Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: Eight new cases, no deaths (media)
• Kurti: Recognition of Kosovo, cooperation and region's EU integration - key to lasting stability (media)
• Kurti meets Mitsotakis, calls on Greece to recognise Kosovo (media)
• Think tank: U.S. proposal on Ujman Lake, not suitable for implementation (Koha)
• Rohde: We support return of displaced persons to Kosovo (media)
• Rushed dismissals harm public institutions, U.S. Embassy says (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Stefanovic to Osmani: There is no border with Kosovo and Metohija (RTS, Tanjug)
• Orban: Serbia is key country in the Western Balkans (N1)
• Odalovic: Pristina refuses requests to search locations (Radio KIM)
• Media: Linde violated the status neutrality of the OSCE mission (Danas, FoNet, Kosovo Online)
• Selakovic thanks Ambassador of Tunisia for principled stance on Kosovo (Kosovo-online)
• Serbian List: We strongly condemn the violence against Dragica Gasic and Vuksan Gojkovic (Kosovo Online)
• HLC and YIHR Kosovo: Lawsuit against Dragica Gasic is unconstitutional (Radio kontakt plus)
• Ambassador Rohde: Return to your own home is a basic human right (Kosovo-online)
• Petkovic: Problems at the table better than incidents on the ground, in which Serbian people suffer (Kosovo Online, Tanjug, TV Prva)
• Jevtic: Pristina institutionally trying to seize property of Serbs and Serbian Orthodox Church (Kosovo-online)

Opinion:

• Seeking justice for Kujtim (Kosovo 2.0)

International:

• World's Safest Countries 2021 (Global Finance)
• Balkan Corruption Is Russia’s Faithful Friend (cepa.org)

   

Albanian Language Media  

  COVID-19: Eight new cases, no deaths (media)

Eight new cases of COVID-19 and zero deaths from the virus have been recorded in Kosovo in the last 24 hours. Ten persons recovered from the virus during this time. 

There are 149 active cases of COVID-19 in Kosovo.

5,438 vaccine doses have been administered in the last 24 hours. To date, a total of 250,658 vaccines have been administered in Kosovo.

Kurti: Recognition of Kosovo, cooperation and region's EU integration - key to lasting stability (media)

Prime Minister of Kosovo Albin Kurti said that recognition of Kosovo, regional cooperation and EU integration are key towards lasting peace, stability and security.

In his remarks at the the 25th roundtable, organized by the Government of Greece and the British newspaper “The Economist” titled “From social distancing to social solidarity”, Kurti reiterated the call for Greece to recognise independence of Kosovo and also spoke about Kosovo's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic which he assessed as being among the most successful examples. 

Kurti also spoke about the Government's activities in the field of the rule of law. "The new culture we brought with good governance, where corruption will not be tolerated, is now being applied in practice. We want to continue with the vetting process, make our prosecution more active and our judiciary more efficient," he said. 

On the issue of regional cooperation, Kurti said Kosovo has already proposed a new framework of cooperation, SEFTA (South East Europe Free Trade Agreement), which would include all Western Balkans countries as equal members and which would be based on special relations with the European Union. 

Kurti meets Mitsotakis, calls on Greece to recognise Kosovo (media)

Prime Minister of Kosovo Albin Kurti met in Athens Prime Minister of Greece Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

Kurti said Kosovo wants to build on the existing historical ties between the two peoples and establish relations with Greece, as an important element for long-term regional stability, a press release issued by the Government of Kosovo states. Kurti underlined the need for Kosovo and Greece to strengthen their relations due to the long common history and the goal for peace and security in the Balkans. 

Kurti thanked Greece for the support and constructive position on Kosovo, particularly demonstrated over the last months relating to visa liberalisation and Kosovo's membership in international organisations. "Prime Minister Kurti requested Greece join the bloc of countries that have recognised Kosovo." 

Greek PM Mitsotakis on his part is said to have reconfirmed his country's commitment to promote and further strengthen cooperation with Kosovo in the framework of promoting European perspective of the Western Balkans. 

