Albanian Language Media:

• For six-billion plan, EU conditions Kosovo and Serbia with normalization (Koha)
• Escobar to visit Kosovo this week to discuss dialogue and Serbian Dinar (media)
• State Department: Radoicic is a criminal that needs to be held accountable (RFE)
• Bank branches and ATMs opened for Kosovo Serbs near border crossings (RFE)
• CEC adopts budget to organize voting in north on April 21 (Koha)
• Rohde: Kosovo can’t join CoE without respecting court decisions (media)
• Shea: EU to lift measures against Kosovo as soon as possible (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Two days campaign period for the removal of mayors in the north municipalities (KiM Radio)
• Vucic met US ambassador (N1, Tanjug, RTS)
• Dacic met Botsan-Kharchenko (Tanjug, RTS)
• Stano: Implementation of commitments by Belgrade, Pristina a priority (Tanjug)
• Serbia’s Postal Savings Bank opens improvised branches at crossings with Kosovo (KoSSev, N1)
• Telegrafi Editor in chief the opening of the Postal Savings Bank branches at the crossing sees as a "provocation" (KoSSev)  
• Jevtic: Serbs in Kosovo expect the international community to prevent a humanitarian crisis (RTS)
• Photo of Ambassador Djuric with Radoicic draws reactions (N1)
• After Bojovic, Maliqi targeted by “sophisticated bot network” (KoSSev)
• An Albanian man shot in Donja Bitinja and left a wreath on a Serb’s house, afterwards, he was arrested (Kosovo Online, KiM radio)
• US estimates: Increased risk for inter-ethnic violence in the Western Balkans (Kosovo Online)

Albanian Language Media

For six-billion plan, EU conditions Kosovo and Serbia with normalization (Koha)

The daily reports on its front page this morning that constructive engagement on the normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia will be a specific condition for them to benefit from the EU six-billion plan for the Western Balkans. The EU plan, which was initially proposed by the Commission, is one of the most ambitious initiatives the EU has had for the Balkans countries to help them get ready for integration in the European Union. However, the use of funds will be subject to strict criteria required by the three EU institutions. The main criteria that apply equally for all countries of the region related to the rule of law, respect for democratic principles and institutional reforms. A specific condition for Kosovo and Serbia will constructive engagement in the normalization process, with the aim of fully implementing the obligations deriving from the Agreement on the path to normalization and the Implementation Annex, as well as all other previous obligations from the dialogue, and to engage in reaching a comprehensive agreement on the normalization of relations.

Escobar to visit Kosovo this week to discuss dialogue and Serbian Dinar (media)

Deputy Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs and Special Representative to the Western Balkans, Gabriel Escobar, will visit Pristina this week to discuss with leaders of the Kosovo Government about the dialogue with Serbia, as well as the Serbian Dinar in Kosovo. A press statement issued by the State Department notes that during his stay in Kosovo, Escobar will meet with Kosovo government leaders, civil society, and Kosovo Serb communities to underscore the United States’ continued strong support for the EU-facilitated Dialogue on normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia. “The Special Representative will conduct meetings on the impact of the new Central Bank of Kosovo regulations on cash operations and urge steps to ensure that the needs of Kosovans citizens are met fully and without interruption,” the statement notes.

State Department: Radoicic is a criminal that needs to be held accountable (RFE)

The U.S. State Department said on Monday that it is aware of media reports about a meeting between Marko Djuric, Serbia’s Ambassador to the United States, and Milan Radoicic, who is on the U.S. blacklist for his involvement in international organized crime. “We have a clear position on Radoicic. He claimed responsibility for the attack in Banjska [the north of Kosovo] through his lawyers. He is a criminal that needs to be held accountable,” a spokesperson for the State Department told the news website. The spokesperson also said that Serbia needs to bring to justice the authors of the attack carried out by “paramilitary structures in Banjska of Kosovo, which resulted with the tragic death of a sergeant of Kosovo Police”.

