UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, February 8, 2024

Albanian Language Media:

UN Security Council to discuss Kosovo today following Serbia’s request (Koha)
Kurti travels to U.S., expected to take part in UNSC session on Kosovo (media)
Tahiri: Partners earlier advised us for PM or President not to go to UNSC (Express)
Citaku criticizes Kurti for issue of Dinar being discussed at UNSC (media)
Konjufca: Serbia used the Dinar to blackmail the Kosovo Serbs (Koha)
Muja: Don’t expect Dinar issue to threaten Kosovo’s partnership with allies (KTV)
“Romas in north can be blackmailed via uncontrolled entrance of Dinar” (Koha)
Serbian List MPs return to Assembly to ensure continuation of mandates (media)
“The fabricated exodus’ of Serbs from Kosovo (Deutsche Welle in Albanian/FAZ)
Aliu: Contract signed to expand and finalize Pristina-Mitrovica road (Koha)
KFOR MSU conducts live firing exercise (media)
Svecla: Kosovo’s security is challenged by Russia’s satellite, Serbia (RTK)
Danish Justice Minister to visit Kosovo on February 12-13 (Klan Kosova)
Bregu launches new platform of Regional Cooperation Council in Pristina (media)

Serbian Language Media:

Serbian List writes to Quint, requests prevention of Serbian people exodus from Kosovo (Tanjug)
CSOs: Blatant violation of media freedoms and direct attack on civil society (Radio KIM)
NBS: Commercial Bank was forced to close branch office in Mitrovica because of pressure (KoSSev)
Gogic: It is only matter of time when Pristina will go against schools and hospitals (Kosovo Online)
Andric Rakic: Kurti is intimidating Serbs with his moves, West can prevent that, but it balances (Kosovo Online)
Jevtic says KSF member who shot at Serbian children on Christmas Eve pressed lawsuit against him (Kosovo Online, social media)
Serbian products expelled from the shelves in the north of Kosovo, Mitrovica residents say they "live like in a ghetto" (N1)
Deputies of the Serbian List at the session of the Kosovo Parliament in order not to lose their mandates (NMagazin, Beta)
Office for KiM: Fire in Odanovce village most probably planted, pressure continues (Tanjug)
Serbian List: About a dozen Serbian families in the village of Odanovce attacked by arsonists (Kosovo Online)
European Court of Auditors wants better protection for growth plan (N1)
European Parliament adopts Resolution on Serbian elections (N1)

International:

‘Stability is fragile’: An overlooked European conflict zone is at a tipping point between peace and combat (CNBC)
Sandulovic: I was beaten by 10 persons, Radoicic was present (Euronews Albania)

Albanian Language Media

UN Security Council to discuss Kosovo today following Serbia’s request (Koha)

The United Nations Security Council will hold an extraordinary session today about the situation in Kosovo following Serbia’s request. The session is scheduled to start at 21:00. Serbia called for the session claiming that the situation in Kosovo “is in strong contrast with the UN Charter and the UN Security Council Resolution 1244”. The session is expected to discuss the Central Bank of Kosovo’s decision to ban the use of the Serbian Dinar for payments in Kosovo.

Kurti travels to U.S., expected to take part in UNSC session on Kosovo (media)

Several news websites report that Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti and Foreign Minister Donika Gervalla-Schwarz, traveled to the United States of America on Wednesday evening. A press release issued by Kurti’s office notes that he is expected to take part in the United Nations Security Council session on Kosovo today.

Tahiri: Partners earlier advised us for PM or President not to go to UNSC (Express)

Head of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) parliamentary group, Abelard Tahiri, said today that earlier the U.S., UK and France had advised Kosovo that the Prime Minister or the President should not represent Kosovo at the UN Security Council sessions. “In the past, together with our partners, the United States of America and with other partners that are permanent members of the Security Council, like the UK and France, we agreed that there should be a lower-ranking representation from Kosovo, because UNMIK is there. So possibly, not even the Foreign Minister, but an ambassador,” he said.

