Albanian Language Media:

• KFOR: COMKFOR authorized KSF to deploy SAR teams in Ujman lake (media)
• KSF, accompanied by KFOR, starts search operation in Ujman Lake (media)
• Ex-KSF commander on cases when they operated in the north in the past (KSP)
• German Embassy: Non-constitution of Assembly sending wrong signals (Klan)
• Maqedonci: Kosovo and Ireland, growing partnership in area of defense (media)
• Bislimi meets new OSCE head in Kosovo, economic growth among topics (RTK)
• RTK Union warns with protest and boycott of political coverage (media)
• Thunberg: People in Kosovo incredibly kind, open and generous with me (media)
• Romanian Foreign Ministry advises citizens not to travel through Kosovo (Klan)
• Kamberi submits resolution on position of Albanian community in Serbia (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• KFS, accompanied by KFOR at Gazivode lake, searching for a young man, former Serbian Army Chief of Staff Ponos claims “search intentionally delayed so KSF would come to the north” (KoSSev, social media)
• Self-determination Movement: KSF first time as an army in the north of Kosovo: Statistics says – at least third (Kosovo Online, KoSSev, social media)
• Vlora Citaku accuses current government of misusing case of a young man at Gazivode lake (KoSSev, media)
• Serbian Justice Ministry: Verdict to three Serbs culmination of judicial abuse for political purposes (media)
• Bajatovic: New delay of US sanctions on NIS good news (Tanjug)

International:

• The 90’s in pieces (Kosovo 2.0)

Albanian Language Media

KFOR: COMKFOR authorized KSF to deploy SAR teams in Ujman lake (media)

NATO’s peacekeeping mission in Kosovo, KFOR, said in a Facebook post that today COMKFOR Major General Enrico Barduani, authorised the Kosovo Security Force (KSF) to deploy Search and Rescue (SAR) teams in the area of Ujman/Gazivoda lake. “The authorisation was given in full accordance with the KFOR Commander’s prerogatives and authorities, to maximise the ongoing efforts to locate a 33 year-old man reported to have entered the lake a few days ago. It is conditioned to specific requirements and set by KFOR which will also provide security throughout the whole operation. The use of the KSF SAR teams falls under KSF’s mandate, which includes support to local communities, in response to natural disasters, through search and rescue operations,” the post notes.

KSF, accompanied by KFOR, starts search operation in Ujman Lake (media)

Several news websites report this morning that the Kosovo Security Force, accompanied by KFOR, have started a search operation for a 33-year-old from the diaspora who is believed to have drowned in Ujman/Gazivoda Lake. Klan Kosova reports that this is the third day of the search operation, and the presence of the KSF in that area comes after a permission from KFOR to go to the north.

Kosovo’s caretaker Minister of Defense, Ejup Maqedonci, said in a Facebook post that “specialized diving and search and rescue units of the Kosovo Security Force have engaged today in support of civilian authorities to search for the body of the diaspora member in Ujman lake in the municipality of Zubin Potok”. He also said that one of the crucial tasks of the Kosovo Security Force is to support civilian authorities. “In this respect, in cooperation with the Emergency Management Agency, the Kosovo Police and in coordination with KFOR, specialized units of the KSF have started the search operation in Ujman lake with the aim of retracting the body as soon as possible and to ease the pain of the family,” he said.

Ex-KSF commander on cases when they operated in the north in the past (KSP)

Former commander of the Kosovo Security Force (KSF), Rrahman Rama, in an interview with Kosovapress today, recalled that today is not the first time that KSF units went to the north of Kosovo. “It was July 2014 and then in 2016, on the part of Iber River in Zvecan, and another demining operation in 2019 together with KFOR … These were search and rescue operations. The first operation was in 2014 when two boats crashed on the lake; four Serb youths died there. The operation started on July 15 and until July 18 we carried out the search and rescue operations in Ujman lake. And then in 2016, when together with KFOR we recovered the body of a Serb from the municipality of Zvecan from the Iber River,” he said.

Rama said that KSF has a legal and human obligation to carry out such operations, adding that the KSF has some of the best search and rescue units in the region. “The KSF is in the service of the citizens, it is their legal and moral obligation,” he said.

German embassy: Non-constitution of Assembly sending wrong signals (Klan)

Deputy chief of the German Embassy in Kosovo, Christian Bottcher, said that the failure to form a functioning Assembly is directly preventing Kosovo from making further steps toward Euro-Atlantic integration and is sending the wrong signals to partners in NATO and the European Union. 

