Albanian Language Media:

• 52 attempt to form new Assembly fails, next session tomorrow (media)
• Ambassadors: Politicians disappointing people, we came to Assembly with hope (media)
• Limaj: NISMA doesn’t move toward partial solutions or new elections (RFE)
• “Kurti discussing new govt with Limaj, not the post of Assembly Speaker” (media)
• Haxhiu: If there is no reflection, the only solution might be elections (Klan)
• “No elections before all options to form institutions are exhausted” (Nacionale)
• Krasniqi: We didn’t request this measure from Constitutional Court (ekonomia)
• Abdixhiku: Awaiting Constitutional Court's final decision on our case (RTK)
• Krasniqi, Limaj comment on Thaci’s interview with Klan Kosova (media)
• Rahovec municipal assembly declares Popovic “persona non grata” (media)
• Belgrade court orders 30-day detention for arrested Kosovo Albanian (media)
• RTK Union warns protests and lawsuit if govt doesn’t secure funds by Aug 5 (AP)
• 14 yrs since killing of Kosovo Police special unit member Enver Zymberi (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• US Congresswoman Tenney concerned over Popovic’s arrest, calls on President Osmani to release him immediately (Kosovo Online, social media)
• Kabasic: Decision on two bridges on Ibar River legally void, works must be halted (Kosovo Online)
• Gogic: Supreme Court ruling could overturn other Kosovo Government decisions, including one on Ibar bridges (Kosovo Online)
• Closing remarks in trial of four Serbs presented, defense demands acquittal (KoSSev, Radio KIM)
• Lawyer in Ivica Rajkovic and Dragan Denic case: Prosecution did not present evidence (Radio KIM)
• New road sign at entry to Mitrovica North – “Dobrodošli”, “Zbogom” and “Good bye” (Alternativna.com, KoSSev, N1)
• Vucic, France's Roquefeuil discuss joint interests of Serbia, France and region (Tanjug)

International:

• Kosovo’s Thaci denies feeling betrayed by West over war crimes trial (Balkan Insight)

Albanian Language Media

52 attempt to form new Assembly fails, next session tomorrow (media)

All news websites report that the 52nd attempt to form the new Kosovo Assembly today has failed. The next session has been set for tomorrow as that is the day when the deadline set by the Constitutional Court to form the new legislative expires.

Ambassadors: Politicians disappointing people, we came to Assembly with hope (media)

Foreign ambassadors attended the constitutive session of the Assembly, which once again failed to produce any results. Among those present in the Assembly of Kosovo were the ambassadors of the United States, the United Kingdom, Italy, France, Germany, North Macedonia, Greece, as well as the Head of the European Union Office.

German Ambassador to Kosovo, Jorn Rohde, stated that politicians are disappointing their own people. “The political class is disappointing its own people, and that is very concerning. Yesterday’s court decision, if we use football language, was like a red card — because it suspends Parliament from making decisions,” he said at the Assembly.

The Head of the EU Office in Kosovo, Aivo Orav, also said they came to the Assembly with great hope that something new would happen today. He stressed the urgency of forming institutions. “We came here with great hope and unfortunately, nothing happened again. Kosovo needs a functioning Assembly immediately; it needs a new government that can build a strong new bridge between Kosovo and Brussels to accelerate its path toward the EU,” he stated.

British Ambassador to Kosovo, Jonathan Hargreaves, said in a Facebook post that “today diplomatic representatives of Kosovo's friends observed the 52nd consecutive failure to constitute the Assembly. I urge Kosovo's politicians to come together and find a solution to end the deadlock before the Constitutional Court's deadline ends tomorrow. Otherwise Kosovo is entering unchartered territory and its citizens continue to lose out on meaningful political representation and the ability to take crucial domestic and international decisions which affect citizens' lives”.

Limaj: NISMA doesn’t move toward partial solutions or new elections (RFE)

NISMA leader Fatmir Limaj told reporters today that this party does not move toward partial solutions for the current political deadlock and that it does not contribute to Kosovo going to new elections. “When NISMA is certain that a majority government is formed, we will give our contribution for the country not to go to early elections. A majority government, there are no partial solutions. The election of the Assembly Speaker has become a topic, but for me it has never been a topic. The basis of this crisis is the lack of votes for a new government. And until there are enough votes to form a new government, things will remain this way,” he said.

Limaj also said that in the interest of democracy and the functioning of institutions “it would be good to wait for the ruling [of the Constitutional Court] and then political parties can mobilize and form the new institutions”.

