UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, September 3, 2024

Albanian Language Media:

Osmani: Kosovo has met all conditions to get candidate status for EU (RFE)
Kurti: Annual average of Foreign Direct Investments is €705.6 million (media)
Biserko: Info that Serbia building houses for Kosovo Serbs must be verified (RFE)
Ministry changes law on bureau for confiscation of unjustifiable wealth (media)
Zubin Potok mayor says he has been receiving death threats (media)
Serbs warn to block crossings until police withdraws from Kosovo north (media)
Employees of parallel structures in north protest again (Kanal 10)
Finnish Foreign Minister to visit Albania, Kosovo and Serbia (Albanian Post)
Turkey arrests person for transferring money to Mossad operatives (media)

Serbian Language Media:

Provisional institutions in the north of Kosovo still blocked, workers are prevented from working (RTS, RTV, media)
Jankovic: Violation of human rights of Serbs (KiM radio)
The closure of Serbian institutions as compensation, because KFOR did not allow opening of the Ibar bridge? (Danas, KiM radio)
Moma Trajkovic: In Kosovo, the people are in agony (KiM radio, Danas)
Marsenic: Imposing a "cancel culture" on Serbs (Kosovo Online)
Congressman Eric Swalwell on the Pristina action: Unilateral provocations are unacceptable (Tanjug, Kosovo Online)

Opinion:

Biserko and Canak story on the resettlement of Serbs from Kosovo: "Unfounded and dangerous, Milan Radojicic is missing to make the joke complete" (Danas)
Macron’s visit to Serbia: Business, bromance or transactional politics? (BIRN)

International:

Out of the shadows: Kosovo hosts pioneering exhibition on queerness (BIRN)
Making history: Kosovo’s debut at the Paralympic Games (RFE)
Kosovo’s EFT joins Alpex power exchange (SeeNews)
Suspect arrested in Turkey for allegedly transferring money to Mossad operatives, report says (AP)

Albanian Language Media

Osmani: Kosovo has met all conditions to get candidate status for EU (RFE)

Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani met today with the new head of the EU Office in Kosovo, Aivo Orav, and reiterated Kosovo’s commitment and continuous engagement to join the European Union. “President Osmani said Kosovo continues to be at the helm of reforms in all areas, by approximating its legislation with that of the European Union, and fully aligning itself with the common foreign and security policy of the EU. The President also said that Kosovo has met all the conditions to get the status of candidate country for the EU,” a press release issued by Osmani’s office notes.

Kurti: Annual average of Foreign Direct Investments is €705.6 million (media)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti said in a Facebook post today that the annual average of Foreign Direct Investments during this governance is €705.6 million or 2.4 times bigger than the annual average of previous governments which was €299.8 million from 2007 until now”. Kurti also writes that “good and honest governance, with high civic trust and satisfaction, rule of law, democratic governance, institutional stability, economic reforms, fiscal accountability, appropriate tax policies, supporting investments through loan guarantees, a qualified workforce, and with employment schemes subsidized by the government, we are making our state an ever more attractive destination for investments and an ever more favorable option for foreign investors”.

Biserko: Info that Serbia building houses for Kosovo Serbs must be verified (RFE)

Leader of the Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Serbia, Sonja Biserko, said in an interview with the news website, that she conveyed to Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti concerns about certain information from Serbia that in the region of Sandzak “houses and flats were being built for Kosovo Serbs, especially those from the north”, and that such information must be verified. “As someone that worked with the issue of refugees since the 1990s and onwards, I can recall that there have always been rumors which later resulted in the exodus or displacement of the population,” Biserko said. “We told the Kosovo Government to pay attention to this information and to do everything in its power for the Serb population to stay in the north of Kosovo”.

Biserko also said that it is up to society and the government of Kosovo, as well as civil and international organizations, to verify the accuracy of the information.

The news website asked the spokesperson of the Kosovo government to comment on how they plan to proceed on the matter but received no response.

Ministry changes law on bureau for confiscation of unjustifiable wealth (media)

Kosovo’s Minister of Justice, Albulena Haxhiu, told reporters today that the ministry has urgently addressed the findings of the Constitutional Court regarding the law on the bureau for the verification and confiscation of unjustifiable wealth. “We have not drafted a new law. We didn’t need to draft a new version of the law, but we addressed four matters … As soon as we get the feedback from the Ministry of Finance and the Government of Kosovo, we will submit the amended version. According to information I have from the cabinet, we will have the two statements within this week, and we will immediately submit it to the government and then to the Assembly,” Haxhiu said.

