Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: 11 new cases, no deaths (media)
• Osmani: We will oppose those who aim to destabilise the region (media)
• Rama received by Chief of U.S. National Guard Bureau in Pentagon (media)
• Aliu: Buildings in “Sunny Valley” in the north are illegal, political issue (Koha)
• Another three bacteria found in Decan water tests sent abroad (media)
• Water supply system in Decan is not protected, minister says (EO)

Serbian Language Media:

• Stano: Vucic and Kurti on July 19 in Brussels with a focus on what has been achieved so far (Tanjug, Kosovo Online)
• Assembly relieved Milena Popovic from membership at Constitutional Affairs Committee (Radio KIM)
• Miroslav Ivanovic regarding Simmons’ allegations: The story has some background (KiM radio, KoSSev, Nova.rs)
• Ranko Bacic discharged from Pec hospital (Kosovo-online)
• Simic: Osmani forgets thousands Serbs from Kosovo deleted from voters’ lists (Kosovo-online)
• Janjic: Something must be delivered in the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina (Danas, Beta)

Opinion:

• When the only success of a meeting is the meeting itself (KoSSev)
• Serbia’s Narcissistic President Loves Giving Medals – to Himself (Balkan Insight)

International:

• Political scientists say EU has lost the battle for the Balkans (Euractive)
• Albania’s EU Path Held Hostage by ‘EU Nationalisms’, PM Says (Balkan Insight)
• Freedom of Information in Balkans: ‘No Will, No Optimism’ (BIRN)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Coalition of NGOs for Child Protection calls on MPs to react (media)

Albanian Language Media  

COVID-19: 11 new cases, no deaths (media)

11 new cases with COVID-19 and zero deaths from the virus were recorded in the last 24 hours in Kosovo. 17 persons recovered from the virus during this time.

There are 99 active cases with COVID-19.

11,546 vaccine doses have been administered in the last 24 hours. To date, 305,991 vaccines have been administered in Kosovo.

Osmani: We will oppose those who aim to destabilise the region (media)

The President of Kosovo Vjosa Osmani, commented on the joint statement of the U.S. President Joe Biden with the German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

“Thank you to POTUS and Chancellor Merkel for sending a clear message of support for EU integration of the Western Balkans, in their joint declaration. With your support, we will strongly counter those who try to destabilise our region. We are stronger when we stand together,” Osmani wrote, adding flags of Kosovo, the U.S., Germany and the European Union. 

Rama received by Chief of U.S. National Guard Bureau in Pentagon (media)

Following the official visit to the Pentagon, the Kosovo Security Force (KSF) Commander, Lieutenant General Rama during his visit to the Pentagon was received by the Chief of the Bureau of the U.S. National Guard, General Daniel Hokanson. In this meeting, General Rama thanked General Hokanson for the support provided by the US National Guard for Kosovo and the KSF. He also expressed gratitude for the service of American troops within the KFOR mission. In this meeting, the two generals discussed the increase of cooperation in developing the capacities of the KSF in accordance with its mission and tasks. They also discussed the possibility of continuing the landing of other KSF contingents in peacekeeping missions.

General Hokanson thanked for the cooperation and highly appreciated the leadership of General Rama for capacity building of the KSF, the transition process and the continued success of the KSF. He also expressed high consideration for the achievements of the KSF so far, both in capacity building and for participation in missions abroad. The two generals agreed on the continuation of cooperation in the field of defense, with the possibility of expanding the fields of cooperation and joint landing in peacekeeping missions to contribute to security and stability in the world.  

Aliu: Buildings in “Sunny Valley” in the north are illegal, political issue (Koha)

Kosovo’s Minister of Environment and Spatial Planning, Liburn Aliu, said today that all constructions in “Sunny Valley” neighborhood in Mitrovica North are illegal. “We are informed about developments in the north in the Sunny Valley neighborhood, where 300 housing units are being constructed. This project dates from 2016 and from what I have seen from the files at the ministry in 2016 is that an inspectorate was sent out on the field and there was also a request for a report from this visit. At the time, no official from the department for urbanism in Zvecan agreed to answer to the questions of the inspectorate, and the inspectorate’s visit was completely ignored. There was also a request for documents for the permit, but the department completely ignored the request,” Aliu said in today’s session of the Kosovo Assembly.

