German media on Kosovo: Escalation in the conflict, surprising cancellation of the dinar, Trump the biggest threat

Two German newspapers bring different views on the situation in Kosovo. While Berliner Zeitung writes about the "surprising" cancellation of the dinar, Zeit writes about the "Serbian world" and how the return of Trump would affect Kosovo.

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Detail from North Mitrovica where the majority of Serbs live, Photo: Reuters
Detail from North Mitrovica where the majority of Serbs live, Photo: Reuters
Disclaimer: The translations are mostly done through AI translator and might not be 100% accurate.

The "smoldering conflict" between Serbia and Kosovo is an important topic at the Security Conference in Munich, "at least in informal discussions," Berliner Zeitung writes.

It is stated that there is an "escalation" in this "conflict that is a threat to Europe" after Pristina abolished the dinar, which affects tens of thousands of people who receive salaries, pensions, social assistance and subsidies from Belgrade.

"Pristina introduced the rules unilaterally and without warning. Banning the dinar as a means of payment and introducing the euro in the entire territory of Kosovo and Metohija was never a topic of dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina," Snežana Janković, Serbia's ambassador to Germany, told the Berlin newspaper.

The newspaper assesses that the "surprising cancellation of the dinar" puts the elderly and poorer population first of all in front of difficulties.

"They have to open a new bank account in the uncertainty of how they will receive their pensions in the future," the newspaper writes.

As it is added in the text, until now the licensed British money transport company Henderson was picking up the dinar banknotes sent by the Serbian Central Bank at the border. But now British transporters are stopping at the border.

"The unilateral action is a significant attack on the Serbian population, above all on the poorest," says Ambassador Janković. "The goal is to expel the Serbian population from Kosovo and Metohija. The international community must resolutely prevent the expulsion of the Serbs."

She stated that Serbia is not satisfied with the reaction of the EU and the USA, although the latter criticized the urgency with which the dinar was abolished, but did not fundamentally question the decision.

"Our Western partners must encourage Pristina to completely withdraw this measure because it can provoke a serious crisis and encourages Pristina to take new unilateral dangerous steps," said the Serbian ambassador.

Kosovo as the new Crimea?

On its portal, the weekly Cajt, on the occasion of the 16th anniversary of the declaration of Kosovo's independence, writes that "the threat from Serbia is stronger" and that small-scale geopolitics is being conducted in tiny Kosovo.

"The strengthening of the right in Europe, the possible return of Donald Trump to the White House and Russia's successes in Ukraine - all of this will have negative consequences for the country's security," the text reads.

It is stated that the Serbian "authoritarian president" Aleksandar Vučić follows the principle of the "Serbian world" and that he is spreading the "myth" about the alleged ethnic cleansing of Serbs from Kosovo.

The paper recalls that during the recent discussion on Kosovo, the Russian representative in the Security Council compared the situation of the Kosovo Serbs with the situation of the Palestinians in Gaza.

"In Gaza, people are being bombed. They don't have access to food," Kosovo's Deputy Prime Minister Besnik Bisljimi told Cite Online. "In Kosovo, on the other hand, it is about currency reform that should increase the transparency of financial flows. Kosovo Serbs can still receive payments in dinars to their account and convert them into euros."

The reporter states that in the Serbian communities in Kosovo, it is "quickly noticed" that "it is not about brutal persecution as Vučić warns" but about the fundamental question of whether Serbia should maintain "parallel structures" in Kosovo.

"Many Kosovo Serbs think it should," the text reads.

"If our schools become part of the Kosovo system or we can no longer receive social benefits from Serbia, then we will leave," says a Serb from Gračanica.

"The narrative about the pogrom against the Serbs is playing with fire," the journalist writes further, finding evidence for that claim in what took place last September in Banjska.

It is recalled that the attack was led by Milan Radoičić, and that the weapons came from Serbian warehouses, and that the European Commission officially spoke of a "terrorist attack", but then "it became quiet in the ministries of foreign affairs of Western Europe".

About this, Bisljimi says: "By examining the maps and documents found with the attackers, we came to believe that their goal was to annex the north of Kosovo."

What if Trump comes back?

As correspondent Cajta writes, in the EU and the USA "alarm bells would have to be sounded" because "every crisis in Kosovo reveals the weakness of the West".

The question arises whether KFOR, that is NATO, will remain an important factor in Kosovo, because in Europe - already in the elections for the EU parliament - the strengthening of the right is expected.

That is, as Zeit writes, of parties that lean on Russia and look at the Balkans "through cultural-religious glasses." "On the one hand, there is Muslim Kosovo, which was created 'artificially' by the West. On the other, traditional Orthodox Serbia, which in the logic of many such parties represents the Christian West."

It is reminiscent of the statements of Alternative for Germany deputies who demand the withdrawal of German soldiers from KFOR and say that the "Kosovo project" has failed. The Freedom Party of Austria says that Kosovo is part of Serbia.

But the "biggest threat" to Kosovo would be the return of Donald Trump. As recalled in the article, Trump's former envoy Richard Grenell called Aljbin Kurti a "fascist", recommended the withdrawal of American troops and received an order from Vučić.

"Grenell is mentioned as a possible minister of foreign affairs, if Trump wins the election," concludes Cite.

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