Albanian Language Media:

• Osmani and Kurti travel to the United States (media)
• U.S. Embassy re-echoes Assistant Secretary Donfried's message in Kosovo (media)
• Gervalla: Visa liberalisation now; Kosovo’s objective is EU membership (media)
• Metsola: Calls for visa liberalisation are falling on deaf ears (RFE)
• Kosovo Police comes under fire in the north (media)
• Anti-corruption agency initiates investigations into ambassador’s wealth (Indeksonline)
• COVID-19 pandemic is not over, Health Ministry calls for vaccination (media)
• COVID-19: Seven new cases (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Petkovic, Serbian List condemn attack on police in Zubin Potok, say it has nothing to do with Serbs (Kosovo-online, media)
• Special police units in Bosniak mahala (KoSSev)
• Vucic congratulates Macron on his re-election as president (Tanjug)
• Incidents affecting Serb community in Kosovo (Kosovo-online, media)
• Stano: Agreements on reconstruction of bridge connecting South and North Mitrovica will be implemented soon (Kosovo-online)
• Belgrade, Pristina to continue technical dialogue, N1 learns (N1)
• Beka: Hearing of Kosovo police officers for attending meeting with Vucic ongoing (Kosovo-online)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Filipovic: Private property in Kosovo legally protected on paper only (Radio KIM)

   

Albanian Language Media  

  Osmani and Kurti travel to the United States (media)

President of Kosovo Vjosa Osmani and Prime Minister Albin Kurti travelled to the United States today, to attend the funeral ceremony for the former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright.

"During the stay in Washington D.C., they will also undertake other meetings," the Office of the President told RTK.

U.S. Embassy re-echoes Assistant Secretary Donfried's message in Kosovo (media)

The United States Embassy in Kosovo posted on social media the message conveyed by the Assistant Secretary of State for Europe and Eurasian Affairs Karen Donfried in her recent visit to Kosovo.

Donfried is quoted as saying: “The status quo is unsustainable; not only does it hinder Kosovo and Serbia’s European futures, but it benefits the Kremlin. Russia wants to ruin any unity and democratic consolidation in Western Balkans’ countries, ensuring that you and your neighbors cannot, and do not, integrate into European and Euro-Atlantic institutions. It believes that a stronger, more prosperous, democratically resilient Balkans region is a threat to its influence. Better relations between Kosovo and Serbia threaten Russia’s ability to divide, breed fear, and foment chaos. The best way to counteract the Kremlin’s flagrant attempts to destabilize the region is simple: Kosovo and Serbia must come together and urgently reengage in the EU-facilitated Dialogue, with robust U.S support.”

Gervalla: Visa liberalisation now; Kosovo’s objective is EU membership (media)

Kosovo’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Donika Gervalla, said today that Kosovo should get visa liberalisation now and that it should not be treated differently from other countries of the Western Balkans in its European path. “Visa liberalisation must happen now, because there are no more excuses. After the elections in France, we hope there will be progress in this respect and we hope that our allies and the EU will help us move forward. But visas are not Kosovo’s European objective. Kosovo’s European objective is full membership in the European Union, and this is what we are working on,” Gervalla said in her address at the forum “The EU meets the Balkans”.

Gervalla said that the EU does not need a war to understand the importance of integrating the region. “Before being a successful economic project, the EU is a project of peace and a political project. The Western Balkans must be part of this political project, because this project has decided once and for all that there should be no war within the European Union and the Western Balkans must be part of it,” she said.

Gervalla mentioned the latest attacks against Kosovo Police in the north of Kosovo and called on the EU and NATO to be more vigilant in this respect. “There has been another attack against the police in the north today. This is neither the first nor the second time that different groups are attacking the police while the latter are fighting organised crime. They [police] are fighting crime in the north and the north is part of our territory too. Some of the attacks came from the territory of Serbia and this is dangerous. The EU and NATO must be vigilant about what is happening in the Balkans because everything has changed after February 24,” she added.

Metsola: Calls for visa liberalisation are falling on deaf ears (RFE)

President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, has criticised the European Union for hesitating to grant Kosovo visa liberalisation, Radio Free Europe in Albanian reports.

Speaking through video link at a Western Balkans conference in Bulgaria, Metsola said: "Despite the fact that they have fulfilled all our conditions, the citizens of Kosovo continue to need visas to enter the European Union. European Parliament's repeated calls have fallen on deaf ears. This is not only insincere but also damages EU's credibility and makes us weaker."

Metsola warned of Russia trying to destabilise the Western Balkans and noted that the EU needs to be more vigilant. "The ghosts of the war are still alive in the Balkans but EU integration would bring a much needed fresh air to overcome the past. This integration is essential for the Balkans but also for the EU," she added. 

