UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, September 12, 2024

Albanian Language Media:

Kurti: Banjska indictment could’ve been filed earlier, better late than never (media)
EU welcomes filing of indictment about Banjska attack (media)
Kurti: Archive material seized to be used for research needs and purposes (media)
Prelec: Kurti’s strategy in the north of Kosovo is successful (media)
Ternava: Presentations with hate speech ruining inter-religious harmony (media)
AmCham expresses concern over Kosovo’s potential exclusion from regional initiatives (media)

Serbian Language Media:

Serbian List met Orav, calls on EU to take clear stance in condemning Pristina’s behavior (Kosovo Online)
Sentic after visiting arrested young men: Inhuman treatment by police, visible injuries which were not recorded in medical report (KoSSev)
Fourteenth day of blockade of Serbian institutions in North of Kosovo (Danas, KoSSev)
Initiative “Freedom from Fear” letter to European institutions: “Kurti's rule like South African Apartheid” (Danas, Beta, Politika)
Vucic to address the public tomorrow at 6pm (Danas, media)
Vucic: The EU and its member states urgently to oppose the arbitrariness of Pristina (RTS, media)
Vulin: Chinese support for Serbia's integrity appreciated exceptionally highly (Tanjug)
US Ambassador: Anti-lithium protesters against Serbia turning to West (N1)

International:

Prishtina opens shelter to combat stray dogs crisis amid rising attacks (BIRN)

Humanitarian/Development:

A study on the long-term consequences of war-time rape in Kosovo (media)

Albanian Language Media

Kurti: Banjska indictment could’ve been filed earlier, better late than never (media)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti said today that he hasn’t seen the indictment about the attack in Banjska in September last year. “I am confident that it could have been filed much earlier and today we would have been in a new situation. But of course as the people say ‘it is better late than never’. We need to see the content [of the indictment] in order to be able to talk about it. What we insist on all the time is for Milan Radoicic to be handed over to Kosovo’s authorities because the crime was committed in Kosovo. Banjska is in Zvecan, in Kosovo,” he said. “Second, they need to withdraw the letter of former [Serbian] Prime Minister Brnabic in which she said that Serbia withdraws from the basic agreement and the implementation annex, saying that they don’t recognize [Kosovo’s] independence, don’t respect territorial integrity and would not accept a seat for Kosovo at the United Nations. And third, the basic agreement must be signed in order to have a legal guarantee for the implementation of the agreement. It is becoming apparent that it is easy not to respect and implement an unsigned agreement”.

EU welcomes filing of indictment about Banjska attack (media)

Spokesperson for the European Union, Peter Stano, said today that “the European Union welcomes the fact that the Kosovo Special Prosecutor’s Office concluded the investigation of the Banjska attack and filed the relevant indictments. The European Union has consistently and repeatedly expressed its expectation for all those responsible and involved in this brutal attack to be held accountable in a due process. The submission of the indictment means that now the judicial process will start, and we are waiting for the conclusion of these judicial proceedings”.

See more at: https://shorturl.at/9nNJ2

Kurti: Archive material seized to be used for research needs and purposes (media)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti said in a Facebook post today that as a result of efficient cooperation between the Kosovo Police and the Archives of Kosovo “the archive material which largely includes the 1943-2000 period and which for all these years was held illegally by the parallel municipalities and other illegal structures of Serbia, after it is processed by the Kosovo State Agency for Archives, can be used for research needs and purposes”.

Ternava: Presentations with hate speech ruining inter-religious harmony (media)

Most news websites cover a press release issued by the Islamic Community of Kosovo about their meeting today, “which focused on the current situation and especially the appearance of some movements with tendentious campaigns attacking our religious and national values and attacking inter-religious harmony and coexistence”. Leader of the Islamic Community, Mufti Naim Ternava, is quoted as saying that “these presentations with this hate speech are ruining inter-religious harmony and coexistence”. “Also highlighted was the destructive role of certain media and news websites that are giving media space to tendentious and ignorant individuals,” the statement notes.

Prelec: Kurti’s strategy in the north of Kosovo is successful (media)

Several news websites cover an interview that Marko Prelec, an advisor with the International Crisis Group (ICG), gave to Swiss newspaper Neue Zürcher Zeitung, highlighting his remarks that Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti’s strategy in the north of Kosovo is successful. He argued that the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia is in a state of coma but has not died yet, and that there is at least one channel that can be used for de-escalation in serious cases. He said he does not expect new negotiations before the elections in the United States.

