Albanian Language Media:

• Kurti and Bozay, talk about strengthening Kosovo-Turkiye relations (media)

• Osmani invites Erdogan for a visit to Kosovo (media)

• Minister Rasic’s meetings in Brussels canceled (Reporteri)

• Zeqiri: I see no conditions for holding new elections in the north (media)

• Rasic: Hovenier is true friend of Kosovo and communities (Reporteri)

• Kearns: A complete lack of balance is being witnessed in the EU's relations with Kosovo (Koha)

• Vela: Belgrade is turning into the capital of extreme political ideologies (Klan)

Serbian Language Media:

• Stanic: The damage caused by the blockade of the import of Serbian goods to Kosovo not only financial (Tanjug, Radio Mitrovica sever)

• The indictment against the former deputy mayor of Klokot (KiM radio)

• Vujovic: BG lobbies to improve Vucic’s bad image, PR because of the trouble Kurti got them into (KoSSev)

International Media:

• The vetting process in Kosovo’s judiciary, where is it stuck? (euronews.al)

Albanian Language Media

Kurti and Bozay, talk about strengthening Kosovo- Turkiye relations (media)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti received in a meeting the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkiye, Mehmet Kemal Bozay, who was accompanied by the Ambassador of Turkiye to Kosovo, Sabri Tunc Angılı and the advisor of President Erdogan, Sabri Demiri.

"At the meeting, the commitment to the further advancement of the already very good relations between the two states was confirmed. Prime Minister Kurti expressed his gratitude for Turkiye’s continuous support, at every stage of state-formation, state-building and strengthening of international subjectivity, stressing that cooperation with the new cabinet of the President of Turkiye, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, is welcomed", the announcement states.

According to the press release, the strengthening of relations in the field of economy, trade and health, and the plans and efforts of the two parties to create a joint economic forum, were among the main topics of the discussion.

"In addition to them, Prime Minister Kurti informed the Turkish delegation, led by the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bozay, about the dialogue process with Serbia mediated by Brussels, and about the latest developments in the country, including the situation in the four municipalities in the north", it is emphasized in the communique.

Osmani invites Erdogan for a visit to Kosovo (media)

Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani during the meeting with the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkiye, Mehmet Kemal Bozay, has repeated the invitation to the President of Turkiye, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, to visit Kosovo.

"With deputy minister Kemal Bozay, President Osmani discussed bilateral cooperation, the organization of a business forum of the two states, as well as cooperation in the field of foreign policy, defense, security, health and other areas of mutual interest. President Osmani has repeated the invitation to her counterpart, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, for a visit to the Republic of Kosovo, at a convenient time for both sides," the announcement of the Presidency states.

Osmani thanked Turkiye for the support it has given to Kosovo in the process of independence and state building. Osmani said that relations between Kosovo and Turkey are strategic.

"President Osmani stressed that Kosovo's relations with Turkiye are strategic and that the Albanians living in Turkiye and the Turkish community in Kosovo are a strong bridge between the two states. In this context, President Osmani has thanked Turkiye for supporting Kosovo in the process of independence and state building, requesting further support for the integration of Kosovo in international organizations“, the announcement states.

According to the press release of the Presidency, the topic of this meeting was also the agreement in Bratislava and the steps that Kosovo is taking to comply with the obligations foreseen. 

"President Osmani emphasized that the presence of the Kosovo Special Police in and around the municipal facilities in the north has already been reduced, while the work continues to complete the legal infrastructure for holding new elections in the four northern municipalities through the citizens' petition", it is emphasized in the communique.

Minister Rasic’s meetings in Brussels canceled (Reporteri)

Nenad Rasic, Minister for Communities and Returns, has said that several of his meetings in Brussels have been canceled, making him thus the first victim of the sanctions imposed on Kosovo by the European Union.According to an announcement on Twitter, Rasic had several scheduled meetings for June 19, to discuss support for the Serb minority.  In a video, Rasic talks about the cancellation of his meetings.

