UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, September 12, 2024

Albanian Language Media:

Osmani: Serbia is Putin’s strongest proxy; we must strengthen defense (media)
Kurti on government decisions made on Wednesday (media)
Maqedonci: As long as Radoicic group roams free, the north is not quiet (media)
Surroi: Serbia politically legitimized attack in Banjska (media)
Minister says there are no more Serbia-run institutions in north of Kosovo (media)
Kurti remembers September 11 attacks in the U.S. (media)
House arrest for four people suspected of assaulting police in north (media)
EC plans to organize dinner with Balkans leaders on Sept 19 (Albanian Post)
Kosovo allocates funds for textbooks of children in Presevo Valley (media)

Serbian Language Media:

Stefanovic: Pristina's Banjska indictment has no relevance whatsoever (Tanjug, media)
One month house arrest for four young men in Mitrovica (KiM radio, KoSSev, media)
US Ambassador: Serbia is country to be counted on (RTS, N1, Beta, RTS)
Vasic: The indictment in the Milosavljevic case based on the testimony of a single witness who lacks credibility (Kosovo Online)

International:

Kosovo indicts 45 over alleged roles in 2023 attack that killed police officer (RFE)
Russia ‘wants to open new front’ in Western Balkans, says Kosovo president (TVP World)

Albanian Language Media

Osmani: Serbia is Putin’s strongest proxy; we must strengthen defense (media)

Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani, in an interview with TVP World on Wednesday, claimed that Russia is attempting to destabilise the Western Balkans through Serbia and that that is the reason why Kosovo is making steps to increase its defence capacities. Osmani also said that it is crucial for Kosovo to work hand in hand with its allies and partners from the democratic world, “to make sure that we stop these destabilisation initiatives from Serbia, aided and abetted by Russia”.

According to Osmani, “there’s one country that is Serbia that has turned itself into Putin’s strongest proxy country in Europe. And then there's Kosovo and other countries in the region that are constantly victims of acts of aggression by Serbia”.

Kurti on government decisions made on Wednesday (media)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti said that the government adopted on Wednesday the final draft law on the State Bureau for the Verification of Unjustifiable Wealth. “We had to wait for 17 months for the Constitutional Court to treat the case filed by the parliamentary opposition, but this does not diminish our belief that this is the right and necessary draft law and that the Bureau will be formed,” he said.

Kurti also said that “one of the decisions of special importance” is the National Plan for the Comprehensive Defense of Kosovo, “through which we aim to have a prepared, educated and ready to react society in the event of natural disasters or armed attacks”. Kurti said the plan was drafted based on similar systems that are applied in different NATO member countries and that “it enables central and local institutions and especially the citizens of the Republic and different non-governmental organisations to have their role in our country’s defence and security system”.

Maqedonci: As long as Radoicic group roams free, the north is not quiet (media)

Kosovo’s Minister of Defense, Ejup Maqedonci, said in an interview with A2CNN on Wednesday that as long as the group of Milan Radoicic roams free in Serbia and as long as Serbia’s policy encourages such groups, the situation in the north of Kosovo will remain fragile. He added that Kosovo has managed to wield sovereignty in the north and that currently the situation there is quiet.

“The filing of the indictment about Banjska is good news because Kosovo did not exaggerate when it talked about the threats and risks coming from Serbia and these terrorist groups in the north. For years in a row, our institutions have highlighted the threat that could come from these groups. Today the level of vigilance is much higher. [The attack on] September 24 did not teach us but internationals too that the security aspect in the Western Balkans is weak as long as there are countries that aim to invade other countries, such as Serbia. Almost 70 percent of Serbia’s military capacities are deployed in the south of its territory, not far from the border [with Kosovo] and it encourages groups such as that of [Milan] Radoicic to carry out terrorist attacks against our country,” Maqedonci was quoted as saying.

According to Maqedonci, Serbia has the same approach toward Bosnia and toward the security situation in Montenegro.

Surroi: Serbia politically legitimised attack in Banjska (media)

Publicist Veton Surroi said in an interview with RTK on Wednesday that the indictment raised by the Special Prosecution of Kosovo about the terrorist attack in Banjska in September last year is significant in terms of political and legal processes. He said the indictment was prepared in cooperation with the United States and the EU Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX). “The fact that there is an indictment that was built based on information secured from partner countries, it not only strengthens the indictment, but it also speaks of cooperation, and it will have great significance in terms of political and legal processes,” he said.

Surroi argued that Serbia politically legitimised the attack in Banjska. “The problem is that Serbia legitimised it. The issue of the legitimization of this enterprise is something that will be tried in court, but the fact that it was politically legitimised we saw this since day one, when the Day of Mourning was organised in Serbia for the three [killed] members of the paramilitary group,” he said.