Kurti is in Athens on the invitation of the Prime Minister of Greece, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, for the roundtable with the Government of Greece. The roundtable is attended by prime ministers and ministers of various countries, government officials, decision-makers, corporate executives and academics.

Think tank: U.S. proposal on Ujman Lake, not suitable for implementation (Koha)

The Kosovo-based think tank, Institute for Development Policy (INDEP), carried out an analysis of the feasibility study for the management of the Ujmani/Gazivode Lake prepared by the U.S. Department of Energy Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.

According to Dardan Abazi, researcher with INDEP, the U.S. proposal for implementing Columbia's river model is not suitable for implementation in the case at hand. "The proposal of the United States government to have an agreement between Kosovo and Serbia unfortunately makes the presumption that our relations with Serbia are normal, as [those] between two countries that aim to increase cooperation but such relations do not exist. We have seen Serbia continuously trying to block Kosovo and the energy sector in the previous agreements."

Abazi added that other recommendations regarding the management of the lake should be incorporated into the Kosovo's energy strategy. "We consider that we should take elements that are very positive in this study and complement them with our energy strategy and our other internal documents which would take into account the actual situation with Serbia and would functionalise Ujman for economic development.

"We propose that Serbia and Kosovo consider the technical coordination developed under the U.S.-Canada Columbia River Treaty between water supply, flood control, and power agencies, and the modeling and institutional needs to support such a commission for the Ibar/Ibër River," the U.S. report noted. 

Rohde: We support return of displaced persons to Kosovo (media)

German Ambassador to Kosovo Jorn Rohde commented on the return of displaced persons to Kosovo saying the issue should not be politicised. 

"We’ve been supporting the return of displaced persons to Kosovo for many years. The right to return to your home is a basic human right! I feel strongly that these personal decisions need full and unpoliticised support by all branches of government and all communities involved," he wrote on Twitter. 

Rushed dismissals harm public institutions, U.S. Embassy says (media)

The U.S. Embassy in Kosovo issued a statement following yesterday’s decision of the Kosovo Assembly to dismiss the board of the public broadcaster RTK. 

"Yesterday, the Assembly dismissed members of another public oversight board with scant justification. While Kosovans deserve accountability, dismissals should be based on transparent evidence just as appointments should be based on merit. Rushed unilateral dismissals harm public institutions and do not address structural problems. Effective long-term reforms require a deliberate, methodical approach putting Kosovo's interests first and party politics aside."

     

Serbian Language Media

  Stefanovic to Osmani: There is no border with Kosovo and Metohija (RTS, Tanjug)

Serbian Defense Minister Nebojsa Stefanovic said that there is no border with Kosovo and Metohija, thus reacting to the statement of Vjosa Osmani, the President of Kosovo, "that if the Serbian Army tries to cross the border with Kosovo, it will face the army of the USA and other NATO members", reported Tanjug agency. 

"There is only an administrative line with our southern province, which is a huge difference," Stefanovic pointed out in a statement for Tanjug.

Stefanovic added that he wanted to "thank her for her interest in the Serbian Army".

"It is understandable that it grows bigger, because the Serbian Army is getting stronger day by day and will continue to get stronger. That is why I am sure that the representatives of the temporary institutions in Pristina will respect UN Security Council Resolution 1244. I am also 100 percent sure that they know why they are not allowed and cannot enter the north of Kosovo and Metohija by force," Stefanovic said, adding that it is clear why they are constantly nervous, reported RTS citing Tanjug.

On Osmani's assessments of international exercises in which the Serbian Army participates, Stefanovic also pointed out that "Serbia wants EU membership, which is our strategic goal, but that Serbia is also a military neutral country".

"And that is why it has the opportunity and privilege to organize exercises with the United States and Russia, but also with other countries, whenever it is in the interest of our country," said Stefanovic.

Osmani previously stated that the Serbian Army, if it tries to cross the "border" with Kosovo, would face soldiers from the USA and other NATO members.

