UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, September 13, 2024

Albanian Language Media:

Osmani “reacts to Vucic’s threats”: They show his true mindset (media)
US Embassy welcomes indictment about Banjska attack (Telegrafi)
Osmani receives M100 award for commitment to Euro-Atlantic values (media)
Vokrri: I invited Arsenijevic for coffee to show we’re a democratic society (media)
Kosovo Police arrest person suspected of war crimes in 1999 (media)
Hoxhaj: Lavrov’s comparison is pure hybrid warfare (media)
Stradner: Things are heating up in the Balkans again (media)

Serbian Language Media:

Djuric informs Giaufret about problems Serbs face in Kosovo (Tanjug)
Serbian Ministry of Culture: Forcible removal of archival materials from Leposavic underway (Kosovo Online, KoSSev, media)
Another Kosovo official visit to Mitrovica North met with a whistle-blowing protest (KoSSev, media, social media)
Gogic: Narrative that Serbs are radical is not correct, visits of Kosovo officials are not well-intentioned (N1)
Kosovo police seal Serbian Treasury Administration building in Leposavic (N1, KoSSev)
Serb arrested over alleged war crimes in Istok, after coming to check his property case (Kosovo Online, media)
Office for KiM: “Unscrupulous ethnic cleansing under disguise of establishing alleged rule of law” (KoSSev, media)
Person interviewed in relation to Banjska case released (Kosovo Online)
Drecun: Timing of Pristina's indictment shows Kurti will use it for political campaigning (Tanjug)

International:

Kosovo Wartime Rape Survivors Still Suffer Psychological Consequences: Study (Balkan Insight)
Kosovo Indicts 45 for Deadly Attack by Armed Serb Group in Banjska (Balkan Insight)

Albanian Language Media

Osmani “reacts to Vucic’s threats”: They show his true mindset (media)

Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani commented on Thursday on reports in some Serbian media according to which Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic is considering the possible invasion of Kosovo. Osmani said that Vucic can say whatever he wants but that the permanent reality is that “Kosovo will forever remain an independent, sovereign, and democratic country that wants good neighbourly relations with all countries in the region”. “I hope that Vucic’s words which show his true mindset and which is a legacy of Milosevic, are being heard by the whole world, especially by some who hope that while he pretends to be a sheep he is not a wolf,” she said. “In fact this is the same person that was a minister of propaganda for Milosevic, and who only thought about attacking and destroying others. This is the only mindset that prevails in Serbia’s policy for the time being and I hope that the sooner we see and accept this reality, especially many of our friends in Europe, the sooner they will contribute to long-term peace in our region”.

US Embassy welcomes indictment about Banjska attack (Telegrafi)

The U.S. Embassy in Kosovo, in a statement to the news website on Thursday, commended the work of Kosovo’s Special Prosecutor’s Office in filing the indictment against 45 persons for the attack against Kosovo Police in Banjska in September last year. “Nearly a year has passed since this brutal crime that killed Kosovo Police Sergeant Afrim Bunjaku. The United States reiterates that all those responsible must be held accountable,” the statement notes. The embassy also said it encourages respect for the judicial process and the rule of law, urging patience as this complex case is handled in the courts.

Osmani receives M100 award for commitment to Euro-Atlantic values (media)

Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani said in a post on X on Thursday that she received the M100 award for our commitment to Euro-Atlantic values, freedom, and democracy. “This award is a reminder of the work we’ve done and the road ahead—toward a brighter future for Kosovo, rooted in the promise of progress and opportunity for all,” she said.

Osmani also said that “democracy, the rule of law, and Kosovo’s rightful place in Euro-Atlantic institutions are not just ideals—they are the compass guiding our path forward. These values will always light the way ahead. For the people of Kosovo, today and always”.

See her acceptance speech at: https://tinyurl.com/4jwzkr7n

Vokrri: I invited Arsenijevic for coffee to show we’re a democratic society (media)

Kosovo’s Deputy Minister for Local Government, Arber Vokrri, was whistled at by Kosovo Serb politician Aleksandar Arsenijevic, during his stay in Mitrovica North on Thursday. “I was accompanied by a TV crew and a small group of some NGO activists that operate in the north saw us and they whistle every time they see a senior state official … I rejected their insistence that our government makes propaganda and their claims that the government doesn’t care about Serb citizens. I also invited them to come to the southern part [of Mitrovica] to have coffee together and see for themselves that we are a democratic society,” he said. Vokrri also said that Arsenijevic wanted to accept his invitation but that police did not allow it saying that he can make provocations.

Kosovo Police arrest person suspected of war crimes in 1999 (media)

All news websites reported on Thursday that Kosovo Police arrested a person suspected of committing crimes during the war in Kosovo. Police said that the suspect – of Serb nationality – was arrested based on an authorization issued by the Special Prosecution of Kosovo and is suspected of committing war crimes against civilians in 1999 in the municipality of Istog.

