Albanian Language Media:  

• Quint embassies statement on recent regulation of Kosovo Central Bank (media)
• Lajcak to visit Serbia today, Kosovo tomorrow (RTK)
• Xhaferi elected head of caretaker government in North Macedonia (media)
• Bauer: Not enough to expect EU and NATO to do everything in Balkans (Lajmi)
• Car of president of Leposavic municipal assembly set on fire (RFE)
• Lajcak: Busy week in Brussels (media)
• Lajcak meets Von Cramon, discuss developments in Kosovo and region (media)
• Kosovo leaders’ messages on Holocaust Remembrance Day (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic to meet Lajcak (media)
• Quint calls for suspension of CBK regulation due to concern over its impact on K. Serb community (KoSSev)
• Mijacic: A strong message would be for the Central European Bank to prohibit the euro in Kosovo (Kosovo Online, KoSSev, N1)
• KP suspects arson after Leposavic MA president’s car partially torched (KoSSev)
• In Ljubozda returnee village seven houses robbed since the beginning of the year (Kosovo Online) 
• Vasic: Milosavljevic and Zaric’s unfounded detention a clear message to all Serbs who want to return to Kosovo (Kosovo Online)
• Jevtic: Attacks on Serbian returnees are a result of the policy of the regime in Pristina (Kosovo Online, Tanjug)
• Czech minister: Kosovo’s political scene united on nationalism (N1, Beta, KoSSev)
• Kurti: No former Kosovo PM maintained dialogue with Serbia as much as I do (Beta, N1)

International Media:

• North Macedonia's Parliament Elects First Ethnic Albanian PM (RFE)

Albanian Language Media

Quint embassies statement on recent regulation of Kosovo Central Bank (media)

The Quint embassies in Pristina issued the following statement on Sunday on the recent regulation of the Central Bank of Kosovo on cash operations.

The Embassies of France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, and the United States note that the recent regulation of the Kosovo Central Bank (KCB) on cash operations, which aims to reduce counterfeit cash, safeguard financial stability, as well as increase the transparency of cash flows in Kosovo, nevertheless raises concerns with regard to the impact on the Serb-majority communities in particular.

We are concerned about the impact of the regulation in particular on schools and hospitals, for which no alternative process seems viable at the moment. The regulation will also have a direct impact on the everyday lives of the overwhelming majority of Kosovo Serbs who receive payments/ financial assistance from Serbia.

Having had an exchange on this issue with the Prime Minister on Friday, the Quint calls for the suspension of the enforcement of the regulation to allow a sufficiently long period of transition, and for clear and effective public communication. The issue should be discussed further in the framework of the EU Facilitated Dialogue.

Lajcak to visit Serbia today, Kosovo tomorrow (RTK)

EU Special Representative for the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia, Miroslav Lajcak, will visit Belgrade today, and Pristina tomorrow, RTK reports citing unnamed sources in Brussels. During his stay in Serbia, Lajcak will meet President Aleksandar Vucic. On Tuesday in Pristina, it is confirmed Lajcak will meet Kosovo’s First Deputy Prime Minister and chief negotiator, Besnik Bislimi. There is no confirmation yet if Lajcak will meet Prime Minister Albin Kurti.

Xhaferi elected head of caretaker government in North Macedonia (media)

One of the leading stories in Albanian media has been the election of Talat Xhaferi as head of the caretaker government in North Macedonia. Xhaferi, who resigned his post as Speaker of Parliament to assume the new post, will be the country’s first-ever ethnic Albanian Prime Minister. The caretaker government’s mandate will be to organize general elections in May.

Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani said in a post on X on Sunday that “today marks an important milestone for the entire Albanian community in North Macedonia, reflecting their vital contribution to the country’s statehood & journey towards Euro-Atlantic integration. I wish the gov’t & all institutions of North Macedonia every success.”

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti, in a Facebook post, congratulated Xhaferi on the post, adding that “friendship and cooperation on common projects I hope will mark the work of our two governments during Xhaferi’s tenure.”