See the video here: https://bit.ly/45b7llU 

Zeqiri: I see no conditions for holding new elections in the north (media)

 The mayor of Zubin Potok, Izmir Zeqiri, does not see holding of new elections in the north as an option. Zeqiri, who has said that he is open to resigning, said that he does not consider that there are conditions for holding elections.

"We have not talked about this process at all, not even with the prime minister, whom I have never met since the elections... we have not even had a meeting with the Ministry of Local Government Administration. We have not talked to any factor except for the media about this subject", he said.

"I see neither preconditions nor conditions for elections to happen. However, in the question of whether dismissal or voluntary resignation is better, I have stated that voluntary resignation after a political agreement, between the government and Democratic Party and the mayors of the municipalities would be the most dignified way. This would be more favorable for the team of the Republic of Kosovo in talks in Brussels", Zeqiri said.

Rasic: Hovenier is true friend of Kosovo and communities (Reporteri)

The U.S. ambassador in Pristina, Jeffrey Hovenier, visited on Monday the Minister for Communities and Returns in the government of Kosovo Nenad Rasic. 

"It is not the first meeting. This is the third or fourth time we have met. Mr. Hovenier is a man who supports the return process, and I received his support from the first meeting ", Rasic said.

He noted that Hovenier also supports the activities of the ministry that he leads. "Hovenier is once again showing that he is a true friend of Kosovo, but also of the communities", Rasic said.

The U.S. Ambassador on the other hand wrote: good meeting with Minister of Communities and Returns Rasic. Appreciate the efforts of the Minister and his team to support all who wish to exercise their right of return in conditions of dignity and security.  This remains a high priority for the United States and our partners.

Kearns: A complete lack of balance is being witnessed in the EU's relations with Kosovo (Koha)

The Chairman of the Committee for Foreign Affairs in the Parliament of Great Britain, Alicia Kearns, has said that there is a lack of balance in the EU regarding Kosovo. She said that this has also been proven by the statement given in a press conference by the EU's spokesperson for Foreign Policy, Peter Stano. 

"The EU spokesperson points to the complete lack of balance in the EU's relations with Kosovo. To say that Kosovo has an 'inability to behave in a European manner' is a gross misrepresentation, but then to not mention Serbia's actions in the list below?" - wrote Kearns, while tagging the EU High Representative for Foreign Policy, Jose Borrell.

In the list she posted, she mentioned a number of violations committed by Serbia.

She mentioned the official visit that a delegation of the Government of Serbia made to Tehran. the purchase of 20,000 kamikaze drones from Tehran, the signing of the Security Agreement with Russia, seven months after the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the foreign intervention in the elections in Kosovo.

Vela: Belgrade is turning into the capital of extreme political ideologies (Klan)

Blerim Vela, chief of staff of Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani, has said that Belgrade is becoming a capital of extreme political ideologies.

"Belgrade is turning into the capital of extreme political ideologies, both from the right and from the left. In July 2023, Belgrade hosted a gathering of extreme left/communist youth movements WFDY," Vela said.

"Obviously, their obsession is the promotion of Russian propaganda against NATO and Kosovo", added the president's chief of staff.

 

Serbian Language Media

Stanic: The damage caused by the blockade of the import of Serbian goods to Kosovo not only financial (Tanjug, Radio Mitrovica sever)

The two-month blockade of the import of goods from central Serbia to Kosovo caused financial damage to Serbia of almost 50 million euros, but reputational damage as well, Bojan Stanic, assistant director of the Strategic Analysis Sector of the Chamber of Commerce of Serbia, said today regarding the blockade of Serbian goods in Kosovo.

He stated that during July there was some loosening of the blockade and that then the import of raw materials, machines, equipment, artificial fertilizers was allowed... but that the ban on the import of all products used in daily consumption and everything bought in retail establishments.

"Of course, this crisis is not the only one, there have been other blockades before, as well as various informal campaigns to boycott goods from Serbia. The fact is that Serbian goods are competitive on the market of Kosovo and if we are thinking about the interests of consumers, we must enable the free circulation of goods, which is in accordance with the CEFTA agreement, which has already been violated a couple of times by the Pristina authorities," Stanic told Tanjug. 