“Kurti discussing new govt with Limaj, not the post of Assembly Speaker” (media)

Kosovo’s acting Deputy Prime Minister, Emilija Rexhepi, said that acting Prime Minister and Vetevendosje leader Albin Kurti is discussing with NISMA leader Fatmir Limaj the possibilities of forming a new government and not the post of Assembly Speaker. “The Vetevendosje Movement is the winning party, and it has the right to propose its candidate for the Speaker of the Assembly, and Albulena Haxhiu has been the candidate from the beginning. I have no information about any other MP. Prime Minister Kurti is discussing the formation of a government with Limaj, as far as I know, and not about the post of Assembly Speaker,” she said.

Haxhiu: If there is no reflection, the only solution might be elections (Klan)

Albulena Haxhiu, candidate for Speaker of the Assembly from the Vetevendosje Movement, has stated that if political parties do not show reflection or willingness to resolve the current institutional deadlock, early elections could be the only remaining solution. Her comment comes amid prolonged failure to constitute the Assembly of Kosovo following the most recent elections, despite over 50 sessions being held without success. Haxhiu stressed the need for responsibility and cooperation, warning that continued institutional paralysis is unsustainable.

“No elections before all options to form institutions are exhausted” (Nacionale)

The leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK), Ramush Haradinaj, has stated that early elections should not be prioritized unless all possibilities for forming functional institutions have first been fully explored. In his statement, Haradinaj stressed that “the country needs stability and that political actors have a duty to act with maturity and responsibility.” According to him, pushing for elections prematurely risks deepening the institutional crisis and damaging the credibility of the democratic process.

Haradinaj’s remarks come at a critical moment, as Kosovo approaches the constitutional deadline to form the Assembly, with repeated failed attempts to do so.

Krasniqi: We didn’t request this measure from Constitutional Court (ekonomia)

The leader of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), Memli Krasniqi, stated that his party did not request the temporary measure recently imposed by the Constitutional Court, which prohibits any actions by MPs after the constitutional deadline for the Assembly's constitution. “We did not request this measure. Our desire was for the Constitutional Court to issue its final ruling before the deadline expired,” Krasniqi said. He noted that their intention was not to block the process, but to ensure constitutional clarity and legality in the functioning of Kosovo’s institutions.

Abdixhiku: We are awaiting the Constitutional Court's final decision on our case (RTK)

The leader of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), Lumir Abdixhiku, stated that they are waiting for the final decision of the Constitutional Court regarding the case they filed related to the constitution of the Assembly and the secret voting procedure. “We are expecting the Constitutional Court’s final ruling on our case,” Abdixhiku said. He stressed the importance of respecting constitutional procedures and legal certainty, and added that LDK’s goal is to ensure that institutional processes are conducted in full accordance with the Constitution and democratic norms.

Krasniqi, Limaj comment on Thaci’s interview with Klan Kosova (media)

Leader of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) Memli Krasniqi commented on former Kosovo President Hashim Thaci’s interview with Klan Kosova saying that he spoke “not as a former President or a man who has spent almost five years in jail, but as a man that still wholeheartedly defends the fight and sacrifice for freedom”. Krasniqi said that “President Thaci’s eyes are still open for Kosovo and for justice – which he is patiently and wisely waiting for together with the other liberators. This interview … was a call: to stand tall, move righteously and never give up. We all have what to learn from Hashim Thaci … We impatiently wait for you in Kosovo, President!”.

NISMA leader Fatmir Limaj, commenting on Thaci’s interview, said that Kosovo is missing people that know what politics is. “His messages were extraordinary. I believe and hope that people will understand his messages … The most emotional [message] was that leaders are temporary, and Kosovo is forever. We are missing the voices that know what politics is about, politics is not about spite. Politics is civilization, not to insult one another, but to send messages of cooperation,” he said.

Rahovec municipal assembly declares Popovic “persona non grata” (media)

The municipal assembly of Rahovec in a meeting held on Thursday adopted a declaration condemning the denigrating statement against the Kosovo Liberation Army by the deputy head of the Serbian government’s office for Kosovo, Igor Popovic. During a visit to the village of Hoca e Madhe last week, Popovic referred to the KLA as a terrorist organization. 

