Albanian Language Media:

• SRSG Ziadeh calls for constructive engagement in dialogue (media)
• Escobar to meet Kurti in Brussels today, sources say (Gazeta10/Kanal10)
• “Stoltenberg expected to show red lines to Kurti and Vucic” (Albanian Post)
• Hoxhaj: Osmani, Kurti intentionally creating an atmosphere of fear (Nacionale)
• Begaj: Kosovo’s constitutional order must not come under threat (Express)
• British Embassy: The meeting in Brussels, an opportunity to normalize relations (RTK) 
• CDHRF: Interrogation of Kosovo citizens by Serbian authorities is increasing (Telegrafi) 
• Health Institute: No cases with West Nile virus in Kosovo (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• UNMIK calls for constructive engagement in the dialogue process (RTK2, media)
• Hill: Belgrade and Pristina negotiations eventually will be resolved in the spirit of concessions and compromises (FoNet, KoSSev)
• Vucic, Blinken adviser discuss Belgrade-Pristina dialogue (Tanjug, media)
• Vucic, Peach discussed Belgrade-Pristina dialogue (N1)
• Janjic: The NATO meeting more important for Serbia than the one in Brussels (Danas, N1)
• Vucic met the Chinese ambassador (Danas, RTK2, Vecernje Novosti)
• Stefanovic: I will initiate a discussion on imposing sanctions on Russia (N1)
• Dacic lends full support to Vucic prior to Brussels meetings (Beta, N1)
• Kosovo is (not) lost (FoNet, N1)

Opinion:

• Demostat: The situation in the north of Kosovo is unstable, possible deliberate provocations (Beta, N1)
• To stop war breaking out in Kosovo, media freedom in Serbia must be addressed (Euractiv)

Albanian Language Media  

SRSG Ziadeh calls for constructive engagement in dialogue (media)

Ahead of the high-level meeting between Belgrade and Pristina in Brussels, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of UNMIK Caroline Ziadeh calls on all sides to constructively engage in the EU-facilitated dialogue process, a press release by UNMIK notes.

“It is essential that a climate conducive to genuine dialogue is promoted. The parties must work to address outstanding issues in good faith, capitalising on the engagement of the past 11 years to ensure that hard-won gains through the EU-facilitated dialogue are built upon,” SRSG Ziadeh said.

“Dialogue and compromise present the only viable path toward stability, prosperity, and security for all,” she emphasised.

Escobar to meet Kurti in Brussels today, sources say (Gazeta10/Kanal10)

Citing unnamed international diplomatic sources, Kanal 10 reports that the U.S. Envoy for the Western Balkans, Gabriel Escobar, will go to Brussels today and that he is expected to meet with Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti. The news website also notes that in a recent online meeting with reporters, Escobar talked about the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia and the need to open talks about the Association of Serb-majority municipalities.

“Stoltenberg expected to show red lines to Kurti and Vucic” (Albanian Post)

Kosovo’s former Minister of Defence and MP from the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), Anton Quni, said in an interview with the news website that NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg will remind Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic in separate meetings today “the role and mission of KFOR troops in Kosovo”. “In a region with fragile political and economic stability, statements about war serve Serbia’s politics. Moreover, by making statements about war, intentionally or intentionally, one forgets the role of KFOR, which is to maintain peace throughout the territory of Kosovo,” Quni said. He also said Stoltenberg will tell both leaders to ease their political discourse with the aim of creating better conditions for final dialogue.

Hoxhaj: Osmani, Kurti intentionally creating an atmosphere of fear (Nacionale)

Kosovo’s former Minister of Foreign Affairs and senior member of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), Enver Hoxhaj, said today that President Vjosa Osmani and Prime Minister Albin Kurti are creating fear by mentioning war and treaties of defence. “For many years, Kosovo has been safe in the psychological aspect, whereas in the last couple of weeks it is being led by fear! This is not being done to protect the state and sovereignty, but to fulfil their personal egoism and party populism! This is a time that requires determination, maturity, and stamina,” Hoxhaj wrote in a Facebook post.

Begaj: Kosovo’s constitutional order must not come under threat (Express)

President of Albania, Bajram Begaj, met today with the commander of KFOR, Major General Ferenc Kajari. The latter informed Begaj about the security situation in Kosovo, especially in the north, and acknowledged the professionalism of members of the Albanian armed forces that serve in KFOR. Begaj commended the irreplaceable role of NATO and KFOR in maintaining stability and security in Kosovo and the region. During his visit to Peja, Begaj met with the members of the Albanian armed forces and called on them to implement their mission. “The constitutional order of Kosovo must not come under threat,” he said.

