Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: 2 new cases, no deaths (media)
• Montenegro donates anti COVID vaccines to Kosovo Security Force (media)
• Konjufca: The Bundestag stands strongly with people of Kosovo (media)
• PDK’s Hoxhaj slams Kurti ahead of Paris meeting (media)
• PDK MP: When will Kurti report about meeting with Vucic? (Indeksonline)
• Borrell to inform EU ministers about Kosovo – Serbia dialogue (RFE)
• Italian Foreign Minister to visit Kosovo on Tuesday (media)
• Gerxhaliu on reciprocity with Serbia: Now is not the time for experiments (EO)
• Kosovo Police seize over 82 kilograms of marijuana (media)
• Kosovo reporter implies chief state prosecutor will soon be dismissed (Express)

Serbian Language Media:

• No newly infected in Serbian areas in Kosovo (Radio kontakt plus)
• Office for KiM: Minister of Youth and Sports Udovicic banned from entering Kosovo (KiM radio)
• Raska-Prizren Eparchy on police preventing pilgrims to visit cemeteries and attend liturgy in Kosovo (media, social media)
• Church near Urosevac broken into, electric cables stolen (Kosovo-online)
• Will the opposition talk to Vucic about Kosovo? (KoSSev, nova.rs)
• Vucic congratulates Guterres on his second term as Secretary General (RTS)

Albanian Language Media  

COVID-19: 2 new cases, no deaths (media)

Kosovo has recorded two new cases of COVID-19 and no deaths from the virus in the last 24 hours. 14 persons recovered from the virus during this time. There are 169 active cases of COVID-19 in Kosovo.

Montenegro donates anti COVID vaccines to Kosovo Security Force (media)

Kosovo’s Minister of Defense, Armend Mehaj, said today that Montenegro has donated anti COVID vaccines for the Kosovo Security Force (KSF). “This donation and other bilateral activities are a result of the close cooperation we have had during this period with my Montenegrin counterpart, Minister Injac. Our bilateral cooperation will be furthered in the future so that we as two neighboring countries can contribute to peace, security and stability in the region and beyond,” Mehaj said.

Konjufca: The Bundestag stands strongly with people of Kosovo (media)

Kosovo Assembly President, Glauk Konjufca, during his visit to Germany today met with the President of the Bundestag, Wolfgang Schauble, and thanked him for Germany’s continued support for Kosovo.

“We had lengthy discussions about historical and political developments in Kosovo and the region, as well as challenges in the path of stabilization in the region, the fight against the pandemic, economic recovery and the dialogue with Serbia, as well as the finalization of the visa liberalisation process. The Bundestag and German institutions stand strongly with the people of Kosovo,” Konjufca wrote in a Facebook post.

PDK’s Hoxhaj slams Kurti ahead of Paris meeting (media)

Enver Hoxhaj, acting leader of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), criticised today Kosovo’s Prime Minister Albin Kurti ahead of his meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris this week.

Hoxhaj wrote in a Facebook post: “last week marked the political misery of this government which Albin Kurti showed with his diplomatic circuses. In Vienna, instead of asking for recognition from Serbia, he said that there should be no attacks from Serbia. Instead of committing to implement the Washington Agreement and the country’s economic development, he denied its legality [of the agreement].”

“As another important and difficult meeting awaits Kosovo this week in Paris, I wish that Albin Kurti has reflected on his political lunacies of the last couple of days and the anarchist misery and that he will act with state and institutional responsibility”.

PDK MP: When will Kurti report about meeting with Vucic? (Indeksonline)

Ariana Musliu-Shoshi, an MP from the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), argued today in a Facebook post that Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti has a state and moral obligation to report to the Kosovo Assembly about the meetings in Brussels, especially his meeting with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic.

“Several days in Brussels, a couple of meetings there, but the Prime Minister is still keeping silent. My question for the Prime Minister is will he report to the Assembly about his meeting with Vucic and when will this happen?” the PDK MP asked.