Minister says there are no more Serbia-run institutions in north of Kosovo (media)

Kosovo’s Minister of Local Government, Elbert Krasniqi, said on Wednesday that he has no information that there are any Serbian-run institutions left in the north of Kosovo. In an interview for Klan Kosova, Krasniqi talked about the security situation in the north, the construction of new houses for Albanian families there, and also the visit that he and Prime Minister Albin Kurti had in the north on Tuesday.

Krasniqi did not want to comment on a recent statement by the U.S. Embassy which after the police operation to shut down the Serbian-run institutions noted that the Kosovo government was instrumentalizing the police. “I cannot comment on this statement, but it is my duty to notify the police in this case to assist in closing an illegal institution. We don’t give orders to the police. The police are an executive agency, and they have that mandate,” he argued. “We closed four parallel municipalities and the district of Mitrovica – there were other institutions operating under that institution. Former MP Simic was head of that institution”.

Krasniqi also said that “there was a series of earlier actions to close other institutions but that are not under my domain, and I don’t want to talk about it. But for the time being I don’t have any information about any other parallel institution in the north”.

Kurti remembers September 11 attacks in the U.S. (media)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti said in a post on X on Wednesday that the September 11 attacks in the U.S. “claimed the lives of nearly 3000 in an unprecedented terrorist attack that shook the city of New York, the entire country of the United States, and countless allies and friends around the world. Since then, we, the many friends of the US, have empathized with the pain of the people as Americans commemorate this tragic day and have pledged to support the fight for democratic values and against terrorism”.

House arrest for four people suspected of assaulting police in north (media)

A court in Mitrovica ordered the measure of house arrest for four people arrested on the suspicion of insulting and assaulting members of the Kosovo Police in Mitrovica North. An attorney said that the suspects apologized and regretted their actions. He said that the court ruled out the prosecutor’s request for detention. “I think it is the right decision. They are all young. It is the first time they appear in court. They have expressed their regret, and publicly apologized, because they acted that way while they were drunk. They admitted to making the insult but not assaulting the police officers,” the attorney told Kosovapress news agency.

EC plans to organize dinner with Balkans leaders on Sept 19 (Albanian Post)

The European Commission plans to organize a dinner with leaders of the Western Balkans on September 19, the news website learns from unofficial sources in Brussels. Although the meeting was published on the agenda of the EC, officials in Brussels told the Albanian Post that “we confirm such events only once the date is closer”. It is reportedly confirmed that the new Growth Plan of the European Union, an initiative of €6 billion, will be part of the discussions. The initiative is aimed at accelerating the membership process by supporting the convergence of Western Balkans countries with the European Union.

Kosovo government allocates funds for textbooks of children in Presevo Valley (media)

The Kosovo government decided on Wednesday to allocate €240,000 for the school textbooks of 3,708 Albanian children in elementary schools in Presevo Valley in Serbia. The allocation of funds will be made through the Albanian National Council. Head of the council, Ragmi Mustafi, said in a Facebook post that “more than an administrative act, this is an act of solidarity and responsibility that leaves no room for words but deep appreciation”. He also argued that “Serbia still does not allow in Presevo Valley a single school textbook in Albanian for around 3,000 high school students with reformed curricula”.

Serbian Language Media

Stefanovic: Pristina's Banjska indictment has no relevance whatsoever (Tanjug, media)

The chief public prosecutor of the Higher Public Prosecutor's Office in Belgrade Nenad Stefanovic said on Wednesday that, from “the standpoint of the legal order of the Republic of Serbia, an indictment raised by Kosovo special prosecution office against 45 people for last year's armed clashes in Banjska, near Zvecan, Kosovo and Metohija, had no relevance whatsoever,” reported Tanjug agency.

The indictment read that the group was charged with terrorism and criminal offences "against the constitutional order and security" and with "terrorism financing and money laundering."

In a statement to Tanjug, Stefanovic said that “the territorial integrity of Serbia including Kosovo and Metohija was guaranteed by UNSCR 1244” and noted that “institutions of the so-called Kosovo had no competence to conduct any proceedings, including criminal ones”.

He noted that one of the indictees, Milan Radojicic, was under investigation by the Higher Public Prosecutor's Office in Belgrade on suspicion of committing three criminal offences together with several unidentified persons: association for commission of criminal offences, illicit manufacture, possession, carrying and distribution of firearms and explosives and serious acts against general safety.

As part of the investigation, the Prosecutor's Office has contacted EULEX through the Serbian Ministry of Justice, requesting full documentation on the events of September 24, 2023, in Banjska, Stefanovic said, noting that EULEX had still not provided the documentation or any response to the request.