Bauer: Not enough to expect EU and NATO to do everything in Balkans (Lajmi)

Robert Peter Bauer, Chair of the NATO Military Committee, said on Sunday that with the help of the European Union and NATO, Kosovo and Bosnia and Herzegovina have become more stable in the last couple of years. “The European Union and NATO support the Balkans in the practical sense, not only with words, but also in practice – they provide defense and a safe environment for all citizens in Kosovo, regardless of their ethnicity. The EU is doing the same in Bosnia and Herzegovina, with the support of NATO too, our mission in Sarajevo. In doing so, the two organizations are practically helping the security and stability of the Balkans,” he said.

Bauer also said that “it is not enough to raise your hands and expect the EU and NATO to do something about the Balkans. The countries themselves and their leaders play an important role in keeping the Balkans stable and safe … NATO and the EU will continue to help in the future as we have done through the years. In response to what happened in Kosovo in September, NATO increased the number of soldiers, and we are monitoring what is happening on the ground.”

Car of president of Leposavic municipal assembly set on fire (RFE)

The car of the president of Leposavic municipal assembly, Gorski Buric, was set on fire early Sunday morning, Kosovo Police said in a report. “Near the vehicle, close to the engine, was found a plastic bottle and a piece of cloth smelling of gasoline, which is believed to have been used to set the car on fire,” police said. They also said they were carrying out investigations into the incident.

Kosovo’s Ministry of Interior Affairs condemned the attack against the municipal assembly president, arguing that it proves that “Serbia has not changed its approach or criminal attacks against Serb citizens that are loyal to the institutions of Kosovo”. “This act is in the series of consequent burning of vehicles of Serb citizens that cooperate or work in the institutions of our Republic,” the ministry said.

The news website notes that in the past, in the northern municipalities of Leposavic, Zvecan, Zubin Potok and Mitrovica North, vehicles with Kosovo license plates were damaged and set on fire.

Lajcak: Busy week in Brussels (media)

EU Special Representative for the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia, Miroslav Lajcak, said in a Facebook post on Sunday that “it’s been busy in Brussels this week - from trip preparations to meeting interlocutors from the region such as the Serbian Green-Left Front as well Macedonian Foreign Minister Bujar Osmani and those dealing with the region including MEP Viola von Cramon and Norwegian Western Balkan Envoy Haakon Blankenborg. Of course the EU Dialogue, as well as numerous regional developments and the recent elections in Serbia dominated our discussions”. Lajcak also said he had “a pleasant meeting with the Speaker of the National Council of the Slovak Republic Peter Pellegrini, who was visiting European institutions. It was an excellent opportunity to discuss key European foreign policy matters and the current Brussels landscape.”

Lajcak meets Von Cramon, discuss developments in Kosovo and region (media)

Several news websites report that EU Special Representative for the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia, Miroslav Lajcak, met in Brussels with the European Parliament’s Rapporteur for Kosovo, Viola von Cramon. “Good to compare notes with MEP Viola von Cramon regarding recent developments in Kosovo and the broader region. I shared updates on the EU-facilitated Dialogue and we also delved into the post-election landscape in Serbia, along with the dynamics within the European Parliament,” Lajcak wrote in a post on X after the meeting.

Kosovo leaders’ messages on Holocaust Remembrance Day (media)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti said in a post on X on Saturday on International Holocaust Remembrance Day that “79 years ago, Auschwitz was liberated. The rescue of the survivors represented the triumph of humanity over evil, even as the crimes uncovered there revealed the true horrors that humanity is capable of. On this #HolocaustRemembranceDay, let us renew our eternal vow: Never Again.”

President Vjosa Osmani said that on “the International Holocaust Remembrance Day, we remember the millions of innocent lives lost in one of the darkest chapters in human history. It serves as a reminder of the devastating consequences that stem from hatred, prejudice and bigotry.”

Serbian Language Media 

Vucic to meet Lajcak today (media)

The President of the Republic of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, will meet today the European Union's special representative for dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina and other regional issues of the Western Balkans, Miroslav Lajcak, announced the Service for Cooperation with the Media of the President of the Republic.

The meeting will be held at 12:30 p.m., in the building of the General Secretariat of the President of the Republic, read the announcement.

