Albanian Language Media:

• New Mitrovica North mayor swears in, deputy mayor from Serb community (RFE)
• Mitrovica North deputy mayor: Time to sit down together and work (Kallxo)
• Krasniqi: We’ll have new mayors who will engage on daily basis to improve lives of citizens regardless of their ethnicity (Telegrafi)
• Decision on opening Iber Bridge is at Ministry of Local Government (Gazeta Express)
• Howell: Kosovo very close to joining CoE; needs some lobbying (TeVe1)
• Osmani meets Wieland, expresses gratitude for continuous EP support (media)
• Kurti after Italy floods: Ready to extend our help where needed (media)
• Kurti: Next meeting of Kosovo and Albania governments in June (media)
• Surroi: Everyone entitled to baptise their children in Kosovo churches (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Serbian List calls for institutional violence against Serbs to stop (RTS, Kosovo Online)
• Petkovic on situation in northern Kosovo, says Vucic talks to Lajcak (Tanjug, Kosovo Online)
• Kosovo police confiscates KM licence plates, issues 150 EUR fine (Kosovo Online)
• Atiq’s first meeting as mayor with Sladjan Trajkovic’c wife (KoSSev)
• The new mayor of North Mitrovica sworn in, his mandate officially began (N1, KoSSev, RFE)
• Diocese on Ceku’s message to Djokovic: What messages for peace and understanding are being sent in Kosovo by such an inappropriate comment? (KoSSev, KiM radio)
• Vucic to attend several meetings because of situation in Kosovo (RTS)
• Party of Kosovo Serbs: West decisive to preserve peace in Kosovo (Tanjug)
• Jovovic family robbed several times in Gorazdevac, preparators still remain unknown (Radio KIM)
• Assembly of the Serbian Orthodox Church: There must be no indirect or direct acceptance of Kosovo independence (NMagazin, Beta, N1)

International:

• US Senate: Kosovo-Serbia Dialogue Remains Key Issue in Western Balkans (Balkan Insight)
• Chollet and Escobar remain optimistic about Western Balkans progress towards the EU (EWB)  

Albanian Language Media  

New Mitrovica North mayor swears in, deputy mayor from Serb community (RFE)

The new mayor of Mitrovica North, Erden Atic, has sworn in before the municipal assembly today, a solemn procedure to assume his post as mayor. “I, Erden Atic, swear I will perform my competencies with honour, loyalty and conscience and in compliance with the law in order to secure conditions for a calm life,” he said in his oath. 

During the session, Atic appointed the deputy mayor, Katarina Adjancic, from the Serb community. 

After the swearing in ceremony, Atic told reporters that he will work with all citizens without any difference. “Together with our team, we will work for all citizens without any difference or discrimination. Our biggest engagement will be to normalise this part of the municipality. I call on all citizens to meet us, visit us, and cooperate for the good of the citizens,” Atic said.

Mitrovica North deputy mayor: Time to sit down together and work (Kallxo)

Newly elected deputy mayor of Mitrovica North, Katarina Adjancic, said today that now is the time to work together and to decide the priorities for the people. After being elected to the post, Adjancic told reporters that the citizens deserve an easier and better life. “We must definitely start doing something. Many problems have been accumulated in many segments, starting from the municipal level and others. You are aware about everything that happened during winter and in spring, so we are determined to have a good team and good cooperation with the citizens so that we can do whatever we can together,” Adjancic said.

Krasniqi: We’ll have new mayors who will engage on daily basis to improve lives of citizens regardless of their ethnicity (Telegrafi)

Kosovo’s Local Government Minister Elbert Krasniqi said in an interview with the news website today that so far the northern municipalities have had mayors that were not in the service of the people but in the service of criminal groups.

“Today the Mayor will swear in and start his duty in the service of the citizens and to implement his legal and constitutional mandate. As the government, we are committed to cooperate with every municipality in the Republic of Kosovo and especially with the municipalities in the north, where for a long time the mayors were not in the service of the people but in the service of criminal groups. As a minister, I am very happy that we will finally have a mayor that will engage on a daily basis to improve the lives of the citizens regardless of their ethnicity,” Krasniqi said.

Krasniqi also said that they prepared all administrative aspects and that in the coming days they expect to schedule the constitutive sessions for the other three municipal assemblies in the north in compliance with legal timelines.

