Albanian Language Media: 

• Rutte: We must ensure that situation in Kosovo remains stable (media)
• Trump announces new tariffs, 10% to Kosovo (media) 
• Svecla meets Lammy, discuss fight against illegality (Klan)
• Opposition parties meet separately with the UK Foreign Secretary (media)
• Kurti meets minority parties to form new government (media)
• Cakolli criticizes Kurti for holding party meetings in government (media)
• PDK: Kosovo needs new institutions as soon as possible (media)
• Specialist Chambers Ombudsperson: I only deal with administrative violations (RTK)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic: We agree that the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina is of key importance (Kosovo Online, Tanjug, media)

• Lammy: It is necessary to encourage the normalization of relations between Serbia and Kosovo (Kosovo Online, Tanjug, media)

• Vucic met with OSCE secretary-general (Tanjug, RTS, Blic)

• Djuric: OSCE mission important for safeguarding rights of Kosovo Serbs (Tanjug)

• Petkovic: Only a strong Serbia guarantees the survival of our people (Radio Mitrovica sever)
• Twelfth silent protest in North Mitrovica honors victims of Novi Sad tragedy (KoSSev)
• Rutte: NATO is not part of the agreements signed in Tirana and Belgrade (Kosovo Online)

Albanian Language Media 

Rutte: We must ensure that situation in Kosovo remains stable (media)

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has reiterated that the perpetrators of the attack in Banjska and the one against KFOR members in the north in 2023 must be held accountable, and that Serbia must work for accountability.

Rutte said that efforts must be made to ensure that the situation in Kosovo remains stable. “We are closely following the security situation in Kosovo and we must ensure that the situation since 1999, which is much more stable now, continues. Regarding Banjska and the attack on KFOR troops, the Serbs must work for accountability. We spoke about this with Vucic on the phone but also when we had lunch in Brussels two weeks ago,” he said at a press conference in Brussels.

Rutte was asked whether NATO had been consulted in advance about a defense cooperation agreement between Serbia and Hungary signed on April 1, and he replied that the alliance had not been consulted. Referring to the memorandum reached between Kosovo, Albania and Croatia, the head of the North Atlantic alliance said that these are agreements that are reached outside the framework of NATO.

Trump announces new tariffs, 10% to Kosovo (media) 

U.S. President Donald Trump has announced new tariffs on trade partners of the United States of America (US) and said they will take effect on Wednesday at midnight.

In the published lists of countries that the U.S. has imposed tariffs on, Kosovo also appears with 10 percent tariffs. Other countries in the region also appear with this percentage of tariffs: Albania 10%, Montenegro 10%, Serbia 37%, North Macedonia 33%, Bosnia and Herzegovina 35%.

Svecla meets Lammy, discuss fight against illegality (Klan)

Acting Minister of Internal Affairs, Xhelal Svecla, met with the Foreign Secretary of Great Britain, David Lammy. Svecla said that they discussed the fight against any illegality that undermines the security and stability of Kosovo. “I also informed Secretary Mr. Lammy about the ongoing security challenges caused by Serbia through its criminal and terrorist groups that aim to destabilize our country.”

“Together with Secretary Mr. Lammy and his delegation, we also visited the National Center for Border Management and saw up close the demonstration of technological equipment through which our border police prevent illegal cross-border acts,” Svecla said.

He further expressed his gratitude to the United Kingdom for, as he said, its unreserved support for all the Kosovo's institutions, especially in the field of security.

Opposition parties meet seperatly with the UK Foreign Secretary (media)

The leader of the Democratic Party of Kosovo, Memli Krasniqi, said that he informed the Foreign Secretary of the United Kingdom, David Lammy about the PDK's vision to take responsibility for “the formation of the new government under the leadership of Bedri Hamza, with clear objectives for economic development, recovery and strengthening relations with strategic partners and advancing Euro-Atlantic integration".

The deputy-leader of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), Doarsa Kica Xhelili, together with members of the leadership, Muhamet Hamiti and Alush Gashi, met with the Foreign Secretary of the United Kingdom, David Lammy. LDK announced that they discussed current political developments in the Kosovo and the LDK's positions on these issues.

"LDK also welcomes the appointment of Ambassador Karen Pierce as Special Envoy for the Western Balkans. The Democratic League of Kosovo appreciates and thanks the United Kingdom for its continued support in the state-building processes of Kosovo," the LDK statement reads.

