Albanian Language Media:

• Kurti highlights “importance of confronting two related threats” (media)
• Osmani travels to Washington at invitation of U.S. Secretary of State (ekonomia)
• Krasniqi: In our mission to return Kosovo to right path, worthy of our children's dreams (ekonomia)
• Szunyog: RTK new director should be appointed through meritorious process (Kallxo)
• Switzerland’s National Council President starts his visit to Kosovo today (RTK)
• Kosovo and Vanuatu sign a Memorandum of Cooperation (RTK)
• Haxhiu on the KIJ report: It doesn't stand, they don't have the right information (Koha)
• Serbs interested to get Kosovo documents (Kosovapress)
• Haradinaj calls for justice for Bytyqi brothers killed in Serbia in ’99 (media)

Serbian Language Media: 

• Veljkovic on discrimination: Illegal construction by Albanians in Gracanica for years, while construction is prohibited in North Mitrovica (Media Centre, social media)
• Lawyer: Detention of Sladjan Trajkovic extended for two more months (Kosovo Online)
• Cadez: FTA with Egypt to open door to Africa to Serbian companies (Tanjug)
• 26^th anniversary of murder of Serbian police captain Srdjan Perovic in Lodja village, near Pec (Kosovo Online, social media)

Opinion:

• Western Balkans Six Need to Work Together for Sake of EU Enlargement (Balkan Insight)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Politics – the main culprit for non-cooperation between Serbian and Albanian artists in Kosovo (Radio KIM)                                                                                                                                       

Albanian Language Media  

Kurti highlights “importance of confronting two related threats” (media)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti said in a post on X that he delivered a virtual address to the meeting of the Socialist International in Bucharest on Sunday, on the occasion of the establishment of the SI Europe Committee. “In my remarks I emphasized the importance of confronting two related threats: the spread of far-right extremism across Europe, and the increasingly virulent aggression of Russia and its allies such as Serbia. In Kosova, as elsewhere, the solution to both of these problems is the steadfast pursuit of a progressive vision that is uncompromising in its defense of democracy and ensures that all citizens enjoy their fair share of social and economic progress,” he said.

More at: https://t.ly/E0ZrP

Osmani travels to Washington at invitation of U.S. Secretary of State (ekonomia)

Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani has travelled to Washington D. C., at the invitation of the U.S. Secretary of State, Antony Blinken. She is to participate in the activity organised by the U.S. Department of State for Women, Peace and Security, which is held within the framework of the NATO Summit, on the 75th anniversary of the establishment of this military organisation. Appreciating the invitation of Secretary Blinken, Osmani has emphasised that Kosovo's involvement in such activities is of particular importance, as it is the first time that Kosovo is involved in events within the framework of the NATO summit. 

Krasniqi: In our mission to return Kosovo to right path, worthy of our children's dreams (ekonomia)

Chairman of the Democratic Party of Kosovo, Memli Krasniqi, participated in the establishment of the branch of this party in Baden Württemberg, Germany. Krasniqi said that this Assembly reconfirms the mobilisation and unstoppable growth of PDK in exile, just as it is happening in Kosovo. The head of the PDK criticised the Kurti Government for its successive failures and its inability to address the needs of our people or the challenges the country is facing. He said that the PDK has been, is and will be ready for elections to bring the country a new, credible and developmental Government, and that for this it needs the support of the diaspora. "In our mission to return Kosovo to the right path and worthy of the dreams of our children - we will always be together", he said in his speech during the Electoral Assembly of this branch.

Szunyog: RTK new director should be appointed through meritorious process (Kallxo)

The Ambassador of the European Union to Kosovo, Tomas Szunyog has reacted regarding the resignation of Shkumbin Ahmetxhekaj, from the position of General Director at Radio Television of Kosovo. Through a post on X, Szunyog has emphasised the importance of editorial independence in RTK.

“Read the news about the resignation of RTK's General Director Shkumbin Ahmetxhekaj. I want to stress the importance of a public broadcaster that enjoys institutional autonomy and editorial independence. I also want to express my gratitude to Shkumbin Ahmetxhekaj for his efforts to improve RTK's financial management. The EU in Kosovo expects the new General Director to be appointed through a merit-based process,” Szunyog wrote. 

