Albanian Language Media:

• Ongoing efforts to organise meeting between Kurti and Vucic (RFE)
• Kosovo Police: Situation in north fragile but quiet (media)
• Serbian protesters attacked journalists in Leposavic (Koha)
• Ministry denies agreement for withdrawal of special police units from north (Telegrafi)
• Osmani: Vucic's gangs want destabilisation, their actions to be punished (Koha)
• Kurti talks to Peach: "A democracy has no place for fascist violence" (RTK)
• Borrell: Kosovo should withdraw Police from the municipal buildings in the north (Koha)
• Stano: Kosovo and Serbia are responsible for the violence in the north (Express)
• Lajcak tries to arrange an urgent Kurti-Vucic meeting (Koha)
• France: Kosovo and Serbia to return to dialogue with approach of compromise (media)
• Kearns: In north Kosovo, Serb gangs paid and armed by elements in Belgrade (media)
• Hungarian authorities give details about their soldiers injured in the north (media)
• Mayors of Leposaviq and North Mitrovica in municipal facilities, the one of Zvecan, works from the Office for Communities (Telegrafi)
• Barbed wire is placed near the facility of the Municipality of Zvecan (media)
• Kurti postpones participation in Bratislava Forum, due to developments in the north (Koha)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic with Quint ambassadors: Unilateral Pristina acts lead to violence against Serb community (Tanjug, media)
• Vucic met Botsan-Kharchenko (Tanjug)
• Vucic met Chen Bo (media)
• Petkovic says Kurti sole responsible for what happened in north yesterday (RTS)
• Lawyer says Dusan Obrenovic arrested in Zvecan beaten up (Kosovo Online, RTS, KoSSev)
• Szijarto: Hungarian soldiers within KFOR performed duty under Italian command (Tanjug)
• Petkovic: KFOR should have protected Serbs, not assisting ROSU units (N1, BETA)
• Todic with US KFOR commander, tells him life in Leposavic paralyzed (Kosovo Online)
• Serbs asking Petrovic and Obradovic release, otherwise announce more massive gathering (Danas, Kosovo Online, Kontakt plus radio)  
• New Zvecan mayor went to local office in Lipa village (Radio Mitrovica sever, Danas)
• Leposavic: Incident with journalists, fewer citizens at the protest (KiM radio)
• New flag of Serbia placed near monument to Milos Obilic in Gracanica (KiM radio)
• Mural of Serbian tennis star Djokovic destroyed in Orahovac (N1, Radio Gorazdevac, KiM radio, Srna)
• UNS, DNKiM condemned ban on Serbian journalists entering Zvecan municipal building (KIM Radio, Kosovo Online)
• NUNS appealed to employers to provide journalists with protective equipment (Beta, Danas)
• Nedeljkovic: Four arrested will be released, withdrawal of Kosovo police expected by 3 p.m. (KoSSev, Radio Mitrovica sever)
• Chinese MFA on situation in northern Kosovo (Kosovo Online)

International:

• EU Urges Kosovo To 'Immediately De-Escalate' Situation After Violence In North (RFE)

 

 

Albanian Language Media  

 

Ongoing efforts to organise meeting between Kurti and Vucic (RFE)

EU Special Representative for the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia, Miroslav Lajcak, is trying to organise an ad hoc meeting between Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic in Bratislava, the news website learns from diplomatic sources in Brussels. They said “this is still an idea and effort” and “there is no confirmation from the parties if they are ready for such a meeting”.

The Kosovo government meanwhile told Gazeta Express that Kurti has cancelled his participation at a security conference in Bratislava because of the situation in the north.

Kosovo Police: Situation in north fragile but quiet (media)

The Kosovo Police said in a statement today that the situation in the north is currently fragile but quiet. “Referring to circumstances and developments yesterday (29.05.2023) where protesters, criminal individuals and groups, with extreme violence, led to a deteriorating security situation in the north of the country and it further degraded by risking the lives of people, including the lives of members of security institutions. Protests in the three northern municipalities Leposavic, Zubin Potok and Zvecan are continuing today in front of municipal assemblies, and the situation is assessed as fragile but quiet. In accordance with its official duties, the Kosovo Police is continuing its engagement in providing security and is cooperating/coordinating activities with KFOR and relevant institutions. At the same time, police units are undertaking all investigative activities in relation to yesterday’s cases and developments. The Kosovo Police today too calls on citizens to be calm and not fall prey to calls for violent protests and provocations of any nature,” the statement notes.