Referring to the UN Security Council session which will be held today, Tahiri said “it is a trap by Serbia to present Kosovo together with UNMIK”.

Citaku criticizes Kurti for issue of Dinar being discussed at UNSC (media)

Deputy leader of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), Vlora Citaku, argued in a Facebook post today that “instead of Kosovo’s diplomatic focus being on creating a new and positive political landscape after the terrorist attack in Banjska, with the basic lack of coordination with Kosovo’s main allies (who secure our weapons and funding), we are acting like sworn enemies, by hiding our actions in a paranoid way. The Dinar makes up less than 2 percent of Kosovo’s economy. As a symbol of Serbia and parallel institutions, it needs to be removed and no one is opposing Kurti on this matter – neither the opposition nor the Embassies, but his need for crisis, to oppose the allies, to create tensions, is proving bigger than Kosovo’s national interest. It is shameful that the issue of the Dinar, but all other debates too, instead of being discussed between Kosovo and Washington, are now being discussed at the UN Security Council, where Russia too has a say.”

Konjufca: Serbia used the Dinar to blackmail the Kosovo Serbs (Koha)

Kosovo Assembly Speaker Glauk Konjufca said today that the removal of the Serbian Dinar as a currency in Kosovo would help the integration of the Serb community. He argued that by bringing the Dinar into Kosovo and through the Serbian List, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic blackmailed Serb citizens in Kosovo. “The Dinar was an instrument that someone brought physically from Belgrade with a van and then several officials of Vucic through the Serbian List, came to your house and gave you the money, looked at you in a tough way and asked for your loyalty. This is the physical reason for the distribution of the Dinar. It is not a battle of wellbeing. It is the practical influence of the Serbian List and Belgrade on every family. This is why it was necessary for our state to regulate this issue. This helps integration because it slams precisely this physical manipulation of going to people’s houses and asking them who they support politically,” Konjufca is quoted as saying.

Muja: Don’t expect Dinar issue to threaten Kosovo’s partnership with allies (KTV)

MP from the ruling Vetevendosje Movement, Armend Muja, said in an interview with KTV on Wednesday that he doesn’t expect Kosovo’s partnership with allies to be threatened because of the Central Bank of Kosovo’s new regulation which also includes the Serbian Dinar. He said that there can be a period for adjustment and to make the decision formal but that he doesn’t expect problems in the future.

“I don’t foresee any problems or threats of partnership. I predict that as with other processes there will be a period of adjustment and formalization because it cannot happen otherwise. I don’t see problems, but when changes are made, some immature statements are made in the first couple of days,” he argued.

Muja said that through the years, bags of uncontrolled Serbian Dinars entered Kosovo. “In 2013, in the talks in Brussels, some European officials said that the Serbian government sent around €30 million and in 2021 Vucic said it was €800 million. The main question is where did that money go?” he asked.

Muja also said that it is up to the Central Bank of Kosovo to determine a period during which Serb citizens in the north of Kosovo would adjust to the Euro, and that “Serbia was trying to present the issue of the Dinar as a humanitarian crisis in the north”.

“Romas in north can be blackmailed via uncontrolled entrance of Dinar” (Koha)

Fridon Lala, MP from the New Democratic Initiative of Kosovo (IRDK), said today Kosovo needs to coordinate with its allies on the issue of the Serbian Dinar. He said that his community [Egyptian] does not get funds from Serbia but expressed fear that with the uncontrolled entrance of the Dinar, the Roma community living in the northern municipalities could be blackmailed. “Coordination with allies is necessary but I want to focus on some statements that were published in the media saying that the banning of the Dinar affects the interests of other ethnic groups too. As a representative of the Egyptian community, I can say that the banning of the Dinar does not affect our interests because the Egyptian community and others are not representatives of different schemes financed by the government of Serbia. At the same time, we have expressed our concerns that the uncontrolled entrance of the Dinar could lead to the blackmailing and instrumentalization of mainly the Roma community who are unprotected in the northern municipalities,” he said.