Aliu also said: “the development in this neighborhood is considered an illegal construction, as there is no permit or spatial planning for buildings there. It is a completely illegal action and it goes against every piece of legislation. It is financed by Serbia. In cooperation with our departments that cover activities in the north, we are collecting information and analysing the previous communications with the north. I will then report before you [the Assembly] and to the government about the political actions for establishing order. These are political issues that we have to discuss. There are illegal activities in the north that are financed by Serbia. There is criminal activity in the north, we can confirm this and we can send an inspector there, but it is a political issue for Kosovo to decide what will be the way forward.”

Another three bacteria found in Decan water tests sent abroad (media)

Kosovo’s National Institute for Public Health said in a statement today that another three bacteria were found in the test samples of persons poisoned in the municipality of Decan sent abroad.

Water supply system in Decan is not protected, minister says (EO)

Kosovo’s Minister of Infrastructure and Spatial Planning, Liburn Aliu, said today that the water supply system in Kosovo in general is fragile and that the water pipes and water pits in the municipality of Decan are not protected. “The water pits and reservoirs in Decan are easily accessible. The water chlorination was done manually. If we look at the water supply system in our country, especially the case in hand, it is clear that the system can be easily compromised and that we can face similar situations in the future too,” Aliu said in today’s session of the Kosovo Assembly. He also said that inspectors confirmed in their visits on the field that the whole system must be inspected, and measures must be undertaken.

Serbian Language Media

Stano: Vucic and Kurti on July 19 in Brussels with a focus on what has been achieved so far (Tanjug, Kosovo Online)

The President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic and Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti will meet on July 19 in Brussels, at a new round of dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina at a high political level, reported Tanjug.

Starting at 2 pm, the delegations of Belgrade and Pristina will first talk bilaterally with EU mediators, Josep Borell and Miroslav Lajcak, and then a trilateral meeting will follow.

Diplomatic sources note that the talks are planned to end by 6 pm, but that their “course and duration” cannot be predicted at this time.

“This meeting will focus on the progress made so far and the next steps in the dialogue, which is important for the European perspectives of Serbia and Kosovo,” says EU spokesman Peter Stano.

After the announcement from Brussels that this “second round” of direct talks between Vucic and Kurti should be “well prepared” at the level of experts. 

EU spokesman Peter Stano emphasized for Tanjug that it does not include only public meetings in Brussels.

“It is important that they continue to talk and that there is no setback,” emphasize in Brussels

It is added that the EU Special Representative, Miroslav Lajcak will present areas where progress can be made, based on expert-technical talks and additional consultations.

Diplomatic sources in Brussels told Tanjug that both sides in the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina “know that it is important to resolve open issues” and to reach a “consensus and compromise on the normalization of relations”.

The EU, as the main mediator in the dialogue, intends to organize meetings of the two sides in Brussels every month in order to maintain the dynamics, and achieve the final goal of the dialogue, the first binding agreement on the normalization of relations, Tanjug was told at the EU headquarters.

Assembly relieved Milena Popovic from membership at Constitutional Affairs Committee (Radio KIM)

The Serbian Assembly in a session yesterday relieved Milena Popovic, member of the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), from membership at the Committee for Constitutional Affairs and Legislation, Radio KIM reports. Popovic was the wife of assassinated leader of Civic Initiative Freedom, Democracy, Justice (SDP) Oliver Ivanovic.

Radio KIM added that a proposal for her dismissal was put forward by SNS political party caucus “Aleksandar Vucic – For Our Children”, and a decision was announced yesterday in a session of the Committee.

Instead of her, Djordje Todorovic from SNS, who was an alternate member, was elected.

Radio KIM tried to get a comment from Milena Popovic on this matter asking her why she was relieved from duty, to which she briefly responded that “she doesn’t know”. 

Miroslav Ivanovic regarding Simmons’ allegations: The story has some background (KiM radio, KoSSev, Nova.rs)

Three and a half years after the Oliver Ivanovic murder, former EULEX chief judge Malcolm Simmons revealed in the Kosovo parliament that he had received an order from the head of the EULEX Mission to “push the Ivanovic case” (accuse him of war crimes) and prevent him from running in the local elections in Kosovo, reported Serbian media in Kosovo, citing Nova.rs. 

