Albanian Language Media: 

• Kurti: Criminals in the north who once ruled or profited have either fled to Serbia or are in prison in Kosovo (Reporteri)
• Abdixhiku calls on Kurti to respect the law (media)
• 54 Failures – Cakolli: Shameful end to deliberately prolonged crisis (Klan)
• Turkiye launches “Balkan Peace Platform,” aims to meet every six months (Koha)
• Isufaj: Radoicic wanted withdrawal of arrest warrant in exchange for information on Ivanovic assassination (media)
• Over 30 fire outbreaks still active in Kosovo, most severe situation in Klina (media)

Serbian Language Media: 

• Vucic: We won’t impose sanctions on Russia, Starovic spoke recklessly (N1)
• Djuric from Istanbul: We have clearly presented our positions on Kosovo (Kosovo Online, media)
• Dacic: There will be no continuation of dialogue with Pristina while persecution of Serbs is ongoing (TV Most, media)
• Petkovic meets with OSCE's McGurk (Tanjug, media)
• Congresswomen Tenney and Houlahan wrote to Trump encouraging him to help reaching agreement between Belgrade and Pristina (Kosovo Online, media, social media)
• Arsenijevic refutes allegations of having any apartment in central Serbia (Nova.rs, social media)

International Media: 

• Pompously signed, deals between Albania and Kosovo used as political leverage ({Prishtina Insight)

Albanian Language Media

Kurti: Criminals in the north who once ruled or profited have either fled to Serbia or are in prison in Kosovo (Reporteri)

The caretaker Prime Minister Albin Kurti has stated that, 14 years after the murder of Enver Zymeri and nearly two years after the killing of Afrim Bunjaku, justice has begun to be served. "Fourteen years after the murder of Enver Zymeri and nearly two years after the murder of Afrim Bunjaku, these two heroes of Kosovo, in northern Kosovo all the criminals who once ruled and profited have either fled to Serbia or are in prison in Kosovo," said Kurti.

Abdixhiku calls on Kurti to respect the law (media)

Following the failure of the session to constitute the Assembly of Kosovo, the leader of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), Lumir Abdixhiku, called on acting Prime Minister Albin Kurti to respect the law. Speaking from the Assembly podium, Abdixhiku said that the language of confrontation and imposition must come to an end. According to him, in politics, everyone is temporary, but some leave a mark. He added that it may even be their own misguided policies that have contributed to the rise of populism.

“I and the LDK are very clear. Albin Kurti must be told to respect the decision of the Constitutional Court, which clearly guarantees not only the right, but also the responsibility to form a majority. Albin Kurti must be told to respect the final decision of the Supreme Court, which prohibits you, your ministers, and your entire cabinet from simultaneously being members of parliament and government officials. You are an usurper of state institutions, now with a ruling from the Supreme Court, and you remain in power only because this country is not yet mature enough to have a prosecution and a police force that would stop you from doing such a thing,” Abdixhiku said in his speech after the 54th failed attempt to continue the session for constituting the Assembly.

54 Failures – Cakolli: Shameful end to deliberately prolonged crisis (Klan)

Eugen Cakolli from the Kosovo Democratic Institute (KDI) said that the responsibility for the failure to constitute the Assembly after a full 54 attempts falls on the political party that won the most votes in the elections and had the right to propose the candidate for Speaker of the Assembly. 

“A shameful conclusion to a crisis that was deliberately prolonged. The Assembly was not constituted even in the 54th attempt, thus failing to fulfill its constitutional obligation to be established within 30 days. The main burden of political responsibility for this failure clearly falls on the political entity that came first in the elections and had the right to propose the Speaker of the Assembly. But having the right is not enough when there is no will for consensus and to move the process forward.”