Decision on opening Iber Bridge is at Ministry of Local Government (Gazeta Express)

Kosovo’s Minister for Local Government, Elbert Krasniqi, was asked today about the decision of the municipal assembly of Mitrovica North to open the Iber Bridge. “This decision is at the Ministry of Local Government for checking the legality and administrative processes. Once the assessment is complete, it will be on my desk and I will proceed with it,” Krasniqi told reporters.

The news website notes that the decision was supported by the Kosovo government which said that the decision was right and necessary. “Any obstacle to the freedom of movement violates this basic right. Therefore, the decision to remove such obstacles is right and necessary,” the government said.

EU Special Representative for the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue, Miroslav Lajcak, did not agree with the decision, saying the timing is not right and that the decision needs to be made in dialogue and with the consent of both sides.

Howell: Kosovo very close to joining CoE; needs some lobbying (TeVe1)

Kosovo is very close to becoming a full-fledged member of the Council of Europe, said leader of the UK Parliamentary Delegation to the CoE, John Howell. He said the UK has strongly supported Kosovo in becoming part of the organisation and that Kosovo now needs to lobby more with member states that have reservations over its membership.

Howell said that Serbia needs to respect the agreements reached with Kosovo and not obstruct the latter from joining the Council of Europe. “In this case, not only Kosovo would benefit, but Serbia too, because this would enable better communication between all member states. Serbia has nothing to lose here because everyone benefits from being equal members in the European Court of Human Rights and being subject to the convention,” he said.

Osmani meets Wieland, expresses gratitude for continuous EP support (media)

Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani met today in Pristina with the Vice President of the European Parliament, Rainer Wieland. A press release issued by Osmani’s office notes that the meeting focused on Kosovo’s integration process in the European Union, and latest developments in Kosovo and the region. Osmani expressed Kosovo’s gratitude for the European Parliament’s continuous support for Kosovo’s EU integration and said that this support needs to continue.

Osmani expressed the unwavering commitment of the people and institutions of Kosovo to join the European Union, which is reflected also in the full coordination with the foreign and security policies with those of the EU. She also said that Kosovo remains committed and engaged for long-term stability in the region. 

Kurti: Next meeting of Kosovo and Albania governments in June (media)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti said today that the next meeting between the governments of Kosovo and Albania will be held in mid-June. Gazeta Express notes that earlier it was reported that the meeting will be held in the city of Gjakova on June 14. This will be the ninth meeting of the two governments. The practice started in January 2014 and since then dozens of agreements have been signed.

Kurti after Italy floods: Ready to extend our help where needed (media)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti said in a Twitter post on Thursday that he was “very saddened to hear about the loss of life and the devastation that the floods have caused in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. Our thoughts are with the Italian citizens, and we are ready to extend our help where needed.”

Surroi: Everyone entitled to baptise their children in Kosovo churches (media)

Kosovo publicist and external advisor to the Kosovo Government in the dialogue with Serbia, Veton Surroi, said in a Twitter post today that “everyone is entitled to baptise her/his children in Kosovo churches”. Commenting on a statement by Novak Djokovic, a Serbian professional tennis player from Kosovo, who in an interview for Corriere della Sera, said that he would like to baptise his children in Kosovo, Surroi said that it is Djokovic’s right to choose when and where. “May in his children’s baptism the spirit of Matthew 22:39 be felt: “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself”,” Surroi tweeted.

Serbian Language Media 

Serbian List calls for institutional violence against Serbs to stop (RTS, Kosovo Online)

Serbian List Vice President Igor Simic said the Serbian community in northern Kosovo would offer decisive response as of June 1, adding this deadline was given if Pristina and the international community do not influence repression against Serbs to stop, adding this repression was the result of institutional violence, Kosovo Online portal reports.

“People no longer can endure Albin Kurti’s regime. We are making June 1 as a deadline to stop repression against people and confiscation of properties by fake expropriation, arrests and fake indictments. To put an end to persecution, because Serbs are placed in casemates across Kosovo and Metohija without guilt. To stop denying us basic rights such as medical treatment and education. If those actions continue, on June 1 response of the Serbian people would follow”, Simic is quoted as saying.

Commenting on the swearing-in ceremony of Mitrovica North new mayor Erden Atic he said by this an occupation of northern Kosovo has begun.