Hoxhaj: Lavrov’s comparison is pure hybrid warfare (media)

Kosovo’s former Minister of Foreign Affairs and senior member of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), Enver Hoxhaj, said in a post on X on Thursday that “Russian and Serbian propaganda of ‘ethnic cleansing’ in Kosovo are disinformation meant to undermine Euro-Atlantic institutions and destabilize Kosovo. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov’s comparison is pure hybrid warfare. These attacks target not just Kosovo, but the region's peace and stability”.

Stradner: Things are heating up in the Balkans again (media)

Several news websites covered on Thursday a post on X by Ivana Stradner, research fellow with the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, who said that “things are heating up in the Balkans again. Lavrov has just said that there’s the “ethnic cleansing” of the Serbs in Kosovo and compared it to Donbas. Russian Ministry of Defense media pushed a narrative about ethnic cleansing in Yugoslavia and Western responsibility. A few days ago, Serbia’s Deputy Prime Minister met with 🇷🇺 government to discuss ‘ethnic cleansing’ in Kosovo. Russian and Serbian media have shared information that the Serbian President will discuss “the occupation of Serbian territory” and potential plans for getting the territory back”.

Serbian Language Media

Djuric informs Giaufret about problems Serbs face in Kosovo (Tanjug)

Serbian Foreign Minister Marko Djuric met yesterday with the Head of EU Delegation to Serbia, Emanuele Giaufret and discussed with him Serbia’s EU path and current situation in Kosovo, Tanjug news agency reported.

During the meeting Djuric informed Giaufret about problems the Serbian population is facing in Kosovo, stressing that recent unilateral acts of Pristina in the north represent continuation of intimidation politics aiming at expulsion of Serbs from Kosovo.

He added Serbia is committed to resolving the problems in Kosovo through dialogue, but, as he said, we witness that constructiveness of one side is not sufficient for progress to find mutually acceptable solutions.

Serbian Ministry of Culture: Forcible removal of archival materials from Leposavic underway (Kosovo Online, KoSSev, media)

The Serbian Ministry of Culture and Serbian State Archives inform the international and domestic public that the forcible removal of archival materials in Leposavic, which belong to Serbia's archival collection, is currently underway, Kosovo Online portal reported citing the statement. .

The statement emphasised that by doing this, Kosovo police are committing violence against Serbia's cultural heritage.

"During times of occupation (World War I, World War II), archival materials were always seized and taken away, so this latest act of violence by the Kosovo police revives memories of such vandalistic actions. When archival materials are handled outside of the procedures prescribed by international archival standards and the laws of all states, it is called looting", the Ministry of Culture said in a statement.

Another Kosovo official visit to Mitrovica North met with a whistle-blowing protest (KoSSev, media, social media)

Another Kosovo Government official, Deputy Minister of Local Government Administration Arber Vokrri, visited Mitrovica North yesterday, only to be met with protests led by Aleksandar Arsenijevic, leader of the Serbian Democracy party. Alongside Arsenijevic, a number of people and civil activists, including Dragisa Mijacic, Coordinator of the National Convention on the EU for Chapter 35, expressed their discontent with the official’s presence, KoSSev portal reported.

As Vokrri appeared on Mitrovica’s promenade, presumably giving an interview to a local TV crew, protesters began blowing whistles and chanting “Propaganda“. The protesters, initially civil activists, were soon joined by Arsenijevic and other people in their vocal opposition. Kosovo police, who were overseeing Vokrri’s visit, formed a barrier to prevent the protesters from approaching the official.

Arsenijevic voiced his frustration, accusing the police of preventing him from walking freely in his own city. “I’ve lived here since I was a child, I grew up here. And now you’re telling me I can’t walk where I please because he’s here? Let him leave, not me. This is my home“, Arsenijević told the police.

Read more at: https://shorturl.at/69yiY

Gogic: Narrative that Serbs are radical is not correct, visits of Kosovo officials are not well-intentioned (N1)

"In the process of normalisation we were striving for, such visits to northern Kosovska Mitrovica would be a desirable outcome, but that is not what we are seeing these days. The north is under police administration so that the officials of the Kosovo government can walk around and people are irritated by that”, political analyst Ognjen Gogic told N1.

"The narrative that Serbs in Kosovo are radical is not correct, on the contrary. There is cooperation and communication between ordinary people, Serbs and Albanians. But such visits by Kosovo officials are not well-intentioned and they always come after actions of Kosovo police and legal violence. And because of this, it is met with resistance from ordinary people. And seen in that context, it is a provocation, the need to maintain tension, to provoke a revolt of the Serbian community. If there was a good intention, they would know that Serbs at this moment perceive their presence as a provocation. There is not a single conciliatory gesture from their side", Gogic told Dan Alive show.

He also said the basis of all such and similar situations is Albin Kurti's knowledge that Belgrade will not recognize Kosovo. "The Ohrid Agreement was supposed to become a de facto recognition of Kosovo, but that did not happen. Such an outcome caused a revolt in Pristina, and that is why Kurti wants to reinforce sovereignty in the north of Kosovo, get new recognitions, and thus try to force Serbia to recognize Kosovo in the end. And that is the basis of the conflict. Normalisation of relations meant cooperation between Serbia and Kosovo, but without mutual recognition, while Kurti connected everything on the ground with mutual recognition", he explained.

