Regional Broadcasters Zoom in on Kosovo Independence
Broadcasters in Croatia, Bosnia, Macedonia, Montenegro and Albania most attentively follow the declaration of Kosovo’s independence and its immediate aftermath with special programmes throughout 17 February, all of them handling the event as the most important report in their main evening news bulletins and giving it unprecedented air-time.
Croatia
Croatian state-run TV HTV says “The map of Europe has changed forever Kosovo declares independence” in the headlines of its main 1830 gmt newscast, ahead of the report on the proclamation of independence by Kosovo’s assembly “without the presence of Serb deputies”. Included is footage of jubilant throngs in the streets of the Kosovo capital Pristina with the correspondent’s report. “Excitement and euphoria rule the streets of Pristina,” reporter Morana Kasapovic exclaims in her opening remarks, going on to quote Kosovo Albanian leaders’ most memorable remarks on the occasion, to the backdrop of exploding firecrackers. She then gives an account of Kosovo Serb reactions to the proclamation, adding that a bomb had gone off outside the UNMIK headquarters in Mitrovica and that around 1,000 former Serbian reservists had been prevented by Kosovo police from crossing the border. The Mitrovica correspondent’s report follows, featuring a statement from the visiting leader of the Montenegrin opposition SNP, Predrag Bulatovic, who says in a street interview that the independence declaration is “an illegal act and assault on the rights of a sovereign UN member country – Serbia”.
The next items in the bulletin are the Belgrade correspondent’s report on Serbian Premier Kostunica’s speech, clashes between riot police and demonstrators in the city centre, and interviews on the subject with Belgrade citizens, the Brussels correspondent’s view of EU reactions, Foreign Minister Jandrokovic’s remark that Croatia will “follow EU reactions and see” about whether or not to recognize independent Kosovo, and world reactions. More than 17 minutes are devoted to Kosovo in this bulletin.
HTV is to broadcast a special programme on the declaration of Kosovo’s independence at 2230 gmt.
Bosnia-Hercegovina
Bosnian public broadcaster BH-TV aires a live relay of the Kosovo assembly session at 1400 gmt. The TV’s main news bulletin at 1800 gmt also opens with the independence declaration, with footage of the parliament session and celebrations in Pristina. This is followed by the Pristina correspondent’s report on the festivities immediately after the proclamation. He mentions the blast in Mitrovica, the failure of Serbian reservists to cross the Kosovo border, and his own assurances that the situation in Kosovo is “calm”. The next item is a report on the demonstrations in Serbia and attacks on the Slovene and US embassies, followed by excerpts from Serbian President Tadic’s and Premier Kostunica’s addresses to the nation, regional and world reactions. After this is a report on Bosnian Presidency chairman Komsic telling BH-TV that Bosnia “will certainly not be one of the first countries to recognize Kosovo’s independence”, the reactions of other key players in the Federation and the Serb Republic, and a special sub-feature on the atmosphere in the Serb Republic, possible future developments and Banja Luka vox-pop. Kosovo takes up almost 25 minutes of the bulletin.
Macedonia
Independent privately-owned A1 TV devotes almost its entire prime- time news bulletin at 1800 gmt to Kosovo. The Macedonian government spokesman’s brief statement is announcer read and inserted in the middle of the bulletin, well after reports from Pristina, Mitrovica, Belgrade, Washington, Moscow, Brussels and Tirana. The spokesman says that “Macedonia will very carefully, seriously and cautiously follow the development of the situation in the region in the coming period,” adding “Of course, in dealing with the situation we will bear in mind the citizens’ interests, as well as Macedonia’s state and national interests.”
The station has its own reporters in Pristina, Mitrovica and Belgrade, who extensively report on the events in these cities with quotes from Thaci’s speech, vox-pop of Mitrovica Serbs and remarks by the Serbian prime minister and president. The reports are descriptive, noting the main points of today’s developments in respective cities. They also have correspondents’ reports from Washington, Moscow, Brussels and Tirana. These are followed by an analysis on what is likely to happen after independence, saying that Macedonia is expected to be in the second wave of countries to recognize Kosovo’s independence. The following report is on the energy situation amid fears that Serbia might cut electricity supply to Kosovo and on traffic on the Macedonia-Kosovo border. Reports from ethnic Albanians celebrations in Skopje and Tetovo are also given prominence, noting the jubilant tone of the speakers in these celebrations.
