Albanian Language Media:

• Public Pulse Brief shows growing satisfaction with government’s work (media)

• EULEX chief reacts to threats against new Serb police officers in north (Telegrafi)

• EU asks Kosovo to announce elections in north “as soon as possible” (RFE)

• Citaku slams Bislimi for “setting conditions” (media)

• Analysts: Measures to be removed gradually, there is a compromise for elections (RTK)

• Haradinaj meets Szunyog, express concern over “government’s legislative agenda” (media)

• Who is the White House official that will visit Kosovo? (Albanian Post)

• Rafuna criticizes government for lack of capital investments (Telegrafi)

Serbian Language Media:

• Two Kosovo flags hoisted in front of Mitrovica North municipality (KoSSev)

• EULEX chief: Any intimidation of non-majority communities membres in Kosovo police unacceptable (N1, KoSSev)

• Rakic-Andric on EULEX chief statement about Kosovo police (Kosovo Online, social media)

• Vucic: Pristina does not want elections, we ask EULEX to take part in saving lives of Serb detainees (RTS)

• Serbia sending firefighters to Greece (N1)

Albanian Language Media

 Public Pulse Brief shows growing satisfaction with government’s work (media)

All media cover the latest Public Pulse Brief, funded by the USAID and implemented by the UNDP in Kosovo, published on Tuesday. On its 24th edition, this Public Pulse Brief gives an overview of findings on ten key indicators derived from opinion polls conducted biannually with respondents in Kosovo. A collection of people’s perceptions on socio-economic issues, safety, environment, and many more pertinent issues. The 24th Public Pulse Brief, is based on an opinion poll conducted from 4 to 25 April 2023, with 1,307 respondents from all ethnic communities in Kosovo. Data and indicators from the opinion poll are disaggregated by ethnicity and gender to provide detailed information on differences in perceptions and developmental problems faced by the people of Kosovo.

In the April 2023 opinion poll, data indicate that on average, people’s satisfaction with Kosovo central institutions has increased by 5.9 percentage points. Satisfaction with the performance of the executive cabinet was recorded at 45.8%, marking a 4.8 percentage points increase compared to November 2022 when it stood at 41%. Satisfaction with the work of the Prime Minister was recorded at 51.5%, which indicates a 6.6 percentage points increase compared to November 2022 (44.95%). Satisfaction with the work of the Assembly stood at 46.5%, compared to 39.1% in November 2022, whereas satisfaction with the Kosovo Assembly Speaker stood at 58.3%, compared to 50.8% in November 2022. Satisfaction level with the President was recorded at 60.3% as compared to 56.8% in November 2022. There was an increase in, respectively, compared to 24.4% and 22%, respectively, in November 2022.

Satisfaction with economic direction was recorded at 17.79%, a 6.97 percentage points increase compared to November 2022 when it stood at 10.82%. The Democratization Index (DI) decreased by 0.04 points (1.48) from November 2022 when it stood at 1.52 points. However, an increase by 0.17 points was recorded in 2022. Both DI and ECI are measured on a scale from 0 points (minimum) to 3 points (maximum), where values below 1.5 are considered negative, whereas those above 1.5 show a positive outlook for the majority of people regarding democratization and economic index.

The brief highlights that according to respondents the three most pressing problems in Kosovo are unemployment (32.7 percent), poverty (20.1 percent), and inflation (11.6 percent).

On average, 23.5 percent of respondents said they believe that corruption is widely present in public and international institutions in Kosovo, compared to 21.1 percent in November last year.

Read full brief at: https://t.ly/r90sV

EULEX chief reacts to threats against new Serb police officers in north (Telegrafi)

Head of the EU Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX), Giovanni Pietro Barbano, said in a Twitter post on Tuesday that he is “very concerned about media reports regarding threatening messages against newly deployed Kosovo Police Officers from non-majority communities”. “Any kind of intimidation are unacceptable, and I stress the importance Kosovo Police reflect and represent entire Kosovo population,” he added.

The news website notes that 74 new police officers from non-majority communities in Kosovo, including 45 Serbs, have started working in the north. Kosovo Police Deputy Director for Mitrovica North, Veton Elshani, told the news website that the other police officers are from Roma, Ashkali, Egyptian, Bosniak and Turkish communities. “For the time being they are in the phase of internal training, and this includes patrols, traffic, investigations, and so on,” he said.

The news website also notes that a lynching campaign on social networks against the new Serb police officers was started after they assumed their duties. The photos and names of five officers were published on the Russian platform Telegram, and there were warnings that the photos and names of the other officers would be published too. 

Elshani meanwhile says that this is not the first time they are faced with this. “These lynchings are not new, what we’re seeing on social networks is not new. We have reason to believe that these reports are done from outside Kosovo. Kosovo Police certainly treats these cases,” he said.

