Albanian Language Media:

• KFOR: Criminal groups were behind violent protests in Zvecan (RFE)
• Kurti: Rule of law needed in north for fair campaign before elections (media)
• Berlin on Rama’s draft: We received it, cannot comment the content (Nacionale)
• For EU, Rama’s draft statute for Association “a serious text” (RFE)
• Wisner: We’re Kosovo’s friends, Kurti knows this; disagreements suit only Vucic (AP)
• Kurti travels to Croatia, participates in an international conference (Kallxo)
• Molliqaj: Kurti’s actions in north are dangerous, door to compromise must open (EO)
• Suspension of visa liberalisation for Kosovo is not an option (RFE)
• Ben-Meir criticises Kurti of shortsightedness, “he must now correct” (Nacionale)
• Police armoured vehicles are leaving Leposaviq (Express)
• Kosovo Police arrest a Serb suspected of war crimes in Kamenica (Kallxo)
• Explosion in Mitrovica South, suspected hand grenade (Koha)

Serbian Language Media:

• Gallieni: KFOR present in northern Kosovo because of crisis (Kosovo Online)
• Situation in Zvecan calm, Serbs continue gathering (media)
• Serb from Pomoravlje region arrested yesterday over war crimes allegations (KoSSev)
• Office for KIM says arrest in Bosce intimidation aimed at driving Serbs away from their places (Kosovo Online)
• Liturgy that “inspires Serbs to violence” and deleted text (Radio KIM)
• Vucic to participate at UN conference in Dubai (Tanjug)

Humanitarian/Development:

• The Fifth Assembly of The United Nations Youth in Kosovo is held (Klan)
• The Fifth UN Kosovo Youth Assembly began in Prizren (Media Centar Caglavica)

Albanian Language Media  

KFOR: Criminal groups were behind violent protests in Zvecan (RFE)

KFOR spokesperson, Andrea Gallieni, said in a press conference today that several criminal groups were behind the violent protests in Zvecan on May 29. He said that violent groups organised to attack and that it is up to Kosovo Police to identify them.

“It is very important for all parties to refrain from vengeance acts. Because as these events proved, everything can escalate to a high level of violence, therefore, it is very important for all parties to consider the consequences and the threats of their actions,” he said. 

Gallieni said that both sides need to be accountable. “One side for making decisions regardless of the level of security, and the other side must react to the violent actions that were seen among the protesters,” he added.

Gallieni also said that the situation in the north of Kosovo is becoming calmer. “When these events started, meaning several days before May 29, I cannot say that there was coordination, because it was a unilateral act by Kosovo’s institutions to send the mayors to the municipal buildings with the use of force. But later we organised to be engaged in these municipalities and on May 29 we were there, and we intervened between the two sides,” he argued.

Kurti: Rule of law needed in north for fair campaign before elections (media)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti said after meeting UK Ambassador Nicholas Abbott on Thursday that it is necessary to have rule of law in the north of Kosovo “both for removing criminal elements and also for an open and fair campaign before free and democratic elections in the future”.

A press release issued by Kurti’s office notes that the meeting discussed current developments, with special emphasis on the situation in the north, the importance for full de-escalation and the road forward. Kurti thanked Abbott for his continuous engagement and cooperation in strengthening bilateral relations.

Berlin on Rama’s draft: We received it, cannot comment the content (Nacionale)

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama told a press conference on Thursday that he has submitted a draft statute for the Association of Serb-majority municipalities to the U.S., Germany, and France. German authorities have confirmed receiving the document. In a response to the news website, they said they cannot comment on the content of the document because it is confidential. “We can confirm receiving the document at the Chancellery.  We ask for your understanding that we cannot comment on its confidential content,” the response notes.

For EU, Rama’s draft statute for Association “a serious text” (RFE)

Several diplomatic sources in the European Union, who said they saw the draft of the Association of Serb-majority municipalities submitted by Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, told Radio Free Europe that “the text was written with great seriousness and the way of writing has a very high quality”. Therefore, the source said, “the text is being carefully analysed”.

Asked if the draft will be taken into account to advance in the dialogue, the source said that “the text is seen as a contribution in this respect, same as other drafts that have been prepared so far by different non-government organisations”.