British Embassy: The meeting in Brussels, an opportunity to normalize relations (RTK) 

On the eve of tomorrow’s meeting between Prime Minister Albin Kurti and the President of Serbia, Alexander Vucic in Brussels, the British Embassy expects the leaders of the two countries to take significant steps towards the normalization of relations. 

“UK Western Balkans Special Envoy, Sir Stuart Peach, spoke yesterday to the Kosovo Prime Minister and Serbian President, underlining UK concern at the rise in tensions and heated language of recent days. Leaders now have the opportunity and responsibility in their talks in Brussels to put their citizens first, build further on the gains made in the Dialogue to date and make significant steps towards normalising relations,” reads the statement of the UK Embassy.

CDHRF: Interrogation of Kosovo citizens by Serbian authorities is increasing (Telegrafi) 

The Council for Defense of Human Rights and Freedoms informed today that citizens of Kosovo have recently addressed CDHRF with statements that they are being interrogated by the Serbian authorities during the crossing at the border points with Serbia, without telling them the reason for the interrogation. According to the statements and cases addressed to the CDHRF, the selection of those being interrogated is deliberate and pressure is being put on them not to travel to Serbia by cutting off their family and other contacts.

CDHRF informs that former Kamenica mayor Qendron Kastarti is one of the interrogated. He stated that the behavior was correct and that they requested information, mainly of a political nature, about certain persons and certain events. 

The Serbian authorities have not delivered or shown any decision of the relevant court for detention and interrogation, despite the requests of the interviewees. None of the interviewees were informed of their rights as detained persons, which represents a legal violation and a violation of human rights.

According to the statements of the interviewees, the Serbian police or the investigators have requested information about Kosovo’s security institutions, such as the Kosovo Police, the KSF and the KIA.

National Health Institute: No cases with West Nile virus in Kosovo (media)

Kosovo’s National Institute for Public Health said in a statement today that there are no reported cases with the West Nile virus in Kosovo. The Institute however called on citizens to be careful from mosquito bites and said that it is closely following the epidemiological situation in Kosovo and neighbouring countries.

Serbian Language Media 

UNMIK calls for constructive engagement in the dialogue process (RTK2,media)

Ahead of the high-level meeting between Belgrade and Pristina in Brussels, the special representative of the Secretary General and head of UNMIK, Caroline Ziadeh called today on all parties to constructively engage and support the integrity of the dialogue process with the support of the EU, reported RTK2.

““It is essential that a climate conducive to genuine dialogue is promoted. The parties must work to address outstanding issues in good faith, capitalising on the engagement of the past 11 years to ensure that hard-won gains through the EU-facilitated dialogue are built upon,” SRSG Ziadeh said, emphasizing that “dialogue and compromise present the only viable path toward stability, prosperity, and security for all”, reported Serbian media. 

Hill: Belgrade and Pristina negotiations eventually will be resolved in the spirit of concessions and compromises (FoNet, KoSSev)

The US ambassador in Belgrade, Christopher Hill, said in an interview with the FoNet agency that a lot of effort was put into continuing the Brussels dialogue on the normalization of relations between Serbia and Kosovo, that the meeting had been prepared for several weeks. He assessed that there was an opportunity for progress, but that it depended on Belgrade and Pristina, reported KoSSev portal, citing FoNet.

Hill said EU mediators had made it clear that both sides needed to make some progress.

As for the insistence of Belgrade and Pristina on different positions on the Community of Serbian Municipalities (CSM) in Kosovo, Hill doubted that either side wanted to negotiate through the media, “but that they will save the best arguments for the meeting itself”.

There was a reason to reach a compromise, said Hill, stating that several problems needed to be discussed, electricity in the north of Kosovo, license plates, CSM.

According to him, all these things should be on the agenda, and mediators should understand how Belgrade and Pristina view the future.

As he explained, the negotiations would ultimately be resolved in the spirit of concessions and compromises, with the assumption that both parties were interested in progress, KoSSev quoted.

Regarding the statements of the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, that Pristina was planning the liquidation of Serbs in the north of Kosovo, Hill emphasized that he would like Belgrade and Pristina to focus on talks.

”I understand the use of public messages, but it is important that they focus on very specific proposals, in the spirit of concessions and compromises,” Hill said.

He noted that this was a serious moment in the dialogue and that was why it was important that the two sides try to make progress.

