UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, April 19, 2023

Albanian Language Media:

Serbia continues “old habit of violating agreements” (Radio Free Europe)
Beyer: Ohrid agreement, only path for normalisation and EU membership (Express)
Kosovo Police raid central offices of Kosovo Power Corporation (media)
OSCE: Not part of team that drafts Association statute; if needed will help (Express)
Hoti: Dialogue wasn’t kept on tracks of mutual recognition (TV Dukagjini/Nacionale)
Serb candidate for Zvecan: If I win, I will return to work all those who resigned (Insajderi)
Krasniqi: Polls show that Vetevendosje has dropped to 36-37 percent (media)

Serbian Language Media:

Vucic: We will fulfil everything we said, but only when Pristina forms the CSM (ZSO) (N1)
Tenth anniversary of the First Brussels Agreement (N1)
Odalovic: On the 10th anniversary of the Brussels Agreement, Pristina awarded visa-free status (KiM radio, RTS, Beta)
Petkovic: The next round of dialogue in Brussels on CSM (ZSO) (Beta, N1, RTS)
Dacic: Pristina's CoE bid will not be on agenda on Wednesday (Tanjug)
Kosovo Police calls minorities to apply for jobs (KoSSev, N1)
Ziadeh: Perpetrators to be held responsible for arson incident at the church in Prizren (euronews.rs, Tanjug, RTS, Kosovo Online)
Elections in the north: Voting containers in places inhabited by Albanians and at crossings (Kontakt plus radio, Klan)
Jevtic: The elections in the north of Kosovo contrary to democracy (Beta, TV Prva, KiM radio)
Simic: We will not stop demanding the CSM (ZSO), we will remain a thorn to Pristina (Kosovo Online, TV Pink)
Analysis from Ljubljana: Montenegro's agreement with the SOC, a model for Kosovo (Danas)
The EU decision on visas: Residents of Kosovo with Serbian passports are the most discriminated group in Europe (Kosovo Online)

International:

American Corners Bring US Closer to Kosovar Youth (Prishtina Insight)

Humanitarian/Development:

Energy from the wind in Bajgora (Kosovo 2.0)

Albanian Language Media

Serbia continues “old habit of violating agreements” (Radio Free Europe)

The Kosovo Government claims that Serbia is continuing “the old habit” of “consequent violations” of agreements reached in Brussels “It is continuing to prove that it is not a party that respects the principles of good faith and at the same time insults and ignores the engagement of the international community to reach and implement the agreements,” spokesperson for the Kosovo Government, Perparim Kryeziu, told the news website. His remarks come after Serbia warned it will “stop the procedure” of Kosovo’s admission to the Council of Europe. Such an action falls in contravention with an international agreement that Kosovo and Serbia have reached on February 27. The agreement for normalisation of relations – the implementation of which Pristina and Belgrade have accepted in March – foresees among other things that Serbia will not block Kosovo’s membership in international organisations. The European Union is the guarantor of the agreement and it is also supported by the United States of America.

Kryeziu argued that “international partners, especially France, Germany, Italy and the United States, should condemn Serbia’s conduct”. “Kosovo remains the only constructive party before the meeting, during the negotiations and after the agreements are reached,” he said.

Foreign policy commentator in Belgrade, Bosko Jaksic, said in an interview with the news website that Serbia’s statements that it will block Kosovo’s membership are “an unnecessary move” which “creates the impression that Serbia agrees to something and then works against it”.

Beyer: Ohrid agreement, only path for normalisation and EU membership (Express)

Member of the German Bundestag, Peter Beyer, said on Tuesday that the Ohrid agreement between Kosovo and Serbia is “the only possible path to reach both normalisation and EU membership”. Beyer shared a Twitter post by EU High Representative Josep Borrell who wrote that “Serbia and Kosovo made a commitment on the Agreement on the path to normalisation and its annex. The EU expects both to honour all obligations from it and start implementing asap. The parties must avoid any escalations. Translation of their commitments into their European paths is ongoing.”