“It is not so important how the EU treats this draft, but how the parties treat it, Pristina and Belgrade. It is up to them, within the dialogue, to advance on meeting this obligation,” an EU diplomat said. 

Wisner: We’re Kosovo’s friends, Kurti knows this; disagreements suits only Vucic (AP)

Frank G. Wisner former U.S. special envoy for talks on Kosovo’s final status, said in an interview with the news website that the disagreement between Kosovo and the United States suits only Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic.

Wisner said he is concerned with the U.S. Secretary of State Blinken’s criticism of Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti. “I must say that I feel bad that it has come to this point, that the Americans had no other choice but to publicly criticise Albin Kurti’s policies, especially about his approach to the north of Kosovo,” he said. He also said that he is “aware of the reasons” that led to this but added that “the United States has been a good friend of Kosovo and Albin Kurti knows this”.

Wisner said he thinks that the situation in the north of Kosovo was a “bluff” by Serbian President Vucic and that the situation is not favourable for Kosovo and that it suits only the Serbian side. “Vucic’s bluff tactic must be understood, because I have a really good understanding of this situation, but the current situation, the disagreement between Kosovo and the U.S. suits only Vucic. Only Serbia benefits from this,” he argued.

Wisner also said that he hopes Kurti “will shift the attention to restoring cooperation between Kosovo and the U.S.” and that “we are very good friends of Kosovo and there is no reason not to continue to stand alongside each other”.

“There was no sense in Albin Kurti holding elections with a minimal turnout, in areas where the majority of the population is Serb, and to send the mayors to the offices. In my opinion, this is a way to provoke trouble,” Wisner said. “So I hope that the government of Kosovo will find the time and way to remove the police from there and to resort to dialogue as the only solution to this issue.”

Suspension of visa liberalisation for Kosovo is not an option (RFE)

European Union sources have told Radio Free Europe that the suspension of visa liberalisation for Kosovo – which has been mentioned as a possibility in the media, after the increase in tensions in the north – is not an option. 

However, the same sources have admitted that the possibility of taking measures against Kosovo is being considered in the EU, in case the demands for reducing tensions in the north and finding a solution to return the Serbs to the institutions premises of that part continue to be ignored.

“There are a number of measures that are being considered and discussed. But the great majority of the member states in several meetings have made it clear that the suspension of visa liberalisation for Kosovo is not an option”, said an official for Radio Free Europe.

Some other diplomatic sources in the EU have said that the suspension of visa liberalisation would be a complicated process for procedural reasons, because for this a qualified majority in the Council would have to be secured.

According to them, the suspension of visa liberalisation is done more for other reasons, such as migration or security issues, and not so much for political reasons.

However, these sources do not exclude the possibility that in case of further escalation of the situation, and the appearance of threats to security, or even the risk of mass migration, this issue will not appear on the agenda in the EU.

Kurti travels to Croatia, participates in an international conference (Kallxo)

The Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, is staying today in Dubrovnik, Croatia. Government spokesman Peparim Kryeziu told KALLXO.com that Kurti is participating in the international conference “European Croatia: Retrospective & Prospective”. According to him, this is an organisation of the Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament (S&D) and Kurti is in a one-day trip there.

Molliqaj: Kurti’s actions in north are dangerous, door to compromise must open (EO)

Leader of the Social Democratic Party (PSD), Dardan Molliqaj, said in an interview with the news website that the actions of the Kurti government in the north of Kosovo are dangerous and lack vision, and that Kosovo is now in an unfavourable position.

“The positions and actions of the Prime Minister of Kosovo were irresponsible, dangerous, and lacked vision, and they have brought Kosovo in an unfavourable position on two fronts. On the one hand, the agreement that is offered to Kosovo is detrimental and we, the PSD, find it unacceptable, and at the same time, aggravation with the international community which is also a result of this government and Prime Minister Kurti,” he said.

According to Molliqaj, the problem is between Albin Kurti as Prime Minister and the United States, and not between Kosovo and the U.S. “This is why I believe both the Association [of Serb-majority municipalities] and Albin Kurti must be refused and the door should open to a dialogue that includes compromise but which leads to a final settlement and not a partial agreement which Kurti brought,” he said.