Borrell to inform EU ministers about Kosovo – Serbia dialogue (RFE)

Foreign Ministers of the European Union have started their meeting in Luxembourg today where they will address a series of topics, from the situation in Byelorussia to the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia. EU High Representative for Foreign Policy and Security, Josep Borrell, is expected to inform the ministers of 27 member states about the details of his meeting with Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic in Brussels last week. Diplomatic sources in Brussels however told RFE that “Borrell doesn’t have much to say” because the meeting was not very productive and that the parties have diametrically opposite positions.

Italian Foreign Minister to visit Kosovo on Tuesday (media)

Italian Foreign Affairs Minister Luigi Di Maio will visit Kosovo on Tuesday. The Kosovo Assembly will hold a special session starting at 17:30 and the Italian Foreign Minister will address the MPs.

Gerxhaliu on reciprocity with Serbia: Now is not the time for experiments (EO)

Safet Gerxhaliu, former chairman of the Kosovo Chamber of Commerce, said in an interview with the news website today that now is the time when the Kurti-led government must show political maturity and that experiments with reciprocity towards Serbia could obstruct the dialogue and damage Kosovo.

“The political agenda is dominating in Kosovo and different topics are being heard in this political experiment. However, what we should be concerned about is that the importance of the economic recovery is being ignored and topics are being raised which will damage rather than help Kosovo at this point,” he said.

Gerxhaliu argued that Kosovo must not fall for political euphoria but rather show maturity and feasibility. He also said that a decision to introduce reciprocity towards Serbia “would damage the processes that Kosovo is going through and it would hurt relations with the United States of America and European allies that have sponsored Kosovo’s independence”.

Kosovo Police seize over 82 kilograms of marijuana (media)

Kosovo Police arrested six persons and seized over 82 kilograms of marijuana, along with weapons and different vehicles in two operations in Gjilan and Prishtina on Sunday. The suspects were sent in 48-hour detention.

Kosovo reporter implies chief state prosecutor will soon be dismissed (Express)

Milaim Zeka, a Kosovo reporter and former member of parliament, argued in a Facebook post today that Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti is under local and international pressure to dismiss Chief State Prosecutor Aleksander Lumezi. 

According to Zeka, Western diplomats were shocked by the decision to dismiss Valdete Daka, now former president of the Central Election Commission. He said that Western countries had advised Kurti to seriously deal with the promise he made during the election campaign that Lumezi would be dismissed. “A high-ranking diplomat from Brussels even said that Lumezi should be prosecuted and forced to return to the Kosovo budget all the money he took with a false diploma”.

Zeka also claims that surveillance materials will soon be published involving Lumezi in “grave acts”.

Serbian Language Media

No newly infected in Serbian areas in Kosovo (Radio kontakt plus)

No new cases of Covid-19 infection were registered in the Serb-populated areas in Kosovo, Crisis Committee of Mitrovica North announced on Saturday, Radio kontakt plus reports.

Out of 26 tested samples none was positive for Covid-19.

Since the outbreak of the pandemic a total of 4.419 cases were registered in northern municipalities and 1.617 cases in the Serb-populated areas south of the Ibar River.

A total of 148 persons have died due to Covid-19 related complications in the Serbian areas in Kosovo since the outbreak of the pandemic.

Office for KiM: Minister of Youth and Sports Udovicic banned from entering Kosovo (KiM radio)

KiM radio reported, citing the office statement, that authorities in Pristina have banned Minister of Youth and Sports Vanja Udovicic from entering Kosovo.

Minister Udovicic was supposed to talk to young people at the University of Pristina with a temporary seat in Kosovska Mitrovica and distribute scholarships and then visit the Center for Ecology and Development of Sports in Zubin Potok, but the Pristina authorities banned his visit without any reason or explanation, stated the Office.

“His stay in Kosovo and Metohija was duly announced to the liaison officer in accordance with all agreements and established procedures, but despite that, Pristina unilaterally and arbitrarily decided not to allow him to visit, and the notification was sent late last night,” the Office for KiM stated. 