Serbian protesters attacked journalists in Leposavic (Koha)

The news website has published footage when during the live broadcast, the protesters started throwing hard objects. Koha journalist Marigona Brahimi was also attacked.

Brahimi said that some people with masks attacked the teams of journalists, until the latter had to leave the place where they were staying, moving from the part of the protesters. "Tëvë1" medium's camera was broken.

Ministry denies agreement for withdrawal of special police units from north (Telegrafi)

Kosovo’s Ministry of Interior Affairs denied reports in some Serbian media according to which an agreement was reached between KFOR and Serb representatives on the withdrawal of Kosovo Police special units from the north. “No there is no such agreement,” the ministry told the news website. 

Osmani: Vucic's gangs want destabilisation, their actions to be punished (Koha)

The President of Kosovo, Vjosa Osmani, met on Tuesday with the Deputy Secretary General for Peace, Security and Defense in the European External Action Service, Charles Fries, the Head of the EU Office in Kosovo, Tomas Szunyog and the head of EULEX, Lars-Gunnar Wigemark.

"President Osmani and Deputy Secretary Fries also discussed the recent developments in the north of the Republic of Kosovo. The President has reiterated the strong condemnation for the attacks of illegal Serbian structures turned into criminal gangs against the Kosovo police, KFOR and journalists. President Osmani emphasised that these criminal gangs, supported by Vucic, aim to destabilise Kosovo and the entire region, therefore their dangerous actions must be condemned by all," the communiqué states.

Kurti talks to Peach: "A democracy has no place for fascist violence" (RTK)

The Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, through a post on Twitter, has announced that he has spoken with the United Kingdom's special envoy for the Western Balkans, Stuart Peach, about the brutal attacks on the Police, KFOR and journalists.

 "I spoke to the UK’s Special Envoy Lord Stuart Peach about the outrageous attacks on the Police, KFOR and journalists. In a democracy there is no place for fascist violence - no appeal from ballot to bullet. Citizens of all ethnicities have a right to full and unencumbered service of their elected officials," Kurti wrote.

Also, Kurti talked last night in the late hours for the second time with the foreign minister of Italy, Antonio Tajani, after some members of the Italian KFOR were injured by the attacks of the Serbian protesters.

“In a second call today with Italy's DPM/MFA Antonio Tajani I conveyed the deep gratitude of the Government and people of the Republic of Kosova for Italian NATO_KFOR soldiers' valiant action to preserve peace in the face of violent extremism. I wish a full and speedy recovery to those injured,” he wrote.

Borrell: Kosovo should withdraw the Police from the municipal buildings in the north (Koha)

Kosovo should suspend its police operations around the municipal buildings in the north of Kosovo, as a first step to reduce tensions, said the head of foreign policy of the European Union, Josep Borrell. 

"I want to say that the EU strongly condemns the violence in the north of Kosovo, which we have seen in recent days. Acts of violence against citizens, media, law enforcement and KFOR are unacceptable," Borrell told reporters in Brussels.

Stano: Kosovo and Serbia are responsible for the violence in the north (Express)

The spokesperson of the European Union, Peter Stano, has refused to answer the journalists' question about who attacked the KFOR soldiers on May 29 in Zvecan, in the north of Kosovo, but said that Kosovo and Serbia are responsible for the violence in the north.

During a media conference, Stano, answering the question why the head of EU diplomacy, Josep Borrell, in his statement, through which he condemned the violence in the north of Kosovo, did not talk about who attacked KFOR soldiers.

"The high representative [Josep Borrell] is the representative for foreign policy and security, and he is not there to find out who attacked whom. His role is to ensure that everything is done to reduce tensions and calm the situation. Therefore, he is also committed to reducing tensions. This situation did not come about by itself, but is a consequence of circumstances and developments for which both parties are responsible".

