Albanian Language Media:

• Kurti: The fundamental values of CoE naturally fit our government (RTK)
• Kurti: We are not stopping aid to Serbs, but they should be in euros (media)
• Kurti called on prosecution to do more about Podujeva massacre (RTK)
• Maqedonci: "Bayraktar" drones fly in the skies of Kosovo every day (media)
• Serbian Minister of Defense says they are strengthening military capacities (Klan)
• Bujar Osmani expects Kosovo to be admitted to CoE in April (RTK)
• Tahiri: Single-source contracts were signed without any transparency, figure goes up to €200 million (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• “Evidence Death”, “Permission Funeral”, “Certificate Ofcitizensip” – Linguistic nonsenses in Kosovo official documents in Serbian (KoSSev, Media Center Caglavica. Radio KIM)
• Dacic: Recommendation of Kosovo admission to CoE represents violation of Serbia’s interests (Tanjug, media)
• Petkovic: Those deciding should think if Pristina membership to CoE would contribute to peace, stability or whether it would have opposite effect (KoSSev, media)
• Dveri: Council of Europe violates its own fundamental principles (Danas, BETA)
• Tadic: In negotiations on Kosovo, Serbian authorities are giving everything (Radio KIM)
• Vucevic: We are strengthening defense capabilities to protect our sovereignty (Tanjug, media)
• Stojanovic: Closure of three EPS branch offices in Kosovo (Radio KIM)
• KFOR: There were no joint activities with the KSF (Kosovo Online)

Albanian Language Media  

  Kurti: The fundamental values of CoE naturally fit our government (RTK)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti called the approval of the report on Kosovo yesterday by the Committee for Politics and Democracy of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe a great achievement for the people and the state of Kosovo. He said that two and a half years of systematic, institutional and political work has been done.

"Dozens of state officials, active every day everywhere. The first step of public success was the meeting of ambassadors in the Council of Europe on April 24, 2023, the second step was yesterday at the meeting of the Committee on Political Affairs, the third step will be the Parliamentary Assembly on April 18, 2024 and the last step is the membership a month later, in May, at the meeting of the Council of Ministers of the member countries", Prime Minister Kurti wrote on Facebook.

Kurti further thanked all those who committed and contributed to, as he said, becoming a member of the Council of Europe this spring, and in particular the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Donika Gervalla.

"A great achievement for the people and our country, a new opportunity for the citizens of Kosovo without distinction. The fundamental values of the Council of Europe, i.e. democracy, the rule of law and human rights, come naturally to our good and progressive governance", he wrote.

Kurti: We are not stopping aid to Serbs, but they should be in euros (media)

Kosovo Prime Minister, Albin Kurti, has reiterated that the Central Bank of Kosovo is an independent institution, and that the government of Kosovo supports its regulation which prohibited the use of the Serbian state currency, the Dinar, for sales and financial transactions in the territory of Kosovo, which worsened Kosovo's relations with the international community, especially with the United States of America.

"On the issue of the euro as the only currency as a means of payment in Kosovo, the Central Bank of Kosovo has made the decision on the new regulation, it has made a three-month transition plan with 10 steps, we will support this plan", Kurti said in a statement to the media.

He has assured the citizens that Kosovo with the new CBK regulation is on the right track and that it is already clear that Belgrade's apocalyptic warnings on this matter do not stand.

"There are practically no incidents on the ground. In the North of Kosovo, in various bars, it is paid in euros. We are not going to stop the aid that comes to you from Serbia, but if it is sent in dinars, it must be converted into euros in Kosovo".

Kurti called on prosecution to do more about Podujeva massacre (RTK)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti has called on the state prosecutor's office to do more regarding the arrest of the perpetrators of the massacre of the Bogujevci, Duriqi and Llugaliu families in Podujeve.

"We once again call on the state prosecutor's office to do more so that these cruel killers of the Bogujevci, Duriqi and Llugaliu families are behind bars because there were many more executors and order givers of this genocidal criminal expedition than have faced the justice process, while it is known that there was no justice for these families in Serbia", Kurti emphasized after the tributes at the graves of the Bogujevci, Duriqi and Llugaliu families in Podujeve.