He added that by commitment of Serbia and an entire Serb people peace was preserved and people prevented from reacting to Albin Kurti’s regime and that this event makes “an official beginning of occupation of the north”.

He also said that Serbs in Kosovo are committed to peace and were calling everybody to be peaceful.

“We are committed to peace, we have urged all for peace. The agreement was violated (in reference to licence plates agreement), Chollet and Stano were speaking about the agreement that Serbs have the right to use licence plates, but in vain”, Simic said.

“We appealed, we had meetings and we said we will not allow it in particular where Serbs work and in the Serbian buildings. Decision to leave institutions came as a reaction to repression. It is not only the Serbian List that had left them, but all Serbs working in Kosovo institutions”, Simic said, adding that the Serbian List will always stand by its people.

He also said the latest elections in northern Kosovo for Serbian people and the Serbian List were invalid and illegitimate.

“We will not give legitimacy to the people elected with 100 votes. Another, even more important matter is that even Albanian representatives who were falsely appointed received twice less votes than in 2022. I would be ashamed to be in a position and win one percent of votes”, Simic said.

Asked to comment on the placement of Kosovo flag on a municipal building in Mitrovica North, Simic said had not seen it, adding that one visiting the north “may enjoy looking at hundreds of Serbian flags”. 

Petkovic on situation in northern Kosovo, says Vucic talks to Lajcak (Tanjug, Kosovo Online)

Serbian Government Office for Kosovo and Metohija Director Petar Petkovic said today “that an occupation by Albin Kurti and Erdern Atic, so-called mayor of northern part of Kosovska Mitrovica had begun”, adding that Kurti wished to expel the Serbian people from Kosovo and “stage the war the most blatantly”. Petkovic also said it is impermissible that North Mitrovica municipality is headed by a person who won 553 votes.

He said that Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic spoke with EU mediator for Belgrade-Pristina talks, Miroslav Lajcak over the situation in northern Kosovo. 

“Vucic warned Lajcak about all consequences of Kurti’s behaviour and incidents that may turn into the biggest crisis thus far”, Petkovic said.

He told the journalists that “a rug they placed on the municipal building shall never be a flag for us. It will stay and last there as long as the occupation itself, and it means not that long (…)”, Petkovic is quoted as saying.

Responsibility on international community now to stop Kurti  

According to Petkovic the responsibility is now on the international community to stop Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti who wishes to stage the war, conflicts and who is provoking in order to avoid establishing the Community of Serb Municipalities.

“It confirmed what Vucic was saying that Kurti does not wish to establish a Community of Serb Municipalities but to stage the crisis and a war. It is odd that he does it on his own and engages in such adventures just like that. The responsibility is on the international community now to stop him”, Petkovic said.

Asked what will happen by June 1, that Serbs from northern Kosovo made as a deadline “to restrain” Albin Kurti, Petkovic said Serbs made that deadline because they wanted to give certain time to international community and Kurti to stop mistreating them, adding that after that their response will follow. 

Kosovo police confiscates KM licence plates, issues 150 EUR fine (Kosovo Online)

Kosovo Online portal reports that Kosovo police stopped today at Bistrica bridge, in Zvecan municipality, a Serb, Predrag Milanovic from Mitrovica North, confiscated his KM licence plates by which, as Office for Kosovo and Metohija Director Petar Petkovic and Serbian List Vice President Igor Simic pointed out, Pristina violated the agreement on licence plates.

According to the portal, Milanovic, who works at Crnci mine was on his way back home from late shift, and got stopped this morning by Kosovo special police units near Bistica bridge. He was issued a fine of EUR 150.

Igor Simic told a press conference today that Pristina once again violated the agreement on licence plates, although international community representatives confirmed that Serbs in Kosovo have the right to use KM licence plates. Simic also said that a resident of Mitrovica North during confiscation of the licence plates was harrassed and warned that he must not use them in Kosovo.  

Petkovic said that “today a new phase of Kurti’s illegal decision on re-registration had begun, that he has no right to do”.  

Atiq’s first meeting as mayor with Sladjan Trajkovic’c wife (KoSSev) 

Portal KoSSev reported that shortly after taking the oath, the newly elected mayor of North Mitrovica, Erden Atiq, held the first meeting. He spoke with the wife of the arrested former member of the Kosovo Police, Sladjan Trajkovic. 

According to KoSSev, after the short session where the new mayor was elected, a group of about thirty people, mostly women, gathered in front of the North Mitrovica municipality building.