Zubin Potok mayor says he has been receiving death threats (media)

Mayor of Zubin Potok municipality, Izmir Zeqiri, said in a Facebook post on Monday that he has received two death threats in the last three months “from the same profile of a terrorist claiming to be a member of the Serbian Ministry of Interior Affairs and engaged in the Republic of Kosovo. The first time on May 31, and now on September 2. My answer is: I am here and will be here forever”. In one of the threatening messages, Zeqiri was threatened that he will get a bullet in his head.

Serbs warn to block crossings until police withdraws from Kosovo north (media)

The head of the Association of Citizens of the District of Mitrovica, Rasa Rojevic, has warned that from September 6, the Serbs will organize blockades at all border points with Kosovo. Rojevic told the Serbian news agency Beta that the blockade will last until the Kosovo Police withdraw from the north of Kosovo.

"The blockade will start on Friday and will last until the Kosovo police forces are withdrawn from the north of Kosovo and the occupied institutions are returned to the Serbs. We also demand that KFOR, in accordance with the mandate of Resolution 1244, take control of the north of Kosovo", said Rojevic.

According to him, the blockades will last until all the demands of the residents are met, as he warned that Serbs from Kosovo will not participate in these blockades. "We don't expect help from the state, nor do we need it. Serbs living in Kosovo will not participate in the blockades so as not to be harassed by the Kosovo Police, but only citizens from the territory of Serbia, Montenegro and Republika Srpska," said Rojevic.

As announced, the border points in Bernjak, Jarinje, Merdare, Dheu i Bardhe and Kulle will be blocked.

Employees of parallel structures in north protest again (Kanal 10)

The employees of the parallel municipality in North Mitrovica protested on Tuesday in front of the doors of the facility that is already under the control of the Kosovo authorities.

It is the second day that these employees tried to return to the offices but were not allowed by the Kosovo Police. As reported by "kosovo-online.com", these workers said that they will not leave from there again. They have stated that work for them is a source of livelihood, and that the situation is "very difficult to survive".

Finnish Foreign Minister to visit Albania, Kosovo and Serbia (Albanian Post)

Finnish Foreign Minister, Elina Valtonen, will visit Albania, Kosovo, and Serbia, on September 4-5, to strengthen political and trade ties with Finland’s partners in the Western Balkans. During her visit, Valtonen will meet her counterparts, and political leaders. They will discuss bilateral relations, the enlargement of the European Union, stability and security in the Western Balkans, the situation in Ukraine and current issues related to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.

Turkey arrests person for transferring money to Mossad operatives (media)

Most news websites report that Turkish police arrested a suspect identified as Liridon Rexhepi from Kosovo, suspected of transferring money to operatives from Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency in Turkey. According to Anadolu Agency, Rexhepi entered Turkey on Aug. 25, and was detained last Friday and formally arrested on Tuesday. The report said he had confessed during interrogation that he conducted the money transfers.

Serbian Language Media

Provisional Institutions in the north of Kosovo still blocked, workers prevented from working (RTS, RTV, media)

The workers employed in the institutions of the Republic of Serbia in North Mitrovica did not manage to go to their workplaces even today, as they were prevented from doing so by members of Kosovo Police, who are still blocking the access to the buildings they entered on Friday and forcibly closed them.

Serbs gathered this morning in front of their municipality in North Mitrovica, demanding from Kosovo police, who blocked the municipality on Friday, allow them to go to their workplaces.

Several hundred Serbs gathered at 7:30 in front of the municipality, demanding to be allowed to work and provide basic life services to their fellow citizens, regardless of nationality. They are not allowed to do that.

They said that despite everything, they will stay in their homes and that no one will drive them away.

“We, as a service for citizens, the municipal administration that has existed since 1945, after the war and during the war did not stop working and 25 years after the war did not stop working. Until Friday, we provided services regardless of the religious and national affiliation of the citizens,” said Sasa Petrovic from North Mitrovica, adding that they were at people’s service that did not violate any regulations. He also appealed to the international community, the EU in particular, to provide them with some explanation.

Vesna Savic, one of those gathered and an employee of the PA Kosovska Mitrovica, said that while working for 35 years she had the opportunity to meet not only Serbs, but also Albanians, Muslims, and Roma, adding that ‘’they come to us from all over Kosovo”.

She emphasized that the closure of the Municipality denied the elementary rights of children and all citizens of Kosovo.

