I. Introduction and Mission priorities
1. The current report is submitted pursuant to Safety Council decision 1244 (1999), by which the Council established the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) and requested the Secretary-Basic to report at common intervals on the implementation of its mandate. The report covers the actions of UNMIK, and developments associated thereto, from 16 September 2021 to fifteen March 2022.
2. The priorities of the Mission stay to advertise safety, stability and respect for human rights in Kosovo and within the area. In furtherance of its objectives, UNMIK continues its constructive engagement with Pristina and Belgrade, all communities in Kosovo, and regional and worldwide actors. The Group for Safety and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the Kosovo Power proceed to carry out their roles inside the framework of decision 1244 (1999). The European Union Rule of Legislation Mission in Kosovo continues its presence in Kosovo, consistent with the assertion by the President of the Safety Council of 26 November 2008 (S/PRST/2008/44) and the report of the Secretary-Basic of 24 November 2008 (S/2008/692). The United Nations businesses, funds and programmes work intently with the Mission.
3. On 16 January, the brand new Particular Consultant of the Secretary-Basic for Kosovo and Head of UNMIK, Caroline Ziadeh, arrived in Pristina and assumed management of the Mission.
II. Key political and safety developments
4. The important thing political and safety developments throughout the reporting interval centred across the conduct of Kosovo native elections; tensions between Pristina and Belgrade over preparations associated to freedom of motion; the holding on 16 January 2022 of the Serbian constitutional referendum in Kosovo; and the forthcoming Serbian parliamentary and presidential elections in Kosovo. The European Union intensified efforts to advance the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, with bolstered assist from the USA of America and European actors.
5. On 17 October, municipal elections have been held in all 38 municipalities of Kosovo, adopted by run-offs in 21 municipalities on 14 November. A complete of 89 political entities participated, of which 32 have been political events. Total voter turnout was reported at 42.5 per cent, and the method was monitored by 24,693 accredited observers. A complete of 166 mayoral and 5,199 municipal meeting positions have been contested. The Democratic Occasion of Kosovo and the Democratic League of Kosovo gained eight mayoral races every, adopted by the Alliance for the Way forward for Kosovo profitable 5 and the Motion for Self-Dedication (Vetëvendosje) 4, whereas the Social Democratic Initiative, the Turkish Democratic Occasion of Kosovo, and the Civic Initiative for Obiliq every secured one. The Serbian Listing gained all 10 Kosovo Serb-majority municipalities. With regard to the illustration of girls, 14 ladies, reflecting 8.3 per cent of all candidates, competed within the elections, which represented a rise in contrast with the 2017 elections when 3 per cent of candidates have been feminine. On this event, solely two ladies – each representing the Serbian Listing – gained mayoral races. Girls candidates represented 37.2 per cent of these contesting municipal meeting seats, a slight improve from 34.8 per cent within the 2017 elections.
6. The European Union Election Statement Mission, which deployed over 100 election observers, assessed the general conduct of the elections as optimistic whereas noting some lack of transparency and accountability regarding marketing campaign finance in addition to restricted electoral competitors because of the low variety of candidates in Kosovo Serb-majority municipalities.
7. In its annual report on Kosovo issued on 19 October, the European Fee pressured that the Kosovo electoral authorized framework had primarily remained unchanged since 2010, regardless of the electoral suggestions from earlier European Union election observer and skilled missions. Extra broadly, the Fee assessed combined progress in 2021 on advancing European Union-oriented reforms, whereas noting gradual progress within the European Union-facilitated dialogue. With regard to rule of regulation reforms, the Fee emphasised the significance of progress within the investigation and prosecution of corruption and arranged crime circumstances, the necessity for growing transparency in public establishments, and lowering undue political affect on the judiciary. The Fee expressed concern over the federal government’s proposed introduction of a “one-off full re-evaluation” of prosecutors and judges.
