Albanian Language Media: 

• O’Brien highlights “urgent need to recommit to EU-facilitated Dialogue” (media)
• Biden: We intervened in Balkans to stop ethnic cleansing (media)
• Osmani, Rama met in Washington: Kosovo belongs in NATO (Koha)
• Osmani meets Glavchev, discuss Kosovo’s aspirations to join NATO (media)
• U.S. senators reconfirm commitment to Western Balkans (media)
• NATO report: Kosovo faces number of challenges relating to environment (media)
• Roth: Passivation of Albanians’ addresses in Serbia, in direction of ethnic cleansing (Albanian Post)

Serbian Language Media: 

• Vucic: Serbia shall never be anyone’s prey as in 1999 (Kosovo Online)
• Vucevic: Kurti's new “phantasmagoria”, only Serbian people are threatened in Kosovo (RTS, Kosovo Online)
• Djuric with congresswoman Tenney on continuing building Serbian-US relation (Kosovo Online, media)
• Djuric meets with Szijjarto in Washington (Tanjug)

Opinion:

• How does one go from “exacerbating ethnic cleansing” to “becoming the saviour of the people”? (KoSSev)                                                                                                                                                   

Albanian Language Media  

O’Brien highlights “urgent need to recommit to EU-facilitated Dialogue” (media)

U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, Jim O’Brien, said in a post on X that he met with Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani in Washington and that the U.S. is proud “to support the sovereign, multiethnic, and democratic state of Kosovo”. O’Brien also said that “it is critical we stay in step to advance our shared vision. Also discussed the urgent need to recommit to the EU-facilitated Dialogue”.

Biden: We intervened in Balkans to stop ethnic cleansing (media)

Most news websites cover U.S. President Joe Biden’s statement at the 75th anniversary of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization Alliance (NATO), highlighting his remarks that “when war broke out in the Balkans, we intervened to restore peace and stop ethnic cleansing”.

Read full statement at: https://shorturl.at/r5hFe

Osmani, Rama met in Washington: Kosovo belongs in NATO (Koha)

Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani met with Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama in Washington today and the two leaders have agreed to coordinate stances and efforts for Kosovo’s membership in NATO, the news website reports. A press release issued by Osmani’s office notes that they discussed the importance of Kosovo moving forward in its Euro-Atlantic path, “and especially about the necessary steps toward membership in NATO, a crucial alliance for security and peace in the region and beyond”.

Osmani meets Glavchev, discuss Kosovo’s aspirations to join NATO (media)

Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani said in a Facebook post today that she met with Bulgarian Prime Minister Dimitar Glavchev on the margins of the NATO Summit and discussed “the strong partnership between Kosovo and Bulgaria” and the shared commitment for regional stability and security. Osmani said that they also discussed Kosovo’s aspirations to join NATO and “the continuous support from our Bulgarian partners”.

U.S. senators reconfirm commitment to Western Balkans (media)

Co-heads of the U.S. Senate’s NATO Observer Group, Jean Shaheen and Thom Tillis, expressed bipartisan commitment to peace and stability in the Western Balkans and discussed ways how the U.S. can support the aspirations of countries in the region for membership in the European Union.

The two senators expressed their positions in a media statement after a meeting in Washington with Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, North Macedonia Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski and Montenegro’s Foreign Minister Filip Ivanovic.

“We have the opportunity to demonstrate our commitment to the Western Balkans by supporting the progress of every country toward EU membership which would help our trans-Atlantic alliance to achieve regional and global stability,” Shaheen said.

Tillis said that “the region of the Western Balkans is crucial for the security of Europe, and as co-heads of the NATO Observer Group in Senate, we made it clear that the United States are committed to react against totalitarian regimes, especially at a time when Russia continues its illegal war in Ukraine and threatens our NATO allies”.

NATO report: Kosovo faces number of challenges relating to environment (media)

Several news websites cover NATO’s 2024 Climate Change and Security Impact Assessment Report which was published today. The report highlights that accelerating climate change has “a profound impact on Allied security,” and stresses the need for NATO to remain fit for purpose in a rapidly changing environment.

