Albanian Language Media:

• Haxhiu expected to once again be VV’s candidate for Speaker of Assembly (media)
• Deadline for election candidate certification ends tonight (media)
• ERO: Power supply to be cut off for non-compliant businesses starting August 16 (media)
• Hoti criticizes court ruling on energy market liberalization (media)
• Mentor Hyseni appointed new director of Kosovo Tax Administration (media)
• Numerous reactions on appointment of KTA Director (media)
• Concrete slab poured over new bridge over Iber River in Mitrovica (RTK)

Serbian Language Media:

• The anniversary of the murder of Serbian children in Gorazdevac - 22 years of silence (Radio Mitrovica sever, Danas, KiM radio, media)
• The father of the victim from Gorazdevac told Kurti: Open an investigation and find the killers (Radio Gorazdevac, KoSSev)
• The Office for Kosovo and Metohija recalled the crime in Gorazdevac (KoSSev)
• Serbian List: Remembering Pantelija and Ivan (KiM radio)
• Cafe “Vuk” outdoor patio removed (KoSSev)
• In the presence of the Austrian chancellor, Vucic on whether he would change the Constitution because of his mandate (FoNet, Danas)
• Coordinated attack by Serbian Progressive Party activists on people of Backa Palanka and Vrbas (N1)
• N1 says crew assaulted in Vrbas, police fail to react (N1)

Opinion:

• Kosovo à la Trump, and other misconceptions of Serbian politics (Part 1) (KoSSev)

International:

• 2024 Report on Human Rights Practices: Serbia (state.gov)
• Leaked Files Reveal Serbia's Secret Expansion Of Chinese-Made Surveillance (RFE)

Albanian Language Media

Haxhiu expected to once again be VV’s candidate for Speaker of Assembly (media)

LVV MP Arbereshë Kryeziu stated that caretaker Minister Albulena Haxhiu should not be replaced due to pressure from former opposition parties. “It’s not worth replacing Albulena Haxhiu just because of the whims of opposition parties, which have changed their positions, actions, and opinions every time a situation has served their personal interests. “Personally, I found it a bit concerning that the candidate was put to a vote three times, when such a thing is not mentioned anywhere in the Constitution, nor in the Assembly’s Rules of Procedure. If three times is acceptable, then why not just once? Or why not five times, or even eight?” Kryeziu said.

 Deadline for election candidate certification ends tonight (media)

The deadline for political parties and candidates to apply for certification and submit their candidate lists for Kosovo’s upcoming local elections ends tonight at 23:59. Central Election Commission (CEC) spokesperson Valmir Elezi confirmed that the application window, which opened on June 26, closes August 13 at midnight. Political entities can choose in which municipalities they want to compete and whether to run for mayoral or assembly positions, or both. So far, the CEC has certified 10 political entities, including 2 civic initiatives and 8 independent candidates, totaling 64 candidates: 5 for mayors and 59 for assembly members.

ERO: Power supply to be cut off for non-compliant businesses starting August 16 (media)

The Energy Regulatory Office of Kosovo (ERO) has announced that starting August 16, 2025, business consumers who have not signed a commercial contract with a licensed electricity supplier will have their power supply disconnected. This follows the Commercial Court's ruling rejecting the request to delay the liberalization of the electricity market, reaffirming that the process aligns with current legislation. ERO emphasized that the decision affects over 1,000 private companies, urging businesses to act immediately and choose a licensed supplier from ERO’s official list.

Previously, a lower court ruling had found parts of ERO’s liberalization process unlawful. However, the Appellate Chamber of the Commercial Court has now validated the regulator’s actions, clearing the way for the enforcement of market liberalization.

Hoti criticizes court ruling on energy market liberalization (media)

Former Prime Minister Avdullah Hoti has sharply criticized the Commercial Court’s decision favoring the Energy Regulatory Office (ERO) in opening Kosovo’s electricity market. The ruling allows 1,300 businesses to be moved to the open energy market, where prices are significantly higher. Hoti expressed surprise at ERO's enthusiasm for the decision, questioning the fairness of forcing businesses to buy energy at inflated market rates. He also criticized the government's silence, saying the situation “doesn’t just smell, but stinks.”

