Albanian Language Media: 

• Kurti meets Ireland’s European Affairs Minister, discusses Kosovo’s EU path (media)
• Osmani meets OSCE mission head, discusses Serbia’s interference in Kosovo (media)
• Kurti offers condolences to the Latifi family, thanks teams for operation in Ujman
• German Embassy calls not to politicize KSF case (media)
• VV spokesperson to German Embassy: Base your statements on facts, not fake news (Koha)
• Barduani: We haven’t observed any significant change in presence of Serbian armed forces (Reporteri)
• Serbia and China conclude joint military exercises (Kallxo)

Serbian Language Media: 

• Gasic, US's Baker discuss strengthening of military cooperation (Tanjug, media)
• German and French embassies condemn politicisation of KSF search operation in North: “A moment of collective sorrow, not political point-scoring” (KoSSev)
• Petkovic comments on draft resolution, says Kamberi is attempting what Bislimi failed to do (media)
• Djuric from Benin: Serbia is positioning itself as one of bridges between Europe and Africa (Kosovo Online, media)
• Vucic receives letter from China's Xi (Tanjug, media)

International Media: 

• US again delays imposing sanctions on Serbian oil firm (Balkan Insight)

Albanian Language Media

Kurti meets Ireland’s European Affairs Minister, discusses Kosovo’s EU path (media)

Caretaker Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, met with Ireland’s Minister for European Affairs and Defense, Thomas Byrne. The discussion focused on Kosovo’s European future, including EU and Council of Europe membership, strengthening bilateral relations, economic cooperation, and defense partnerships.

Kurti thanked Ireland for its contribution to peace and security through NATO’s mission in Kosovo and its continued support for Kosovo’s international integration. He emphasized the importance of granting Kosovo candidate status for EU membership based on merit and reforms.

The meeting also highlighted Kosovo’s potential in technology, investment opportunities, and the role of the diaspora, noting Ireland’s successful tech development and diaspora engagement as a model.

Osmani meets OSCE mission head, discusses Serbia’s interference in Kosovo (media)

Kosovo President, Vjosa Osmani, met on Tuesday with the Head of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo, Ambassador Gerard McGurk, to discuss current developments in Kosovo. Osmani emphasized the importance of OSCE reports accurately reflecting the reality on the ground, and that reported incidents must be based on verified facts confirmed by Kosovo's security institutions.

She also discussed the importance of the rule of law and the need to address Serbia’s illegal interventions, including the pressure exerted by Serbia on Kosovo Serbs to prevent their integration into the institutions of Kosovo. Furthermore, Osmani underlined that Kosovo’s institutions remain firmly committed to peace, stability, and inclusivity.

Kurti offers condolences to the Latifi family, thanks teams for operation in Ujman

The body of the young man who went missing on Sunday after jumping from the bridge into the waters of Lake Ujman was found on Tuesday afternoon. Caretaker Prime Minister Albin Kurti, offering condolences to the family of the late diaspora member, thanked all those involved in the search and rescue operation, commending them for their professionalism and exceptional dedication. “I thank the Emergency Management Agency, the Kosovo Security Force, the Kosovo Police, the Kosovo Search and Rescue Association, the ‘Trepca’ Diving Club, and KFOR for their professional work, extraordinary dedication, and tireless efforts until the body of Rrahim Latifi was found in Lake Ujman. To the Latifi family, we extend our heartfelt condolences and stand with them during these difficult moments to offer our full support and to share in their deep sorrow,” Kurti wrote on Facebook.

German Embassy calls not to politicize KSF case (media)

The German Embassy in Kosovo has expressed concern over what it described as efforts to politicize the deployment of the Kosovo Security Force (KSF) search team to Lake Ujman, in an operation to recover the body of a diaspora citizen who drowned there. The Embassy emphasized that the mission was approved by the KFOR Commander exclusively for humanitarian purposes.

According to the Embassy, statements presenting this mission as “the first KSF operation in northern Kosovo” misrepresent the intent and spirit of the deployment. “Equally concerning are the accusations of photo manipulation, specifically, the removal of visible elements of KFOR accompaniment – to promote a misleading narrative. Such actions risk undermining public trust and distract from the humanitarian focus of the mission,” the statement says.

The Embassy stated that the death of the 33-year-old man should be a moment of collective mourning, not an opportunity for political gain. “The German Embassy reaffirms its full support for KFOR and its mandate and sincerely thanks all members of KFOR and the KSF involved in the recovery efforts. Their professionalism and cooperation serve the public good and are a reminder of what can be achieved when institutions work together in service of human dignity,” the statement continues.

The KSF stated that the operation was carried out in coordination with the Kosovo Police, NATO’s mission in Kosovo (KFOR), and the Emergency Management Agency.

After the recovery, the victim’s body was handed over to the Kosovo Police and the forensics team for further procedures.

