UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, March 21, 2024

Albanian Language Media:

EU announces a meeting between leaders of Kosovo and Serbia (RTK)
Murphy and Peach talk about Kosovo (Albanian Post)
KFOR commander and Hennessey talk about security and dialogue (media)
Bislimi: I informed Hovenier what was discussed at meeting in Brussels (RTK)
Osmani: Kosovo reflects strength and spirit of democracy at every step (RTK)
Kurti talks to Hughes about strengthening of Kosovo-Ireland relations (RTK)
Gervalla: Five non-recognizing countries will not prevent membership in CoE (Koha)
Hargreaves and Rasic talk about ensuring rights for all communities in Kosovo (Albanian Post)
Media will be able to observe counting of votes in future election processes (media)

Serbian Language Media:

Stano: The implementation of agreements between Kosovo and Serbia should be resolved at the highest level (RFE, Kosovo Online)
Association of journalist of Serbia: Untrue information about the March riots still on the RTK2 website (Radio Mitrovica sever)
Vandalized signs in Serbian are not being cleaned in Kosovo (Kosovo Online)
Dacic: It can be expected that Kosovo will be admitted to the CoE following an urgent procedure (KoSSev, Beta)
Brnabic elected new Serbian parliament speaker (Tanjug, media)
Vucic to attend first nuclear energy summit in Brussels on March 20-21 (Tanjug)

Albanian Language Media

EU announces a meeting between leaders of Kosovo and Serbia (RTK)

A meeting of the leaders of Kosovo and Serbia within the dialogue for the normalization of relations has been announced by the spokesperson of the European Union, Peter Stano. The meeting, according to him, would focus on the agreement the leaders reached a year ago.

"The implementation of the Agreement on the Road to Normalization, as well as the requests for additional formalization of the agreement, should be addressed by the leaders during the next high-level Dialogue meeting", said the spokesperson Stano, in a written response sent to the media.

The EU mediator for dialogue, Miroslav Lajcak, between the lines, has also mentioned the possibility of meeting at the highest political level.

Lajcak made this statement after the meeting held at the level of chief negotiators and only a few days after the head of European diplomacy, Josep Borrell, warned of pressure on the parties in order to implement the agreement.

Regarding the meeting of the chief negotiators held on Tuesday, spokesman Stano said that it was important to establish facts and clarify open issues. Stano confirmed the holding of the next meeting on March 25 in order to discuss concrete proposals to find a short-term solution.

Murphy and Peach talk about Kosovo (Albanian Post)

The U.S. Senator Chris Murphy has announced that he has met with the Envoy of the United Kingdom for the Western Balkans, Stuart Peach.

"I am delighted to welcome Britain's Balkan envoy, Lord Stuart William Peach, to my office today to talk about how the United Kingdom and the United States of America can work together on the issues of Kosovo-Serbia and Bosnia," he wrote on the X platform.

KFOR commander and Hennessey talk about security and dialogue (media)

The Commander of the NATO-led KFOR mission, Major General Ozkan Ulutas, met on Wednesday with the Head of the Office for the Council of Europe, Mary Ann Hennessey.

KFOR announces that they exchanged views on a range of topics, including KFOR's activities under its UN mandate, cooperation with the EU Rule of Law Mission (EULEX) and ongoing security efforts in support of EU-facilitated dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina.

"KFOR continues to implement its mandate - based on UN Security Council Resolution 1244 of 1999 - to provide a safe and peaceful environment for all communities living in Kosovo and freedom of movement, in any time and manner. KFOR is the third security responder, after the Kosovo Police and EULEX, respectively, with whom we work in close coordination", reads KFOR's response.

Bislimi: I informed Hovenier what was discussed at meeting in Brussels (RTK)

Kosovo’s first Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration, Development and Dialogue, Besnik Bislimi, received on Wednesday the U.S. Ambassador to Kosovo, Jeffrey Hovenier.

