Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: 14 new cases, no deaths (media)
• Kurti, Gervalla return to Kosovo, Vitia and Svecla stay on in Croatia (media)
• Svecla: Some of the passengers will travel to Kosovo, others will return to Germany (Klan)
• PM Kurti pays tribute to Enver Zymberi on anniversary of his death (media)
• Gervalla called on EU to stop “Mini-Schengen” initiative (Telegrafi)

Serbian Language Media:

• One case of Covid-19 registered in Serbian areas in Kosovo on Saturday (Radio KIM)
• Presidential, and Belgrade elections, possibly parliamentary in Serbia in spring, official says (N1, Beta, Vecernje Novosti)
• Serbian List expresses condolences to families of those who died in bus crash (Kosovo-online)
• Raska-Prizren Eparchy expresses condolence to families of victims, prays for recovery of those injured in bus crash (Kosovo-online)
• Vucic will get closer to Moscow, but he will not “grow cold” towards Erdogan (Danas)
• Joksimovic: Regional initiatives enable stability (RTS)
• “International community does not see difficult position of Serbs” (Politika) 
• Bayramov: Azerbaijan respects principles of international law when it comes to Kosovo issue (Kosovo-online)
• Dacic to attend inauguration of Iranian president (N1)
• Bolton: Pristina has the right not to accept territorial changes, but then there is no progress in the negotiations (Kosovo Online, B92)

International:

• Enmity and Neglect Take Toll on Serb Churches in Kosovo (Balkan Insight)
• Enkel Demi: We Need to Know Each Other’s Literature (Balkan Insight)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Nora Gjakova wins Kosovo’s third Olympic gold medal (Prishtina Insight)
• Montenegro Makes History With First Same-Sex Marriage (Balkan Insight)

Albanian Language Media  

COVID-19: 14 new cases, no deaths (media)

14 new cases of COVID-19 and no fatalities from the virus were recorded in the last 24 hours in Kosovo. Six persons have recovered from the virus during this time.

There are 169 active cases of COVID-19 in Kosovo.

To date, 357,980 vaccine doses have been administered in Kosovo.

The National Institute for Public Health of Kosovo issued today a call to citizens to get inoculated against COVID-19. “Do not allow the lockdown of all to happen due to the negligence of some,” it said. 

Kurti, Gervalla return to Kosovo, Vitia and Svecla stay on in Croatia (media)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti and Foreign Minister Donika Gervalla returned to Kosovo today after visiting yesterday the injured in the bus crash in the Croatian town of Slavonski Brod yesterday which left 10 people dead. At the same time, Health Minister Arben Vitia and Interior Minister Xhelal Svecla are still in Croatia, making preparations for the return of the injured. 

In a Facebook post, Gervalla said that two of the people injured in the accident are in intensive care, one of which is in stable condition. “The rest are in a stable condition and many of them are expected to be discharged from hospital today,” she said. “At the hospital we met all patients, one by one, and exchanged a few words with each. Many of them, especially the children, had the horror they experienced written on their faces.”

Gervalla also thanked Croatian authorities for the way they handled the tragic accident. “There are no words that can describe the gratitude and appreciation for the prompt, effective and very humane help of all Croatian authorities,” Gervalla wrote. She continued by saying that the Government of Kosovo and its citizens will always remain grateful for this extraordinary assistance in difficult days. “Today is a day of mourning in Kosovo. A day during which we pray for the victims of this tragedy and their relatives and loved ones. A day, which shows even more how fragile life is and how necessary solidarity is in our society plagued by challenges.”

Svecla: Some of the passengers will travel to Kosovo, others will return to Germany (Klan)

Kosovo’s Minister of Internal Affairs, Xhelal Svecla, told Klan Kosova that all the necessary support has been provided to the persons injured in the Sunday’s bus crash by Croatian authorities.

He said that some of the passengers of the Frankfurt-Pristina bus line will be travelling to Kosovo while the others will return to Germany. 

On the issue of when the bodies of the victims of the crash will be released, Svecla said this depends on the completion of official procedures. “We are coordinating the whole situation to transport the bodies of victims to Kosovo,” he said.

PM Kurti pays tribute to Enver Zymberi on anniversary of his death (media)

Prime Minister of Kosovo Albin Kurti visited the family of Enver Zymberi, Kosovo Police officer who was killed in 2011 in the north of Kosovo during a police action aimed at establishing control at the border crossing points. He also placed flowers on Enver Zymberi’s grave.

