Albanian Language Media:

• Another failed attempt to constitute the new Kosovo Assembly (media)
• War veterans warn with actions if deadlock continues (media)
• Cornerstones of two new bridges over Iber to be laid today (Koha)
• Cornerstone laid for new police station in Zubin Potok (media)
• Lladrovci: Yes to a coalition with VV if they give us PM post (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Kurti today to lay the foundation stone for two new bridges over the Ibar, amid EU warnings (KoSSev)
• Petkovic: Kurti continues with the militarization of the north (Kosovo Online, social media)
• Denmark took over the presidency of the Council of the EU (Radio Mitrovica sever, Tanjug)
• Latinovic: Denmark will want to emphasize Sorensen, so that he is not in the shadow of Kaja Kallas
• Moore: The real problem blocking dialogue is in Pristina (Kosovo Online)
• Roadblock protests continue in Serbia (N1)

International:

• Civil disobedience roils Serbia following arrests of protesters (Balkan Insight)
• Commissioner Kos meets with Western Balkans leaders to promote growth in the region (eureporter.co)

Albanian Language Media 

Another failed attempt to constitute the new Kosovo Assembly (media)

All news websites report on what is the 40th failed attempt to constitute the new Kosovo Assembly. Koha notes that the latest failure comes almost a week since the Constitutional Court obliged the MPs to constitute the new legislative within 30 days. 

War veterans warn with actions if deadlock continues (media)

The organization of war veterans of the Kosovo Liberation Army said in a statement today that they will undertake action if the deadlock in the Kosovo Assembly continues. “We don’t prejudge any candidate for institutional positions, but when the state interest and functioning of democracy is under threat due to lack of compromise and political stubbornness then we feel obliged to speak out in public. We call on all political parties, especially the winning party, to show political maturity and state responsibility, by ending the current crisis through a sustainable solution that respects the spirit of the Constitution and the will of the people of Kosovo. The KLA did not fight for political blockades. It did not fight for narrow interests and blockades that paralyze the institutions. We fought for a free, democratic and functioning Kosovo, with institutions that serve the people and the mindset of the government … Kosovo is a responsibility of all, and no one has the right to keep it hostage,” the statement notes.

Cornerstones of two new bridges over Iber to be laid today (Koha)

Kosovo’s caretaker government said in a press release that the cornerstones of two new bridges over Iber River in Mitrovica will be laid today. The cornerstone of the bridge for vehicle traffic over Iber will be laid at 17:00 and the cornerstone for the bridge for pedestrians will be laid later in the day. Caretaker Prime Minister Albin Kurti, Mitrovica North Erden Atiq, Mitrovica South Deputy Mayor Arian Tahiri, caretaker minister of local government Elbert Krasniqi, and caretaker minister for environment and spatial planning Lundrim Aliu will take part in the ceremony. 

Cornerstone laid for new police station in Zubin Potok (media)

The cornerstone of a new police station in Zubin Potok has been laid today. Kosovo’s caretaker Minister of Interior Affairs, Xhelal Svecla, said the new station will be a source of security for people in the area. “Today we laid the cornerstone of the new Kosovo Police station in Zubin Potok. This modern station will be a necessary infrastructure for members of our police and a source of security and an address for reporting for all citizens without any differences. We are adding to the highest security the best infrastructure. We remain committed to safeguarding the security of the citizens, public calm, and without a doubt, the sovereignty and territorial integrity of our country,” Svecla said in a Facebook post. 

Lladrovci: Yes to a coalition with VV if they give us PM post (media)

Mayor of the municipality of Drenas, Ramiz Lladrovci, said during a debate on TV Dukagjini on Monday evening that there should be a coalition between the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) and the Vetevendosje Movement if the latter agrees to give the PDK the post of Prime Minister. “Should we enter [a coalition]? If they give us the Prime Minister to lead the government, why should we not enter? With Bedri Hamza as Prime Minister, who said that we should not enter?” he argued.

Lladrovci also said that a PDK-VV coalition would be able to solve several important issues. “We and the VV can elect the President too. We can agree on several points,” he said.

