Albanian Language Media:

• Kurti: I’ll decide about Brussels meeting after police officers are visited (media)
• EU expects Kurti and Vucic to go to Brussels without conditions (RFE)
• NATO SG calls for lowering of tensions between Kosovo and Serbia (media)
• Osmani: Kosovo disagreements with U.S., EU, must be overcome (Euronews Albania)
• Krasniqi: Five days later, nothing is known about the condition of police officers (media)
• Rama: If officers not released this week, ice returns to relations with Serbia (media)
• Police confirms arrest of Serb suspected of assaulting reporters in north (media)
• Police denies reports that KFOR did not allow it to go to the north (RTK)
• KFOR allows police special units to go to Leposavic, but not ministers! (Indeksonline)
• Kusari-Lila says Vucic “uses masked and armed people to fight” media (media)
• Police: A shock bomb was thrown last night in Zvecan, no injuries reported (media)
• Kurti meets Ashkali community: Working for a discrimination-free society (Lajmi)

Serbian Language Media:

• Stano: The EU expects Vucic and Kurti to respond without preconditions to Borrell's invitation (RTS)
• Protests in Leposavic because of arrests of Serbs: Is our freedom barber wire? (N1)
• Office for KiM, Serbian List: Two underage children beaten up by Kosovo police (Radio KIM, Kosovo Online, social media)
• National Convention on the EU for Chapter 35: We condemn every form of violence in the North, committed by the police against Serbs or by hooligans against journalists and KFOR
• One more young Serb arrested in Leposavic this morning (KoSSev)
• The Office for KiM on today's arrest: The continuation of the torture of Albin Kurti (Beta, N1)
• Telekom Serbia: Our employee in Leposavic hijacked, we will undertake all legal activities (RTV)
• Serbian List about the arrest of Serbs in Leposavic: When will the international community react? (NMagazin, Beta)
• Citizens' protest march from Mitrovica to Zvecan in support of the arrested Serbs (Radio Mitrovica sever)
• Members of kick-box club with open training extend support to their arrested trainer Milun Milenkovic (KoSSev)
• Lawyer Vlajic: Only those who are desperate or uninformed hope for justice in Kosovo (N1, Beta, RTS)
• KFOR present at all access roads to Leposavic centre (Kosovo Online)
• Radojevic: Serbs have two options, to surrender and disappear, or to defend themselves democratically (TV Pink, Kosovo Online)
• Serbian military unit commander denies involvement in arrest of Kosovo police officers (N1)

 

 

Albanian Language Media  

 

Kurti: I’ll decide about Brussels meeting after police officers are visited (media)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti told reporters today that he will decide about his participation in a meeting called by EU High Representative Josep Borrell in Brussels, after he receives information about the condition of the three Kosovo police officers who were taken by Serbian forces.

“I have asked for a meeting for last week, but I was told that the situation needs to de-escalate and then we had the kidnapping of our three police officers in Leposavic. So, the escalation increased and only afterwards I was invited to the new meeting in Brussels and I am not certain whether they planned it for June 22 or 23 because of different messages,” Kurti said.

Kurti said he will wait for the visit by Kosovo’s ambassador in Belgrade, Jetish Jashari, to visit the three police officers who are being held in a prison in Kraljevo. “And only afterwards, when I get the information from this visit to our three police officers who are being held hostage in Serbia as retaliation for the fight against organised crime and corruption in Kosovo, I will make my decision and announce it,” he said.

Kurti said Jashari is expected to visit the police officers tomorrow. “The visit has been planned for tomorrow and I will be in touch with our ambassador who will inform me about their condition,” he said.

Kurti also said that he has asked the Kosovo Police to reduce the number of its officers in the four northern municipalities gradually and proportionality under the condition that there is rule of law. “Because there are different extremists and criminal groups, the presence of Kosovo Police is needed in these buildings. I have asked the Kosovo Police to gradually reduce the number of police officers, with the rule of law that brings to justice those criminals that attacked KFOR and the journalists. For Kosovo Police, every municipality is the same and their actions are based on the Constitution,” he added.

EU expects Kurti and Vucic to go to Brussels without conditions (RFE)

The European Union has called on Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic to accept the invitation to a crisis meeting in Brussels without any conditions. EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, invited the two leaders to a meeting in Brussels this week amid increased tensions between the two sides. The EU has warned that ignoring the invitation could have consequences for both sides. 

