Albanian Language Media:

• US Embassy on visit by Hanrahan to Kosovo (media)
• President Osmani to return to Kosovo this mid-week (media)
• Osmani congratulates Macron, “look forward to strengthening our ties” (media)
• Court suspends decision to five companies moving to free energy market (media)
• Ahmetovic: We need to make sure that minority rights apply everywhere (media)
• Deda demands accountability from leaders for Kosovo's security crisis (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Former Mitrovica North mayor: Failure of international community to react to Kurti’s acts deteriorates security (RTV, media)
• Hanrahan visits Gracanica Monastery (Radio kontakt plus, social media)
• Lawyer: Hearing in case of Dragan Ristic adjourned as case files were not provided in Serbian language (Kosovo Online, media)
• Serbian Democracy Vice President Veljkovic on hate speech and online attacks against party (social media)
• Giaufret in a farewell visit to Vucic (Tanjug, media) 

Opinion:

• Why must the EU integrate the Western Balkans into its cybersecurity agency? (EWB)

International:

• Kalina Yordanova: The war as a dirty job assigned to heroes (Kosovo 2.0)

Albanian Language Media 

US Embassy on visit by Hanrahan to Kosovo (media)

The United States Embassy in Kosovo said in a Facebook post today that “it was a pleasure to host Senior Bureau Official Brendan Hanrahan #StateEUR in Kosovo this past weekend. His visit included constructive meetings with government officials, opposition leaders, and the business community, as well as visits to Camp Film City and Camp Nothing Hill, to advance U.S. efforts towards stability and economic prosperity. He also took time to tour the beautiful and historic UNESCO World Heritage Site, Gracanica Monastery”.

President Osmani to return to Kosovo this mid-week (media)

Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani, who is on a visit to the United States, will return to Kosovo this mid-week and will hold a press conference about the reactions from senior U.S. official Richard Grenell, a senior advisor for Osmani told RTV21 today.

Osmani congratulates Macron, “look forward to strengthening our ties” (media)

Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani congratulated French President Emmanuel Macron and the people of France today on the French National Day. “Heartfelt congratulations to President Emmanuel Macron and our dear French friends on the occasion of July 14 – French National Day! As the French sky lights up with a thousand sparks, Kosovo celebrates the unwavering friendship that binds us to France and rejoices in a strong partnership built on trust and mutual respect. We look forward to continuing to write this beautiful story, further strengthening our ties,” Osmani wrote in a post on X.

Court suspends decision to five companies moving to free energy market (media)

Most news websites report that the Commercial Court has suspended a decision by the Energy Regulatory Office (ERO) to move five companies to the free energy market, after the latter filed their individual lawsuits. The news was announced by the Kosovo Chamber of Commerce. “As we have said before, the current legislation does not foresee group or collective lawsuits, therefore, only individual lawsuits are being treated by the court. These five companies have won their legal rights through this mechanism. The Chamber of Commerce calls on the ERO to suspend the decision for the forceful move to the free energy market in order not to harm the competition, businesses, the citizens and the economy of the country,” the Chamber of Commerce said in a statement. 

Ahmetovic: We need to make sure that minority rights apply everywhere (media)

Several news websites cover an interview Adis Ahmetovic, a member of the Social Democratic Party of Germany and member of the Bundestag, gave to Deutsche Welle, highlighting his quote that Serbia cannot ask for rights for Serbs in Kosovo while it violates the rights of Albanians in Presevo Valley. “We need to make sure that the rights of minorities apply the same everywhere. With regards to the rights of the Albanian minority in Serbia, there are three agreements to which Serbia has made its pledge. They include clear obligations for the integration of Albanians in the administration, the judiciary, police, and political representation. These agreements must be implemented because they are a condition for Serbia’s future in the European Union,” he said.

Asked if the request of the Kosovo government and Albanian representatives from southern Serbia to be included in the EU-facilitated dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia is legitimate, Ahmetovic said: “the Serb minority in Kosovo has a legitimate right to demand its rights. Why shouldn’t the same standards that the Serbian government wants for Serbs in Kosovo apply for Albanians in Serbia too? I think that these standards should apply for all minorities – the minorities in Serbia, and the minorities in Kosovo. This is why I see as legitimate the request of the Albanian minority in Serbia to be included on the agenda of the EU-facilitated dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia. I took this request as part of my work, and I will address it”.

Deda demands accountability from leaders for Kosovo's security crisis (media)

Political analyst and former Kosovo Assembly MP Ilir Deda has reacted with criticism about the warnings of escalation with Serbia, accusing the leadership of irresponsibility. “If we are on the brink of war, where is the state, the institutions, the communication with allies?” he asked, highlighting the lack of transparency and institutional action in a potentially dangerous situation, especially at a time when Kosovo is in an institutional deadlock.