The part of the report on Kosovo notes that “Kosovo faces a number of challenges relating to the environment. Environmental crime, such as illegal woodcutting and waste dumping, poses significant challenges to the ecosystem and the environment. These activities not only degrade natural resources and ecosystems but also exacerbate the impacts of climate change by increasing pollution levels and reducing the ability of forests to act as carbon sinks. KFOR has been involved in monitoring environmental crimes and assessing the safety of approximately 12 sites where toxic and radioactive materials are stored – many of which are inadequate for safe storage. KFOR and the KSF conduct monthly assessments of these facilities to help ensure they do not pose additional environmental hazards”.

Read full report at: https://shorturl.at/0tzqj

Roth: Passivation of Albanians’ addresses in Serbia goes in direction of ethnic cleansing (Albanian Post)

The Chairman of the Committee for Foreign Affairs in the German Parliament, Michael Roth, through a post on the "X" platform on Tuesday, asked the Government of Serbia to immediately stop the systematic discrimination and ethnic cleansing of Albanians in the Presevo ​​Valley.

"A further step back on the road to cooperation and peaceful coexistence in the Western Balkans. Serbia systematically discriminates against the Albanian minority. Although this form of ethnic cleansing is non-violent, it remains a crime," the German MP wrote.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Germany, in a response to the German news network "Deutsche Welle" in the Albanian language, has expressed concern about the deactivation of the addresses of Albanian citizens in the Presevo ​​Valley - Presevo, Medvegja and Bujanoc - in the southern part of Serbia.

"There are often reported cases where the authorities deregister the residents, after checks done individually, when they are on vacation, on trips, or are not at home for several days. Re-registration has major obstacles. This leads to a decrease in the number of minority members who are registered," the response states.

"These rights are guaranteed both by the constitution and by the law on the protection of the rights and freedoms of national minorities. Serbia has ratified the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities of the Council of Europe. The trend of 'passivisation' of the ethnic Albanian population in the south of Serbia is contrary to these legal obligations", the response continued.

The discriminatory policy of Serbia is based on the fact that the moment when the address of residence of Albanians is deactivated and deleted from the civil registry of the state, he/she cannot get a new identity card or passport. An Albanian citizen does not enjoy the right to medical services or social assistance, cannot register a car, cannot buy or sell property, and cannot vote in local or central elections.

The representatives of Albanians and Bosniaks in Serbia have constantly demanded reciprocity of rights with Serbs living in Kosovo, after dissatisfaction with their status in general, especially in Novi Pazar, Tutin and Sjenica in Sanxhak and in Presevo, Medvegja and Bujanoc.

Serbian Language Media 

Vucic: Serbia shall never be anyone’s prey as in 1999 (Kosovo Online)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said today Serbia shall never again be anyone’s prey as in 1999, Kosovo Online portal reported. According to the portal Vucic made those remarks reacting to statements of US President Joseph Biden and retired US general Wesley Clark.

"I see that they got stacked on us, both the American President Biden and Wesley Clark, who are talking about the Balkans and what happened in 1999. I just want to tell them that we are not touching anyone, we will not touch anyone, but it is neither possible nor will it ever be that Serbia becomes anyone's prey, as it was in 1999. Today, Serbia is serious, responsible, and wants peace, but we will not allow anyone in the world to threaten the freedom of our people and our homeland", Vucic said.

Clark previously stated that Serbia was “an agent and pawn of Russia in the Balkans”, while US President Biden said that “US intervened in Serbia in 1999 in order to stop ethnic cleansing”.  

Vucevic: Kurti's new “phantasmagoria”, only Serbian people are threatened in Kosovo (RTS, Kosovo Online)

Serbian Prime Minister Milos Vucevic said today Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti's claims about alleged endangerment of Kosovo were fabricated, adding it is only Serbs and their rights are at risk in Kosovo, Serbian public broadcaster RTS reported.

According to Vucevic “phantasmagoria of Albin Kurti” was in place again, who, as he said, does not even know exactly what the base means.