Switzerland’s National Council President starts his visit to Kosovo today (RTK)

The Embassy of Switzerland in Pristina has announced that the president of the National Council of Switzerland, Eric Nussbaumer, will start his official visit to Kosovo from today until July 11. "The visit is part of Switzerland's ongoing efforts to strengthen its bilateral relations with Kosovo and to support peace and stability in the region," the press release states.

In addition to official meetings, Nussbaumer will also visit SWISSCO (peacekeeping mission of the Swiss Armed Forces) in Mitrovica, to learn about its work and the security situation in the north of Kosovo.

Nussbaumer will also meet with Prime Minister Albin Kurti, Speaker of Parliament Glauk Konjufca and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Donika Gervalla.

"Discussions will focus on technical parliamentary cooperation between the Parliamentary Services of Switzerland and the Assembly of Kosovo, which began in 2021 with the support of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs. The purpose of this cooperation is to share expertise and best practices in the institutional field of communication and relations with the public in order to increase the transparency of the Assembly of Kosovo", says the announcement about the meeting with Konjufca.

Nussbaumer will also hold a meeting with the Swiss-Kosovo Chamber of Commerce, which will provide an opportunity to discuss economic opportunities for Swiss entrepreneurs in Kosovo.

Eric Nussbaumer will be accompanied by National Council members Marc Jost and Cedric Wermuth.

Kosovo and Vanuatu sign a Memorandum of Cooperation (RTK)

Kosovo’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Kreshnik Ahmeti and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Matai Seremaiah, in Port Vila, Vanuatu, have signed the Memorandum of Cooperation between these two ministries.

Through a joint communique of the two ministries, it is said that during the meeting, Deputy Minister Ahmeti and Deputy Prime Minister, Seremaiah, highly appreciated the relations between the two countries and discussed the possibilities of strengthening bilateral relations and multilateral coordination.

"The parties discussed the latest developments in their regions and world developments. Both sides emphasised that peace and stability are the focus of both countries and agreed that they share the same values ​​in this regard," the communiqué states.

Haxhiu on the KIJ report: It doesn't stand, they don't have the right information (Koha)

The Minister of Justice, Albulena Haxhiu, has categorically denied the report published by the Kosovo Institute for Justice (KIJ), regarding the performance of the members of the Judicial Council and the Prosecutorial Council of Kosovo in relation to the Ministry of Justice.

"I think that they do not stand, it is true that we have had a lack of cooperation on some reforms, due to the fact that you already know, there are public statements. The Judicial Council and the Prosecutorial Council did not support the constitutional amendments for the vetting; however, they are in the Assembly of Kosovo and due to the fact that they did not have support for these processes, of course there were also public statements about the same. It seems that they don't have the right information, but we have made maximum efforts to engage, to have cooperation with civil society, even the Ministry of Justice during all this time has had very good cooperation with civil society organisations, but also with all other partners", she said.

As for the reform in justice concerning the Prosecutorial Council, Haxhiu stated that they cannot act based on the whims of certain persons and added that the promises made during the campaigns to the citizens will be fulfilled.

The executive director of the Kosovo Institute for Justice (KIJ), Ehat Miftaraj, said that the Ministry of Justice, unfortunately, is not acting.

Serbs interested to get Kosovo documents (Kosovapress)

Following visa liberalisation for Kosovo there has been increased interest by people for documents, and in the first half of the year, around 270,000 citizens have applied for passports and around 130,000 for ID cards. During this period there has been interest by Serb citizens to integrate and get Kosovo documents. This is what the head of the Agency for Civil Registration, Blerim Camaj, said in an interview with the news agency. 

Camaj said that after visa liberalisation for Kosovo, around 4,000 Serb citizens in the northern municipalities have applied for ID cards, and that over 3,000 of them have been equipped with passports. He also said that nearly 2,000 Serbs have applied to convert their drivers’ licences, since the decision of Kosovo’s Ministry of Interior Affairs in May. 