Bottcher said that political leaders need to bear full responsibility to end the crisis. “In the coming weeks they need to agree on the constitution of the Assembly – starting with the election of a Speaker and Deputy Speakers – and to offer sustainable leadership strongly based on the Constitution. The citizens of Kosovo deserve elected officials that act with determination and in their best interest, instead of relying on the Constitutional Court to break a deadlock that only politics can break,” he argued.

Bottcher also said that Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani can play a role in reaching a compromise. “We also believe that the Kosovo President can play a key role in calling inter-party discussions and in guiding all parties toward a compromise. Presidential leadership in de-escalation and in building consensus would help restore trust and momentum in the democratic process,” he added.

“Germany remains unwavering in its support to Kosovo’s democratic development. We stand ready to work with the next government of Kosovo to push forward its Euro-Atlantic ambitions”.

Maqedonci: Kosovo and Ireland, growing partnership in area of defense (media)

Kosovo’s caretaker Minister of Defense, Ejup Maqedonci, met on Monday with Ireland’s Minister of State for European Affairs and Defense, Thomas Byrne, and said that the meeting focused on close relations and the advancement of the Kosovo Security Force. Maqedonci said he briefed Byrne on Kosovo’s efforts to join NATO, “starting from building on a professional military doctrine to our weapons systems which meet the requirements of this alliance”. 

Maqedonci also highlighted Kosovo’s position on Ukraine and developments in the region. “I stressed that Kosovo remains committed to clear support for the just war of Ukraine, and continues to maintain vigilance over the situation in the Balkans, as a state that has always been an ally of Ireland in this part of Europe,” he said.

Bislimi meets new OSCE head in Kosovo, economic growth among topics (RTK)

Caretaker First Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration, Development, and Dialogue, Besnik Bislimi, met with the new Head of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo, Gerard McGurk. They discussed Kosovo's recent developments, highlighting economic growth, job creation, and increased local production. Both emphasized continued institutional cooperation, and Bislimi praised the OSCE's role in supporting Kosovo’s democratic institutions and expressed readiness for stronger future collaboration.

RTK Union warns with protest and boycott of political coverage (media)

The Workers’ Union of the Radio Television of Kosovo (SPERTK) has warned with a protest on August 6 and radical union actions in response to the failure to allocate the budget funds for the second half of the year.

The union said that the respective institutions have not yet secured the necessary funds for the functioning of the public broadcaster and that this seriously threatens the continuation of their work and the right of information of the public. “The institutions have continued their silence and negligence, by leaving the workers in uncertainty and the RTK on the verge of a total collapse,” a statement notes.

The union also said that it will boycott the coverage of all political events if the lack of financial support continues. 

Thunberg: People in Kosovo incredibly kind, open and generous with me (media)

Several news websites report that Greta Thunberg, Swedish human rights activist and environmentalist, visited Reporting House during her two-day visit to Kosovo, where she met with activists from the Termokiss organization and other youth organizations, and learned more about the history of civic activism and protests in the 1990s in Kosovo.

Romanian Foreign Ministry advises citizens not to travel through Kosovo (Klan)

A Romanian citizen has received a message from the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs advising Romanian citizens not to travel through Kosovo. “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued a travel warning for Kosovo. In special situations, please contact the Romanian Office in Pristina,” reads the message obtained by the news portal.

According to information provided to Klan Kosova, most Romanian citizens, some of whom are vacationing in Albania, are opting to travel through North Macedonia instead. This is reportedly due to Kosovo being considered a high-risk area. The news website reports that it has sent an inquiry to the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and is awaiting a response regarding the case.

Kamberi submits resolution on position of Albanian community in Serbia (media)

Most news websites report that the sole Albanian member of the Serbian Parliament, Shaip Kamberi, submitted a resolution to the Serbian Parliament on the position of the Albanian community in Serbia. He said in a Facebook post that the resolution calls on parliament to acknowledge the discriminatory situation faced by Albanians living in Presevo Valley and also calls for institutional commitment to improve the position of the Albanian community in that region. 

Kamberi said one of the biggest problems is the arbitrary passivisation of addresses, the failure to recognize diplomas issued by Kosovo institutions, the lack of fair and proportional representation in state institutions, obstacles to the official use of the Albanian language and national symbols, and the lack of economic development in the region. The resolution calls for a stop to the passivisation of addresses, the implementation of signed agreements, and the implementation of legal provisions that guarantee language and education rights. 

The resolution also calls for the establishment of a parliamentary body with the participation of the OSCE, civil sector and Albanian representatives, whose task will be to look into all cases of passivisation of addresses. There is also a proposal to include the position of Albanians in Presevo Valley in the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia. 