Serbian List MPs return to Assembly to ensure continuation of mandates (media)

Most news websites report that after a five-month absence, MPs from the Serbian List returned to the Kosovo Assembly to ensure the continuation of their mandates. Zeri news website notes that their absence in the Assembly was often a topic of discussion and there were claims that they don’t represent the interests of Serb citizens in Kosovo’s highest institution. Gazeta Express notes that Serbian List MPs left the session immediately after they were registered. Asked by Indeksonline about the absence of Serbian List MPs, Assembly Speaker Glauk Konjufca said: “this gesture by the Serbian List is irresponsibility that they have continuously displayed in the Kosovo Assembly. The Code of Ethics that we are drafting includes more harsher measures for all MPs”.

“The fabricated exodus’ of Serbs from Kosovo (Deutsche Welle in Albanian/FAZ)

According to the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, state statistics in Serbia rule out a narrative by Belgrade about the mass exodus of Serbs from Kosovo. Michael Martens, a FAZ correspondent in Belgrade, said on Wednesday that Serbia’s claim that there is an exodus of Serbs from Kosovo “can be rejected as false, based on the official statistics of the Serbian state”.

Martens said that “the number of Serbs in Kosovo is decreasing for years now, but the same can be said about the number of the population in Serbia, except for Belgrade, Novi Sad and some other cities”. Martens referred to the estimates of the European Stability Initiative (ESI) which looked into “publicly available government figures that allow for pretty accurate estimates of the number of Serbs”.

Aliu: Contract signed to expand and finalize Pristina-Mitrovica road (Koha)

Kosovo’s Minister of Infrastructure, Liburn Aliu, told a press conference today that he has signed the contract to expand and finalize the road that connects Pristina and Mitrovica. He said this was one of the most extended projects in postwar Kosovo and that the ministry has so far closed problems they inherited from previous governments.

“This is a €25 million project that is a loan from the OPEC Fund for International Development and in co-funding with the Saudi Fund for Development. The old contract has been terminated for a year now. Alongside this project, we are also in the phase of resolving many problems from the past. We are in the phase of numerous expropriations,” Aliu said.

Deputy Minister Hysen Durmishi is quoted as saying in several news websites that the road will be finalized in one year.

KFOR MSU conducts live firing exercise (media)

NATO’s peacekeeping mission in Kosovo, KFOR, posted pictures on Facebook from a live firing exercise by the Multinational Specialized Unit (MSU). “MSU trains daily with a purpose of maintaining its capabilities. KFOR is fully focused on the daily implementation of its mandate – based on UN Security Council Resolution 1244 of 1999 – to provide a safe and secure environment for all communities living in Kosovo and freedom of movement,” the post notes.

Svecla: Kosovo’s security is challenged by Russia’s satellite, Serbia (RTK)

Kosovo’s Minister of Interior Affairs, Xhelal Svecla, said today that “the security of Kosovo has been challenged many times in the last two years by Russia’s satellite in our region, Serbia”. He said that in this period there were 112 attacks against members and assets of the Kosovo Police. “These challenges that we continue to face, culminated with the kidnapping of three of our police officers deep inside the territory of the Republic of Kosovo, with brutal attacks against KFOR soldiers and with the terrorist attack on September 24 that resulted in the killing of police sergeant Afrim Bunjaku,” Svecla said during an award ceremony today for members of the EULEX Formed Police Unit.

EULEX chief Giovanni Pietro Barbano said the mission aims to provide security for all citizens of Kosovo regardless of their ethnicity, free from political interference, and in full compliance with international human rights standards and the best European practices.

Danish Justice Minister to visit Kosovo on February 12-13 (Klan Kosova)

Kosovo’s Minister of Justice, Albulena Haxhiu, said today that Danish Minister of Justice, Peter Hummelgaard, will visit Kosovo on February 12-13. She also said that Hummelgaard is scheduled to meet with parliamentary groups from the opposition and also representatives of institutions.

