UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, March 21, 2024

Albanian Language Media:

Osmani: Membership in INTERPOL, impossible without U.S. support (RFE)
US$6 million agreement of U.S. aid for judiciary in Kosovo signed (Indeksonline)
Sarrazin meets Kurti, discuss Berlin Process and current issues (Express)
Escobar responds to Vucic’s threat against Kosovo: No one can stop their neighbor to choose security alliances (Reporteri)
NATO welcomes Slovenia’s interest to send more troops to Kosovo (media)
Bulgaria to deploy additional troops to Kosovo (media)
Muja: Not a week goes by that opposition doesn’t talk about elections (media)
Pristina institute reacts to Serbian President Vucic’s recent rhetoric (media)
Surroi reacts to claims “LDK’s five asked Clinton not to recognize KLA” (media)

Serbian Language Media:

Media Center Caglavica journalists were not allowed to follow event in Kosovo Presidency (KoSSev, RTS, Media center Caglavica)
Following Visoki Decani Monastery land registration, Sentic calls for implementation of other CC’s decisions, including one on ZSO (KoSSev)
UNS informs international press and media organizations about fake news on RTK website (Kosovo Online)
Serbian Embassy in Moscow marks anniversary of NATO bombing (FoNet, N1, RTS)
Dacic: Serbia-Russia bilateral relations on high level (Tanjug)
Vucic spoke with Macron about Kosovo (Danas)
Vucic: I can congratulate whoever I want, I’m no one’s servant (N1, FoNet)

Opinion:

Serwer: Double down on success, not failure (peacefare.net)
Hoxha: I doubt that Osmani would engage in the overthrow of Kurti's government (Kosovo Online)

International:

Witnesses Tell Kosovo War Crimes Court of ‘Anarchic’ Violence in 1999 (Balkan Insight)

Albanian Language Media

Osmani: Membership in INTERPOL, impossible without U.S. support (RFE)

Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani said today that Kosovo’s membership in INTERPOL is impossible without the continuous support of the United States of America. Osmani made the remark after meeting in Pristina with U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, Todd Robinson. Osmani said membership in INTERPOL would increase Kosovo’s capacities to combat crime and to strengthen our commitment for public security for every citizen of our Republic without any difference”. “The only ones benefiting from Kosovo’s lack of membership in INTERPOL are criminals, especially transnational criminal groups. It is the shared will of Kosovo and the United States of America to fight them to the end and without compromise,” she said.

Osmani thanked the U.S. Bureau for Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs and said that the institution helped build many institutions in Kosovo, including the Kosovo Police and the Forensics Agency. “The U.S. support for Kosovo has been present in every sector and in every step of the state-building process,” she said.

Robinson said the U.S. supports Kosovo to improve its judicial and security structures. “The fact that I am here goes to show the support for what you are doing, for what your police is doing, for what your security services are doing for the citizens of Kosovo. My message for them and for you all is that the United States is here to support your efforts for the crucial structures of security and judiciary. We are working for a better Kosovo today, but we are also working for a more transparent, stronger, and safer Kosovo for its citizens,” he said. Robinson said that during his stay in Pristina he will meet government officials and representatives of the judicial sector.

US$6 million agreement of U.S. aid for judiciary in Kosovo signed (Indeksonline)

U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, Todd Robinson, met today in Pristina with representatives of the judicial and prosecutorial systems and the Correctional Service. They signed an agreement worth US$6 million of aid from the U.S. for the judiciary in Kosovo. Head of the Kosovo Judicial Council, Albert Zogaj, said that the U.S. has greatly helped the judicial system in Kosovo. Director of the Kosovo Correctional Service, Ismail Dibrani, said he is grateful for the U.S. contribution and the equipment they have donated. “Your donation is very important. Every year, your aid allows dozens of Correctional Service staff to attend training abroad,” he said.

Sarrazin meets Kurti, discuss Berlin Process and current issues (Express)

The German Special Envoy for the Western Balkans, Manuel Sarrazin, is staying in Kosovo, and met this morning with Prime Minister Albin Kurti. German Ambassador to Kosovo, Jorn Rohde, wrote in a post on X today: “Good discussion this morning between our WEB envoy Manuel Sarrazin and PM Albin Kurti on the way forward on the Berlin Process and other current issues”.

