Albanian Language Media:

• Osmani: Legal basis for petition for elections in north, a matter of days (Albanian Post)
• Osmani comments on reactions to Kurti’s visit in North Macedonia (Dukagjini)
• Gervalla: New recognitions of Kosovo expected (RTK)
• Police confiscate over 1,200 bullets in a village near Zvecan (Nacionale)
• Government comments on media reports about number of Kurti’s advisors (media)
• VV municipal councillor in Pristina arrested in anti-drug operation in Tirana (Koha)
• AJK condemns lynching campaign against Nacionale reporters in Prizren (Kallxo)

Serbian Language Media:

• Von Cramon: Pristina to meet its obligations, then talk about Serbia, special police to leave municipal facilities (KoSSev)
• Deadline for vacating public spaces in Mitrovica North expired, what will happen with decision (KoSSev)
• Serbian List reacts to Atiq’s decision on free public spaces in Mitrovica North (Kosovo Online, media)
• Odalovic: Kurti playing with fire, Europe on vacation, Belgrade does not suit idling (RTS)

International:

• Kosovo Presses Montenegro Not to Allow Serbia to Sell its Assets (BIRN)

   

Albanian Language Media  

  Osmani: Legal basis for petition for elections in north, a matter of days (Albanian Post)

Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani told reporters today that the legal basis for using the right of petition that leads to early elections in the four northern municipalities will be ready in a matter of days. “It is a matter of days when the legal basis will be ready in terms of the legal acts and those of the Ministry and the Central Election Commission that determine the timelines and procedural technical issues on the implementation of Article 72 of the Law on Local Self-Government,” she said. 

Osmani also said that she is confident that once the legal basis is ready for the petition in the north, “the citizens there will want to exercise this right, and I have this conviction from the communication we have every day”. “It is crucial for the international community to ask [Serbian President] Vucic to stop the negative influence, the intimidation of citizens, and the violence of the illegal structures against the people in the north, and to allow them to use their rights guaranteed by the constitution. But I don’t see readiness from Vucic to stop the institutional aggression he continuously carries out against his neighbors,” Osmani argued.

Osmani comments on reactions to Kurti’s visit in North Macedonia (Dukagjini)

Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani said today that relations between Kosovo and North Macedonia are positive and that they advance every day. During a visit to the municipality of Dragash, Osmani said: “As far as the issue of North Macedonia is concerned, it is one of the most precious neighbours of Kosovo. One of the countries that recognised the independence of our country in the most critical times. The communication between our citizens and the people of North Macedonia have been excellent and these relations are advancing every day. Albanians that live there are a strong bridge in every area of life. In rallies, organisers do not control what citizens hold in their hands, but certainly if the institutions of North Macedonia have any concern, our only request as institutions is that everything should be done in line with the highest standards for the protection of human rights, the protection of non-majority communities, and while respecting the state-forming role,” she said.

“I had an excellent visit there and I thank President Pendarovski for the reception. I believe it is a minor misunderstanding and when there is readiness from both sides it can be overcome. All institutions of Kosovo are interested to have increasingly positive relations with North Macedonia. As head of the foreign policy, I have asked for more information from the embassy, but I have not yet received any official information. I see this as a gesture of a citizen and I don’t think it was institutionally organised,” Osmani said.

The news website notes that on August 11, Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti attended two events in Cair and Tetovo, Albanian-inhabited municipalities in North Macedonia. North Macedonia President Pendarovski said on August 13 that “the organisers of the public rallies in Tetovo and Cair must be sanctioned for ignoring state symbols, but also for displaying provocative nationalistic symbols that promote chauvinistic ideas of greater countries”.

Gervalla: New recognitions of Kosovo expected (RTK)

Kosovo’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Donika Gervalla, said on Monday that there are positive movements toward securing new recognitions for Kosovo. She expressed reservations when asked about the possibility of Ukraine recognising Kosovo. 

Gervalla said Kosovo is focused on the five non-recognising EU member states, “because we think that if we don’t get those recognitions Kosovo’s Euro-Atlantic could be faced with a serious challenge”. “Membership in international organisations should not become only a formal issue. We applied for membership in the Council of Europe last May. We passed the first phase. Now the issue is with the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and there is great support for Kosovo there,” she said.

Commenting on the EU penalty measures against Kosovo, Gervalla argued that they should be lifted as soon as possible. “In my opinion those measures are senseless and should be removed as soon as possible. Allow me not to publicly comment on how the process will go … because we need to maintain confidentiality with our partners,” she said.

Police confiscate over 1,200 bullets in a village near Zvecan (Nacionale)

The news website reports that during a routine patrol, the Rapid Reaction Unit of Kosovo Police found and confiscated over 1,200 bullets near an abandoned house in the village of Rudine in the municipality of Zvecan.

