UNIMK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, January 16, 2024

Albanian Language Media:

Lajcak meets O’Brien: Good to reconfirm we are fully on same page (media)
Hasani: Region is under threat; Albania and Kosovo to cooperate (media)
Osmani hosts Hasani: We count on Albania’s support in every journey (Koha)
Maqedonci: Procedures to purchase Javelins initiated in 2019 (TeVe1)
Trajkovic: Bomb in the north was Radojicic’s message to Serbs (media)
Hartwell: Vucic wants to portray Kosovo as threat for all Serbs in region (media)
Novakovic: Serbia has become state of political assassinations (Kosovapress)
Kamberi: Presevo Valley Albanians must reject compulsory military service (Klan)

Serbian Language Media:

Vucic arrives in Switzerland for WEF meeting in Davos (Tanjug)
Six years since murder of Oliver Ivanovic, commemorations in Belgrade and Mitrovica North (RTS)
Botsan-Kharchenko: Kosovo issue to be resolved after change of geopolitical circumstances (Kosovo Online, Politika)
Ten years since murder of Dimitrije Janicijevic (KoSSev, Radio kontakt plus)
One person injured in explosion admitted to hospital, Kosovo police present in front and inside health facility (Kosovo Online)
Press conference of Gervala and Hasani without translation in Serbian language (Kosovo Online)
Senior Bundeswehr General in Kosovo (N1, KoSSev)

International:

Election in the Air: Might Kosovo’s Kurti go to the Polls Early? (Balkan Insight)
Candles Lit for Kosovo Serb Politician on Murder Anniversary (Balkan Insight)

Albanian Language Media

Lajcak meets O’Brien: Good to reconfirm we are fully on same page (media)

EU Special Representative for the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia, Miroslav Lajcak, met today with the U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, in Davos today. “Kicked off my week in Davos Jim O’Brien. Important to have this conversation about the Balkans right at the beginning of the year. We want to see the region moving forward for the benefit of their citizens. Good to reconfirm that we are fully on the same page,” Lajcak wrote in a post on X.

Hasani: Region is under threat; Albania and Kosovo to cooperate (media)

Albania’s Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Igli Hasani, said today in a joint press conference with his Kosovo counterpart Donika Gervalla, that “the region today is more under threat than in any other moment in the last decade”, Albanian Post reports.

Hasani said that despite the progress achieved in the last couple of years, the region is faced with a delicate time and that the time has come for pro-EU countries and forces in the region to further cooperation toward peace, security, and integration. He also said that Albania and Kosovo are at the heart of efforts for cooperation for the future of the region.

Hasani condemned the attack in the north of Kosovo in September last year, saying that “it was a criminal act against the stability, independence, and rule of law in Kosovo”. “The authors and organizers must be held accountable and be brought to justice as soon as possible in order to prevent any further escalation,” he argued.

Radio Free Europe quotes Hasani as saying that “Serbia should stop sending its army at the border with Kosovo”.

Koha quotes Kosovo Foreign Minister Donika Gervalla as saying that the international community should announce its position “about the Serbian attack in Banjska” and that “the aggressor must be sanctioned”. According to Gervalla “the lack of sanctions involves the risk of repetition”. She said that for the sake of peace, the international community must not remain silent but harshly condemn any attempt to cause instability.

Gervalla also said that the attack near a hotel in the north of Kosovo on Monday shows that the security situation remains a challenge. “We must remain vigilant because organized crime and the structures coming from Serbia, this year too, will try to destabilize the situation,” she said.

Gervalla is quoted as saying in Kallxo that “the report for September 24 is clear for everyone and the time has come for the European Union to express its position about what happened in Banjska and not allow it to happen again. We have shared information with our partners that not far from the border with Kosovo other groups are being trained and that this should come to an end”.

Osmani hosts Hasani: We count on Albania’s support in every journey (Koha)

Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani, said today after meeting Albanian Foreign Minister Igli Hasani that Kosovo counts on Albania’s support in every journey. “Welcome Igli! As always the citizens of Kosovo count on Albania’s support. When we stand by each other there is no challenge that cannot be overcome and no result that cannot be achieved with success,” Osmani wrote in a Facebook post.