Escobar responds to Vucic’s threat against Kosovo: No one can stop their neighbor to choose security alliances (Reporteri)

U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State and Envoy for the Western Balkans, Gabriel Escobar, in an interview with the news website today, said that the United States welcomes Serbia’s positive engagement with NATO. He however also said that Serbia and no other country can tell their neighbors what security alliances to choose.

“The U.S. welcomes Serbia’s positive engagement with NATO. At the same time, we highlight that Kosovo has excellent relations with NATO through KFOR and NALT, and has excellent security relations with many NATO members, including the U.S.,” he said.

Escobar also responded to a recent statement by Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic who said that if the West chooses Kosovo over Serbia, “Serbia will wait for the most appropriate moment, and we will use our opportunity”. Escobar said: “the U.S. believes that all countries are free to determine their foreign policy and choose their security alliances. No country can claim to have veto to the strategic orientations of their neighbors”.

NATO welcomes Slovenia’s interest to send more troops to Kosovo (media)

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, after meeting Slovenian Prime Minister Robert Golob today, has welcomed Slovenia’s interest to send more troops to Kosovo. Golob said that concrete plans were not defined yet on the matter but that Slovenia is interested in the stability of the Western Balkans, namely in Bosnia and Herzegovina and in Kosovo, where its troops are part of peacekeeping forces. “When it comes to the Western Balkans, Slovenia is absolutely and seriously interested in maintaining the stability of the region. Not only because of the proximity … but also because there is an increase in instability in the last couple of years, and in this respect we expressed our interest to send more troops to KFOR … mainly to help the local authorities there to maintain peace,” Golob was quoted as saying.

Bulgaria to deploy additional troops to Kosovo (media)

Bulgaria is expected to send a contingent of 100 soldiers to Kosovo as part of the NATO Mission in Kosovo, KFOR. The deployment, according to the Bulgarian news agency novinite.com, marks an important contribution to NATO's efforts in maintaining peace and stability in the region.

The Bulgarian contingent expected to be deployed in Kosovo in the coming weeks is mainly composed of soldiers from the 2nd Mechanized Brigade of Tundzha, along with personnel from various other military units."The contingent has undergone rigorous training to ensure readiness for its mission," the news agency reported.

Muja: Not a week goes by that opposition doesn’t talk about elections (media)

MP from the Vetevendosje Movement, Armend Muja, said in an interview with ATV that not a week goes by that the opposition parties in Kosovo do not talk about elections. “The Vetevendosje Movement will be the same, whether we go to elections now or when regular elections are held,” he said.

Commenting on relations between Kosovo and the United States, Muja said that the U.S. is a crucial partner of Kosovo. “The Vetevendosje Movement, Prime Minister Kurti and President Osmani share the same opinions on this issue,” he said.

According to Muja, Vetevendosje would win the next elections with 51-52 percent of votes.

Pristina institute reacts to Serbian President Vucic’s recent rhetoric (media)

Several news websites cover a press release by the Pristina-based Octopus Institute for Hybrid Warfare Studies, regarding the recent statements by Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic. The communique notes that “at a time when the structure of international peace and cooperation is constantly tested, the recent statements by Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic threatening Kosovo and implicitly challenging Europe to choose between Serbia and Kosovo, mark a concerning deviation toward instability in the Balkans. The Octopus Institute strongly condemns these comments, not only as a threat to regional peace, but also an approximation to a geopolitical position that has echoes from the past and undermines the principles of European unity and the universal values of harmony and coexistence”.

Surroi reacts to claims “LDK’s five asked Clinton not to recognize KLA” (media)

Publicist Veton Surroi reacted to a statement by reporter Baton Haxhiu who mentioned his name during a TV debate on Wednesday when PDK MP Xhavit Haliti claimed that a delegation of the Democratic League of Kosovo went to Washington and asked then-U.S. President Bill Clinton not to recognize the Kosovo Liberation Army. Haxhiu said the request allegedly came from “Ibrahim Rugova, Pajazit Nushi, Bujar Bukoshi, Veton Surroi and Fehmi Agani”.