The declaration, adopted unanimously by members of the Rahovec municipal assembly, notes: “on behalf of the citizens of the municipality of Rahovec, we, representatives of the Municipal Assembly, express our concern and firm reaction against the insulting, unacceptable and tendentious statements of Igor Simic during his visit to the village of Hoca e Madhe in the municipality of Rahovec. These statements constitute a direct attack against our shared history and the efforts of an entire people for freedom and dignity. They are aimed at staining the fair and glorious fight of the Kosovo Liberation Army – a fight that is the foundation of our statehood and the eternal pride of our nation. In a democratic and sovereign country which has worked hard for the overall peace of its citizens regardless of ethnicity or religion, a person with a language of hatred and division is not wanted and for our municipality is a ‘persona non grata’. We encourage our fellow citizens of Hoca e Madhe and the representatives of this village to distance themselves from this unacceptable language,” the declaration notes.

Belgrade court orders 30-day detention for arrested Kosovo Albanian (media)

Most news websites report that a court in Belgrade, Serbia, has ordered a 30-day detention for Lulzim Halili, a Kosovo Albanian who was arrested by Serbian authorities several days ago. The court said that Halili is suspected of “committing the criminal offence of organizing and inciting genocide and war crimes”. Kosovo’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has said that Serbian authorities have provided it with no information about Halili.

RTK Union warns protests and lawsuit if govt doesn’t secure funds by Aug 5 (AP)

The Union of Workers of the Radio Television of Kosovo (RTK) said in a statement today that it could organize protests if the government of Kosovo does not take immediate action to allocate funds for the public broadcaster in line with the budget adopted by the Kosovo Assembly. “There are many legal solutions to secure the functioning of the public broadcaster and to prevent the institutional collapse of the RTK which is now faced with an alarming financial situation. Any additional delay risks not only the constitutional mission of the RTK but also threatens to leave hundreds of workers without salaries, exposing them and their families to serious social uncertainties,” the statement notes. “The failure to meet the financial obligations toward the RTK constitutes a direct violation of the law and threatens the functioning of the sole public broadcaster in Kosovo … If the allocation of funds for the RTK is not done by August 5, the Union will start its protests. At the same time, the Union will ask to suspend the RTK coverage of any political activity and undertake legal steps by lawsuits in court against all those responsible for the situation”.

14 years since killing of Kosovo Police special unit member Enver Zymberi (media)

Several news websites report that today marks 14 years since a member of the Kosovo Police special unit, Enver Zymberi, was killed during an operation to take over control of the crossings in the north of Kosovo, Jarinje and Bernjak. “In the morning of July 25, 2011, special police members headed toward the border crossings but were met with obstacles set by Serb illegal structures and Zymberi was killed during the operation. Former Kosovo President Atifete Jahjaga had posthumously awarded Zymberi with the ‘Hero of Kosovo’ order,” media report.

Serbian Language Media 

US Congresswoman Tenney concerned over Popovic’s arrest, calls on President Osmani to release him immediately (Kosovo Online, social media)

US Republican Congresswoman Claudia Tenny from New York state, Serbian Caucus Chair, in the House of Representatives Claudia Tenney called upon Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani to immediately release Office for Kosovo and Metohija Assistant Director Igor Popovic. Tenney also expressed concern over his unjust arrest.

“I am deeply concerned about the unjust arrest of Igor Popović by Kosovo police. @POTUS and @SecRubio have made it clear that Freedom of Speech is an essential human right that must be upheld. I call upon @VjosaOsmaniPRKS to immediately release Mr. Popović and end his wrongful detention”, Tenney wrote in a post on X social platform. 

Kabasic: Decision on two bridges on Ibar River legally void, works must be halted (Kosovo Online)

Construction of two new bridges supposed to connect Mitrovica South with Mitrovica North is legally void and must be halted immediately, former President of the Court of Appeals in Mitrovica North, Nikola Kabasic said, referring to Kosovo Supreme Court decision banning ministers in technical mandate to exercise functions of MPs at the same time.

Kabasic argued that the recent Supreme Court decision is of crucial importance because it resolves both the legal and political issue of the institutional crisis in which Kosovo finds itself. “The Supreme Court clearly said that, from the moment they are appointed as MPs, their function as a minister ceases and they can no longer make any decisions, regulations or laws", Kabasic said.

He recalled the Court made a decision in a concrete case of Finance Minister in technical mandate Hekuran Murati’s administrative instruction on fiscal devices, underlining, that the scope of this decision is far-reaching and relate to other decisions Kosovo Government made while in technical mandate, including decisions that directly relate to the Serbs in Kosovo.