Bank branches and ATMs opened for Kosovo Serbs near border crossings (RFE)

The Serbian Government’s Office for Kosovo said on Monday that the Postal Savings Bank of Kosovo opened four improvised bank branches near crossings between Kosovo and Serbia, where Kosovo Serbs can withdraw their wages from the state of Serbia which they receive in Dinars. The news website notes that this comes after the Central Bank of Kosovo (CBK) started enforcing on February 1 a regulation which determines that the Euro is the only currency for payments in Kosovo.

CEC adopts budget to organize voting in north on April 21 (Koha)

Kosovo’s Central Election Commission (CEC) adopted on Monday a budget to organize the voting process for the dismissal of mayors of the four northern municipalities. The CEC said it has allocated €233,000.

Rohde: Kosovo can’t join CoE without respecting court decisions (media)

German Ambassador to Kosovo, Jorn Rohde, said in an interview with Kallxo that Kosovo needs to respect the decision of the Constitutional Court on the land of the Decani Monastery and that Kosovo cannot become a member of the Council of Europe without respecting court’s decisions.

Rohde said that “Kosovo is the only country that is not a member of the Council of Europe … but the only difference is about the best way to achieve this objective as soon as possible and we have said publicly that the Council of Europe is an organization of the rule of law and that failing to enforce the decision of your Constitutional Court is a clear violation of the rule of law and not the best way to achieve this objective as soon as possible”.

Rohde further argued that “the time has come to have a situation where all parties – Pristina, Decan and Strasbourg – will be winners and this tells us everything, do it now and then you can get a significant number of votes to become a member of the Council of Europe”.

Shea: EU to lift measures against Kosovo as soon as possible (media)

Former NATO spokesperson, Jamie Shea, said in an interview with RTK on the eve of the 25^th anniversary of the NATO air raids, that it was the right decision to bomb Serbian forces in 1999. He argued that the massacre in Recak marked a turning point and that the Milosevic regime had refused compromise and peace.

Asked on the possibility of Kosovo joining NATO in the near future, Shea said the process may appear slow but that the issue of Kosovo’s recognition by every NATO member state must be resolved. He suggested that Kosovo should follow the example of the Baltic countries for NATO membership.

Shea also said that the EU needs to urgently lift the measures against Kosovo.

Serbian Language Media 

Two days campaign period for the removal of mayors in the north municipalities (KiM Radio)

The CEC decided to shorten the campaign period for the removal of the mayors of the municipalities of North Mitrovica, Zvecan, Leposavic and Zubin Potok to just two days, April 19 and 20. It will end on April 21 at 7:00 am, reported KiM radio.

It was also decided at the meeting that requests for accreditation of domestic, international observers, NGOs and media will be accepted from April 1 to 15, 2024. The same applies to the accreditation of observers in front of political entities, while the appointment of municipal election commissions should be expected on March 17.

Electoral committees are appointed on April 10 and 11, the list of polling stations will be published no later than March 16, 2024, while the period for changing the Voting Center within the municipality begins on March 18 and ends on April 3, 2024. The deadline for disputing and confirming the voter list begins on March 18 and lasts until April 5, 2024.

It was also decided that the deadline for voter applications from outside Kosovo is from March 29 to April 3, while the verification of the voter list is done by April 9 at the latest.

Voting by mail for registered voters outside Kosovo begins on April 12 and ends on April 20.

Applications for the registration of voters with special needs and in institutions are submitted from April 10 to 18, 2024.

Vucic met US ambassador (N1, Tanjug, RTS)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic met with US Ambassador to Belgrade Christopher Hill on Monday to discuss topics including the position of Serbs in Kosovo.

"An open discussion with Ambassador Christopher Hill about the position of Serbs in Kosovo-Metohija, the complex geopolitical situation and other matters of mutual interest," Vucic wrote in a post on his buducnostsrbijeav Instagram account. He added that he reiterated that Serbia remains committed to maintaining peace and stability in the region, as well as further improving bilateral relations and cooperation between the two countries.