Prime Minister’s Office informed that they talked about Tuesday’s discussion held in Brussels at the level of chief negotiators.

"Deputy Prime Minister Bislimi informed Ambassador Hovenier about what was discussed in this meeting, the focus of which was the Basic Agreement and the Implementing Annex of Ohrid and the earliest formalization. He added that for us the agreement is valid in its entirety, which Ambassador Hovenier confirmed from his position. At the same time, Deputy Prime Minister Bislimi informed the ambassador that the delegation of the other side, during yesterday's meetings, reiterated Serbia's position against the implementation of the agreement and therefore its formalization", reads the announcement of the Prime Minister's information office.

Bislimi also informed the ambassador that the discussion did not take place about the dinar or the regulation, which is not a matter for discussion or contestation, but about the manner of implementation of the Central Bank Regulation of Kosovo.

"A number of other topics that were discussed during yesterday's meeting were also addressed, including the artifacts that Serbia should return to Kosovo, as well as the violations they are making in some agreements such as the one on energy and telecommunications, or in the case of continuous attempts to block Kosovo's membership in international organizations, for which Ambassador Hovenier expressed the position of the USA against such attempts", this announcement states.

Osmani: Kosovo reflects strength and spirit of democracy at every step (RTK)

Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani has said that Kosovo has said that democracy cannot be taken for granted, nor is it a given right. She made these statements at the third Summit for Democracy, held in the Republic of Korea.

Through the online connection, Osmani said that Kosovo has made important steps in advancing the rule of law in accordance with the approved comprehensive national strategy.

"Above all, democracy is a responsibility: a responsibility to protect, to empower, to preserve, to support, but most importantly, it is a responsibility to act", she said.

See the video here: https://tinyurl.com/mrxth7ft

Kurti talks to Hughes about strengthening of Kosovo-Ireland relations (RTK)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti held a virtual meeting with Valerie Hughes, representative of the "Kosova Ireland Solidarity Group". The focus of the meeting was the strengthening of good relations between Kosovo and Ireland after mutual state and institutional visits.

"Furthermore, in particular, the important contribution related to the activation of our young people who are part of the diaspora in Ireland and who have strong ties with Kosovo was addressed. In this regard, Prime Minister Kurti added that Ireland has a strong community of our expatriates who are willing to share their experiences with their country of origin, and added that these individuals can contribute to joint plans and initiatives in citizen diplomacy and in the integrated education of communities", says the announcement of the information office of the Prime Minister.

During the meeting, Prime Minister Kurti informed Hughes about the preparations being made to mark the 25th anniversary of the liberation of Kosovo, at the same time he invited her to visit Kosovo on this important occasion. At the end of the meeting, the willingness to continue cooperation and to benefit from the contribution of the Kosovo diaspora was expressed, the announcement states.

Gervalla: Five non-recognizing countries will not prevent membership in CoE (Koha)

Kosovo’s Deputy Prime Minister Donika Gervalla has said that she does not think that the five member countries of the European Union, which do not recognize Kosovo's independence, will prevent Kosovo's membership in the Council of Europe. On Wednesday in KTV's "Interaktiv", Gervalla expressed optimism that Kosovo will manage to get 2/3 of the votes in the meeting of the Parliamentary Assembly in mid-April.

While speaking about the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue, Gervalla said that she does not trust the mediator of the European Union, Miroslav Lajcak, and his impartiality.

"I don't believe the dialogue because I have reasons not to believe it." Miroslav Lajcak has given enough arguments to show that he is very biased in this process. However, Miroslav Lajcak is only an EU official who receives his salary for a certain time to engage in this process. Lajcak will go and the next one will come. Therefore we choose who to trust in such processes, we trust the United States of America, Germany and the United Kingdom", she said.

In the context of the dialogue, she said that the Association of municipalities with a Serb majority in 2013 and 2015 is dead.