Montenegro
Montenegrin TV has the news as the first item in its main 1830 gmt bulletin, stressing Thaci’s promise on the equality of all nations in the independent state. The Pristina correspondent’s report features the adoption of the declaration in parliament, celebrations in the streets of Pristina, a brief interview with former Premier Agim Ceku (who says that “this ends a chapter of the former Yugoslavia and opens up a new chapter” and pledges that “Kosovo will be a state of all its peoples”. Follows a report on Serbian reactions most notably Kostunica’s, Tadic’s and Radical deputy chairman Tomislav Nikolic’s and another on the demonstrations in Belgrade. Then come factual reports on reactions from Washington, Moscow and Brussels, as well as reactions of the Montenegrin Albanian community, said to be “devoid of euphoria”. The situation on the Montenegro-Kosovo border, described as “calm”, comes after this. The TV’s bulletin devotes 19 minutes to this topic.
Albania
In the morning of 17 February all Albanian TV stations interrupted their regular programmes and broadcast live coverage of activities in Pristina to proclaim Kosovo’s independence and in Tirana to celebrate the event.
The stations sent their correspondents to Pristina who followed the celebrations there while other TV camera crews filmed Tirana residents taking part in Independence Walk, a special event organized by Tirana municipality which had banned traffic in the city centre to allow people to celebrate. Scenes of people waving national flags and shops and restaurants decorated with national symbols were repeatedly shown. Asked by correspondents why they were celebrating, Tirana residents unanimously described the event as “a great day for all Albanians,” and “a great day for our nation”. Tirana municipality has also organized a big independence concert in Tirana’s Skanderbeg Square.
The leading TV stations invited to their studios prominent politicians and political commentators, who have been commenting on the significance of Kosovo’s independence, the history of the process, its consequences for the future, and Albania’s’ relations with the new state of Kosovo.
At 1400 gmt all stations broadcast live the ceremony of the proclamation of independence by the Kosovo parliament.
Speaking immediately after the ceremony, Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha made a statement broadcast by the privately-owned TV station 24 News.
“In the coming days Albania will coordinate all its actions with the governments of the United States and friendly EU countries. Albania believes that a new chapter has opened in relations between Albanians and Serbs. It assures the Serbian nation, it assures the United States, and the EU member countries that we will invest all efforts for regional peace, stability, and integration. God bless independent Kosovo. God bless Albanians, wherever they are,” Berisha said in his statement.
At 1600 gmt Albania’s public broadcaster TVSh carried a statement by President Bamir Topi. Welcoming Kosovo’s independence, Topi said: “Today is a historic day not only for Kosova, but for the whole region and its neighbours, and this once and for all rectifies the grave historical mistakes made in this part of Europe.”
“This is a happy, great and very emotional day for all Kosovo, for its people, for Albania, and Albanians wherever they are,” he said. “This is a very important moment for Kosovo and its neighbours, our region and Europe, because it dissolves, once and for all, the final link in the disintegration of former Yugoslavia; the last political, military, and diplomatic deadlock, and creates a space for democracy, security, peace and long-term stability,” Topi said.
“This is the greatest victory of democracy in southeast Europe since the collapse of the Berlin Wall,” Topi said. “It is a day of the future of Kosovo, a day of the future of Albania, the whole region, and united Europe,” he said.
Speaking on TVSh at 1500 gmt, Foreign Minister Lulzim Basha described the proclamation of Kosovo’s independence as “a very emotional moment for all Albanians”. “This is a historic moment, which crowns the century-long aspirations of many generations. We should pay tribute to all those generations, which, beginning with the hellish year of 1913 to date, gave everything, including their lives, and spent all their energies for us to achieve this historic moment for all Albanians, wherever they are. This will open the door to regional peace and integration into Euro-Atlantic structures, which is the best way to eliminate the barriers of borders and guarantee prosperity to us and our children,” said Basha, adding that he hoped Serbia would “emancipate itself, detach itself from its past of conflicts, and become part of the joint aspirations of our region”.
In an interview with the privately-owned Top Channel at 1300 gmt Basha said he was confident that the United States and four Contact Group member countries would be the first to recognize Kosovo’s independence. “Russia can do nothing to stop Kosovo’s independence and any effort to use this issue to replicate similar situations in some Russian regions is bound to fail,” Basha said.
Originally published by BBC Monitoring research 17 Feb 08.
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