Haradinaj calls for justice for Bytyqi brothers killed in Serbia in ’99 (media)

Leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK), Ramush Haradinaj, wrote in a Facebook post today about the Bytyqi brothers, U.S. nationals, who were arrested and later executed in Serbia in 1999. “Agron, Yll and Mehmet Byqyti, U.S. nationals, like many brothers and sisters, left the American dream to join the Liberation Army in the most crucial moments for the Fatherland … The Serbian state, in addition to executing them without trial, continues to ignore the crimes and to decorate war criminals, including those who are suspected of having killed the Bytyqi brothers,” Haradinaj said.

Serbian Language Media 

Veljkovic on discrimination: Illegal construction by Albanians in Gracanica for years, while construction is prohibited in North Mitrovica (Media Centre, social media)

Serbian Democracy deputy president Stefan Veljkovic said Kosovo authorities are preventing and abolishing everything that could make life easier for Serbs and other non-Albanian communities in Kosovo.

Veljkovic wrote in a post on Facebook that hundreds of illegal buildings have been built in Gracanica for years, while in North Mitrovica the construction of residential buildings is prohibited.

“Hundreds of illegal structures owned by Albanians have been being built in Gracanica for years, without any building permit — in front of Serbian List councillors who do not protest against this illegal construction, which violently changes the ethnic structure of Gracanica and grossly violates the law. Opposite of that, the illegitimate Assembly of North Mitrovica (Erden Atiq and Nedzad Ugljanin) has been keeping residential buildings intended for young married couples and social categories from the Serbian, Roma, Goran and Bosniak communities under a lock for a year”, Veljkovic said.

Lawyer: Detention of Sladjan Trajkovic extended for two more months (Kosovo Online)

The Basic Court in Pristina has decided to extend detention of Sladjan Trajkovic from Mitrovica North for two more months. Trajkovic, former member of Kosovo police, was arrested in December 2022 and accused of allegedly committing war crimes against civilian population in Vucitrn municipality. He remains in detention since his arrest.

His lawyer Dejan A. Vasic said the defence presented well-supported arguments to assign  mitigating measures to his client, including an offer of 30.000 euros and a family home of Trajkovic in Mitrovica North as a bail, but the court did not accept it. He expressed hope that with the announced change in composition of the judicial panel, the new one would have more understanding for the arguments of the defence. 

Cadez: FTA with Egypt to open door to Africa to Serbian companies (Tanjug)

Serbian and Egyptian top officials will sign a FTA between the two countries in Cairo in the coming days, Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PKS) President Marko Cadez announced on Monday, Tanjug news agency reported.

Speaking to Pink TV, Cadez said the agreement would provide new business opportunities to Serbian entrepreneurs. He said a Women's Business Forum would be held in Cairo as well and that a major Serbia-Egypt business forum would follow, with around 60 representatives of Serbian companies to attend.

He said Serbia's FTAs with China and Egypt were also a result of "phenomenal relations" between political leaders. He said the Egyptian market would be very interesting to Serbian fruit producers as well as importers of certain raw materials that would now become available at lower prices.

"When you are manufacturing in Egypt, the door to entire Africa is open to you", he noted. 

26^th anniversary of murder of Serbian police captain Srdjan Perovic in Lodja village, near Pec (Kosovo Online, social media)

The 26^th anniversary of the murder of Serbian police captain from Pec, Srdjan Perovic (36) was marked on July 6. He was captured by KLA members and executed in the village of Lodja, after five days of gruesome torture, Serbian media reported. According to autopsy report, performed by doctor Slavisa Dobricanin, the torture included castration, mutilation of ears, nose, eye and other body parts as well as broken bones.

Perovic was captured in July 1998, in the village of Lodja, near Pec, when his unit attempted to evacuate two Serbian families Vujosevic and Radevic from this village. As reported, those families were given an ultimatum by KLA to leave the village and their properties within a 24-hour deadline.

In the KLA ambush three Serbian police officers were killed, and eight of them wounded. Perovic was captured. Some Serbian media media outlets carry the full names of two Albanian bothers M.SH and B.SH, who, as the media outlets said, based on testimonies of later arrested KLA members, were leading the torture.

Perovic completed the Military Academy for the needs of police. His body was found on August 16, 1998. The autopsy was performed by Pristina doctor Slavisa Dobricanin. 