Miroslav Ivanovic, the brother of the murdered Oliver, told the newspaper “Nova” that he received similar information from a journalist after the murder – that the head of the Mission told him in an informal conversation that the trial of Oliver was fabricated.

“To this day, the public in Serbia has not found out who ordered and carried out the murder of Oliver Ivanovic, and former EULEX chief judge Malcolm Simmons practically claims three and a half years later that the indictment against Ivanovic for a war crime was ordered, for which he was imprisoned for three years,” reported Nova.rs.

Simmons revealed in front of the deputies in the Assembly of Kosovo that EULEX was asked to remove some people from the political scene, described as “big fishes”. In that context, he also spoke about the case of Oliver Ivanovic.

Simmons said they wanted to politically eliminate a Serbian politician who at the time was “openly against the government in Serbia and their subordinates in Kosovo”.

“The head of the Mission pushed me to bring the case of Oliver Ivanovic forward. He clearly told me that he did not want Ivanovic to run in the next local elections in Kosovo,” Simmons said, reported KoSSev.

The family believes that the story has a background

Commenting on the allegations of the former chief judge of EULEX, Miroslav Ivanovic, the brother of the murdered Oliver, told the newspaper “Nova” that he received similar information from a journalist from the media house who at one point was visiting the head of the EULEX Mission.

“I received this information indirectly through one of your colleagues, from the media house, who at one point visited the head of the EULEX mission and who was interested in that very topic. He received the answer that it was a fabricated matter, referring to Oliver’s trial. It was not a formal part of the interview and that conversation took place after Oliver’s murder,” he pointed out.

Miroslav Ivanovic said that the testimony of Judge Simmons seemed to him to be something that should be emphasized at this moment.

“All this confirms our claims that the whole thing was fabricated and that the whole story about Oliver even then had a political background, that Oliver should have been prevented, stopped in his candidacy for mayor, and that Oliver as a political leader had not been suitable in those moments, that there were some other opinions. An interesting part of this story now is that he is saying that in Kosovo, in the environment of top Kosovo politicians,” he added.

Asked why this was being done now and why in front of Kosovo politicians, he said that he did not know, but that he believed that it had some background.

“I’m not inclined to believe that this is a humane attitude and the need for the truth… Obviously there is something behind it, but what a mix of things has been going on lately, I don’t think it will take long and we will be aware of everything,” pointed out Miroslav Ivanovic.

EULEX claims Simmons not telling the truth

EULEX denied the allegations of Malcolm Simmons, who also spoke in his testimony about the verdicts of former KLA leaders and the allegations that the Mission provided documents to Serbian prosecutors in connection with war crimes cases, claiming that it was a “set of ill-conceived and unsubstantiated untruths and personal opinions of Simmons. “

“Knowing that he could not be sued for defamation, as Simmons’ statement was covered by the immunity of parliamentary privilege, he participated in a deliberate disinformation campaign related to violations that allegedly occurred while working for EULEX and which aim to serve specific, hidden motives and interests,” said EULEX.

Ranko Bacic discharged from Pec hospital (Kosovo-online)

Mara Bacic, daughter of Ranko Bacic who sustained serious bodily injuries in an attack on Monday near Klina, told Kosovo-online portal her father would be transferred to the hospital in Smederevska Palanka (central Serbia) for more detailed examination. 

She also said her father feels distressed and scared, adding she is concerned about his health condition given that during the attack he also sustained blows to the head.

“No one expected this, my father was visiting our property in Kosovo for years and didn’t want to sell it. After all this what happened and he got injured, it is a clear message there is no return. My father is old, two years ago he suffered a stroke and during this attack he suffered multiple blows to the head and has hematomas. I am worried about his health, and in case doctors in Smederevska Palanka can’t help him, I hope he will be transferred to Belgrade for further recovery”, Bacic said.  