“From today on, there will be no more sessions marked by improvisation and arbitrariness, like in the saga of the past 100+ days, a period that, above all, revealed the lack of political responsibility and the rejection of compromise as a democratic value. We are now in an unprecedented situation: with a non-functional and illegitimate Assembly, and a caretaker government elected by the previous-to-last legislature—whose members have no legal authority to make decisions. Citizens did not deserve a state on pause because of narrow party calculations,” Cakolli wrote on Facebook.

Turkiye launches “Balkan Peace Platform,” aims for meetings every six months (Koha)

Turkiye’s Foreign Minister, Hakan Fidan, announced that under the directive of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the “Balkan Peace Platform” has been established, with the goal of contributing to the strengthening of peace and stability in the region. The first meeting was held on Saturday in Istanbul at the level of foreign ministers, with Kosovo represented by Ambassador Agon Vrenezi.

In a post late Saturday, Fidan wrote that the platform has created an informal space for political dialogue that is “sincere and goal-oriented.” He emphasized that the aim is to institutionalize cooperation based on inclusiveness and regional ownership, as well as to promote projects focused on shared prosperity.

The meeting included agreements to exchange information on EU accession processes, discussions on topics such as education, the defense industry, and regional issues. It was also decided that in the future, this platform will convene at the level of leaders as well, with meetings held regularly every six months in Istanbul.

“We have emphasized that this initiative is not an alternative to existing mechanisms, but rather supports them. Turkiye attaches strategic importance to peace and stability in the Balkans and will continue to make its constructive contribution,” stated Fidan.

Isufaj: Radoicic wanted withdrawal of arrest warrant in exchange for information on Ivanovic assassination (media)

Chief prosecutor of the Special Prosecution of Kosovo, Blerim Isufaj, in an interview with Kallxo, revealed new details about the request to withdraw the arrest warrant against Milan Radoicic in 2021. He said that Radoicic’s attorney had told the case prosecutor that Radoicic was willing to share information about the assassination of Kosovo Serb politician Oliver Ivanovic if the arrest warrant against him was withdrawn. “It is not that I didn’t want to accept this offer, it is that I didn’t want to secure information that was allegedly very relevant in the case for the assassination of Oliver Ivanovic, because the arrest warrant was about Ivanovic’s assassination. However, I did not agree with the prosecutor, and I told him to proceed with the process,” he said.

Isufaj said “I was certain back then and I am certain now that the purpose of the case prosecutor was not to pardon Radoicic, on the contrary, it was to bring him here and make him face justice. If he had come to the Special Prosecution, he would either disclose information about the assassination of Oliver Ivanovic or he would have been arrested because he was a suspect”.

Isufaj also said that the Special Prosecution was continuing investigations against Radoicic and that there are four active arrest warrants against him, on the Ivanovic case, the Banjska attack, the barricades in the north and war crimes. 

Over 30 fire outbreaks still active in Kosovo, most severe situation in Klina (media)

The Emergency Management Agency (EMA) has announced on Sunday that between 2:00 PM and 8:00 PM, a total of 80 fire outbreaks have been reported across Kosovo, of which 35 remain active and 45 have been contained. According to EMA, the most challenging situation is in Klina, specifically in the villages of Siqeve and Resnik.

“Fortunately, no casualties or injuries have been reported so far. The situation is being managed by EMA and Firefighting Units with all available capacities. We urge all citizens to exercise increased caution, avoid any actions that may cause fires, and immediately report any suspicious fire outbreaks to the emergency numbers 112, 193, or 192. The Agency, in cooperation with the Firefighting Units and the Kosovo Police, remains on full alert. The Agency thanks the firefighters for their tireless dedication, the Kosovo Police and KFOR for their support, as well as the citizens for their cooperation,” EMA stated.

Serbian Language Media

Vucic: We won’t impose sanctions on Russia, Starovic spoke recklessly (N1)

President Aleksandar Vucic said Serbia will not impose sanctions on Russia, adding “we are not changing our policy - it is based on principles, N1 reported.