Hargreaves and Rasic talk about ensuring rights for all communities in Kosovo (Albanian Post)

Jonathan Hargreaves, ambassador of the United Kingdom in Pristina, met on Wednesday with the Minister for Communities and Returns, Nenad Rasic. They discussed ensuring the rights of communities in Kosovo.The news was announced by Hargreaves, through a post on Facebook.

"The UK wants to work more with Kosovo to ensure that the rights of all communities are respected equally," the British diplomat wrote. In this context, he emphasized that he met Rasic, to discuss the possibilities to do this, as well as the challenges that the Ministry of Communities and Returns is facing.

Media will be able to observe counting of votes in future election processes (media)

The spokesperson of the Central Election Commission, Valmir Elezi, has announced that in the upcoming election processes, the counting of ballots in the polling station can be observed by accredited media.According to Elez's announcement, they will be allowed to film and take pictures.

"Transparency is key for citizens' credibility in election processes and this is a big step by the CEC", he wrote further on Facebook.

Serbian Language Media

Stano: The implementation of agreements between Kosovo and Serbia should be resolved at the highest level (RFE, Kosovo Online)

The EU Spokesperson Peter Stano stated that the issue of implementing the normalization agreement should be addressed at a meeting of the leaders of Kosovo and Serbia, RFE reported.

"The implementation of the Agreement on the path to normalization, as well as requests for additional formalization, should be addressed by leaders at the next high-level meeting within the dialogue," Peter Stano emphasized in a written statement.

As he noted, yesterday Special Representative Lajcak hosted the chief negotiators from Kosovo and Serbia to discuss progress in implementing the agreement on the path to normalization.

"They also discussed finding solutions for people affected by the recent decision of the Central Bank of Kosovo on cash usage, as a continuation of the meeting held on February 27," Stano said.

He added that the meeting on Tuesday in Brussels, attended by chief negotiators Petar Petkovic and Besnik Bislimi, "was important to establish some facts and clarify some issues."

"The parties agreed to continue discussions on this issue on Monday, March 25, with the aim of discussing concrete proposals for finding a short-term solution," Stano said.

Association of journalist of Serbia: Untrue information about the March riots still on the RTK2 website (Radio Mitrovica sever)

The modified information about the March Pogrom with an incorrect interpretation of the event has not yet been removed from the website of Radio-Television of Kosovo in the Serbian language. Although more than 50 journalists and media workers of the RTK editorial office in Serbian distanced themselves from this news, asking for it to be removed from the website, it is still available, the Association of Journalists of Serbia (UNS) announced, reported Radio Mitrovica sever.

UNS recalls that three days ago, on the 20th anniversary of the March pogrom, news with incorrect and untrue information was published on the website of RTK in Serbian language.

After the UNS with its branch in Kosovo reacted, the website of RTK changed the news, stressing that "it was corrected after a previous unintentional technical journalistic error, for which they apologize." However, although the wording that Albanian children drowned "while running away from a group of Serbian youths" was removed, the amended information omitted that the violence on March 17, 2024 was directed against Serbs.

The destruction of temples and property of the Serbian Orthodox Church was described in the news as "an event accompanied by the burning of Orthodox religious buildings and houses in Kosovo."

While the news does not mention the Serbs in any way, it states that "on the other hand, property and hundreds of private buildings of Albanians were destroyed."

This fake news is in the same form on the site in the Albanian language.

Vandalized signs in Serbian are not being cleaned in Kosovo (Kosovo Online)

The vandalized bilingual signs in northern Kosovo, which were installed after the removal of those in Cyrillic without any consultation with the local community, were a top headline in most media outlets in Kosovo. The relevant ministry soon ordered their cleaning, while in the case of the vandalized signs in Serbian, there has been no response so far.

Namely, signs sprayed with black paint - obscuring the inscription in Serbian - on the road between Strpce and Urosevac still remain, as confirmed by our journalists, and their cleaning is not currently planned. Thus, on the signpost for Urosevac, only the inscription in Albanian "Ferizaj" can be read, and the same applies to the place Banjice, as well as many other settlements..."