He further said that the martyrs remind us how high the price of the state and freedom enjoyed today was and how the roots of the state and freedom are in the blood of martyrs.

"At the same time, our voice on seeking justice will be more and more powerful both institutionally and as citizens", he added.

Kurti said that seven women and seven children were killed in this massacre, but that despite a judicial process in Serbia, there was not sufficient justice. "The children were from 2 years old to 15 years old, and in this case a judicial process was held in Serbia, where several members of the infamous Skorpion unit, who also committed murder in the Srebrenica genocide, were convicted and those sentenced to a maximum of 20 years without repent, were released after having served 2/3 of the sentence. Their leader Sasa Svjetan was arrested in December 2022 in Athens, as the head of a drug cartel there. This shows how war criminals and organized crime in peace are closely related to each other. But we need institutional justice in Kosovo and the region", Kurti said.

Maqedonci: "Bayraktar" drones fly in the skies of Kosovo every day (media)

The Minister of Defense, Ejup Maqedonci, has said that the fund for the purchase of the anti-tank system "Javelin" is an additional fund allocated by the government. Maqedonci said that the purchase of this system is not part of the budget of 70 million euros that this ministry has for weaponry.

Further, the minister has said that Kosovo is also negotiating the purchase of other anti-tank systems, but not the recently rumored Swedish Carl Gustaf. He said that the helicopters are also planned, while he emphasized that the phase of their purchase will be from 2025-2028.

Meanwhile, for the Bayraktar drones, which have not yet been exposed to the public, the minister said that the army is releasing them every day for monitoring.

"Bayraktar drones are tested every day, they are practiced on a regular basis, they are being tested in the sky of Kosovo, in the western part, every day, of course they are not being used in combat because there is no need", he told Klan Kosova.

Among other things, the Minister of Defense, Ejup Maqedonci, has said that the commitment of 2013 will be respected in order not to involve the KSF in operations in the four northern municipalities without prior approval of KFOR.

Serbian Minister of Defense says they are strengthening military capacities (Klan)

Serbian Minister of Defense, Milos Vucevic, said today that Serbia is a militarily neutral country, but "taking into account the geopolitical situation in Kosovo, the country must also engage in strengthening its defense capacities to preserve sovereignty".

"And when we add to this everything that is happening in Kosovo and the policy of imposing absolutely unfavorable solutions and the pressures on the Serbs and the Serbian community, it really directs us to be very, very focused on strengthening defense capacities".

He made these statements referring to the negative reactions of the West regarding the purchase of an anti-aircraft system from Russia, which destroys drones. He also said that for this purpose Serbia wants to buy military equipment that is not produced in Serbia, but that not all markets are equally open to this.

"Where we may want to buy, they don't want to sell us some things".

Vucevic further said that historically there have been repeated moments when the big powers have made certain demands to Serbia that contradict the national and state interests and that he expects that there will be more in the future.

Bujar Osmani expects Kosovo to be admitted to CoE in April (RTK)

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of North Macedonia, Bujar Osmani, has welcomed the approval of the report of the rapporteur for Kosovo in the Council of Europe, Dora Bakoyanis, regarding the possible admission of Kosovo to this European institution.

"I am pleased to welcome the decision of the Political Commission of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe to invite Kosovo to become a member. The successful voting resulted in 31 votes "for" and four "against", Osmani wrote on Facebook.

He wished that the April session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe would be the last step for Kosovo's membership process in that European institution.

Tahiri: Single-source contracts were signed without any transparency, figure goes up to €200 million (media)

The head of the Parliamentary Group of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), Abelard Tahiri, in the session of the Assembly of Kosovo, spoke about single-source contracts. The extraordinary session was called by PDK.

"The number of single-source contracts from this government goes up to 200 million euros", Tahiri said.

"We must analyze these contracts and see how real they are. They are single-source contracts with staggering amounts. We see the security of the KEK facilities, and banal issues of single source. Single-source contracts are contracts signed at one table, hiding transparency. There is no transparency", said Tahiri.

