Albanian Language Media:

• The "cold-hot" relations between Ambassador Hovenier and PM Kurti (Klan)
• OSCE: Ready to provide advice on MLGA administrative guidance for elections in north (media)
• Opposition dissatisfied with government's work towards de-escalation (Reporteri)
• Haxhiu's statement on the Constitution is seen as interference (Koha)
• Grubi: Kurti's visit to North Macedonia, misused (media)
• Reuten praises CNN's article about Vucic (Reporteri)

Serbian Language Media:

• Hovenier: MTS certificate under discussion, Pristina to act cautiously (RFE, Radio KIM)
• Serbs in Leposavic continue protesting entry of Deputy Minister of Communities and Returns to municipal facility (Kosovo Online)
• Court of Appeals in Slovenia dismissed Berishaj’s complaint for slander against journalist (Kosovo Online)
• Jakup Krasniqi’s request for temporary release rejected (KoSSev)
• Opposition leader to sue Pink TV for cloning his voice in video clip (N1)

   

Albanian Language Media

  The "cold-hot" relations between Ambassador Hovenier and PM Kurti (Klan) 

The US Ambassador to Kosovo, Jeffrey M. Hovenier, admitted that he had some disagreements with the Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti. In a meeting he had on Wednesday with journalists, he said that he does not think that it is a surprise for anyone when he says that they had some differences with the Kurti government on some specific issues.

"We were concerned because we wanted to work together on how to manage the issue of legally elected mayors in the north, the way they took office and the way they started their mandate, so it was definitely a very critical addressing of the government to use the police and prevent forced entry into buildings. We didn't think that was necessary. One of our requests and that of the EU has been that these mayors work from alternative locations for the time being, until the situation calms down," Hovenier said.

He further added that it is a mixed situation with the Kurti government, as in some issues they enjoy very close cooperation and work together very well in some things, and in some others they have had some differences.

"I respect the prime minister's right to make his own choices and to determine what he believes is best for his country. He is a democratically elected prime minister of a democratic state", said the American ambassador in Kosovo.

"I hope that no one will have to question the commitment of the United States to the citizens of Kosovo and this effort that we are all making to see Kosovo recognized as it is, as a small country of the Western Balkans and we hope to see it fully integrated in all European and Euro-Atlantic institutions", concluded the US representative in Kosovo.

Ambassador Hovenier has also spoken about the establishment of the Association of Serb-majority municipalities.

"So we ask him to advance the negotiations and the conclusions of the negotiations to establish the Association. And we have been clear how we see the Association. Which is not in contradiction with the Constitution of Kosovo, with the decision of the Constitutional Court, and which is not an additional level of government. We have been very clear. I am very comfortable making these requests to the government of Kosovo. I think it's good policy and legitimate to see these things moving forward" he said.

Hovenier also spoke about the nomination of Jim (James) O'Brien, to the position of Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs. Although he said that the practice is not to comment until he receives confirmation from the US Senate, Ambassador Hovenier emphasized that he hopes that O'Biren will be elected to this post to "advance the strategic goals of the U.S. in Kosovo.

"All I can say is that President [Joe,] Biden believes he has nominated someone who is very qualified for this position. I have had the pleasure of working with Mr. O'Brien on regional issues in the past. Clearly, he has a lot of knowledge about the region and also has knowledge and experience about Kosovo and Serbia", said Hovenier in the meeting with journalists.

After the meeting with some of the media representatives, Hovenier said that it was a pleasure to meet with them, and that without free and independent media, there is no democracy.

"It is always a pleasure to host media representatives at the US Embassy. Today I shared my views on recent issues related to our partnership and work in Kosovo. I also had the pleasure of hearing more from them about the challenges faced by Kosovar journalists and media. Free and independent media are essential to democracy," Hovenier wrote in a tweet.

OSCE: Ready to provide advice on MLGA administrative guidance for elections in north (media)

The mission in Kosovo of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) announced it is ready to advise the Ministry of Local Government Administration (MLAP) in the process of drafting administrative instructions for the elections in the northern part of Kosovo.

The mission said this readiness is in accordance with its mandate and in response to any invitation from the ministry.

"The OSCE mission received the notification two weeks ago from the Ministry of Local Government Administration for the creation of the Working Group for the drafting of the "Administrative Instruction for defining the procedures for citizens' initiatives for the dismissal of mayors of municipalities". The mission in Kosovo is ready to offer advice in this field in response to any invitation from the Ministry and in accordance with its mandate", reads a response to RTV 21.

Further in response, the OSCE said that the Mission did not directly help Kosovo's institutions in organizing the elections, which, according to them, "reflects the increased capacity and competence of Kosovo's institutions working in this field".