Government comments on media reports about number of Kurti’s advisors (media)

The Kosovo government reacted today to reports in some media about the number of Prime Minister Albin Kurti’s advisors. A government spokesperson said that Kurti does not have 38 advisors as was reported in the media. The total number of advisors, including external advisors, is 25 and eight of them are not paid from the Kosovo budget. The spokesperson also said that the number of 38 officials includes the total number of staff appointed in the office of the Prime Minister: 25 advisors, 10 employees, including executive and administrative staff, photographer, protocol officials, and assistants.

VV municipal councillor in Pristina arrested in anti-drug operation in Tirana (Koha)

Albanian Police said in a statement today that five people, including two Kosovars, were arrested today in Tirana, Albania, during an anti-drug operation. The suspects were caught with 11,300 ecstasy pills worth around €400,000. One of the arrested is Besnik Mujeci, a Vetevendosje representative in the municipal assembly of Pristina, Tirana-based Top Channel reports. Arlind Manxhuka, secretary for media and communications at Vetevendosje, told Koha: “Upon receiving the information, we have immediately initiated a disciplinary procedure. The Vetevendosje Disciplinary Committee will hold an urgent meeting to discuss the case. After the meeting we will inform you about the decision”.

AJK condemns lynching campaign against Nacionale reporters in Prizren (Kallxo)

The Association of Journalists of Kosovo (AJK) expressed concern today over a lynching campaign against the news website Nacionale and its reporters. AJK said that a banner was placed in the city of Prizren depicting two reporters of the news website and calling for a boycott of the news website. “Justice for the people, condemnation for dividers. Boycott Nacionale. The freedom of speech ends when insult begins,” the banner says. AJK said in a statement that this act is unacceptable and that it targets the reporters and their families. The Association also called on Kosovo Police and law enforcement authorities to remove the banner and carry out investigations into the act that contains and incites hate speech.

   

Serbian Language Media

  Von Cramon: Pristina to meet its obligations, then talk about Serbia, special police to leave municipal facilities (KoSSev)

European Parliament MP Viola Von Cramon told Teve1 that Kosovo lacks credibility among international stakeholders. She also said Kosovo must meet its obligations before it starts talking about the Serbian side, KoSSev portal reports.

“You do not solve your problems, it looks like you are looking for culprits somewhere else”, she is quoted as saying in relation to the latest political events in Kosovo.

According to her, Kosovo lacks credibility among the international community and she also called upon Pristina to commence implementation of the agreements with Belgrade as soon as possible.

“At this moment I see no political willingness on either side to implement the agreement. It would be good for Kosovo to focus on itself and fulfil obligations it undertook. You are not making any changes if you point your finger somewhere else. At least this is the stance of the main EU institutions. If Kosovo wishes to become an important player in the international community, then it must first prove it is a credible player, but it is not demonstrating so”, she said.

She said it would be the right decision that Pristina fully withdraw all special police units from municipal facilities in the north.

“All the mess that was created in the north of Kosovo must be fixed. In relation to this issue there is an agreement already, it only needs to be respected. Therefore it would be a right act to withdraw all Kosovo special police units from municipal facilities in the north of Kosovo. Before starting to talk about the Serbian side, it would be better that you implement your duties first”, she is quoted as telling Teve1.  

Deadline for vacating public spaces in Mitrovica North expired, what will happen with decision (KoSSev)

KoSSev portal said today it has received a reply from Mitrovica North mayoral cabinet representative Visar Syla confirming that a decision to make the public spaces in this town free from goods sold there will be implemented in coming days.

“In the coming days, Mayor Atiq’s decision will be implemented in every neighbourhood wherever it is necessary, given that the release of public areas is in the interest of citizens”, Syla is quoted as saying.

KoSSev recalled that new Mitrovica North mayor Erden Atiq made a decision last week requesting the public city areas be freed from goods within a five-day deadline. That deadline had expired on August 14.

The small businesspeople and traders KoSSev talked to were cautious in their answers, reluctant to comment, but also claimed that they have no one to complain to. Those KoSSev spoke with confirmed that no one from Mitrovica North Interim Municipal Authority contacted them either.

“No one from the authorities came to us here”, was the main comment KoSSev received yesterday from several vendors. According to the unofficial information KoSSev has received, the implementation of this decision will begin in the coming days.

As a source close to the municipal structures told KoSSev, the employees of the Directorate for Inspection Affairs will initially verbally inform the owners of shops and other facilities that it is necessary to vacate public areas.

Kosovo police told KoSSev portal yesterday that they were informed of the mayor’s decision. However, they also claimed that their assistance has not been requested for now.

Apart from the comments of a few active users on social media in Mitrovica North, the only political activist, Aleksandar Arsenijevic from CI Serbian Survival spoke publicly about Atiq’s decision, opposing it and stressing that it endangers businesspeople.

“We believe that with this decision Mr. Atiq wants to destroy this slightly crippled economy, i.e. service activities in order to endanger a large number of citizens of all ethnicities”, Arsenijevic said. He also visited shops and vendors in the streets of Kralja Petra, Lole Ribara and Bosniak Mahala, including those that display goods on the sidewalk.