EU spokesperson Peter Stano told a press conference today that Borrell invited the two leaders to meet in Brussels “and find a way out of the crisis and to resort to the path of dialogue”. “The date has not been set yet because the parties have not confirmed their participation. Borrell expects more responsible behaviour from both leaders. The EU expects them to come without conditions. The European bloc is monitoring the situation to see if the parties are ready to find a solution,” he said.

“Borrell’s invitation is an offer and opportunity for them to prove that despite everything they can be constructive. It is not an invitation to satisfy Brussels, but about the need to reduce tensions and for the European future of the citizens of Kosovo and Serbia. And for this, no one except Vucic and Kurti is responsible.”

Stano was asked about the current situation and the fate of the three Kosovo police officers who are in detention in Serbia, “fortunately there was no new physical escalation on the ground, but we haven’t seen concrete steps for de-escalation yet. Therefore, we have invited the two leaders to Brussels to work on lowering the tensions and making concrete steps … So far we have not heard concrete responses, except for unconstructive public statements”.

“At this point we are focusing on Borrell’s call for the leaders to come to Brussels. Depending on how this meeting goes, we will see what the future course of action will be. The actions of both sides will also be reflected in the discussion of the ministers and on the European path”.

NATO SG calls for lowering of tensions between Kosovo and Serbia (media)

NATO Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg, called for de-escalation between Kosovo and Serbia amid increased tensions between the two sides following the arrest of three Kosovo police officers by Serbian forces. “Our forces [NATO mission in Kosovo – KFOR] will continue to undertake all necessary actions to provide a safe and secure environment,” Stoltenberg told reporters in Berlin before meeting with Chancellor Olaf Scholz. He also called on both sides to refrain from any new escalating step and to immediately return to the EU-facilitated dialogue for the normalisation of relations.

Osmani: Kosovo disagreements with U.S., EU, must be overcome (Euronews Albania)

Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani said during a meeting with political correspondents during her stay in Berlin that she hopes that the current disagreements between Kosovo and the European Union and the United States of America will be overcome and that now is the time to find a sustainable solution.

Osmani however argued that Serbia is responsible for the current situation and that Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has resorted to the old strategy of creating consequent crises to block the success and implementation of the dialogue agreements.

“Serbs had different instruments they could have used if they had wanted to contest the legitimacy of the mayors of [northern] municipalities. But they did not use any of these constitutional and democratic means to do that,” Osmani said.

On the possibility of new elections in the four Serb-majority municipalities in the north, Osmani said Kosovo has asked for the support of partners to make sure that Serbia would not intervene in the elections as it did last time and not to pressure the Kosovo Serbs to not take part in the process. “But so far we haven’t received any response,” she said.

On the eventual withdrawal of police forces, Osmani said Kosovo has already proposed a joint security assessment together with KFOR and EULEX.

Krasniqi: Five days later, nothing is known about the condition of police officers (media)

Leader of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), Memli Krasniqi, said that today marks five days since the three Kosovo police officers were taken by Serbian forces and nothing is known about their condition.

Krasniqi said that “while Serbia and Vucic are refusing to release our police officers and are illegally holding them in detention, meanwhile, the Prime Minister and the government are keeping us in the dark about their situation”.

He also called on the Kurti-led government to play a more active role and to bring back the police officers. “Above all, I call on the Prime Minister to set his personal spite aside and to increase cooperation and coordination with our international partners as the quickest and most efficient way for their release,” he said.

Rama: If officers not released this week, ice returns to relations with Serbia (media)

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama reacted again today to the detention of three Kosovo police officers in Serbia, saying that if they are not released this week, ice will return to relations between Albania and Serbia. “On the other hand, if de-escalation doesn’t happen, Kosovo will lose the most because Serbia probably cannot live without being reisolated! I fear that the more Albin insists in his position against the allies, the more the situation can become aggravated, by returning KFOR to the head of duty! And then farewell for who knows how long to the formal control of the state over all its territory and welcome to a KFOR Republic in the north of Kosovo! Albin you should come out from the shell of self-isolation and not lose the North by seeing enemies and traitors everywhere! The time is now and it is flying!” Rama said.