Afterwards, the chairman of the Northern Mitrovica Municipality, Nedzad Ugljanin, came out in front of the municipality and invited them to come inside to talk to the newly elected mayor.

Ugljanin emphasised that Atiq will wait for them in the cabinet to listen to them.

“I had the opportunity to ask him to listen to you, what problems you have, although that is not my task,” said Ugljanin.

However, only the wife of the arrested Sladjan Trajkovic, Suzana Trajkovic, accepted the invitation for a discussion. 

She invited others to come for a talk, and according to KoSSev, none of those gathered accepted. 

Some of the crowd shouted, “what a mayor”, and one woman said, “we have a problem, my son was injured by ROSU (Kosovo special police unit) “.

Trajkovic entered the building accompanied by the chairman, and the others gathered soon dispersed.

After a long wait for numerous Serbian and Albanian newsrooms in front of the municipality, the newly appointed mayor addressed the media in the municipality hall, in front of ”the Kosovo flag”.

The greater part of his address was in the Albanian language, considering that a translation into the Serbian language was not provided.

In the shorter part of the address, Erden Atiq spoke in Serbian, while at the same time he emphasised that there was no translator. He confirmed that he spoke with Sladjan Trajkovic’s wife.

“Today, as the mayor, I already started meetings a few minutes ago. We had a lady in the office who had a problem. We have started work, and I invite all citizens to come and present their problems and ideas to our team. We will try to find a solution and have a better life for all of us, citizens of North Mitrovica.”

Suzana Trajkovic addressed the media and said that she discussed the state of health of her husband, as well as changing his detention to house arrest.

“Sladjan is in such bad condition. We visited him the day before yesterday, his legs are all covered in wounds, it’s all infected and suppurated, and it can’t heal from sugar, and we fear for his state of health,” said Trajkovic.

She adds that she asked the newly elected mayor to “keep track of the prosecutor”, as well as that Sladjan Trajkovic be released pending trial. 

“She is violating all the articles, with the fact that she interrogates witnesses from house to house. Sladjan and his lawyer persistently demanded that the witnesses be brought to court,” she said.

KoSSev recalled that Trajkovic is the only Serb arrested during the month of December, out of a total of three, who remained in court custody. He is in the custody unit in Podujevo. He is charged with alleged war crimes committed in 1999 in Vucitrn.

The release of Sladjan Trajkovic, whose detention has been extended several times already, the last time few days ago, was one of the demands of the Serbs for the removal of the twenty-day barricades in the North at the end of last year, as well as the release of Dejan Pantic and Miljan Adzic, who were then also in custody.

The barricades were removed at the end of December, a day after only Dejan Pantic was transferred from custody to home detention, reported KoSSev.

The new mayor of North Mitrovica sworn in, his mandate officially began (N1, KoSSev, RFE)

Erden Atiq took the oath today as the new mayor of North Mitrovica, which officially marked the beginning of his mandate, reported N1.

“I will perform the function in accordance with the laws on local self-government and for the benefit of all communities. I will not pay attention to the statements of any officials, but I will work for the welfare of all communities,” Atiq said, portal KoSSev reported, adding that Katarina Adjancic became his deputy.

RFE learned from its sources that after the swearing-in of the mayor of North Mitrovica, Kosovo Government officials will hold a meeting with other mayors in order to agree on the date and place of their swearing-in.

As RFE reports, the president of the North Mitrovica Municipal Assembly, Nedžad Ugljanin said before taking the oath that they had made all the preparations so that Atiq could take over the post of chairman.

“There are 13 members of the Assembly, we have a quorum to carry out parliamentary work. Today, the vice-president will be elected, who will be from the Serbian community,” he said. 

In the extraordinary local elections on April 23, Atiq won about 550 votes or 66 percent ahead of Self-Determination. The turnout in these elections was 3.47 percent of the total number of registered voters.

Elections in four Serb-majority municipalities in northern Kosovo – North Mitrovica, Leposavic, Zubin Potok and Zvecan – were held after mayors from the largest Kosovo Serb party, Serbian List, resigned in November last year.

Members of the Serbian community boycotted the April elections and did not accept the results, that is, the new mayors from the Albanian community.

When are the other mayors sworn in?