Mentor Hyseni appointed new director of Kosovo Tax Administration (media)

The Ministry of Finance, Labor and Transfers has announced the appointment of Mentor Hyseni as the new Director of the Kosovo Tax Administration (KTA). The ministry stated that the decision followed a legally compliant and transparent recruitment process, ensuring the selected candidate meets all required qualifications. MFLT expressed full confidence in Hyseni’s ability to further advance the work of KTA toward building a modern, transparent, and fair tax administration.

Numerous reactions on appointment of KTA Director (media)

Eugen Cakolli from the Kosovo Law Institute (KLI) has commented on the appointment of Vetevendosje member Mentor Hyseni as Director of the Kosovo Tax Administration (ATK), calling it “a textbook example of public institutional capture.” Cakolli stated that Hyseni’s appointment represents a continued violation of legal limitations on the powers of a caretaker government and constitutes an open disregard of the recent Supreme Court ruling. He also warned that this move risks turning the Tax Administration into a political tool for exerting certain pressures.

PDK MP Vlora Citaku has strongly criticized the appointment of Mentor Hyseni, former Vetevendosje (VV) parliamentary candidate and close associate of the party, as the new Director of the Kosovo Tax Administration (KTA). “Kurti has appointed a party militant, former VV candidate Mentor Hyseni, as head of one of the most important institutions in the country. The same people who used to preach against nepotism and clientelism now show they’ve abandoned every principle they once stood for,” she wrote.

PDK MP Blerta Deliu-Kodra has recalled caretaker Prime Minister Albin Kurti’s earlier promises to eliminate nepotism. “Once, Albin Kurti promised that nepotism would be just a bad memory,” she wrote. “Today, he appointed a party militant, a former parliamentary candidate, to lead the KTA. The government that once claimed there were no jobs for friends and family now seems to keep both lists, wedding invites and job posts, together.”

Arben Mustafa from the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) stated that “the war against businesses has now moved to another level,” and that “Kurti has today captured the KTA as well.”

Concrete slab poured over new bridge over Iber River in Mitrovica (RTK)

The concrete slab has been poured today for one of the two new bridges under construction over the Iber River in Mitrovica, according to Deputy Minister of Infrastructure Hysen Durmishi. The newly constructed bridge, intended for vehicular traffic, is nearing completion. Work on the second bridge, designed for pedestrians, is expected to proceed at the same pace. Both bridges are part of a broader infrastructure improvement project aimed at easing transportation between the ethnically divided southern and northern parts of the city.

Serbian Language Media 

The anniversary of the murder of Serbian children in Gorazdevac - 22 years of silence (Radio Mitrovica sever, Danas, KiM radio, media)

Today marks 22 years since the crime in Gorazdevac in Kosovo, when unknown persons from "Kalashnikovs" shot Serbian children who were bathing in the Bistrica river. Ivan Jovovic (19) and Pantelija Dakic (13) were killed in the attack, while Dragana Srbljak (13), Marko Bogicevic (12), Bogdan Bukumiric (14) and Djordje Ugrenovic (20) were seriously injured. 

No one was held accountable for this crime. The EULEX international mission suspended the investigation in 2011, as they stated, due to a lack of evidence, recalled Radio Mitrovica sever. 

The memorial service for the victims was held at 10 a.m. in front of the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Gorazdevac. 

After the crime, representatives of the international community declared that they would "turn over every stone" to find the perpetrators. However, even after more than two decades, no one has been held accountable for this attack. The investigation was officially suspended 13 years ago, with no culprits identified or proceedings initiated.

On August 13, 2003, there was a group of 28 Serbian children and youth from Gorazdevac on the improvised beach and in the river Bistrica. At that moment, the attack was carried out from an ambush.

According to the findings of UNMIK investigators, the attackers opened fire from an automatic weapon, most likely a "Kalashnikov", firing a total of 87 bullets at children and young people who were in the water and on the shore.

There are indications that the attackers came from the nearby Albanian village of Zahac, but their exact number and identity have never been established. This terrorist act happened on the eve of the planned return of about 200 exiled Serbs to that part of Metohija.

The crime was condemned by representatives of UNMIK, KFOR, the EU, the United States of America, Russia, France, and officials of the then government bodies in Pristina.