Kosovo Police raid central offices of Kosovo Power Corporation (media)

Most news websites report that Kosovo Police have raided the central offices of the Kosovo Power Corporation. Citing unnamed sources, Koha news website reports that the office of KEK Director Nagip Krasniqi was raided. The same sources said that the reason behind the operation was a contract for a renovation of one of the blocks of Kosova B power plant, a consulting contract, and a contract with KEDS. Sources also said that arrests are expected. Nacionale quotes what it calls a reliable source as saying that KEK executive director Nagip Krasniqi is expected to be arrested.

OSCE: Not part of team that drafts Association statute; if needed will help (Express)

The OSCE Mission in Kosovo told Gazeta Express today that no member of this mission is part of the team that drafts the statute of the Association of Serb-majority municipalities and that they have not received any invitation for discussions on the matter.

“The OSCE Mission in Kosovo was not invited to attend discussions after the meeting in Ohrid on March 18 to draft a statute for the Association/Community of Serb-majority municipalities and the Mission did not take part in discussions with the existing Management Team, whose members do not include any representative of the Mission,” the OSCE mission told the news website.

The OSCE mission also said that if needed, they are willing to share the experience and expertise for the implementation of the dialogue agreements. “Given the long-term cooperation of the Mission with the 38 municipalities all over Kosovo, the Mission is willing in principle to share its expertise for the implementation of the respective agreements of the Dialogue, if required,” the response notes.

Hoti: Dialogue wasn’t kept on tracks of mutual recognition (TV Dukagjini/Nacionale)

MP from the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), Avdullah Hoti, criticised Prime Minister Albin Kurti for his approach to the dialogue with Serbia, arguing that Kurti did not keep the process on the tracks of mutual recognition. Hoti also criticised the Ohrid agreement between Kosovo and Serbia as the worst agreement imposed on Kosovo, adding that Kurti and President Vjosa Osmani are responsible for this situation.

“I expressed my remarks since the start of this government’s mandate and suggested that it should work with our international partners in keeping the dialogue on the tracks of mutual recognition. When this government took over its mandate, the dialogue left the tracks, and then after developments in the north, the focus of internationals resorted to the management of the situation there,” Hoti said.

Serb candidate for Zvecan: If I win, I will return to work all those who resigned (Insajderi)

Sladjana Pantovic, independent candidate for Zvecan mayor in the upcoming extraordinary elections in the north of Kosovo, said in an interview for the news website that the current situation in the north is calm but that she cannot rule out the possibility of minor incidents on election day. “The situation is currently calm and stable thanks to the police who are doing their job in professional fashion, but I cannot rule out minor incidents during the elections as has always happened in every round of elections. Here it is a completely normal phenomenon,” she said.

Pantovic pledged she will return to work all Serb workers that resigned in November last year. “I expect the best because it cannot get any worse than now. As you know, the institutions are empty because Serb workers resigned in November, and this created an institutional vacuum that risks sending the north toward anarchy, and it can seriously damage relations between Belgrade and Pristina, but if I win, as I said earlier, I will return to work all workers (of course who is willing). The doors of the municipality will be open to all and I will offer help to everyone, regardless of nationality, religion or party affiliation,” Pantovic said.

Krasniqi: Polls show that Vetevendosje has dropped to 36-37 percent (media)

MP from the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), Rrezarta Krasniqi, said on Tuesday that according to recent polls the Kurti-led Vetevendosje Movement has dropped from 51 percent to 36-37 percent. Without specifying the polls, Krasniqi also said that “they will keep dropping seeing the poverty and the current situation”. “With this government, the people will wake up by themselves. No citizen has felt the hand of the state,” she added.

Serbian Language Media

Vucic: We will fulfil everything we said, but only when Pristina forms the CSM (ZSO) (N1)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said at a press conference with Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billström that Serbia will fulfil everything it said in the agreement with Pristina, but only after Kosovo fulfils its obligation from the Brussels Agreement and forms the CSM (ZSO), reported N1.

"Today is 10 years since the adoption of the Brussels Agreement. When Kosovo forms the CSM (ZSO), Serbia will fulfil its part of the work. Maybe as a sign of good we will do something unilaterally, but that has nothing to do with your obligation to form the CSM (ZSO)", said Vucic.

He also pointed out that Serbia will not support Kosovo's membership in the UN and other international organizations.