She told reporters that, answering the question whether she was afraid of a conflict due to the arming of the Serbian Army, Gazeta Express reported, RTS recalled.

Orban: Serbia is key country in the Western Balkans (N1)

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said in Belgrade Thursday that Serbia is the key country in the Western Balkans, adding that he supports its membership in the European Union as soon as possible, N1 reports.

Orban told a news conference after a meeting with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic that he unequivocally supports Serbia and its membership in the EU.

He also said none of the other Western Balkan countries will be integrated into the EU if Serbia is not. “Serbia is the key country and the EU should realize that. The EU has a much greater interest in Serbia becoming a member than the other way around”, he said, adding that every region has a central country and that is Serbia in this region. “We are convinced that if the EU does not expand it will become unstable”, Orban said.

Central Europe brought new energy into the EU and Serbia and this region will do the same, he said.

Speaking at the news conference, Vucic said that he believes in his country’s European future and official Budapest’s support on that road.

Read more at: https://bit.ly/3jY2OOT Odalovic: Pristina refuses requests to search locations (Radio KIM)

Chairman of the Serbian Government Missing Persons Commission Veljko Odalovic said that unknown whereabouts of the missing persons in the area of former Yugoslavia, represent one of the most difficult, and still unresolved problems burdening relations between Serbia, Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, Radio KIM reports.

Talking about the number of missing persons in the former Yugoslavia, Odalovic said less than 10.000 persons are still listed as missing, adding their family members, relatives and friends have a direct interest to know their whereabouts.

“Odalovic also said approximately 3.500 out of 10.000 still missing persons are Serbs and their remains are located in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Kosovo and  Metohija. The perpetrators of the crimes and investigative bodies are there. We can’t go there and conduct an investigation anonymously, we have to be invited. This in particular relates to Pristina, within the context of Albin Kurti’s recent statement in Brussels that he won’t open locations, which in turn testifies to the arrogance and irresponsible attitude of the provisional institutions towards the missing persons”, Odalovic said.

He also said that Zagreb is not responsive to Serbia’s requests either. The process is generally slowed down by the big number of discovered remains, that still remain unidentified in the morgues in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and Pristina.

Speaking about Zagreb’s lack of cooperation, Odalovic said they want to shift responsibility to Serbia, but also do not want to accept the fact that the non-exhumed bodies of the kidnapped and murdered Serbs are located at 36 gravesites in Croatia.

“Obviously, Croats are not ready to face the facts and accept that there are Serbian victims, and the biggest crimes were committed during the “Flash” and “Storm” operations. The requests we have towards Bosnia and Herzegovina relate to the soldiers and their whereabouts, we can’t shed light about, because this state is not ready to deal with this problem in detail”, Odalovic said.

Odalovic also said when it comes to the missing persons in Kosovo, the situation there was the most complex.

“At this moment 1.639 persons are listed as missing, and at the beginning of the conflict there were 6.046. We are in a phase in which Pristina persistently refuses to act on Belgrade’s requests, that are based on witnesses’ testimonies, relevant information and solid evidence, to conduct search on ten locations”, Odalovic said.

Media: Linde violated the status neutrality of the OSCE mission (Danas, FoNet, Kosovo Online)

Swedish Minister of Foreign Affairs and OSCE Chairman-in-Office An Linde violated the status neutrality of the OSCE mission, because she was photographed with the President of Kosovo, Vjosa Osmani, in front of the Kosovo flag, reported Danas, citing portal Kosovo Online. 

Linde previously met Foreign Minister Donika Gervalla and Minister for Communities and Returns Goran Rakic, but there were no symbols during those meetings.

Linde wrote on Twitter after the meeting with Gervalla that they discussed the dialogue between Serbia and Kosovo and that the continuation of the dialogue was encouraging.

"Both sides must be encouraged to constructively continue to normalize relations," Linde wrote.

The Serbian List told Kosovo Online that today's visit of OSCE Chairman-in-Office An Linde, who was photographed in front of the Kosovo flag, is a scandal since the OSCE, as a status-neutral mission, and its members must urgently distance themselves.