"It is about military bases of the Serbian Army that have been located there for years, and Serbia does not thereby violate any international agreement and document, as well as United Nations Resolution 1244. The fact that Kurti, for the umpteenth time, is trying to create a media drama 'how so-called Kosovo is allegedly threatened’ is nothing more than another sale of the fog to its Western sponsors", Vucevic said.

As it was pointed out, neither Kurti is a victim, nor is anyone at risk except for the Serbian people in Kosovo, to whom "the same Kurti is denying basic human rights".

"Therefore, the only ones who are threatened in Kosovo and Metohija are the Serbs, due to the constant violence, provocations, destructive actions and media spin carried out by Kurti himself", he added.

Vucevic pointed out one should not forget Serbia is a member of the Partnership for Peace, that it cooperates with NATO, so "they know very well what that same Kurti is denying".

"His claims are fabricated, and again he falsely blames Serbia and continues his cheap propaganda. Thanks for the question, the Serbian Army will continue to strengthen and modernise, because it is the guarantor of the peace and security of our Serbia", Vucevic said.

In an interview with CNN, Kurti asked the international community to put pressure on Serbia so that the military bases around Kosovo would be removed.

Djuric with congresswoman Tenney on continuing building Serbian-US relation (Kosovo Online, media)

Serbian Foreign Minister Marko Djuric met on the sidelines of the NATO Summit in Washington Congresswoman Claudia Tenney, co-chair of the Serbian caucus in the US House of Representatives, Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement, Kosovo Online portal reported.

As the statement said Djuric informed Tenny of Serbia’s foreign policy priorities in the upcoming period, noting that one of the focuses would be to continue building good political and economic relations with the US.

He also expressed beliefs that the US will continue to perceive Serbia as a constructive and credible partner, and that members of the Serbian caucus in the Congress would be guarantors of creating a balanced perspective of modern Serbia and its successes.

Djuric also said Serbia will continue holding a crucial role in preserving the peace and stability in the Western Balkans, adding that stability is precondition of social and economic progress. 

Djuric meets with Szijjarto in Washington (Tanjug)

Serbian Foreign Minister Marko Djuric met with Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Washington, noting that preserving peace and stability in the region was a necessary prerequisite for its further political, economic and any other development, Tanjug news agency reported.  

Djuric stressed that, as in the past, Serbia would be a constructive partner encouraging and helping the accomplishment of that shared objective, the Serbian MFA said in a statement.

Congratulating Szijjarto on Hungary's EU presidency, Djuric said he hoped enlargement of the European family of nations in the Western Balkans would again become the focus of the relevant political structures in Europe.

Speaking about the excellent Serbia-Hungary bilateral relations accompanied by dynamic development of cooperation in all areas, Djuric highlighted the significance of ethnic minorities as bridges between the two peoples and noted that Serbia was very pleased with the position of ethnic Serbs in Hungary.

Opinion

How does one go from “exacerbating ethnic cleansing” to “becoming the saviour of the people”? (KoSSev)

By Ivan Mitic

“Don’t doubt NATO. It saved my people“, Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti emphasised to the American public in an op-ed for the New York Times last week. He reinforced this message during a joint interview with Wesley Clark on CNN yesterday. Despite his current calls to trust NATO, the Self-determination movement he leads has previously expressed scepticism towards the alliance.

The Self-determination Movement and Albin Kurti himself in the post-war years, before coming to power, often criticised the West in connection with the events of 1999. They were also critical of the role of KFOR/NATO in the years that followed, i.e. after the withdrawal of the Yugoslav Army and the entry of NATO troops.

On one occasion, they expressed their stance on the NATO bombing in a statement entitled “Why NATO intervened in Kosovo“.

The text, which is not available now on the website of the ruling Kosovo party, according to the media, was published on June 2, 2010.

Nacionale.com reminded of this text on the anniversary of the beginning of the bombing of FR Yugoslavia on March 24 two years ago, with the claim that the text had been removed from the site.

Read more at: https://shorturl.at/WrQd0