Serbian Language Media 

KFS, accompanied by KFOR at Gazivode lake, searching for a young man, former Serbian Army Chief of Staff Ponos claims “search intentionally delayed so KSF would come to the north” (KoSSev, social media)

Escorted with several KFOR vehicles and that of Kosovo police, the convoy of two KSF vehicles and a boat, arrived at Gazivode lake this morning slightly before 9.00, more precisely to the bridge from which a young Albanian man jumped off on Sunday and has not been seen since then, KoSSev portal reported.

The arrival of KSF to Gazivode lake is the leading news in Pristina media, KoSSev portal also said.

Rescue and Search Agency “paused a bit” search yesterday?

In the meantime, following this recent event, statements of the Rescue and Search Agency members who were looking to locate the young man over the previous days appeared in Kosovo media. According to media reports “they paused the search a bit yesterday as they did not have enough oxygen supply”, adding they “managed to resolve the issue and hope that all together they will manage to find him”.  

“They were told to slow down, so that Kurti would have reason to seek and receive permission from KFOR to send KSF to the north”

Former Serbian Army Chief of Staff and leader of the opposition SRCE party Zdravko Ponos in a post on X social platform on Monday wrote “a young man drowned at Gazivode lake. Pristina services responsible and competent for rescuing were engaged immediately. However, they were told to slow down a bit, even if they located the body, and it seems they did. Why? So that (Albin) Kurit would have a reason to seek and receive permission from KFOR to send the members of so-called Kosovo Security Forces to the north to carry out this job. By the morning, they should be there (at Gazivode lake)”, Ponos said in a post on X social platform last night.

“This play serves (Albin) Kurti for internal use. He builds his marketing on human misfortune. And does not even think of the pain of the family of that man. 

And you (Aleksandar) Vucic, what did you do today? Apart from having lunch at Toma (Nikolic, former President and former SNS leader) in Bajcetina (village near Kragujevac). What are your services doing? Should it be me to inform you that KSF members are lacing up boots on their way to the north”, Ponos wrote in the same post last night.

Elshani: Request sent by police station North, we needed experience

The portal further wrote that KFS members were received at Gazivode lake by high Kosovo police officials from the North directorate, Veton Elshani and Petrit Fejza. Elshani confirmed to KoSSev portal the arrival of KFS search and rescue unit members at Gazivode lake, accompanied by KFOR.

Their help was requested by Kosovo police command in Pristina, after the request was sent from Kosovo police north directorate. The reason for this request was “that KSF has adequate equipment”.

Asked if it is true that rescue units already located the body of a young man in Gazivode lake, but that the search was intentionally delayed in order to bring KSF to the north, as former Serbian Army Chief of Staff General Zdravko Ponos claimed last night in a post on X social platform, Elshani said that he cannot comment on general’s statement in his replay.

As Elshani said “they have been searching for the young man non-stop since Sunday, the divers of Trepca rescue unit, who were searching all the time, were asked for help first. They did not find him until today and there's a lot of mud down there, that's why we asked the command for a better equipped and more experienced unit, and I repeat, KSF divers have equipment, they're experienced, because they do it all over Kosovo".

Based on the Agreement from 2013 between Kosovo Government and NATO (KFOR), KFS can not be independently deployed in the north of Kosovo. Each possible arrival, deployment or mission of the KSF in the north requires previous approval and consent of the KFOR Commander. These rules have been confirmed several times in KFOR officials statements and that of Kosovo institutions, the portal recalled.

The last publicly known request to send KSF to the north was made by the Kosovo Government in November last year, following an explosion at Ibar-Lepenac water canal but this request was rejected by KFOR. KFOR then deployed their forces for a few hours, the portal recalled.

The information whether Serbs were consulted or informed about this latest KSF arrival was lacking, nevertheless one Serbian general was already aware of it, as he spoke of KSF arrival to Gazivode lake last night in a post on social media platforms.

This is not the first search activity of KSF in the north. They did so in 2015, when a search for a young Albanian man in the Ibar River lasted for days.  

Self-determination Movement: KSF first time as an army in the north of Kosovo: Statistics says – at least third (Kosovo Online, KoSSev, social media)

After KSF members got engaged in a search operation this morning, looking for a man who is believed to have drowned in Gazivode lake on Sunday, Self-determination Movement said this is the first time that KSF as an army is in the north of Kosovo, Kosovo Online portal reported citing the party’s post on Facebook account.

“KSF, first time as an army in the north of the country”, reads Self-determination Movement post on Facebook, recalling statement of Kosovo acting defense minister Ejup Maqedonci who said that KSF specialized diving and rescue units were engaged in supporting civilian authorities to look for a body of a man at Gazivode lake. 