Lajcak tries to arrange an urgent Kurti-Vucic meeting (Koha)

The European Union is trying to organise an urgent meeting between the Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, and the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, after the recent tensions in the north of Kosovo.

As a news website has learned, the efforts are being led by the European Union's special envoy for dialogue, Miroslav Lajcak.

Both leaders are expected to be in Bratislava to participate in the "Globsec" forum. In this location, efforts are being made for a meeting between the parties.

The news website has not been able to reach the Office of the government of Kosovo to learn more about this meeting.

France: Kosovo and Serbia to return to dialogue with approach of compromise (media)

The French Ministry of Foreign Affairs said today that it is crucial for security in Europe for tensions in the north of Kosovo to be stopped immediately. “It is more crucial than ever for Pristina and Belgrade to demonstrate responsibility by returning to the table of negotiations with an approach of compromise in the service of peace and prosperity for Serb and Kosovar citizens,” spokesperson Anna-Claire Legendre said. “We cannot allow regional stability to be jeopardised given the critical international context. This is a matter of European security.”

Kearns: In north Kosovo, Serb gangs paid and armed by elements in Belgrade (media)

Several news websites cover a Twitter post by Alicia Kearns, Chair of the UK Foreign Affairs Committee, about the situation in the north of Kosovo. “Encourage anyone following events in #Kosovo to read this NYT article on Vucic, and his links to organised crime groups and use of gangs to orchestrate and secure his interests. In Northern Kosovo, Serbian gangs are being paid and armed with weapons by elements in Belgrade,” she tweeted and shared the New York Times article https://t.ly/zGWD.

Hungarian authorities give details about their soldiers injured in the north (media)

An Airbus A319 aircraft of the Hungarian Defense Forces specially designed for medical care departed from Kecskemet on the evening of May 29 to look after the wounded Hungarian soldiers in Zvecan, Kosovo, and bring them home.

This is what foreign media report, citing statements by the Hungarian authorities, according to which Major General Ferenc Kajari, Deputy Chief of the General Staff, also held the meeting with the military doctors on board. According to them, this was announced in a statement published by the Hungarian Defense Forces.

Meanwhile, according to the media, Hungarian soldiers participating in the NATO peacekeeping mission in Kosovo were injured during the mass dispersion of Serbian protesters in the settlement of Zvecan in Kosovo. According to information from the Hungarian National Guard, soldiers from several nations were also injured in the clash.

Meanwhile, the Foreign Minister, Peter Szijjarto wrote on his Facebook page that the Hungarian ambassador in Pristina, Jozsef Bencze, has visited the four Hungarian soldiers in the American hospital, who needed treatment due to their wounds. As he announced, one of them had to be operated on, but none of them is in danger of life.

Regarding what happened, the Foreign Minister wrote that Hungary is interested in peace and calm in the Western Balkans.

Mayors of Leposaviq and North Mitrovica in the municipal facilities, the one of Zvecan, works from the Office for Communities (Telegrafi)

The Mayor of the Municipality of Zvecan, Ilir Peci, is exercising his duties this Tuesday from the Office for Communities located in the village of Lipe of this municipality, and not from the municipal facility.

This was confirmed by Peci himself in a statement for the Telegrafi, as he said that he will stay there until 16:00 hours.

"We started work here today and will stay until 4:00 p.m. There are no protesters here and the situation is calm", he stated briefly.

Meanwhile, the mayor of Northern Mitrovica, Erden Atic, and the mayor of Leposaviq, Lulzim Hetemi, are still in office and are staying in the facilities of the respective municipalities.

The Serbian protesters who are opposing the new Albanian mayors, have also gathered on Tuesday in Zvecan, although in a smaller number than the day before.

Barbed wire is placed near the facility of the Municipality of Zvecan (media)

KFOR soldiers have placed barbed wire near the Municipality building in Zvecan. Currently, as reported by Koha journalist Saranda Ramaj, the situation is calm.

 KFOR soldiers have created a barricade near the municipality facility.

Kurti postpones participation in Bratislava Forum, due to developments in the north (Koha)

Prime Minister Albin Kurti has postponed his participation in the Bratislava Forum called GLOBSEC.

This was confirmed by the spokesperson of the government of Kosovo Perparim Kryeziu. He said that Kurti postponed the participation due to the developments in the country.