Jankovic: Violation of human rights of Serbs (KiM radio)

The gathering of citizens in Mitrovica also began in front of the seat of the Pension and Disability Insurance Fund (PIO), the Office for KiM and Kosovo-Mitrovica District. The head of the district Vucina Jankovic asked for the international community reaction and said that the closure of these institutions is the grossest violation of human rights, reported Kim radio.

“As you can see, we came to our workplaces this morning as well. However, a cordon of armed police waited for us, and sent us back. Thus, it made it impossible for us to come to our workplaces and do our daily work-related tasks,” he said.

He emphasized that parallel institutions are not an issue but those that provided services to all citizens regardless of race, religion or nationality.

“The international community constantly talks about the rule of law, the protection of minorities and human rights. I would like to invite them now, on this occasion, because we have a flagrant violation of the human rights of Serbs. That in accordance with their mandate and the mission entrusted to them, they should undertake something, some concrete steps,” said Jankovic.

Jankovic recalled that the signs with the names of the institutions, as well as the flag of the Republic of Serbia, were removed from the occupied buildings.

“They enter our institutions. What I can tell them is that they will most certainly not sway us in our intention to continue living here. We are protesting in a peaceful and civilized, democratic way. We expect the Pristina authorities to come to their senses and allow us to return to our workplaces,” he added.

When asked whether they will radicalize the protests if the international community does not fulfil everything that has been stated from their side, Jankovic said:

“I mentioned that we will peacefully, democratically, in compliance with all laws, protest and express our dissatisfaction”.

The closure of Serbian institutions as compensation because KFOR did not allow opening of the Ibar bridge? (Danas, KiM radio)

"It is said that the closure of Serbian institutions is compensation because in the summer period, while the diaspora is here, KFOR did not allow the GoK to open the bridge,'' stated Dusan Radakovic from the NGO ACDC during a protest in front of the closed Provisional Authority of Kosovska Mitrovica, reported Danas.

Radakovic said that this compensation oppresses the entire population and prevents a normal life because the municipal institutions provided all services necessary for a normal way of life.

"Kosovo institutions cannot afford it. We don't have any alternative for an easier life for the people who work and live here," he said.

He added that the bridge on the Ibar, which Pristina wants to open for road traffic, carries symbolism because there have been over a thousand incidents, deaths, and injuries.

"The situation is emotional and there is also fear because girls and women are being attacked in the vicinity of the bridge, and the police react very weakly or not at all to these cases," he noted.

Radakovic sincerely hopes that there will be no more compensation because the situation, he said, can only get worse - "and the bridge is still a symbol of survival and the struggle that took place from before June 10, 1999, until today."

Moma Trajkovic: In Kosovo, the people are in agony (KiM radio, Danas)

In Kosovo, the people are in a tragedy and are now looking for a way out. The exit is a disaster, because people see the exit in individual departures, said Momcilo Trajkovic, president of the Serbian National Forum from Gracanica, at the press conference on the occasion of yesterday's meeting with the ProGlas initiative, reported KiM radio, citing Danas.

Trajkovic emphasized again that this is the first conversation of this type between Kosovo Serbs and an organization of this kind, and that this delegation views ProGlas as an intellectual elite. He said that all the topics that were planned according to the agenda of the meeting were discussed and added that although there is a difference of opinion, there is mutual understanding and a desire for further cooperation.

He added that special attention during the meeting was focused on the discussion of the new strategy of this delegation, and recalled the conversation with academics that also had the same goal. He again announced a future meeting with all representatives of the opposition and said that the goal of that meeting is the same.

"We have to see what the new strategy is, to stabilize the situation and move on," said Trajkovic.

He pointed out that the Serbian orthodox Church (SOC) did not respond to numerous calls, adding that there is no resolution of the Kosovo issue without the church.

"Until now, we have received negative responses. And the Church should not interfere in politics, but it must and can influence the unification of the people," he said.

Trajkovic underlined that this statement is not aimed at attacking the Church, but rather a "cry".

"I will not talk about the authorities in Belgrade, they betrayed us. The church and the intellectual elite are the ones who have to raise their heads," he added.

Trajkovic said that the clearest proof of the consequences of the wrong policies that are being pursued when it comes to Kosovo is the statistics of students enrolled in schools this school year. He also stated that the number of students enrolled has drastically decreased in recent years. He explained that due to such arguments, the government in Belgrade cannot escape from its share of the blame, and that it is primarily the acceptance of the Brussels and then Ohrid agreements.

He insisted that until now they warned that the key factors are the stabilization of the state, the church, and the Kosovo elite, stressing the passivity of these factors.