Surroi said in a Facebook post today that the claims are completely untrue. “At the meeting with President Clinton, the Kosovo delegation did not ask for the non-recognition of the KLA. Dr. Ibrahim Rugova, Dr. Fehmi Agani, Dr. Bujar Bukoshi and I did not do this. Dr. Pajazit Nushi, who was mentioned as a participant at the meeting, was in Pristina. My private and public position was that the KLA needed to be included in the negotiating process. I stated several times in public that without the participation of the KLA in the negotiating team an agreement for Kosovo was not possible. Dr. Rugova, Dr. Agani and Dr. Bukoshi made efforts to unify Kosovo’s representation, by including the KLA too. The accusation against the Kosovo delegation does not stand. I am making this explanation for the sake of history, which should be written from the source and not from nightly speculations in debates. I also do it for the two late members who could make these explanations by themselves when they were alive, but these accusations are made decades after their passing,” Surroi writes.

Serbian Language Media

Media Center Caglavica journalists were not allowed to follow event in Kosovo Presidency (KoSSev, RTS, Media center Caglavica)

Today, the media team of the Caglavica Media Center was not allowed to cover the meeting and press conference of the President of Kosovo Vjosa Osmani and the Assistant Secretary of the Bureau for the International Fight against Narcotics and Law Enforcement of the USA, Todd Robinson, reported portal KoSSev.

An official from the office of Kosovo President at the entrance to the presidency did not even want to listen to the journalist and cameraman of the Caglavica Media Center Sanja Djokic and Nebojsa Djokic, but only repeated some unknown words "credentials, credentials, credentials" and pointed with his finger to leave the building, which they did.

The Media Center, with the help of an interpreter, later concluded that the official of the Kosovo President most likely asked the journalist and cameraman of the Media Center for accreditation to monitor the work of the Kosovo President.

The journalist and cameraman of the Caglavica Media Center did not have these credentials with them today, because they have been in the Kosovo Presidency building for a year.

Moreover, the past year, the employees of the Media Center have repeatedly tried to renew their two-year accreditations, for which they submitted a request at the beginning of 2023, and the last time they tried to do it was this morning around nine o'clock, but like many times, as they were told and before, the officer who issues the accreditations was not there, so they could not collect them and today.

In addition to journalists from the Caglavica Media Center, numerous other Serbian journalists had the same problem about a week ago and were not allowed to follow the meeting of the US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for the Western Balkans, Gabriel Escobar, and the Kosovo President, Vjosa Osmani.

The Director of the Caglavica Media Center, Budimir Nicic, states that it is not only a matter of discrimination of the Serbian media, but also an obvious abuse of power by the officials of the Kosovo Presidency.

"How is it possible that when Serbian journalists need to pick up their accreditations, the official in charge of that is either not there or is busy and it has been going on for a year. Therefore, it is an obvious abuse of the power of officials in the Kosovo presidency, which is unacceptable, and which represents a violation not only of the right of journalists but also of our citizens to be informed. In addition, such behavior threatens democratic values and the integrity of the presidency as an institution, and I expect President Vjosa Osmani to sanction such abuses by her staff and thereby send a message that the principles of justice and equality must be respected," said Nicic.

Media center Caglavica will contact the Kosovo Ombudsperson and the Office of the Commissioner for Languages in Kosovo regarding this case, reported KoSSev.

Following Visoki Decani Monastery land registration, Sentic calls for implementation of other CC’s decisions, including one on ZSO (KoSSev)

Kosovo Deputy Ombudsperson, Srdjan Sentic welcomed Visoki Decani Monastery land registration in the Kosovo cadaster, and extended call to Pristina authorities to implement all decisions of the Constructional Court (CC) including the one on establishing Community of Serbian Municipalities (ZSO), KoSSev portal reported.

Implementation of the Constitutional Court decision on Visoki Decani Monastery land according to Sentic represents “a significant step in implementation of the principle of fairness and legal security”. He also said this decision opens up a new perspective not only “to advance the relations between local and central authorities”, but also “relations with the Serbian Orthodox Church, thus opening the door for cooperation necessary to joint progress”.

At the same time Sentic called for implementation of other Constitutional Court decisions, including the one on ZSO.

“In this spirit, it is an imperative to commit to the full implementation and respect of democratic values, rule of law and human rights, including resolving the issue of illegal expropriations in the north of Kosovo”, Sentic said in a post on Facebook.

UNS informs international press and media organizations about fake news on RTK website (Kosovo Online)

Association of Journalists of Serbia (UNS) has informed International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), as well as seven more press and media organizations that a fake news, which was a trigger for event known as March Pogrom 20 years ago, has been published again on the website of the Kosovo public broadcaster (RTS) in Serbian and Albanian languages, Kosovo Online portal reports.