Dacic met Botsan-Kharchenko (Tanjug, RTS)

Serbian First Deputy PM and FM Ivica Dacic received Russian Ambassador to Belgrade Alexander Botsan-Kharchenko on Monday to discuss the most significant topics of mutual interest as well as further cooperation in the international arena. Dacic also expressed his gratitude for the strong and consistent support of the Russian Federation to the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Serbia, reported RTS.

Stano: Implementation of commitments by Belgrade, Pristina a priority (Tanjug)

European Commission spokesperson Peter Stano said on Monday not much work had been done on implementation of commitments in the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue and noted that implementation by both sides in good faith was a priority for the EU.

"We never pre-announce the agendas of any upcoming meetings in the framework of the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue, be it at the chief negotiators level or high level," Stano said at a Brussels press briefing.

"But I can say only one thing - unfortunately, there was not much work done on the implementation due to the positions of both sides, so our main priority is that they start to implement in good faith what they committed to," he added.

"The most pressing priority is to make sure that the implementation starts as soon as possible," Stano said, adding that the EU could not comment on procedures.

Asked about the Banjska case, he said the position of the EU remained the same. "We are waiting for the final official report from the investigation and then we will see how to ensure accountability. Until now, we have not seen such a report here in Brussels," he added.

Serbia’s Postal Savings Bank opens improvised branches at crossings with Kosovo (KoSSev, N1)

KoSSev portal reported on Monday that due to the problem of dinar payments from the Serbian budget for Kosovo Serbs, the Serbian Postal Savings Bank over the weekend set up four improvised branches in the vicinity of the Jarinje, Brnjak, Konculj and Merdare administrative border crossings between Serbia and Kosovo.

The improvised branches will be open every day except Sundays from 9 am to 7 pm, said the Serbian Government Office for Kosovo and Metohija. Postal Savings Bank clients will be able to perform all banking operations in the improvised branches: withdrawal of salaries, pensions, social financial aid, and other incomes, payments into accounts in dinars and foreign currency and other banking transactions.

All four facilities are equipped with ATMs, where the withdrawal of funds from dinar accounts will be possible at any time. In addition to this, the bank also sent two mobile branches that will be available at these locations according to the citizens’ needs, said the Office, KoSSev reported.

The Office added that this technical solution was the only one “feasible” under the current circumstances, that it is temporary “until a solution for the normal operation of payment transactions is found.”

This comes after the Central Bank of Kosovo (CBK) adopted a regulation on cash transactions, which came into effect on February 1, making the euro the sole currency in Kosovo and thus effectively banning the Serbian dinar. The Office noted that the Postal Savings Bank branches in northern Kosovo remain active, and that Belgrade is “constantly looking for a sustainable solution” for payment transactions from Serbia to the Kosovo territory.

KoSSev reported that kilometers-long lines of vehicles clogged the Jarinje crossing on Monday.

Telegrafi Editor the opening of the Postal Savings Bank branches at the crossing sees as a "provocation" (KoSSev)  

"After Marko Djuric's meeting with the criminal Milan Radoicic,  Serbia made the next provocation, opening branches and ATMs for Serbs in Kosovo near the border crossings," this is how the editor of the Telegrafi portal saw the latest news about the possibility of a somewhat easier withdrawals of Serbian wages and income, reported portal KoSSev on Monday.

Jehona Hulaj states on her X account that the Post of Serbia decided to open these improvised branches "in order to withdraw money from the Serbian state", but she did not explain what she sees as a provocation, nor what this connects to Djuric and Radoicic, wrote KoSSev.

Jevtic: Serbs in Kosovo expect the international community to prevent a humanitarian crisis (RTS)

''The life of Serbs in Kosovo has never been so difficult, and this is the result of the policies of the Pristina regime. By abolishing dinars, Serbs are essentially being sent a message that they should not live here, the vice-president of the Serbian List and mayor of Strpce,'' Dalibor Jevtic said in the RTS Morning news on Monday.

Every day that passes without a solution to the dinar abolishment will be more and more difficult for Serbs in Kosovo, said Jevtic.

"There is no solution because the current regime in Pristina does not want a solution, that regime is part of the problem, not the solution. A large number of Serbs have already left these areas, and after this, the trend continues," said Jevtic for the RTS.