Serbian Language Media

Kurti today to lay the foundation stone for two new bridges over the Ibar, amid EU warnings (KoSSev)

The outgoing Prime Minister of Kosovo will today lay the foundation stone for two new bridges between North and South Mitrovica, his Minister of the Interior Xhelal Svecla has already done the same for the new police station in Zubin Potok, KoSSev reports today.

Together with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and the leaders of the Western Balkans, Kurti is discussing the implementation of the Growth Plan for the region with the European Union today in Skopje, but he will also find time to continue implementing his plans on the Ibar.

While the EU is testing the load-bearing capacity of the "revitalized" main bridge over the Ibar River, before its opening for the traffic after several years and according to the plan of the Brussels agreement of the same name, the Kosovo government is in hurry to connect two municipalities by deciding to build two new ones, KoSSev portal reports. 

If the picture published by Self-Determination two weeks ago is to be believed, they will be placed next to the main bridge, on both sides. Some pages on social networks in Albanian denied this at that time, accusing Self-Determination of deceiving citizens.

Today, it was confirmed where the new bridges will be located - one near the municipality of North Mitrovica, and the other pedestrian - near the settlement known as Tri Solitera (Three Solitaires), towards the village of Suvi Do.

Just a few days after the municipalities of North and South Mitrovica formed a Joint Committee earlier in June, the inter-municipal memorandum on the construction of these bridges was signed.

The document was signed by the mayor from the north, Erden Atic, the deputy mayor from the south, Arijanit Tahiri, as well as the Kosovo Minister for Infrastructure in technical mandate, Liburn Aliju, who will attend the laying of the foundation stone today.

As announced by Kurti's cabinet, the inaugural team today also includes Elbert Krasniqi, the outgoing Minister for Local Self-Government.

They reminded that the initiative is implemented within the framework of the Memorandum of Cooperation between the Ministry of Environment, Spatial Planning and Infrastructure and the municipalities of South and North Mitrovica, with the aim of "improving the infrastructure and connecting the two communities".

The inauguration program begins at 17:00 with the laying of the foundation stone for the bridge intended for vehicle traffic, which is located near the building of the North Mitrovica Municipality. After that, at 5:15 p.m., there will be a joint walk towards the location of the pedestrian bridge, where at 5:30 p.m. the foundation stone will be laid in front of the kindergarten "Gezimi yne" in South Mitrovica.

KoSSev recalls that North and South Mitrovica are connected by five bridges so far.

A day before, the EU called on the Kosovo authorities to refrain from building new bridges.

The EU, responding to Koha's question about the tests they recently conducted for the main bridge, sent to them much earlier, responded only a day before today's ceremony.

In addition to stating that the Kosovo authorities knew that the testing had been conducted, they also said: “We call on the authorities of Kosovo to refrain from any unilateral action, including the construction of bridges next to it".

The first duty that the new government in North Mitrovica voted for almost four years ago was just the opening of the main bridge, and last year at this time there was actual testing of the main bridge, which was carried out by the Pristina and Mitrovica authorities, before the international community, that is, the security structure, stopped the opening of the bridge, recalled  KoSSev.

Petkovic: Kurti continues with the militarization of the north (Kosovo Online, social media)

The director of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija, Petar Petkovic, said that Kosovo PM Albin Kurti in his technical mandate continues to militarize the north, by building another “police fortification near the school in Zubin Potok”, reported Kosovo Online. 

"Kurti continues with the militarization of the north of KiM. Near the primary school in Zubin Potok, he is building another illegal police fortification. Since coming to power, Kurti has built 22 police stations and bases in the north, and handed over stolen Serbian facilities to his parapolice," Petkovic stressed.

He added that ''the militarization of the north, fake mayors and the persecution of Serbs are the only policies of Kurti and Svecla". 

"And everything contrary to the Brussels agreement, because his phalanxes have nothing to look for in the north, nor to protect anyone, but to terrorize Serbs. Will the EU do something now," asked Petkovic.