Police confirms arrest of Serb suspected of assaulting reporters in north (media)

Kosovo Police, in a press communique today, confirmed the arrest of a Serb suspected of the assault against reporters in the north. “Early this morning, a Serb suspect U.V., residing in a village in the municipality of Leposavic, was arrested on the suspicion of being involved in an assault against media/reporters. His arrest and sending to the police station came as a result of intensive investigations and securing of evidence that the same person was involved in an assault against the media/reporters on June 16, 2023,” the police statement notes.

Police also said that all further actions would be undertaken in cooperation and coordination with judicial bodies. “The engagement and commitment of Kosovo Police will continue in safeguarding public order and security, rule of law, and bringing to justice persons suspected of falling in opposition with order and law,” the statement notes.

KFOR allows police special units to go to Leposavic, but not ministers! (Indeksonline)

The news website learns that today KFOR troops allowed the special unit of Kosovo Police to go to Leposavic. Citing unnamed sources, it reports that special units crossed the obstacle at Notting Hill and headed toward the municipality of Leposavic. According to sources, KFOR has decided that from today it will not allow [Kosovo] ministers and senior state officials to visit the mayors in the northern municipalities. According to KFOR, such visits provoke the current situation and there is no sufficient security for such actions.

Police denies reports that KFOR did not allow it to go to the north (RTK)

Kosovo Police spokesperson Baki Kelani denied reports in some local news websites, according to which, KFOR did not allow police officers to go to the north of Kosovo. “Referring to your interest, we can inform you that all police units planned and on official duty, are carrying out their duties on the ground,” Kelani told RTK.

Kusari-Lila says Vucic “uses masked and armed people to fight” media (media)

Head of the Vetevendosje parliamentary group, Mimoza Kusari-Lila, reacted to a statement by Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, who commenting on the assaults against Kosovo reporters in the north, said that “they are being sent there to provoke”. Kusari-Lila tweeted: “The despotic president of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, claimed that Kosovo journalists are sent to the north to provoke. The truth is that the free and open media is a provocation for Vucic, so to fight them, he uses masked and armed people. Also, the truth is that the masked people are under his authority".

Police: A shock bomb was thrown last night in Zvecan, no injuries reported (media)

Kosovo Police said today that several persons threw a suspected shock bomb in Zvecan last night. No injuries were reported and police are conducting investigations.

Kurti meets Ashkali community: Working for a discrimination-free society (Lajmi)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti said today that he attended a discussion about the challenges and opportunities of the Ashkali community and said that the Kosovo government is committed and works for all citizens to be treated without discrimination. 

Kurti highlighted the adoption of the Strategy for Advancing the Rights of Ashkali and Roma Communities 2022-2026 and the National Platform for Reporting Cases of Discrimination against Ashkali, Roma and Egyptian communities. 

“Together with institutions, organisations and citizens, we are engaged in pushing forward projects for an inclusive future that leaves no one behind, and which provides equal rights and opportunities for all, without any difference,” Kurti said.

 

 

Serbian Language Media 

 

Stano: The EU expects Vucic and Kurti to respond without preconditions to Borrell's invitation (RTS)

The EU expects Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Prime Minister of Kosovo Albin Kurti to respond without preconditions to the invitation of the EU High Representative for Foreign Policy and Security, Josep Borrell, to a meeting on the crisis in northern Kosovo, EU spokesperson Peter Stano said in Brussels, reported RTS.

"The date of the meeting has not been determined, because the parties have not yet confirmed their presence. High Representative Borrell and the member states expect a more reasonable and constructive approach from those who want to join the EU. Both parties have been invited, we expect them to come to the talks without setting preconditions," said Stano.

The EU spokesperson emphasised that the member states are monitoring whether there is a will in Belgrade and Pristina to de-escalate the situation and announced that Kosovo will be the topic of the next meeting of EU foreign ministers on Monday.

Stano assessed that there are still no signs of de-escalation on the ground, which is why the EU invited Vucic and Kurti for talks.

"So far, there are no answers, except for some very unconstructive public comments. We expect them to come to the talks, which are an opportunity to show constructiveness and find a solution to the crisis," emphasised Stano.