Jevtic expects the reaction of the international community because, as he says, when people do not have the basic means of survival, then it is a humanitarian issue.

"The international community should move from words to actions, and that is what we expect. On the other hand, we have great support from our country and the President of Serbia. We have no expectations from Albin Kurti and the regime in Pristina, but we expect the international community to prevent this humanitarian crisis," said Jevtic among other things.

Speaking about the shooting in Donja Bitina, Jevtic says that it is certainly ethnically motivated and that it is a consequence of inaction and silence about what happened before, adding that if silence continues, it will be difficult that something like this will not continue.

Photo of Ambassador Djuric with Radoicic draws reactions (N1)

Kosovo-based RKS News published a photograph of Serbia’s Ambassador in the US Marko Djuric with Kosovo Serb politician and businessman Milan Radoicic, drawing reactions in Belgrade.

“In an unexpected twist, a photo has surfaced showing Milan Radoicic, currently on Interpol’s wanted list, in close company with Marko Djuric. This raises serious questions about the connections between political circles and individuals sought for criminal activities,” RKS News said in an X post which included the picture. RKS News did not specify when or where the picture was taken.

Read more at:https://tinyurl.com/5y46ba8d

Stano on Djuric-Radoicic meeting: Not up to us to comment on every meeting

Asked for a comment on Serbian Ambassador to US Marko Djuric’s meeting with former Serb List deputy leader Milan Radoicic, who has been blacklisted by the US for corruption, European Union (EU) spokesperson Peter Stano said “it is not for the EU to comment on every single meeting the members of the Serbian administration are having with different people.”

“Who you meet reflects on you first of all, especially if it is with a suspect of criminal actions,” Stano told a press briefing on the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue.

Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/36ntu22x

After Bojovic, Maliqi targeted by “sophisticated bot network” (KoSSev)

After Viola von Cramon’s adviser for the Western Balkans, Djordje Bojović, recently found himself the target of a smear campaign on social networks, after coming to Bojović’s defense, the political analyst, Agon Maliqi received similar treatment yesterday.

A new attack aimed at the staff of the European rapporteur occurred recently on the X social network when Bojović was accused of being “crime denier,” a “Russian pawn and Serbian agent”, and unsuitable to be von Kramon’s adviser.

Bojović himself stated that it was an orchestrated campaign by bots from Kosovo, that is, Self-Determination bots. “Organized farms of trolls supporting the ruling party in Kosovo are now attacking everyone who criticizes Kurti,” said former Kosovo Foreign Minister Petrit Selimi.

A political analyst, Agon Maliqi, reacted in a similar tone: “Shameful targeting of a civil society activist by a sophisticated Kosovo-based bot network which has a clear political address. I say clear address because it regularly orchestrates campaigns and harasses voices of any ethnicity that are critical of the government,” Maliqi said, commenting on Djordje Bojović’s post.

Today, however, Maliqi reacted again, alleging that a “sophisticated bot network” was targeting him.

“Yesterday after tweeting about a sophisticated Kosovo-based bot network which happens to target anyone critical of the government, I got the full vile trolling treatment,” Maliqi said.

Read more at:https://tinyurl.com/mvck8ftt

An Albanian man shot in Donja Bitinja and left a wreath on a Serb’s house, afterwards, he was arrested (Kosovo Online, KiM radio)

An Albanian from the vicinity of Prizren fired several shots around noon in the center of the village of Donja Bitinja, in the municipality of Strpce. He placed a wreath with flowers on the wall of the house belonging to Serbian citizen Svetislav Stojkovic. The Police Station in Strpce confirmed to Kosovo Online that the individual who had fired the shots had been arrested.

Read more at:https://tinyurl.com/4n2zhvas

US estimates: Increased risk for inter-ethnic violence in the Western Balkans (Kosovo Online)

The Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) published yesterday the US Intelligence Community's annual threat assessment for 2024, which, among other things, warns of an increased risk of localized inter-ethnic violence during the year in the Western Balkans, reported Kosovo Online.

Read the annual threat assessment at: https://tinyurl.com/yhbdtrh9