He has called for the formation of the Parliamentary Investigative Commission that would investigate these single-source contracts.

   

Serbian Language Media

  “Evidence Death”, “Permission Funeral”, “Certificate Ofcitizensip” – Linguistic nonsenses in Kosovo official documents in Serbian (KoSSev, Media Center Caglavica, Radio KIM)

Violation of the language rights in Kosovo is an everyday occurrence, in particular when it comes to the use of Serbian language, which, although official and fully equal with the Albanian is often neglected or “disfigured”, KoSSev portal reported citing Media Center in Caglavica.

One of the latest examples of “language incident” in Kosovo is a template of Kosovo Ministry of Internal Affairs under the name “Request for Documents of Civil Condition” where completely meaningless words and phrases in Serbian language are used in the template referring to specific documents.

In a column requesting to insert a date, and place of birth it was written “date of bith” and “place of bith”. The birth certificate has become “extract of order”, “extract of bith”, “evidence death”, “permission funeral”, “certificate ofcitizensip”, “certificate ofmarige status”.

The order of inserting the names of the parents has also been misplaced. In a part of the template in Serbian saying “the name and surname of mother”, the version in Albanian and English reads “name and surname of father”. In the next column in Albanian and English it was written “name and surname of mother”, while in Serbian it says “name and surname of father”.

This document had been sent to the Media Center in Caglavica by a citizen who said he received the document in Mitrovica North, Serbian-majority municipality, currently headed by an Albanian mayor.

Mitrovica North deputy mayor, Katarina Adjancic confirmed to Media Center that this document is used in the municipality of Mitrovica North, but that according to her “responsibility for unclear terminology is not on municipality but rather on (institution) issuing this template”.

The Media Center said it would address the Kosovo Language Commissioner regarding this issue.

Dacic: Recommendation of Kosovo admission to CoE represents violation of Serbia’s interests (Tanjug, media)

Acceptance of recommendation by PACE Committee that Kosovo be admitted to the Council of Europe (CoE) represents a direct violation of Serbia’s interests, its sovereignty and integrity, as well as violation of principles this organization rests upon, Foreign Minister in technical mandate Ivica Dacic said, Tanjug news agency reported.

He added this topic will be discussed at a plenary session of PACE in April which gives recommendations to the Committee of Ministers. He also said this all comes at times when Pristina fulfills nothing, on the contrary it is blocking the Serbian goods import, bans dinar and brings Serbian population in Kosovo to a situation of humanitarian disaster. 

Dacic said this was just one form of pressure Serbia had faced recently and added that developments in the UN Security Council over a session requested by Russia to mark the 25th anniversary of the 1999 NATO bombing of the then Federal Republic of Yugoslavia were another factor of pressure.

He said the session, called again for Thursday, would probably not take place and was likely to be scheduled for a later date but that it was still not certain whether the issue would ever be put on the agenda of the UNSC.

Petkovic: Those deciding should think if Pristina membership to CoE would contribute to peace, stability or whether it would have opposite effect (KoSSev, media)

"Should we expect that tomorrow someone nominates Albin Kurti for the Nobel Peace Prize, in order to reward him for constant disenfranchising of Serbs and other non-Albanian communities in Kosovo?", the Office for Kosovo and Metohija Director Petar Petkovic asked, one day after PACE Committee recommended Kosovo to become a Council of Europe (CoE) member, KoSSev portal reported.

Petkovic termed this decision as absurd “because it was about the territory on which the most drastic violations of human rights are taking place”. He also said that Serbia in this situation is not only guided by its own state and national interests, but is also fighting for respect of democratic values, decency and common sense in international relations in Europe.

He appealed on Serbian partners in the CoE that in continuation of deciding about Kosovo have in mind that “such an outcome would be a precedent which would destroy the very foundational principles of this organizations, and it would be a hostility gesture towards Serbia, which has been active and committed member of this international organization thus far”.

He also said he is aware there is desire and rush to resolve the status issue of the unilaterally declared Kosovo, because of geostrategic interests that have not much to do with Belgrade or Pristina.