"Since 2017, the OSCE has not provided direct support to Kosovo institutions in the organization of elections in Kosovo. This reflects the increased capacity and competence of Kosovo's institutions working in this field, including the Central Election Commission, and the sustained support from the OSCE Mission to Kosovo over many years. Since 2017, the Mission has helped Kosovo's institutions responsible for the conduct of elections with advice and support for electoral reform, as well as with technical support and training," the response states.

Opposition dissatisfied with government's work towards de-escalation (Reporteri)

Kosovo Assembly members of the Committee for European Integration have doubts about the work that is being done in removing the measures and meeting the EU's requirements by the government. The chairwoman of this commission, Rrezarta Krasniqi, relates this to the initiative to reach the elections in the four municipalities in the north through a petition.

"If it was decided to go to the elections, the sanctions should have been removed, but you can't since the elections have not been announced yet and the mayors are still in those municipalities, and the petition process will take time and will delay the process of announcing the elections. The mayors of the municipalities in the north should sit down and agree to resign in order for everything to go faster", stated Rrezarta Krasniqi, chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee for Integration from the ranks of the LDK.

The other member of this committee, Time Kadrijaj, mentioned the complications from this process. "How much is this constitutional and what is the form in which these mayors should resign or be dismissed is not known as we may have legal or constitutional consequences. If this is done and it violates the constitution, we will have a delay in the process", member of the Parliamentary Committee for Integration from AAK Time Kadrijaj said.

The Deputy Prime Minister of Kosovo, Besnik Bislimi, during the month of July agreed in Bratislava to fulfill the demands of the EU for de-escalation of the situation in the north, through the removal of the police and the announcement of new elections in the four northern municipalities.

Haxhiu's statement on the Constitution is seen as interference (Koha)

The criticisms of the Minister of Justice, Albulena Haxhiu, against the Constitutional Court and the justice system have produced reactions from the opposition and civil society.

"We have been waiting for a decision of the Constitutional Court for five months now. Considering the importance of justice reform, we are not in the same line as the Constitutional Court, because it seems that justice reforms are either being hindered by undoing them, or delaying them as such", Haxhiu told KTV on Tuesday.

But this statement of hers has been interpreted by civil society as interference, and by the opposition she has been accused of lack of professionalism.

Grubi: Kurti's visit to North Macedonia, misused (media)

The first deputy prime minister, Artan Grubi from the ranks of DUI, was asked by journalists in Gostivar about the visit of the prime minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, to Cair and Tetovo a few days ago.

"Mr. Kurti's visit is welcome and he comes often and often travels from here to abroad, it had a local character for different motives at the two municipalities in question and I don't see any controversy here... Another thing is that some people try to misuse Mr. Kurti, because the citizens know that without DUI they cannot even change the sign with the name of Adem Demaci or build the road Tetovë - Prizren", Grubi said.

Reuten praises CNN's article about Vucic (Reporteri)

Dutch MEP Thjis Reuten has praised CNN's article about the president of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, who said that the approach of the West "I see no harm" towards him, has begun to crack.

"A good read about Serbian President Vucic [who] for more than a decade now refuses to make clear choices in the interest of his people. Aided by a disastrous policy of appeasement by the EU and allies", he wrote, sharing the CNN article.

U.S. Ambassador to Montenegro: For Euro-Atlantic aspirations, the sovereignty of Kosovo should also be supported (Kallxo) 

The U.S. Ambassador to Montenegro, Judy Rising Reike listed several steps that the Montenegrin government should follow for its Euro-Atlantic aspirations, including supporting the sovereignty of neighboring countries, including Kosovo. “To meets its Euro-Atlantic aspirations, Montenegro needs a government that condemns Russian aggression, advocates for Ukraine's territorial integrity, and backs EU sanctions on Russia, while also bolstering Montenegro’s active participation in NATO, protecting minority the rights of minorities, and supporting the sovereignty of neighboring countries, including Kosovo,"  she wrote on Twitter.

   

Serbian Language Media

  Hovenier: MTS certificate under discussion, Pristina to act cautiously (RFE, Radio KIM)

US Ambassador in Pristina, Jeffrey Hovenier warned that Kosovo should be cautious when it comes to revoking license certificates, adding talks were underway regarding MTS.doo, daughter company of Telekom Serbia, telecommunication operator situation, Radio KIM reports citing Radio Free Europe.

MTS.doo is a company established based on the Brussels Agreement on Telecommunication within Belgrade-Pristina dialogue on normalization of relations.