Kurti said Zymberi lost his life while defending Kosovo’s sovregnity. “Enver Zymberi is the most significant example of our police officers who are ready to lay everything on the line, including their lives for the security of Kosovo and of its citizens.” 

Gervalla called on EU to stop “Mini-Schengen” initiative (Telegrafi)

Kosovo’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and Diaspora Donika Gervalla attended the informal meeting of the European affairs ministers that took place between 22 and 23 July, hosted by the Slovenian presidency of the EU. 

While the main focus of the event was management of the COVID-19 pandemic, Gervalla also spoke in her remarks about regional cooperation. She warned that there are actors in the Balkans who are trying to undermine the idea of a common regional market as a plan and strategy for cooperation and conflict resolution.

She said there are attempts to return the region to the past. “They call this a ‘Mini-Schengen’ and continually tell us that this is not in conflict with the EU path. But this is not accurate. They say this serves regional cooperation. This too is not true,” Gervalla said, urging the EU to take necessary steps to stop this process before, as she said, it is too late.

Serbian Language Media

One case of Covid-19 registered in Serbian areas in Kosovo on Saturday (Radio KIM)

Out of 27 tested samples in the Serb-populated areas in Kosovo one was positive for Covid-19, Crisis Committee of Mitrovica North announced on Saturday, Radio KIM reports.

This makes the first positive case registered in the Serbian areas in Kosovo after more than a month without new cases.

Up to date there were 6.037 positive cases in the Serbian areas in Kosovo. A total of 149 people have died due to Covid-19 related complications in the Serb-populated areas since the outbreak of the pandemic.

Presidential, and Belgrade elections, possibly parliamentary in Serbia in spring, official says (N1, Beta, Vecernje Novosti)

The President of the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) Executive Board Darko Glisic said on Monday that the presidential, and city elections in Belgrade certainly will be held.

For today’s Vecernje Novosti, Glisic did not rule out the possibility that early republican elections will be held at the same time.

Speaking to the daily, Glisic confirmed what the head of state and the SNS leader Aleksandar Vucic had announced earlier.

He stated that in the spring, “certainly those elections are coming that are due”, and these are, as he said, “presidential, in the city of Belgrade and several local ones, such as Bor, Arandjelovac and Smederevska Palanka”.

”I do not rule out the possibility of parliamentary (elections), and we will see if there will be any, “said Glisic.

Asked whether he is in favor of the SNS’s independent appearance in the upcoming elections or in a coalition with its previous partners, he stated that the SNS will plan on how to go to the polls when the time comes.

Serbian List expresses condolences to families of those who died in bus crash (Kosovo-online)

Serbian List extended its deepest condolences to the families of people who have died in yesterday’s bus crash in Croatia, and wished those injured speedy recovery, Kosovo-online portal reports.

“Serbian List on behalf of the Serbian people extends its deepest condolences to the families of people who have died in a traffic accident in Slavonski Brod, in Croatia and we send messages of support and wish for speedy recovery to those injured in an accident”, Serbian List said in a statement.

Raska-Prizren Eparchy expresses condolence to families of victims, prays for recovery of those injured in bus crash (Kosovo-online)

Raska-Prizren Eparchy expressed condolences to the families of victims who have died in a bus crash in Croatia and said it prays for recovery of all those injured in a crash, Kosovo-online portal reports.

“Regarding today’s serious traffic incident of Kosovo bus near Slavonski Brod, in which ten persons lost their lives and 44 persons were severely injured, Raska-Prizren Eparchy expresses condolences to the families of victims and prays for recovery of all those injured”, Eparchy wrote on Twitter yesterday.

Vucic will get closer to Moscow, but he will not “grow cold” towards Erdogan (Danas)

It is possible that Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, in an attempt to resist Kosovo’s new recognitions on the world stage, will “lean” closer to Russia, but he will not “excessively” distance himself from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, writes Belgrade based daily Danas. 

Sources from diplomatic circles and experts in international relations assess for Danas, commenting on the way in which Vucic publicly reacted to Erdogan’s statement that he would work to get as many countries in the world to recognize Kosovo’s independence. 

Savo Manojlovic, president of the Association for the Protection of Constitutionality and Legality, told Danas: “The President of the Republic views the Constitution of Serbia, the rights of all citizens, territory and all state resources as his own capital, which he uses as tokens in world power games.”

– Vucic is ready to leave the environmental standards and health of the nation to Chinese investors and Rio Tinto. It is the same with the people in Kosovo and Metohija – for him their destiny is just a token in consolidating his own power, claims Manojlovic.