“Concretely, the decision on construction of two new bridges supposed to connect Mitrovica South and Mitrovica North must be annulled. It also has to face the destiny of that administrative instruction. The works must be halted immediately”, Kabasic said.

He recalled that special prosecution started gathering information on the legality of the decision to construct and finance these bridges. “There was no previous procedure carried out at all – no decision on expropriation was made, no decision about public interest, no talks with owners of the land were held. It is about private properties of two owners that were demolished without explanation, warning or any instruction that they have the right to compensation or legal remedy”, Kabasic said.

Gogic: Supreme Court ruling could overturn other Kosovo Government decisions, including one on Ibar bridges (Kosovo Online)

Political analyst Ognjen Gogic opined that the Supreme Court’s ruling, which establishes that a Member of Parliament cannot simultaneously serve as a minister, could have legal consequences that include the annulment of several recent government decisions. Speaking to Kosovo Online, he said that among those decisions could be ones directly affecting the Serbian community, such as revoking citizenship and the construction of new bridges over the Ibar River.

Gogic believes the Supreme Court’s ruling primarily revealed that the main opposition to Self-Determination are not other parties, but the judiciary.

“The judiciary has stepped in to resolve this political crisis. On one hand, there’s the Constitutional Court, which may finally bring an end to the current deadlock around forming the Assembly. Then we have the Specialist Prosecutor’s Office, which has raised questions regarding the construction of the Ibar bridges. And there is also the Supreme Court, which has questioned the legality of by-laws passed by acting ministers”, Gogic emphasized.

Read more at: https://shorturl.at/7MioC

Closing remarks in trial of four Serbs presented, defense demands acquittal (KoSSev, Radio KIM)

Defense lawyers of the four Serbs, Milun Milenkovic, Dejan Pantic, Aleksandar Vlajic and Momir Vakic, accused of “terrorist act” over their alleged involvement in the attack on Municipal Election Commission Office (MEC) in Mitrovica North in December 2022, presented closing remarks. Prosecution presented closing remarks in a hearing before, while the same was done by a lawyer representing Milenkovic, Radio KIM reported.  

Milos Delevic, defense lawyer of Aleksandar Vlajic, said he did not see poorer investigation and indictment in his entire career. He spoke of the three “crucial evidence” prosecution presented against his client, and all were based on messages from Viber.

“(…) The special prosecutor bases accountability of Aleksandar Vlajic on three pieces of evidence, that is three Viber correspondences. He accused my client of publishing the photo of a witness Idriz Ibrizi along with a text “This is Idriz, Shiptar’s spy, we know you and wait for you in the north”. The Instagram account which published this post is named “No Surrender, KIM Stays”. Is it possible that the prosecutor accuses my client that he published this post without any evidence whatsoever?” Delevic asked.

Aleksandar Vlajic said he was not part of the group which committed this act, as confirmed by many witnesses. He said he is not asking for privilege, but for justice only and for the court to look at the evidence.

Defense lawyer of Dejan Pantic, Ljubomir Pantovic criticized the indictment against his client, saying it was based solely on police reports, without concretely proving acts of defendants.

"He was arrested in December 2022, he spent 18 days in improvised detention in Jarinje and eight months under house arrest. At the beginning, many accused him of terrorism. Many times in the statements of the Interior Minister (Xhelal Svecla) as well, the Prime Minister (Albin Kurti) threatened the prosecutor who made the decision to place Pantic under house arrest. I have not seen a stranger indictment than this one (…)”, Pantovic said. He added no witness was proposed to be heard in this indictment and all the evidence this indictment was based on narrowed down to police reports and documentation.

"I could not see from the indictment what my client did, in the indictment it was said significant material damage was caused to MEC premises, no injured person is mentioned. In the indictment, the prosecution says lives of CEC officials and police officers were seriously threatened, and we do not have a single name of those whose life was in danger, and finally none of interviewed parties said their lives were in danger. The prosecution conducted an investigation for 12 months, after which we received a flawed, bad and incomprehensible indictment", Pantovic underlined.

Dejan Pantic in his remarks said he never committed any criminal act. On the day when the attack against MEC Office happened he went to the shop, bought bread and returned home. He denied having any contact with Milenkovic and Vakic.

Lawyer of Momir Vakic, Dejan Vasic said he does not know what the word “terrorist attack” appeared in this trial. He asked how it is possible to qualify the protest which occurred on December 6, 2022 in front of MEC offices as “terrorist” while many other protests did not have such qualification.