Bregu launches new platform of Regional Cooperation Council in Pristina (media)

The Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) launched the Western Balkans Green and Circular Economy Stakeholders Platform, consisting of government, business, donor, and CSO representatives, at a high-level meeting taking place in Pristina today.

"Though becoming a hotspot for climate change, our region can often instinctively resort to myopic lenses. That still does not truly capture the urgency and omnipresence of the climate change nor, for instance, the alarming low recycling rates and the high municipal waste generated per capita.

These lenses, our Balkan Barometer reveals, also hold that only 30% of business owners see climate change as a problem for their businesses, while 43% believe the green transition will not have any impact on their business, with 37 not having taken any steps to reduce the environmental impact of their businesses. Unfortunately more than a third of businesses do not perform any circular economy activities/initiatives," said RCC Secretary General Majlinda Bregu at the opening of the meeting.

The reasons behind it, as cited by the Western Balkan businesses, are: additional cost (49%); lack of skills and expertise (30%), lack of a regulatory framework (28%), and lack of government subsidies (29%).

"Most businesses consider it cheaper to produce a new product than a recycled one. These percentages will not take us off the track of the linear resource-use models and seem to be in stark contrast to the encouraging percentages that I am sure have rallied us all here today: the circular economy strategies can reduce the global greenhouse gas emissions by whooping 40%; create 700,000 new jobs in EU alone by 2030, or unlock 4.5 trillion dollars’ worth economic opportunity. We therefore need more action-oriented and more opportunity-oriented lenses among all key stakeholders in the area," concluded Bregu.

Serbian Language Media

Serbian List writes to Quint, requests prevention of Serbian people exodus from Kosovo (Tanjug)

Serbian List sent a letter to Quit states on Wednesday conveying the pleas and expectations of the Serbian people from Kosovo “to prevent terror of Albin Kurti and stop the exodus of Serbian people from their century old homes, with particular emphasis on disastrous consequences of dinar abolishment, including detailed examples of repression that Serbs south and north of the Ibar River are exposed to”, Tanjug news agency reports.

In the letter, Serbian List drew attention to the fact that violence against Serbian people in Kosovo, which has been going on for more than two decades, has intensified since 2021 and the coming to power of Albin Kurti, with the aim of "persecuting and destroying everything Serbian from these areas" pointing out that " there is not a single human right in Kosovo related to Serbs that regime of Albin Kurti did not violate".

CSOs: Blatant violation of media freedoms and direct attack on civil society (Radio KIM)

Recent attacks against Center for Peace and Tolerance premises in Pristina and Radio Gorazdevac were the main topic of a press conference organized by several Serbian civil society organizations, Radio KIM reports. Those events, they stressed, represent blatant violation of the media freedoms and direct attack on civil society.

Incursion of Kosovo special police forces into Center for Peace and Tolerance premises in Pristina where medical workers from Gracanica health house come occasionally, but also the statement of Kosovo Interior Minister Xhelal Svecla that it is “an espionage center offering illegal medial services” concerned the Serbian civil society.

“The Center for Peace and Tolerance (CPT) in Pristina, exists longer than 24 years and is founded as the only safe place for gathering of remaining Serbs but also Roma, Turks, Bosniaks and Gorani in Pristina. The CPT office was relocated to Gracanica in 2009 and since then the former office in Pristina functions independently as a community center at which remaining Serbs from Pristina gather. It is true that this place was visited by doctors, who checked the blood pressure, sugar and cholesterol level of the remaining Serbs in Pristina”, Vladimir Trific from CPT explained, adding since when offering medical help which is ongoing for almost 25 years has become illegal?

He called upon Kosovo Interior Minister Xhellal Svecla and all the media that “inflated in sensationalistic manner” his statement to publicly apologize, adding such statements endanger CPT employees, instill fear and distress. If rebuttal is not published by the same media reported on the statement, CPT will be forced to hand over the matter to the lawyers to deal with it.