According to unofficial information of Danas, it should be expected that from the fall, possibly as early as September, Pristina will “lobby with all its might” on the international scene, in order for Kosovo to be recognized by as many countries as possible, and join international organizations. On the other hand, it is expected that official Belgrade, led by Vucic, will try to resist that tactic, in which it will especially rely on Russia, and “to a certain extent on China as well”.

It is also speculated on the diplomatic sidelines that Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti “until further notice” is not ready for any concessions in the Brussels dialogue on the normalization of relations with Serbia, “among other things because local elections will be held in Kosovo in October, and he wants to round off his rule”.

“Every next meeting between Vucic and Kurti under the auspices of the EU until the local elections in Kosovo, will be in vain, because Kurti will not be ready for agreements that would be perceived in Pristina as concessions to Belgrade. Therefore, it can be said that Pristina is pushing Belgrade into an even stronger embrace of Moscow. Achieving a solution for Kosovo does not suit the Russians, since they would thereby lose a very important lever of influence on the Serbian authorities,” a representative of diplomatic circles from the West claims unofficially for Danas.

Obligations from the White House

The daily recalls that according to the Washington Agreement on Normalization of Economic Relations, which was signed in September 2020 in the White House by the President of Serbia and then Kosovo Prime Minister Avdullah Hoti, Belgrade undertook to suspend the Kosovo’s  “derecognition” campaign for a year, and Pristina agreed not to try to join international organizations within the same period. Having in mind the fact that in the meantime, the President of the USA also changed, it is believed that many provisions of the mentioned agreement will “fall into the water”.

Joksimovic: Regional initiatives enable stability (RTS)

Minister for European Integration Jadranka Joksimovic said that all regional initiatives were a supporting pillar and catalyst for cooperation in the region, that they were not a substitute for European integration, and that they served to provide all citizens in the region with a higher standard of living, to ensure peace and stability. Thus she reacted to the presentation of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Pristina, Donika Gervalla Schwartz, who stated at the informal Meeting of EU Ministers in Slovenia that certain “players in the region are undermining the EU” with initiatives such as “mini-Schengen”, reported Radio television of Serbia (RTS) on Friday.

Joksimovic told Gervalla Schwarz that Pristina would not determine for Serbia, Northern Macedonia and Albania in which initiatives they would take part and whether they would cooperate or not.

The values of regional initiatives are good cooperation, constant communication on various bases, and certainly they are not a substitute for European integration, but a supporting pillar and catalyst of regional cooperation that should lead to a more dynamic process of European integration, said Joksimovic.

“Voluntary initiatives”

“These initiatives are on a voluntary basis and no one prevents anyone from participating or not participating. It is a matter of assessment and political trust,” Joksimovic said, adding that the initiative “mini-Schengen”, which name will soon be changed, was open to everyone else

According to her, the initiative was another format that increased the level of trust in each other, which was necessary primarily for the economic interest of citizens in the region.

Joksimovic pointed out that this did not mean that the importance of all other regional initiatives was diminished.

In that sense, she stated that Serbia was one of the first initiators of the Berlin Process, which brought a lot of good and which has an element of cooperation in the field of economy, regional economic space.

According to her, the debate on “duplication of initiatives” opened during an informal dinner organized by the Slovenian PM’s adviser in charge of EU affairs, which was attended only by representatives of the Western Balkan countries.

She added that during the debate it was completely clear that not everyone shared the same enthusiasm and interest in regional initiatives. 

“These duplications are not attempts to undermine any initiative, but only additional channels of communication that have certain differences on certain topics, but are a contribution to constant communication, cooperation and what the citizens of the region expect from leaders in the region, which is a better life, a better quality of life, higher standard of living, good cooperation, peace, stability, an accelerated process of European integration and, of course, recovery from the pandemic, “Joksimovic said.

She emphasized that Serbia supports all present and “living” regional initiatives and added that it will always participate in them.

She says she pointed out to leaders in the region who oppose certain initiatives that many initiatives have existed in the last 20 or more years that have overlapped on issues or topics they have focused on.

“If the Berlin Process was initiated, should the Brdo Brioni process have been abolished? Of course not, nor has anyone thought about it. It is about constantly opening new platforms for communication because it is the only curative and possible solution to problems that still exist in the region, “Joksimovic said.

As she says, Serbia, Northern Macedonia and Albania focused on economic cooperation, and it conveyed to the representatives of the region, but also to the ministers of the EU member states, the good macroeconomic indicators that Serbia is recording in that field.