”We have a very difficult situation in Ukraine, Russia’s invasion of a neighboring country with brutality that has not been seen for decades,” Hill assessed and pointed out that in that situation the EU and the US cooperate very closely.

“I hope that Belgrade and Pristina understand that, and that the two sides cannot play against each other to gain advantage,” Hill said.

Regarding claims from Pristina that Moscow has an influence on incidents in Kosovo, he replied that he “likes to see facts and evidence on the ground”.

The problems that separate Pristina and Belgrade are well known. Solutions have been offered and the focus should be on them, rather than public statements, Hill said.

He pointed out that Serbia’s future lies in the West, as a member of the EU.

”As the American ambassador, I would like a future in which we will not only be friends and partners, but also allies, depending on what the Serbian people decide,” said Hill.

It was important that the EU and the US help Belgrade prepare for the journey to the West, explained the US ambassador, who was proud that they were working on this with Serbia and that the Serbian people have noticed it.

Hill thinks that the Serbian people have already made it clear with whom they want their children and grandchildren to maintain ties – with the West, not with the East.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen with Russia and where its president, Vladimir Putin, is taking it, but it looks far from where it should be and I don’t think there’s a future in that relationship,” Hill concluded, reported KoSSev.

Vucic, Blinken adviser discuss Belgrade-Pristina dialogue (Tanjug, media)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic spoke on the phone on Tuesday with Derek Cholllet, adviser to US State Secretary Antony Blinken, and the sole topic of the conversation was an upcoming Brussels meeting as part of the EU-facilitated dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, reported agency Tanjug.

As a representative of the US administration, Chollet insisted on the need to maintain peace and stability and said that, for its part, the US would support that.

Vucic said no one should have doubts about Serbia’s sincere commitment to a policy of peace and stability, the presidential press office said in a statement.

He said he expected the US and Western partners to take Serbia’s efforts into account and encourage Pristina to approach dialogue and its commitments resulting therefrom in a serious and responsible manner.

Vucic and Chollet also discussed possibilities for development of Serbia-US bilateral ties, the statement said.

Vucic, Peach discussed Belgrade-Pristina dialogue (N1)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic had a phone conversation Tuesday with Stuart Peach, the United Kingdom’s special envoy for the Western Balkans, said a statement issued from the President’s office.

On the eve of a new round of dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, Vucic told Peach that peace and stability were of utmost importance and that Serbia will do all in its power to preserve them, but that this does not depend on just one side.

“As always Serbia will be constructive in efforts to find a compromise solution,” Vucic said.

Vucic and Peach agreed that Serbia and the United Kingdom have the possibility to cooperate in preserving peace and stability in the Western Balkans, regardless of their differing views on the unilaterally declared independence of the so-called Kosovo, the statement said, reported N1.

Janjic: The meeting in NATO more important for Serbia than the one in Brussels (Danas, N1)

“Tomorrow’s NATO meeting is more important for Serbia than the day after tomorrow with Lajcak or whoever is already there,” believes Dusan Janjic from the Forum for Ethnic Relations, wrote daily Danas yesterday.

“It is very important for the future of Serbia, it will be the right answer to the question of the New York Times whether Serbia is going towards Russia or NATO”, reported Danas daily.

”It’s a chance for the West to finally understand that Serbia should be offered a clear choice – join NATO or not,” Janjic said Tuesday on the N1 morning show. 

As Janjic said, “it is difficult to review the writing of the New York Times, but it would be nice if they were told something,” the daily reported, citing N1 TV show. 

“They should never forget that the conflict in Europe, Ukraine, Russia is open and that is the first lesson. Does Russia want to open another front, or does it continue what it has been doing for the past ten years, using its influence in the Western Balkans to show the obvious weaknesses of the EU and NATO,” he said, adding that “Russia is using Serbia as well, as well as structures in other Balkan states”.

He recalled the events in Kosovo from a few weeks ago and said that “that dramatization, destabilization started with Vucic’s famous statement that he knows there will be a storm in October”.

“Something that doesn’t exist in Serbia appeared, the Albanian opposition that said no to the war, Qitaku, PDK, LDK and several parliamentarians from Kurti’s Self-Determination, now Haradinaj, who has a hard time saying no to the war but said no to the energy crisis, has joined. It was understood at least in NATO not to repeat the story from last time, again the plates and then the barricades, then the Russian ambassador lined up the Serbian police and the army… So that this would not happen again, they used Radoicic and made a test and reduced the level of communication to the General Staff, which is very good, which means that they used their brains. The main problem is that back in February, with the participation of Russia, the SC determined that the Balkans, especially BiH and Kosovo, are in a critical phase of destabilization and that armed conflicts are threatening,” he said. 