He also points out that it is not about meeting the demands of Brussels, but about the "European future of the people in Serbia and Kosovo".

"The lack of commitment to the solution will have consequences for the people of Serbia and Kosovo, and that will be the sole responsibility of President Vucic and Prime Minister Kurti," concluded Stano.

The High Representative of the EU for Foreign Policy and Security, Josep Borrell, invited Vucic and Kurti to talks in Brussels, bearing in mind, as he said, that the situation on the ground is getting worse every day.

Protests in Leposavic because of arrests of Serbs: Is our freedom barber wire? (N1)

The protest in the centre of Leposavic started at noon in light of yet another arrest that took place in this municipality early in the morning, N1 reports.

A young Serb man was arrested in the village of Tvrdjan near Leposavic, where he lives. Kosovo police said the reason for his arrest was alleged involvement in the attack against journalists in this municipality.

This is the third arrest of the Kosovo Serbs in the last five days.

The gathering in support of those arrested was held in front of the municipal facility, where Serbs continue protesting ever since the new Albanian mayor entered this building on May 29 and has never since left it.

Representatives of the civil society, demanding the release of the arrested Serbs spoke at the protest, in addition to the representatives of the local authorities.  

As N1 reporter said, the mother of Nemanja Vlaskovic, arrested on June 16 addressed the people among the first speakers and said that her son is not guilty, that he only participated at the protest because he wanted to express his dissatisfaction in a peaceful manner.

After her, a sister of Dalibor Spasic, arrested on June 17, at Jarinje administrative point, upon returning from central Serbia with a wife and small daughter, said her brother is not a criminal, and everybody knowing him can say the same. She asked why Europe and the world remain silent adding should everybody else wonder who is the next?

“Where is our freedom, is that the barbed wire? How can I explain to my niece where her dad is? Can you Europe sleep peacefully, while a child can not because she is calling her father?”, she said, adding that all gathered in Leposavic today are Dalibor Spasic, Nemanja Vlaskovic and Uros Vukadinovic.

Petra Vuckovic, the student of the generation in the Secondary School Nikola Tesla in Leposavic also spoke.

“On behalf of all my peers, on behalf of generations yet to come, I am sending the message to those in Pristina, and to those in Belgrade, those standing behind my back, but also to you standing in front of me, stop, let me put that way, this madness. Give us back happiness, give us back joy. And at the end ensure for us what belongs to us – freedom (…)”, she said.  

Office for KiM, Serbian List: Two underage children beaten up by Kosovo police (Radio KIM, Kosovo Online, social media)

Kosovo special police members have beaten up on Saturday evening in the village of Zitkovac near Zvecan two Serbian underage children, brother and sister K.R. (15) and D.R. (17), Office for Kosovo and Metohija said in a statement.

The statement, providing a sequence of events, said the children were riding quad and “were forcibly stopped, mistreated, pushed, and then physically assaulted. Brother and sister with bruises and hematomas, escorted by their mother, were admitted to the Clinical Hospital Centre in Kosovska Mitrovica, at the surgery department, where all necessary support was offered to them and complete diagnostics performed including an ultrasound and x-ray. Because of enduring stress and shock they will also have all other types of support and help available”, the Office for KiM added in statement.

They also said it has been clear “what Kurti’s special police does in Zvecan and in the north of Kosovo and Metohija in general. They are not there to allegedly guard the peace, but to instil fear among Serb families in Kosovo”.

Child surgeon at Clinical Hospital Centre in Mitrovica North Boban Mitrovic told Radio Mitrovica Sever that children were admitted to the hospital, received medical treatment and are stable. He also said the children are under extreme psychological stress, and that further diagnostics and examinations were underway. 

Serbian List urged all citizens to take care of their security and that of their children “because obviously international forces responsible for the safety are not able to ensure peace for the Serbian children and Serbs in those areas, nor they wish to act preventively and deploy forces on the ground to prevent Kurti’s parapolice officers from beating up Serbian children”.

Reactions to beating up of two Serbian children by Kosovo police

“It’s been 24h since Kurti’s KP brutally beaten up two 🇷🇸 children, Dara and Kristijan and not a single member of the intl community has reacted! Dara’s & Kristijan’s wounds do not hurt? Tears of their mother Marija don’t exist for you @MiroslavLajcak @DavenportOSCE @GermanAmbKOS”, Office for Kosovo and Metohija Director Petar Petkovic wrote in a post on Twitter.