Kosovo police seal Serbian Treasury Administration building in Leposavic (N1, KoSSev)

Another Serbian financial institution in northern Kosovo has been sealed. The Thursday search by Kosovo police of the Treasury Administration building - part of the National Bank of Serbia (NBS) - in the town of Leposavic resulted in the seizure of what Kosovo authorities describe as “evidence”, N1 reported citing KoSSev portal.

Kosovo police deputy commander of region North Veton Elshani confirmed to KoSSev that documents, stamps, computers, and money were seized during the search. He said no one has yet been questioned in connection with this case, adding that the person in charge of the institution is expected to be questioned next week, KoSSev reported. The building was sealed shortly after the search and the collection of “evidence”. The operation was conducted under a court order from Mitrovica North and, according to the police, it is linked to an ongoing investigation into “money laundering”.

This follows a similar operation three months ago, which resulted in the closure of Treasury Administration branches in Mitrovica, as well as four Serbian Postal Savings Bank offices in the north of Kosovo. Last month Kosovo authorities also shut down all nine Serbian Post Office branches in northern Kosovo.

Serb arrested over alleged war crimes in Istok, after coming to check his property case (Kosovo Online, media)

Tomislav Pantic from Istok, arrested under suspicion of allegedly committing war crimes has been sent to 48-hour detention, his lawyer Vasilije Arsic told Kosovo Online, adding his client said he has nothing to do with the war crimes. Arsic also said Pantic was arrested as per order of the special prosecution, upon visiting his property in the village Crnce, near Istok. He also said Pantic left Kosovo in 1999 and ever since has attempted to reclaim his property.

“He is having a {property-related} case at the Basic Court in Istok and at the Court of Appeals in Pristina. Today he came to check at what phase his case was, and he was met with an arrest warrant and brought to the investigative department for the war crimes in Pristina”, Arsic said. He noted that Pantic is 85 years old, had never been mobilised, nor was he in the army or police, he worked for an agricultural company and had nothing to do with conflict operations.

"All this looks like a matrix according to which all those who fight to return and for their property are condemned to be labelled as war criminals to force them give up their properties", Arsic argued.

Office for KiM: “Unscrupulous ethnic cleansing under disguise of establishing alleged rule of law” (KoSSev, media)

The Office for Kosovo and Metohija reacted to the arrest of 85-year old Tomislav Pantic from Istok for alleged war crimes, adding this confirms intentions of Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti to “ethnically cleanse Kosovo of Serbs”, KoSSev portal reported.

“Tomislav Pantic who is in the ninth decade of his life, was arrested under suspicion of being responsible for alleged war crimes, although in the past he was often coming from central Serbia, where he lives in recent years, to visit his property in Metohija without any problems”, Office said in a statement. It also claimed that Pantic was “literally kidnapped’ and taken to Pristina.

“In line with so many already implemented scenarios Pristina bodies resort to when properties should be taken away from Serbs”, the statement added.

The Office for KIM also said that since 2021, 71 persons of Serbian ethnicity had been arrested by Kosovo police, adding that “unscrupulous ethnic cleansing was ongoing, under disguise of establishing alleged rule of law”, consequences of which are that 15 percent of the Serbian population has left Kosovo.

Person interviewed in relation to Banjska case released (Kosovo Online)

One person, suspected of alleged connection with the Banjska armed incident from last year, had been released upon giving a statement at a police station in Mitrovica South, Kosovo police deputy commander for the region North, Veton Elshani confirmed for Kosovo Online.

Elshani previously announced this person would be released upon giving the statement. Kosovo special prosecution has raised an indictment against 45 persons in relation to the Banjska armed incident from September 24, last year.

Drecun: Timing of Pristina's indictment shows Kurti will use it for political campaigning (Tanjug)

Head of the Serbian Parliamentary Committee on Defence and Internal Affairs Milovan Drecun said Thursday the timing of Pristina's indictment against 45 people in connection with the September 24, 2023 armed clashes in Banjska, showed that Prime Minister Albin Kurti intended to use it for pre-election political campaigning, Tanjug news agency reported.

In a statement to Tanjug, Drecun said it also showed Kurti would try to exploit all allegations in the indictment as much as possible.

According to Drecun by misusing the incident, Kurti is trying to undermine the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue, given that he has said dialogue would not continue unless Radoicic was extradited to Kosovo, which is a pointless condition to set because Radoicic is a Serbian citizen and if he is to be prosecuted, it will be done by the Serbian judiciary.

International Media

Kosovo Wartime Rape Survivors Still Suffer Psychological Consequences: Study (Balkan Insight)

Most survivors of sexual abuse during the Kosovo war still suffer severe psychological consequences as a result of their ordeal, a new report by two NGOs, Medica Mondiale and Medica Gjakova, concludes.

German NGO Medica Mondiale and local Kosovo NGO Medica Gjakova, which works with survivors of sexual abuse from the Kosovo war, published a report on Thursday highlighting that most wartime rape survivors in Kosovo are still suffering serious psychological and physical consequences.

Titled “I am not guilty for what happened to me”, the report includes data from a questionnaire which 200 survivors responded to and also 20 interviews.