He also emphasized that this blockade, in addition to financial damage, also caused reputational damage for the simple reason as it is a political conflict that affects the economy.

He added that it is important that these political relations are normalized as soon as possible, so that the economy can continue to function for the simple reason because companies in Kosovo and in central Serbia are oriented towards each other.

"Economy is a rational thing, and Pristina's decision is economically unrealistic and causes harm to the end consumers in Kosovo and Metohija," concluded Stanic.

The indictment against the former deputy mayor of Klokot (KiM radio)

The Special Prosecutor's Office of Kosovo filed an indictment against the former deputy mayor of Klokot S.M., reported KiM radio.

It is suspected that he threatened the citizens of the municipality of Klokot, to secure votes for the political entity "Ujedinjena zajednica (United community) - Adrijana Hodzic", the prosecution confirmed. 

"The Special Prosecutor's Office informs that the investigations have proven that the defendant S.M. in co-perpetration with convicted B.D. and other persons, seriously threatened citizens of Serbian nationality in the municipality of Klokot, with the aim of influencing their will to vote, at the time of the extraordinary general parliamentary elections, held on February 14, 2021, asking them to vote for certain political entities, with the threat that they will be fired, so the convicted B.D., in his capacity as the mayor of the municipality, illegally secured votes for the political entity the Serbian List, while the defendant S.M., in his capacity as the deputy mayor of the municipality of Klokot, secured votes for the political entity numbered 129 'United community - Adriana Hodzic'', reads the statement from the prosecution.

The case has been transferred to the jurisdiction of the court for further proceedings.

Vujovic: BG lobbies to improve Vucic’s bad image, PR because of the trouble Kurti got them into (KoSSev)

A letter sent by parliamentarians addressed to top officials of the US, Great Britain and the EU is a message to Vucic that time is running out, while Kurti already received his warning. The West is losing patience with both, new serious cuts are yet to follow, Nebojsa Vujovic, the former head of Serbia’s mission in Washington and a participant in the negotiations in Dayton and on Kosovo, said in a statement for KoSSev.

A group of international parliamentarians, consisting of representatives from the US, EU, and Great Britain, recently penned a letter to the top officials of the US, EU, and Great Britain, criticizing their „softer“ stance toward Belgrade, which is reportedly harming Pristina, while at the same time requesting concrete measures to be taken against Belgrade.

According to Vujovic, this letter presents a strong warning and a continuation of pressure from other parts of the American and Western establishment on the Western executive power, which „tolerated Vucic’s ‘stabilocracy’ and autocracy.“

„These are not only the presidents of foreign policy committees and boards, but also members of the finance and appropriations committee who approve funds for Serbia as well,“ said Vujovic in an interview with KoSSev.

Read more at:https://rb.gy/39ycq

International Media

 

The vetting process in Kosovo’s judiciary, where is it stuck? (euronews.al) 

The vetting process within Kosovo’s justice system, initiated by the Albin Kurti-led Government at the start of its mandate, remains in its initial stages.

The process of re-evaluating the roles of prosecutors and judges aims to enhance their professionalism, combat corruption, and prevent political influence or other unlawful elements from affecting the administration of justice. 

In its four-year program, the Kurti Government pledged to complete the necessary legal framework for the implementation of the vetting process. The legal groundwork began in 2021 when the Kosovar executive approved the concept document for the justice vetting process.

This concept document was also evaluated by the Venice Commission, an advisory body of the Council of Europe. The Commission acknowledged that for an effective vetting process in the context of Kosovo, a combination of various measures would be necessary to positively impact the integrity and efficiency of the justice system.

Initially, the Commission recommended the verification of senior levels within the judiciary and prosecution.

Following the Venice Commission’s opinion, which paved the way for justice vetting, the process in Kosovo bifurcated into two directions: vetting for higher levels and legislative reform – regular vetting – for all judges and prosecutors.

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