As he said this case has become “a terrorist case” as “these two whom I dare not to mention (in reference to Interior Minister Xhellal Svecla and PM Albin Kurti) said that they arrested one of two biggest criminals in Kosovo (in reference to Milun Milenkovic) and then it could not be only Lune (Milun Milenkovic) arrested, they had to assign to him some terrorist company”, Vasic added.

One of the lawyers argued Kosovo prosecutors have forgotten what the notion of giving up indictment means, if there is a lack of evidence. The defense lawyers said given all that was presented the acquittal of all four defendants is the outcome they expect, unless politics gets involved. 

Lawyer in Ivica Rajkovic and Dragan Denic case: Prosecution did not present evidence (Radio KIM)

Closing remarks in the case of Ivica Rajkovic and Dragan Denic, tried in absentia, under allegations of committing war crimes against Albanian civilian population in Kosovo were presented on Thursday, Radio KIM reports.

Dragan Denic’s defence lawyer, Milka Milosavljevic said the prosecution did not provide single material evidence substantiating indictment. "In the proceedings, it was not proven that my client participated in the commission of the crime he is accused of. Victim B1 could not specify the time or date of the event, which is of essential importance, and the indictment itself does not include that either", she underlined. She also said witnesses in the proceedings were generally making statements such as they "did not see or hear anything concrete", and that Denic was not mentioned in any of the statements.

According to the indictment, in addition to Rajkovic and Denic, three other unidentified uniformed persons of Serbian ethnicity allegedly participated in the event, which the defense disputes. The verdict will be issued on Monday.

New road sign at entry to Mitrovica North – “Dobrodošli”, “Zbogom” and “Good bye” (Alternativna.com, KoSSev, N1)

After the road sign in Cyrilic alphabet “Kosovska Mitrovica” was removed in April this year at the entrance to Mitrovica North from the direction of Zvecan, a new one has been installed today, Alternativna.com portal reported.

A three-language road sign with Kosovo logo and that of Mitrovica North carries the messages in Serbian language wrongly written, but also the one in English misspelled.

In Serbian it says “Dobrodošli” instead of “Dobro došli” (Welcome), “Zbogom” (Go with the God) instead of “Srećan put” (Have a Safe Trip) or “Doviđenja” (Goodbye). In addition to this, the English word “Goodbye” was misspelled and written “Good bye”.

N1 recalled that ever since Albanian mayors took over authorities in northern municipalities, with few hundred votes in elections boycotted by Serbs two years ago, attempts to suppress and remove Cyrillic alphabet for public signs were underway. Simultaneously, three-language boards and signs are installed, with Albanian language given priority, often in enlarged fonts, although the majority population in the north comes from the Serbian community.  Serbian language used on those boards and road signs is often misspelled, grammatically incorrect, and sometimes takes awkward forms. 

The video of newly installed road sign is available at:  https://shorturl.at/Ezl8r

Vucic, France's Roquefeuil discuss joint interests of Serbia, France and region (Tanjug)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic met with Brice Roquefeuil, head of the French foreign ministry's directorate for continental Europe, in Belgrade on Friday to discuss the joint interests of Serbia, France and the region, and noted that fruitful bilateral cooperation and friendly relations with France represented the pillars of Serbian diplomacy, Tanjug news agency reported.

"We noted a commitment to further strengthening these ties in all areas, from the economy to culture, and the confirmation of France's participation in EXPO 2027 is an important step in that direction", Vucic wrote in an Instagram post. Speaking about EU integration, Vucic noted that reforms that were underway were key for Serbia's future.

"France strongly supports our European and reform path, and we stressed that the EU needs to accelerate the integration of the Western Balkans for the sake of long-term stability in the region and the continent as a whole", Vucic added.

International

Kosovo’s Thaci denies feeling betrayed by West over war crimes trial (Balkan Insight)

Kosovo’s former president gave a rare interview from detention, saying he does not regret helping to establish the Hague court that is now trying him for war crimes.

In a long, written interview from detention in The Hague, Kosovo’s former President, Hashim Thaci, who is on trial for war crimes, expressed no regret for insisting in 2015 on the establishment of the court that years later would indict him.

“Like many others, I have challenged myself in the interests of the state… If I’d done the opposite, today I’d be accused by the same people, about why the court was not established by Kosovo’s institutions in cooperation with Westerners. I have no dilemma,” Thaci told Pristina-based Klan Kosova TV.

Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/3h6hpheh