"It is absolutely unacceptable that the OSCE in this way violates its mission and competencies, as well as the views of a large number of its members who do not recognize Kosovo, thus indirectly siding with Pristina, which systematically violates the rights of the Serbian people, ignores its obligations under Brussels agreements and tend to endanger peace in this area through its rhetoric and action ," is the position of the Serbian List, reported Danas.

Selakovic thanks Ambassador of Tunisia for principled stance on Kosovo (Kosovo-online)

Serbian Minister of Foreign Affairs Nikola Selakovic spoke today with Ambassador of Tunisia to Serbia, Seyf Rejeb and noted that bilateral relations between the two counties are traditionally good, friendly and without open issues.

He also invited Tunisian Foreign Affairs Minister Othman Jerandi to visit Serbia. Selakovic informed the Ambassador of the ceremony to mark the 60th anniversary of the Belgrade Conference and First Non-Aligned Summit and invited the highest officials of the country to visit Belgrade on this occasion.

Selakovic expressed gratitude to Tunisia over its consistent support to the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Serbia, as well as for non-recognizing unilaterally declared Kosovo independence and support it offers to Serbia in international organizations. 

Serbian List: We strongly condemn the violence against Dragica Gasic and Vuksan Gojkovic (Kosovo Online)

The Serbian list strongly condemned the violence against Dragica Gasic and her friend Vuksan Gojkovic, whose vehicle was demolished in Djakovica yesterday, reported Kosovo Online citing the Serbian List statement. 

In a statement submitted to the media, the Serbian List stated that "the persecution of Dragica Gasic and the entire Serbian people before the eyes of the world continues, with the silence of the representatives of the international community in Kosovo and Metohija, but also in Brussels".

Yesterday, Vuksan Gojkovic's vehicle was demolished in Djakovica, while visiting Dragica, who brought food and supplies. The statement added that the perpetrators are being "tracked down as usual, and will never be prosecuted", read the statement.

"The intention is obvious that Dragica, but also all the people who help her, are discouraged, scared and give up the right to life, the right to be on their own," the Serbian List stated.

"The silence of international representatives can be characterized as a classic example of complicity in this persecution, which deeply affects the Serbian people who have so far been accustomed to the anti-Serbian actions of Kosovo institutions, but this is a novelty in our lives. Serbian tears have no parents, is the best description of what is happening to our people from 1999 onwards, which has intensified in recent months,'' the Serbian List said in a statement.

HLC and YIHR Kosovo: Lawsuit against Dragica Gasic is unconstitutional (Radio kontakt plus)

Humanitarian Law Center (HLC) and the Youth Initiative for Human Rights (YIHR) in Kosovo, expressed concerns Thursday over the situation related to the return of Dragica Gasic to Djakovica, and in particular about the lawsuit filed against her by the municipality, Radio kontakt plus reports.

The two NGOs said the lawsuit runs contrary to the Kosovo Constitution and laws. They also said such actions violate Article 156 of the Kosovo Constitution entitled “Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons”, which states that Kosovo should promote and facilitate the safe and dignified return of refugees and internally displaced persons and assist them in the return of their property and possessions.

“Mrs. Gasic possesses the necessary documents, with which she confirms her right to use the property, a right which was given to her by the decision of the Kosovo Property Comparison and Verification Agency (KPCVA). This Agency based on the request of Mrs. Gasic, on June 9, 2021 had vacated her apartment by removing the family that had been there, to enable the return of Mrs. Gasic in that property”, they said in a statement.

They also said actions of Mrs. Gasic were in accordance with the procedures for returnees, without harming or endangering any other person, and that the situation created as a result of her arrival and the legal action that was taken against her were in contradiction with the democratic and multiethnic spirit of Kosovo.

At the end of the statement, the NGOs urged local authorities in Djakovica to withdraw the lawsuit against Dragica Gasic and facilitate her safe return and stay in the town.

