UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, July 10, 2024

Albanian Language Media:

Osmani meets Blinken: Alliance with USA is cornerstone for stability and global pro perity (media)
Kurti calls for pressure on Belgrade to remove military bases from border (Koha)
Kurti at Szunyog's farewell reception: Kosovo is the most pro-EU country (RTK)
Szunyog at the end of his mandate: I want to see Kosovo in the EU (Koha)
Osmani meets Croatian President, discuss Kosovo's aspiration towards NATO (RTK)
Maqedonci: The West should put pressure on Serbia, Radojicic is just a tool (Albanian Post)

Serbian Language Media:

Vucic meets with EBRD president (Tanjug)
Vucevic, EBRD president discuss priority projects, cooperation (media)
Dacic, Chinese Ambassador discuss security cooperation, fight against crime (media)
Almost 2000 requests to switch Serbian to Kosovo driving licences (Radio kontakt plus)
Shahini: In Kosovo, labour force cheapest in the region, costs of living also minimal (Kosovo Online)

Albanian Language Media

Osmani meets Blinken: Alliance with USA is cornerstone for stability and global prosperity (media)

Kosovo President, Vjosa Osmani, who is staying in Washington at the invitation of the U.S. Secretary, Antony Blinken, has thanked him for the reception and discussion at the State Department in Washington D.C., within the framework of the NATO Summit.

"The alliance with the USA is not only a proof of our shared democratic values and principles, but also a cornerstone for global stability and prosperity," said Osmani.

Meanwhile, Secretary Blinken, during his address at the forum organised by DASH for women, peace and security, thanked President Osmani for her participation.

"This year, the U.S. opened regional centres 'Women, Peace and Security' in Colombia and Kosovo. We are grateful to have President Osmani here with us today. President Osmani was instrumental in launching this initiative. It is already demonstrating how these centres can serve as hubs for ideas and innovation. In the coming months, we will open the third centre in the Philippines", said Blinken.

Kurti calls for pressure on Belgrade to remove military bases from border (Koha)

Prime Minister Albin Kurti has asked the international community to put pressure on Serbia to remove the military bases around the crossing point with Kosovo. In an interview for CNN with Christian Amanpour, he emphasised that Serbia and Russia are similar because of their common interest in expanding their territories.He added that Serbia is waiting for an opportunity to enter Kosovo and that the western partners should prevent this.

"Our neighbour Serbia is very aggressive towards Kosovo, initially not recognizing it as an independent state. In addition, it is engaged in hybrid warfare and conducts military exercises on the border. There are 48 operational bases around the Kosovo border waiting for a window of opportunity. What we ask from the Western partners is to put pressure on Belgrade to withdraw these bases, each of which has 50-150 soldiers. If we talk from a political point of view, Serbia is similar to the Russian Federation. They do not really know de facto and de jure their neighbours. They cause problems for the neighbours, because they want expansion", said Kurti.

Listen to the interview here: https://tinyurl.com/kjtenaj5

Kurti at Szunyog's farewell reception: "Kosovo is the most pro-EU country" (RTK)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti participated in the farewell reception organized Tuesday evening by the EU Office in Kosovo, on the occasion of the end of the mandate of Ambassador Tomas Szunyog as head of the EU office. In his speech, he said that the European Union represents the future for Kosovo, "a family of nations in which our country aspires to join and contribute, with which we share common values and have the same goals for the future."

"It is no coincidence that Kosovo is currently the most pro-EU country, with ninety-five percent of citizens supporting membership in the European Union," said the Prime Minister, the government announced.

Further, he spoke about the achievements of Kosovo during these last three years, when Ambassador Szunyog served as the head of the EU office in Kosovo: "During your mandate, Kosovo marked important achievements on the way to integration in the European Union. The most historic ones were our application for membership in the EU at the end of 2022, as well as the liberalisation of visas, which began this year," said the Prime Minister.

He singled out another key moment: the Country Report of 2022. This report is considered one of the best ever for Kosovo and among the best in the Western Balkans, where the realisation of a series of long overdue reforms was evidenced. In conclusion, Kurti expressed his appreciation for the contribution of Ambassador Szunyog and wished him further success in his next assignment.

Szunyog at the end of his mandate: I want to see Kosovo in the EU (Koha)

As the mandate as EU ambassador in Kosovo ends, Tomas Szunyog has wished that Kosovo will progress on the road to the European Union. "As this chapter closes for me, I want to see Kosovo continue its path towards the EU, making the necessary changes and choices for a European Kosovo", he wrote on the X platform.Szunyog thanked the people of Kosovo, adding that they have the European future in their hands.

Osmani meets Croatian President, discuss Kosovo's aspiration towards NATO (RTK)

Kosovo President, Vjosa Osmani, has met on the sidelines of the NATO Summit in Washington the President of Croatia, Zoran Milanovic. On this occasion, she said that Croatia is one of Kosovo's key allies in the region and one of the main supporters of Kosovo's Euro-Atlantic journey. In the press release from the Presidency, it is stated that, President Osmani, among other things, discussed Kosovo's aspiration to join NATO and the vital support from Croatian allies, as well as the strategic importance of Kosovo's membership for the peace and security of sustainability in the region and beyond.

