to reach an agreement with Belgrade (N1) American Balkans expert Daniel Serwer believes that Washington and Brussels will exert pressure on Pristina to reach an agreement with Belgrade before the coming elections in Serbia next spring. ''The Europeans and Americans will be pressing Pristina hard for an agreement with Belgrade in advance of Serbia’s April 2020 election. I see no advantage to Kosovo in giving in to this pressure,'' he wrote on his blog (www.peacefare.net). He also expressed the hope that the new government in Pristina would show a renewed commitment to Kosovo statehood, sovereignty, and territorial integrity, as well as a broader coalition for the dialogue with Belgrade. ''Pristina will need to be ready to walk away from a bad deal in order to get a good one. A bad deal is one that in any way breaches the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity; a good one will allow for ample decentralization and self-governance for minority communities,'' Serwer wrote. He said that he sees the appointment of two US envoys (career diplomat Matthew Palmer and US Ambassador to Germany Richard Grenell) as reflecting ''more confusion than intention''. ''I won’t be surprised if the ethnic nationalist Ambassador Grenell tries to revive the land swap idea that failed so miserably the last time around,'' he warned. According to Serwer, ''the permanence of borders - and specifically the refusal to move internal boundaries to accommodate ethnic differences when changing them to international borders - is fundamental to peace and security in the region, since it was established by the Badinter Commission in the early 1990s''. Serwer feels that the wise course for Kosovo is to cure its internal ills within the current borders, maintain good relations with all neighbors, and enjoy close cultural ties with Albanians in other countries. https://bit.ly/2WrpaKA Skopje: Kosovo deal on border change acceptable only as “unique case” (Beta, Al Jazeera, N1) North Macedonia’s President Stevo Pendarovski said on Tuesday he was against border changes, but that any agreement between Belgrade and Pristina was acceptable with the international guarantees it would be the ''unique case'', the Beta news agency reported. In an interview with Al Jazeera Balkans, Pendarovski said that he believed that border changes in the Balkans could only bring troubles, bearing in mind a complicated, lengthy and troubling history. However, he added that ''whatever Belgrade and Pristina agree on, with the international factors’ support, I assume, that must be valid only between the two, and not to be a principle for other regional countries ''. When Serbia’s former province of Kosovo declared independence from Belgrade in 2008, some politicians and experts warned that could cause a domino effect in the countries with significant ethnic minorities or strong independence aspirations. The European Union then described Kosovo as the ''unique case'', saying something like that would not happen anywhere else. https://bit.ly/3326aF2 EP rapporteur Bilcik says Serbia’s path to EU depends on reforms and Belgrade-Pristina dialogue (Beta, N1, Blic) The new European Parliament rapporteur for Serbia Vladimir Bilcik MEP told Belgrade based daily Blic that the country’s path towards European Union membership would be defined by progress in internal reforms and in the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue. ''The functioning of democracy, rule of law and respect for fundamental rights and liberties have always been and always will be crucial to Serbia’s progress towards EU membership,'' Bilcik said. ''At the same time, we have to see progress in practice in the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina,'' he added. He said the dialogue has to get a new momentum in talks at top political level. ''The European Parliament has called for a new stage in the dialogue several times along with faster negotiations,'' Bilcik recalled. He expressed the hope that ''the new political leadership in Pristina will be able to contribute to the process''. ''Good political will has to be expressed in both Belgrade and Pristina in order to achieve progress,'' he said, commenting Kosovo Prime Minister hopeful Albin Kurti’s statement that he would not revoke the 100 percent tariffs on Serbian goods unless official Belgrade stops its campaign to convince other countries to revoke their recognition of Kosovo. ''Let’s give Kurti a little time to get past the rhetoric of the election campaign,'' Bilcik said. “KLA” graffiti in Babin Most village, Srpska Lista reacts (RTS, Radio KIM) “UQK” (Kosovo Liberation Army abbreviation) graffiti appeared on the walls of a common premise used by the Babin Most