“Should any more Serb children get hurt for international community to react and bring PM Albin Kurti to reason”, Strpce mayor Dalibor Jevtic wrote in a post on Facebook, recalling the wounding of two Serb boys in Gotovusa, near Strpce, on Christmas Eve shot at by member of the Kosovo Security Forces.

Serbian Minister for Labour, Employment, Social and Veterans Affairs Nikola Selakovic said Kosovo special police once again confirmed “the only politics Albin Kurti is pursuing was anti-Serbian, based on the worst terror, fear, mistreatment and harassment of Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija”.

“In the week when @VjosaOsmaniPRKS talked in @Europarl_EN about #Democracy #Equality & #HumanRights, 🇽🇰Police brutally beaten two Serbian teenagers, 15y/o boy and 17y/o girl. Here's a testimony of their mother, it's in Serbian yet you can feel her pain”, Dragisa Mijacic, Coordinator of the National Convent for the EU and civil society activist originating from Zubin Potok wrote in a post on Twitter.

“Two teenagers were riding a quad in mountain remote areas of northern Kosovo when they've been stopped and heavily beaten by 🇽🇰 police. Both of them are hospitalised in N/Mitrovica. The🇽🇰police shamelessly denied their involvement in the incident, as they did many times in the past”, he added.

Read complete Mijacic’s post at: rb.gy/gz7nu

Mitrovica North-based NGO Centre for Affirmative Social Action (CASA) in a post on Twitter wrote: “Testimony of a boy from a Mitrovica hospital: KP stopped him and his sister. They pinned a 13y old girl and dragged her on the ground, while the boy who tried to help his sister was knocked to the ground and kicked in the head and stomach. Terror. @USEmbPristina, @EUKosovo”.

“This alert does not undermine the unacceptable attacks on journalists the day before. But people, a 13-year-old girl and a 15-year-old boy dragged to the ground by Police??!! This needs to stop!”, CASA added. 

As Serbian media reported, Kosovo police denied beating up the two Serbian children. 

National Convention on the EU for Chapter 35: We condemn every form of violence in the North, committed by the police against Serbs or by hooligans against journalists and KFOR

The working group of the National Convention on the EU for chapter 35 requested today an urgent de-escalation of the crisis in the North of Kosovo through the implementation of three points proposed by the European Commission - the withdrawal of members of the Special Police Units from three municipalities, the new mayors to perform their functions outside the municipal buildings and the announcement of new local election, reported KoSSev. 

The members of this working group say that they are deeply concerned about the events in the north of Kosovo, and therefore call on Belgrade and Pristina to take the necessary measures urgently.

In addition, they are asking for an urgent response from the EU and the Quint countries to quickly implement the de-escalation plan.

They also condemned a series of incidents and moves that took place in the North in the previous period.

"We condemn every type of violence in the north of Kosovo, whether it was committed by special police units of Kosovo against members of the Serbian ethnic community, or by hooligans against journalists or members of KFOR," said the Working Group of the National Convention on the European Union for the chapter 35.

They especially condemn, as they emphasised, violence against children - as the most sensitive category of society.

Accordingly, the Working Group calls on EULEX and human rights organisations to investigate all cases of "police brutality against children, civilians and detainees" and to publicly report on their findings and conclusions.

Also, EULEX and KFOR are called to form an independent commission - which would investigate all the circumstances of the recent arrest of members of the Kosovo police.

"This case must not remain the product of different interpretations by officials in Belgrade and Pristina, as this will significantly undermine the process of normalisation of relations, as well as reconciliation between Albanians and Serbs," said the Working Group of the National Convention on the EU for Chapter 35.

At the same time, they call on the competent authorities in Serbia to speed up the process of assessing the criminal responsibility of the arrested Kosovo police officers:

"And if it doesn't exist, let them go free immediately."

On the other hand, they also demand the immediate withdrawal of measures aimed at suspending the Agreement on the Freedom of Movement of Goods and People.

"They directly affect the normalisation of trade and economic cooperation, which represent the basis for building a better future for our region," said this working group.