8. Tensions between Belgrade and Pristina flared up throughout the days main as much as the native elections, particularly triggered by long-standing unresolved features within the implementation of the European Union-facilitated settlement on freedom of motion. On 20 September, the Ministry of Inner Affairs of Kosovo initiated a brand new coverage for autos bearing Serbian licence plates, requiring them to be indifferent and changed or lined with short-term Kosovo-issued plates on the official crossing factors. Objections have been raised in Kosovo Serb-populated areas, particularly within the north, whereas Kosovo police particular items have been deployed close to the crossing factors at Gate 1 in Jarinjë/Jarinje and Gate 31 in Bërnjak/Brnjak to implement the polic y. Residents gathered close to the 2 crossing factors and blocked the transit roads in protest. A automobile registration workplace in Zubin Potok was burned down, and an explosive gadget was discovered within the automobile registration workplace in Zveçan/Zvečan. A stand-off between Kosovo police and protestors threatened to become bodily altercations. Whereas issuing rebukes in opposition to the method of Kosovo, Serbia performed navy overflights and repositioned a small quick-reaction pressure in areas near the executive boundary line. The Minister of Defence of Serbia, accompanied by the Ambassador of the Russian Federation to Belgrade, visited the Serbian navy items deployed within the space. The Particular Consultant joined the European Union and different worldwide actors in calling for de-escalation and dialogue.
9. The controversy occurred on the heels of a daily consultative go to by the European Union Particular Consultant for the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue and different Western Balkan regional points, Miroslav Lajčák, to Pristina and Belgrade from 15 to 21 September. Mr. Lajčák and chief negotiators from Pristina and Belgrade subsequently met in Brussels and the events agreed to take away the Kosovo police particular items concurrently with the roadblocks on 2 October, overseen by the Kosovo Power. The events additionally agreed to implement a brief regime of utilizing stickers on each Kosovo-issued and Serbian licence plates. A particular working group, consisting of each events and European Union representatives, was established and tasked with agreeing on a extra everlasting resolution by 21 April 2022. On the time of reporting, the group had met on six events, with some progress reported.
10. Tensions once more flared up within the north in October when the Kosovo police performed an anti-smuggling operation in a number of areas all through Kosovo, together with Pristina, Pejë/Peć, South Mitrovica, North Mitrovica and Zveçan/Zvečan. Within the latter two municipalities, Kosovo Serb resistance to the presence of particular police gave rise to altercations, with accidents to law enforcement officials, protesters and bystanders. Kosovo officers, defending the operation, expressed the “uncompromising” stance of Kosovo that “crime and legal teams is not going to be tolerated and will likely be fought”. The President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, travelled to Raška, to the north of the executive boundary line, and urged restraint by Kosovo Serb leaders whereas additionally pledging a response to “any try to make use of violence in opposition to Kosovo Serbs”.
11. Discord arose as soon as once more regarding voting preparations in Kosovo following the announcement by Serbia {that a} referendum can be performed on 16 January on adjustments to the Serbian Structure pertaining to the judiciary. Amid calls by the Quint (France, Germany, Italy, the UK of Nice Britain and Northern Eire and the USA) and the European Union for the Kosovo authorities to facilitate the voting, the President of Kosovo, Vjosa Osmani, the Prime Minister, Albin Kurti, and the Speaker of the Meeting of Kosovo, Glauk Konjufca, issued a joint assertion wherein they underlined that “Kosovo Serb residents with twin citizenship can have the appropriate to vote in accordance with worldwide requirements and practices, similar to by mail and thru the [Belgrade] liaison workplace”. A rare session of the Meeting on 15 January, on the request of Mr. Kurti, affirmed this place by a majority vote. Serbian Listing representatives didn’t attend the session.
Belgrade officers reacted strongly, accusing Pristina of performing in contempt of the European Union-facilitated dialogue.
12. On the eve of the Serbian referendum, Kosovo police detained workers from the Serbian election fee who tried to convey voting supplies throughout the executive boundary line. The Workplace for Kosovo and Metohija of the Authorities of Serbia claimed that the supplies have been anticipated to assist an OSCE assortment -ofballots operation, in accordance with earlier apply. Beforehand, the OSCE mission in Kosovo had knowledgeable Belgrade that such an operation wouldn’t be possible with out the consent of all events, together with Pristina. The Fee then introduced that Kosovo Serbs would be capable to vote solely in specified areas north of the executive boundary line. On referendum day, 16 January, with assist from Belgrade authorities, transportation was offered to voters in Kosovo Serb -majority municipalities. In North Mitrovica, a protest was held in opposition to the place of Pristina, whereas smaller protests occurred elsewhere in Kosovo.