In the municipality of Leposavic, the new mayor is Lulzim Hetemi from Self-Determination, in the municipality of Zvecan Ilir Peci from the ranks of the Democratic Party of Kosovo, while Izmir Zeqiri will lead Zubin Potok, also from the DPK.

It is not yet known when and where they will be sworn in and officially take office.

Unlike North Mitrovica, where there is a municipal building that works according to the Kosovo system, in the other municipalities, until now, the Kosovo local authorities were located in the buildings of the Provisional Authorities that work under the Serbian system.

Also, in some municipalities, until now, the mayors were the same in the Kosovo and Serbian systems.

Diocese on Ceku’s message to Djokovic: What messages for peace and understanding are being sent in Kosovo by such an inappropriate comment? (KoSSev, KiM radio)

The Diocese of Raska and Prizren is deeply saddened by the Kosovo Minister of Culture and Sport, Mr. Ceku, recent tweet, stating that the world’s best tennis player, Novak Djokovic, cannot legally come to Kosovo and Metohija because he has not received the Covid vaccine, even though this legal obligation has not been in force for more than a year, the Eparchy announced yesterday, reported portal KoSSev. 

Earlier this week, in an interview for the Italian Corriere Della Sera, Djokovic mentioned Kosovo when reminded by the journalist that his father is originally from there and that he himself visited Kosovska Mitrovica.

“And now I want to return to Kosovo, with my wife Jelena, to baptise our children there, eight-year-old Stefan and five-year-old Tara. I know this topic is very sensitive. And that the conflict still exists, not with weapons at the moment, but the tension is evident. I don’t want to be involved in politics, but for every Serb, Kosovo is the heart, it is the centre of our culture, our identity, our tradition, our faith,” Novak said in the interview.

This part of the interview caught the attention of the Serbian and Albanian media alike, each of which reported on it from their point of view.

“Novak Djokovic said that he would like to baptise his two children in Kosovo. He provoked by saying that ‘Kosovo is the heart and centre of the culture of Serbia’s identity, tradition and religion,” Pristina-based Koha wrote, reported KoSSev. 

The Kosovo Minister of Culture, Hajrulla Ceku, shared Koha’s text on his Twitter page, along with the message: “No-Vax, no entry”.

The Diocese of Raska and Prizren also reacted, saying that they are “deeply saddened” by such a reaction from Pristina.

They revealed that they wonder what message for peace and understanding in Kosovo does an official of the Kosovo government and the Minister of Culture and Sport sends with an inappropriate comment on social networks misinterpreting the statement of Novak Djokovic.

“…who in his interview for Corriere della Sera said: ‘I don’t want to deal with politics, but for every Serb, Kosovo is the heart, it is the centre of our culture, our identity, our tradition, our faith’. He made this statement in the context of his publicly-expressed desire to baptise his children in Kosovo.”

“We pray to God that this issue be resolved in accordance with the right of free movement of all citizens and religious freedoms of all because there are no legal reasons for the ban on the entry of Mr. Djokovic, who is appreciated as a world-renowned sportsman by many Kosovo Albanians too.”

The Eparchy underlined that Patriarch Porfirije and Novak Djokovic have, on many different occasions, conveyed messages of peace:

“That only contributed to the coexistence of Kosovo Albanians, Kosovo Serbs, and other peoples by expressing warm wishes for all those who live there.”

See at: https://bit.ly/3ohm7Hs

Vucic to attend several meetings because of situation in Kosovo (RTS)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic will have a number of meetings with domestic and foreign political stakeholders today in an attempt to stabilise the situation in Kosovo and Metohija, Serbian public broadcaster RTS reports.

It added that because of the situation in Kosovo, Vucic cancelled previously scheduled obligations today and will only attend the gathering scheduled at 18.00 in Pancevo, Vucic’s press office said in a statement.

Party of Kosovo Serbs: West decisive to preserve peace in Kosovo (Tanjug)

The statement of Quint states that one must not go unilaterally in the process of establishing new municipal structures in the north of Kosovo is clear confirmation and resoluteness to preserve peace and stability in the north and beyond, Party of Kosovo Serbs (PKS) said.

PKS said the message of Serbs from April 23 on boycotting local elections in the north was understood properly and this statement gives hope that the process will not be able to go to the detriment of the Serbs exclusively.

“We hope that this good, timely and clear stance of Quint will bring about some changes in the future attitude of the Kosovo government and it has been clear that reintegration of the government should be done, not that of the Serbs”, PKS said in a statement.  

