UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, March 8, 2024

Albanian Language Media:

Krasniqi: No space for decisions from Milosevic period In Kosovo (Koha)
CEC to discuss today verification of signatures for dismissal of mayors (Koha)
Szunyog: KPC bill to be in line with Venice Commission recommendations (media)
KFOR examines RPGs found in Banjska: We are securing the area (RTK)
Nemec: Visa procedures for Kosovo Serbs will be completed in spring (media)
Konjufca: Lithuania can contribute to Kosovo’s international subjectivity (media)
Bislimi welcomes new UK ambassador: Kosovo on development trajectory (RTK)
Elektrosever invites citizens to sign contracts with it (Klan)

Serbian Language Media:

Education workers in Silovo concerned over CBK’s decision (Kosovo Online, RTV Puls)
Conflicting opinions on petitions in north: Krasniqi convinced elections will soon be held, Uglanin skeptical (Kosovo Online)
CEC to discuss verification of signatures to dissolve mayors in northern Kosovo (Radio KIM, media)
Nemec expects visas for Serbian MIA Coordination Directorate passport holders to be waived by spring (KoSSev)
KFOR says it is examining grenades found in Banjska, Zvecan (N1, media)
Vucic: Serbia to chair GPAI (Tanjug)

Albanian Language Media

Krasniqi: No space for decisions from Milosevic period In Kosovo (Koha)

Kosovo’s Minister of Local Government, Elbert Krasniqi, did not leave open the possibility of implementing the decision of the Constitutional Court regarding the properties of the Monastery of Decan. He also spoke about the petition organized in the north for the dismissal of the mayors of the four municipalities with a Serb majority.

Asked about the properties that the Constitution recognized to the Decani Monastery, Krasniqi said that in Kosovo, there is no space for decisions that originate from the Slobodan Milosevic period.

The 2016 decision of the Constitutional Court has not been implemented by the local authorities, on the grounds that it legalized the decision of former Serbian President Milosevic, who donated the property of several social enterprises to the Monastery.

"Every decision in the Republic of Kosovo must have an interruption from that period of time,” Krasniqi said.

Although he did not agree to talk about the announced actions of the government for the implementation of the decision of the Constitutional Court, Krasniqi said that there should be "an overview of where these decisions and these problems come from".

Krasniqi made these comments during the discussion on the topic "Efficiency and impact of citizens' petitions as a means of exercising rights and changes in society".

Speaking about the initiative to dismiss the mayors of the northern municipalities, Krasniqi expressed his conviction that the citizens will not have a problem in securing the necessary percentage to initiate the voting process.

"50 percent should not have any difficulty, but it is our responsibility, the central government's, to guarantee not only elections, but also a pre-electoral campaign and a regular election process throughout the territory of the Republic of Kosovo. This will be the challenge now,” he added.

Dismissal of the mayors in the north through the petition was not seen as the most appropriate way by the Serbian political representatives who participated in the discussion. The interpretation of the Law on the right of citizens to petition also prompted a debate among the participants.

"Excuse me Mr. Uglanin, you are either half-literate or you are giving half-hearted details about all the laws,” said Aleksandar Arsenijevic, chairman of "Serbian Democracy".

Nexhat Ugljanin, chairman of the Municipal Assembly of Mitrovica North, replied: "I consider it an insult to honor for someone to call me illiterate. I wouldn't say that about Mr. Arsenijevic, as he said about me... But let him keep this to himself, not for the public. Of course, I am more well-mannered than you", replied Nexhat Ugljanin,.

CEC to discuss today verification of signatures for dismissal of mayors (Koha)

Kosovo’s Central Election Commission is expected to hold a meeting today to verify the signatures for the dismissal of the mayors in the north. "On Friday, March 8, 2024, the Central Election Commission will hold its next meeting. On the agenda, it is planned to present the report regarding the verification of the petitions received by the chairmen of the Municipal Assemblies, Leposavic, Zubin Potok, Zvecan and North Mitrovica,” CEC spokesperson Valmir Elezi said.

Szunyog: KPC bill to be in line with Venice Commission recommendations (media)

EU Head of Office in Kosovo, Tomas Szunyog, through a post on X, said that he expects the Draft Law for the Prosecutorial Council of Kosovo to be in accordance with the recommendations of the Venice Commission before it is approved as law.

"I saw that the Assembly of Kosovo has passed the Draft Law on the Prosecution Council of Kosovo in the first reading. We expect the Bill to be fully compliant with the recommendations of the Venice Commission before it is passed into law," Szunyog wrote.

The draft law for the Prosecutorial Council of Kosovo passed the first reading on Thursday during the plenary session of the Assembly.

KFOR examines RPGs found in Banjska: We are securing the area (RTK)

The NATO-led KFOR Explosive Ordnance Disposal team has examined the five ordnances found on Wednesday near the Banjska Monastery. According to the announcement of KFOR, the weapons found were sent to forensic laboratories.

"The explosive ordnance disposal team of the Eastern Regional Command of the NATO-led KFOR mission examined five explosive devices discovered in a warehouse in the municipality of Banjska by the Kosovo Police and sent them to forensic laboratories. Together with the team, we worked in close coordination with the Kosovo Police", it is stated in the announcement of KFOR.

According to the announcement, the KFOR Maneuver Battalion is further securing the area to see if they can locate other possible warehouses near this facility. "KFOR continues to implement its mandate – based on UN Security Council Resolution 1244 – to provide a safe and peaceful environment for all communities living in Kosovo and freedom of movement, in any on time and in an impartial manner,” the statement notes.