A press release issued by Osmani’s office notes that they discussed the latest political and security developments and the need for continuous inter-state coordination on foreign policy. “Osmani said Kosovo still needs Albania’s support on the international arena, especially for the organization which it has not joined yet,” the press release said.

Osmani also said that Kosovo’s institutions remain committed to coordinating and cooperating with international partners and friendly countries in the region in addressing security challenges. “President Osmani said that the latest developments in the north of Kosovo and the hostile actions by Serbia and its leadership require greater engagement and attention by the international community but also countries in the region, in the service of safeguarding peace and stability”.

Maqedonci: Procedures to purchase Javelins initiated in 2019 (TeVe1)

Kosovo’s Minister of Defense, Ejup Maqedonci, said in an interview with TeVe1 that the procedures to purchase Javelin rockets from the U.S. were initiated during the Haradinaj-led government, when former PM Haradinaj sent a letter to the U.S. State Department.

“The operation needs of the Kosovo Security Force were identified in 2019. The FMS code was opened during the first Kurti government, more precisely in April 2020, but was earlier initiated through a letter that former Prime Minister [Ramush] Haradinaj sent to the State Department. Later when the code was opened in April 2020, were addressed not only requests for the Javelin system but for all other systems, and it all culminated in the last three-year period with an additional budget. The total increase of military purchases was made in the last three years,” he said.

Trajkovic: Bomb in the north was Radoicic’s message to Serbs (media)

Rada Trajkovic, a politician from Kosovo and advisor to the Minister for Communities and Returns, Nenad Rasic, has stated that last night's bomb explosion in the north of Mitrovica was a message to the Serbs from the north of Kosovo that they can pass like Oliver Ivanovic, while she said that there are rumors that the master criminal Milan Radoicic is around the north and aims for revenge.

"This is a message, first of all, for the Serbs from the north of Kosovo: "We are here! If you are not loyal to a good extent, you can go the same way as Oliver", said Trajkovic.

She recalls that there is a document about the involvement of Milan Radoicic and Zvonko Veselinovic in the murder of Ivanovic, which came from the U.S. government.

"They are on the blacklist as being involved in organizing the murder of Oliver Ivanovic. People are not blacklisted without evidence and materials. I don't know how much Serbia has asked the U.S. government to inform them of its findings on Oliver's murder, but I don't think it has asked for anything. Both Veselinovic and Radojicic are people with the greatest business confidence from the government of Serbia and Aleksandar Vucic, because they get the most profitable projects and have become millionaires," Trajkovic said.

She further emphasized that Milan Radoicic is under investigation for the Banjska case and that the Serbian state should be directly responsible for it.

"There are rumors that he is around the north of Kosovo and that he is preparing revenge for the killed young people. In general, we expect that the American ambassador Christopher Hill will ask Vucic why the people who are on the black list of the USA are his biggest collaborators", she said.

She considers that the strength of Vucic's political power at this moment is very dangerous for the Serbian state and the Serbian people.

"After Banjska, he should not negotiate, because his negotiating capacity is no longer important. He should answer for Banjska, because the evidence shows Radoicic’s connection with the security authorities. So many weapons cannot be found just like that", Trajkovic underlined.

She also accused the Serbian president of allowing many cadres in Serbia's security services to be appointed by Radoicic and Veselinovic.

Hartwell: Vucic wants to portray Kosovo as threat for all Serbs in region (media)

Several news websites cover an interview that Leon Hartwell, a non-resident senior fellow at the Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA), gave to the Voice of America highlighting his remark that Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, with his narrative, wants to portray Kosovo as a threat for Serbs in the region. Commenting on Vucic’s reaction to the U.S. giving the greenlight for Kosovo to purchase Javelin rockets, Hartwell said: “this narrative serves to shift the attention from domestic challenges and strengthens his non-liberal regime. Seeing what he has done to create escalation in Kosovo, this seems as an intentional strategy to destabilize the neighbors and to shift the attention away from domestic problems”.

Hartwell further argued that the adopted sale is an unmistakable indicator that the U.S. are ready to strengthen Pristina’s long-term defense capabilities and a key way to discourage Serbia from engaging in actions that can escalate tensions in Kosovo.