Jovovic family robbed several times in Gorazdevac, preparators still remain unknown (Radio KIM)

At the entry of Gorazdevac village, in Pec municipality there are premises owned by the Jovovic family which had been stoned and robbed for the third time by still unknown perpetrators, Radio Gorazdevac reports.

One of the owners of the premise Milan Jovovic from Gorazdevac said this is the third time that his property is targeted, adding the case had been reported to the police previously, however, perpetrators are not found yet.

“My late brother reported (the case to the police) four or five years ago. They robbed all the rooms on the other side (of the premise), took radiators, a TV set, everything that was there. It is all reported to the police. One month ago they broke windows from this side. We reported again to the police. Now, they broke this window too. We no longer know what to do. There is a police report. They came from the town and took photos, I came again and they broke the window again. I think this is a shame”, Jovovic told Radio Gorazdevac.

Visibly distressed Jovovic also said the reason for the attacks against his property is an intent by some people to force him to sell his property, adding that he will never ever sell it.

Kosovo police spokesperson for the Pec region Fadil Gashi told the Radio Gorazdevac that investigation is underway and they are working on identifying perpetrators. 

Assembly of the Serbian Orthodox Church: There must be no indirect or direct acceptance of Kosovo independence (NMagazin, Beta, N1) 

The Assembly of the Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC) announced that ”any, indirect or direct, acceptance of the self-proclaimed independence of Kosovo and Metohija would be in direct contradiction to international law, the UN Charter and other acts and principles”, reported portal NMagazin. 

“Such a thing does not have the support of the UN Security Council or the majority of countries in the world, including the five EU countries. This would inevitably cause increased emigration of the Serbian people and make impossible not only the peaceful coexistence of all, regardless of ethnic origin and religion, but also the very survival of our people in their centuries-old homes. Therefore, solutions should be sought exclusively in respect of principles that are equally valid for everyone in the world,” announced the SOC Assembly, which is in its regular annual session.

The SOC stated that the Serbs, after dozens of attacks on them and their homes in Kosovo, decided to leave the Kosovo institutions until the Community of Serbian Municipalities is established, which is in accordance with the already signed agreement with Pristina in Brussels, with the mediation of the EU.

“It is clear that the goal of the Kosovo institutions is to create an ethnically Albanian Kosovo in which a free and normal life can hardly exist for Serbs. On this occasion, the Church also condemns all attacks on the Serbian people, their sanctuaries and property, especially terrorist armed attacks on individual Serbs, including children, as well as secret lists on the basis of which Serbs, even former members of the Kosovo police, are arrested and detained. Likewise, the expropriation of land in the possession of Serbs is being carried out illegally, with the aim of putting additional pressure on them and forcing them to move out,” stated the Serbian Orthodox Church.

SPC added that it is also in a very difficult situation because the highest Albanian officials do not even accept those guarantees that are confirmed by Kosovo laws.

“Our church in Kosovo and Metohija needs much more active international protection against the discriminatory behaviour of Kosovo institutions with increased international guarantees and effective supervision, in order to prevent all possible abuses and monitor the implementation of laws and court rulings, which must not be arbitrarily interpreted, changed or completely abolished, and all to the detriment of our church,” reported portal NMagazin, citing the announcement. 

International 

US Senate: Kosovo-Serbia Dialogue Remains Key Issue in Western Balkans (Balkan Insight)

The US Senate Foreign Relations Committee was told on Thursday that neither Kosovo nor Serbia was making much effort to implement the EU-brokered deal on normalisation of relations.

The Kosovo-Serbia dialogue remains one of the main issues of concern in the Western Balkans, the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on Thursday heard.

State Department Counsellor Derek Chollet warned: “We are not seeing great effort on the implementation of this agreement by either party.”

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

Chollet and Escobar remain optimistic about Western Balkans progress towards the EU (EWB)

WASHINGTON –    Derek Chollet, U.S. State Department counselor, and Gabriel Escobar, U.S. special envoy for the Western Balkans, faced questions from members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on the progress of their efforts, which is part of an international diplomatic push to bring countries into the European Union and the transatlantic alliance.

Some senators expressed skepticism about overall progress against corruption and crime in the region and the process toward normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia, Radio Free Europe reported.

Read more at: https://bit.ly/41RH21z