One more young Serb arrested in Leposavic this morning (KoSSev)

A young Serb U.V. from Leposavic was arrested early this morning by Kosovo police and he is suspected “of involvement in the attack against journalists on June 16 this year”, KoSSev portal reports.

The latest arrest for the alleged attacks against the journalists, the portal continues, is the third one in less than five days in northern Kosovo.

Previously a Serb N.V. was arrested on June 16, for as police said attacks against journalists from May 29. Although his lawyer and friends claim it was a mistake and that he did not take part in the attacks, N.V. is already sent to one-month detention and transfered from Mitrovica North to Podujevo prison facility.

On Saturday, June 17, another Serb D.S. was arrested at Jarinje crossing point and he is also charged with alleged attacks against journalists, although police did not specify which media and municipality it had to do with.

Gathering of support for arrested Serbs had been announced for today in Leposavic at noon.

The Office for KiM on today's arrest: The continuation of the torture of Albin Kurti (Beta, N1)

The Kosovo police suspect the young man of involvement in the attack on journalists in Kosovo, and Telekom Serbia announced that he is an employee of that company and that he was "abducted around 7:30 a.m. near Leposavic while he was travelling to work."

"We are not talking about any criminal, but a 28-year-old guy who calmly went to work, knowing that he was not guilty of anything," the Office for KiM stated, adding that one of the vehicles used by the police had KM plates.

The office assessed that it was a "continuation of torture" of the Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, who "uses all means to provoke a conflict with the peaceful Serbian people."

The statement read that "Kurti arrests Serbs every day without any evidence, while the international community turns its head to the other side and pretends not to see the violations of all basic rights of Serbs and the daily physical, legal and institutional violence against the Serbian people in Kosovo."

"The international community urgently needs to come to its senses and stand in the way of Pristina's unreasonable moves, because peace in Kosovo and Metohija can only survive with the superhuman efforts of the Serbs from the north who patiently endured Kurti's torture for two years," the statement added.

Telekom Serbia: Our employee in Leposavic hijacked, we will undertake all legal activities (RTV)

Telekom Serbia said today that this morning at around 7.30 in the vicinity of Leposavic, Uros Vukasinovic (28) employed at its daughter company in Kosovo MTS.d.o.o. was hijacked while travelling to work, adding that they will undertake all legal measures to protect their employee, Radio Television of Vojvodina (RTV) reported. 

As they said Vukasinovic was on his way to work, but did not come to the office, as according to the available information he “was intercepted and hijacked by persons in a white Volkswagen vehicle without clear markings”.

“It has been unclear where Uros Vukasinovic had been taken to and who had hijacked him, but we fear it is about yet another attack against Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija by so-called Kosovo police”, Telekom said in a statement.

Serbian media earlier reported that another young Serb man was arrested this morning in Leposavic in relation to, as the police said, an attack against journalists in this municipality from June 16. Kosovo Online portal reported the arrest was carried out by persons in a civilian vehicle.

Residents in Leposavic gathering near the municipal facility this morning were visibly disturbed with the news about the latest arrest, the portal recalls. 

Serbian List about the arrest of Serbs in Leposavic: When will the international community react? (NMagazin, Beta)

Serbian List asked today, after the arrest of another Serb in Leposavic for an alleged attack on journalists, when the international community will react and come to the protection of the Serbian people in the north of Kosovo, reported NMagain portal. 

"What is the purpose of the hundreds of KFOR members in the north of Kosovo and Metohija and their statements and advertisements in which they say that they are there to protect peace and security for all citizens? Is peace what the Serbs are living today, the families of kidnapped, shot, or beaten Serbs," asked the Serbian List in the announcement.

That party added that it has been appealing for peace for months on behalf of the Serbian people, but that it "has not been there for a long time" for the Serbs in Kosovo. 

"Well, the simple question is whether Kurti is really stronger than KFOR, the EU, the USA, Quint, the UN, or does he still have someone's support in this persecution of everything Serbian. Shame on you for being silent while the Serbs are being put in camps from which, one by one, Serbs are taken to Kurti's casemates," the announcement stated, reported the portal.