village inhabitants, Serbian national broadcaster RTS reports today. The words “Kosova” and “Kosovo” were written as well, Serbs from this ethnically mixed village told RTS. The case is reported to the Kosovo police. Serbs make the majority of the population in Babin Most village. Along with the villages of Grace, Priluzje, Plemetina, Janina Voda and Crkvena Vodica, Babin Most makes a compact cycle of settlements where Serbs remained to live after the conflict in 1999, RTS recalled. Meanwhile, Srpska Lista in the strongest terms condemned inscription of graffiti “UQK” on the walls of the Cultural Centre in Babin Most and urged the Serbian population “to remain calm and restrained”, KIM Radio reports. Srpska Lista added that “inscription of an offensive graffiti on the walls of primary school and cultural centre in Babin Most is the latest example of ethnic intolerance towards anything that is Serbian in Kosovo and Metohija, something that the international community turns a blind eye on”. Srpska Lista Deputy President Srdjan Popovic visited Babin Most village today. He noted “that everybody who thinks that by such acts would drive Serbian people away, should not hope for that”. Director of the primary school, Zarko Petrovic which is located in the same yard as the Cultural Centre, Zarko Petrovic said KFOR has also been informed about the incident. Civil society: Results weak; No expectations (KIM radio, Kontakt plus radio) Participants of the debate "Positioning Civil Society Towards the New Government Convocation", held at the Civic Energy Center (CEC) in Gracanica, agreed that civil society should not be an opportunity for additional work because its role thus erodes. Bojan Teofilovic from the Center for Peace and Tolerance states that citizens see NGOs as "a side job where they will occasionally engage in". "This is one of the reasons why NGOs in post-socialist societies are not taken serious enough. As a result, NGOs did not achieve as much as they should have.'' ''We should all change a little, to understand that the central level of government and NGOs can be really good partners in certain things, so that all can benefit, and the communities as the ultimate beneficiaries.'' Driton Tafalari from the NGO Developing Together also believes that the past performance in the civil society sector is not satisfactory. "Kosovo has about 8,000 registered NGOs. This number is such because people see that through NGOs they can profit, which is very wrong. In order to form a civil society, one must first talk to the people to see the exact problem, and then to carry out certain activities. However, as an organization, we were able to persuade the Kosovo Government to change several laws. Later, it is not about the law, but its implementation," Tafalari stressed. Ivan Nikolic, in front of the organization Communication for the Development of Society, emphasized that he has not seen any significant progress in the last 15 years from the very beginning. "Civil society, in both the Albanian and Serbian communities, has not been properly understood. Many see civil society and NGOs as an opportunity for short-term profits," Nikolic said, adding that the difference between the Albanian and Serbian civilian sectors is that the Albanian sector has more serious players and greater capacity, while in Serbian community it has been reduced to a few, more active, organizations. No high expectations in the near future Bojan Teofilovic does not have high expectations of the future convening of the new Government of Kosovo because everything is based on the negotiations between Belgrade and Pristina. "We are all aware that the international community has a great influence on all the processes that are happening around us''. Driton Tafalari noted that Albin Kurti was a member of civil society and that he comes to "the power from around the corner", but that the role of civil society is to register everything that politicians have promised. "To keep an eye on them, in terms of corruption, economic development. That's our part of the job. Also, there should be serious dialogue between civil society, it would be realistic if Serbs and Albanians from NGOs started to meet more often," Driton said. Ivan Nikolic points out that Albin Kurti won because all other politicians have already been seen, because they have disappointed people and offered nothing new. "I don't expect anything radical or better. I do not like the rhetoric from the perspective of the Serbian community, it does not provide any positive or motivating message for the community. The role of the international community is crucial, while the role of civil society will be non-existent. We will continue to be silent