According to Prelec, Kurti no longer believes that the dialogue will bring the desired result, namely Kosovo’s definite recognition by Serbia, and that therefore he is creating facts by implementing wherever he can Kosovo’s sovereignty in the north. This strategy, he adds, is more successful than many people have expected. This is also because of the fact that it was not imagined that a Prime Minister in Pristina would set aside the western partners to this measure.

Prelec said that on some security issues, NATO’s peacekeeping mission, KFOR, can draw certain red lines, such as the bridge in Mitrovica, but that beyond the possibilities of westerners are limited. “Kurti’s course is popularized in the country and consequently he has democratic legitimacy too. This is even more true after the case in Banjska when Serb attackers attacked the Kosovo Police,” he said.

Prelec said that despite what Belgrade says, Kurti is not against the presence of the Serb population in Kosovo but that it wants them to recognize “the state of Kosovo”.

AmCham expresses concern over Kosovo’s potential exclusion from regional initiatives (media)

The American Chamber of Commerce in Kosovo (AmCham) said in a statement that it is deeply concerned over recent warnings regarding the potential exclusion of Kosovo from regional cooperation initiatives due to the current government approach. The full statement notes: “AmCham reiterates our call for the Government of the Republic of Kosovo to reverse the measure that restricts the free movement of goods from CEFTA member states. This measure not only jeopardizes the hard-earned progress Kosovo has made over the years but also threatens the country’s future prospects that depend on robust economic cooperation. AmCham underscores that fostering good neighborly relations is essential for realizing Kosovo’s aspirations for Euro-Atlantic integration. The current approach that may lead to economic and political isolation carries unpredictable consequences, risking stagnation in economic growth and undermining the well-being of citizens. These warnings should not be dismissed as mere rhetoric, especially considering that Kosovo is already facing punitive measures from the European Union, which result in missed opportunities for economic development and social progress. The American Chamber acknowledges the significant barriers that Kosovar producers face in accessing regional markets. AmCham reaffirms its stance that these challenges should be addressed through established trade mechanisms and open, constructive dialogue. Once again, the American Chamber of Commerce in Kosovo urges the Government to recognize the critical importance of coordinated actions with allied countries. It is imperative to avoid decisions that undermine our shared goals of strengthening Kosovo’s international standing, attracting foreign direct investment, and accelerating economic growth. Serious investors are drawn to larger, integrated markets, and Kosovo must position itself accordingly to fully realize its potential”.

Serbian Language Media

Serbian List met Orav, calls on EU to take clear stance in condemning Pristina’s behavior (Kosovo Online)

The Serbian List delegation headed by Zlatan Elek met today the newly appointed head of the EU Office in Pristina, Aivo Orav, Kosovo Online portal reported.

During the meeting in Mitrovica North, Serbian List presented the difficult position of the Serbian people in Kosovo, suffering from, as the statement said, everyday repression of Albin Kurti’s regime, with the obvious goal to persecute the Serbian population in those areas.

Serbian List emphasized that institutional violence is being carried out against Serbian youth as well, while staged political proceedings against reputable Serbs have become the tool for mistreatments and pressure on the entire Serbian population. They demanded stronger engagement of the international community, de-escalation of the situation in the north, and concrete acts of the European Union which would protect the Serbian people.

"Key to the problems of Serbs lies in respecting the rights of our people, but also the signed agreements whose guarantor is the European Union. Formation of Community of Serbian Municipalities is delayed for more than 11 years, and this is the cause of many problems that we are facing today in Kosovo and Metohija, and we demand that European Union takes a clear position in condemning behaviour of regime in Pristina", Serbian List said in a statement.

Sentic after visiting arrested young men: Inhuman treatment by police, visible injuries which were not recorded in medical report (KoSSev)

“There are serious elements indicating human rights violations, including inhuman treatment of the young men by police officers”, Kosovo Deputy Ombudsperson Srdjan Sentic told KoSSev portal.

He visited young Serb men arrested at the beginning of the week in Mitrovica North, and sent to one-month house arrest yesterday after the hearing at the court. They were arrested over allegedly insulting and attacking plainclothes Kosovo police officers at Mitrovica North promenade.