Janjic said that for him, “the NATO meeting tomorrow is more important for Serbia than the day after tomorrow with Lajcak or whoever is already there”.

“It has come to the point that some rules of communication between Serbia and NATO must be established, preferably a package of security actions, this is the last chance for Vucic to switch from a defensive to a proactive policy. If he is running a security package, if Serbia does not do it, others have no interest in doing it. It is very important for the future of Serbia, it will be the right answer to the question of the New York Times whether Serbia is going towards Russia or NATO. There is a chance that the West will finally understand that Serbia should be offered a clear choice – join NATO or not,” says Janjic.

He said about the EEAS announcement – “and the blind hen pecks a grain”.

“That announcement was really necessary. Senior officials said, but they did not name names, that responsibility is needed,” he believed.

Vucic met the Chinese ambassador (Danas, RTK2, Vecernje Novosti)

The President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, met with the Ambassador of China in Belgrade, Chen Bo, today before leaving for Brussels, to familiarize her with the situation in Kosovo, and on that occasion he pointed out that he “expects the EU and Western partners to influence Pristina” in order to fulfill its obligations, announced the cabinet of the President of Serbia, reported media.

Vucic emphasized that he asked Ambassador Chen to meet today to familiarize her with the situation in Kosovo ahead of the meeting in Brussels within the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, with the mediation of the European Union.

President Vucic said that Serbia remains committed to dialogue as the only way to find a solution to the Kosovo issue and that he demands that Pristina fulfil what was agreed upon.

“For nine years, it never occurred to them to form the Community of Serbian Municipalities. We expect the EU and Western partners to influence Pristina to fulfil their obligations seriously and responsibly, as Serbia has done,” said Vucic, stressing that Serbia will not recognize Kosovo’s independence.

Ambassador Chen pointed out that China respects the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Serbia and that it advocates finding a solution through dialogue, under the auspices of Resolution 1244.

“China understands and supports all the legitimate demands of the Serbian side, including those regarding the protection of the Serbian people’s legal rights in Kosovo,” Ambassador Chen said.

Stefanovic: I will initiate a discussion on imposing sanctions on Russia (N1)

Opposition Party of Freedom and Justice (SSP) deputy leader Borko Stefanovic said that, as the chairperson of the Serbian Parliament Foreign Affairs Committee, he will initiate “at one of the first sittings” a debate, in the Committee and then in the Parliament, on aligning Serbia’s foreign policy with that of the European Union (EU).

This needs to be discussed, arguments of both sides need to be heard, as well as what the repercussions of our failure to align our foreign policy with that of the EU are, what this means for our economy, what turning against Europe means, Stefanovic told N1.

“All European countries have taken restrictive measures against the Russian Federation, and in this situation, Serbia does not have much to think about, our future is in the EU,” said Stefanovic, who is also a deputy Parliament speaker.

Dacic lends full support to Vucic prior to Brussels meetings (Beta, N1)

The leader of the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) Ivica Dacic lent full support to President Aleksandar Vucic a day before his scheduled meeting with Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti.

Dacic, a close ally of Vucic and his Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), said the talks in Brussels are of crucial importance for Serbia and the Serb people. “In my name and the name of the SPS I am offering full support to the President of the Republic of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic in these difficult times for our country and our people. I am certain that Aleksandar Vucic will maintain the peace and protect our state and national interests in the best possible way at the coming meetings in Brussels,” Dacic said in a written statement, reported Beta agency.

Dacic called EU officials to “clearly show that Pristina does not respect any agreement from Brussels, including the Brussels Agreement by refusing to form the Community of Serb Municipalities and is dangerously jeopardizing the peace with its unilateral decisions.”

“The outcome of the meetings in Brussels will define the development of the situation in Kosovo and is of crucial importance to Serbia and the Serb people which is why political subjects in Serbia should be united in their support to President Vucic in these days when peace or war is practically being decided in Kosovo,” the SPS leader said.

Dacic served as foreign minister and head of government before being replaced by Vucic. His latest job was parliament speaker, recalled Beta.

Kosovo is (not) lost (FoNet, N1)

The Institute for European Affairs NGO said on Wednesday that more than 40 percent of Serbians think Serbia has lost Kosovo while about the same percent think it has not, cited Serbian media.