UNS addressed IFJ, Article 19 organization, European Center for Press and Media Freedoms (ECPMF), Free Press Unlimited and OBC Transeuropa, Reporters without Borders, International Press Institute (IPI), Safe Journalists Network and President of EFJ Maja Server, reads the statement posted on UNS website.

UNS informed aforementioned organizations that RTK news on anniversary of March pogrom says that three Albanian boys drowned in the Ibar River “while running away from a group of Serbian young men”. UNS said that this information caused an eruption of violence on March 17, 2004 in which 19 persons were killed, 39 churches and monasteries destroyed, villages and urban areas set on fire, more than 900 persons beaten up and maltreated, and 4000 Serbs expelled.

The statement also said that following the first UNS reaction, the news has been slightly changed and explained as “unintentional journalistic technical error”. However, the article fails to mention that violence of March 17, 2004 targeted the Serbs, while formulations that “properties and hundreds of private objects of Albanians were demolished” still remain there. It also said that more than 50 workers of RTK2 and Serbian redaction of RTK1 distanced themselves from the news, demanding professional accountability to be established.

“We underline that the fake news has not been signed, redaction is not behind it, it is unknown who the author is, but RTK management as in many other cases imposes articles which redaction has no influence over”, UNS said.

Serbian Embassy in Moscow marks anniversary of NATO bombing (FoNet, N1, RTS)

A commemoration to mark the 25th anniversary of the NATO bombing of the-then Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SRJ) was held on Wednesday evening at the Serbian Embassy in Moscow, N1 reports.

The event saw the unveiling of a plaque in memory of the victims, titled We Can Forgive – We Will Not Forget, and the launch of the book NATO Before the Court of History. A minute of silence was held to pay tribute to the victims of the bombing, while Serbian Ambassador Momcilo Babic said that Serbia paid a high price for its courage, the Serbian public broadcaster RTS reported.

“We are not asking for the impossible, we are a small, but a proud nation. Because of our pride we lost a third of our population in the Second World War. Serious scientists have proved that, had we not fought for freedom, there would be 20 million of us now”, Babic said.

We paid a high price for protecting our interests throughout history, and new challenges yet lie ahead. “We are surrounded on all sides by NATO and European Union countries. We are trying to protect our right to existence and independence, and to protect ourselves from any kind of conflict”, he added.

It was also announced that Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic will meet in Moscow on Thursday.

Dacic: Serbia-Russia bilateral relations on high level (Tanjug)

Despite numerous challenges, Serbia-Russia bilateral relations are on a high level, Serbian First Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic said at the beginning of a meeting with Russian top diplomat Sergey Lavrov in Moscow on Thursday.

The one-hour meeting, which continued behind closed doors, addressed a wide range of bilateral political and economic cooperation. Dacic and Lavrov discussed the situation in Kosovo, developments in the Balkans and current international issues.

"Last year, we marked the 185th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations. They are characterized by traditional friendship and culture and based on mutual trust and strategic cooperation", Dacic said. He said the personal relationship between the two presidents, Aleksandar Vucic and Vladimir Putin, had a special role in the development of cooperation. "I am certain that we will maintain the bilateral relations through mutual efforts", Dacic said.

He said economic relations with Russia were extremely important, in the energy sector in particular, and noted that, at the initiative of their presidents, the two countries had an energy deal in place until 2025. "We are very grateful to Russia for the support it is providing to us when it comes to our territorial integrity. It is very significant for us, and I want to thank you personally for the great understanding and support in all situations where we have turned to you for help", Dacic told Lavrov.

"We will discuss the situation in the Western Balkans - the policy of double standards is exactly what has led to our territorial integrity being violated", Dacic added. He thanked Moscow for requesting a UN Security Council session to mark 25 years since the beginning of the 1999 NATO aggression on Serbia.

Lavrov noted that Moscow was highly appreciative of the relations with Belgrade. "We are very pleased with the progress when it comes to trade and investments", he said. Lavrov also said cooperation in the UN was especially valuable when it comes to positions the West was unwilling to hear.

Vucic spoke with Macron about Kosovo (Danas)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic spoke with French President Emmanuel Macron about Kosovo at the first global summit on nuclear energy in Brussels.