"It was planned to go. But, due to the developments in the country, the participation has been postponed. It is not definitive yet whether he will participate or not," he said.

GLOBSEC started work on May 29 and will last three days. Serbian president, Aleksandar Vucic, has canceled his participation in this forum.

 

 

Serbian Language Media 

 

Vucic with Quint ambassadors: Unilateral Pristina acts lead to violence against Serb community (Tanjug, media)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic spoke this morning with Quint ambassadors and EU delegation head about current developments in Kosovo and Metohija and emphasised that unilateral acts of Pristina lead to the violence against the Serbian community, which moves us away from the lasting peace and stability, Tanjug news agency reports.

“Immediate withdrawal of fake mayors and members of the so-called Pristina special police forces is a precondition for preserving peace in Kosovo and Metohija”, Vucic said in a post on his official Instagram account.  

As the statement from presidential office reads Vucic expressed strong dissatisfaction and serious concerns over the fact that one part of the international community continues tolerating Pristina’s unilateral acts, that lead to the violence against the Serbian community and reduces number of options that could lead to the lasting peace and stability in the region.

According to the statement Vucic acquainted his interlocutors with a true chronology of events from yesterday in Zvecan, which resulted in a large number of injured Serbs, who gathered to express dissatisfaction against “intrusion of illegal (Albin) Kurti’s forces to the Serbian buildings, but also because of undermined trust in KFOR, which, despite made guarantees, did not protect the Serbs and did not prevent illegal and violent taking over of the municipalities”.

He recalled timely and persistent warnings of Serbia about such possible developments, and consequences that unsanctioned behaviour of Pristina may cause. He also spoke of unilateral Pristina’s acts that as a consequence have wounding, beating, mistreatment and open discrimination against the Serbs.

Vucic said it was high time that part of the international community strongly, clearly and unequivocally reacted to the politics of Pristina institutions and protected Serbs from strong pressure and violence they are exposed to.

He expressed regret over injured KFOR soldiers, adding that the number of injured Serbs was higher, firearms and strong physical force was used against them, although they offered, as Vucic said, non-violent resistance.

He emphasised that preserving the peace was of crucial importance and that security of the Serbian community was the most important, calling on those who have the highest influence on Pristina to make and implement certain measures that would guarantee security of Serbs in Kosovo.

“I hope you will be able to bring Kurti to senses to withdraw his forces and his personal mayors from the north”, Vucic said.

He underlined Serbia will continue communication with representatives of NATO/KFOR in the good faith to preserve peace and stability.

Vucic met Botsan-Kharchenko (Tanjug)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic met today Russian Ambassador to Serbia Alexander Botsan-Kharchenko and spoke with him about the recent escalation and violence against the Serbian community in Kosovo and Metohija, as well as informed him about yesterday’s events in northern Kosovo. Vucic also expressed concern over “extreme violence and insidious discrimination of the Serbs”, adding he fears the situation is going in a very bad direction.

Vucic said such actions aim at raising tensions in the entire region, and that is why he demanded immediate withdrawal of the Kosovo special police forces from northern Kosovo and reactions of the international community that would guarantee security of the Serbs in Kosovo, reads the statement from the presidential office.  

Vucic met Chen Bo (media)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic met today China Ambassador to Serbia, Chen Bo and spoke with her about the latest escalation of violence in Kosovo and Metohija, Tanjug news agency reports.

Vucic informed Bo in detail about the chronology of events in northern Kosovo yesterday, which once again, as the statement said, demonstrated a policy of intolerance and violence against the Serbian community in Kosovo, before the eyes of the international community.   

Petkovic says Kurti sole responsible for what happened in north yesterday (RTS)

Office for Kosovo and Metohija Director, Petar Petkovic said that Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti is ‘the sole responsible’ for what happened in the north of Kosovo yesterday, adding that the most important message sent to the Quint states today was “to bring Kurti to reason same as their child named Kosovo” as otherwise things may move, as he said, irrevocably and inflame entire region.