EU asks Kosovo to announce elections in north “as soon as possible” (RFE)

The European Union believes that the latest meetings between EU Special Representative Miroslav Lajcak and chief negotiators from Kosovo and Serbia, were "difficult and that they “did not produce immediate results”, an EU spokesperson told Radio Free Europe, referring to a statement by Kosovo Deputy Prime Minister Besnik Bislimi that Kosovo should not announce new elections in the north until the EU penalty measures against Kosovo are not lifted.

The EU spokesperson, who did not comment on Bislimi’s remarks, repeated the EU call for Kosovo to call the new elections and for Serbs that live in the four northern municipalities to take part in the elections. “We don’t comment on comments. However, we use the opportunity to repeat that the EU expects the parties to implement the requests outlined in the statement of 27 EU member states on June 3, 2023. This clearly includes that extraordinary elections should be announced as soon as possible, and to be organised inclusively in all four Serb municipalities in the north. The Kosovo Serbs are expected to take part in the elections,” the spokesperson said.

Citaku slams Bislimi for “setting conditions” (media)

Deputy leader of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) Vlora Citaku criticised Kosovo Deputy Prime Minister Besnik Bislimi for his remarks that Kosovo should not announce early elections in the north until the EU penalty measures are lifted. Citaku argued that the remarks are regrettable and even ridiculous. “We will not allow you to endanger the future of our country,” she wrote in a Facebook post. “This weekend, several senior officials from the United States will be staying in Kosovo. Do not fool around. Take their recommendations seriously. Governance is not a children’s game or a ticket to compensate your historical deficits”.

Analysts: Measures to be removed gradually, there is a compromise for elections (RTK)

Political commentators said on Tuesday they are optimistic that the penalty measures against Kosovo will be gradually lifted and that new elections in the northern municipalities will be announced after Kosovo achieved a compromise on the matter.

Commenting on Kosovo Deputy Prime Minister Besnik Bislimi’s statement that Kosovo should not announce early elections until penalty measures are lifted, Artan Muhaxheri, political analyst, told Radio Kosova that the statement is aimed at scoring political points because the government has already reached a compromise. He argued that the penalty measures were a lesson for the government and that they will be gradually lifted, and new elections will be announced.

“The measures were a kind of temporary lesson for Prime Minister Kurti on what he can be faced with if he continues to block the geopolitical and geostrategic projects of the EU and U.S. So with the compromise that was reached by the government and Kurti, there is no logic for the measures to remain in force,” he said.

Mazllum Baraliu, commentator on constitutional affairs, said that the international community should put pressure on Serbia “not to obstruct or boycott the elections through its legal and illegal instruments. Serbia knows pressure and fear because it does not accept an agreement in any way. This is the only way for the elections to be successful and produce results. Then there can be new institutions which would be recognised by all residents”.

Eugen Cakolli, from the Kosovo Democratic Institute, said that there are several ways to announce new elections in the north and that the easiest way would be for the current mayors to resign voluntarily. “Another option is to have a signed petition which requires the signatures of at least 20 percent of eligible voters,” he said.

Haradinaj meets Szunyog, express concern over “government’s legislative agenda” (media)

Leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK), Ramush Haradinaj, hosted on Tuesday the EU Head of Office in Kosovo, Tomas Szunyog. “We had open discussions on current developments in the country. We also expressed our concern over the legislative agenda of the Government of Kosovo, which often falls in contravention with the Constitution of the Republic of Kosovo and the legislation of the European Union. Euro-Atlantic integration is the key strategic objective of Kosovo. This path needs to be finalised with membership in the EU and NATO,” Haradinaj wrote in a Facebook post.

Who is the White House official that will visit Kosovo? (Albanian Post)

Kosovo’s former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Petrit Selimi, said in an interview with the news website that in the coming weeks there will be an important visit from an official of the White House who will deliver a clear message to Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti about the expectations of U.S. President Joe Biden.

Selimi, who has served in Kosovo’s diplomacy for years, said there will be strong U.S. diplomatic movements in relation with Kosovo in the coming weeks. “Some actions are very swift, and they will be seen. Potentially there will be other high-level visits in autumn too,” he said.

Selimi also mentioned the appointment of James O’Brien as Assistant Secretary of State for European and Euroasian Affairs. “Jim O'Brien is coming in September (in the position of U.S. Assistant Secretary of State) after the confirmation by Senate, at the level of the Assistant to Secretary Antony Blinken, a very important position,” he said. “James O-Brien in the position of coordinator of sanctions, recently sanctioned Vulin and this shows that he is a diplomat with full information from the Balkans and decision-making powers. I have met him several times and he personal friends in the Balkans, especially in Tirana and Pristina. He has advised many people in the last decades about the situation in the Balkans both politically and economically and he is closely informed about the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia”.

Selimi also said that former U.S. Ambassador to Albania, Yuri Kim, will serve as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Europe & Eurasia. “Another important position filled by a powerful diplomat who has immediate experience after having served successfully in Tirana. So the movement of personnel in Washington, and a direct initiative to help Kosovo emerge from the self-created whirlpool of isolation and misunderstanding will be a hand stretched to Kosovo,” he said.