He also added that the head of Swedish diplomacy conveyed to him their position on the importance of imposing sanctions on Russia, but that he conveyed to him the Serbian reasons why Belgrade was against it, recalling the NATO bombing of the FRY without the approval of the UN Security Council and stated that Serbia has an emotional attitude towards that issue.

He added that they also discussed European integration and Serbia's relationship with Kosovo.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sweden, Tobias Billström, said that Serbia must align itself with the European Union's policy towards Russia, that it must implement reforms and that all norms from the agreement and the annex to the agreement with Pristina are expected to be implemented.

"The Russian invasion of Ukraine fundamentally changed the security of Europe. We expect our partners to align with us and take strategic responsibility for common security," said Billström.

He added that the Swedish presidency of the EU keeps the Western Balkans high on the agenda and that the countries of the Western Balkans are essential partners of the EU to keep Europe stable and prosperous.

"Serbia belongs to the EU, the EU is the biggest donor, trade partner and investor, there are no alternatives, and I believe that the participants on the political stage will stay on the European path," said Billström.

As he said, he congratulated Vucic on reaching the "historic agreement with Pristina".

Vucic said that Serbia was grateful to Sweden for its support and help on the European road and that Serbia understood well what it had to do.

"We understood all the messages from Sweden - sanctions must be introduced, how it must be behaved in relations with Pristina. We are an independent and sovereign country, and we will make decisions in such a way, while considering what you told us as our closest partners," said Vucic, reported N1.

Tenth anniversary of the First Brussels Agreement (N1)

The First Agreement of Principles Governing the Normalization of Relations between Belgrade and Pristina, the so-called Brussels Agreement, was signed on this day 10 years ago, in Brussels, under the auspices of the European Union (EU).

Negotiations were led by the then Serbian Prime Minister Ivica Dacic and Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci, mediated by EU High Representative Catherine Ashton.

The agreement that marked the beginning of the normalization of relations with Kosovo, which is not recognized by Serbia as a sovereign state, has 15 paragraphs, of which the first six refer to the establishment, scope and functions of the Community of Serb Municipalities (CSM) and the following three to police and security, stipulating that there is to be one police force in Kosovo, including northern Kosovo, called the Kosovo Police.

Read more at: https://bit.ly/3AhnDLT Odalovic: On the 10th anniversary of the Brussels Agreement, Pristina awarded visa-free status (KiM radio, RTS, Beta)

The President of the Commission of the Government of Serbia for Missing Persons, Veljko Odalovic, assessed that Pristina was "rewarded" with visa liberalization on the tenth anniversary of the signing of the Brussels Agreement, even though the Community of Serbian Municipalities (ZSO) has not yet been formed.

"It is devastating that on the day of the tenth anniversary of marking the inaction of the international community, embodied in the EU and Pristina, visa liberalization was awarded," Odalovic told RTS this morning.

He stated that when Serbia received visa liberalization in 2009, the issue of Kosovo was left for later, because all EU members did not recognize its independence.

"No EU member recognized Kosovo after that date. All of them that recognized it, they did so up to 2009. Those who did not recognize it then, they do not recognize them even today," Odalovic said and reminded that the decision on visa liberalization was made without a vote in the European Parliament, precisely because of the five countries that do not recognize the independence, reported KiM radio.

He emphasized that he does not think that anyone's movement should be restricted and added that Serbia is advocating freedom of movement through the "Open Balkans" platform.

"We invite them all to join the Open Balkans, in order to solve the issue of exactly that administrative barrier at crossings or borders," Odalovic said.

Petkovic: The next round of dialogue in Brussels on CSM (ZSO) (Beta, N1, RTS)

Director of the Office of the Government of Serbia for Kosovo and Metohija, Petar Petkovic, said this morning that the next round of dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, to be held on May 2 in Brussels, will be dedicated to the Community of Serbian Municipalities (ZSO), reported N1.

The President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, will meet in Brussels, May 2, the Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, and the director of the Office for KiM announced what should be discussed that day.

"To enter into the most concrete steps when it comes to the formation of the CSM (ZSO), but not the way Albin Kurti wants it, but the way it was agreed through four agreements from 2013 and 2015," Petkovic told Radio Television of Serbia.

The first step, according to him, is for the management team to present its draft of the CSM (ZSO) statute, followed by a discussion of the proposed draft, which must contain all provisions agreed in the general principles from 2015.