Opinion

Western Balkans Six Need to Work Together for Sake of EU Enlargement (Balkan Insight)

By Ian Bancroft

After Ukraine and Moldova started membership negotiations, would-be members of the EU in the Balkans need to take an ‘all for one and one for all’ approach to accession – or risk remaining stuck in the waiting room.

As Ukraine and Moldova began formal accession talks with the EU last week, the occasion reminded observers of the Western Balkans Six and their long stay in the membership waiting room.

While many will call for the EU to move faster to integrate Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia, these aspiring member states must also consider what they can do to contribute to enlargement momentum.

Read more at: https://shorturl.at/glF5m

Humanitarian/Development

Politics – the main culprit for non-cooperation between Serbian and Albanian artists in Kosovo (Radio KIM)

Cultural cooperation between some Albanian artists from Kosovo and artists in Belgrade has existed for more than a decade. However, the cooperation between Albanian and Serbian artists in Kosovo is scarce. Numerous events organised by House of Culture in Gracanica are mainly not attended by Albanian artists and audiences, and there are very few those from Gracanica attending the events in Pristina.

And while the public is focused on the news on cancellation of “Mirdita, Dobar Dan” festival in Belgrade, and recent announcement of Qendra Multimedia director Jeton Neziraj on alleged memorandum of cooperation between Qendra Multimedia and National Theater in Belgrade which in fact has not been signed at all, there are very few who actually talk about (non)cooperation between Serbian and Albanian artists living in Kosovo.

Director of Arts Gallery Pristina with a seat in Gracanica, Nebojsa Jevtic said the cooperation between the artists there does not exist.

“And I say this with responsibility, after working 17 years in culture, both institutional in the Cultural Center, part of House of Culture in Gracanica, and through various associations working in Kosovo system, as I am a member of various associations and different organisations, and I can say we have no cooperation at all {…}”, Jevtic said.

“As far as Cultural Center in Gracanica is concerned, we had not a single Albanian artist or any Albanian from Pristina coming and asking “does Cultural Center need something, can we have an exhibition here?”, he said, adding that he talks about arts part because he is responsible for the gallery.

Asked what is the reason for it, Jevtic responded – politics.

He also explained that in addition to lack of cooperation, there is also lack of interest on the side of artists, and there were no initiatives for cooperation, either by institutions or the non-government sector.

“As you know we live eight kilometres away from Pristina. Nobody ever said there are some people there, asked us if we could offer some artists to come and have a concert in Pristina”, he said.

Barabar Center and inter-ethnic dialogue

Jevtic does not dispute the fact that some Serbian artists cooperate with Albanian artists, in particular those from the north. Over a year and by establishing the Barabar Center in Hotel Grand in Pristina, a presence of young Serbian artists was noticeable, and exhibitions, debates and concerts were held there.

CASA from Mitrovica North and Integra from Pristina are founders of Barabar Center and the main donor is UNMIK.

Culture, as peoples in Kosovo, are divided. The daily political events are impacting the most relations between Serbian and Albanian artists and cooperation and joint manifestations are rare. Kushtrim Koliqi from Integra is aware of it.

“There is always room for improvement and to (make things) better. The main problem, which not only Barabar but entire Kosovo society is having, is that political tensions are very high. As per rule, those political tensions impact society and different groups, that is why this interaction should be accepted as a virtue, and not an obstacle. And it would be great if that would be the agenda of other politicians. It is not easy to bring all those people together and that is why we insist that this becomes mainstream. We do not want to impose on people they have to come here because of the centre only. No, no. We want people to spend some time together with very good programs and events we organise”, Koliqi added.

Screenwriter and author Visar Kusha also opined that cooperation between Serbian and Albanian artists in Kosovo could be better. “I think there is some cooperation, although not in the volume as it should be. There has always been more cooperation between Kosovo Albanians and Serbs from Serbia, but there was some communication, projects and cooperation between Serbian and Albanian artists in Kosovo. I think Barabar offers a good opportunity and good room to ensure that {…}”, Kusha said.

In addition to being a gathering spot for Albanians and Serbs, Barabar also gathers members of other communities, and at the end of last week a Multicultural Festival of Roma, Ashkali and Egyptians was held there.