“International community does not see difficult position of Serbs” (Politika) 

In an interview with Belgrade-based Politika daily Serbian List President Goran Rakic emphasized that they “are trying to point out to the international representatives the difficult position of our people and to present to them the truth about the suffering of our people”.

He also voiced expectations that Kosovo authorities would fulfill their obligation to establish the Community of Serb-majority Municipalities (ZSO).

“We will not give up on the Community of Serbian Municipalities (ZSO), because ZSO is not a whim, but the need to institutionally protect the collective rights of the Serbian people in this area”, he said.

Rakic ​​pointed out the “worrying phenomenon that non-governmental organizations, some local institutions and politicians are getting involved in the harassment of our people and returnees, with the conspicuous silence of the international community”.

“Resolution of the cases of attacks on returnees i.e. arrests, prosecution and sentencing of attackers would be a message to returnees that the violence against them is unacceptable. Measures that would contribute to the return are the increased patrols in mixed areas and cessation of unfounded arrests of returnees and changes in Priština’s rhetoric”, Rakic ​​also said.

He stated that in addition to security conditions, the return “requires the creation of economic living conditions”.

“We must turn to the future and strengthen the economy and leave the conflicts behind us all”, he concluded.

Bayramov: Azerbaijan respects principles of international law when it comes to Kosovo issue (Kosovo-online)

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan Jeyhun Bayramov said today his country adheres to the principles of the international law when it comes to the issue of Kosovo, Kosovo-online portal reports.

Bayramov made these remarks in a joint press conference with his Serbian counterpart Nikola Selakovic, adding that Azerbaijan and Serbia share the same approach when it comes to respecting the territorial integrity and internationally recognized borders. He also said foreign policy of Azerbaijan would always be in line with these principles.

“We do not accept double standards, we want respect for international law. We shall continue acting in line with that. Azerbaijan expects the same approach from other countries as well”, he said. 

Dacic to attend inauguration of Iranian president (N1)

Serbian Assembly Speaker Ivica Dacic will attend the inauguration of a newly elected Iranian President Sayyid Ebrahim Raisolsadati, as an envoy of Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, reads the statement of Dacic’s cabinet, N1 reports.

Dacic on Monday received Iranian Ambassador to Serbia Rashid Hassan Pour Baei and expressed readiness to work on strengthening parliamentary cooperation between the two states.

Ambassador Hassan Pour agreed relations between Iran and Serbia are good and emphasised progress made in strengthening economic cooperation between the two countries. 

Bolton: Pristina has the right not to accept territorial changes, but then there is no progress in the negotiations (Kosovo Online, B92)

John Bolton, a US diplomat and former Donald Trump adviser, told Kosovo Online that still  is unknown what the Biden administration’s attitude towards the Balkans was, adding that “if Albin Kurti is not interested in the Washington agreement, then that agreement is dead”, reported B92 portal, citing portal Kosovo Online.

Bolton pointed out in an interview with Kosovo Online that the important question was what attitude the Biden administration would take towards the Balkans in relation to Trump, but also that Washington was currently dealing more with domestic issues than with foreign policy.

Asked how much the Balkans were in the focus of the current US administration, he said:

“Well, it’s obviously an important question, but I don’t think we really know the answer now. Biden’s campaign has avoided answering many foreign and domestic questions, and I think the Biden administration is focusing on domestic issues at the moment, not foreign policy, so I don’t know when we will get an answer to that question”.

Bolton said that when he tried to interfere in the agreement between Pristina and Belgrade, and at the suggestion of former British PM Tony Blair, among others, and when he was a US national security adviser, Europeans were very unhappy when they heard about his interest.

“The EU has been negotiating for more than a decade without any significant progress and the US would contribute to a new perspective. I believe that reaching an agreement should be a priority, even if compromises need to be made that seem painful, because then you can move forward in every way. For example, in terms of the name of Macedonia and the change to North Macedonia, it is still the same country, with the same people, the issue with Greece has been resolved and we hope that everyone can move forward together,” he said. 

Asked whether the Washington agreement was dead after PM Kurti’s statements that it was not good for Kosovo, he stated that it was if Kurti was not interested. 

-Well, if he’s not interested in reaching an agreement, then it’s dead. This is the basic rule of negotiation; you must have two sides that want to agree on something. The main thing is the US role in everything, in the Kosovo-Serbia conflict or whatever. Former Secretary of State Jim Baker, who testified before Congress on the Arab-Israeli issue, said that ‘the US cannot want peace more than the parties to the conflict’; so, when two parties to the conflict want to achieve peace, they will do it for themselves, and not because of peace negotiators from the side, he said.