"We took this stance three and a half years ago when we made the decision at the National Security Council. I personally wrote the text. We will continue with our principled policy as an independent, sovereign state", Vucic said in Batajnica, during a visit to the newly established Center for Palliative Care within the former COVID hospital. He also said that as of July 1 this year, "we have not exported a single bullet anywhere, so no one can accuse us of fueling armed conflicts".

He said the Minister for European Integration, Nemanja Starovic, "certainly spoke recklessly" during an interview with the Austrian news agency APA, in which he mentioned Kosovo and the possibility of imposing sanctions on Russia. Vucic also expressed regret that "on the domestic political scene, there are many who rush to defend Russia faster than they ever would to defend Serbia".

Read more at: https://shorturl.at/cx9rD

Djuric from Istanbul: We have clearly presented our positions on Kosovo (Kosovo Online, media)

Serbian Foreign Minister Marko Djuric said in Istanbul that although Belgrade and Ankara do not share the same views on Kosovo issue, it is important to engage in open discussions on difficult topics. Speaking at a meeting held within the framework of the Balkan Peace Platform, Djuric emphasized Serbia is advocating for its interests, including the issue of Kosovo, in all international forums, Kosovo Online portal reported.

“We also had a separate bilateral meeting - Mr. Fidan and I - where we discussed Serbian-Turkish relations as well as in a summit. I would like to highlight that our cooperation is, among other things, shaped by the fact that President Vucic and President Erdogan have exceptionally good personal relations and cooperation. Of course, we also talked about difficult issues, and just as President Vucic always openly points out that Serbia is not pleased with the stance on certain matters in the region - and especially with regard to the Kosovo and Metohija issue - we do not share the same views. We definitely need to learn how to talk openly about difficult issues and strive for greater mutual understanding”, he said.

Djuric added that this should be understood as a form of lobbying for better cooperation, even on sensitive matters. “We are lobbying for Serbian interests here in Istanbul, just as we do in Brussels, and I believe this meeting will attract attention in Brussels as well. It should be interpreted as an expression of our ambition for Serbia’s European aspirations to be understood in a way that enables a faster integration process and better appreciation of what Serbia can contribute”, he also said.

Dacic: There will be no continuation of dialogue with Pristina while persecution of Serbs is ongoing (TV Most, media)

Serbian Interior Minister Ivica Dacic said on Sunday there will be no continuation of dialogue with Pristina, as long as “persecution of Serbian people in Kosovo is ongoing”, TV Most reported.

Commenting on arrest of Office for Kosovo and Metohija Assistant Director, Ivan Popovic, for which Belgrade Higher Public Prosecution requested Criminal Police Directorate and Security Informative Agency (BIA) to identify persons who arrested Popovic, Dacic said significant number of people carrying out persecution against Serbian people in Kosovo are not available to the Serbian authorities. “We are keeping proper records on all this and sooner or later they will come within the reach of our authorities”, Dacic told RTS. He also said Serbian police had recently arrested a person who had participated in crimes against the Serbian people in Kosovo.

He expressed criticism of the international community accusing it of allowing, as he said, the entire world to depend on Kosovo caretaker Prime Minister, Albin Kurti’s good will, whether he will act in accordance with the agreements that have been reached or not.

"And now someone will try to convince us that they can't influence Kurti, but we're not stupid, we're not insane. Therefore, they are, to be honest, a fraud, because that's not what they told us when we signed the Brussels Agreement. We entered into all these agreements in good faith solely to achieve compromises that would be in the interest of everyone in Kosovo and Metohija", Dacic said. He emphasized that Serbia did everything, while the Pristina side began boycotting agreements from the very beginning, with the open support of some states.

Petkovic meets with OSCE's McGurk (Tanjug, media)

Serbian Government Office for Kosovo and Metohija Director Petar Petkovic met with the Head of OSCE Mission in Kosovo Gerard McGurk in Belgrade on Friday to discuss the political and security situation there, Tanjug news agency reported.