Radio Gorazdevac Editor-in-Chief Darko Dimitrijevic recalled a recent event in this village in Pec municipality, when Kosovo police stormed Radio premise, searched the object, and confiscated the vehicle and equipment, while his team was prevented from carrying out their duties. He said the entire case has been reported to the Kosovo Police Inspectorate, but that he has no high expectations from the report, noting that hopes at least that they will accept to deal with the case based on photos and everything the media team wrote about the action.

Jovana Radosavljevic, from New Social Initiative presented six requests civil society demands to be fulfilled:

- All acts without prior resolution of the status of Community of Serbian Municipalities are and will be considered as escalatory, therefore the Kosovo Government must urgently deal with resolving the status and cease all other acts making the work of Serbian institutions in Kosovo more difficult, before alternative in the form of this Kosovo international obligation is ensured,

- Kosovo Government should refrain from unilateral acts on the issues that are regulated or negotiated upon within the EU dialogue,

- In order to ensure consistency and efficiency of the dialogue it is important that Kosovo Government recognizes and acts based on the problems presented by Serbian community representatives in Kosovo and diligently inform the public on measures and acts undertaken to resolve those issues,

- In order to ensure transparency and authenticity of dialogue between Kosovo Government and Serbian community it is important that the meetings with Serbian civil society are open to media,

- Kosovo Government representatives with their statements and public appearances often create an environment of highterend tensions. Also, they should stop presenting themselves as the best connoisseurs of what is good or bad for the Serbian community and what is it that Serbs want,

- Media should work to ease the tensions, re-examine decisions of the government, avoid hate speech. Also, to sensitively report on non-majority communities and inform majority communities in Albanian language about the impact decisions have on the Serbian community in consultations with the Serbian language media.

NBS: Commercial Bank was forced to close branch office in Mitrovica because of pressure (KoSSev)

Implementation of Kosovo Central Bank decision to ban dinar in payment transactions is exclusively politically and ethnically motivated, and contrary to any comparing professional practice. The measures are unknown to any financial system that is even to the small extent harmonized with international standards, National Bank of Serbia (NBS) said in a statement, KoSSev portal reports.

NBS also said Serbian Commercial Bank had to close down its branch offices in Kosovo because of pressure from the Kosovo Government. The reaction of NBS came one day after Pristina authorities banned dinar transfer from this bank to enter Kosovo. The NBS once again stated the money was intended to pay salaries, pensions, social aid and related payments, noting the shipment was not allowed to enter without any explanation provided.

The NBS stressed that every transport of dinars to Kosovo was transparent and permitted, adding even Kosovo authorities representatives “admitted that in their statements”.

NBS further argued that euro was declared unlawfully as official currency in Kosovo and that Pristina does not possess instruments of monetary politics. They also said the CKB decision on dinar was made “outside of the public’s eyes and without public discussion”. NBS requested this decision to be declared void and the issue be resolved in Belgrade-Pristina dialogue.

The NBS also said the pressure exerted on Commercial Bank over the years, forced it to close its branch office in Mitrovica North, which witnessed the true intentions of Pristina authorities to create conditions unbearable for dignified lives of all citizens in Kosovo receiving their payments in dinars.

Gogic: It is only matter of time when Pristina will go against schools and hospitals (Kosovo Online)

Political analyst Ognjen Gogic told Kosovo Online portal it is expected that Pristina authorities in the upcoming period will continue actions to close down provisional municipal authorities in the Serbian areas, adding it would follow in central Kosovo and then to the north. He also said it is a matter of time when Pristina will go against schools and hospitals in the Serbian areas.

“It somehow started in Pristina (premises of Center for Peace and Tolerance where doctors were occasionally present) and Osojane (police raid on health facility on February 2), and Pristina will always use the same argument – that those are illegal institutions for them, outside of Kosovo system. Maybe they won’t go that far to close down or ban someone from working, however, it is enough for them to come with the police to disrupt the work and instill fear among the population, and then people would start avoiding going to those institutions, and look the way out for themselves in central Serbia. This way they would reach the same goal – to stop work of those institutions that are of vital importance for survival of the Serbian population in Kosovo”, Gogic said.