Rafuna criticises government for lack of capital investments (Telegrafi)

Head of the Kosovo Chamber of Commerce, Lulzim Rafuna, said in an interview with the news website, that developments in the north of Kosovo have a bad impact among foreign investors. “Images of clashes with KFOR troops or roadblocks were broadcast by prestigious media, such as the BCC, CNN, and others. These are not good images in the sense of the message they send to investors. As a result of these images, foreign investors hesitate to come and invest in Kosovo … We need to prove that Kosovo is a success story. We need to continuously prove that Kosovo is a stable country, safe for investments and a country of young people,” he argued.

Rafuna said it was proved that “economic growth in Kosovo came from the private sector and that the public sector has only spent the state budget”.

Rafuna also criticised the government for low figures in capital investments. “Capital investments are the best possible boost for the private sector from the state. They are the key elements for economic growth and for improving the well-being of people,” he said.

Serbian Language Media

Two Kosovo flags hoisted in front of Mitrovica North municipality (KoSSev)

Two Kosovo flags were hoisted in front of the North Mitrovica municipal building around noon yesterday, KoSSev portal reports.

The flags are situated near the trilingual sign, installed immediately after the new Albanian mayor of this municipality took office on May 19.

The inscription on the trilingual sign placed on this building announcing it as to be the North Mitrovica municipal building is first written in Albanian, followed by Serbian and finally in English. The only Serbian councilor in this MA, Dusan Milunovic, recently pointed out in an interview for KoSSev that this order of languages on the panel violated the law on the use of languages.

The withdrawal from institutions at the end of last year, followed by the boycott of extraordinary local elections in April by Serbs, resulted in the fact that there are almost no representatives of the Serbian community in local institutions in the north.

EULEX chief: Any intimidation of non-majority communities membres in Kosovo police unacceptable (N1, KoSSev)

Soon after the photos and full names of five allegedly new Serbian members of the Kosovo police in Mitrovica North were published on one of the media pages of Telegram titled “buntcg” (rebellion), along with particullarily negative content, new head of EULEX, Pietro Barbano reacted, N1 reports citing KoSSev portal. 

“I am very concerned over media reports on threatening messages against newly deployed Kosovo police officers from non-majority communities. Any type of intimidation is unacceptable, and I emphasize the importance of Kosovo police to reflect and represent the entire population in Kosovo”, he said.

Rakic-Andric on EULEX chief statement about Kosovo police (Kosovo Online, social media)

Commenting on the post of EULEX chief Pietro Barbano made in relation to the media reports regarding the threats against newly deployed non-majority communities members of Kosovo police in the north, in which he also stressed the importance that Kosovo police reflects and represents entire population in Kosovo, New Social initiative Program Manager Milica Rakic-Andric said much would be different now if previous EU Mission leadership would recognize this truth back  in February 2022.

Responding to the line "I stress the importance KP reflect & represent entire Kosovo population", Rakic-Andric wrote in a post:

“Lot would be different now if previous leadership of @EULEXKosovo recognized this truth& essential community request in Feb 2022 when monoethnic Albanian Special Police Units were deployed in K-Serb areas”.

She expressed hope that EULEX also has a look into ethnic composition of the special units (including before the exit of Serbs from institutions) and their assessment as to how this contributed to the decision of K-Serb policemen to leave the force.

She recalled that much of those circumstances, however, have been driven by months of illegal presence of Kosovo special police forces in the north.

“The largely monoethnic formations consisting of Kosovo Albanians have been present in the Serb-majority areas in clear violation of 2 articles of Kosovo constitution”, she added. 

Vucic: Pristina does not want elections, we ask EULEX to take part in saving lives of Serb detainees (RTS)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said yesterday Pristina does not want elections in northern Kosovo, it rather wants, as he said, to arrest and mistreat the Serbs, RTS reports. He also extended the plea that all remaining arrested Serbs are released.

“We have significant information about their mistreatment and it would be tragic if something would happen to them, that would have literally unforeseeable consequences. We are kindly asking EULEX and the international community to react and take part in saving the lives of Serb detainees. Some of them are in detention for longer than a year and a half”, Vucic said. 

Serbia sending firefighters to Greece (N1)

Serbia is sending firefighters to Greece to help fight the fires that have engulfed large parts of that country, the Internal Affairs Ministry (MUP) said on Tuesday.

A press release said that Minister Bratislav Gasic ordered the MUP Emergency Situations Sector to send a team of 36 firefighters and 14 firefighting vehicles along with a two-member medical team and ambulance. It said that the firefighters will leave for Greece on Tuesday and deploy where they are needed most.

Serbian firefighters have helped their Greek counterparts fight summer fires in previous years, including in 2021 when a team of 37 firefighters, 14 vehicles and 3 helicopters was deployed on the island of Evia. Serbia’s aid to Greece goes through the European Union Civil Protection Mechanism which Serbia has been a member of since 2015.