Petkovic noted Belgrade expected concrete moves to safeguard the guaranteed rights of the Serbs and actions towards the release of the Office's Assistant Director Igor Popovic and other political prisoners. He briefed McGurk on the very volatile political and security situation in Kosovo, especially following Popovic's arrest and a series of escalatory moves made by Albin Kurti’s government to the detriment of the Serbs, the Office for KiM said in a statement.

By arresting Popovic, Pristina has directly jeopardized the process of normalization of relations and the dialogue itself, which cannot proceed as long as Popovic is in a Pristina prison without any wrongdoing whatsoever, Petkovic noted. Through the dialogue, Popovic, an expert jurist, has been actively involved in numerous issues and, with his arrest, Kurti has dealt a direct blow to the Brussels talks, Petkovic said.

“All Kurti is doing is aimed at creating an ethnically clean Kosovo and Metohija and at an expulsion of Serbs and, for that reason, he makes escalatory moves almost on a daily basis to escalate tensions and spark new crises on the ground and is trying to dodge the commitment of establishing a Community of Serb Municipalities”, Petkovic said. 

Congresswomen Tenney and Houlahan wrote to Trump encouraging him to help reaching agreement between Belgrade and Pristina (Kosovo Online, media, social media)

Republican Congresswoman from New York state, Chair of the Serbian Caucus in the House of Representatives Claudia Tenney and Democratic Congresswoman Chrissy Houlahan sent a letter to the US President Donald Trump encouraging him to help reach a lasting peace agreement between Serbia and Kosovo, Kosovo Online portal reported.

In a post on X social platform, Tenney wrote that “@RepHoulahan and I sent a bipartisan letter to President Trump encouraging him to help deliver a lasting Serbia-Kosovo peace deal.

As Kosovo continues to take provocative actions against Serbians living in Kosovo, this unresolved dispute continues to threaten regional stability. Both sides want closer ties with the United States, and they trust President Trump.

POTUS’s unparalleled leadership on the 2020 Washington Agreement and the Abraham Accords proved what is possible. As Chair of the Congressional Serbia Caucus, I urge him to visit both capitals, launch direct talks, and work towards a normalization agreement.

Read the full letter at: https://tinyurl.com/y7dreyta

Arsenijevic refutes allegations of having any apartment in central Serbia (Nova.rs, social media)

Serbian Democracy leader Aleksandar Arsenijevic speaking for Belgrade-based TV Nova.rs news edition refuted allegations that he “was gifted an apartment from Milan Radoicic in Vrnjacka Banja”.

“Following my guest appearance at one TV station, propaganda machinery of the Kosovo government has already activated claiming that I was gifted with an apartment from Milan Radoicic in Vrnjacka Banja. I invite them, wherever they find any real estate under my name in central Serbia, to freely move any family into it. I will not oppose that, because I do not own a single brick or even a flower pot in central Serbia. My life is in Kosovo, my graves (of forefathers) are in Kosovo, and all I want is to create better lives for all of us with my party colleagues”, Arenijevic told a live news edition on Saturday. 

International Media 

Pompously signed, deals between Albania and Kosovo used as political leverage ({Prishtina Insight)

Many bilateral agreements signed between Albania and Kosovo over the past 11 years remain unimplemented, despite both countries hailing them as important steps towards collaboration and economic development.

Smiling as they signed the intergovernmental agreements in Prizren, Kosovo, the Prime Minister of Albania, Edi Rama, and the former Prime Minister of Kosovo, Hashim Thaçi, paved the way on January 11, 2014, for the launch of an annual tradition of joint government meetings.

The location of this first bilateral meeting between Kosovo and Albania was symbolic. It was held in the historic building where the Albanian League of Prizren had their conference on June 10, 1878, with representatives from all of the Albanian-populated lands in the Balkans. The League’s goal was to resist the partition of Albanian-populated lands which was dictated by a treaty between the Russian and the Ottoman Empires.

Read more at: https://shorturl.at/yiaNN