AAK leader Ramush Haradinaj in a post on Facebook described  the meeting with the Foreign Secretary of the United Kingdom, David Lammy, as an opportunity to further deepen the excellent relations between Kosovo and the United Kingdom, emphasizing the continuous support that London has given to Kosovo at all its stages.

Kurti meets minority parties to form new government (media)

Acting Prime Minister Albin Kurti has announced the meetings he had on Wednesday with minority parties to form a new government. “As the winning party, after the certification of the election results and the start of the constitutional term, we have the responsibility and obligation to initiate political consultations to form a new government. Today, we initiated these political consultations with some of the minority parties in Kosovo, namely with the leader of the New Democratic Party (NDS), Emilija Rexhepi, the leader of the Party for Freedom, Justice and Survival, Nenad Rasic and the leader of the New Democratic Initiative of Kosovo (IRDK), Elbert Krasniqi,” he wrote.

Kurti further said that he thanked them for their close cooperation, while promising partnership for the new governing coalition. "We will deepen our partnership and continue together in the next four years, for more good and prosperous work, in the service of all citizens of the country without distinction," he wrote on Facebook.

Cakolli criticizes Kurti for holding party meetings in government (media)

Eugen Cakolli from the Kosovo Institute for Democracy (IKD) has criticized the holding of consultative meetings for the formation of the new government in the Kosovo Government building, considering this practice problematic. “It is not right and should not be normalized that ‘consultative’ meetings for the formation of the new government are held in the Government building – much less that the Prime Minister’s Office issues a notice for them. Even more so when there is still no official mandate for the formation of the government, and the current government is ‘in office’”, Cakolli wrote on his Facebook account.

According to him, such a practice “blurs the border between the state and the party” and says a lot about the way power is conceived. A political entity that aims to govern, according to Cakolli, “must demonstrate higher standards and not use state spaces for party interests.”

"Therefore, consultative meetings for the formation of the government should be held at party headquarters or in neutral environments, and certainly not in public offices that belong to all citizens," he concluded.

PDK: Kosovo needs new institutions as soon as possible (PDK)

The Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) in its regular leadership meeting on Wednesday discussed political developments in Kosovo after the February 9 elections, as well as the next steps after the date of the constitution of the Assembly, set by the President of Kosovo on April 15. According to the media release, the leader of the Democratic Party of Kosovo, Memli Krasniqi, informed the members of the leadership about the latest communications with the parliamentary parties, with the exception of the ruling parties (VV, Guxo and Alternativa).

“He stressed that, if the party that came first in the elections fails to form the required majority, the PDK is ready to take its responsibility in forming the new Government, with Bedri Hamza at the head of the executive,” the media release says.

It further states that in this process, the PDK will act in full compliance with the Constitution and democratic principles, without undertaking any blocking action or attempt that would violate the institutional functioning in the constitutive session. "We have clear objectives for economic development, recovery and strengthening of relations with our strategic partners, as well as advancing the Euro-Atlantic integration process. The PDK has the capacity and vision to move Kosovo forward," Krasniqi stated.

Specialist Chambers Ombudsperson: I only deal with administrative violations (RTK)

The Specialist Chambers Ombudsperson, Pietro Spera, in an exclusive interview with RTK, refused to admit or deny whether this institution has violated the rights of the accused. He stressed that his mandate foresees the supervision of the administrative functioning of the Chambers, listing the possibilities of appeal in cases of dissatisfaction.

"What I can say in general is that the Kosovo Specialist Chambers reflect in its organization the justice system in Kosovo, which means that there are several instances of complaint/appeal, which enable defendants to request a review of the judges' decisions. First, it is possible to file an appeal, and then, if the judgment of the appellate instance is not satisfactory, an appeal can be filed with the Supreme Court. In some cases, it is possible to file a request with the Constitutional Court. These are protective measures for the rights of the accused," he said.

He emphasized that the Ombudsperson is available to receive complaints from those who believe that their rights have been violated by the administration of the Specialist Chambers.

Serbian Language Media  

Vucic: We agree that the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina is of key importance

The President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, after meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the United Kingdom David Lammy in Belgrade, stated that regardless of the differences between Serbia and Great Britain in their position on Kosovo, both sides believe that dialogue was of key importance.

At a joint media conference with Lammy, Vucic pointed out that both Serbia and the UK were committed to solving problems through talks and finding a compromise solution.

As for the situation in BiH, as stated by Vucic, the opinion and position regarding who was responsible for the situation in that country differs.