He asked the mayor to annul this decision, and if it doesn’t happen he said “there will surely be a reaction from the people, which is not in anyone’s interest at this moment”.

He pointed out that contrary to Atiq’s decision, jardiniere planters were placed along the very fence of the North Mitrovica building, that is, on the sidewalk.

“Mr. Atiq does not respect his own decisions that he made or wants to apply it selectively”, Arsenijevic said.

Serbian List reacts to Atiq’s decision on free public spaces in Mitrovica North (Kosovo Online, media)

Serbian List on behalf of the citizens in Mitrovica North called upon the international community to react and prevent possible escalation that may be caused by implementation of the new Mitrovica North mayor Erden Atiq decision requesting vendors to free public spaces in this town, Kosovo Online portal reports.

Serbian List in a statement appealed to the international community to react and prevent “(Albin) Kurti’s mayor from creating an additional problem”.

“By rising tensions with the unreasonable decision of a man who has no legitimacy whatsoever, and calls himself a mayor, survival of the Serbian people providing commercial and gastronomy services have been brought to question, same as financial existence of hundreds of Serbian families (…)”, Serbian List said in a statement.

“This ill-favoured decision runs contrary to the interests of residents of our municipality of all ethnicities and will create new problems in our city, but also represents continuation of a series of anti-Serb decisions made by this quasi mayor”, Serbian List added.

“It sounds unrealistic and unbelievable that a couple of stands or seats placed in front of cafes are the biggest and the most urgent problem in our society at this moment. Moreover, this looks like intentional mistreatment of the citizens, denial of their rights to work and survive at those areas, with an aim, let us repeat it, to additional destabilisation and escalation of the situation on the ground, contrary to all the efforts we all together with representatives of the international community are investing”, the statement said.  

Odalovic: Kurti playing with fire, Europe on vacation, Belgrade does not suit idling (RTS) 

Serbian Government Missing Persons Commission Chairman, Veljko Odalovic, told RTS that Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti's actions represent playing with fire. He added that Europe is on vacation and silent, however idling does not suit Belgrade, but rather activities that should take place in relation to the north of Kosovo, de-escalation and preparations for the elections, as agreed, RTS reports this morning.

According to RTS, a few days have passed however the visit of Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti to North Macedonia, out of the official protocols, with the symbols of “Greater Albania”, is still a topic discussed throughout the region.

Odalovic told the RTS morning program these are things that must be sanctioned, because it is unacceptable that such things happen on the territory of a sovereign state and then there is no reaction.

"The way Albin Kurti came, the reason he was there, what he was doing there, is something that is dangerous, playing with a fire that can be ignited in that area", warned Odalovic.

According to Odalovic, Kurti is trying to present himself as the leader of the Albanians and in the south of central Serbia, in the municipalities of Presevo and Bujanovac.

"Europe is on vacation and is silent, so being on vacation does not suit us. And the idling, in which activities should be taking place regarding the issue of northern Kosovo and Metohija, de-escalation and preparations for the elections, as agreed, but what we hear is not right. Because it is obvious that things like this must be condemned, because this is a dangerous situation, this is playing with fire", Odalovic told RTS.

He believes that ''Kurti reckons that time will do everything, that the Serbs will give up and leave Kosovo under the terror he is conducting, the institutional terror''.

"He wants to destroy and humiliate the Brussels Agreement, just as Resolution 1244 does not exist for them. For us, international documents are sacred. We hope that Europe will come to its senses and start respecting what they brought", said Odalovic.

   

International 

  Kosovo Presses Montenegro Not to Allow Serbia to Sell its Assets (BIRN)

Kosovo was not part of the agreement on succession issues of the Yugoslav federation – and is struggling to stop Serbia selling off the remaining assets of its socially-owned enterprises in Montenegro.

Kosovo’s Privatisation Agency, KPA, has for a second time asked Montenegro’s Real Estate Administration to halt a contract signed between Serbia’s Liquidation and Bankruptcy Unit and a Bosnian citizen, Andjela Sekulovic, for the sale of six properties that belonged to a socially owned Kosovo enterprise.

The enterprise was also registered under the real estate administration in Podgorica.

According to KPA, the socially owned enterprise “Kosova Export-Butcher”, based in Fushe Kosovo/Kosovo Polje, was informed on April 5 that the Transport and Production Enterprise DD “Klanica”, based in Kraljevo, Serbia, and Serbia’sLiquidation and Bankruptcy Unit, had signed an agreement for the sale of Klanica’s assets to Sekulovic on March 4.

In its complaint, the KPA said that it is unlawful for Serbia’s Liquidation and Bankruptcy Unit to act on behalf of a Kosovo enterprise.

‘Klanica’ is a fictitious enterprise registered in 1998 as a joint-stock company by its Serbian management during Serbia’s repressive rule [in Kosovo]. Legally, its only owner is the Kosovo Privatization Company,” the KPA told BIRN.

Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/595rxzmu