Ambassador Rohde: Return to your own home is a basic human right (Kosovo-online)

German Ambassador in Kosovo, Jorn Rohde wrote on Twitter that his country was supporting the return of displaced persons in Kosovo for many years, Kosovo-online portal reports.

“We’ve been supporting the return of displaced persons to Kosovo for many years. The right to return to your home is a basic human right! I feel strongly that these personal decisions need full and unpoliticised support by all branches of government and all communities involved”, he wrote.

The portal added Rohde’s post on Twitter comes in a moment when Djakovica municipality sued the first Serbian returnee in this town, Dragica Gasic over “usurpation of the property”, as well as the incident in which tires on vehicle of Vuksan Gojkovic were punctured, and his Novi Pazar registration plates removed in Djakovica.

Petkovic: Problems at the table better than incidents on the ground, in which Serbian people suffer (Kosovo Online, Tanjug, TV Prva) 

The director of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija Petar Petkovic said today that Serbia still insists on a dialogue with Pristina, because he believes that it is better to talk than for the Serbian people to suffer in incidents, reported Kosovo Online citing agency Tanjug.

Petkovic told TV Prva that negotiations are expected to continue, but that it depends mostly on the EU representatives, and that before the high-level meeting, Vucic with Kurti, there will be another round at the technical level by the end of the summer.

"Everyone in the EU, including Mr. Miroslav Lajcak who mediates the negotiations, as well as all those who are interested in dialogue and solving the problems in Kosovo and Metohija, are aware of the fact that Pristina violates the agreement which key is the ZSO, and that they do not show desire and political will to resolve that issue," Petkovic said.

He announced that the Serbian team will fight strongly and with arguments, but that in order to go further, it is necessary to fulfill everything agreed.

He added that during the meeting with the representatives of Pristina, apart from the ZSO, which should provide collective rights to Serbs in Kosovo, the Serbian side insisted on discussing justice, energy and numerous incidents that are happening in Kosovo.

Petkovic stated that the talks were not easy, and that it was actually a three-and-a-half-hour heated debate in which the Serbian team insisted on fulfilling everything that was agreed, especially on the ZSO, and that it raised the issue of missing persons. 

"It is better to have these problems and discuss them at the Brussels table than to have incidents on the ground," the director of the government's Office for Kosovo and Metohija emphasized.

He stated that the Serbian delegation went ready for the dialogue and that the presentation lasted almost two hours, and that Pristina spoke for 20 minutes, which shows how committed they are to the dialogue itself.

He added that the Albanian delegation was left without an answer to the question why, in addition to technical issues that are also important, they did not nominate topics on the ZSO, energy and justice, which are burdensome, and that, according to them, as it seems, this should be part of the framework where Serbia recognizes Kosovo, for which President Aleksandar Vucic told Kurti that would never happen.

"We can find ourselves halfway, to win or lose equally, but the fact that one side wins everything and the other loses everything is completely unacceptable for us," said Petkovic, noting that such an attitude is understood by the EU Special Representative for dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina Miroslav Lajcak.

Petkovic also mentioned that Pristina says every day that Belgrade should admit some crimes, that Serbia should fall to its knees, and that on the day of the dialogue they adopt a resolution on genocide, which presents only a series of pressure.

"When it comes to the media, they really like to talk about crimes and missing persons, but when it comes to concrete, what our side insists on, there is no progress on their part,'' he stressed.

The head of the Serbian delegation also said that the Serbian side raised the issue of internally displaced persons during the dialogue, since less than two percent of expelled Serbs have returned to Kosovo since 1999, and that the example of Dragica Gasic, who is a symbol of Serbian suffering, since her return to Djakovica is legally obstructed, at the same time with the threats to her life.

Petkovic also stated that he showed the Pristina delegation a picture of little Nikola Peric, a 13-year-old boy, who was ''brutally beaten by Albanian extremists, older people, which the Kosovo police described as a peer fight'', saying that it was a symbol of suffering of all our people lately in Kosovo, reported Kosovo Online citing Tanjug.

