• U.S., Kosovo Celebrate $202M Energy Grant on Capitol Hill (mcc.gov)
• Osmani: Agreement with MCC seals U.S. support for Kosovo (RTK)
• Kurti: Agreement vital to energy security, social economic transformation (media)
• Gashi: Government may fall in autumn (media)
• Haradinaj indicates Kosovo-Serbia agreement in autumn (Klan Kosova)
• Draft Security Strategy: “Serbia, the main threat” (Radio Free Europe)
• Montenegrin President Djukanovic slams Open Balkan initiative (media)
• Kosovo festival lets artists transform public spaces (Reuters)
• Itinerant exhibit, ‘Ecodesign’, arrives in Kosovo’s capital (ansamed.info)

U.S., Kosovo Celebrate $202M Energy Grant on Capitol Hill (mcc.gov)

The U.S. government’s Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) and the Government of the Republic of Kosovo celebrated the signing of the $202 million Kosovo Compact today during a ceremony hosted by the Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Europe, Energy, the Environment, and Cyber, Congressman William Keating, at the U.S. House of Representatives’ Rayburn House Office Building.

“This signing represents the continuation of a deep partnership between the United States and Kosovo, and our commitment to working together to build modern, clean energy solutions that will benefit all of the nearly 2 million Kosovan,” said MCC Chief Executive Officer, Alice Albright. “Our planned investments in the energy sector will accelerate the country’s transition towards an energy future that is more sustainable, inclusive, reliable, and affordable.”

The ceremony was attended by leaders from across the U.S. and Kosovo governments, including the President of Kosovo Vjosa Osmani, Prime Minister Albin Kurti, and Minister of Economy Artane Rizvanolli.

Read more at: https://bit.ly/3PG9Y7v

Osmani: Agreement with MCC seals U.S. support for Kosovo (RTK)

President of Kosovo Vjosa Osmani said on Wednesday that the signing of the MCC agreement is historic and that it will be the biggest investment in the energy sector for decades. “A historic agreement for Kosovo’s development and especially for the energy sector. The energy sector always had a very important role in the development of Kosovo, but with all the energy crisis now it is necessary for Kosovo to make steps toward energy security and as you know this is the biggest investment in the energy sector for decades. It includes several important components which will ensure energy security for Kosovo and at the same time allow us to move toward renewable energy and also create new job opportunities, with special focus on women,” Osmani said.

Osmani also said that the agreement confirms the outstanding support the United States give to Kosovo. “At the same time, this shows that this country is always on our side as the important and strongest ally, both in terms of historic processes for our freedom and independence, and also for economic development which Kosovo needs to stand firmly on its feet,” she added.

Kurti: Agreement vital to energy security, social economic transformation (media)

Prime Minister of Kosovo Albin Kurti took to Twitter on Wednesday to say that the agreement with the MCC will be vital to Kosovo’s green transition, energy security & social-economic transformation. “Today, we are not only marking a historic cooperation on shared goals in the energy sector, but also celebrating the deeply rooted relations between Kosovo and the United States,” he said.

Gashi: Government may fall in autumn (media)

Head of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) parliamentary group, Arben Gashi, said in a debate on Wednesday that the Kurti-led government may fall in autumn and that eight MPs from the ruling coalition are expected to join the LDK. “There are indications, movements, and interests. There are eight MPs that have expressed interest to join the LDK parliamentary group,” he said. Gashi said there would be increased activities by the opposition and that the “time for a comfortable rule by Kurti is over”.

Haradinaj indicates Kosovo-Serbia agreement in autumn (Klan Kosova)

Leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) Ramush Haradinaj said in an interview with Klan Kosova on Wednesday that the meeting between President Osmani and Prime Minister Kurti with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken was important but that it came one year late. He also argued that a final agreement between Kosovo and Serbia at the White House should be reached in autumn. “The meeting, which took place now, should have happened one year ago. The war in Ukraine started in February and we are close to autumn now. I don’t believe it is good for Kurti and Osmani not to be serious about this. They must ask the United States to conclude an agreement between Kosovo and Serbia … Now is the right time, because [the war in] Ukraine has changed a lot of parameters and has clarified many situations. There will soon be elections in the U.S. for the House of Representatives, followed immediately by preparations for the presidential elections and they won’t always have time for us,” Haradinaj argued.

Draft Security Strategy: “Serbia, the main threat” (Radio Free Europe)

Kosovo’s Draft Security Strategy for 2022-2027, which was adopted by the Kosovo Assembly Committee for Security and Defence, on Wednesday, identifies as the main threat to security in Kosovo “Serbia’s territorial claim on Kosovo”, Enver Dugolli, first deputy chair of the committee, said. According to Dugolli, this is the first time that the threat from Serbia is explicitly mentioned in such a document.

The news website notes that the draft strategy that five members from the ruling Vetëvendosje Movement voted in favor of the document, two opposition MPs voted against and one MP abstained. The document was drafted by the Security Council of Kosovo and has already been submitted to the Kosovo Assembly.

Dugolli said the draft strategy includes all aspects of security challenges in Kosovo. “ ... especially threats coming from the neighboring country, Serbia. In this strategy, the main danger that threatens the state is correctly identified. In my opinion, this is a very real and well-studied point,” he argued.

Dugolli also said that to address the identified threats, which also include climate change, possible natural and human disasters, violent political or religious extremism, separate strategies will be made by relevant departments.

Montenegrin President Djukanovic slams Open Balkan initiative (media)

President of Montenegro Milo Djukanovic said in an interview with Autonomija news website on Wednesday that the Open Balkan initiative is very controversial because it is an alternative scenario for the future of the Western Balkans outside the European Union. “We don’t need that, we need EU membership,” he argued.

Djukanovic said: “those who do not see our region in Europe, do not see multi-ethnic democracy in the Balkans either. They like the idea of ​​border changes, ethnic and religious homogenization within enlarged states. As usual, everything starts traditionally from the Serbian side, this time the ‘Serbian world’. And it continues automatically with the same large-state antics.”

According to Djukanovic, the objective of the authors of the Open Balkan initiative is the disappearance of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Kosovo, and North Macedonia, and according to him this would certainly end in “war and genocide”.

Kosovo festival lets artists transform public spaces (Reuters)

Kosovo’s Manifesta art festival invites artists and architects to use city landmarks as their canvas to reshape abandoned areas and buildings. See video here: https://bit.ly/3S10hSF

Itinerant exhibit, ‘Ecodesign’, arrives in Kosovo’s capital (ansamed.info)

The itinerant exhibition ‘Ecodesign’, dedicated to the themes of recycling of raw materials, will arrive in Pristina, the capital of Kosovo, on 29 July and will remain open to visitors until 23 August. This is an initiative of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI) and the Italian embassy in Kosovo with the aim of raising awareness on the reuse of raw materials at the base of the circular economy that goes beyond waste. This means reconsidering production and planning taking not only the environment into consideration but social sharing, responsibility and respect for future generations.

“We are particularly proud of bringing this exhibit to Pristina,” said the Italian ambassador to Kosovo, Antonello De Riu. “Through Ecodesign, we want to draw attention on the contribution provided by the Italian industry that is rethinking production processes in the design sector and offers value regeneration of pre-existing objects”.

Read more at: https://bit.ly/3PH6KAB