UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, January 12, 2023

Chollet visits Pristina; “expect proposals from Kosovo on Association” (media)
Bislimi: Agreement can be reached by end of March (Euronews Serbia)
Human Rights Watch latest report on Kosovo (media)
Pantic will be sent to hospital for medical checkup (Albanian Post)
Serbia says Hungary will vote against Kosovo EU, CoE membership (Euractiv)

Chollet visits Pristina; “expect proposals from Kosovo on Association” (media)

The main story in the Kosovo media is the visit to Pristina by the Counselor to the U.S. State Department, Derek Chollet, on Wednesday. Radio Free Europe reports that Chollet said in his meeting with reporters that “Kosovo needs to implement all commitments within the dialogue, including the formation of the Association of Serb-majority municipalities” and that they expect “the Kosovo Government to put some proposals on the table”. “We believe that the Association is an urgent matter. It is an urgent matter in the agenda of the dialogue, and it has an even greater importance after the recent events in the north,” he is quoted as saying.

Chollet said that the U.S. do not support anything resembling the Republika Srpska in Bosnia and Herzegovina. “I want to make it clear that we don’t support and that we will not support arrangements similar to the Republika Srpska and we are not asking Kosovo to support any arrangement that is not in line with the Constitution and the decision of the Constitutional Court in 2015 … We believe we are at a critical moment. We believe that Kosovo and Serbia need to engage urgently in the EU-led dialogue, which is working toward a comprehensive agreement for the normalisation of relations centered on mutual recognition,” he said.

Chollet wrote on Twitter after meeting Prime Minister Albin Kurti: “Important conversation with @albinkurti on Dialogue. Appreciate Kosovo engaging constructively and flexibly. Looking forward to continued partnership on advancing ongoing efforts towards normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia.”

After meeting President Vjosa Osmani, Chollet tweeted: “Good to meet with @VjosaOsmani. Our U.S.-Kosovo partnership is steadfast. We commend Kosovo for solidarity with Ukraine in enacting sanctions, supporting refugees and journalists, and condemning Putin’s war. Grateful for Kosovo’s generosity in hosting Afghan evacuees & refugees.”

Chollet also met with representatives of the Serbian List. “Informative meeting with Srpska List members. Valuable to hear the concerns of all communities in Kosovo. Need Kosovan Serbs in Kosovan institutions. We continue to emphasize the importance of an ASM consistent with Kosovo’s Constitution,” he tweeted after the meeting.

After a discussion with civil society representatives, Chollet tweeted: “Really enjoyed the discussion with representatives of Kosovan civil society. Appreciate the important role you play in advocating for all citizens & holding institutions accountable. Your efforts advance the EU-led Dialogue & support inclusion of all communities in Kosovo.”

Chollet also met with journalists during his stay in Pristina. “Had a wide-ranging conversation with Kosovan journalists today. Once again commended Kosovo for immediate and strong solidarity with Ukraine & discussed our perspective on ASM and next steps for the EU-facilitated, US-supported Dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia,” he tweeted.

The Office of Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani issued a press release after her meeting with Chollet noting that it confirmed the excellent relations with the United States, the main ally of the Republic of Kosovo, as well as committed to further strengthening the cooperation between the two countries. Osmani thanked Chollet for the proactive engagement of the United States in the dialogue process, emphasizing that increased American engagement in this regard is crucial to ensuring a successful outcome to the benefit of the citizens of the Republic of Kosovo.

Osmani said that the final agreement, which should be centered on mutual recognition, is aimed at improving the lives of citizens and achieving sustainable and long-term peace in the region. "Kosovo is ready to continue, with the utmost commitment, to be a constructive party, coordinated with the USA, by presenting proposals that contribute to the reaching of such an agreement," she said.

Read full press release at: https://bit.ly/3kbPVCK

Prime Minister Albin Kurti said in a Twitter post after meeting Chollet: “After many calls and a meeting @StateDept in the past two years, I was glad to host @CounselorDOS Chollet and his team today at the Kosova Govt. We discussed the special relationship between Kosovo and the U.S. and the importance of progress in the dialogue for mutual recognition with Serbia.”

A government press release notes that Kurti informed Chollet about the work and achievements of the government, the latest economic and democratic indicators and also the common objectives for development and democratisation. Kurti thanked Chollet for the visit and said that the U.S. are a partner and ally of Kosovo and that the latter’s objectives include even stronger partnership with the U.S. and integration in NATO.

“During the meeting there were discussions about the dialogue process, the European plan and relations between Kosovo and Serbia. Highlighted was the need for active and constructive engagement in dialogue and for intensified efforts toward full normalisation of relations between Kosovo and Serbia centered on mutual recognition,” the press release notes.

U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State and envoy for the Western Balkans, Gabriel Escobar, who accompanied Chollet in the visit, said that the Association of Serb-majority municipalities is a legally binding obligation for all parties and that a party or an individual cannot avoid it. “It obliges Kosovo, it obliges Serbia, and it obliges the EU which has led the process, and because we have supported it, it is our commitment too. Therefore, a party or an individual cannot avoid it unilaterally,” Escobar was quoted as saying.

Escobar also said: “what is important for the public to understand … We are hearing from very constructive members of civil society and multiethnic groups that want this to happen, from research groups that have worked hard to see how this can function without endangering the functionality of Kosovo or if it falls in contravention with its Constitution or laws … These are the partners whom I will start to ask to help us to come up with several ideas and to demystify this and to remove some of the fears that people may have about the implementation of this agreement”.

Leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) Ramush Haradinaj said after meeting Chollet that he highlighted the need for a final agreement with Serbia as an urgent matter. Haradinaj argued that the agreement should conclude with mutual recognition between Kosovo and Serbia. He also called for the full integration of Serbs in Kosovo’s institutions and the full enforcement of the rule of law throughout Kosovo.

Bislimi: Agreement can be reached by end of March (Euronews Serbia)

Kosovo’s Deputy Prime Minister and chief negotiator in the talks with Serbia, Besnik Bislimi, said in an interview with Euronews Serbia that an agreement between Kosovo and Serbia will be reached by the end of March. He said that the agreement signed in November last year, foresees that the next meeting will be held in March, which is seen as the timeline for signing an agreement, if the Serbian side is constructive. “Therefore, there is an agreement for the meeting to be held in March. This is why Kurti mentions the end of March as the timeline for signing an agreement,” he said.

Bislimi said that if one focuses on the “de jure” elements then the French-German proposal supports Serbia’s position that currently there are no conditions for mutual recognition.

Bislimi also said that the parties have agreed to keep the details of the proposal confidential and that the moment there is some progress then the public will be informed about everything.

Human Rights Watch latest report on Kosovo (media)

Several news websites cover the findings of the latest report by the Human Rights Watch about the situation in Kosovo. The report notes that “there was slow progress on accountability for war time abuses. Tensions flared after Kosovo authorities ordered that ethnic Serbs in the north may not enter Kosovo with Serbian issued IDs or license plates. Ethnic Serbs raised barricades close to the border in protest, and Kosovo authorities kept border crossings closed until barricades were lifted. Journalists continued to face attacks, harassment, and threats with a poor state response.”