Ben-Meir criticises Kurti of shortsightedness, “he must now correct” (Nacionale)

American political expert, Alon Ben-Meir, in a Twitter post, criticised Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti saying that “by defying the U.S. and EU attempts to normalise relations between Serbia and Kosovo” he has shown “severe shortsightedness which he must now correct because he must maintain good standing with his most critical allies.”

Police armoured vehicles are leaving Leposaviq (Express)

The news website reports that Serb protesters are continuing to stay in front of the municipality building even today on the 15th day of protests in the north of Kosovo. 

It further reports that the police vehicles that were located in front of the municipality building in Leposaviq have left during the day, while the barbed wire was removed yesterday.

Kosovo’s Minister of Infrastructure, Liburn Aliu, visited the north of Kosovo today, however he did not make any announcement to the media.

Kosovo Police arrest a Serb suspected of war crimes in Kamenica (Kallxo)

Kosovo Police said in its 24-hour report that it arrested a Kosovo national suspected of committing war crimes against civilians during the war in Kosovo. The news website learns from unofficial sources that the suspect is of Serb nationality. The police report notes that the suspect is believed to have committed the crimes in June 1999.

Explosion in Mitrovica South, suspected hand grenade (Koha)

An explosion was heard early this morning at Adem Jashari square in Mitrovica South. Koha learns from its sources that a hand grenade is believed to have been thrown. Material damages were caused to three stores and no injuries are reported.

Serbian Language Media 

Gallieni: KFOR present in northern Kosovo because of crisis (Kosovo Online)

KFOR Spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Andrea Gallieni said KFOR is currently present with reinforced forces in the north of Kosovo because of the crisis, but it is not objective to expect greater duties of this mission. He also recalled that the KFOR Mission acts in line with UN SC Resolution 1244.

“Since May 29, additional KFOR troops have been deployed in the north of Kosovo, after the four mayors tried to forcibly enter their offices a few days ago. KFOR was there to prevent further escalation of the protests and on May 29 in Zvecan municipality a big protest was held. During the protest, soldiers were injured by stones, improvised explosive ordinances and firearms. It was clear that people were trying to manifest, protest in a peaceful way, but it was also clear that behind them were hiding some criminal groups just trying to attack the KFOR troops”, Galieni told a press conference in Pristina.

He also said that both sides should think of risks and consequences. “It is important at this moment that sides have dialogue and find a solution. It is important, it is fundamental, that all restrain from using their narratives, because at this moment only dialogue between the two sides can be considered as the only way to resolve the situation, and it is also duty of KFOR to secure conditions for the dialogue under EU’s auspices (…)”, he added.

He also said the situation in the north is becoming better in terms of security, and KFOR started to modify its means on the ground, respecting the situation of the protests that are underway. He said KFOR will stay in the north of Kosovo as long as there is a possibility that the situation escalates further. 

Situation in Zvecan calm, Serbs continue gathering (media)

Serbs in Zvecan continue gathering today as well in the vicinity of the municipal building where KFOR is still present. The situation is calm. The gatherings continue in Leposavic and Zubin Potok. 

Serbs in the north voice the same demands, Kosovo special police to leave municipal buildings in northern Kosovo, Albanian mayors not to come to the municipal facilities in the Serb-majority areas and that Rados Petrovic and Dusan Obrenovic, arrested on May 29 in Zvecan, are released from detention. 

Serb from Pomoravlje region arrested yesterday over war crimes allegations (KoSSev)

Serb M.M (1955) was arrested yesterday in the village of Bosce, near Kamenica, his family confirmed for KoSSev portal. He is accused of allegedly committing war crimes in 1999. Police, in fact, as the family of M.M. said, arrested at least four persons in this village, all of Serb ethnicity, but only M.M. remained in detention.

The family said he had never had any problems with the law or with Albanians. He is retired and worked as a doorkeeper in the Health Center in Kamenica.

His son told KoSSev that M.M. was arrested yesterday around 14.00. He also said police carried out arrests randomly.

