January 16 - 29, 2015 l #149 l Price 1€ Nation: Opinion: Prishtina Vucic reassures We need to Kosovo Serbs talk about Insight during visit. Charlie. PAGE 4 PAGE 14 High-risk,FROM high-paying jobs in warzones offer escape KOSOVOfrom economic stagnation at home. PAGE 6 TO KABUL 2 n January 16-29, 2015 n Prishtina Insight PageTwoKOSOVO-SERBIA RELATIONS IN 2015 Dialogue will con- tinue in Brussels in from the editor February: Serbian PM Aleksandar Vucic visited Kosovo this week but The forgotten Christmas did not meet with his Serbia’s 2015 OSCE counterparts, saying he Chairmanship: Serbia bomber story would see Kosovo Prime assumed the chairman- Minister Isa Mustafa ship of the OSCE at the Some three weeks have passed, finally taking a more constructive in Brussels when the beginning of the year and we still know little about why approach to its former province. Kosovo-Serbia dialogue from Switzerland. The a man from Belgrade, Slobodan But with Belgrade’s people in- resumes in February. organization, composed Gavric — reportedly an employee stalled in parliament and the gov- There are some rumors of 57 states, has its of Serbia’s Ministry of Agricul- ernment via Srpska List, Serbia’s that it may be handled biggest field mission ture — was arrested in Prishtina motives still must be looked with at the Foreign Minister in Kosovo. Serbia’s while police say he was prepar- a certain degree of suspicion. level, so that original leadership role could ing to commit an act of terrorism Still, it seems doubtful that Ser- high-level dealmakers bring downsizing in the that could have easily eclipsed bia had any role in this case. Serbia Hashim Thaci and Ivica Kosovo mission as the the attacks in would have little to gain and a lot to Dacic, former prime organization increases Paris in scale. lose from a bombing in Prishtina, ministers turned foreign its presence in Ukraine. Strangely, the and probably would be far more ministers, could back at media, the interested in thwarting such an at- the helm once more. Serbia’s EU accession government tack. Nevertheless, that itself isn’t negotiations: Opening and the public enough to allay suspicion. Formation of the As- Chapter 35 of Serbia’s seem to have Nate I suspect that had Gavric been sociation of Serbian- EU accession package moved onto Tabak a Muslim, but the circumstances majority municipali- deals primarily with other things. Editor-in-Chief identical, the response would have ties: On April 19, 2013, its relationship with Had a Koso- been far different, given how eager Kosovo and Serbia both Kosovo. Usually reserved var – especially the government has been to show agreed to establish a for “other issues,” and one employed itself clamping down on Islamic body for Kosovo munici- dealt with at the end of by the Kosovo government — been terrorism. This shows a serious palities whose residents the accession process, arrested in Belgrade with a car full mismatch in how Kosovo is per- are predominantly this chapter is to be of explosives it’s hard to imagine ceiving threats to national security. Serb that would have one of the first Serbia there not being a more different The story could easily turn oversight over educa- opens, Brussels has response. out to be a nonevent. Serbian me- tion, culture, health mandated. But how it In some ways it’s a positive sign dia have reported that Gavric has and urban planning will be implemented re- that there hasn’t been a more seri- claimed he was going to sell the for the majority-Serb mains unclear. “Nobody ous backlash, which potentially explosives in Albania. Given the community, and an knows exactly what that could have led to violence against lack of evidence thus far showing unspecified degree of means,” Serbian foreign the Serb community in Kosovo. why he’d want to set off a bomb in autonomy. More than minister Ivica Dacic said But there’s also a danger in the ap- Prishtina, that explanation certain- one and a half years in December. “Given parent indifference that a reported ly seems within the realm of pos- later, the association has that there are different employee of a formerly hostile gov- sibility. If that is the case, Kosovo not been formed and approaches on Kosovo’s ernment is being accused of plot- authorities owe an explanation there is a disagreement status in the EU, at this ting an act of terrorism in Kosovo. for why they quickly declared that over the nature of the moment there is no While Serbia does not represent they’d thwarted an act of terror. association. Both Serbia intention to include a the threat that it once did, for most Unfortunately a gag order in and Kosovo are produc- change of our position of the post-war period the country the case has kept the