Denmark took over the presidency of the Council of the EU (Radio Mitrovica sever, Tanjug)

Denmark officially took over today the six-month rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union, emphasizing security and competitiveness as key priorities, the media reported.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen assessed that Europe is "at a decisive moment", stressing that "freedom and prosperity can no longer be taken for granted".

Denmark has succeeded Poland in the role of rotating presidency, thus and the responsibility to function as a neutral mediator among the 26 other members of the Union.

This role includes mediating negotiations, building compromises, and representing the Council of the EU in discussions with the European Parliament. This is the eighth time that Denmark has taken over the post.

The head of the EU Delegation in Serbia, Emanuele Giofre, said yesterday that Denmark took over the presidency of the Council of the European Union from Poland at a "challenging moment", and that the enlargement policy would remain a high priority for the EU in the coming period.

Giofre said that the Polish presidency made a great effort to advance the enlargement process in the WB. 

He pointed out that he was sure that Denmark would continue doing the things that started during the Polish presidency of the Council of the EU.

The Ambassador of Denmark to Serbia, Pernille Dahler Kardel, said that this was the eighth time that Denmark presided over the Council of the EU, and that it was obvious that the presidency would be influenced by the time in which it took place. 

"Our presidency is taking place in a time that is very changing and a time that is unpredictable. This is a time when we need to respond to things that appear much faster than what we are used to," she said.

Latinovic: Denmark will want to emphasize Sorensen, so that he is not in the shadow of Kaja Kallas (Kosovo Online)

Branka Latinovic, a member of the Forum for International Relations, estimates that Denmark, at the head of the Council of the European Union, will probably deal more with Kosovo in the next six months than Poland, given that the EU envoy for dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, Peter Sorensen, is Danish.

"They will certainly want to encourage him and emphasise him, so that he is not only in the shadow of Kaja Kallas but that he has appropriate activities that will be visible and recognizable. However, it seems to me that during this year the issue of Kosovo and Metohija, related to the return in full capacity through the negotiations between Belgrade and Pristina, was left more to the European Commission and the high representative for foreign policy, than to the EU Council. The Council did not do anything to initiate the negotiation process in the sense of being more effective," Latinovic told Kosovo Online.

How much Denmark will engage in dialogue, she adds, also depends on other events.

"I would not rule out that the EU is now primarily directed towards the Middle East, primarily Iran, given the obligations that the EU has, namely its members France and Germany, as well as Great Britain as a former member because they are parties to the nuclear agreement on Iran. I would not be surprised if the EU is now primarily directed towards that direction, together with the USA. Of course, Trump will want to be in charge of the agreement, but every agreement is multidimensional, and the very implementation of the agreement will depend on both the EU and Agency for Atomic Energy," says Latinovic.

Moore: The real problem blocking dialogue is in Pristina (Kosovo Online)

Former US State Department official and senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, Jonathan Moore, told A2 CNN television that the only current obstacle to progress in the dialogue with Serbia lies in Kosovo. He believes that US President Donald Trump does not want to see new conflicts in the world, and that therefore his statements about Kosovo and Serbia are connected to America's commitment to maintaining global stability, including in the Western Balkans, reported Kosovo Online. 

According to Moore, the real problem blocking the dialogue process lies in Pristina:

“The only obstacle to progress at this moment is in Kosovo. Serbia has fulfilled many expectations related to the dialogue, though perhaps not all. The absence of the Community of Serb Municipalities, which Kosovo agreed to in 2013, remains an open issue,” Moore said.

He also added that the lack of political stability in Pristina is hindering progress.

“Kosovo doesn’t have a new parliament, no assembly president, and the opposition is not united. Most likely, there will be new elections in October, but until then, I don’t see a serious project for dialogue,” he explained.

Moore believes that the United States will not allow a new conflict to break out in the region, commenting on the latest statement by US President Donald Trump regarding relations between Kosovo and Serbia.