On the other hand videos of the arrest were shared on social media, and people claimed that Kosovo police beat up young men prior and during arrest. The lawyer of one of the arrested young Serbs, Milos Delevic confirmed that at least one of them was physically mistreated by Kosovo police. Police refuted those claims.

Kosovo Deputy Ombudsperson Srdjan Sentic visited the four young Serbs while they were in police custody. The KoSSev portal, citing its source, reported that he was taken aback by what he saw and what young men had told him.

Some of the young Serbs had visible injuries in the head areas, which was not recorded in the medical reports, the source told the portal. The young men also complained to Sentic of being hit in the genital areas, adding that they do not know what caused the violent conduct of the police.

“They admitted being under the influence of alcohol, but that they remember everything, also that they in no way acted violently against the police. They said they only asked the police why they were asking for their documents”, the source told the portal.

Elements of human rights violations and inhumane treatment by police

KoSSev portal in the meantime reached out to Srdjan Sentic, who confirmed visiting the young Serbs, adding he was concerned over what he had seen and heard.

“The situation caused serious concerns. We have informed immediately respective bodies, including the Police Inspectorate, about all observed irregularities. There are serious elements indicating human rights violations, including inhuman treatment by Kosovo police of the young men, our citizens protected by the Constitution and laws equally as any other citizen”, Sentic told the portal.

He has confirmed young men complained about use of force, without any justification, which, as he said, “must have been avoided”.

“On the bodies of some arrested injuries in the head areas are visible, and they were not recorded in medical reports, which causes additional concerns over the lack of those facts in official medical reports”, Sentic said.

He also said young men told him they did not offer physical resistance, nor did they attack police officers, but only asked about the reasons why their personal documents were asked, once police approached them.

“The detainees also said that during arrest, and in the police station in Mitrovica North, same as while being transferred to Mitrovica South and Vucitrn, they were subjected to physical violence and verbal insults. According to them, physical and psychological mistreatment stopped only upon arriving at the detention units in Mitrovica South and Vucitrn”, Sentic said.

He added documentation they received to see and sign was in Albanian language only, including the medical reports.

“This has not only additionally made their situation more difficult, but also represents continuation of violation of their human rights, Constitutional and legal obligations”, Sentic concluded.

Fourteenth day of blockade of Serbian institutions in the North of Kosovo (Danas, KoSSev)

The north of Kosovo has entered the 14th day of the blockade, and the employees of the provisional municipal bodies, the PIO Fund, the office for KiM since August 30, and the actions of the Kosovo Police are still unable to go to their workplaces, reported Danas.

Four Serbian youths, who were arrested and suspected of assaulting officials, were yesterday ordered by the court to house arrest for one month, and their hearing was followed by a protest by relatives and citizens of the northern part of Mitrovica.

The documentation that the Kosovo police seized in the action to close Serbian institutions in the north of Kosovo ended up in the Archives Agency of Kosovo, as they said it was about a "significant amount of archival material".

"This rather voluminous material will be subjected to processing, arrangement and digitization procedures. And in the end, it will be annexed to archival funds according to the principles, criteria, and professional norms," it was stated in the announcement carried by the KoSSev portal.

In the Archives Agency of Kosovo, they emphasize that it is mostly archival material from the period 1943-2000.

Initiative “Freedom from Fear" letter to European institutions: “Kurti's rule like South African Apartheid” (Danas, Beta, Politika)

The ''Freedom from Fear'' initiative of the Serbs from Kosovo announced that it sent a letter to several addresses in European institutions last night, due to the situation in Kosovo, and announced that it will continue to send them every day "until the violence in the south of Serbia stops".

They say the letter was sent to the EU's special envoy for dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, Miroslav Lajcak, as well as the Organization for European Security and Cooperation (OSCE), the Council of Europe, the European Parliament, the United Nations and NATO, among others.

According to Danas, this initiative asked the recipients of the letter to take immediate action and put pressure on KFOR, the Kosovo and Serbian authorities, as well as other international actors, to "stop as soon as possible the violence against innocent Serb and other non-Albanian civilians, as well as the forced ethnic cleansing of the Serbian population from their homes, which has been going on continuously since the rule of communism in 1945''.

"The last exodus took place under the international protectorate in 1999 (UN Resolution 1244) and continues until today, 2024. In the last 25 years, nothing has been done to create conditions for the safe return of 300,000 refugees from 1999 and 2004. On the contrary - today is the last area where the Serbs felt somewhat safe, North Mitrovica and the surrounding areas were occupied by brute force and terror was being carried out," the message added.