Immediately after the attack, official Belgrade requested an urgent meeting of the United Nations Security Council. According to available data, UNMIK investigative authorities and the police in Kosovo interviewed approximately 70 witnesses — according to some reports, as many as 75 people — and more than 100 houses were searched in search of evidence and suspects.

A reward in the amount of one million euros was announced for information that would lead to the solving of the crime. However, despite numerous convictions and promises of commitment to the investigation, concrete results have been lacking. Officially, new findings never became known.

In 2011, EULEX officially suspended the investigation. Five years later, in 2015, the institutions in Pristina did the same.

The father of the victim from Gorazdevac told Kurti: Open an investigation and find the killers (Radio Gorazdevac, KoSSev)

On the 22nd anniversary of the crime in Gorazdevac, Milisav Dakic, the father of one of the murdered young men, sent a message to Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti to launch an investigation and find the perpetrators, reported radio Gorazdevac. 

"If he is the president for all the municipalities in Kosovo, then he should be the president for all peoples and nations. A family is sacred and has its own child. He has children and he should know the pain I am carrying," Dakic said.

He added that he expects the Kosovo institutions to act and that justice be served, not only for his family, but also for all those who, as he said, innocently died - Serbs, Albanians, Bosniaks and Roma.

"From here, I can't bring Vucic to find the killers. He (Kurti) needs to do it and is obliged to do it," said Dakic.

The crime in Gorazdevac, in which two Serbian boys were killed and four of their peers were wounded while they were bathing in the Bistrica river, took place on August 13, 2003. The perpetrators were never found to date.

The Office for Kosovo and Metohija recalled the crime in Gorazdevac (KoSSev)

"More than two decades have passed since one of the most monstrous crimes committed by terrorists against the Serbian people in Kosovo and Metohija, and on this day the entire nation remembers the brutally murdered and wounded Serbian children in Gorazdevac," reported KoSSev, citing the Office for KiM announcement. 

This is the reaction of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija to the 22nd anniversary of the crime in Gorazdevac, when Panto Dakic (12) and Ivan Jovovic (19) were killed while swimming in the Bistrica river on August 13, 2003, while four other young people were wounded.

The perpetrators of this crime were never found, and EULEX officially suspended the investigation.

The memorial service for the victims was held in front of the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Gorazdevac today at 10 a.m., and the service was led by the abbot of Visoki Decani monastery, Father Sava Janjic, Radio Gorazdevac reported.

The Office for Kosovo and Metohija also announced today.

They say that the ideology behind this crime is known:

"And it is the same ideology that until today produces hatred towards Serbs and all other non-Albanians in Kosovo and Metohija and which is the basis of the political activities of Albin Kurti and his terror against the Serbian people."

According to them, the crime was and ''the covering up the massacre" and closing the international investigation:

"That's why the criminals, as in many other cases of attacks on Serbs, avoided punishment and the face of justice," concluded the Office for KiM.

Serbian List: Remembering Pantelija and Ivan (KiM radio)

The impunity for the crimes in Gorazdevac gave impetus to new crimes, according to the Serbian List on the 22nd anniversary of the murder of two boys on the river Bistrica, reported KiM radio.

"Today, we remember one of the most difficult and painful days for our people. More than two decades ago, while they were carefree enjoying swimming on a summer day, our boys - Pantelija Dakic and Ivan Jovovic - were brutally murdered, and several of their peers were seriously wounded. This crime, committed against innocent Serbian children, has remained unpunished to this day."

They say that the closure of the investigation and the lack of accountability of the perpetrators encouraged "extremists and criminals to continue the persecution of Serbs", and the peak of this, they add, was the pogrom in 2004. "This continuity of injustice is deeply etched into the consciousness of our people and represents a heavy burden for all who believe in justice and truth.

The Serbian List states that it sympathizes with the families of those killed and wounded, and states that the Serbian people do not give up their search for the truth, and they ask the question - "who shot, who ordered, who covered it up, and why are the executioners still at large?".

Nevertheless, they say that Gorazdevac remains a symbol of survival, that the locals "guard their homes, their faith and their identity".