“President Trump made it clear that he does not want to see more conflicts in the world. If any conflict arises, be assured that the United States will find a way to get involved and prevent it. The US is not interested in conflicts that continue indefinitely without any clear conclusion or purpose. This is a call to action based on what has been done in the past and the United States’ ability to bring stability to the Balkans... I do not foresee any military moves or maneuvers by Serbia. Serbia is aware of NATO’s role in Kosovo,” Moore stated.

Speaking about developments in Kosovo, he emphasized that support for the “American vision” in Pristina has been lacking in recent years.

“This is an issue on many people’s minds. But the format in which these negotiations could take place is a distant possibility – regardless of their content – because we don’t have a government in Pristina capable of negotiating,” he added.

President Trump claimed that during his first term, he prevented the outbreak of armed conflict between Kosovo and Serbia.

Kosovo and Serbia reached an agreement on economic normalization in September 2020 at the White House, in the presence of President Trump. However, its implementation has remained partial, with many obligations still unfulfilled.

Roadblock protests continue in Serbia (N1)

Roadblock protests continued across Serbia on Tuesday morning with groups of students and their supporters standing at intersections to stop traffic, reported N1.

In Belgrade, roadblocks were set up at the university law school and at the school of machine engineering. Drivers approaching the intersections at those two points turned around or honked their horns in support. An N1 journalist saw an attempt to get past the blockade at the law school when a man driving a van tried to get through but was turned back by several people. The Nova.rs portal reported a similar attempt earlier in the morning.

In Valjevo, residents manned roadblocks at three intersections in a main street overnight.

In Cacak, two main intersections were blocked from the early morning hourse.

In Novi Sad, the roadblocks were lifted at around 2 am, the local 021.rs portal reported. Videos posted on student social media accounts showed the police using force several times, including overpowering a man on a bicycle crossing the street while the light was green.

International

Civil disobedience roils Serbia following arrests of protesters (Balkan Insight)

Protesters and police played cat-and-mouse, with protesters re-erecting roadblocks dismantled by police, as anger continued over a wave of arrests for alleged subversion and public order offences.

Police in the Serbian capital on Monday sought to remove a series of roadblocks set up by protesters, while protesters moved to reinstall them, amid continuing civil disobedience caused by anger at arrests of eight people accused of plotting to “overthrow the state”.

The Belgrade Higher Prosecutor’s Office has alleged that, at two meetings last week at Belgrade University’s Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Faculty of Civil Engineering, the suspects “prepared an attack on state institutions, roadblocks and crucial infrastructure throughout the country, in order to violently change the state order”.

The protesters have been erecting the roadblocks from Sunday onwards at various locations. In one incident on Monday, students of the Faculty of Agriculture and locals in Zemun, on the edge of Belgrade, established a roadblock at around 10 a.m. Less than half-an-hour later, police wearing masks told the protesters they had two minutes to leave and stop the blockade, or the police would “remove them”.

Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/3e4j9k3v

Commissioner Kos meets with Western Balkans leaders to promote growth in the region (eureporter.co)

On Monday 30 June and Tuesday (1 July), Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos (pictured) will meet with leaders from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia to accelerate the delivery of the EU's Growth Plan for the Western Balkans. The plan offers benefits to these countries which are preparing for EU membership, and this meeting will review progress and discuss next steps.

The leaders will work with Commissioner Kos to turn commitments into action, focusing on critical reforms to unlock funding under the Growth Plan and deliver tangible benefits to citizens of candidate countries ahead of accession. The summit will also be an opportunity to discuss new areas of cooperation: consumer protection, tourism and the Single Market Highway, aimed at advancing the economic integration of the Western Balkans into the EU's Single Market. As part of the discussions, the Commission will also propose a €87.7 million investment package within the existing Western Balkans Investment Framework (WBIF). This package is expected to mobilise nearly half a billion euro in private investments in clean-energy projects across the region.

The EU's Growth Plan for the Western Balkans aims to boost the region's economy and help its countries join the EU. It provides €6 billion in funding for reforms and investments in areas like energy, transport, and digital transformation, with the goal of increasing prosperity and stability in the region.

A press conference with Commissioner Kos and Prime Minister of North Macedonia Hristijan Mickoski was set for today (1 July) at 12:15 CEST.