“If we were truly on the brink of a ‘blow-up’ with Serbia, then where was the state? Was there a meeting of the Kosovo Security Council? Were there meetings between institutional and party leaders? Were there talks with leaders of major states—France, Germany, Italy, and the UK? With the head of NATO? Or any public statement saying, ‘… we discussed the security situation in the region and the urgent need for de-escalation…’? Calls for dialogue? An emergency compromise to constitute the Assembly and the government? Or were we all just going to wake up one morning, without an Assembly and without a government, finding out that the situation with Serbia had ‘blown up’? Are you serious? Do you bear any responsibility for this state? Do you understand the weight and duties of the roles you hold, or do you just not care at all?” Deda wrote.

Serbian Language Media

Former Mitrovica North mayor: Failure of international community to react to Kurti’s acts deteriorates security (RTV, media)

Serbian List official and former Mitrovica North mayor Milan Radojevic said over the weekend “the real goal of Pristina provisional institutions caretaker prime minister, Albin Kurti is to ethnically cleanse the northern part of Kosovo”, adding that international community’s inaction and passivity to Kurti’s acts could deteriorate already poor and fragile security situation, Radio Television of Vojvodina (RTV) reported.

As he said Kurti knows the symbolism of all the bridges connecting the South and North Mitrovica and that is why he persistently insists on opening the main bridge over the Ibar River. He also said reconstruction of two new bridges over the Ibar River, not far from the main bridge, was completely unnecessary, adding that Serbian people strongly oppose it, as shown by the number of signatures collected in a petition against their reconstruction.

Radojevic explained that a petition will be submitted to international representatives in Kosovo, who, as he said, support its independence. He said Kurti continues to implement these plans and new bridge construction work has not been stopped, however, he expects the international community to prevent further escalation.

“Unfortunately, the only address we can turn to is the international community. We now have a paradoxical situation where, in a completely undemocratic society, where there is no parliament and government is in a technical mandate therefore it cannot make such major decisions, Serbs are fighting back by democratic means, by signing a petition and repeatedly appealing to the international community, which, I underline, is the only one with the possibilities and the only one with the capacity, if it wants to, to stop the construction of these bridges and prevent escalation of situation in northern Kosovo and Metohija”, Radojevic noted.

As he said Serbian List officials, in their meetings with Quint ambassadors and other international factors present in Kosovo, constantly point out that Serbs in Kosovo are the biggest victims of Kurti’s policy, of the failure to form institutions. He opined that Kurti’s current acts towards Mitrovica North also represent a form of campaigning for the upcoming local elections and that he is violating his own laws.

Hanrahan visits Gracanica Monastery (Radio kontakt plus, social media)

US Senior Bureau Official for European and Eurasian Affairs, Brendan Hanrahan, visited Gracanica Monastery on Sunday and was told about the history of the monastery, as well as the rich cultural heritage of the Serbian Orthodox Church, Raska-Prizren Diocese said in a statement, Radio kontakt plus reported.

After the visit to the monastery, Metropolitan Archbishop Teodosije spoke with Hanrahan about the situation in the Diocese of Raska-Prizren. During that conversation, the Metropolitan Archbishop informed Mr. Hanrahan about the increasingly difficult position in which the Diocese of Raska-Prizren finds itself, primarily due to the actions of Kosovo institutions, the statement added.

The Metropolitan Archbishop Teodosije thanked the United States for its past support for the preservation of religious and cultural heritage in this region, and expressed hope that this support will continue in the future, in the form of preserving and strengthening the guarantees that the Serbian Orthodox Church has in Kosovo. 

Lawyer: Hearing in case of Dragan Ristic adjourned as case files were not provided in Serbian language (Kosovo Online, media)

The plead hearing of Dragan Ristic, from Djakovica, accused of allegedly committing war crimes against civilian population in this city has been adjourned at the Basic Court in Pristina today, because case files were not provided in Serbian language, Ristic’s defense attorney Jovana Filipovic told Kosovo Online portal.

The next hearing is scheduled for July 22, at 9.00, she added. Ristic (76) has been in detention since his arrest in February this year. He was arrested at Jarinje crossing point, while enroute to Djakovica with his son to extend his personal documents. Previously he visited Kosovo dozens of times from central Serbia, where he is displaced. Following his arrest on February 26, Filipovic said she is convinced the arrest happened due to mistaken identity.

Serbian Democracy Vice President Veljkovic on hate speech and online attacks against party (social media)

Serbian Democracy Vice President Stefan Veljkovic in a post on his Facebook account published a number of online hate speech remarks and threats targeting Serbian Democracy and its officials. He said, over the period of two years, the party and his colleagues were subjected to them on a daily basis, and no action of the responsible institutions were taken. The post is available at: https://tinyurl.com/yxx7hyz6

“Every day the leaders of Serbian Democracy receive dozens of death threats, threats of beatings, public accusations that we are terrorists and criminals, call for our physical removal and arrest, insult on a national and religious basis, demand that we be deported from Kosovo, claim that Kosovo is an integral part of ‘Greater Albania’, and so on. These are all criminal offenses punishable by law, but Kosovo Police and the Prosecutor’s Office are visibly silent.

