• Kosovo President rejects participation at SEECP summit in Sarajevo (media)
• Pacolli: We won’t attend SEECP, Bosnia does not treat us as a state (RTK)
• Dodik reacts to Thaci’s decision not to participate at SEECP (RTK)
• Albania shows solidarity with Kosovo, won’t attend Sarajevo Summit (Koha)
• Lekaj: Opposition lacks numbers, it is ridiculing the people (Zeri)
• Kryeziu: Borrell can be an advantage for Kosovo (Epoka)
• The liberalised politicians of an isolated state (Zeri)
• Citaku: I will be the first Kosovo diplomat to visit Israel (Zeri)
• Vucic ridicules Kosovo: Serbian goods are falling from the sky (media)
• French President Macron to visit Serbia on July 15 (Indeksonline)

Kosovo President rejects participation at SEECP summit in Sarajevo (media)

Kosovo President Hashim Thaci said on Sunday he would not attend the summit of the South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP) to be held in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Thaci said he participates at such forums only when treated equally with the other participating states. “Despite the will and readiness to participate at South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP), the denigrating invitation of the current chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, makes Kosovo’s participation and representation in this meeting impossible,” Thaci wrote adding that Kosovo has always been in favour of good relations and mutual recognition. “Bosnia and Herzegovina’s behaviour is unacceptable and paradoxical, as its representatives apply totally anti-European practices, which do not differ from those of Serbia. With such destructive approach, regional cooperation and good neighbourly relations among Western Balkans countries remains an unreachable precondition in the EU integration path,” Thaci said.

Pacolli: We won’t attend SEECP, Bosnia does not treat us as a state (RTK)

Kosovo’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Behgjet Pacolli said that it is an unshakable position of the institutions of Kosovo not to participate at regional important event under the existing conditions. “The manner in which Kosovo’s state delegation was thought to be treated is unacceptable. Furthermore, it shadows the just finished summit of Poznan as part of the Berlin Process, and joint statements and pledges for sincere and constructive engagements,” Pacolli said.

Dodik reacts to Thaci’s decision not to participate at SEECP (RTK)

After the statement of the President of Kosovo Hashim Thaci that he would not participate at the summit of the South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP), Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Serb member and chairman of the Presidency Milorad Dodik said Kosovo was invited in the foreseen format of these meetings. “His dissatisfaction and his feelings do not interest me at all. In the format of the previous meetings of this kind, Kosovo was foreseen with some kind of a footnote. No one is going to cry if he does not like this, and we are not going to feel some kind of loss for his absence. He was invited in the format foreseen for these meetings, I agree with his position of not coming,” Dodik said.

Albania shows solidarity with Kosovo, won’t attend Sarajevo Summit (Koha)

The paper reports on page three that as a sign of solidarity with Kosovo, Albania will not attend the Summit of the South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP) which will be held in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. The government in Tirana announced its decision only one day after Kosovo President Hashim Thaci said he would not attend the summit because of what he called a “denigrating” invitation from Milorad Dodik, current chairman of the tripartite Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Albania’s Acting Foreign Minister, Gent Cakaj, tweeted: Albania cancels its participation at SEECP Summit in solidarity with Kosovo. Its treatment by the organisers is unacceptable & goes against the aim of creating an atmosphere of trust, good neighbourly relations & stability. There is no cooperation without equal treatment #westandtogether.

Lekaj: Opposition lacks numbers, it is ridiculing the people (Zeri)

Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) deputy leader, Pal Lekaj, said on Sunday that claims by opposition parties that they will bring down the Haradinaj-led government are not serious. In an interview to Ekonomia Online, Lekaj said the opposition is ridiculing the people because it lacks the required number of votes for a no-confidence motion against the government. “The AAK is very serious in its work. [Prime Minister] Haradinaj will be remembered as one of the prime ministers that made capital decisions and addressed issues that hadn’t been tackled for 20 years,” Lekaj added.

Kryeziu: Borrell can be an advantage for Kosovo (Epoka)

The paper carries as its leading story an interview with Taulant Kryeziu, head of the Pristina-based EPIK Institute, highlighting his remarks that no one should prejudge the role of EU diplomacy chief nominee Josep Borrell. Kryeziu argued that Borrell, currently Foreign Minister of Spain, will implement policies on Kosovo determined by the leaders of the 28 EU member states. He added that Borrell could even be an advantage for Kosovo and use his influence among the non-recognizing member states.

The liberalised politicians of an isolated state (Zeri)

The paper reports on its front page that “Kosovo is the only country in the region that does not have visa liberalisation with the European Union, mainly because of the failure of the political landscape to adopt in time the border demarcation with Montenegro and insufficient results in the fight against organised crime and corruption”. The paper further notes that “regardless of this failure, the majority of MPs and government ministers have resolved the issue of free travel in the Schengen Zone by getting Albanian passports and some of them even passports of EU member states”.

Citaku: I will be the first Kosovo diplomat to visit Israel (Zeri)

Kosovo’s Ambassador to the United States, Vlora Citaku, said on Sunday that she will soon visit Israel. “As I head to visit #Israel with @AJCGlobal as the first diplomat from #Kosovo to have been invited as a guest, I cannot but remember the powerful messages of support that came from #Israel to #Kosovo in our darkest hour of need!” Citaku wrote on Twitter.

Vucic ridicules Kosovo: Serbian goods are falling from the sky (media)

Several news websites report that Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic told a press conference on Sunday that Serbia has managed to send goods to the northern part of Kosovo. “Over the last couple of days, we managed to send goods to Kosovo and we hope that in the coming days we will do so in even larger quantities … Something even came from the sky. The sky is strange. Anything can fall from the sky,” Vucic told reporters. Representatives of NATO peacekeeping troops in Kosovo meanwhile have denied the possibility of goods being delivered from the air. KFOR spokesman Vincenzo Grasso told Klan Kosova that there can be no movement in Kosovo’s airspace without the knowledge of KFOR. “There can be no flights in the northern part of Kosovo without authorization from KFOR. KFOR is not aware of any flights in the last couple of days,” he added.

French President Macron to visit Serbia on July 15 (Indeksonline)

Citing reports published in Serbian media, the news website reports that French President Emmanuel Macron will visit Serbia on July 15 to meet with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic. “It is very likely that Vucic and Macron will talk about the dialogue with Pristina and for lifting the tariff [on Serbian goods], but European integration is a priority,” unnamed diplomatic sources told Serbian media.