"The memory of Pantelia and Ivan will forever be woven into the existence of the Serbian people in these regions. They have become symbols of our existence, but also of our resistance and persistence to stay and survive."

"Eternal glory and thanks to Pantelia Dakic and Ivan Jovovic, and let their sacrifice be an eternal reminder that crimes must not go unpunished," added the SL statement.

Cafe “Vuk” outdoor patio removed (KoSSev)

The removal of the outdoor patio of “Vuk” (Wolf) cafe on the promenade in North Mitrovica began today, by the order of the municipal inspectors. The cafe, formerly “Grey”, found itself in the centre of attention after the Serbian List accused the Kosovo authorities of attacking Serbian businesspeople, reported KoSSev. 

According to yesterday's information, the inspectors of the Municipality of North Mitrovica visited the cafe and issued an order, as claimed by the Serbian List, for the removal of the roof of the patio. However, today it was visible on the ground that the entire patio was removed.

In the presence of the Austrian chancellor, Vucic on whether he would change the Constitution because of his mandate (FoNet, Danas)

The President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, said today that the elections will be called before the legal deadline, and that he cannot run for president again and that it "doesn't occur to him" to change the Constitution of Serbia in order to do so, reported Danas, citing FoNet agency. 

"If I'm going to help someone and fight for those who I think can lead Serbia into the future to achieve success in the elections, I will definitely do that, and from what position at the moment it's not a topic, nor could I pronounce it myself," Vucic said at a press conference with Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker at the Palace of Serbia.

Vucic said that "fortunately", "neither Austrian journalists nor blockaders" are responsible for calling the elections, but rather the institutions of Serbia, and in accordance with the Constitution and laws, they will call the elections, probably before the legal deadline.

The elections will show "what the people will say and who will win".

Vucic said that Serbia is facing very violent protests, such as the one on Tuesday evening.

Stating that demonstrators go to the houses of political opponents, as in Austria and Germany in the past, Vucic added that Serbia endured all this "in a very democratic way, without serious use of force."

According to Danas, Vucic criticized the Austrian media because, as he stated, "a different opinion could not be heard" about the protests in Serbia.

Coordinated attack by Serbian Progressive Party activists on people of Backa Palanka and Vrbas; Students call for protest today (N1)

Supporters and activists of the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) who organized counter-rallies in the towns of Vrbas and Backa Palanka launched synchronized attacks on citizens who had gathered for previously announced protests.

In both towns, protesters were simultaneously pelted with fireworks, stones, chunks of ice, eggs, bottles and various other objects.

Police in Backa Palanka did not respond, while in Vrbas police in riot gear intervened only after physical contact occurred between the two groups when the police cordon between them was breached.

N1 reporters in both towns said that tensions were running very high.

Students in the blockade called on citizens today to take to the streets tonight at 8 p.m.

They wrote on their Instagram account: "8.00 p.m. Wake up."

In one of the comments on this announcement, students in the blockade of Faculty of Organizational Sciences (FON) announced and wrote: "They won't get away with it! Everyone to the streets".

Law students in the blockade wrote that "there is nothing left for them" but to join.

Students will announce protest locations during the day.

N1 says crew assaulted in Vrbas, police fail to react (N1)

An N1 news crew was the target of a physical attack last night in Vrbas, while the police deployed at the scene remained completely passive,” N1 said in a statement.

“We will report this latest incident—one in a series of increasingly frequent attacks on N1—to all relevant European institutions and media protection organizations. Additionally, we will initiate all legal procedures against the police officers responsible,” it added.

“An assistant cameraman was hit by stones thrown from the offices of the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS). It is especially concerning that fireworks and other pyrotechnic devices were fired at both journalists and assembled citizens, and tools and stones were thrown at them—all right before the eyes of the police.

“Despite these open threats, threats to the of safety, and interference with the work of visibly identified journalists, the police did nothing to stop the attacks, identify, or process the perpetrators. Once again, it is evident that the safety of journalists in Serbia depends on political will rather than legal obligations. That conduct constitutes a serious breach of duty, a violation of legal responsibilities, and a direct endangerment of our employees’ safety. For this reason, N1 television will today initiate proceedings against the police officers involved.