Marsenic: Imposing a "cancel culture" on Serbs (Kosovo Online)

Marija Marsenic, a sociologist at the Institute for European Studies, assesses that the punishment of Serbs for posting content on social media is a new form of pressure and part of a broader process of political repression, which in sociology is studied as the "practice of cancel culture."

"Punishing Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija for social media posts can be interpreted as part of a broader process of political repression, ethnic tensions, and attempts to control the narrative by the so-called Kosovo authorities, and this can freely be perceived as the abolition of yet another human right, namely, the right to freedom of speech," Marsenic said to Kosovo Online.

Read more at:https://tinyurl.com/mt9htuyd

Congressman Eric Swalwell on the Pristina action: Unilateral provocations are unacceptable (Tanjug, Kosovo Online)

American congressman Eric Swalwell said that he was concerned about the latest actions of Pristina in carrying out police actions against Serbs in the north of Kosovo, reported Tanjug.

"I share the State Department's concern regarding the latest moves by the Kosovo government in carrying out police actions against ethnic Serbs in the north of Kosovo. It is crucial that PM Kurti coordinates the police actions through mediation in the EU dialogue in order to ensure a peaceful solution to this decades-long conflict. The US must continue to advocate for a mutually beneficial peace. Unilateral provocations are unacceptable," Swalwell wrote on X.

Opinion

Biserko and Canak story on the resettlement of Serbs from Kosovo: "Unfounded and dangerous, Milan Radojicic is missing to make the joke complete" (Danas)

After the reaction of the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, to the meeting of Kosovo PM Albin Kurti with Sonja Biserko, Nenad Canak, Marko Basin, at which it was said that Belgrade plans to relocate Serbs from Kosovo to Sandzak, reactions are coming from the left, center and right, writes Danas.

All Danas interlocutors agree with the president of Serbia after a long time that this story has a place in the column "Believe it or not". All of them note that the story about the planned resettlement of Serbs from Kosovo is unfounded, arbitrary, but also dangerous.

When asked how reliable the story is about the planned relocation of Serbs from the North of Kosovo to Sandzak, or the Raska region, Biserko told Danas that these are ''rumors'' that are circulating.

Biserko: Let them deny it

"As someone who dealt with refugees, rumors are always an announcement in the Balkans. Let them deny it. But it is important that Vucic reacted," answers Biserko.

Asked whether apartments are really being built rapidly in Sandzak for the relocation of Serbs from Kosovo, Edin Djerlek, MP of the Justice and Reconciliation Party, told Danas that these are all speculations that he cannot determine now.

"What I know is that we have a decline in the issuance of building permits in Novi Pazar, which does not support that claim. However, what is worrying when you mention this topic is the urbicide that is being conducted in Novi Pazar by the local authorities. A large number of buildings are not registered, do not have a use permit, and do not comply with urban planning conditions. Which means that very few buildings are built according to the prescribed construction standards, including those related to earthquake resistance, which is worrying and can be a big security problem in the future," says Djerlek, a former minister in the Government of Serbia.

Grbovic: The announcement of the GoK relies on "the tale about it in Belgrade"

Even Pavle Grbovic, PSG leader, does not believe in the plan for the possible relocation of Serbs from Kosovo and Metohija. He says the news deserves a place in the ‘believe it or not’ column.

"Even if the content, context, and actors of this "news" are abstracted, the fact that the official announcement of a government relies on information that "there is a tale about it in Belgrade" seems incredible enough, says Grbovic.

According to that official version, as he says, the government of Albin Kurti, which has greatly contributed to the drastic deterioration of living conditions for Serbs in Kosovo and their emigration, should prevent their departure from Kosovo.

"In the whole story, only Milan Radoicic is missing as the guarantor of security and inter-ethnic dialogue, and the joke is complete. I think that this event should not be given any attention because it is clear that it is a cheap pre-election skit with which Kurti is trying to, first of all in front of the international public, take off the burden of unfulfilled obligations, unilateral moves that cause crises and bad intentions shown towards the Serbs throughout mandate," says the PSG leader and MP.

Janjic: Who authorized Biserko and Canak to speak on behalf of Serbs from Kosovo

Dr. Jovan Janjic, "We, the voice of the people" deputy and vice-president of the Serbian Parliament, tells Danas that many incredible, immoral, and crazy things are summed up in one statement.

"Who authorized Biserko, Canak and Baskin to speak on behalf of one nation, on behalf of the Serbs? What does it mean that there is ''a tale'' about possible relocation?