The latest ban shows all the arrogance and arrogance of the authorities in Pristina, which reject any kind of cooperation, dialogue and agreement, but also the inability of the European Union to ensure and guarantee respect for the agreement and ”civilized conduct of Albanian politicians”, the Office said.

“We will inform all competent international institutions about another in a row, the arrogant behavior of Pristina, which violates all agreements,” the Office said in a statement.

Raska-Prizren Eparchy on police preventing pilgrims to visit cemeteries and attend liturgy in Kosovo (media, social media)

Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Raska-Prizren is seriously concerned amid increased number of cases in which our believers, mostly Serb refugees from Kosovo and Metohija who live in Central Serbia are prevented to visit our holy sites and take part in religious celebrations in Kosovo and Metohija, the Eparchy said in a statement.

“Since last Sunday when a group of Serbian Orthodox believers was prevented from entering Kosovo and Metohija, another incident repeated yesterday morning on 19 June. A bus with pilgrims from the village of Mušutište near Suva Reka, were first allowed to cross the administrative boundary at Jarinje but were ordered to leave the territory of Kosovo and Metohija without any valid explanation”, the Eparchy added.

“This group of pilgrims was planning to visit several SOC sites in Kosovo and Metohija and celebrate the Feast of the Pentecost today attending the Holy Liturgy at the ruins of St. Trinity Monastery near Mušutište (Suva Reka Municipality), which was destroyed after the war in summer of 1999. For years after the war there were liturgies on that day at this site but in the last years local Kosovo Albanian protesters did not allow the access to the Monastery. This year it was not protesters but Kosovo institutions themselves i.e., Kosovo Police which prevented the pilgrims from continuing their pilgrimage, visiting their village and taking part in the celebration of the Pentecost.”

Read the full statement at: https://bit.ly/3gK9zBM

Church near Urosevac broken into, electric cables stolen (Kosovo-online)

Kosovo-online portal reports that a series of attacks against Serbian Orthodox Church in Kosovo and Meothija continues, and the latest incident targeted the Church of Holy Apostles of Peter and Paul in the village of Talinovac, near Urosevac.

Priest Trajko Vlajkovic told the portal that electric cable installations were removed and icons broken and scattered around.

Vlajkovic added “this vandal act sends a message to the Serbs that they are not welcome in Urosevac and they may not gather at their shrines”.

The police opened the investigation, while perpetrators were not found. 

Will the opposition talk to Vucic about Kosovo? (KoSSev, nova.rs)

On June 22, the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucici will submit a report to the National Assembly on negotiations with Kosovo, as he announced in his last “address to the nation”, reported KoSSev, citing portal nova.rs. 

Vucic then said that was ready to talk with the representatives of the non-parliamentary opposition about resolving the Kosovo issue. Although it is not completely clear which parties the President Vucic means when he says non-parliamentary opposition, but the part which boycotted mostly the elections believe that it has nothing to talk about with Vucic on that issue.   

Portal recalled that the President of the Assembly of Serbia, Ivica Dacic announced that Vucic would submit a report to the Assembly on June 22, after a new round of dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina in Brussels.

The representatives of the opposition have not yet received a call for talks, and there are few who would respond.

Djilas: We have nothing to talk about

When asked what he thinks about Vucic’s idea and whether he would respond to the invitation, the president of the Party of Freedom and Justice, Dragan Djilas told nova.rs:

“I think he said that in connection to the non-parliamentary opposition that is going to talk without Europeans. But irrelevant. I stopped paying attention a long time ago to what a man is saying, one who has told thousands of lies so far and continues to do so”.

Rakic: War instigators cannot be peacemakers

Democrats have a similar opinion.

“I do not believe that someone who was a war instigator in the 1990s can be a peacemaker, nor do I believe that it is possible to find a sustainable solution to the Kosovo problem in the current social circumstances. Vucic de facto recognized the state of Kosovo, because in the Assembly and in the Government of Kosovo, there are people from the Serbian List, which is a branch of the SNS in Kosovo and which Vucic personally supported. In the game of division of responsibilities due to the lack of a sustainable solution for Kosovo, I believe that those from the opposition who for some reason must participate will participate. The DS (Democratic Party) will not support the criminalized regime on any issue, except the eventual peaceful transition of power,” DS Deputy President Dragana Rakic told nova.rs.