“We recall that, just the night before, our crew's was obstructed by lasers pointed at the camera and reporter, accompanied by verbal abuse and open threats—including being called Ustasha. In the same location, masked individuals displayed the "slaughter" sign to our reporter—a message that leaves no room for misinterpretation.

“This is not an isolated incident. During the Vidovdan protest, our assistant cameraman was injured when a police officer, despite clearly visible press badges and identification, struck him twice with a baton. Neither at that time nor in numerous other cases did we receive any response, nor has anyone been held accountable. The brutal threats that our newsroom faces daily remain unpunished, and the perpetrators remain unidentified.

“We demand that the police immediately cease selective treatment of journalists and begin applying the law—protecting all journalists, identifying, and prosecuting the attackers regardless of their political affiliation or connection to the authorities. We will inform domestic and international organizations dedicated to media freedom and journalist safety about all these incidents, because the silence of institutions and the impunity granted to perpetrators directly threaten the public's right to be informed,” the N1 statement said.

Opinion

Kosovo à la Trump, and other misconceptions of Serbian politics (Part 1) (KoSSev)

By Dragutin Nenezic 

Trump’s mention of preventing conflict in Kosovo (there are already too many references to link here—see KoSSev for details) has become a commonplace in Serbia’s current political climate, used by everyone to serve their own purposes and ease their frustrations. In a general crisis of legitimacy at all levels and in all jurisdictions—amid a political crisis in Serbia now entering its tenth month and a constitutional crisis in Pristina entering its fifth—the intensity of Trump’s political style across all fields can easily mislead even those who consider themselves well-versed.

Since I have many friends on both sides of the growing divide in Serbian society, in this and the following few articles, I would like to point out certain elements of Trump’s peace-brokering show—specifically those written into agreements and other documents—so that we can, as rationally as possible, assess the prospects for any hoped-for improvements for Kosovo-Metohija Serbs.

The other day, Trump listed all his successes as “the President of Peace”: Azerbaijan and Armenia, Cambodia and Thailand, Israel and Iran, Rwanda and the DR Congo, India and Pakistan, Egypt and Ethiopia, Serbia and Kosovo, and the Abraham Accords.

From the outset, I will exclude the Abraham Accords, as they are a product of Trump’s first term. Then Cambodia and Thailand, since that is merely a ceasefire. The same applies to Israel and Iran, as well as India and Pakistan—ceasefires again, with no official documents publicly available.

With Egypt and Ethiopia, the situation is slightly different. The dispute over the construction of a dam on the upper Nile in Ethiopia never escalated into armed conflict. The dam was built and is expected to be operational this autumn. Trump recently mentioned that he was working to resolve this dispute, which, of course, was welcomed by Egypt’s president—but there is still no resolution.

This leaves us with only Azerbaijan and Armenia, and Rwanda and the DR Congo, to examine.

Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/43k74d22

International

2024 Reports on Human Rights Practices: Serbia (state.gov)

There were no significant changes in the human rights situation in Serbia during the year.

Significant human rights issues included credible reports of: serious restrictions on freedom of expression and media freedom, including violence or threats of violence against journalists and unjustified prosecution of journalists; and trafficking in persons, including forced labor.

The government took steps to identify and punish officials who committed human rights abuses, it was said in a summary of the State Department 2024 report on Human Rights Practices, country Serbia. 

Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/3sv48zrr

Leaked files reveal Serbia's secret expansion of Chinese-made surveillance (RFE)

The Serbian government is substantially expanding its advanced Chinese-made surveillance system, leaked documents reviewed by RFE/RL show, despite years of protests and backlash from the public over its use.

The documents seen by RFE/RL contain contacts with the Chinese technology giant Huawei.

They show large purchases of software and services necessary to increase the scale of a program called Safe City, a project first sold by Huawei in 2017 through a strategic partnership deal with Serbia's Interior Ministry.

The program aims to provide facial and license-plate recognition and other surveillance capabilities integrated into a unified, citywide system.

Few details are known about the scale, scope, or cost of Serbia's surveillance projects with Huawei, and Serbian authorities have tried to keep Safe City systems out of the public eye in recent years amid international criticism, legal challenges, and protests, especially over the use of biometric facial recognition.

Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/42uu2cft