Petkovic accused Kurti of wanting to inflame entire region yesterday saying that “the result of the clashes were 52 injured civilians, three of them seriously, foremost Dragisa Galjak, who was shot twice in the back by ROSU (reference to Kosovo special police units) police officer at the moment he was running away to seek the shelter from tear gas”. He also said that 41 KFOR members were injured, three of them seriously.

“We wish speedy recovery to all, we hope there are no those in life danger and we have no problem saying that. Serbs never wanted conflict with KFOR, the one who wanted that was Albin Kurti and when you look at all his actions over the weekend and on Friday it was clear that he wanted conflict (…)”, Petkovic said, adding that Serbia will continue insisting that Pristina releases two arrested Serbs – Rados Petrovic and Dusan Obrenovic, who were taken to Mitrovica South yesterday.

Lawyer says Dusan Obrenovic arrested in Zvecan beaten up (Kosovo Online, RTS, KoSSev)

Predrag Miljkovic, defence lawyer of Dusan Obrenovic, arrested in Zvecan yesterday said that his client “was brutally beaten up by Kosovo police”, Kosovo Online portal reports.

“Late last night I was hired by the family and visited him in a police station in the southern part of Mitrovica. Dusan Obrenovic was horribly beaten up by Kosovo police during arrest, and as he told me, also while he was taken inside to the police station. He sustained various injuries to the head, cuts, and hematomas. He has been horribly and brutally beaten up”, the lawyer said.

He said Obrenovic is charged with the criminal act of “calling for resistance and endangering personnel under international protection”.

Lawyer urged the international community, Kosovo police, judiciary to look at this case and put an end to such ill practice. He said Obrenovic is a young man who came to protest peacefully. According to the lawyer, Obrenovic was examined by a doctor and the doctor said further examination by a surgeon was needed. He also said he was not allowed to document or photograph injuries that Obrenovic sustained. 

KoSSev portal recalled that Obrenovic is a young man who since early childhood faced difficult family and material situations and that several humanitarian actions were organised in the past to support him. 

Dejan A. Vasic, lawyer of Rados Petrovic, another arrested Serb in Zvecan, said his client was sent to 48-hour detention and that he is also in a police station in Mitrovica South. He was interviewed last night.

According to Vasic, Petrovic said that KFOR members dragged him while he was sitting on the ground along with other protesters, “that he was stepped over by boots, and once tear gas and stun grenades were thrown Kosovo police took him out and saved him from some serious injuries”.

Vasic also said he saw Obrenovic in the police station, but didn’t manage to talk to him.

RTS recalled that four Serbs were arrested during yesterday’s clashes between KFOR and Serb protesters, while Kosovo police said five persons were arrested.  

Szijarto: Hungarian soldiers within KFOR performed duty under Italian command (Tanjug)

Tanjug reports that the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Hungary, Peter Szijarto, stated that Budapest was interested in peace and tranquillity in the Western Balkans and added that hundreds of Hungarian soldiers deployed in Kosovo and Bosnia and Herzegovina contributed to this.

"Hungarian soldiers serving in KFOR in Kosovo under Italian command were deployed in the Zeman settlement. The Hungarian soldiers performed their duties according to the orders they received, and several of them were injured," wrote Szigeti on Facebook, reported Tanjug.

Petkovic: KFOR should have protected Serbs, not assisting ROSU units (N1, BETA)

Office for Kosovo and Metohija Director Petar Petkovic said the mandate of KFOR was “to protect the Serbian people, but that they protected fake mayors”, who, as he said, have no right to be in the municipal buildings in northern Kosovo, adding that those forces “practically assisted ROSU (term often used in reference to Kosovo special police units) units”, N1 reports.

“We insist that Pristina, KFOR respectively, release two remaining Serbs who peacefully protested in front of the municipal building in Zvecan. They were taken to Mitrovica South and charged with hooliganism”, Petkovic told RTS.

Petkovic added that Serbs “cannot come to terms with occupations of northern Kosovo” and that “the state of Serbia is by their side”, stressing that however Serbia does not wish for conflicts.

N1 recalled that Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic will meet with Quint state ambassadors early today, and that he will also have meetings with ambassadors of Russia and China. 