VV spokesperson to German Embassy: Base your statements on facts, not fake news (Koha)

The spokesperson of the Vetevendosje Movement, Arlind Manxhuka, has responded to the German Embassy in Kosovo following the concern it raised regarding “efforts to politicize today's deployment of a Kosovo Security Force search and rescue team at Lake Ujman.” Manxhuka has rejected the German Embassy's statements claiming that the images published by LVV from the KSF operation were manipulated to promote a false narrative. He stated that the embassy has been misled by fake news. “It is very important that in the era of fake news, reactions are based on facts and the truth, and not layered upon false news. In fact, the very news about the manipulation of the photograph by VV is fake news, which appears to have misled even you,” Manxhuka wrote on Facebook.

Barduani: We haven’t observed any significant change in presence of Serbian armed forces (Reporteri)

KFOR Commander Enrico Barduani was asked whether there has been a security threat in Kosovo, referring to statements made by former U.S. President Donald Trump and later by Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani. He stated that KFOR continuously monitors and patrols along the border between Kosovo and Serbia, and that they have not noticed an increased presence of the Serbian military. “Under my mandate, we have not observed any significant change in the presence or deployment of Serbian armed forces. Furthermore, based on existing procedures stemming from the military-technical agreement signed between NATO and the Government of Serbia in 1999, Serbian armed forces are required to regularly inform KFOR of any troop deployments and operational activities near the administrative boundary line, formerly known as the Ground Safety Zone. As KFOR Commander, I can say that cooperation has remained stable and ongoing,” Barduani said.

He also noted that he maintains regular communication with Kosovo’s security institutions and with the Chief of Staff of Serbia’s Armed Forces. “I’m referring to General Milan Mojsilovic. This helps maintain and improve our mutual awareness of the situation.”

Serbia and China conclude joint military exercises (Kallxo)

Members of the 72nd Special Operations Brigade of the Serbian Army and a special forces brigade from the Chinese military have completed joint exercises in China’s Hebei province between July 19 and 28.

“These exercises have given momentum to strengthening military cooperation and have enhanced the mutual ability of combat teams to carry out tasks alongside foreign armed forces and in an international environment,” stated Serbia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

This marked the first joint military training between China and Serbia, a candidate for European Union membership that also maintains close ties with both Beijing and Moscow.

In recent years, Serbia has expanded its military cooperation with China, alongside political and economic collaboration — despite warnings from Brussels and Washington, including through the purchase of Chinese weapons.

Serbia became the first country in Europe to acquire China’s FK-3 air defense systems.

According to Serbia’s Ministry of Defense, various combat teams took part in the joint exercise “Peacekeeper 2025,” engaging in tactical challenges in both urban and rural settings. “The focus was on drone tactics during the execution of special forces missions, as well as on activities involving live fire,” the statement said.

Serbian Language Media

Gasic, US's Baker discuss strengthening of military cooperation (Tanjug, media)

Serbian Defence Minister Bratislav Gasic met with US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defence for European and NATO Policy David Baker in Belgrade on Tuesday to discuss strengthening of bilateral military cooperation, Tanjug news agency reported.

Gasic noted that “the issue of Kosovo and Metohija must be addressed solely on the basis of UNSCR 1244, under which KFOR is the only legal armed force in the autonomous province and Kosovo and Metohija an inalienable part of Serbia”, the Serbian MoD said in a statement.

Gasic said Serbia was committed to initiating strategic dialogue with the US and that his ministry intended to back that initiative within the scope of its competencies. A decision by the Serbian Government to exempt certain exercises with the US Armed Forces from a moratorium on joint exercises with foreign partners reflects the significance military cooperation with the US has for the Serbian Armed Forces, Gasic said, thanking the US for its support in organizing the Platinum Wolf 25 exercise, held last month.

He emphasised that the cooperation the Ministry of Defence and the Serbian Armed Forces maintain with the Ohio National Guard within the State Partnership Programme represents one of the key pillars of successful bilateral military cooperation between the two countries. Minister Gasic also said Serbia remains committed to participating in the peacekeeping mission in the Sinai Peninsula as part of the US contingent, the statement added. The meeting also addressed Serbia-US cooperation in military technology and military-economic cooperation.

German and French embassies condemn politicisation of KSF search operation in North: “A moment of collective sorrow, not political point-scoring” (KoSSev)

The German Embassy in Pristina has expressed “deep concern” over what it described as attempts to politicize the deployment of the Kosovo Security Force (KSF) to the north yesterday, as part of a search and rescue operation facilitated and approved by KFOR, KoSSev portal reported. The operation took place at Gazivode Lake, where the body of a 33-year-old man who had jumped from a bridge on Sunday and gone missing was recovered yesterday afternoon.

In its official statement, the German Embassy stressed that the deployment had been conducted strictly for humanitarian purposes and with the full consent of the KFOR Commander, in line with KFOR’s mandate. “The tragic loss of a young man’s life should be a moment of collective sorrow, not an occasion for political point-scoring”, the embassy said.

The statement further criticized political narratives describing the deployment as the KSF’s “first operation in northern Kosovo”, saying such portrayals misrepresent the spirit and intent of the mission. It also voiced concern over allegations that visible KFOR elements were removed from images shared online to promote a misleading narrative.