He stated that when he was the national security adviser, and talked to President Hashim Thaci and President Aleksandar Vucic, that the possibility of a minor territorial correction was considered and discussed.

“If we could overcome the break-up of Yugoslavia in 1991, and I know that history goes back much longer than 30 years, then it could be part of a larger package that would lead us to a solution. If people do not want to talk about territorial correction, by definition you remove one possible component of the solution and narrow the options for the solution, and by definition you create a situation in which it is more difficult to find a solution. The Kosovo government has every right to say that it does not want to discuss territorial correction, but I think that then practically means that there will be no progress in the negotiations,” said Bolton.

Asked whether Russia and China are still the biggest “opponents” of American interests in the Balkans, Bolton said

– I think that the bigger problem with the USA is that more people here do not pay attention to the Balkans. The Russians are paying attention to the Balkans for practical geographical reasons, the Chinese because they are trying to buy the rest of the world through the “Silk Belt” initiative, and the United States is preoccupied with many other things. Personally, I think that the Balkans should be a high priority for the United States.

Bolton said that in his opinion, as for the work of the Special Court in The Hague, that international tribunals often contribute more to future problems than they solve problems from the past, adding that he did not know what the outcome of the trial would be but that he was not sure it would contribute to the stability in the Balkans.

When asked about the case of Dragica Gasic, and the petition that was organized by NGOs against her, Bolton said that it was very unfortunate.

– The Balkans, like other places, as well as the USA, have people of different origins, religions and ethnic groups. No one is perfect, but the answer is – live and let others live. It is best for everyone to focus on themselves and to treat others in a decent way as they would want others to treat them.

International

Enmity and Neglect Take Toll on Serb Churches in Kosovo (Balkan Insight)

Many Serbian Orthodox churches in Kosovo are derelict and decaying, unpreserved by the authorities, after Serb villagers fled their homes, while some have been vandalized and desecrated.

September 1998 was the last time that Serb worshippers attended a service at the Church of St. Nedelja in Bernjacka/Bernjak, a village in the Rahovec/Orahovac municipality of southern Kosovo. Conflict between Serbian forces and the guerrilla Kosovo Liberation Army then broke out, causing the village’s residents to leave.

More than two decades later, a new priest, Milan Stanojevic, was appointed, and one of his first duties, helped by a handful of volunteers, was to put the Orthodox church and its courtyard in order.

See more at:  https://bit.ly/3rC63gt

Enkel Demi: We Need to Know Each Other’s Literature (Balkan Insight)

One of winners of this year’s European Union Prize for Literature, Albanian writer and journalist Enkel Demi, stresses the importance of having Balkan writers translated into the region’s languages.

Enkel Demi has high hopes that the European Union Prize for Literature he received in March will aid the cause of writers getting better known in the Balkan neighbourhood.

It took only a few weeks for him to become known beyond his own national boundaries, as a Serbian publishing house immediately came knocking on his door.

See more at: https://bit.ly/3zEf6jN

Humanitarian/Development

Nora Gjakova wins Kosovo’s third Olympic gold medal (Prishtina Insight)

On Monday, Nora Gjakova became the third judoka from Kosovo to win an Olympic medal, picking up gold in the women’s under-57 kg judo competition in Tokyo after her opponent Sarah Leonie Cysique was disqualified in the final.

En route to the final, Gjakova defeated Sanne Verhagen of the Netherlands in the round of 16 and Slovenian Kaja Kajzer in the quarter final, before meeting Japanese number 2 seed and former world champion Tsukasa Yoshida in the semi final. Gjakova had lost all five of her previous bouts with Yoshida, but pinned her opponent to the mat to win by waza-ari during golden score.

Third seed Gjakova’s Olympic gold is Kosovo’s second of the Tokyo 2020 games after Distria Krasniqi’s triumph in the under-48 kg category on Saturday. It is Kosovo’s third Olympic medal in total since it started competing at the Olympic Games in 2016, following the International Olympic Committee’s decision to recognise the Kosovo Olympic Committee in 2014.

See more at: https://bit.ly/3rHqitl

Montenegro Makes History With First Same-Sex Marriage (Balkan Insight)

Minister hails Sunday’s marriage between two young women – the first since historic legislation was passed a year ago – a major step forward for Montenegrin society.

The first same-sex marriage in Montenegro was registered on Sunday in the coastal resort of Budva, a year after Montenegro became the first non-EU country in the Balkans to legalize same-sex civil partnerships.

See more at: https://bit.ly/3zBtcCJ