Vucic to address the public tomorrow at 6pm (Danas, media)

The President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, will address the public tomorrow, according to media close to the government.

The address is scheduled for 6 pm, reports Danas.

On Tuesday, the President of Serbia said that within 72 hours, he will present to the public the demands and further steps of Serbia after a series of brutal attacks on the Serbian population in the north of Kosovo, recalled media.

Vucic: The EU and its member states urgently to oppose the arbitrariness of Pristina (RTS, media)

In a conversation with the head of the European Union Delegation in Serbia, Emanuele Gioffre, President Aleksandar Vucic called on the EU and its member states to urgently and through concrete engagement oppose the arbitrariness of Pristina, which threatens the security of the Serbian people and the stability of the entire region, reported RTS.

Vucic met Giofre, with whom he discussed the situation in Kosovo, the President of Serbia announced on the Instagram account bucnostsrbijeav.

"With Ambassador Giofre, I discussed the situation in Kosovo and Metohija, the relations between Serbia and the EU, as well as the steps we are taking in order to progress on our European path. I called on the EU and the member states to urgently and through concrete engagement oppose the arbitrariness of Pristina, which threatens the security of the Serbian people and the stability of the entire region," wrote Vucic.

He thanked the ambassador for everything the EU does, especially in the area of investments, economic and social integration, and support for our reforms.

"The focus of the conversation was the implementation of the projects foreseen in the European Growth Plan for the Western Balkans, which should contribute a lot to the rapprochement of the region and the EU and to a better life for all our citizens," added Vucic.

Vulin: Chinese support for Serbia's integrity appreciated exceptionally highly (Tanjug)

Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vulin met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in St Petersburg on Wednesday, noting that Belgrade appreciated exceptionally highly China's support for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Serbia and Beijing's principled position of not recognizing Kosovo, Tanjug news agency reported.

Vulin also noted that Serbia supported the integrity of China and the One China policy, the Serbian Government said in a statement. He added Serbia was grateful to Xi and China for the Chinese vote against a UNGA resolution on Srebrenica.

He informed Wang of the current situation in Kosovo, which, “due to unilateral and self-willed moves by the so-called Pristina authorities - which want to ethnically cleanse the Serbian province of Serbs - as well as inaction by the international community, has resulted in complete disenfranchisement of Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija and is threatening to lead to conflict”, the statement said.

Wang noted that China shared Serbia's concern over Pristina's unlawful actions against Serbs in Kosovo, reiterating that China believed Serbia had the right to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity, and added that Serbia would always have China's support for that.

US Ambassador: Anti-lithium protesters against Serbia turning to West (N1)

US Ambassador Christopher Hill said on Thursday that the anti-lithium mining protests are in opposition to Serbia’s path westwards, according to N1.

He told a debate on political options for the Western Balkans that many of the people protesting against plans to mine lithium in western Serbia support Russia. The Rio Tinto company is planning to open a lithium mine in the Jadar region of western Serbia but has met with mass protests against the plan mainly due to environmental concerns.

I see the struggle against Serbia heading to the West, Hill said adding that he believes the country will take the right direction, N1 added.

International

Prishtina opens shelter to combat stray dogs crisis amid rising attacks (BIRN)

In an effort to address the issue of stray dogs, the Municipality of Prishtina has opened a treatment and shelter centre for dogs, aiming to find adopters for them afterward.

The Municipality of Prishtina on Wednesday inaugurated a centre for the treatment and sheltering of stray dogs on Wednesday, September 11, located just seven kilometres from the city centre. The facility has a capacity for 350 dogs and aims to eventually place them up for adoption.

Just on Tuesday, two citizens were reportedly attacked by stray dogs at the University Clinical Center of Kosovo, UCCK. One of them is a hospital worker. Continuous calls have been made to the municipality and the government to take action in mitigating the issue of violent encounters with stray dogs.

Prishtina Mayor Përparim Rama stated that teams have already begun capturing dogs from the city centre and areas where they gather in packs to bring them to the shelter.

He called on the central government to get involved and invest in the initiative, emphasising that this problem cannot be resolved solely by one municipality’s efforts.

According to Rama, the teams have started capturing dogs from the central area and other spots where large packs are gathering.

“The idea is to have no stray dogs. As you know, the municipality allocates 50 euros per month to those who adopt them. We want to find homes for all of them,” Rama said.