Kosovo Police comes under fire in the north (media)

The Kosovo Police said that its border patrol unit came under fire at the village of Zupce, Zubin Potok. According to Klan sources, the attack took place after 8 o’clock today.

According to the police, gunshots were fired at the patrol but apart from material damage, no one was injured. "All necessary police actions were taken regarding the case, and police units from the Zubin Potok Police Station went to the site," the police said. It noted that in the aftermath of the attack, the police have stepped up measures aimed at providing security for the police officers and the citizens.

The Serbian List (SL) came out with a statement condemning the attack. It said that the incident was aimed at destabilising the security situation in the north "but also to portray Serbs as bandits." "We call on all citizens to show restraint. Do not fall to provocations and do not allow for such incidents to threaten the peace so much needed in this area. Whoever did this, is not doing good to the Serb people," SL said.

Anti-corruption agency initiates investigations into ambassador’s wealth (Indeksonline)

Kosovo’s Anti-Corruption Agency (AKK) has initiated investigations into the wealth of Kosovo’s Ambassador to Croatia, Martin Berishaj, after media reports that he failed to report to the agency his shares or ownership in three private companies. AAK director Yll Buleshkaj told the news website today that verification procedures have been initiated. Slovenian media lately reported on a major financial scandal, involving Robert Golob, leader of the Freedom Movement, and Berishaj.

COVID-19 pandemic is not over, Health Ministry calls for vaccination (media)

Kosovo’s Ministry of Health issued a statement today calling on citizens to get vaccinated against COVID-19. “Kosovo records small numbers of new cases with COVID-19 these days and fortunately there have not been any fatalities. But different countries are recently recording increased cases with COVID-19, because the pandemic is not over,” the statement notes.

COVID-19: Seven new cases (media)

Seven new cases of COVID-19 have been recorded in Kosovo in the last 24 hours, the Ministry of Health reported. 13 persons recovered during this time. There are 428 active cases of COVID-19 in Kosovo.

   

Serbian Language Media

  Petkovic, Serbian List condemn attack on police in Zubin Potok, say it has nothing to do with Serbs (Kosovo-online, media)

Office for Kosovo and Metohija Director Petar Petkovic condemned in the strongest terms today the attack on a Kosovo police vehicle which took place in Zubin Potok municipality, adding the incident has nothing to do with the Serbs, Kosovo-online portal reports.

“We condemn in the strongest terms the attack on KPS (Kosovo Police Service) vehicle, same as any other thus far attempt to jeopardise peace and stability. Raising tensions on the ground, in particular in the north, has nothing to do with the Serbs”, Petkovic wrote on Twitter.

He added, such events were interlinked with the urge of many to “stain the Serbs in the north”.

“Ask yourself whose favour this goes in?”, Petkovic added.

Serbian List also condemned the incident that took place early this morning in Zubin Potok municipality in which a vehicle of Kosovo police was damaged, stressing the incident aims at destabilising the situation on the ground, and serve as an attempt to depict Serbs as violent people, which, as they said, doesn’t correlate with the truth.

“We urge citizens to restraint. Not to fall prey to provocations and not allow that such incidents jeopardise a very much needed peace in those areas. Whoever did it doesn’t wish good to the Serbian people”, Serbian List said in a statement.

Kosovo police said this morning that its members were attacked with firearms in the village of Zupce, in Zubin Potok Municipality and that no one was injured, adding material damage to the vehicle was caused.

Special police units in Bosniak mahala (KoSSev)

KoSSev portal reports today that special Kosovo police units were seen in Bosniak mahala settlement in northern Mitrovica, and that search of several objects was under way. The portal added that several police vehicles were parked on the street, including an armoured vehicle.

Part of Knjaz Milos Street, near the eastern bridge, where several residential buildings are located, was blocked. Kosovo police in North region had no information about the action in the north, and it was assumed that units from Pristina are carrying out the action.

On the other hand, KoSSev portal further writes, Kosovo police from Pristina had no information about the action in the north either, saying they would need to check.

Kosovo-online portal reported that special units were deployed at Brnjak administrative crossing point in Zubin Potok municipality.  

Vucic congratulates Macron on his re-election as president (Tanjug)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic congratulated Emmanuel Macron late on Sunday on his re-election as president of France, Tanjug news agency reports.

"The trust given to you again by the citizens confirms without a doubt that your leadership is based on the principles and values that are deeply rooted in the people of France", Vucic said in the congratulatory message, posted on his buducnostsrbijeav Instagram account.

Vucic noted that "liberty, equality and fraternity are indeed timeless and universal principles whose essence we should all remind ourselves of, especially in the present moment in history, perhaps more than ever before".

"By sharing the very same values, Serbia remains committed to strengthening its relationship with France, based on a traditional friendship and a strategic partnership. With your re-election as president, I am confident Serbian-French relations are on the right track to reaching new boundaries", Vucic said.