Todic with US KFOR commander, tells him life in Leposavic paralyzed (Kosovo Online)

Serbian List Presidency member Slavko Simic and former Leposavic mayor Zoran Todic spoke today with US KFOR commander conveying him demands that Kosovo special police units withdraw and newly elected mayor Lulzim Hetemi leaves the municipal building, where he is staying since yesterday morning, Kosovo Online portal reports.

Todic underlined that Serbs gathered in front of the municipal building do not want any incidents, but only want unimpeded access to their working places in their own institutions.

“Life in Leposavic stopped, they came here using force. They can go, so we can return to normal life”, Todic said. He also said life in Leposavic was paralyzed, nothing works, schools, public companies, health facilities remain closed.

To illustrate the situation Todic mentioned an example of a few municipal employees who should retire soon as they worked for almost 40 years in the same municipality, but are not able to go to their working places now due to the newly imposed situation.

He noted that Serbs have nothing personal against the newly elected mayor, but that he however can not represent Serbian people in the municipality and should go to the three Albanian villages instead and work from there, because people from there voted for him. He also said Serb population in the municipality has no trust in Kosovo police.  

Serbs asking Petrovic and Obradovic release, otherwise announce more massive gathering (Danas, Kosovo Online, Kontakt plus radio)  

Former president of the Zvecan Municipality Assembly, Srdjan Milosavljevic, requested the release of Radis Petrovic and Dusan Obrenovic, who were arrested yesterday during the riots in Zvecan.

If they are not released, he called on the citizens of the municipalities in the north of Kosovo to gather tomorrow in larger numbers than yesterday, and to peacefully express their dissatisfaction due to the new situation.

“Today’s protest is a peaceful one. It was like that yesterday. It was not suitable for someone for that protest to remain peaceful until the end. We, as residents of municipalities with a Serb majority, do not want tensions, but peace. It clearly suits someone else to create chaos and bring unrest to our area,” Milosavljevic said.

He emphasized that the Serbs did not give up on the demands made yesterday - the withdrawal of the special units of the Kosovo Police from the municipalities in the north of Kosovo and that the newly elected mayors should not be allowed to enter the municipal premises.

New Zvecan mayor went to local office in Lipa village  (Radio Mitrovica sever, Danas)

Zvecan mayor, Ilir Peci, said today that he did not go to the central office of the municipality, but to the local office in the village of Lipa.

Peci told TV Klan Kosova that he and his cabinet started working in the community office today.

According to him, such a decision was made after discussions with KFOR and the Kosovo police.

"During discussions with KFOR and the police, we came to the conclusion that we have to come here because of the situation. I believe that we will return to the central office,'' said Peci.

Leposavic: Incident with journalists, fewer citizens at the protest (KiM radio)

"We had some kind of incident a little while ago, it was when some people from the crowd were throwing at journalists from the Albanian media and that was not at all appropriate to the situation. People from the media withdrew, people from the media in the Serbian language from Kosovo and Serbia showed solidarity, and moved to one corner of the events and they record and report from there,'' Nenad Radosavljevic, director of RTV Mir from Leposavic, told KiM radio. 

He stated that today in front of the municipality there is a much smaller number of protesting citizens, and that KFOR and Kosovo Police units are deployed at intersections in Leposavic.

He assumes that the newly elected mayor of Leposavic is still in the municipal building.

"As far as I have found out, the newly elected mayor has been staying in the municipal building since yesterday, during the whole night and that he is also there this morning. That is the information I have, I don't know if it is true".

For several reasons, Nenad Radosavljevic does not expect the situation in Leposavic to escalate.

"I don't expect any escalation. First, because there is a small number of people. Second, because of the way KFOR reacted and the way it happened in Zvecan that some people were arrested... I think that people who have the courage to do something in the direction of some kind of violence, will give up. I think that the Serbian List is also aware that they can really be brought to justice for inciting violence. They are very rational in judging what is in their interest," he stated. 

When asked how the fact that the Provisional Municipality Leposavic is not working for the third day affects the daily life of citizens, Radosavljevic replied:

"To tell you the truth, the system that exists - it works, regardless of whether the officials are there or not. It means that at some point some necessary work will be done for the people who work to receive salaries, and that is the essence of the existence of all those institutions. They don't create the future, they don't work to improve life, they just perform very simple tasks daily," concluded the director of RTV Mir from Leposavic.