The Banjska clashes left three local Serbs and one officer of the Kosovo Police dead, recalled Tanjug.

One month house arrest for four young men in Mitrovica (KiM radio, KoSSev, media)

The Basic Court in North Mitrovica ordered house arrest for four Serbian youths, who were arrested on the charge of verbally and physically attacking a plainclothes policeman on the night between Sunday and Monday, reported KiM radio.

Ambassador Hill: Serbia is country to be counted on (RTS, N1, Beta, RTS)

US Ambassador Christopher Hill said that Washington was committed to seeing Serbia continue succeeding because it is a country to be counted on. Hill told Serbian state TV (RTS) yesterday that the US believes that the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue is the only and best way to resolve the Kosovo issue. He said that the Kosovo Serb community should be given a perspective of its future through the dialogue.

Hill also said yesterday, in the Serbian Red Cross blood donation campaign marking 23 years from the terrorist attack in America, that the US position on the Banjska case is known and that the USA advocates that the participants of that event should be held accountable, reported Kosovo Online.

"The position of the USA regarding Banjska is well known, we have not changed our position, we advocate that the participants of that event be called to account. As for the relationship between Belgrade and Pristina, we must return to dialogue. This is crucial, there is no avoiding dialogue, and all efforts should be aimed at getting to the negotiating table," Hill emphasized.

The ambassador expressed optimism about Serbia’s possible membership in the European Union adding that the country’s European prospects are growing stronger daily.

Vasic: The indictment in the Milosavljevic case based on the testimony of a single witness who lacks credibility (Kosovo Online)

Attorney Dejan A. Vasic stated after the trial of Gavrilo Milosavljevic from Istok, who is accused of war crimes, that the defense sought to demonstrate that the indictment is based solely on the testimony of a single witness who, according to Vasic, is completely unreliable, while the rest of the indictment is essentially irrelevant to the accused.

"Today were the opening statements, and the prosecutor presented some of his arguments, which are already contained in the indictment against Gavrilo Milosavljevic. He accused him on two counts of war crimes that allegedly occurred in the Dubrava prison. The accusations include participation in the killing of 108 detainees, those serving sentences in that prison, the wounding of more than 100 people, and the mistreatment of those held in the prison,” Vasic said.

Vasic also added that the defense presented its opening statement.

“In our opening statement today, we tried to explain in a few words that this indictment is based solely on the testimony of a single witness, who is completely unreliable, and that the rest of the indictment is essentially irrelevant to the accused,” Vasic stated.

He further emphasized that during today's hearing, he aimed to highlight the personal circumstances of the accused.

“I explained that he returned to Istok, tried to reclaim his apartment, and attempted to find the remains of his mother, but was unsuccessful. He was arrested just at the moment when he was finally issued a possession certificate, which made him the official owner of the apartment he planned to return to with his family. I tried to convey to the court that this trial is being conducted in the name of the people, in the name of all citizens of Kosovo, and that the heavy burden, as we say in Kosovo, this ‘aram’ the court takes upon itself, is not just on the souls of the members of the court panel, but on the soul of the entire people of Kosovo,” Vasic said.

After the opening statements, one witness was heard today. However, during his testimony, the witness stated that he did not know Milosavljevic in 1999, nor does he know him now. The next hearings are scheduled for October 30 and 31, and November 4, at 9:30 AM.

International Media

Kosovo indicts 45 over alleged roles in 2023 attack that killed police officer (RFE)

Kosovar authorities have indicted 45 people over their alleged roles in an attack last year by ethnic Serbs that left one police officer dead in the village of Banjska.

Prosecutor Naim Abazi said on September 11 that among those indicted is Milan Radoicic, the fugitive former vice president of the Serbian List party accused of leading and organizing the September 2023 attack. He is believed to be in Serbia.

The names of the others indicted in the case have not been released.

Abazi said those indicted had different roles within their criminal group "ranging from organizing and directing terrorist activities to financing and money laundering."

He said the investigation had been the most complex that his office had ever conducted and required intensive investigation involving both national and international law enforcement agencies.

"We have conducted approximately 66 interviews with witnesses and defendants, analyzed around 120 electronic devices, about 1,266 weapons and other equipment, and obtained hundreds of documents containing critical evidence for this case," Abazi said.

Abazi thanked the United States and the European Union for cooperating with Kosovar authorities, which he said helped bring strong indictments against the 45 individuals.

"Given that the Republic of Kosovo unfortunately did not have laboratories available to examine most of this evidence and required international legal assistance from various countries, it can be said that this indictment was filed in an extremely short time frame," Ehat Miftaraj, executive director of the nongovernmental Kosovo Law Institute, told RFE/RL.