“They came to the village and arrested whomever they found. My father and several more persons were arrested and taken to the police station for informative talk. They set all of them free, but my father. Like they found something about him. After that they took him to Pristina”, he said.

Family also said they contacted the Office for KiM, and a lawyer was assigned to them. His son added M.M. was neither a member of the army nor the police. He was regularly crossing administrative points to visit family members living in central Serbia and never had any problem. The family said they suspect this is about “ethnically motivated arrest”. There are also rumours in the village that there is an alleged list of people from this place to be arrested, the portal reports.

KoSSev portal said they contacted Gnjilane region police spokesperson regarding the case but didn’t manage to receive any information about the case by the time of publishing the text. 

Lawyer Dejan A. Vasic said that he spoke with the prosecutor in this case and was told that “M.M. took part in a criminal act of “demolishing a grave”, but that for the time being prosecution has no sufficient evidence it is about war crime, respectively there is no sufficient evidence that he took part in committing war crime”.  

Office for KIM says arrest in Bosce intimidation aimed at driving Serbs away from their places (Kosovo Online)

Serbian Government Office for KiM reacted to the arrest of M.M and two more Serbs in the village of Bosce, near Kamenica by saying that this arrest without doubts represents an attempt to intimidate the Serbs aiming at forcing them to leave their century-old places, Kosovo Online portal reports.

The Office said three Serbs, including M.M. who is retired, were arrested in the village yesterday, adding that their arrest caused strong anxiety and distress among the Serb residents in Pomoravlje region.

Two Serbs were released afterwards, while M.M is still in detention. 

Liturgy that “inspires Serbs to violence” and deleted text (Radio KIM)

“Liturgy of Teodosije that inspires Serbs to violence” was the headline of the Kosovo Albanian portal Gazeta Express. Wrong interpretation of messages, speech and spreading the hatred, inaccurate information – would be a brief summary of the text – which the portal following reaction of the Raska-Prizren Eparchy removed from its website, Radio KIM reports today. 

Gazeta Express portal published the text on June 6 on Raska-Prizren Eparchy Bishop Teodosije speech in Leposavic on the occasion of Holy Trinity Holiday. The portal alleged that the Serbian state in continuity used “Serbian Orthodox Church to incite hatred among people in the Balkans”, accused Bishop Teodosije “of inciting Kosovo Serbs to violence” and that Teodosije’s visit to northern Kosovo was “more political than religious”.

What Gazeta Express failed to mention, Radio KIM continues, was that the Raska-Prizren Eparchy announced earlier that as of May 29, the Bishop Teodosije and Raska-Prizren Eparchy clergy will serve prayer services for peace across northern Kosovo.

Raska-Prizren Eparchy refuted allegations of the portal, noting that it has wrongly interpreted the speech of Bishop Teodosije, warning that such texts inclined to spreading the hatred and warmongering can encourage violence against the Serbian Orthodox Church (SOC), referring to the previous examples of the attacks against SOC shrines and Orthodox cemeteries.

It also sent a video recording of the speech and transcript to the US Embassy in Pristina, saying that writing of Gazeta Express “was a disturbing example of violation of the religious rights and professional reporting”.

This is not the first time that the Serbian Orthodox Church has been a target of disinformation in the Kosovo Albanian media, Radio KIM recalls. Targets of inaccurate texts for years, apart from Eparchy and Bishop Teodosije are also Visoki Decani Monastery and its Abbot Father Sava Janjic.

Vucic to participate at UN conference in Dubai (Tanjug)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic accepted today the invitation from Sheikh Mohammd bin Zajed, United Arab Emirates President to take part at the UN Conference on Climate Changes in Dubai, Tanjug news agency reports.

“I was pleased to accept the invitation from a great friend of our country, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, to participate in @cop28uaeofficial. The fact that the UAE is this year’s host of this prestigious event that will bring together world leaders, is yet another confirmation of the great reputation and growing influence of the UAE in the world”, Vucic wrote in a post on his official Instagram account. 

Humanitarian/Development

The Fifth Assembly of The United Nations Youth in Kosovo is held (Klan)

For the fifth time in a row, the United Nations Youth Assembly in Kosovo brought together in Prizren 150 volunteers from all communities in the country and 25 of them from the region.