"I cannot agree that the unconstitutional actions of Milorad Dodik are the culprit or the only culprit for the situation in BiH, and I call on all the people of the world to try to find a compromise solution, to try to find mutually agreed solutions, and I can now talk for hours about issues where it was not Dodik's fault, but someone else's, only that it is easiest to shift the blame to the Serbian side, which has become common since the 1990s," said Vucic. 

He said that Serbia will always respect the Dayton Agreement and, accordingly, the territorial integrity of BiH. 

Stating that it does not occur to him to comment on protests and demonstrations in Great Britain respecting the sovereignty of that country, Vucic said that as far as the protests and political situation in Serbia were concerned, he was ''happy and proud to say that unlike the largest number of countries and the EU and around the world, in Serbia no force has ever been used against demonstrators who break the law every day".

"I am proud of the fact that we have shown how democracy is preserved, how maturity and patience preserve peace and stability in the country, and we will continue to behave in this way. In any case, we are sure that Great Britain and many other countries will be able to follow the example of Serbia with pride in the future, that without any violence, without any use of force, they treat those who demonstrate against their governments, or let's say when they invade the BBC, they treat them in the same way as we treat the protesters who invade RTS here," he said.

According to him, cooperation with Great Britain is extremely important for Serbia, both politically and economically, to encourage the development of mutual trade and exchange of services.

He expressed his gratitude to the United Kingdom for supporting key development infrastructure projects in Serbia.

When it comes to illegal migration, Vucic said that Serbia will make its contribution and see together with Great Britain and other European countries how to regulate irregular migration while respecting human rights and the interests of Serbia.

Lammy: It is necessary to encourage the normalization of relations between Serbia and Kosovo

British Foreign Minister David Lammy pointed out, after the meeting with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic in Belgrade, that a stable and safe region of the WB is important for the United Kingdom and added that Serbia plays a fundamental role in ensuring that security, and that he also discussed with Vucic how to encourage the normalization of relations between Serbia and Kosovo, reported Kosovo Online. 

Stating that regional tensions are making everything more difficult, Lammy said that he also discussed with Vucic about, as he said, "the unconstitutional actions of the President of Republika Srpska Milorad Dodik", but also how to encourage the normalization of relations between Serbia and Kosovo again.

According to him, GB continues to offer support to Serbia in accordance with what the citizens of Serbia say they want and in accordance with the wishes of President Vucic in terms of speeding up work when it comes to European integration.

Commenting on the memoranda signed yesterday, Lammy said that one was crucial for economic cooperation, that is, for investments, while the other concerned the joint fight between Serbia and Great Britain against organized crime.

"Our agreement today means that we can disrupt groups in this way that profit from people smuggling. We can also strengthen economic ties. Our bilateral trade is now over £1 billion. That's about five times what it was in 2010. One memorandum of understanding that we just signed could support investments that would take us to £4 billion," Lammy said.

He pointed out that he also discussed "recent events in Serbia" with  Vucic. 

"I saw large protests after the tragedy in Novi Sad and I offer my sincere condolences to all those who lost their loved ones. This is a conversation between the Government of Serbia and its citizens who express their rights to a peaceful protest. Let me just emphasize that the UK does not interfere in those conversations," said Lammy.

Vucic met with OSCE secretary-general (Tanjug, RTS, Blic)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic met with OSCE Secretary-General Feridun Sinirlioglu in Belgrade on Wednesday to discuss key issues related to Serbia-OSCE cooperation, implementation of Serbia's crucial reforms on the EU path and advancement of the electoral process, reported Tanjug.

"A good discussion with Secretary-General Sinirlioglu about key issues related to Serbia's cooperation with the OSCE and our foreign policy agenda and the global situation. We reviewed the current challenges in the region and worldwide, as well as the efforts we are making to continue to implement crucial reforms on our EU path," Vucic wrote in a post on his buducnostsrbijeav Instagram profile.

Vucic said Serbia was thankful to the OSCE for the continued support in reforms, especially in the fields of rule of law, human rights and democracy.

"Together with the OSCE, we are working on advancement of the electoral system and the legislative framework and, especially, on protection of national minority rights, which is extremely important to us," Vucic added.

During the meeting, Vucic noted the significance of preserving peace and stability in the region, as well as of continued dialogue and constructive cooperation in the Western Balkans.