Citizens' protest march from Mitrovica to Zvecan in support of the arrested Serbs (Radio Mitrovica sever)

A peaceful protest march of thousands of citizens of northern Kosovo began at 1:00 p.m. from the Knez Lazar monument in Mitrovica North to Zvecan. Previously, a column of health workers started from the Clinical Hospital Center to the city centre, where citizens joined them. The protest was organised as a form of support for the recently arrested Serbs, but also because of the mistreatment of Serbian children in the village of Rudine in the municipality of Zvecan.

According to Radio Mitrovica sever, this the most massive protest in recent times was organised, as in previous days, by the Sports Union of Kosovo and Metohija, the KickBoxing Club of Kosovska Mitrovica, and Clinical Hospital Center Kosovska Mitrovica. The gathering is led by the former mayor of Zvecan, Dragisa Milovic, together with employees of CHC Kosovska Mitrovica.

Gathered people are caring banners with the messages (in Serbian and English) "Stop Kurti's regime", "Dalibor Spasic is not guilty", "All over the world doctors are heroes, only for Pristina they are criminals", "Who is next?", reports Radio Mitrovica sever.

Members of kick-box club with open training extend support to their arrested trainer Milun Milenkovic (KoSSev)

Members of the kick-box club Kosovska Mitrovica held an open training today at noon in Mitrovica North in support of recently arrested Milun Milenkovic, the main trainer at this club, KoSSev portal reports.

More than 20 members of the club took part in the training at the playground of Technical School in Mitrovica North.

The trainer assistant in the club, Aleksandar Alagic thanked all those who participated at the training, adding the public training as a sport protest will continue to be organised in upcoming days as well.

He also said Milenkovic was arrested unjustly. Apart for him, they also extended support to all other arrested Serbs. 

Lawyer Vlajic: Only those who are desperate or uninformed hope for justice in Kosovo (N1, Beta, RTS)

Lawyer Nebojsa Vlajic stated that "Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija live in institutionalised terror", stating that he was born in Kosovska Mitrovica and lives in Kosovo, adding that "the situation has never been worse and more tense".

"I am someone who, according to my vocation, would have to believe in the judiciary. I still believe in that, I haven't lost my ideals, but I see how the judiciary works in Kosovo. Only those who are desperate or deeply uninformed hope for justice in Kosovo," said Vlajic for Radio Television of Serbia.

Vlajic is the defender of the arrested Milun Milenkovic, who is charged with terrorism, attack on persons under international protection, KFOR and the Kosovo police.

Vlajic stated that "it is impossible to defend someone before the courts in Kosovo, because simply, they don't care about arguments".

He added that "they will let you say whatever you want, to preserve the semblance of a fair process, but the decision was made a long time ago."

He pointed out that other cases are also important, but that Lune’s case is the one with the most serious charges.

“There are cases of the first two arrested, Petrovic and Obrenovic, there is also no evidence that these people committed criminal acts, just as there is no evidence for alleged attacks on journalists from Pristina. We have no reason to attack journalists, especially those from Pristina. We want that our truth is heard right in Pristina, and that’s why we need Albanian journalists,” Vlajic said. 

He also stated that people in Kosovo are bothered by the tendency of those journalists to report only on what they want.

“Highlighting bad examples, if there are any, and exaggerating the whole case. So, there is no attack on journalists and that must be said publicly,” Vlajic said.

Before the protests, Milovan Bozovic from Zubin Potok was also arrested, who was charged with grave crimes.

“He is accused of the most serious crimes - for participating in organised crime, and the essence of that organised crime is opposition to the authorities from Pristina. They consider Serbs as enemies, and they have to declare someone as a leader or a participant in it. That’s exactly what happened to Bozovic. There is no evidence for what he is accused of, and he has been in custody for the third month already,” Vlajic added.

Vlajic opined that Pristina’s strategy is also to deal with the political representatives of the Serbs from Kosovo, adding that Zoran Todic and Slavko Simic were targeted by  accusations of being the leaders of a criminal group in Leposavic and of organising people who prevented the meeting of the newly elected mayor with directors of departments.

“These accusations are not naive at all. It is not the political position of the minister who said it, so let’s say that it is in some sense permissible. It is a direct abuse of his official position. He is accusing people who are the political leaders of those people, that man was a member of the Assembly or was the previous mayor of Leposavic. It is normal that they are political leaders. They are political leaders regardless of whether Pristina likes that person or not,” Vlajic said.