Novakovic: Serbia has become state of political assassinations (Kosovapress)

Serbian opposition politician and member of the Serbian Parliament, Borislav Novakovic, said today in Mitrovica North during a commemoration ceremony for Kosovo Serb politician Oliver Ivanovic who was killed in 2018, that “Serbia has become a state of political assassinations, and behind us are the political assassinations of Ivan Stambolic, Zoran Djindjic, the murder attempt on Vuk Draskovic, the assassination of Slavko Curuvija and the assassination of Oliver Ivanovic”.

According to Novakovic, Serbia cannot become a civilized state while these assassinations remain unresolved and while there are still circumstances for such killings. “The statements we hear from government representatives are shameful. I want to remind you that in Parliament we could hear the Minister of Police accusing Germany that they know who is the assassin [of Oliver Ivanovic] and that they are protecting him. The same person, Gasic, at the time of the assassination, was the leading person in BIA [Serbian Agency for Security and Intelligence], and the moment he made that statement, which was irresponsible, he was the first man of Serbian Police. This is not the right course of action … We will not have any peace until the authors, those that gave the order, and the organizers of this assassination are discovered,” he is quoted as saying.

Serbian MP Srdjan Milivojevic said they made a request to the Parliament of Serbia to form a committee that would investigate the circumstances of Ivanovic’s assassination but that “Vucic’s regime never allowed this”.

Dejan Nedeljkovic, a former associate of Ivanovic, and Sava Manojlovic, a representative of civil society, criticized the authorities of Kosovo, Serbia, and the international community, for the fact that no one has been held accountable even six years after the assassination.

Kamberi: Presevo Valley Albanians must reject compulsory military service (Klan)

Shaip Kamberi, the only member of the Serbian Parliament, said today that Albanians in Presevo Valley [southern Serbia] must reject compulsory military service if it is introduced. “Statements about a compulsory military service in Serbia, although strategic marketing moves by President Aleksandar Vucic are unacceptable and must be rejected by Albanians in Presevo Valley,” Kamberi wrote in a Facebook post. “Serbia today is under no threat from any neighboring country. In fact, the event in Banjska on September 24 last year showed the violation of the integrity of neighboring countries and who aimed at aggression. The region needs peace and progress, otherwise, such war-inciting decisions will only take us back to the 1990s”.

Serbian Language Media

Vucic arrives in Switzerland for WEF meeting in Davos (Tanjug)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic on Tuesday arrived in Switzerland, where he will be attending the World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting in Davos until January 19, Tanjug news agency reports.

A post on Vucic's Instagram account included a photo from the alpine resort of Klosters near Davos, taken from a helicopter. Vucic will take part in a session titled Diplomatic Dialogue On The Western Balkans and also attend panels on Restoring The Faith In A Global System and Building A Europe Of The Future, as well as a discussion titled A New Eurasian Dawn, the presidential press office has announced.

While in Davos, Vucic will also have a series of bilateral meetings with global and European officials as well as many representatives of international organizations, financial institutions and leading global companies, the statement said.

Six years since murder of Oliver Ivanovic, commemorations in Belgrade and Mitrovica North (RTS)

Commemoration service was held at Saint Sava Temple in Belgrade on the sixth anniversary of the murder of Civic Initiative Freedom, Democracy, Justice (SDP) leader Oliver Ivanovic, RTS reports. At the same time, in front of his party premises in Mitrovica North where Ivanovic was murdered a tribute is paid to him by lighting candles and observing the minute of silence.

Serbian Prime Minister, Ana Brnabic and Defense Minister Milos Vucevic attended the commemoration in Belgrade. Ivanovic’s second wife Milena Popovic and their son, friends, relatives and Office for Kosovo and Metohija Director, Petar Petkovic were among present.

After the commemoration, Milena Popovic said six years after the murder, neither her nor anyone else have an answer to the question as to why Ivanovic was murdered. She said she remains convinced the truth will be revealed one day and that they will find out who murdered Oliver on January 16.

In Mitrovica North, Ivanovic’s first wife, Marina Ivanovic, friends, former members of his Civic Initiative and representatives of the opposition parties from central Serbia and civic movements paid the tribute.

Dejan Nedeljkovic, on behalf of the family, said that by gathering today, six years after his murder, “they remind how much Oliver is missing, now when Serbs in Kosovo live through their worst moments since 2000”. “I hope we won’t be here in 20 years, if we remain living in Kosovo with the same question – who killed Oliver Ivanovic?”, Nedeljkovic said.