Speaking of last week’s raids of the provisional municipal authorities’ premises, he said it happened in the most vulnerable areas, and it was easy to go there and confiscate inventories, adding it was not demanding police operation, but rather intention to demonstrate force and intimidate people.

Andric Rakic: Kurti is intimidating Serbs with his moves, West can prevent that, but it balances (Kosovo Online)

Mitrovica North-based NGO New Social Initiative program manager Milica Andric Rakic said it is difficult to predict what next steps of Pristina authorities may be after last week’s raids on the premises of the Serbian interim authorities, post offices and clinics, but that she assumes they will still stick to symbolic things such as the removal of billboards with figures of Serbian politicians or with the Serbian flag, Kosovo Online portal reports.

“I do not believe that they will go beyond the interim authorities. I guess they’ll stick to these symbolic things, though. We can expect some kind of seizure of the public space under the pretext of the rule of law and marking of objects that are not registered somewhere and are considered illegal if they have symbols of Serbia or Serbian identity. I assume that it will continue because in Pristina it smells a lot like elections. That’s how I view all these visits of Xhelal Svecla and Elbert Krasniqi to the North at least three times in one week, and I see all this as an election campaign, and not necessarily as moves against Serbian institutions. However, this decision with dinar presents a problem and how it will develop further”, she said.

Andric Rakic pointed out that Kosovo police intrusion into the interim authorities, especially in Metohija, was very disturbing because these are very isolated, small communities, as is the case in the municipality of Gora (Dragas). She recalled that the first interim body of Serbian institutions in Kosovo that was closed was in Strpce two years ago.

“The physical closure of those institutions is not the same as their closure, they manage to continue working. And apart from the symbolic, even propaganda effect it has on the Albanian public, these moves are currently intimidating the Serbs, but those institutions will not really be closed, they will continue to work in even more difficult conditions”, she added.

Asked if someone could prevent such Pristina’s moves she replied that there are many actors in the Western world who can prevent it, but that the problem is that they are trying to find a balance between actions that will prevent something like this and not doing too much harm to Kosovo and deteriorate Kosovo position in the dialogue, adding they are making a clear distinction between Kosovo and their vision of it.

Jevtic says KSF member who shot at Serbian children on Christmas Eve pressed lawsuit against him (Kosovo Online, social media)

Strpce mayor Dalibor Jevtic said KSF member, Azem Kurtaj, who shot at and wounded two Serb boys on Christmas Eve, January 6, 2023 in Gotovusa village, in this municipality, pressed lawsuit against him, because of, as he said, Jevtic’s stances after the shooting, Kosovo Online portal reports.

Jevtic said in a post on Facebook, that upon returning from Washington, a lawsuit from lawyer/lawyers’ association representing Azem Kurtaj awaited him.

Jevtic underlined that his stance and opinion of what Azem Kurtaj did on Christmas Eve in 2023, when he wounded two Serb boys, Stefan (11) and Milos (21) Stojanovic has not and will not change.

“No charges or threats in direct, or such, indirect manner will sway me away or scare me. There is no compromise in the fight for truth and justice, neither on this, nor on other issues related to the position and life of my fellow citizens and compatriots”, Jevtic said.

“I do not accept that the one who shot Milos and Stefan is portrayed as a victim. While many Serbs are in custody today without any evidence, someone who shoots at Serbian children walks free. If anyone thought that they would “shut me up” with a lawsuit, they are sorely mistaken. The citizens did not elect me to remain silent on all that endangers the interests of these very same citizens”, Jevtic added.

Serbian products expelled from the shelves in the north of Kosovo, Mitrovica residents say they "live like in a ghetto" (N1)

According to N1 there is less and less Serbia in Kosovo. No dinar arrives, no Serbian goods arrive either, at least not legally. Eight months have passed since the verbal decision of the Government of Kosovo to ban the import of Serbian goods. These are the results.

"Unknown goods and unknown quality. And people complain, but they have to use anything. Literally, it's like we're in a war and then you give what you give, just to survive," this is how a trader from Mitrovica North explains to N1 the procurement of basic foodstuffs as there are almost no well-known goods from Serbia that they are used to.