The March poll showed that 44.2 percent of the public believe Kosovo is lost while 44.6 percent think it has not been lost with 11 percent undecided. It said that 23 percent of the polled feel that the Serbian government should recognize Kosovo while 56 percent believe that will not happen.

The NGO said that 75 percent of the polled said they would not support recognition of Kosovo in order to get European Union membership with just 16 percent saying that would be acceptable. It said that 49.9 percent of the polled think Serbia cannot re-establish control and sovereignty over Kosovo, 35 percent believe that is possible.

A huge majority – 87.7 percent – said they have no idea what the Serbian government plans to do about Kosovo and 53.5 percent said they would not support any plan by President Aleksandar Vucic which would secure independence for Kosovo and a stable state and better living standards for the population of Serbia.

The poll showed that 60.5 percent of the public would vote no at a referendum to recognize Kosovo but that 75.2 percent support establishing a lasting peace with the Kosovo Albanians.

Opinion 

Demostat: The situation in the north of Kosovo is unstable, possible deliberate provocations (Beta, N1)

The situation in the north of Kosovo is unstable and deliberate provocations are possible, and in case of any conflict in the presence of NATO forces, the defeat of Belgrade would be guaranteed, Demostat interlocutors assessed in the published analysis of that research and publishing center.

Stating that “there are conditions for a conflict” in the north of Kosovo, journalist Milivoje Mihajlovic warned of “a real fear of an ill-advised move by an individual, a Kosovo police officer or someone from the Serbian side, who could cause a shooting, in the worst case, a victim”, which would in his words, then created big problems, reported Beta agency.

He also assessed that the war in Ukraine “raises the temperature” in Kosovo as well and that Pristina is trying to use that conflict to gain a better negotiating position in Brussels.

“For the past 20 years, Kosovo’s politics has played the card of cooperation between Serbia and Russia, Hashim Thaci has always said that Serbia is buying helicopters from Russia with which will attack Albanians, that there is a Russian base in Nis that is a direct threat to Kosovo. That vocabulary has its own goal, which is to somehow raise the level of protection of the West towards Kosovo,” said Mihajlovic.

He added that Kurti’s government “intimidates and puts pressure on the Serbs, among other things, with police actions under the guise of fighting crime, with the aim of taking a better negotiating position in Brussels” and that Belgrade “has been controlling the Serbs from the North Kosovo for 10 years”, who, according to Mihajlovic, would not take any step without consent and consultation with the Serbian authorities.

According to the director of the Forum for Ethnic Relations, Dusan Janjic, a new war in Kosovo could be started “only by a third party” since, as he estimated, neither the local Serbs nor the Albanians are in the mood for new conflicts.

“The Serbian community does not have the capacity to start conflicts or to endure an inter-ethnic conflict with the Albanians, such as the one in 2004, while there is no willingness among the Albanians to support Kurti, but the energy is growing to return things to normal and stop the mistreatment,” opined Janjic. 

He added that any conflict at the local level in the north of Kosovo would mean “directly provoking the position of NATO in Kosovo and in the region”, and that in such a situation, the defeat of Belgrade would be “guaranteed”.

If there are provocations, according to the editor of the KoSSev portal, Tatjana Lazarevic, they would not originate authentically from the north, but would be initiated from outside.

“Belgrade completely controls the situation in the north, that is, the Serbian List, and all institutions. It is not possible for them to make any move without Vucic’s knowledge,” said Lazarevic.

The dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina should continue tomorrow in Brussels, with the meeting of Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti, recalled Beta.

To stop war breaking out in Kosovo, media freedom in Serbia must be addressed (Euractiv)

An explosion of Russian disinformation threatened a breakout of conflict in Kosovo, highlighting the urgent need to address the declining information environment in the region, writes Antoinette Nikolova.

The leaders of Serbia and Kosovo are expected for urgent talks in Brussels on Thursday (18 August) following the flare-up of tensions between the two countries. Abuse of media and social media should be top of the agenda.

Here’s why. On 1 August, a dispute over rules on car license plates evolved into a major crisis after an explosion of disinformation from Russia-linked websites and social media accounts claimed that fighting had broken out in Kosovo, and that Serbian forces had entered the country, and that Russia would support them. Panic ensued until it became clear that these claims were in no way true.

Thankfully, real conflict was averted this time. But experts say the attack was an aggressive Russian hybrid operation designed to provoke another European war and deflect attention from Ukraine. There is no reason to think they will not try again.

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