Ahead of a new meeting between Serbia's and Kosovo's presidents due in two weeks, the EU has reminded both sides that progress on normalisation of their relations is vital.

Another of a new expected meeting between the leaders of Kosovo and Serbia, the Council of the European Union has said that progress by Serbia and Kosovo towards normalisation of their relations is essential – and will determine the pace of their respective European integrations.

Only a small proportion of those found guilty of corruption in Kosovo end up in prison, the 12th court monitoring report produced by BIRN and Internews Kosova finds.

Few corruption-related court cases in Kosovo end with a prison sentence, BIRN Kosovo and Internews Kosova's annual court monitoring report for 2017, presented on Tuesday, said.

Since the first such report, 12 years ago, the project has monitored over 10,000 court sessions, revealing important evidence of violations and failings within the judiciary in Kosovo.

Serbian President Aleksadar Vucic said he "does not intend to hide behind the people when it comes to Kosovo - as some claim he would."

Speaking on Wednesday in Kraljevo, central Serbia, where he attended the police-military exercise Joint Strike, the President Vucic also said that "the citizens will be the ones who will decide on their future."

"Some mind me saying that I will not be making a decision on the solution for Kosovo and Metohija without asking the citizens and claim I would ask them in order to hide behind them, use them as a fig leaf," Vucic said.

Wounding of a Serb youngster in the village of Suvi Do, near Mitrovica once more confirmed there are unofficial centre of powers and organized extremist groups among Albanians in Kosovo, whose aim is to diminish efforts to resolve the issues in Kosovo by political means, Head of the Serbian Government Office for Kosovo and Metohija, Marko Djuric said.

Kosovo is preparing to establish a Truth and Reconciliation Commission - but while some believe it could build dialogue between Kosovo’s Albanians and Serbs, critics claim it’s a political tool for President Hashim Thaci.

See at: http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/can-kosovo-s-wartime-truth-commission-achieve-reconciliation--06-25-2018

A judge in Kosovo says his new role in coordinating cases involving journalists shows the judiciary is serious about protecting media freedom.

The man tasked by Kosovo’s judiciary with overseeing court cases involving attacks or threats against journalists says his appointment is evidence of a renewed commitment to protect media freedom in the country, where reporters have frequently come under fire.

Arben Hoti was given the new brief at the Pristina Basic Court on June 18 following a spate of high-profile attacks on journalists.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic met on Wednesday in Belgrade with Speaker of the Moroccan House of Representatives Habib El Malki.

El Maliki stressed that Morocco's policy when it comes to the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Serbia is unchangeable, the president's office said in a press release. He also welcomed Serbia's stance regarding the territorial integrity of his own country.

The EU Council of Ministers hails Serbia's progress in membership negotiations, according to a draft resolution from an EU foreign ministers' meeting.

Dacic believes that still a final solution is far and a call on a referendum in Serbia, and that solutions must be sought, reports Vecernje Novosti.

After a meeting in Brussels of the Serbian and Pristina delegations with Federica Mogherini, they all agree that there are possibilities regarding the final solution regarding Kosovo, Dacic says, adding that it was also noted that both sides should make additional efforts to reach solutions, reports the daily.

In case of any agreement reached between Belgrade and Pristina, a referendum on that topic would most certainly take place, and according to Danas daily diplomatic sources’ expectations it would happen next year.

According to the sources, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic also announced such scenario following his talks with Hashim Thaci last Sunday, by saying that “he won’t sign anything, but the people would have the final say.”