"That is what we will insist on, that is what is in the spirit of the agreement and what we agreed on in Ohrid. Of course, we have to insist on that, without the CSM (ZSO) it is simply impossible to discuss anything," Petkovic assessed.

He added that exactly 10 years since the Brussels Agreement was signed, Pristina has refused to form the CSM (ZSO) and assessed that the international community bears special responsibility for this.

"When you look at everything that has happened in the last 10 years, you will see that the international community - the European Union and those who supported the dialogue process - bear a special responsibility, because they were obliged to put pressure on Pristina to form the CSM (ZSO)", Petkovic said.

According to him, the CSM (ZSO) represents the "backbone of the dialogue process", and Serbia entered that process to secure collective and individual rights for the Serbian people through that community, as provided for in the Brussels and other agreements.

He emphasized that the CSM (ZSO) for Belgrade is a key condition for the further process of normalization of relations with Pristina.

"What was agreed upon in Ohrid implies that the first obligation is the formation of the ZSO and that this is Pristina's obligation," said Petkovic.

And what was Albin Kurti awarded for?

Speaking about Kosovo's visa liberalization with the European Union, Petkovic said that Serbia has nothing against it, because freedom of movement is needed, but that it is a problem because Albin Kurti was "directly rewarded" by that EP decision.

"And what was he rewarded for? For expelling the Serbs? For putting pressure on every day? Because he generates crises non-stop in the north of Kosovo and Metohija? He was rewarded for that," said Petkovic.

According to him, both when it comes to visa liberalization and when it comes to Pristina's efforts to become a member of the Council of Europe, "Germany plays a key role", which supports Kosovo in those processes.

N1 recalled that ten years ago, today (2013), the then Prime Minister of Serbia, Ivica Dacic, and the former Prime Minister of Kosovo, Hashim Thaci, signed the "First Agreement on the Main Principles of Normalization" of relations between Belgrade and Pristina, the so-called Brussels Agreement.

The agreement, which has 15 points, foresees the establishment of the Community of Serbian majority municipalities and the integration of the police and judiciary from the north of Kosovo into the framework of the Kosovo system.

Dacic: Pristina's CoE bid will not be on agenda on Wednesday (Tanjug)

Serbian FM Ivica Dacic said on Tuesday that Pristina’s membership bid in the CoE would not be discussed by the organisation's Committee of Ministers on Wednesday, reported Tanjug yesterday.

"The fact that someone is talking about that, as well as about visa liberalisation, in the days that mark ten years since the signing of the Brussels Agreement - from which they (Pristina) have implemented nothing - is an act of huge hypocrisy and brazenness towards the Republic of Serbia," Dacic told reporters in Strasbourg, where he is visiting the CoE on the 20th anniversary of Serbia's membership in the organisation.

He said it was unclear whether and when the membership bid would be included in the agenda but noted that a group of countries led by Germany believed it needed to be done immediately.

"It is only after the establishment of a Community of Serb Municipalities that other things can be discussed," Dacic said, noting that forming the Community was a commitment undertaken by Pristina ten years ago.

He said high-level discussions about the Community would begin in May.

He said the conditions were still not in place for a debate on the membership of Pristina in CoE and noted that something like that would be contrary to the idea of showing unity ahead and during a CoE summit in Reykjavik.

Dacic said that Pristina believe it has secured the required majority, but many countries that recognized Kosovo believe this was not the time to discuss its CoE membership, reported Tanjug.

"It is certain that it will not and cannot be discussed at tomorrow's session because it is not on the agenda and because the material for that item has not been prepared," Dacic said, adding that there might be a request to hold an additional session on the issue at a later date.

"In any case, there is great pressure," he said.

Commenting on a European Parliament decision to grant visa liberalisation to citizens of Kosovo, Dacic said it was "a shameful way of highlighting a message that, in fact, Kosovo does not need to implement anything."

He said it was a "reward for someone who has been refusing for ten years to implement what has been signed in the Brussels Agreement."

"In that sense, it is a very bad message and a very bad decision for the entire negotiating process and the process of normalisation," Dacic said, noting that establishment of the Community of Serbian Municipalities was a number one priority.