Jevtic: Pristina institutionally trying to seize property of Serbs and Serbian Orthodox Church (Kosovo-online)

Serbs in Kosovo are being deprived of all rights, from basic ones to those guaranteed by the laws and the Kosovo Constitution, Serbian List Vice President Dalibor Jevtic said, adding the international community should react because the situation was alarming, Kosovo-online portal reports.

"We talk about it at all the meetings we have with the representatives of the international community, because every seizure of property of the Serbian Orthodox Church, every seizure of property of any Serb in this area is nothing but ethnic cleansing and it is now done in an institutional way, which is certainly not good", Jevtic said.

He also said he expects a different approach from the international community when it comes to attacks on the property of the Serbian Orthodox Church and on Serbs that happen every day, because otherwise, in his opinion, without reaction and condemnation, it represents complicity of the international community in that.

     

Opinion

  Seeking justice for Kujtim (Kosovo 2.0)

The murder of George Floyd by police officer Derek Chauvin sparked unprecedented protests against structural racism and police brutality across the U.S., with at least 15 million people taking to the streets to protest in the first month. Soon the protests spread across the globe, turning into an international movement of solidarity against racism. In Europe, anti-racism protests used the Black Lives Matter movement as an opportunity to oppose the legacies of European imperialism and current xenophobic politics. 

The necessity of these European anti-racism protests was apparent a few weeks ago when a video came out of a Romani man being brutalized by three Czech police officers. In the video, Stanislav Tomáš is seen screaming, pinned on his stomach as one of the three police officers kneels on his neck in a manner reminiscent of the Floyd video.

When the video ends after a few minutes, Tomáš is no longer moving. Police claim he died in an ambulance soon after due to a methamphetamine overdose. The incident has caused a furore among activists and the Romani community, who point to the similarities to Floyd’s death. Czech institutions deny any wrongdoing on the part of the police. Roma activists in Kosovo joined the protest earlier this week, marching in downtown Prishtina and demonstrating outside the Czech embassy holding “Racism kill” signs.

The Council of Europe has made urgent demands for the case to be investigated, describing police actions as “alarming.” Calls for an independent investigation have also been issued by the international human rights organizations Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International.

This horrifying incident, and the chilling response of Czech authorities, is an indication of the oppression Romani people face everyday in the Czech Republic and elsewhere in Europe. 

Kosovo too cannot claim innocence when it comes to racism. 

See more at: https://bit.ly/3qXl1gQ      

International

  World's Safest Countries 2021 (Global Finance)

A global pandemic re-shuffles Global Finance's ranking of the world's safest countries.

With the world turned upside-down and inside-out by a global pandemic that began in 2020, determining the relative safety of each country is now more important than ever. Global Finance's safest countries in the world rankings features updated data and sources, a new time frame, and incorporates each country’s experience and risk from Covid-19.

So which countries have proven to be safe and which have not?

See more at:https://bit.ly/36oxQHF Balkan Corruption Is Russia’s Faithful Friend (cepa.org)

The Balkans remain a principal theater in Russia’s multi-faceted war against Europe.

Serbia is arguably the principal object of this rivalry by virtue of its size, location, and history, all of which make it the central strategic prize of the Balkans.

Moscow has instigated coups in the Balkans, launched an ongoing massive information warfare against the European Union (EU) and NATO, pursued enduring leverage over regional media outlets, systematically sought control of the region’s energy lifelines, suborned large-scale official corruption, proclaimed a spurious historical-religious narrative throughout the region, and works to project military power there. It has done this by seeking a base in Montenegro, by conducting regular threats against Romanian energy platforms in the Black Sea, and building a so-called humanitarian center at Nis in Serbia (although Serbia has rightly refused to bestow diplomatic status on this center despite Russian pressure.) In this endless confrontation, the pervasive corruption of Balkan officialdom remains one of the most tested and true weapons in Russia’s armory.

See more at:https://bit.ly/3hoR4Dk