New flag of Serbia placed near monument to Milos Obilic in Gracanica (KiM radio)

A new flag of Serbia was placed on the flagpole at the roundabout in Gracanica by representatives of the local self-government, after burning of the previous one, reported KiM radio. 

The president of the municipality of Gracanica Ljiljana Subaric and the president of the PA Pristina Novak Zivic, were on the spot, but they did not want to make statements to the media, adding that they would address the public with a statement.

KiM radio reports that they did not receive any information about the incident from the Kosovo police.

KFOR members from the Liaison and Monitoring Team (LMT) were at the roundabout in Gracanica, who first spoke with the present plainclothes police officers. KiM radio reports that and ''this police team also refused to provide any information about the arson''.

Meanwhile, a video of the burning of the Serbian flag in Gracanica appeared on Instagram, according to KiM radio.

Everything is connected, say Gracanica residents 

The residents of Gracanica, interviewed by Radio KiM, are convinced that the burning of the Serbian flag is a consequence of yesterday's riots in the north of Kosovo.

Since the burning flag was soon replaced by a new one, most of the Gracanica residents were not even aware of last night's incident.

"In Gracanica? I'm not up to date, I don't know", said a local to KiM radio. 

"I didn't hear that the flag was burned, but it's terrible and sad. I think the event is related to the one in the north, someone is dictating them from some side. It's not out of the blue, it wasn't Kurti who told them to do it, but someone from the side. Maybe I'm wrong, but in the Balkans, presidents don't come regularly, someone appoints them, the English, the Americans, the Germans," said a citizen who wished to remain anonymous.

"I don't know that the flag was burned, I'm not up to date. I think it is related to the unrest in the north. We are concerned, we live here and it's very tense," said Djordje Peric.

"Everything is connected, the people are scared. I don't know what to think, the Serbs are scared both here and in the north. We expect President Vucic to help us. If he doesn't help us, to pack our things and run away, what should we do. The bare-handed people cannot defend themselves," Ivan Nedeljkovic told KiM radio.

"I heard this morning that the flag was burned. It must be connected; everything is organised to get us out of here. But I was born here, I live here alone, my son is in Serbia. I will not leave my birthplace. I was born and grew old here, I retired, and I hope to die here too", said Jovica Milatovic.

Subaric: Citizens should remain calm, the international community should react responsibly

"This morning, a difficult and sad picture dawned in Gracanica, the Serbian flag was set on fire near the monument to Milos Obilic, which is located in the immediate vicinity of the Gracanica monastery," said the president of the Gracanica municipality and called on the international community to respond responsibly, and the relevant institutions to find the perpetrator.

"In addition to our appeal and call for peace, in addition to our request for dialogue, as a response we received an attack on the bare-handed people in Zvecan and the burning of the Serbian flag in Gracanica. I believe that this is another form of pressure by which they want to sow fear and hatred and it doesn't matter, therefore, whether it is Gracanica, Zvecan, Leposavic, Strpce, it is important that the Serbian people live there and that additional pressure is exerted on them," stated Ljiljana Subaric in a statement for KiM radio and RTV Gracanica, calling the international community and the Quint countries to react responsibly.

Mural of Serbian tennis star Djokovic destroyed in Orahovac (N1, Radio Gorazdevac, KiM radio, Srna)

A mural of Serbia’s best tennis player Novak Djokovic in Orahovac, Kosovo, was destroyed on the night from Monday to Tuesday, while the vandals wrote UCK next to it, reported N1.

The mural was painted as part of the ‘Colour in the Air’ project of the Amici Di Decani organisation in collaboration with artist Milan Milosavljevic – Deroks, who was tasked with painting murals in Serb-populated parts of Kosovo.

Djokovic’s mural, which was painted on a Serb house across from the Orahovac church, was also destroyed in February this year when it was painted over with white paint.

Following his victory in the Roland Garros first round on Monday, Djokovic wrote “Kosovo is the heart of Serbia – Stop the violence,” on a camera lens in Serbian.