“A cordial meeting with Emmanuel Macron, with whom I exchanged opinions on a number of important issues, as well as on the further strengthening of partnership relations between Serbia and France. I informed him about the development of the situation in Kosovo and Metohija, as well as about the growing pressure on the Serbian people, who have been put in an extremely difficult position after the latest moves by Pristina,” it was said in the Instagram post “buducnostsrbijeav”.

In his address to the media in Brussels, he also said that they agreed to meet in Paris soon.

He also mentioned that he also discussed political topics with Ursula von der Leyen, namely the European path, but also various political issues with Donald Tusk and Robert Fitz.

"I also spoke with many others, from Andrej Plenkovic to many other European leaders, and I believe that we had a useful stay here," Vucic said.

Vucic: I can congratulate whoever I want, I’m no one’s servant (N1, FoNet)

Regarding the comments that he is the only one in Europe who congratulated Russian President Vladimir Putin on his election victory, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said that he is no one’s servant, but that he acts as the president of a state that pursues its policy independently and in a sovereign manner.

Vucic told reporters in Brussels, where he is attending the Nuclear Energy Summit, that he will extend congratulations to whoever he wants to, whilst always protecting Serbia’s interests.

“I am no one’s servant, I love my country more than anything in the world and I act as a president of an independent and sovereign state, in the best interest of its citizens”, Vucic said.

Opinion

Serwer: Double down on success, not failure (peacefare.net)

Most news websites in Kosovo cover an opinion piece by U.S. political commentator on the Balkans, Daniel Serwer, originally published on peacefare.net.

The US Ambassador in Belgrade has vaunted cooperation with the Serbian Army even as the President of Serbia makes clear his intention to invade Kosovo at a time of his choosing. How can both be true?

No big puzzle

It’s really not hard to figure this out. Serbia cooperates with US and NATO exercises for two reasons. First, they provide good training, which the Russians are unable to equal. The performance of the Russian Army in Ukraine has improved, but its losses are simply colossal. No one would want to emulate them. Second, NATO exercises provide excellent opportunities to gather intelligence. That will serve well in any Serbian military action against NATO-led forces in Kosovo. Belgrade no doubt also feeds that intelligence back to Moscow.

Only marginally harder to understand is the reference to the Kosovo Security Force (KSF) as the KLA (or Kosovo Liberation Army). The KLA was demobilized after the 1999 war. The KSF that exists today is the creation of US and British training and equipping several generations of organization and personnel removed from the KLA. The US Ambassador in Belgrade knows that perfectly well. His reference to the KLA is intended to signal that he agrees with the Serbian government that the KSF is illegitimate.

Toadying hasn’t worked

This toadying to Vucic has become the default behavior in Belgrade. The question is why it is tolerated in Washington. I suppose there are reasons. But they are unlikely to be good ones. No amount of lickspittle will change Belgrade’s decision to align with Russia. Vucic has made clear that he intends to try to take back a piece of Kosovo whenever he gets an opportunity. Any agreement in Ukraine to surrender territory to Russia will provide that opportunity.

Washington needs to reconsider its long effort to court Vucic. That effort has failed. It has also encouraged his irredentist ambitions, not only in Kosovo but also in Montenegro and in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The “Serbian world” he aims for is strictly analogous to the “Russian world” President Putin is trying to create in Georgia, Belarus, Moldova, and most ambitiously Ukraine. The West should be countering Russian and Serbian ethnoterritorial ambitions, not encouraging them. Instead, Washington is doubling down on a policy that has failed to produce anything more than minor results.

International

Witnesses Tell Kosovo War Crimes Court of ‘Anarchic’ Violence in 1999 (Balkan Insight)

Witnesses at the war crimes trial of Kosovo’s former President Hashim Thaci and three co-defendants in The Hague described an “anarchic situation” of arson, violence and kidnappings.

The war crimes and crimes against humanity trial of former Kosovo President Hashim Thaci and three co-defendants at the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in The Hague heard four witnesses testify this week about alleged violent crimes committed during and just after the 1998-99 Kosovo war.

Claude Cahn, the 50th prosecution witness in the trial, testified on Monday about human rights abuses against the Roma community that he witnessed while he was employed by the European Roma Rights Centre, ERRC in July 1999, just after the war, in the wake of Serbian forces’ withdrawal from Kosovo.