Aleksic: Agreement on election conditions is a precondition for talks

The vice president of the People’s Party, Miroslav Aleksic was not in a better mood, when it comes to a possible invitation from the president of Serbia.

“We have nothing to talk about until an agreement is reached on the election conditions. That is a precondition for the normalization of political life in Serbia, and after that such an important topic as the issue of Kosovo can be considered,” said Aleksic.

Raskovic-Ivic: Maybe he wants to share responsibility for what he promised to West 

His party colleague Sanda Raskovic-Ivic has a similar opinion.

“The opposition does not know what Vucic agreed to around the world, nor what is on the table. We are always ready to talk about the Kosovo and Metohija issue, but not about manipulations. I am afraid that this call is also a manipulation. It is up to Vucic to show that he is serious and honest. He has been working on his own for nine years and has not informed anyone. It’s hard to believe that he has changed. Maybe it is ‘burning under his nails’, so he wants to share the responsibility for not fulfilling what he once promised the West,” said Raskovic Ivic.

Veselinovic: Everything that this regime does is disputable

The leader of the Movement for Change, Janko Veselinovic believes that Vucic is not competent to make decisions regarding Kosovo and Metohija.

“We do not have a legal or legitimate Assembly, nor the Government. The President of the Republic is not competent to make decisions concerning the solution to the issue of Kosovo and Metohija. The opposition, therefore, has no interlocutor on the subject. Everything that this illegal regime does is disputable because it came to those positions in non-free elections, which we boycotted. Neither the change of the Constitution nor the resolution of other important issues therefore have valid grounds,” Veselinovic states.

Zelenovic: We should be involved

Former mayor of Sabac and leader of Together for Serbia, Nebojsa Zelenovic was not in favor of a boycott, but he is certainly part of the non-parliamentary opposition. He believes that representatives of the opposition should be involved in resolving the Kosovo issue, because the current situation in the country is such that no one knows what Serbia’s position is.

“The opposition should be involved in resolving the Kosovo issue. My belief is that it is impossible to solve this issue without a clear majority of citizens who would support such a solution. Where are we now? Apart from the president, I don’t know if there is anyone else in the country who knows exactly what Serbia’s position is. This is unsustainable. It is true that the other day it was said that the non-parliamentary opposition will be presented with the factual situation. I’ve been looking for it for a long time and it’s good if we go that way. Will such communication happen, experience teaches me caution and I am not optimistic,” Zelenovic told portal nova.rs.

“We conducted a project with strawberries in Pec two years ago, taught seven Serbian and seven Albanian families how to earn money from their work, and everyone knows how badly our government reacted. But it’s a good thing and I’d do it again. We have a plan so that every Serbian family in Kosovo and Metohija can earn more. That plan also includes creating the possibility for Albanian families to earn more and live better. But that is not enough. We also ask the representatives of the international community to include us in the process of resolving Kosovo and Metohija. There is great mistrust in politics in Serbia and things must be checked. And we have concrete proposals. Of course, I can’t talk about them publicly until they are put on the table. I believe that Serbia would open a great perspective for itself. Integration of the Western Balkans and strategic alliance with America and the EU. It’s all in our hands and I have a completely clear picture of what it might look like. You will understand why I cannot talk about the details,” concludes Zelenovic.

Vucic congratulates Guterres on his second term as Secretary General (RTS)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic congratulated on Twitter Antonio Guterres on his second term as United Nations Secretary General, RTS reports.

“My heartfelt congratulations @antonioguterres on his re-election as UN Secretary General. We share your enthusiasm and dedication & looking forward to working together to strengthen the ties between the nations on the path towards a better and more prosperous world built on equality and respect”, Vucic wrote on Twitter.