Quint calls for suspension of CBK regulation due to concern over its impact on K. Serb community (KoSSev)

Quint countries issued a joint statement today on the recent regulation of the Central Bank of Kosovo on cash operations, expressing concern regarding its impact on the Kosovo Serb community. They also call for the decision to be suspended to allow a “sufficiently long period of transition”.

“The Embassies of France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, and the United States note that the recent regulation of the Kosovo Central Bank (KCB) on cash operations, which aims to reduce counterfeit cash, safeguard financial stability, as well as increase the transparency of cash flows in Kosovo, nevertheless raises concerns with regard to the impact on the Serb-majority communities in particular.”

They added that they are concerned about the impact of the regulation in particular on schools and hospitals, for which “no alternative process seems viable at the moment.”

“The regulation will also have a direct impact on the everyday lives of the overwhelming majority of Kosovo Serbs who receive payments/ financial assistance from Serbia.”

Quint ambassadors pointed out that they met with the Prime Minister on Friday to discuss the issue. They once again called for the suspension of this regulation.

Read more at: https://shorturl.at/ELSU0

Mijacic: A strong message would be for the Central European Bank to prohibit the euro in Kosovo (Kosovo Online, KoSSev, N1)

Coordinator of the Working Group of the National EU Convention for Cooperation between Belgrade and Pristina, Dragisa Mijacic, stated that if the Quint wanted to send a strong message, then the Central European Bank should issue a statement that the euro was no longer allowed in Kosovo.

The Quint issued a statement today calling for the suspension of the decision of the Kosovo Central Bank to cease payment transactions with Serbia, but Mijacic believes that is not enough.

"Another statement from the Quint without a clear policy response. Everyone is aware that the Regulation of the Kosovo Central Bank puts the Serbian community on the edge. If the Quint wants to send a strong message, let the Central European Bank issue a statement that the euro will no longer be allowed in Kosovo," Mijacic emphasized in a post on X, reported portal Kosovo Online.

KP suspects arson after Leposavic MA president’s car partially torched (KoSSev)

A vehicle owned by the head of the Leposavic Municipal Assembly, Gorski Buric, was partially burned early Sunday morning. The police suspect arson.

The Kosovo police confirmed in a statement for KoSSev that the incident took place after midnight, between 3 am and 4 am.

The deputy commander of the Kosovo Police of the region north, Veton Elshani, emphasized that the vehicle was only partially burned, namely the front part of the car, where the engine is located.

The vehicle in question is a Fiat Punto car with RKS license plates from the Mitrovica region.

“The police suspect that it was a case of arson, that someone torched it purposely. We found a liquid that is suspected to be gasoline,” said Elshani.

He added that they have no suspects so far, noting that the investigation is ongoing.

Read more at: https://shorturl.at/rBDRS

In Ljubozda returnee village seven houses robbed since the beginning of the year (Kosovo Online) 

Portla Kosovo Online reported that in the returnee village of Ljubozda, near Istok, seven robberies and break-ins into the houses of returnees have occurred since the beginning of the year. The Serbs, who returned in 2017 to build new homes on the ruins and start life anew, still live in fear for their safety and worry about new attacks.

Read more at: https://shorturl.at/lvJU9

Vasic: Milosavljevic and Zaric’s unfounded detention a clear message to all Serbs who want to return to Kosovo (Kosovo Online)

Lawyer Dejan A. Vasic, who represents the Serbs facing proceedings for alleged war crimes in Kosovo, says that many of them are being held in custody even though there are conditions for them to be released pending trial. He told Kosovo Online that the cases of his clients, Serbian returnees Gavrilo Milosavljevic and Zarko Zaric, can be an indicative response to why this is the case.

As he emphasizes, by detaining them, they are prevented from living with their families on their property in Kosovo, sending a clear message to everyone considering returning to think carefully about it. 