"We also discussed the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina and, in that context, we remain committed to further cooperation with the OSCE missions on the ground, including missions in Serbia and Kosovo-Metohija, as well as to their strengthening, so that they help the implementation of the key principles of respect for public international law," Vucic wrote in the post.

He noted that Serbia would continue to strongly support regional stability and constructive cooperation with all its neighbours as it believed that was a "foundation of our future progress and prosperity."

Djuric: OSCE mission important for safeguarding rights of Kosovo Serbs (Tanjug)

Serbian FM Marko Djuric met with OSCE Secretary-General Feridun Sinirlioglu in Belgrade on Wednesday, noting that Serbia attached special importance to the work of the OSCE Mission in f Kosovo and highlighted the mission's importance for safeguarding the rights of Serbs in Kosovo, reported Tanjug.

Djuric pointed out unilateral moves by the Pristina authorities, which pose an enormous threat to the political, economic and all other rights of Serbs in Kosovo, the Serbian MFA said in a statement.

He noted that the Serbs increasingly faced political arrests, and added that international institutions needed to react more intensively and condemn such actions.

Petkovic: Only a strong Serbia guarantees the survival of our people (Radio Mitrovica sever)

Director of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija, Petar Petkovic, met yesterday with political representatives of Kosovo Serbs, with whom he discussed and analyzed the political and security situation in Kosovo, reported Radio Mitrovica sever. 

Petkovic stated on the X social network that ''only a strong Serbia guarantees the survival of the Serbian people in Kosovo, and that the Serbs from Kosovo provide great support to the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, and the Movement for the People and the State''.

"At the meeting with the political representatives of Serbs from Kosovo and Metohija in Raska, we analyzed the political and security situation in the province. The strong support of the Serbian people from Kosovo and Metohija was given to the future Movement for the People and the State and to President Vucic, because only a strong Serbia guarantees the survival of our people," said Petkovic.

Twelfth silent protest in North Mitrovica honors victims of Novi Sad tragedy (KoSSev)

North Mitrovica witnessed another solemn gathering yesterday as citizens observed “16 Minutes of Silence” in memory of the 16 individuals who lost their lives when a concrete canopy collapsed at the Novi Sad railway station five months ago.

The commemorative event began precisely at 6:00 PM, marking the twelfth such gathering in the city to honor the victims and show solidarity with students who have been protesting for months.

Demonstrators carried banners with messages such as “I have survived all your evils, and I will fight the worst!” and “Dignity has no price”.

Their presence reflected the ongoing unrest among university students, who have been blocking almost all state faculties in Serbia since the fatal accident, demanding accountability and justice.

During previous gatherings, professors have also voiced their support for the student-led movement. The last event in North Mitrovica was held on March 24, on the anniversary of the NATO bombing of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, and took place at the city’s central square, Trg Cara Lazara.

While the University of Pristina remains operational and unaffected by the student blockade, a group of its students has participated in similar commemorations and major protests in cities such as Kragujevac, Nis, and most recently, the largest demonstration in Belgrade.

Rutte: NATO is not part of the agreements signed in Tirana and Belgrade (Kosovo Online)

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte stated that he must refrain from commenting on every global event, including those in the Western Balkans. He also emphasized that the Alliance is not part of the agreements signed in Tirana between Albania, Croatia, and Kosovo, nor the one signed in Belgrade between Serbia and Hungary.

Rutte made these remarks during a press briefing in Brussels ahead of tomorrow’s NATO foreign ministers' meeting.

"NATO is not part of that. We have seen many such agreements recently, including the one in Tirana between Albania, Croatia, and Kosovo. NATO is not involved in that," Rutte said.

Speaking about the security situation in Kosovo, Rutte stressed the importance of maintaining stability.

"When it comes to Banjska and the attack on KFOR soldiers, we expect those responsible to be held accountable. I conveyed this to President Vucic during our phone conversation, as well as when we met in Brussels," Rutte emphasized.

When asked about his stance on the agreement in Tirana, Rutte reiterated that he must exercise restraint in commenting.

"We have five allies in the Western Balkans (Slovenia, Montenegro, Albania, Croatia, and North Macedonia), and we cooperate with them very closely. As Secretary General, I need to be cautious about commenting on every event worldwide, including those in the Western Balkans. For example, the Netherlands and Belgium collaborate on many issues, which is, of course, different from what you are asking, but I believe I should not comment on every event," the NATO Secretary General responded.

Regarding the verdict against the President of the Republic of Srpska, Milorad Dodik, Rutte stated that he expects Dodik to accept the ruling.