''Serbs from their centuries-old homes?! And who has the right to make such eventual (crazy) plans?! It is clear that Kurti and other occupiers of Kosovo and Metohija want Kosovo and Metohija without Serbs. Of course, the state of Serbia must oppose this in every possible way," says Janjic.

He adds that what Kurti is doing is not only an image of his essentially vassal government, but also an image of those behind him.

"Whenever Kurti does something, it should be remembered that it is also the responsibility of the political West, which gives him the wind at his back,'' Janjic said among other things.

Snezana Paunovic, a socialist and the vice-president of the parliament, believes that the announcement does not deserve any comment at all.

Andjelkovic: Biserko and Canak try to draw attention to themselves

For Dragomir Andjelkovic, a political analyst, the story of the planned relocation of Serbs from Kosovo as a whole or at least from the north of Kosovo to the Raska region, or any other part of the Republic of Serbia without the territories that are under the UN protectorate according to Resolution 1244 - is completely politically illogical and therefore meaningless.

"First, the Vucic regime avoids with all its might to admit that it completely gave Kosovo and Metohija to the occupiers of that part of our country in order to pay for the autocratic rule. He insists on presenting himself as a defender of what he actually surrendered. The departure of the Serbs from Kosovo would be a symbol of the disastrous Kosovo policy of the Belgrade authorities, and they will avoid that happening at all costs," Andjelkovic states.

He also believes that the Serbs in Kosovo are not pawns that someone can move as they please. And a large part of those who remain silent and suffer the abuses of the regime because they are existentially dependent on Belgrade, would not agree to just move away from their centuries-old homes, he believes.

"An attempt to make them do so would lead to great unrest in Kosovo, but also in the rest of Serbia, and in connection with that, new inconveniences for the government. Thirdly, the western part of the international community does not want the whole world to see that NATO's control over Kosovo, which was justified by the establishment of peace, democracy, and inter-ethnic tolerance, ended with the exodus of Serbs. Therefore, Washington and Brussels would not allow any systematic resettlement of Serbs," explains the interviewee of Danas.

All things considered, he says, one explanation for the incoherent constructions presented by Canak and Biserko is their attempt to draw attention to themselves. The mentioned persons are already completely worn out and have no importance, but they have great media and socio-political experience.

"They cunningly found a provocative topic to attract the attention of the Serbian and regional public and shine briefly. It is unlikely that there is any serious political idea behind it," Andjelkovic concludes.

Gogic: Legitimization of Kurti's future aggressive policy

Ognjen Gogic, political analyst from Kosovo believes that these are very irresponsible statements that aim to create tensions among the population, but above all to give Kurti an alibi for the actions he is conducting.

"Biserko and Canak should visit the north of Kosovo and ask the Serbs who live there how they feel about the actions of Pristina, and not belittle them in this way, portraying them as Vucic's pawns who do not have their own opinion on the things that are happening to them," says Gogic.

According to him, among Serbs in the North of Kosovo, there is a real fear that measures against healthcare and education will follow. They know very well how the cancellation of payment transactions with Serbia adversely affected their lives, while Kurti's Government did not implement any of the adjustment measures it had promised.

The anxiety and resentment that the Serbs in the North of Kosovo feel is well-founded and cannot be said to be the result of propaganda from Belgrade.

"The statements made by Biserko and Canak represent unfounded and blanket assessments that offend common sense and aim to legitimize all future aggressive actions of Kurti's Government. It's Kurti's unsuccessful attempt to confuse the western part of the international community, which has no understanding of his actions," says Ognjen Gogic.

Macron’s visit to Serbia: Business, bromance or transactional politics? (BIRN)

Opinion piece by Vuk Vuksanovic, a senior researcher at the Belgrade Centre for Security Policy and an associate at LSE IDEAS, a foreign policy think-tank within the London School of Economics and Political Science.

For Macron, it was a chance to demonstrate French leadership in Europe; for Vucic, it provided welcome support from abroad at a time of rumbling discontent at home.

It felt good being Emmanuel Macron at the end of last week in Serbia as the embattled French President received a high-profile reception from Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and members of his government during a two-day visit to Serbia.

Macron’s visit to the Balkans was one of the few occasions when he could be carefree, given his political problems at home. Macron wrote on X in Serbian Cyrillic: “In a world where everything is unstable, it’s nice to have reliable friends and historical constants... It’s a real joy to be back.”

Vucic was equally cordial, saying to Macron: “Thank you for the trust you have shown in Serbia and the hospitality and the honour you showed to our small country.”

The visit underscored a reality that has been in play for the past five years, that France has become Serbia’s main Serbian partner in Western Europe.