Oliver Ivanovic was assassinated with six bullets in his back, on January 16, 2018, in front of his party premises in Mitrovica North. The murderers and order givers for his assassination remain unknown.

Botsan-Kharchenko: Kosovo issue to be resolved after change of geopolitical circumstances (Kosovo Online, Politika)

Russian Ambassador to Serbia, Alexander Botsan-Kharchenko told Belgrade-based Politika daily that Kosovo is not independent and shall never be, adding the Kosovo issue would be resolved in a right manner once geopolitical circumstances change, Kosovo Online portal reports.

“After all, does anyone believe that a constructive solution is possible for the Kosovo issue? Can mediation by the West contribute to this, if the West supports Kosovo so-called army and independent Kosovo? The weapons have arrived, and more will come”, Ambassador Botsan-Kharchenko said.

He emphasized Russia will never support a unilateral solution imposed by the West, and it will only support a solution Belgrade would agree to.

He pointed out that for the West independence of Kosovo was important and that status talks are important only with the aim of independence.

“There were two options only, first compromise with Serbia as a result of status negotiations, and if there is no compromise independence then. Of course, they opted for independence”, Botsan-Kharchenko added.

Ten years since murder of Dimitrije Janicijevic (KoSSev, Radio kontakt plus)

On January 16, 2014, ten years ago, Autonomous Liberal Party (SLS) municipal councilor in Mitrovica North was murdered with a firearm in front of his family home in this town, Radio kontakt plus reports.

He had a mother, wife and four children, the youngest being born after his death. Dimitrijevic was one of the five candidates runing for Mitrovica North mayor at elections held in November in 2013. His murderers and order givers for this crime are not identified yet.

One person injured in explosion admitted to hospital, Kosovo police present in front and inside health facility (Kosovo Online)

Duty surgeon at Mitrovica North Clinical Hospital Centre, Bojan Vucinic told Kosovo Online portal that last night, around the midnight, a man with multiple injuries caused by an explosive device has been admitted to the hospital, and as the portal’s reporter said Kosovo police members were present this morning in front of the hospital and at the surgery department.

Vucinic said the condition of the admitted man is being monitored, and no indications for carrying out urgent surgical intervention were established, adding check ups will be performed.

Press conference of Gervala and Hasani without translation in Serbian language (Kosovo Online)

Press conference of Kosovo Foreign Minister Donika Gervala and her counterpart from Albania, Igli Hasani, held this morning at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Pristina did not have translation in Serbian language provided, Kosovo Online portal reports.

Translation provision is one of the burning issues journalists from Serbian media outlets in Kosovo are facing and one of the most frequent forms of media freedom violations, the portal added.

The Kosovo Online portal team attended the conference and upon asking why translation in Serbian has not been provided, the cabinet extended an apology, promising it will send the speech in Serbian by email. However, by the time of publishing the article, the translation in Serbian from Foreign Ministry had not arrived, the portal said.

According to the Law on use of languages, Serbian and Albanian are official languages in Kosovo and have equal status.

Senior Bundeswehr General in Kosovo (N1, KoSSev)

German Lieutenant General Bernd Schutt met with NATO-led forces in Kosovo (KFOR) Commander Major General Ozkan Ulutas in Pristina, KFOR said.

“Commander of the Bundeswehr Joint Forces Operations Command Germany, Lieutenant General Bernd Schutt paid a visit to the KFOR Commander, Major General Ozkan Ulutas, at Camp Film City in Pristina”, a post on X network said.

General Schutt is in Kosovo for a change of command ceremony of the German KFOR contingent, the KoSSev news portal reported.

International

Election in the Air: Might Kosovo’s Kurti go to the Polls Early? (Balkan Insight)

There are at least two good reasons why Kosovo’s ruling Vetevendosje party might opt for a parliamentary election earlier than expected.

When Albin Kurti won back the post of prime minister in 2021 following a landslide election victory, many believed his government would be the first since Kosovo’s 2008 declaration of independence from Serbia to survive a full four-year term.

Kurti is within weeks of entering his fourth year, a solid majority in parliament behind him and a weak and fragmented opposition across the aisle.