"In this context, President Osmani thanked President Milanović, who has always been a strong voice in favour of Kosovo's membership in NATO and other international organisations," the announcement states.

Maqedonci: The West should put pressure on Serbia, Radojicic is just a tool (Albanian Post)

Kosovo’s Minister of Defense, Ejup Macedonci, has requested from the international community to make pressure on Serbia, due to its approach in relation to Kosovo.

"International pressure is needed on Serbia to change its political stances in relation to the Republic of Kosovo, then normally operational actions as well", he said in an interview for RTV 21.

Speaking about the terrorist attack of September 24 and the organiser of this act, Milan Radojicic, Maqedonci emphasised that even his death would not change a thing. "If it is not Radojicic, it will be someone else, as long as Serbia supports these types of groups. In this case, Radojicic is a tool that has been tried to be used to achieve political and criminal objectives", he emphasised.

Serbian Language Media

Vucic meets with EBRD president (Tanjug)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic met with the President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) Odile Renaud-Basso in Belgrade on Tuesday to discuss priority energy and infrastructure projects, the reform agenda and the Western Balkans Growth Plan, as well as Serbia's potential for new investments within EXPO 2027, which would deepen further the cooperation between the EBRD and Serbia, Tanjug news agency reported.

"An excellent meeting with EBRD President Odile Renaud-Basso. I expressed great satisfaction with the fact that the EBRD, as the leading institutional investor in Serbia, is strengthening and expanding its activities in the region, which will greatly increase the competitiveness and growth of our economy", Vucic wrote in an Instagram post after the meeting with Renaud-Basso.

"We also discussed the enormous potential Serbia has for new investments within EXPO 2027, which would deepen further the cooperation between the EBRD and our country, which has to date proven to be one of the most dependable partners of the reputable financial institution. I pointed out that Serbia is also the region's innovation hub and that EBRD support in that sense is enormously important, in particular, for young people who are the stakeholders of our country's future development", Vucic also wrote in the post.

Vucevic, EBRD president discuss priority projects, cooperation (media)

Serbian Prime Minister Milos Vucevic met with the President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) Odile Renaud-Basso on Tuesday to discuss priority projects and cooperation, Serbian media reported.

Vucevic thanked the EBRD president for the support and cooperation to date and noted that the Serbian Government was ready to continue to work on ongoing as well as new projects in the energy, renewables, environmental, infrastructure and IT sectors. Vucevic noted that regional ties through prepared plans were aimed at improving connectivity, infrastructure, human resources, competitiveness and work on the green agenda and digital transition.

Vucevic underscored the significance further EBRD support for investments in the Serbian renewables sector had for further strengthening and even quicker growth of the national economy and attracting foreign investments, which he said would be a significant boost to sustainable development of cities and the citizens' quality of life. Renaud-Basso said she was pleased to be visiting Serbia, where she noted the EBRD had achieved remarkable results. She said Serbia was an important investment destination that had been the fifth-largest recipient of EBRD funds last year, and added that she hoped the good practice would be continued.

Dacic, Chinese Ambassador discuss security cooperation, fight against crime (media)

Serbian Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Ivica Dacic spoke with Chinese Ambassador to Belgrade Li Ming on Tuesday, noting the significance of Serbia-China cooperation in security and the fight against crime. Dacic noted his ministry's readiness to continue strengthening cooperation in the field.

The Ambassador expressed readiness to continue to work with Dacic on deepening the traditional friendship between the two countries, strengthening communication and exchange as well as joint planning, promotion and implementation of cooperation projects.

Dacic and Li also agreed further steps in implementation of joint police patrols, exercises and training for special police units as well as other projects promoting cooperation in the field of public security.

Almost 2000 requests to switch Serbian to Kosovo driving licences (Radio kontakt plus)

1.941 requests have been submitted in the north thus far to switch Serbian driving licences to Kosovo ones, while the total number across Kosovo is 2.294, Radio Kontakt plus reported.

Kosovo police deputy commander for the region North Veton Elshani told this information to the Radio. 598 requests were submitted in Leposavic, 621 in Mitrovica North, 328 in Zubin Potok and 394 in Zvecan.

Shahini: In Kosovo, labour force cheapest in the region, costs of living also minimal (Kosovo Online)

Kosovo still has the cheapest labour force in the region, but the costs of living are also minimal, Agim Shahini, president of the Kosovo Business Alliance said. He told Kosovo Online portal that this attracts foreign workers who, at least when it comes to experts, often have better conditions than local workers.

"Kosovo still has the cheapest labour force, and there is a constant search for new workers, but wages have started to increase in the private sector, which is good because it discourages workers from leaving Kosovo", Shahini said.

On the other hand, he noted, Kosovo is also the cheapest place to live in the Balkans.