"France can count on Serbia as a sincere friend and partner and I am confident that we, too, can count on the support of your country to the benefit of peace and stability in the Western Balkans", Vucic added.

Incidents affecting Serb community in Kosovo (Kosovo-online, media)

Serbian media report that two incidents affecting Serbs in Kosovo took place.

On Sunday morning a flag with Serbian Orthodox Church (SOC) emblem was taken down from a Church of Saint Petka in Vitina municipality, placed by a local priest the day before on the occasion of Orthodox Easter.

The case was reported to the police. The Office for Kosovo and Metohija recalled the similar incident took place on Christmas, but that time the priest noticed the perpetrators and deterred them from completing the act. The same church was stoned in May last year, the Office added.

The Office condemned the act of desecration and called for perpetrators to be sanctioned.

In a separate incident, the Office said that an underage 13-year-old Serbian boy was assaulted and verbally insulted by a group of Albanians in the village of Babin Most, Obilic municipality last night. The case was reported to the police and parents of the boy gave statements to the police station.

“This attack that came on the greatest Orthodox holiday Easter demonstrates that Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija are not able to mark without fear even the greatest holidays, instead they should fear for their children and their security. Such incidents, with obvious ethnic motivation, are a consequence of anti-Serb rhetoric uttered by Pristina and Albin Kurti, that generates open hatred towards anything Serbian”, the Office said in a statement. It also said it will inform international representatives in Kosovo about the incident. 

Stano: Agreements on reconstruction of bridge connecting South and North Mitrovica will be implemented soon (Kosovo-online)

European Union Spokesperson Peter Stano said that technical works on the revitalisation of the bridge and its surroundings connecting North and South Mitrovica have been completed, adding that all agreements from the dialogue regarding the bridge will be fully implemented as soon as possible, Kosovo-online portal reports citing RTK.

“The European Union is working with both Belgrade and Pristina. All agreements from the dialogue regarding the bridge will be fully implemented as soon as possible”, Stano is quoted as saying.

Kosovo-online portal recalled that works on the reconstruction of the Ibar Bridge began at the end of 2016, as part of the project that came as a result of the agreement reached between Belgrade and Pristina in Brussels. This EU project is worth 1.2 million euros.

Belgrade, Pristina to continue technical dialogue, N1 learns (N1)

N1 has learned that delegations from Belgrade and Pristina will meet in Brussels later this week for a new round of their technical dialogue. Sources in Brussels said that they hope a top-level meeting of the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue could be organised in May if the technical delegations reach an agreement on key issues.

The delegations from Belgrade and Pristina are expected to continue their discussions on the vehicle licence plates issue which have been ongoing for six months. The delegations reached a temporary solution to cover the symbols with white stickers following Pristina’s decision to forbid entry of vehicles with Serbian licence plates in Kosovo.

Beka: Hearing of Kosovo police officers for attending meeting with Vucic ongoing (Kosovo-online)

Kosovo Police Inspectorate spokesperson Arber Beka told Albanian post that the hearing of five Kosovo police members who attended the meeting with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic on March 21, has started, Kosovo-online portal reports.

“Their interviews started and we are in that phase at the moment. At the beginning they will be interviewed, and upon concluding it, we will make our opinion and stance on their case”, Beka is quoted as saying.

Kosovo Police Inspectorate confirmed to Albanian post on March 25, it is deliberating participation of the Kosovo police members in a meeting with Serbian President Alksandar Vucic.

Basic Court President in Mitrovica North, Ljiljana Stevanovic was suspended at the end of March for attending the meeting with Vucic. 

   

Humanitarian/Development

  Filipovic: Private property in Kosovo legally protected on paper only (Radio KIM)

A lawyer, Jovana Filipovic told Slobodno srpski broadcast that protection of private property in Kosovo, formally and legally was on a much higher level than in many other developed societies. However, when it comes to the implementation of the law in practice the situation concerning usurped or confiscated properties was devastating, Radio KIM reports.

“The situation in practice is very critical and complex, and for some people to exercise the right to property which is inviolable and recognized everywhere in the world, the first instance proceedings in Kosovo may take ten years sometimes. In case of appeal, and a new trial at the first-instance court, the protection of the private properties may last up to 20 years. I personally worked on a case that was initiated in 2002”, Filipovic emphasised.

According to her, in some cases politics meddles in the work of the judiciary in Kosovo. Non-implementation of the Constitutional Court decision on 24 hectares of land belonging to Visoki Decani Monastery was one such example.

“Decani Monastery is one of such cases and it speaks for itself. Therefore, we had politicians who openly called for the property not to be registered on Monastery, on the Serbian Orthodox Church”, she said.

“The normal course of events would be to initiate proceedings against certain individuals, criminal proceedings to clearly determine the reasons why they do not want to implement decision of the highest judicial body in Kosovo”, she added.