Dozens of such messages and comments a day - and so for two years since the founding of our party. That just means we’re doing the right thing!

It’s all in vain, Xhelal Sveçla, Lëvizja VETËVENDOSJE! and Albin Kurti. Soon we will give a magnificent welcome to our President Аleksandar Aco Arsenijević in North Mitrovica!”, Veljkovic wrote in a post.

Giaufret in a farewell visit to Vucic (Tanjug, media) 

The President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic received today the Head of European Union Delegation to Serbia, Emanuele Giaufret, in a farewell visit and summarized the previous results of cooperation during his mandate, which, he said, contributed to the strengthening of relations between Serbia and the EU, and in particular they discussed the implementation of projects foreseen in the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans.

"A cordial and friendly meeting with Ambassador Giaufret and an excellent opportunity to summarize the results of cooperation so far, which during his mandate additionally contributed to the strengthening of relations between Serbia and the EU. We also exchanged opinions on other topics of importance for partnership with the Union in numerous areas of mutual interest," Vucic said in an Instagram post. 

He pointed out that they specifically discussed the implementation of the projects foreseen in the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans, as well as joint energy and infrastructure projects in which the EU is a reliable and good partner of Serbia.

Opinion

Why must the EU integrate the Western Balkans into its cybersecurity agency? (EWB)

By Dr Igli Tafa and Mentor Vrajolli

We are living in a period defined by digital vulnerability and geopolitical instability. As such, cybersecurity has become not only a matter of national resilience but a vital dimension of the European integration process in our region. For the Western Balkans Six (WB6), the urgency to align with the European Union’s cybersecurity framework is more than technical; it is existential.

This year, we organized policy roundtables in Tirana, Berlin and Brussels to discuss how we can bring the Western Balkans closer to EU’s cybersecurity mechanisms and policies, and every one of these roundtables all participants shared a call on the European Union to take a bold and strategic step: enable the phased integration of the WB6 into the European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA). This process should begin by granting observer status and developing a clear roadmap toward full membership.

The EU has acknowledged that digital transition is central to its future. Through initiatives such as the Growth Facility for the Western Balkans, the EU has emphasized that the digital resilience of the Western Balkans is crucial for convergence with the EU. But while rhetoric recognizes the digital challenge, the instruments for cybersecurity integration should be open to candidate countries. ENISA, a critical actor in safeguarding the EU’s digital infrastructure, currently offers no formal pathway for WB6 participation beyond third-country cooperation. This is not to say that there is no cooperation between ENISA and WB6; in fact, ENISA and its leadership have been very active in supporting WB6. However, we need to develop this relationship further. Considering that the EU is seeking ideas on how to advance gradual integration, ENISA is a perfect option, as it is common sense and mutually beneficial for the EU and our region.

Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/mrxhftbt

International

Kalina Yordanova: The war as a dirty job assigned to heroes (Kosovo 2.0)

It is July 11, 2025, and the world marks the International Day of Remembrance for the Srebrenica Genocide. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the massacre, during which Bosnian Serb forces killed more than 8,000 Bosniak Muslim men and boys between July 11 and 22, 1995.

The Srebrenica genocide has been recognized by both the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) and the International Court of Justice (ICJ). It remains the first genocide in Europe to be legally recognized by international courts since World War II.

Each year, as global leaders solemnly repeat “Never again,” the phrase rings increasingly hollow. To this day, Serbia refuses to recognize the events in Srebrenica as genocide. In Republika Srpska — the entity where the killings took place — not only is the genocide denied, but war criminals are openly glorified, and efforts to erase memory persist. Meanwhile, the world watches, again, in disbelief, as another genocide unfolds in Palestine and Sudan, and as war continues in Ukraine, adding to a continuum of trauma that will shape generations to come.

In Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), those who lived through the war have certainly not forgotten it. But how do second-generation individuals, born after the war, confront the weight of transgenerational trauma?

Kalina Yordanova, a clinical psychologist and independent researcher, has spent the past 15 years exploring this very question. She holds a PhD in psychoanalysis and anthropology from University College London (UCL), where her doctoral research focused on the intergenerational transmission of war trauma in families of survivors from BiH. Yordanova has worked with Médecins Sans Frontières and various Bulgarian NGOs, offering psychological support to survivors of war, torture, and domestic violence. Her publications examine trauma, memory, and identity in post-conflict contexts.

Read more at: https://shorturl.at/2mnk2