Kosovo Police calls minorities to apply for jobs (KoSSev, N1)

The Kosovo Police called minorities to apply to join the force, the KoSSev news portal said on Tuesday.

It said that the police press release did not specify the number of new officers. Applications can only be made in person and not online, it added.

More than 500 Serb police officers quit the force last November amid a dispute between Belgrade and Pristina over car license plates issued by the Serbian authorities.

This was the second call for minority officers in the past two months, reported KoSSev.

Ziadeh: Perpetrators to be held responsible for arson incident at the church in Prizren (euronews.rs, Tanjug, RTS, Kosovo Online)

The Special Representative of the Secretary General (SRSG) and the head of UNMIK, Caroline Ziadeh, condemned the incident in which a fire was set at the door of the Church of St. Panteleimon in Prizren, saying that the perpetrators must be held accountable, reported Serbian media.

As UNMIK announced on Twitter, Ziadeh pointed out that attacks on religious and cultural facilities undermine inter-ethnic and inter-religious relations.

"SRSG Ziadeh condemns the arson incident against the Saint Pantelija Orthodox Church in Prizren on Monday. Attacks against religious & cultural sites undermine interethnic & interreligious relations. Perpetrators must be held accountable & freedom of religion upheld," read Twitter post, cited Serbian media.

Elections in the north: Voting containers in places inhabited by Albanians and at crossings (Kontakt plus radio, Klan)

Kontakt plus radio reported, citing Klan, that in the north of Kosovo, on April 23, voting will also take place in alternative polling centers.

According to Klan, containers will be placed that will serve as facilities for voting on Sunday.

The CEC has certified 19 polling centers, most of which are substitutes.

Apart from Jarinje, containers will be placed at the entrance to Leposavic, Kosutova and at the exit from Socanica.

Alternatively, in Zubin Potok, voting will take place in Jasonevik, near the Brnjak crossing and at the exit from the city in the direction of Mitrovica.

The CEC also decided for Zvecan, where voting will take place at the swimming pool in this town, then at the entrance to Banjska and next to the main road to Mitrovica near the road leading to Zaze.

Bosnjacka mahala, Tri solitera and Bus station will be points for North Mitrovica.

Out of 19 polling centers this time, there are a total of 34 polling stations, reported Kontakt plus radio.

Jevtic: The elections in the north of Kosovo contrary to democracy (Beta, TV Prva, KiM radio)

The vice-president of the Serbian List, Dalibor Jevtic, assessed that the elections in four municipalities in the north of Kosovo are contrary to democracy and do not contribute to calming tensions and building trust, reported KiM radio.

"Now you have an attempt at an election process in the north of Kosovo without the participation of Serbs and an attempt to bring to power those who make up two percent of the population in areas where 98 percent of the Serbian population lives," Jevtic told TV Prva.

He assessed that it is a "picture and opportunity" of what Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti calls democracy and "his ultimate goal - that there are no Serbs in that area."

Asked if he expects any incidents or riots on Sunday during the elections, Jevtic said that they will do everything to preserve the peace and not react in any way to possible provocations.

"If someone really wanted to avoid a tense situation, they would have postponed those elections, they would have taken the steps that would ensure peace in accordance with the demands of the Serbian List and the conclusions from Raska, but here it is very clear that, above all, Albin Kurti does not want to calm down situation," said Jevtic.

Elections in North Mitrovica, Zubin Potok, Leposavic and Zvecan, where Serbs make up the majority of the population, are scheduled for Sunday, April 23.

Serbs from the north of Kosovo, who left the Pristina institutions, the police and the judiciary in November, announced that they will not participate in those elections because the conditions they set when they left the institutions, i.e., the Kosovo police withdrawal from the north and the formation of the Community of Serbian Municipalities, were not met.

Simic: We will not stop demanding the CSM (ZSO), we will remain a thorn to Pristina (Kosovo Online, TV Pink)

Serbian List Vice President, Igor Simic told TV Pink that if the Serbs insist on fulfilling the Brussels Agreement, signed ten years ago, it would not be a dead letter but an obligation that Pristina must fulfill, reported Kosovo Online.

He said that Serbs did not consider the Brussels Agreement a dead letter, as Albin Kurti wished.