During this two-day event, consisting of a panel discussion, thematic workshop and a competition for small grants young people were able to contribute to the issues they gathered on.

Divided into 5 groups, each of them worked on topics that focus on participation: youth participation in politics, community issues, peace building and regional/international initiatives, real participation and consultation on drafting the Kosovo Youth Strategy which is to be shared with an inter-ministerial working group.

Head of the UN Mission in Kosovo Caroline Ziadeh called on participants to show their strength, courage and creativity. You are the force, with a duty to change your daily life, you are overcoming the discrimination, the fear and you can make changes Ziadeh added.

One of the participants, Amine Kaja is appreciating very much this opportunity that was offered to her.

“We will have very good cooperation, we have people from all over the Balkans, so we will be friends, we will establish collaborations with different organisations and networks,” she said.

Ivan Perkovic, who came to this event from Bosnia and Herzegovina, expressed gratitude for this opportunity.

“I am very grateful for the opportunity to be in Kosovo, and it is very important to build bridges in every aspect.”

The Youth Assembly participants also included 15 young delegates from the Western Balkans engaged in the regional initiative supported by the UN Peacebuilding Fund “Youth 4 Inclusion, Equality and Trust”. They actively used this opportunity to promote positive, inclusive narratives and gender equality, along with their peers.

The Fifth UN Kosovo Youth Assembly began in Prizren (Media Centar Caglavica)

The fifth UNMIK-organised Youth Assembly attended by some 150 young people from Kosovo and the region began yesterday in Prizren, This year’s Youth Assembly, titled “Activate the Power of Youth”, gathered five participants from each, Albania, Serbia, North Macedonia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as 125 participants from all communities in Kosovo, including 12 people with disabilities.

The 5th Youth Assembly was opened by UNMIK Head Caroline Ziadeh, who said that in these difficult and challenging times, it is necessary for everyone, young people in particular, to work together to build bridges of cooperation and achieve positive change. 

“Looking at you, I see that your power has been activated and we have to transfer that energy to the main social areas so that you too can become part of a conversation in Kosovo and beyond. We are here today during very difficult times and in these challenging times, your power is the cornerstone to continue to stand united together”, she said addressing the Youth Assembly.

Kosovo Deputy Prime Minister Emilija Rexhepi also addressed the audience, stating that young people are actors of peace and progress.

“I am someone who has devoted her whole life to peace and the values and specificities of different peoples living in the Balkans, someone who strongly condemns any kind of discrimination, whether it is discrimination based on language or any other form of discrimination. I am someone who advocates for the aspiration to live together because we are first and foremost humans, and then we can define ourselves as something else”, Rexhepi said.

Many participants of this year’s Youth Assembly also took part in the previous assemblies, and some are for the first time in both the Assembly and Kosovo.

“This is my first time at the UN Youth Assembly, so it’s very exciting and I’m here as a Young European Ambassador. I think it’s really going to be fun, I see all these people, all these young people who came here to be together, to learn something – I’ll learn something from them – so I expect that I will make new friends, colleagues and partners who will help me as an activist”, Amina Kaja, a student of medicine, said.

“I’m an artist, I play piano, I have my NGOs through which I try to build bridges, and I also do that through art. This is not my first time in Kosovo. I was here also last year and I must say that I always feel very nice here, and I have created many friends and contacts with whom I can do a lot of beautiful things, especially in the field of art, culture and sports”, Ivan Perkovic from Bosnia and Herzegovina told Media Centre Caglavica.

On the first day of the Assembly, in a panel discussion, representatives of institutions and organisations had a chance to present their programs and achievements in creating opportunities for young people to further enhance their skills.

Workshops on various topics were also organised for the Assembly participants, including “Youth in Central and Local Governance”, “Youth in Community Work and Volunteering”, “Youth Builds Peace”, “Youth in International Organizations”, and “Heritage of the UN Youth Assembly in Kosovo”.

Based on the previously selected topics by the participants, working groups including young people of different backgrounds were formed to provide them with an opportunity to cooperate and exchange ideas and experiences. All participants of the Assembly received T-shirts in different colours, and each carried the same inscription: ‘Make your voice heard’!