observers," Nikolic concluded. Dacic on Bytyqi brothers’ case: Congress resolution sort of pressure (RTS, KoSSev) Resolution of the US Congress House of Representatives requesting Serbia to resolve the murder of Bytyqi brothers would not impact the relations between Serbia and the US, Foreign Affairs Minister Ivica Dacic told RTS. Speaking for RTS broadcast “Upitnik” Dacic said that from political aspect the resolution will have no consequences on relations between Serbia and the US, but it also indicates “that they do not give up”. “It is some sort of pressure but in our case, it is counterproductive, because then different arguments come from our side – what about organ harvesting, where are the witnesses against Haradinaj”, Dacic stressed. He added the murder of the Bytyqi brothers beyond doubts is a very serious crime, that perpetrators should be punished, but when it comes to those who are responsible for the murder it is not a matter of a political decision. As Dacic explained he does not see the purpose of the command that they are killed, respectively what was the motive for their murder. “It is undoubtedly a very serious crime, but I cannot understand the need that someone kills Bytyqi brothers in July, when the war in Kosovo and Metohija was over, when Serbia started to release KLA members from its prisons, when Serbia released USA soldiers captured in the war”. He said one should differentiate if the case of Bytyqi brothers was a systematic order to kill Albanians or “if it was about a single, isolated case”, adding it is in interest of Serbia to find the perpetrators and masterminds of this murder. “If a state hands over to the Tribunal in The Hague two of its presidents, Slobodan Milosevic and Milan Milutinovic, army generals, do you really think we would defend someone who has killed three US citizens”? Dacic asked. Dacic recalled that FBI team visited Serbia and spoke with the witnesses that Serbian prosecution has interviewed as well. “The US gave itself the right it can conduct the investigation about the murders of its citizens across the world. In line with that they have sent the team to Serbia. The FBI has authority to start an investigation if it is not satisfied with our results.” However, Dacic recalled in this case it was not about US tourists who came to Serbia for a holiday, but about KLA members of the so-called Atlantic brigade consisting of around 400 US citizens of the Albanian origin. He also said that Bytyqi family donated half a million US dollars to KLA before the war. “When US citizens join Islamic State or Al-Qaida they are terrorists, but when US citizens join KLA, that was on their list of terrorist organizations, they came to our state as US citizens, fought, had uniforms of the forces we were fighting against. Whether they have committed the war crimes as KLA members it is also a question,” Dacic said, RTS reports. Pacolli: Foreign Affairs Ministry has nothing to do with entry ban to Dusica Nikolic (KoSSev) The outgoing Kosovo Foreign Affairs Minister Behgjet Pacolli told KoSSev portal last night that Assistant Director of the Serbian Government Office for Kosovo Dusica Nikolic did not need permission of his ministry to enter Kosovo. “There is no need for Ms Nikolic to have permission to enter Kosovo. We as a ministry have nothing to do with that. That is all I can tell you,” Pacolli said in a brief written statement to KoSSev portal. This way the recent statements of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija saying no agreement stipulates that assistant director or deputy director of the Office must announce or seek permission to enter Kosovo were confirmed, the portal added. Serbian media reported yesterday, referring to the Office for Kosovo and Metohija that Dusica Nikolic was banned to enter Kosovo at Jarinje crossing point, while six days ago, another Djuric’s deputy Dusan Kozarev faced the same situation. Serbian MFA employees in a two-day visit to Kosovo (KIM radio) The Office for Kosovo and Metohija, in cooperation with the Serbian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is organizing a two-day visit to Kosovo for officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on October 29 and 30, the statement reads. The statement said that during their stay in Kosovo, the Ministry representatives would visit "Velika Hoca, Prizren, Prizren Theology Faculty, the Monasteries of the Patriarchate of Pec, Visoki Decani, Banjska, Zociste, St. Archangels, Gracanica, St. George's Cathedral Church and the church Our Lady of Ljevis". The statement added that MFA officers would address the media on October 30 at 4:30 pm after visiting the Gracanica Monastery, KIM radio quoted the statement.