Simic: Osmani forgets thousands Serbs from Kosovo deleted from voters’ lists (Kosovo-online)

Serbian List Vice President Igor Simic reacted to the allegations of Kosovo President Vjosa Osamni that “passivation of addresses of Albanians in Serbia was a form of ethnic cleansing by administrative means”, by saying that “such a statement was utterly hypocritical”, Kosovo-online portal reports.

Simic wrote on Facebook that “Osmani obviously forgot thousands of Serbs deleted from voters’ list at the last elections but also transferred from one to another polling center”.

“Utterly hypocritical statement of Vjosa Osmani, who forgets about deleting thousands of Serbs from Kosovo and Metohija on voters’ lists at the last elections, but also transferring the Serbs from one polling center to another one, as well as systematic preventing Serbs from obtaining personal documents and thus the right to vote”, Simic wrote.  

Janjic: Something must be delivered in the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina (Danas, Beta)

Analyst Dusan Janjic said  that “it could be expected” that on July 19 in Brussels, at the meeting of Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti, progress will be made in the dialogue, because “it has dragged on a lot, something has to be delivered”, reported Danas daily, citing agency Beta. 

Janjic told Beta that based on what was published “it should be expected that an agreement will be reached on opening graves in search of missing persons,” of which, as he pointed out, “some are also in Kosovo”.

“Most likely, an agreement will be reached on the system of electricity transmission from the north (Kosovo) to Serbia and which electricity distribution company will do it,” Janjic expects, and if that happens, ”the veil of mystification, abuse and stories will be lifted” and about Gazivode lake. 

Janjic said that “we should expect” the beginning of talks on the implementation of the Community of Serbian Municipalities (ZSO).

“I guess it’s an agreement on how to go further in drafting the statute (ZSO) or maybe how to discuss again what can be implemented about ZSO,” he said.

Janjic also said that what he listed was “the maximum that could be expected” from the meeting on July 19 in Brussels

“I assume that it is clear to Pristina and Belgrade, and to Kurti and Vucic, that they cannot go like this, almost a year and a half, without any progress (in dialogue) and, all in all,  something must be delivered, there was a lot of procrastination,” he said.

Vucic and Kurti will meet on July 19 in Brussels as part of a new round of Belgrade-Pristina dialogue. 

Stano, on July 13, assessed that there was progress in the last technical dialogue, as well as in the previous meetings.

Stano emphasized that the goal of the dialogue was “mutually acceptable consensus and compromise in order to reach a legally binding agreement on the normalization of relations” between Serbia and Kosovo, recalled daily Danas.

Opinion

When the only success of a meeting is the meeting itself (KoSSev)

By Igor Novakovic

When it comes to the first round of talks between Vucic and Kurti, its only success is the fact that it was held. The one-hour-long meeting, in terms of the way it was presented in the media, was extremely reminiscent of the previous meeting of the two leaders in early 2020. As for the content of the meeting, Vucic insisted on consistent implementation of all agreements, including the Association of Serb-majority Municipalities (ASM), while Kurti attempted to portray himself as constructive by launching new initiatives and conditions while refusing to discuss what has been agreed so far. And here we reach a blockade since their attitudes and proposals largely move in opposite directions. But let’s have a look at the topics that were put on the table.

Speaking of the initiatives and conditions presented by Kurti, it appears to me that they are either cleared of content (just to be placed on the table) or they represent an attempt to put an obstacle in the path of the other side and to, at least, postpone the dialogue, even though they are presenting themselves as constructive. If I understand correctly, the proposal to establish a regional Southeast Europe Free Trade Agreement (SEFTA) based on the European Economic Community (EEC), which is supposed to be an alternative to the so-called „Mini-Schengen“ would essentially greatly limit domestic sovereignty in the economic sphere, whereby the governments of the Western Balkans would directly implement the decisions of the European Commission, as is the case with Norway, for example. Therefore, they would get such a status without negotiations with the EU and a long-lasting adjustment process envisaged to take place through negotiations on membership in the EU

Read more at: https://bit.ly/3es1ZtZ

Serbia’s Narcissistic President Loves Giving Medals – to Himself (Balkan Insight)

By Milenko Vasovic

Aleksandar Vucic is never happier than when presenting awards – but who the real star of the show is on these occasions is another question.