Nemec: Visa procedures for Kosovo Serbs will be completed in spring (media)

The rapporteur of the European Parliament on visa liberalization for holders of Serbian passports living in Kosovo, Matjaz Nemec, aims for the decision to lift the visa regime to be approved in April, before the EP is dissolved on the eve of the June elections.

The cabinet of the reporter from Slovenia told Radio Free Europe that Nemec has already compiled a draft report on the lifting of visas for holders of Serbian passports living in Kosovo, passports that have been issued by the Coordinating Authority, which operates within the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Serbia.

Nemec’s office said that the Committee for Civil Liberties, Justice and Internal Affairs of the EP would have to vote on this report on April 8, so that the report could then be put to a vote in the plenary session of the EP which takes place from April 22 to 25.

"The plan, of course, is preliminary and can be changed at any moment, if the majority in the European Parliament so decides", says the answer from the office of the MEP Nemec.

"The goal of the rapporteur is to approve this file in the last plenary session in April, and we will make efforts to make this happen", said the office of Matjazh Nemec.

Konjufca: Lithuania can contribute to Kosovo’s international subjectivity (media)

Kosovo Assembly Speaker Glauk Konjufca met on Thursday the non-resident ambassador of Lithuania in Kosovo, Eduardas Borisovas. They discussed the cooperation between the two countries, the current developments in Kosovo and its Euro-Atlantic aspirations.

In the announcement issued by the Assembly, it is said that in this meeting Konjufca emphasized that the Lithuanian experience in the field of Euro-Atlantic integration is welcome for Kosovo.

"In this context, the President of the Assembly emphasized that Lithuania can contribute in many areas of internal development and also in the process of further consolidation of the international subjectivity of the state of Kosovo, through membership in various international organizations and in the Euro-Atlantic integration processes", it is further stated in the announcement.

Bislimi welcomes new UK ambassador: Kosovo on development trajectory (RTK)

Kosovo Deputy Prime Minister, Besnik Bislimi, welcomed the new ambassador of the United Kingdom, Jonathan Hargreaves. The ambassador underlined that it is a pleasure and a privilege to serve in this position and to contribute to the strengthening of relations between our two countries. He recalled the last time in 2001 when he was in Kosovo, evidencing how impressive is the progress and rapid development that the country has known, as well as the consolidated democracy.

"During the meeting, the parties discussed economic development and investment opportunities in the country, where the deputy prime minister also spoke about the policies and objectives of the government, as well as the readiness to strengthen cooperation in various fields of common interest was emphasized. In this meeting, Deputy Prime Minister Bislimi informed the ambassador about the latest developments in the country as well as the dialogue process. Deputy Prime Minister Bislimi thanked the ambassador for the fruitful and productive conversation and the continued support of the United Kingdom to Kosovo,” a press release issued by the Kosovo government notes.

Elektrosever invites citizens to sign contracts with it (Klan)

The company responsible for electricity supply in the northern municipalities, Elektrosever, has invited citizens to sign contracts with it. This company has also given advice on how to save electricity. The invitations have been distributed and printed in premises and residential buildings. Meanwhile, during this week, the northern citizens have received the first invoices for electricity consumption, the value of which was fixed, of 21.60 euros.

Serbian Language Media

Education workers in Silovo concerned over CBK’s decision (Kosovo Online, RTV Puls)

For more than a month, residents of Silovo in Pomoravlje region, are facing a lack of dinar in the post office, leading to serious difficulties for many, Kosovo Online portal reported. A hundred education and health workers gathered yesterday in front of the post office to express their displeasure and concern over the situation created after Kosovo Central Bank decision to ban dinar in payment transactions entered into force.

“We have gathered here today to express our displeasure that lasted for months already and culminated last month because of the dinar ban. As you can see many young people came here today. Our salaries were paid yesterday, and we came to withdraw them, but there are no dinars available. Now we should go to Bujanovac or Vranje, which incurs additional costs”, teacher Milos Vasic said.

The portal said feeling of bitterness was not only present among education and health workers, but also among pensioners and persons with disabilities, who are facing the same problems and many of them are forced to bear additional costs to be taken to Bujanovac or Vranje to withdraw their social remittances there.

Conflicting opinions on petitions in north: Krasniqi convinced elections will soon be held, Uglanin skeptical (Kosovo Online)

Conflicting opinions were heard yesterday from participants in a debate Efficiency and Impact of Citizens’ Petitions as Means of Exercising Rights and Bringing About Change in Society, organized at the Media Center in Caglavica. Minister of Local Self-Government Administration Elbert Krasniqi is convinced elections will soon be held in northern Kosovo, while Mitrovica North Municipal Assembly Chair Nedzat Ugljanin, is skeptical about it because there is no Law on Referendum, Kosovo Online portal reports.

After the request for a referendum to revoke decision on land allocation to Kosovo Ministry of Internal Affairs near the so-called Military Overhaul site in Mitrovica North was rejected, the public is unsure whether the same fate awaits petitions for the dismissal of the mayors.

Serbian Democracy President Aleksandar Arsenijevic, talking about rejection of a request for a referendum to revoke a decision on land allocation near the so-called Military Overhaul site. despite collecting a sufficient number of signatures, underlined that without mechanisms to control institutions, there was no democracy.