"The prices of products have increased, the possibility of finding certain products is difficult. Now there are almost no products coming from Serbia. In private pharmacies, there are almost no medicines that come from Serbia, not to mention everyday food products," Jovana Radosavljevic from the NGO New Social Initiative describes the situation in the north of Kosovo.

Previously, merchants purchased goods from Serbian producers, mainly from authorized distributors from the south of Kosovo. Today, they buy goods from the countries of the region or Western Europe from them.

There are goods that are difficult or impossible to obtain. Such is the case, says one trader who did not want to be in front of the cameras, with candles. There are memorial services, and people are used to buying them in stores, he says.

The verbal decision of the Kosovo Government from June last year has been changed several times. Now it applies to finished products, not raw materials.

"No one understands that we live in a ghetto where you don't have the right to make your own choice, what you're going to eat, what currency you're going to use. We have been living here for 20 years in these conditions and now someone comes in a few months to change everything for you," says the merchant.

"This is a very schizophrenic situation where you have the Kosovo authorities actively fighting against smuggling, and on the other hand they do not allow the legal import of goods that the population uses," says Jovana Radosavljevic.

She points out that this is just one in a series of decisions by the Kosovo government that were made in such a way that they did not consider the needs of the citizens whose lives will be affected, reported N1.

Deputies of the Serbian List at the session of the Kosovo Parliament in order not to lose their mandates (NMagazin, Beta)

Deputies of the Serbian List returned to the Assembly of Kosovo today for the first time after the boycott of the sessions from September 14, 2023, reported NMagazin.

They appeared at the extraordinary session of the Assembly of Kosovo.

According to estimates in Pristina, this was done due to the provisions of the Constitution of Kosovo and the rules of the Assembly according to which, if a deputy does not participate in the sessions of the parliament for more than six months, he or she loses the mandate.

Since the resignation of the former deputies in November 2022, deputies from the ranks of the Serbian List have not participated in the work of the parliament, except once every six months where they sign that they were present and leave the session after ten minutes.

By doing so, they prevent the loss of mandates and privileges that belong to them on that basis.

Office for KiM: Fire in Odanovce village most probably planted, pressure continues (Tanjug)

Office for Kosovo and Metohija said today that a stable of Milenkovic family in the village of Odanovce, near Kamenica caught fire, adding given that there were no electric installations in the stable, the fire was caused by human factors, that pressure and intimidation against Serbs in Kosovo continue, as well as it has become intensified following the latest decision of Albin Kurti-led government to ban dinar, Tanjug news agency reports.

The Office said the roof of the stable and thousands of bales of hay burned down, while the cattle and tractor have been saved.

“Apart from causing material damages to the four-member Milenkovic family, a message was sent to all Serbs in Kosovo Pomoravlje that they are not wanted. Representatives of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija visited the affected family on the ground and promised assistance to repair the damage”, the statement said.

Serbian List: About a dozen Serbian families in the village of Odanovce attacked by arsonists (Kosovo Online)

The Serbian list announced that for the second time, in a short period, a dozen Serb families in the village of Odanovce in the municipality of Kamenica were attacked by arsonists, adding that the impunity of those responsible for the attack on Serbs and open institutional violence are a fertile ground for extremists who are bothered by the few Serbs in Odanovace, reported Kosovo Online.

"Last night, the barn of the Milenkovic family burned down with bales of hay and agricultural tools that ensure the survival of this family farm on their land. The intimidation of honest and hardworking Serbian families like this is a direct consequence of the intolerance and the Albin Kurti regime's public confrontation with the Serbian people in Kosovo and Metohija," reads the SL announcement.

It is added that a terrible fact is that none of the international representatives reacted to the continuous attacks on Serbs south of the Ibar.