UNS, DNKiM condemned ban on Serbian journalists entering Zvecan municipal building (KIM Radio, Kosovo Online)

The Association of Journalists of Serbia (UNS) and its branch, the Association of Journalists of Kosovo and Metohija (DNKiM) condemned the ban on entry into the building of the Municipality of Zvecan to journalists from Serbian newsrooms at the moment when members of the Kosovo police invited journalists from the Albanian-language media to enter the municipal building for security reasons yesterday, Serbian media reported.

Following statements from the Serbian language media, Kosovo Online and KIM Radio, UNS and DNKiM pointed out that in crisis situations it is especially necessary to ensure safe work for journalists and media workers, and that discrimination additionally creates a feeling of an unsafe environment.

UNS and DNKiM demand that international security forces, above all members of KFOR and EULEX, protect journalists and enable them to work without discrimination.

"It is inadmissible to divide journalists on the basis of surname and nationality. We insist that international and local organisations in the field treat all journalists equally and provide them with the conditions for their work", Goran Avramovic, editor-in-chief of KiM radio, told UNS.

NUNS appealed to employers to provide journalists with protective equipment (Beta, Danas) 

The Independent Association of Journalists of Serbia (NUNS) appealed today, on the unrest in Kosovo and Metohija, to media employers to provide protective equipment for their journalists and other members of teams reporting from the conflict area, reported daily Danas. 

"Many correspondents do not have the necessary protective equipment - gas mask, body armor and helmet. We remind and invite employers to take responsibility for the safety of their workers and provide them with the necessary equipment. NUNS calls on all journalists and media workers who are following the events to be visibly marked as employees of the media, to carry a journalist ID card and vests with the inscription 'press'," said NUNS.

In a statement, NUNS recalled that journalists in Kosovo were exposed to tear gas in the middle of the escalation of the conflict and that they had to take shelter in a nearby cafe, from which they escaped only after several hours.

Several cars owned by media houses were also damaged.

Nedeljkovic: Four arrested will be released, withdrawal of Kosovo police expected by 3 p.m. (KoSSev, Radio Mitrovica sever)

KoSSev portal reports that four Serbs, who were detained yesterday after the conflict between demonstrators and KFOR members that took place in front of the municipality building in Zvecan, will be released. 

The withdrawal of the special units of the Kosovo police from the municipal building is expected by 3:00 p.m, confirmed Dragan Nedeljkovic, a member of the Provisional Authority of the Municipality of Zvecan. He emphasises that this is the result of last night's negotiations with the KFOR commander, who, he says, gave them these guarantees, but he still has no information whether this has been fulfilled, reported KoSSev.

Chinese MFA on situation in northern Kosovo (Kosovo Online)

China supports the efforts of Serbia in protection of its sovereignty and territorial integrity, spokeswoman of the Chinese Foreign Affairs Ministry Mao Nin said, Kosovo Online portal reports.

She said China urges NATO to truly respect sovereignty and territorial integrity of the states and to do what contributes to regional peace.

She added China opposes unilateral acts of, as she said, Pristina’s provisional self-governance bodies. 

 

 

International 

 

EU Urges Kosovo To 'Immediately De-Escalate' Situation After Violence In North (RFE)

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell has urged Kosovar authorities and ethnic Serb protesters to "immediately de-escalate" tensions in Kosovo's north following a day of violence that led to the intervention of KFOR forces, prompting dozens of injuries among troops and protesters.

Kosovo police meanwhile said that the situation in the ethnic Serb majority towns of Zvecan, Leposaviq, and Zubin Potok was calm on the morning of May 30 but local ethnic Serbs have warned that the protests will continue.

"We recorded no incidents. The police are performing their duties according to the commitments they have," Veton Elshani from the Kosovo police told RFE/RL.

"The EU urges Kosovo authorities and the protesters to immediately and unconditionally de-escalate the situation. We expect the Parties to act responsibly and find a political solution through the Dialogue immediately," Borrell wrote on Twitter on May 30.

On May 29, NATO-led KFOR troops dispersed ethnic Serb demonstrators who had ignored warnings to move away from the municipal headquarters in Zvecan as violent clashes broke out in the standoff between majority local Serbs and ethnic Albanian authorities, leading to dozens of injuries among troops and protesters.

Read more at: https://t.ly/lQJe