"As long as Serbs insist on the Brussels Agreement, it will not be a dead letter but an obligation that Pristina must fulfil. We will be a thorn in Pristina's side that will continue to bother everyone in Pristina who hinders the formation of an institution that is of vital importance to Serbs, and that is the Community of Serbian Municipalities," Simic stated.

Simic considered the EP decision on visa liberalization for Kosovo as evidence of the paradox, in which Serbs lived and the double standards to which they were exposed, primarily by certain centers of power.

"Ten years have passed, and Pristina has not taken a single step towards establishing the CSM, although the first six points referred to it. The Community was supposed to be the umbrella organization of Serbs, which would protect the rights of Serbs and create conditions for normal coexistence. It is obvious that strong mentors of Pristina, regardless of who is in power, are standing by them," he emphasized.

He said that the obligations of the Brussels Agreement, after ratification in parliament, had become international obligations.

Asked about Kurti's statement during the Easter congratulations that he would continue to take care of Serbs, Simic said that Kurti had never congratulated Serbs on Easter or Christmas, but citizens of the Orthodox faith, as he had done for this Easter.

"It is difficult for him to mention Serbs. What he said shows that his care has brought us to the point where members of Kosovo institutions shot at five Serbs. What he says indicates that he will not stop the repression of Serbs in Kosovo," Simic said.

Asked what he expected after the local elections in four municipalities in northern Kosovo on April 23, Simic said that Kurti would once again violate the Brussels Agreement, which clearly defined how elections could be held.

"The barrier to his intention to form the CSM based on his interests will be the six mayors in the south who come from the Serbian List. These elections in the north will be another opportunity to understand that they are illegitimate because the Serbian people will not accept them, nor any decision that Kurti plans with his representatives," Simic emphasized.

Simic said that through these elections, "after a year-long military occupation, Kurti plans to finish the occupation process, but it will not be accepted by the Serbian people", reported Kosovo Online.

Analysis from Ljubljana: Montenegro's agreement with the SOC, a model for Kosovo (Danas)

If the elections in the north of Kosovo are held on April 23, it is necessary to introduce a moratorium on the presence of special police units, as well as to ensure the permanent presence of EULEX members at two checkpoints, one after the Jarinje crossing, and the other near the Bistrica Bridge, on the Mitrovica-Leposavic road, it was suggested in the analysis of the International Institute for Middle Eastern and Balkan Studies (IFIMES), based in Ljubljana (Slovenia).

Danas portal wrote that in the text of this non-governmental organization, which regularly analyzes events in the Middle East and the Balkans, it was concluded that Kosovo society must persist in seeking the much-needed social consensus and compromise, and it proposes as a model the agreement signed by Montenegro with the Serbian Orthodox Church.

Danas cited that part of the analysis in its entirety:

Dritan Abazovic's proposal - how to create an inclusive society

"Have Kosovo's leaders learned a lesson from the recent visit of the Prime Minister of Montenegro to Kosovo, Dritan Abazovic (URA), an ethnic Albanian, a member of the minority community, who, on the example of Montenegro, showed how to achieve social consensus, compromises, create an inclusive society and how to respect each other and cherish diversity.

During his visit to Kosovo, Abazovic met with all key political actors and representatives of all religious and minority communities.

PM Abazovic stated that the agreement signed by Montenegro with the Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC) can be a model that Kosovo can implement without problems. He does not say in the same way, but Kosovo can also have that agreement with the Orthodox Church as a model - Abazovic said and stated that "when the people relax, it only benefits''.

There are barriers in the minds of politicians, which must be further broken down. We have been talking about the same things for twenty years. I believe that guarantees should come from an international factor and be signed, said the Montenegrin Prime Minister.

Abazovic also stated that if the issue with Aleksandar Vucic (SNS) is not resolved, it will take a long time.

Regardless of what I think, Vucic has great political stability in Serbia and whoever comes after him, it will be very difficult, for some historical issues in the political sense - he said and added that waiting does not suit either side.

Abazovic pointed out that Montenegro was very interested in "an agreement between Kosovo and Serbia, because it would be helpful for the region as well." He repeated that Montenegro is ready to serve as a "logistic place" for a meeting like the one in Ohrid.