“Those deciding about this should think well if eventual membership of Pristina to the Council of Europe would contribute to the peace, stability and cooperation in our continent, or whether it would have completely opposite effect”, he said.

Dveri: Council of Europe violates its own fundamental principles (Danas, BETA)

Serbian opposition Dveri Movement said the Council of Europe (CoE) as an international organization officially founded to support human rights, democracy and rule of law in Europe by accepting a recommendation to admit Kosovo violates both, international law and its own fundamental principles, Danas daily reported.

“Neither false Kosovo state is internationally recognized nor Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija have basic human rights. Also, at the time the Council of Europe has been accused of institutional corruption, that it does not have any purpose and its credibility is questionable. Therefore, a decision as this one does not come as a surprise by an already largely compromised organization”, Dveri said in a statement.

Dveri said this decision is also “a consequence of disastrous policy of the current authorities, which particularly relate to (Aleksandar) Vucic’s acceptance of Franco-German ultimatum and Ohrid agreement, by which Serbia would not oppose membership of false state of Kosovo to international organizations”.

The Zavetnici Party (The Oath Keepers) said the decision of Council of Europe to recommend Kosovo becoming its member “directly violates the founding act of the Council of Europe and tramples upon territorial integrity of Serbia which is one of the fully-fledged members of this organization”. They added that the decision was scandalous because for the first time “admission of an entity which is neither a state nor member of the United Nations, but separatist creation is recommended for membership”. The party also said the recommendation is “an award to Albin Kurti for persecution and ethnic cleansing of the Serbian population, and punishment of Serbia which has been a reliable and credible partner of this organization for years”.

Antonijevic: Politically it would not be good decision to admit Kosovo to CoE first, and then it to fulfill obligations (Kosovo Online)

Lawyer and human rights activists Milan Antonijevic told Kosovo Online portal that yesterday’s decision of PACE Committee to recommend Kosovo membership to Council of Europe (CoE) is a political decision, adding he hopes that in upcoming period, before this issue comes to the agenda of PACE, the issue of Community of the Serbian Municipalities (CSM), respect of the rights in Kosovo, and some other issues such as excessive use of force in police actions, and property related issues would become topical.

“The issue of Visoki Decani Monastery has been resolved after so many years and that is why we cannot say it is a success of the system in Kosovo and the rule of law, but rather that it was forced as a minimum Kosovo was ready to make in a moment when it attempts to lobby of being admitted to fully fledged CoE membership”, Antonijevic said.

“That is why all those issues concerning respect of minority and human rights, foremost obligations that Kosovo undertook in Brussels dialogue and that is establishment of Community of Serbian Municipalities, from Serbian perspective and from perspective of large number of states are preconditions to discuss whether Kosovo can or cannot become a fully-fledged member of CoE”, he added.

He also said politically it won’t be good to first admit Kosovo and then to fulfill obligations that Kosovo undertook ten years ago and concern the CSM, property rights or some other issues.

Tadic: In negotiations on Kosovo, Serbian authorities are giving everything (Radio KIM)

Former Serbian President Boris Tadic said that his Kosovo policy was a policy of compromise which stipulated respect for the other side, but also not losing in peace what Serbia had not lost in war, as well as not crossing over red lines of Serbian national interests, Radio KIM reported.

“After my mandate we have no compromise solution, because for a decade already in negotiations Serbia is giving everything and getting nothing in return. Surrender of our legitimate interests is not a compromise. (Albin) Kurti’s attitude towards our citizens and our interests is not a compromise either. Trading the insults, threats and media performances are not a dialogue”, Tadic told Nedeljnik weekly.

Asked to comment on the opinion of the public that he lost authority because of his stance presented to Angela Merkel in Belgrade in 2011, Tadic said that the German Chancellor was “fully convinced that he in that meeting would hand over Serbian interests, respectively fulfill all her demands”.

“However, her expectations appeared because of wrongful information she was receiving from some of my associates, without my knowledge”, Tadic said, adding that Merkel was “in complete shock” when he rejected her demands related to Kosovo.