The awarding and receiving of medals has become one of the favourite performances of Serbia’s President, Aleksandar Vucic. For each holiday, the head of state issues a list of those in line for decorations – for Statehood Day, Victory Day, Armistice Day in the Great War, and for the great Serbian holiday Vidovdan.

If the gap between the two awardings is “large”, it might be just an “ordinary” day, like December 10. What’s important to remind the public that the “all-seeing eye” has noticed someone’s merits and, of course, for the first man of Serbia to appear at the ceremony.

The President is the one to whom the show always belongs, regardless of whether he is awarding anonymous doctors for the fight against coronavirus or the writer, Peter Handke, the movie director Emir Kusturica, French President Emanuel Macron … And when he is the one receiving the medal, the glory is, of course, his. For the President’s supporters, that is all normal; for many others, this is just another pebble in the mosaic called creating a cult of personality.

Read more at: https://bit.ly/3eoRuYC

International

Political scientists say EU has lost the battle for the Balkans (Euractive)

The EU has lost the battle for the Balkans, where Russia and China are offering bonuses without asking for reforms, geopolitical experts told an online conference organised by EURACTIV.bg this week, proposing increased cooperation and a Balkan common market as the best way forward.

The ‘Balkan Geopolitics’ conference was held on Tuesday (13 July), with the participation of US political scientist George Friedman, founder of Stratfor.com and GeopoliticalFutures.com, as well as Solomon Passy, former foreign minister of Bulgaria and founder of the Atlantic Club of Bulgaria, and many stakeholders from the region.

Read more at: https://bit.ly/3xO2hmO

Albania’s EU Path Held Hostage by ‘EU Nationalisms’, PM Says (Balkan Insight)

Prime Minister Edi Rama has blamed the nationalism of the EU’s more powerful member states for his country’s failure to make any real progress on its EU integration process.

Albania’s Prime Minister Edi Rama has criticised the way the European Union is handling the integration process for his own country and that of neighbouring North Macedonia, saying the two countries are being held hostage by the nationalisms of larger EU members.

Read more at: https://bit.ly/3wMuqsZ

Freedom of Information in Balkans: ‘No Will, No Optimism’ (BIRN)

Regional public institutions still have a way to go to improve their records on freedom of information and be more transparent and accountable to citizens, a BIRN panel discussion heard.

The region needs more proactive transparency, open contracting and political will to deal with freedom of information, FOI, speakers from the region and internationally told BIRN’s panel discussion Platform B: Freedom of Information in the Balkans, held on Thursday.

Countries are still struggling with the slow implementation of FOI laws, political pressures and institutions’ unresponsiveness, while the first year of the global pandemic also saw excessive delays in responding to FOI requests, speakers at the event, at which BIRN’s annual freedom of information report was officially launched, agreed.

Ivana Jeremic, editor at Balkan Insight from Serbia, told the panel discussion that 2020 was “extremely hard” in terms of getting any information from institutions in Serbia, making it difficult for journalists to do their job.

“I don’t know what to expect in future, but the trend is not optimistic, there is no will from institutions to implement our law, which is actually among the best laws in the world, but on paper.

Read more at: https://bit.ly/3xLBtn8

Humanitarian/Development

Coalition of NGOs for Child Protection calls on MPs to react (media)

The Coalition of NGOs for Child Protection in Kosovo (KOMF) said today on the first anniversary of the Law on Child Protection in Kosovo that there is a lack of sufficient actions to guarantee the full and efficient implementation of the law. The KOMF said it submitted today to all MPs, letters from children in need of social services and asked the MPs to react for the proper implementation of the law so that children can live in dignity. “This year has found children in an even graver situation due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which has especially affected the vulnerable children. Many children have not received the necessary services and protection that assist in their development. The COVID-19 pandemic has led to an increased number of children without parental care, increased domestic violence and an increased need for social services, which require urgent and sustainable funding from the Social Services Specific Grant. Children with disabilities and children that are involved in hard labor are also in a very difficult position. The KOMF appeals to all institutions to react and immediately implement the Law on Child Protection. Delays in the implementation of the legislation that serves to protect children in Kosovo, threaten the wellbeing and aggravate the already-dire situation of vulnerable children,” the statement notes.