Read more at:  https://shorturl.at/hwxA5

Jevtic: Attacks on Serbian returnees are a result of the policy of the regime in Pristina (Kosovo Online, Tanjug)

Dalibor Jevtic, the mayor of Strpce municipality and former Minister for Communities and Returns, told Kosovo Online that security, economic sustainability, and usurped property are pressing issues regarding the return and survival of the Serbs in Kosovo. He states that frequent attacks on the Serbs are a result of the processes and implementation of the current regime's policy in Pristina, urging the international community to stop observing passively and to react urgently.

Read more at:  https://rb.gy/ia57gd

Czech minister: Kosovo’s political scene united on nationalism (N1, Beta, KoSSev)

The Czech Minister for European Affairs, Martin Dvorak, said after his recent visit to Kosovo that the political scene there is united on the wave of nationalism and that there is no chance that someone with moderate, conciliatory rhetoric could succeed there.

“Despite all disputes and differences between individual parties, the political scene in Kosovo is very united on the nationalist wave. Someone who would come with conciliatory or defeatist rhetoric in Kosovo would not be able to succeed,“ he said in an interview with the Czech news agency CTK.

After meeting with Kosovo’s political elite, he said that the public in Kosovo unequivocally supports the EU and that the biggest obstacle to those European ambitions is the tensions between Belgrade and Pristina.

“The biggest obstacle is the unfinished conflict, which does not mean that a country does not have its entire territory under control, but the EU does not want to get dragged into a conflict or growing tensions,“ said the Czech minister.

He ended his visit to Kosovo with a conversation with five Kosovo Serbs in Kosovska Mitrovica and said he was left with the impression that, just like 20 years ago, when he was in Kosovo, deep scepticism prevails among the people and they believe that a solution does not exist.

Kurti: No former Kosovo PM maintained dialogue with Serbia as much as I do (Beta, N1)

In an interview with the Dutch newspaper "Trouw", Prime Minister Albin Kurti said that the European Union is the most important political project for Kosovo and a historical process of freedom and prosperity since the Second World War.

“The EU must be protected, and we want to contribute to that,“ Kurti said. 

Speaking about the establishment of the Community of Serb municipalities, Kurti said that although Serbs make up only four percent of Kosovo’s population, their language is the official language throughout Kosovo and at all levels of government.

He also said that the Serbs have ten secured seats in the parliament and that they use the opportunities they have.

“Instead, they want a Community of Municipalities with executive power. This authority should then be removed from the municipalities or the national government. This is not possible according to the Constitution. And they also want that Community to have a president. I want to help the municipalities, but not by forming a new Republika Srpska,” Kurti said. 

He added that he is speaking Serbian “more than all his predecessors combined”.

“Municipalities with a Serb majority receive 62 percent more of the budget per inhabitant than others. I don’t know what else to do. There is no prime minister who talks and consults with Serbs like I do. But the vast majority of these meetings take place in secret, at their request. Because otherwise, Belgrade would immediately attack them. I am sorry and apologize for not being able to protect all Kosovo Serbs from harassment from Belgrade,“ Kurti said.

Speaking about the problems Kosov is facing on its way to EU membership, Kurti noted the case of the attack last September in Banjska. He reiterated his claim that Serbia was behind that attack.

International Media

North Macedonia's Parliament Elects First Ethnic Albanian PM (RFE)

The parliament in North Macedonia elected the country's first ethnic Albanian prime minister, tabbing Talat Xhaferi to head a new caretaker government tasked with organizing free and fair parliamentary elections on May 8.

The 61-year-old Xhaferi, whose cabinet will include ministers nominated by the opposition, was elected on January 28 with 65 votes in favor out of the 120 seats in parliament, while the main opposition VMRO-DPMNE deputies did not vote.

"I will advocate for ethnic balance and harmony between the communities," Xhaferi told lawmakers, speaking in both the Macedonian and Albanian languages.

VMRO-DPMNE, the largest opposition party, proposed its own candidate and opposed Xhaferi’s candidacy.

Xhaferi served as parliament speaker but resigned on January 25 ahead of his election as caretaker prime minister.

About one-quarter of North Macedonia's 1.8 million inhabitants are ethnic Albanians. Tensions have persisted between the majority population and Albanian minority ever since the country's 1991 declaration of independence from the former Yugoslavia.

Read more at: https://shorturl.at/npDRZ