13. In the course of the reporting interval, 13 incidents affecting the Kosovo Serb group and Serbian Orthodox spiritual and cultural websites have been reported, together with harm to tombstones at Serbian Orthodox graveyards within the municipalities of Prizren, Fushë Kosovë/Kosovo Polje, Graçanicë/Gračanica and Istog/Istok in addition to an unlawful development within the particular protecting zone of the Saint Uroš monastery within the Ferizaj/Uroševac municipality. Extra incidents included money thefts at spiritual websites of assorted denominations all through Kosovo, together with from mosques and Muslim graveyards and Serbian Orthodox church buildings, in addition to harm at a Catholic church within the city of Pejë/Peć.
14. In the course of the winter interval, Kosovo confronted an vitality provide disaster with common energy shortages as a result of lowered capacities to fulfill the same old excessive seasonal vitality calls for. On 29 December, the Meeting of Kosovo adopted quite a few government-proposed emergency measures, together with curbs on electrical energy consumption, for a interval of 60 days. The federal government additionally reached a short-term emergency provide association with Albania to ease the shortages. In early February, the Vitality Regulatory Workplace elevated the value of electrical energy for personal households above a sure consumption threshold, which led to widespread criticism and a few public demonstrations. Opposition events expressed their intention to problem the emergency measures by means of court docket motion.
15. The Kosovo authorities held joint conferences with the Governments of Albania and North Macedonia, on 16 September on 26 November, respectively. The conferences produced a number of agreements to advertise freedom of motion, vitality cooperation, railway connectivity, commerce and schooling ties.
16. On 21 and 22 December 2021, the leaders of Albania, North Macedonia and Serbia met in Tirana to advance the Open Balkan initiative, which Pristina opposes as not consistent with the regional initiative of the Berlin course of, the widespread regional market. The assembly in December produced 5 new agreements meant to facilitate the free motion of individuals and items, financial cooperation and labour market entry. Plenty of States members of the European Union and the USA have welcomed the initiative, whereas emphasizing the necessity to promote inclusive regional cooperation.
17. The vast majority of the Afghan evacuees hosted by the Kosovo authorities have been relocated to international locations in Europe and North America, pursuant to agreements reached between European international locations, the USA and the North Atlantic Treaty Group. Reportedly, roughly 50 of the preliminary 1,000 evacuees stay in Kosovo.
18. On 22 October, the Ministry of International Affairs and Diaspora of Kosovo, upon instruction from the President of Kosovo, declared two workers members of the Russian liaison workplace in Pristina “persona non grata”, claiming that their actions risked “endangering nationwide safety and the constitutional order of the Republic of Kosovo”. The Russian Federation protested the choice, stressing that the Kosovo authorities had no authorized foundation to undertake such steps. In a letter communicated on 3 November to the Prime Minister of Kosovo, the Mission referred to as for the observance of the privileges and immunities of liaison workplaces and their personnel, in step with related UNMIK rules adopted on the idea of Safety Council decision 1244 (1999) and worldwide regulation. These messages have been additionally conveyed by the Mission in a follow-up assembly with the Prime Minister on 2 December.
19. On 31 December, citing a request by the Prime Minister, the Ministry of International Affairs and Diaspora of Kosovo said, by means of a social media platform, {that a} workers member of UNMIK was to be declared “persona non grata”. On 1 January, the Spokesperson of the Secretary-Basic underlined that the doctrine of “persona non grata” was not relevant to United Nations personnel, and that any issues relating to a member of the UNMIK workers needs to be addressed to the Mission, consistent with the standing, privileges and immunities of UNMIK and its personnel. UNMIK obtained its first official communication from the Kosovo authorities on the matter on 2 January. The Mission management conveyed to the Kosovo authorities the expectation that the matter be resolved consistent with the standing, privileges and immunities of UNMIK and its personnel. On the shut of the reporting interval, regardless of elevating the difficulty on a number of events, UNMIK had not but been knowledgeable of any motion taken in response to the request.