The Kosovo Government at the beginning of August made a decision to revoke license certificates for several companies citing ‘anti-constitutional documentation’ and MTS.doo was among them. As a reason for MTS license certification cancellation was mentioned “an error in documentation” respectively that one of the management members had a passport allegedly not in line with Kosovo regulations.

Asked by Radio Free Europe what the stance of the US Embassy in Pristina on the MTS.doo issue was, Hovenier told a press conference on August 16 it is about “a very sensitive issue”. He noted that in case of any business, whose license certificate can be revoked, they encourage the government to undertake such acts with caution.

“We urge the Government to be very, very cautious in the actions it undertakes”, Hoveiner is quoted as saying. He also said it was reasonable that the Kosovo Government expects companies operating in Kosovo to respect Kosovo laws, but that it was not reasonable to make steps without coordination.

“International community expects the Government to coordinate with us, about the manner of implementing legal provisions, about something that is sensitive, such as the operation of the companies whose foundations came from the agreement (within the dialogue) under EU’s mediation”, he said.

He added talks with EU Special Envoy for Belgrade-Pristina talks Miroslav Lajcak and Kosovo Government were underway on how to resolve this situation.

“I do not want to prejudge the outcome of this (conversation) and I do not want to spend time on particularities, apart from saying that we supported and support the initiative of the EU Special Envoy, who has full responsibility to ensure full compliance with all Brussels agreements”, he said. 

Serbs in Leposavic continue protesting entry of Deputy Minister of Communities and Returns to municipal facility (Kosovo Online)

Residents from Leposavic gathered this morning to express dissatisfaction over the entry of Kosovo Deputy Minister for Communities and Returns Radojica Radomirovic and a dozen people to the municipal facility, Kosovo Online portal reports.

Radomirovic and a group of young people, the portal said, this morning before 6 o'clock, escorted by Kosovo police entered the municipal building.

Residents who for several months gather to oppose the presence of an Albanian mayor they deem illegitimate as elected by 100 votes only, are displeased by the arrival of Radomirovic to the municipal building and request KFOR to act in line with the mandate and prevent anyone from entering the building.

Employees of the municipality, who do not have access to their working places longer than two months, said this was yet another provocation.

Radomirovic, also yesterday, around 9 o’clock with the same group of people entered the municipal building and were booed by present people. 

Court of Appeals in Slovenia dismissed Berishaj’s complaint for slander against journalist (Kosovo Online)

The Court of Appeals in Slovenia has dismissed as ungrounded the complaint of Kosovo Ambassador in Croatia, Martin Berishaj against the journalist Vitomir Petrovic who wrote about embezzling one million euros, Kosovo Online portal reports, citing Pristina-based Reporteri.

Previously the complaint was dismissed by the District Court in Ljubljana, Slovenian capital.

Reacting to the news LDK member Visar Azemi wrote on Facebook the court decision followed after Berishaj did not, as he said, document Petrovic’s claims as slander. He also called upon Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti to revoke Berishaj from his post, given that, as it was said, it had been proven at two levels that media reports on Berishaj were not slander. 

Jakup Krasniqi’s request for temporary release rejected (KoSSev)

Defense of former Kosovo Assembly speaker Jakup Krasniqi requested his temporary release of two weeks, under surveillance, so he could spend some time with his family in Kosovo, KoSSev portal reports. The Specialist Court in the Hague rejected this request noting that since identities of the witnesses have already been revealed to Krasniqi’s defense a risk “from committing further crimes” must be deterred.

As the Court’s spokeswoman Angela Grip said the Court also concluded there is a risk that Krasniqi could commit the crimes “against those perceived as KLA opponents”.

Krasniqi and former KLA leaders, Hashim Thaci, Kadri Veseli and Rexhep Selimi are currently standing trials at the Specialist Court in the Hague under the charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Kosovo.  

Opposition leader to sue Pink TV for cloning his voice in video clip (N1)

Serbian opposition Freedom and Justice Party (SSP) leader Dragan Djilas said he will sue Belgrade-based Pink TV and its owner Zeljko Mitrovic over a video clip made using artificial intelligence in which he allegedly admits to wrongdoings and to insulting his opposition colleagues, N1 reports. 

They had to use artificial intelligence to make a forged video of this kind, Djilas said, stressing that the video was shown in Pink TV news broadcasts and that “many people in Serbia believed that I was actually saying that”. Pink TV recently made similar video clips of SSP deputy leader Marinika Tepic and People’s Party (NS) leader Vuk Jeremic. 

“I hope that, faced with new methods of abuse, our courts will take a stand that will protect the citizens from those with excess power and with a lack of personal shame and morality”, he added. Djilas warned of the huge possibilities for manipulation using AI, and stressed that the Regulatory Authority for Electronic Media (REM) should have already reacted and banned the said video clips.