Meanwhile KoSSev portal in its report on Self-determination announcement on Facebook on KSF “being for the first time as an army in the north of Kosovo”, said statistics speaks otherwise and based on publicly available information KSF has taken part in search operations in the north already before.

In 2015 they joined a several-day long search for a young Albanian who drowned in Ibar River during which they crossed to the north. Also, KSF members were present in the north last year – without approval from KFOR - during the funeral of a former KLA member in Leposavic municipality, while Kosovo officials published the photos from this event themselves.

After this event, the Kosovo Government pledged a written commitment to NATO that it will not send KSF to the north without previous approval and consent from KFOR. 

Vlora Citaku accuses current government of misusing case of a young man at Gazivode lake (KoSSev, media)

PDK MP Vlora Citaku has accused the current government of, as she said, “misusing the death of a young man” at Gazivode lake. She opined this case is being misused for political propaganda, KoSSev portal reported citing Pristina media reports.

“KSF did not go today to the north to fight, but to search for the body of a young man who tragically lost his life”, she said. As she said, they did so also before, “with dignity and without noise”.

“You are disgusting. Do you have any sense of responsibility? Do you have any sense of humanity? How can you misuse the tragic death of a young man for political propaganda? KSF did not go to the north to fight, but to search for the body of a young man who tragically lost his life, as they did before – with dignity and without noise. Same as you are altering photos to create a false narration, you are attempting to alter history as well. But you will not succeed. Shame on you”, Citaku said, as quoted by KoSSev.

Other Serbian media, including Kosovo Online, also covered Citaku’s reaction. 

Serbian Justice Ministry: Verdict to three Serbs culmination of judicial abuse for political purposes (media)

Serbian Justice Ministry has described the Basic Court in Pristina verdict, sentencing Milun Milenkovic, Aleksandar Vlajic, and Dejan Pantic to multi-year prison terms, as shameful, adding it represents the culmination of judicial abuse for political purposes, Kosovo Online portal reported.

“The verdict is based on speculation and fabricated charges, without a single credible witness, without material evidence, and without respect for the right to an effective defense, something that is unacceptable by even the most basic standards of a fair trial”, the statement said.

The Ministry asserts the goal of the verdict is not justice but political retaliation and ethnic intimidation of Serbs. “We remind the international community that such actions grossly violate fundamental human rights, the right to freedom, and the right to a fair trial guaranteed by UN conventions applicable in Kosovo and Metohija, in accordance with Resolution 1244. The aim of this decision is not justice but political revenge and ethnic intimidation of Serbs, with the clear intention of making their survival in Kosovo and Metohija impossible. The Republic of Serbia will not allow such unlawful and discriminatory actions to become normalized”, the statement added.

The Ministry also said it had submitted a request to international missions in Kosovo, including EULEX and UNMIK, to react urgently and “stop the judicial terror being carried out by Pristina against the Serbian people”.

“The Republic of Serbia will also appeal to international donors who have support programs for the judiciary in Kosovo and Metohija, requesting that these programs be suspended as long as Pristina continues to violate the basic human rights of Serbs (…)”, the Ministry underlined.

Bajatovic: New delay of US sanctions on NIS good news (Tanjug)

Srbijagas CEO Dusan Bajatovic said on Tuesday the latest 30-day delay of US sanctions on Serbia's Russian majority-owned oil company NIS was good news and left space for the company to "survive", Tanjug news agency reported.

Speaking to the RTS, Bajatovic said that, as a result, no shortages or oil price hikes were expected in the Serbian market as NIS was capable of being a dependable supplier. "We cannot say it (the delay) was expected, you have to fight. The government fought, our lobbyists fought, this was definitely influenced by our political activities and the Government of Serbia and NIS attorney teams, and there were also some intermediate moves by Gazprom neft", Bajatovic said.

He said a longer delay could not have been expected as the sanctions were political in nature, with Russia-US relations deteriorating. "The sanctions are targeting Serbia as collateral damage, but space has been left for NIS to survive and be able to breathe", he said. The new delay of US sanctions on NIS was announced on Monday evening.

International

The 90’s in pieces (Kosovo 2.0)

K2.0 brings forward five longform articles that delve into the defining moments of Kosovo’s 1990s — a decade of repression, resilience, and resistance. Through personal narratives and historical insights, this series explores the underground economy that kept communities afloat, the foundations of the parallel state, the silent and loud acts of defiance, and the enduring power of solidarity. These stories shed light on the struggles and strategies that shaped Kosovo’s path toward freedom and statehood.

Read more at: https://shorturl.at/uI9LT