He also underlined he does not think it was a mistake not to agree to abolishing Serbian institutions in Kosovo for the sake of remaining in power and support from part of the international community, adding that Vucic perceived this as a mistake and a lesson.

“Part of our public that is surrendering Kosovo sees this as a path to European future and peace, but do not understand that sometimes what looks as the foundation of peace today, already tomorrow may become a cause of war”, Tadic warned.

Vucevic: We are strengthening defense capabilities to protect our sovereignty (Tanjug, media)

Serbia is a militarily neutral country but, in view of the geopolitical situation, it must engage further on boosting its defense capabilities to protect its sovereignty, Defence Minister Milos Vucevic said on Thursday. Vucevic was commenting on negative reactions from the West over Serbia's recent acquisition of a Russian-made anti-UAV system.

"And if we add to that all that is going on in Kosovo and Metohija and a policy of imposing solutions that is absolutely unfavorable, as well as the pressure on Serbs and the Serb community, that really leads us to being very, very focused on strengthening the defense capabilities", Vucevic said.

On several occasions in history, big powers have made demands to Serbia that were against the country's national and state interests, Vucevic said, adding that he expected such demands to be made in the coming period, too.

"I am not overly optimistic about the period to come either. It is almost certain we will face similar or the same pressure over certain issues, above all, the Kosovo and Metohija issue, but also over our relationships with Russia and the People's Republic of China. Definitely, the issue of Bosnia and Herzegovina, or Republika Srpska, to be more exact, should not be overlooked either", Vucevic said.

Stojanovic: Closure of three EPS branch offices in Kosovo (Radio KIM)

Leader of Serbian Peoples’ Movement (SNP) based in Gracanica, Branimir Stojanovic warned on social media that Serbian public electricity company (EPS) in cooperation with the Office for Kosovo and Metohija plans to shut down three EPS branch offices in Kosovo, namely in Gracanica, Strpce and Kosovsko Pomoravlje, Radio KIM reported.

He also said by doing this the financial existence of 73 Serbian families will be jeopardized. “What is their intention is that workers receiving 100 percent wages start receiving 60 percent wages, thus making it impossible for them to survive. My question today, a question for Petar Petkovic and the EPS director general, will the money that you would spare by taking away salaries from those people save EPS, save the state budget, save anything, apart from forcing those people out of those areas in the most direct way”, Stojanovic said.

He added that EPS for years had been engaging people from Kosovo (employed in this company) to work in central Serbia and this way influences their migrations. However, this recent decision, he added, in the most direct manner impacts migration of 73 families from those areas. He called on those affected to complain, because if they do not complain “some administrative staff in a short proceeding would decide about their fate, and they have no right to do so”.

Radio KIM said  it learnt unofficially that workers of Elektrodistribucija in Gracanica, part of EPS, will be engaged in the new company Elektrosever in the north which was established based on Brussels agreement. KIM Radio also said it sent a media enquiry to the Office for Kosovo and Metohija regarding those claims and statements of Branimir Stojanovic and will publish a reply once it arrives.

KFOR: There were no joint activities with the KSF (Kosovo Online)

There have been no joint activities between KFOR and Kosovo Security Forces, reads the written response from KFOR to the Kosovo Online editorial team’s media inquiry to comment on the statement of deputy minister of defense Shemsi Syla, who mentioned that "members of the KSF were involved in various activities in northern Kosovo".

In addition to Syla's statement, Defense Minister Ejup Maqedonci also spoke yesterday, stating that "KSF on September 24th last year (when the Banjska incident took place) were ready to react if requested by their superiors", the portal reported.

"We have seen the recent statement that the Kosovo Security Forces increased their readiness after the attack on the Kosovo Police in Banjska on September 24, 2023. Any deployment of Kosovo Security Forces in northern Kosovo requires the consent of the KFOR Commander. We welcome the continuous respect for these obligations by institutions in Kosovo. We expect timely consultations on any action by the Kosovo Security Forces or Kosovo Police that could affect regional security", KFOR said in written response, the portal added.

Furthermore, KFOR emphasized that they have increased their presence in Kosovo following last year's events in Zvecan and Banjska.

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