"Albin Kurti's regime, by creating chaos with its anti-Serb decisions, managed to divert the attention of the international public from the daily ethnically motivated attacks on our citizens. And this attack, like all the previous ones, are neither random nor unique cases, but clearly part of a serious and comprehensive plan for the persecution of the Serbian people from their centuries-old homes," it was emphasized.

As they say, peace is the greatest value, which must be "guarded and defended against the attacks of Albin Kurti".

"But there is no peace when the Serbian people are persecuted, the Serbian dinar is banned, salaries, pensions, scholarships and social benefits are abolished, or when the few Serbs who just want to live on their land are attacked," the Serbian List said in its announcement.

European Court of Auditors wants better protection for growth plan (N1)

The European Court of Auditors warned on Wednesday that the proposed €6 billion Reform and Growth Facility for Western Balkan countries needs better protection.

A press release recalled that the Facility was set up by the European Commission last November to boost economic growth, increase socio-economic convergence with EU countries, and accelerate alignment with EU values and laws with a view to future EU accession.

“The EU auditors welcome the introduction of more stringent conditions for funding by linking payments to the fulfillment of conditions to be set in the Reform Agendas for the various countries,” it added.

The press release quoted European Court of Auditors member in charge of the opinion Laima Liucija Andrikienė as warning of a “a risk that the disbursement conditions are not ambitious enough and that indicators are not sufficiently clear and measurable … and that it is difficult to ensure that reforms will be sustainable, particularly in view of the region’s weak administrative capacity”.

The EU auditors also suggested developing relevant guidance to assess the fulfillment of payment conditions.

Support of up to €6 billion (€2 billion in non-repayable support and €4 billion in loans) is envisaged under the facility for the 2024-2027 period.

“In the absence of an impact assessment or an analytical document, the EU auditors were unable to assess the extent to which the intended €6 billion in support is likely to contribute to achieving the facility’s main objectives. The auditors suggest clarifying certain provisions of the proposal relating to the European Court of Auditors’ audit rights, and access to data and documentation in order to ensure proper oversight,” the press release said.

European Parliament adopts Resolution on Serbian elections (N1)

Members of the European Parliament (EP) adopted Thursday in Strasbourg a Resolution calling for an independent international investigation into the Serbian parliamentary, provincial, and local elections’ irregularities, with special attention to the City of Belgrade Assembly elections.

The Resolution was backed by 461 MEPs, 53 were against, with 43 abstentions.

The Resolution on the situation in Serbia following the December elections calls on the European Commission to immediately start the audit of the funding provided to the Serbian government under the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance III (IPA III) and other financial instruments and to suspend EU funding if the Serbian authorities are unwilling to implement key election recommendations or if the findings of an international investigation indicate that the Serbian authorities were directly involved in the voter fraud.

The European Parliament notes that certain allegations, including those regarding organized voter migrations on the local level, extend beyond the scope covered by the OSCE/ODIHR reports and adds that it supports the prompt deployment of an ad hoc fact-finding mission to Serbia, with the participation of the European Parliament, reads the Resolution.

International

‘Stability is fragile’: An overlooked European conflict zone is at a tipping point between peace and combat (CNBC)

With Europe’s attention centered on the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, peace and stability is far from guaranteed in another of the region’s most volatile conflict zones, according to a top EU diplomat.

Relations between Serbia and Kosovo, which have been fraught since the pair’s brutal conflict in the 1990s, remain delicate one year on from a tentative agreement on a new path to normalization.

“The stability is fragile. We cannot take peace and stability for granted,” Miroslav Lajčák, EU special representative for the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue and Western Balkans, told CNBC in Davos, Switzerland last month.

The Belgrade-Pristina dialogue is a series of talks facilitated by the European Union designed to ease hostilities between the neighboring southeastern European countries.

In February 2023, a path to normalization was agreed upon by Serbia and Kosovo, marking a major step forward for the long-time adversaries, whose decades long friction centers on territorial disputes and ethnic divisions.

But that progress was later marred by a resurgence in violence in northern Kosovo, including a deadly shootout between a heavily armed group of ethnic Serbs and Kosovo special police forces in the village of Banjska.