He also said that accusing them, without any evidence, of leading criminal groups is a direct order and pressure on the judiciary, a direct order for arrest and something that causes insecurity among the entire community.

“If an ordinary person sees that someone whom he trusts, a politician, it doesn’t matter who, that he can be arrested, that he can be accused in that way, then what will he think about himself? Of course, even worse,” Vlajic said.

He said that the attacks on children are not being punished, whom you can shoot and not be sent to prison, who drive quad bikes on rural or forest roads and are brutally beaten.

“Why don’t those Albanian journalists come to the hospital in North Mitrovica to film those children, and then have the police tell us that it’s a fake event and that it’s made up. Nothing is made up,” Vlajic said.

“Albanian journalists and the Albanian public in Pristina do not see the tears of their mother Marija, they do not see the pain and suffering of those children and the destroyed childhood, no one sees that. And whenever the police are accused of abusing their position, they say we did not. They did not shoot either the man in the car, and after two days it was proven that they did,” Vlajic concluded.

KFOR present at all access roads to Leposavic centre (Kosovo Online)

KFOR is present today in stronger numbers than the previous days in Leposavic, Kosovo Online portal reports.

A peaceful gathering in support of the Serbs arrested in Leposavic over the last couple of days had been called for today at noon.

KFOR is deployed since early hours today at the junction to Josanica village, on the Mitrovica North-Leposavic road and a smaller number of them is also deployed at all access roads to the town and entry points leading to the centre.

Larger number of citizens is present in front of the municipal facility today compared to previous days, and in addition to the Hungarian and US KFOR soldiers, EULEX is also present. 

Radojevic: Serbs have two options, to surrender and disappear, or to defend themselves democratically (TV Pink, Kosovo Online)

Former Mitrovica North mayor and Serbian List official Milan Radojevic in reaction to the arrest of yet another Serb from Leposavic said “the terror of Kosovo prime minister and interior minister, Albin Kurti and Xhelal Svecla, continues, condemning Serbs even though there is evidence of their innocence”.

Radojevic told TV Pink Serbs in the north of Kosovo are afraid because Pristina terror continues day after day. Radojevic recalled that Kurti, by calling the people who participated in the protests “fascist militia” announced the arrests.

He adds that, unfortunately, the reaction of the international community cannot be seen in action.

"We have videos, pictures that prove that these people did not participate in the incidents for which they are accused, but that does not prevent Kurti and Sveçla from immediately accusing them, and judging them, saying that they are a criminal gang, a fascist militia. We expected a reaction from an international joint venture, but we didn't get it, nor did we get a change in the situation on the ground. On the contrary, the situation is getting worse day by day", he pointed out.

"The hunt for Serbs in the north of Kosovo has been open for a long time, the Serbs are trying to keep the situation peaceful, but that is not possible. Citizens expect protection, we see that we don't have it from the international community, from KFOR, which should take control in the north of Kosovo so that the special units withdraw.  I am worried about the situation, I fear that this is not the worst, there are difficult days ahead of us, the situation can escalate", he said.

According to him, the pressure on the Serbian people continues.

"I think that Kurti will not stop with the pressure, he will go to that limit, until there are some victims. At this moment, the international community does not want to stop him, does not want to stop this violence against the Serbs, and the Serbs have two options, to accept what is happening to us and to disappear, or to defend ourselves in a democratic way. We must protect our people. We are coming to a situation where they will break into our houses and start arresting us", Radojevic warned.

Serbian military unit commander denies involvement in arrest of Kosovo police officers (N1)

Commander of the Serbian Army Cobras unit providing the Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic security detail denied allegations that its personnel entered Kosovo or had involvement in the arrest of three Kosovo special police officers, N1 reports.

Cobras Commander Lt Colonel Darko Djosic said the unit was not deployed along the administrative line of Kosovo.

“The Army of Serbia Cobras Detachment was not engaged in the area of the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija and when we are by order of Supreme Commander Aleksandar Vucic and when we get orders to engage we will fulfil them completely”, he said.

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti voiced allegations earlier that Cobras also took part in the arrest of Kosovo police officers.

Earlier Serbian Ministry of Defence once again refuted Kurti’s allegations on Serbian Army involvement in the arrest of the three Kosovo special police officers.