"The Brussels agreement is a good basis for the future," said Abazovic and added that if Montenegro can be part of the guarantee for overcoming the problem, then it can be done.

It is justified to ask the question when will this kind of political discourse, which is focused on the future, be taken up by the leaders of Kosovo, when will the prime minister or president of Kosovo be a member of a minority community? Is the Kosovo leadership ready for this historic step forward?", reported Danas portal, citing IFIMES analyses.

The EU decision on visas: Residents of Kosovo with Serbian passports are the most discriminated group in Europe (Kosovo Online)

After the decision of the European Parliament to grant the citizens of Kosovo a visa-free regime, residents of Kosovo with Serbian passports are left without the possibility to travel freely and thus could become second-class citizens and a unique case of discrimination in Europe. The interlocutors of Kosovo Online warn against this and point out that this issue needs to be resolved urgently.

Since 2009, when Serbia was granted a visa-free regime with the EU, the issuing of passports to the Serbs and Albanians residing in Kosovo has been taken over by the Coordination Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in Belgrade. Kosovo considers these passports invalid, other countries recognize them, but a visa is required to travel with them to the EU.

This was the result of an agreement between Serbia and the EU, so that, after the decision was made to abolish visas for citizens of Serbia, the passports of those residing in Kosovo would be exempted from the visa-free regime, due to the fear of illegal migration.

After the EU's decision to abolish visas for Kosovo, it remains unclear whether the passports issued by the Coordination Administration for citizens residing in Kosovo will enter the process of visa liberalization approved by the EU.

If this does not happen, the holders of those passports, and not only Serbs but also members of other ethnic minorities in Kosovo, as well as some Albanians, could remain the most discriminated subgroup on the territory of Europe.

Dusan Radakovic, director of the NGO Center for the Representation of Democratic Culture - ACDC, tells Kosovo Online that the situation has been very complicated since 2009 when it comes to passports issued by the Coordination Directorate.

International

American Corners Bring US Closer to Kosovar Youth (Prishtina Insight)

The three American Corners in Kosovo provide hundreds of Kosovar students with free workshops in the English language, computer programming and entrepreneurship skills.

Durim Kolukaj’s mother complains that he spends more time at the American Corner Prizren than at home. Kolukaj, an active participant and volunteer, does not disagree. “If they give me the keys, I would stay all night,” he jokes.

Kolukaj began volunteering at the American Corner Prizren in 2018 when he was a student at the university.

The American Corner Prizren is one of three American Corners in Kosovo, with the other two in Prishtina and Mitrovica. The Corners offer free programs in English language learning, cultural exchange, STEM education, and entrepreneurship.

Many programs target “youth in transition” [ages 14-24], but the American Corners also offer classes and workshops for children and adults, especially women.

For Kolukaj, every activity at the American Corner offers a “new experience” and “a chance to learn something new.” He credits his strong English language skills, broad worldview and leadership abilities to the American Corner Prizren’s programs.

Humanitarian/Development

Energy from the wind in Bajgora (Kosovo 2.0)

In the former Yugoslavia, Mitrovica was one of the cities that contributed most to the economy due to the Trepča factory. Today, the situation is different. The ruins of the former battery factory, located at the first crossroads as you enter the city, darken the view of the city as you arrive from Prishtina. But 20 kilometers away in Shala e Bajgorës, 27 electricity-producing wind turbines seem to offer a response to the narrative of the city’s economic decline.

The road to the Selac Wind Farm passes through Stan Tërg, where minerals have been extracted from underground for centuries. The route that leads to Shala e Bajgorës does not prepare you for the beautiful view of the wind farm. The hilltops are occupied by long-armed turbines, which create electricity with the force of the wind.

To the right of the road to the wind farm, a large sign warns you to be careful and not approach the turbines, along with some other rules and prohibitions. These rules are often not respected by photography enthusiasts; many young couples from Mitrovica even choose to take their wedding photos here.

Once an undeveloped hill, today it is home to over two dozen wind turbines manufactured by General Electrics, which can generate 105 MW at full capacity. SOWI, a Kosovar-German-Israeli collaboration, completed the farm in December 2021. It stands as the largest renewable energy project in Kosovo, accounting for almost half of all renewable energy production. The project’s cost was around 170 million euros, 58 million of which were loans granted by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.