French Ambassador: KFOR deserves everyone’s respect

Shortly after the German statement, French Ambassador Olivier Guerot also weighed in. France fully supports KFOR and its Commander, Guerot said, underlining the mission’s “irreplaceable role in ensuring regional security”.

“France will continue to provide KFOR with all necessary support, especially in an environment where disinformation and manipulation of facts are becoming systematic”, he said, also thanking the media that accurately reported on KFOR’s role in yesterday’s recovery efforts.

Read more at: https://shorturl.at/y0KGA

Petkovic comments on draft resolution, says Kamberi is attempting what Bislimi failed to do (media)

Office for Kosovo and Metohija Director Petar Petkovic said yesterday Albanian MP in the Serbian Assembly, Shaip Kamberi, by submitting a draft resolution to the parliament on the position of Albanians in the so-called “Presevo Valley,” is trying to implement what Pristina’s chief negotiator, Besnik Bislimi, failed to achieve in the last round of the Brussels dialogue, “to deceitfully insert into the dialogue something that cannot be its subject”. Petkovic also emphasized that abuse of the dialogue is unacceptable.

He accused Kamberi of not respecting the Constitution of Serbia and “that his proposal of such resolutions demonstrates not only ignorance but also malicious intent”. Stressing that Serbia is recognized as a country with outstanding cooperation with national minorities and serves as a model for others in the region, Petkovic said attempts to misuse the dialogue with Pristina and politically instrumentalize it by irresponsible politicians in central Serbia will not succeed.

He reminded that the dialogue is being conducted to serve as a factor of peace, security, and stability in the region, to encourage cooperation, support progress on the path toward the European Union, and improve the lives of people in Kosovo – especially the lives of Serbs and other non-Albanians, whose everyday life has become unbearable due to Pristina’s unilateral escalatory actions.

“Attempts to use the dialogue to disrupt peace, stability, and the excellent cooperation between Serbian institutions and representatives of national minorities belong to retrograde political ideas that were defeated in the mid-20th century – and that is where they will remain”, Petkovic concluded.

Djuric from Benin: Serbia is positioning itself as one of bridges between Europe and Africa (Kosovo Online, media)

Serbian Minister of Foreign Affairs Marko Djuric said yesterday from Benin that this visit represents yet another additional impetus for Serbia’s presence in Africa, noting that strengthening ties with countries like Benin is one piece of the puzzle in the overall picture of Serbia's relations with Africa - which is also important due to the Kosovo issue, Kosovo Online portal reported.

Djuric emphasized that Benin is a fantastic country of opportunities, developing at a growth rate of more than 7% annually, strategically located between large countries in terms of both population and resources, while also being an "oasis of political stability and peace".

Djuric stressed that these ties are important not only because of Kosovo, but also for positioning within Europe, as Serbia, he noted, is positioning itself as one of the bridges between Europe and Africa through such relations.

"As one of the bridges between our continent and a continent which, by all parameters, is a space of enormous potential. The doors have opened for our economy, concrete progress has been made on nationally important topics, and I am taking away very positive impressions from here", Djuric said.

Vucic receives letter from China's Xi (Tanjug, media)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has received a letter from Xi Jinping in which the Chinese leader told him he attached great importance to development of relations with Serbia, the press office of the Serbian President said on Tuesday, Tanjug news agency reported.  Xi thanked Vucic for his letter of birthday greetings and noted that, under Vucic's leadership, Serbia had achieved exceptional success in national development.

"I highly appreciate Serbia's consistent and firm support for China on matters concerning key interests and main concerns. In May this year, we met in Moscow, Russia, and had a deep exchange on China-Serbia relations as well as the international situation. We reached a broad consensus, setting the direction for high-quality advancement of building a China-Serbia community with a shared future in the new era", Xi stressed in the letter.

He noted that he attached great significance to development of China-Serbia relations and that he stood ready to invest joint efforts with Vucic to deepen strategic communication between the two countries, strengthen mutual political trust and advance mutually beneficial cooperation and continued progress in building a China-Serbia community with a shared future in the new era to contribute even more to prosperity of the two nations.

"In anticipation of meeting with you in China during the commemorative activity on occasion of the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's Liberation War against the Japanese aggression and in the World Anti-Fascist War, I wish you good health and all the best", Xi wrote in the letter to Vucic.

International Media 

US again delays imposing sanctions on Serbian oil firm (Balkan Insight)

The latest postponement of US sanctions on majority-Russian-owned Serbian oil firm NIS – the fifth since January – will come as a relief to Belgrade but does not end the uncertainty around its long-term future, analysts say.

The US has delayed imposing sanctions on Serbia’s majority-Russian-owned oil company NIS for another 30 days, the Mining and Energy said on Monday evening – the fifth extension since January. The US placed sanctions on Russia’s oil sector because of its full-scale invasion of Ukraine and wants Russian company Gazprom Neft to sell its shares in Serbia’s NIS.

Last week, Serbia asked for a 180-day extension. Serbia’s Minister of Mining and Energy, Dubravka Djedovic Handanovic, said an extension for six months would “support the energy stability of Serbia and the region”.

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