public in the ing drafts of a statute on the status of Kosovo.” has been a more destructive influ- dark. While there certainly need to defining its purview, and ence than not in Kosovo, particu- be considerations for the integrity despite disagreement larly in the north. of the judicial process and national between Kosovo and The EU-brokered talks in Brus- security, three weeks in, Kosovars Serbia, the Brussels has sels have clearly changed Kosovo- deserve to know the real story here made it clear that estab- Serbia relations for the better, and and the nature of the threat to their lishing the association is there are real signs that Belgrade is country. a key priority for 2015. Balkan Investigative Reporting Network • Mensa e Studenteve, first floor, 10000, Prishtina, Kosovo • PHONE: +381 (0) 38 24 33 58 • EDITOR- IN-CHIEF: Nate Tabak •STAFF: Jeta Xharra, Marcus Tanner, Valerie Hopkins, Petrit Collaku, Parim Olluri, Nektar Zogjani. • DESIGN: Trembelat • Prishtina Insight is supported by the Norwegian Embassy, Rockefeller Brothers Fund and the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network. Prishtina Insight nJanuary 16-29, 2015 n 3 • Print • 28 ppm • Print • 22 ppm • ARDF • Bypass • Bypass • Network • Network 4 n January 16-29, 2015 n Prishtina Insight Nation 20,000 The number Kosovars who left the the country in 2014 with the aim of crossing into the EU il- legally via Hungary, according National Council for European Integration. Serbian Prime Minister Alek- Campaign against BIRN sandar Vucic told Kosovo culminates in Serbia Serbs that he hasn’t forgot- An almost year-long cam- ter’s claim that Brussels ten them. paign aimed at marking funds BIRN to spread BIRN as a “spy” organi- falsehoods about his ad- sation and its members ministration, describing as foreign mercenaries them as “baseless”. culminated on January “The EU stands 9 when Serbian Prime by independent and In Strpce, Vucic Minister Aleksandar courageous journal- Vucic called BIRN “liars”. ism and freedom of The statement came speech across Europe after BIRN published and beyond. Freedom an investigation, which of expression is a basic is still ‘their’ PM said Serbia's state-owned principle of democracy,” Serbian premier urges Serbs to stay during visit to power company, EPS, Maja Kocijancic, spokes- had awarded a contract person for the European Kosovo town, vowing to support them. to de-water the Tamnava Commission for neigh- mine to a consortium of bourhood policy and en- two companies with no largement negotiations, relevant experience, one said. By Una Hajdari Minister of Kosovo - is "their" Prime of whose management Vucic then respond- Minister, and this visit represented members is involved in ed by accusing Kocija- Kosovo Serb children in the village a top honor. court proceeding. ncic of trying to silence STRPCE of Strpce on Wednesday donned In the event, Vucic tried not to The following day, him on behalf of the EU. Serbian traditional dress before disappoint. “The government of speaking at a press con- “Serbia supports in- PASJANE gathering at the local hall of culture Serbia, and Serbia itself, has not and ference at the headquar- dependent and daring to welcome their guest of honor, will not forget the people in Strpce ters of his party, Vucic de- journalism, and freedom GRACANICA the Prime Minister of Serbia. and the rest in Kosovo and Metohi- nounced the BIRN report of speech throughout Strpce was Two days earlier they heard ja,” Vucic said in his speech in front of as the work of liars. Europe and beyond, and one of three that Aleksandar Vucic was com- the Dom Kulture and after being of- “Tell those liars that that freedom of expres- towns, ing to visit their town and that fered the customary pogaca bread. they have lied again. sion is a fundamental including they would be the ones to welcome “The government of Serbia will That’s all I have to say,” democratic principle,” Pasjane and him. With the Prime Minister being offer much greater support. We will the Prime Minister said. he said. Gracanica, more than an hour late, some chil- invest in your road infrastructure. “It’s important for “That is why I am as- that Vucic dren were itching to get out of their We will invest in the food and food people to know [who tonished by the fact that visited on outfits. They waited another 40 processing industry, so that you published the investiga- Maja Kocijancic is trying Wednesday minutes in the freezing cold, with will know how to better sell and tion],” he added. “They to shut me up on behalf of in honor of a couple hundred other residents profit from the goods you produce,” got the money from [Mi- the EU, to forbid me even Serbian Or- of Strpce carrying Serbian flags.