Albanian Language Media:

• Albania signs 13 agreements with Kosovo; Rama expects meeting with Kurti (media)
• Sanctions, Germany reduces cooperation in security with KSF (Albanian Post)
• Tahiri: Other opposition parties said they’re ready to sign no-confidence motion (media)
• Kearns: Attacks against KFOR and reserves found by KP prove presence of illegal weapons (Kallxo)
• EULEX: Government didn't coordinate in designating organisations as terrorists (Koha)
• Kovacevski calls on Kurti and Vucic: Politicians are obliged to act as statesmen (Klan)
• Szunyog: Free and independent media are essential part of democratic society (media)

Serbian Language Media: 

• Vucic: Underway silent ethnic cleansing of Serbs; we will demand an urgent session of the UN SC (Danas, RTS) 
• Raska-Prizren Diocese warns of possible set up, says ‘continuation of March pogrom by different methods’ (KoSSev)
• Dacic: Accusations against SPC (SOC) part of a propaganda war; we asked Foreign Office for explanation (Kosovo Online, TV Pink, RTV)
• Djuric: Accusations against Serbian Orthodox Church deeply concerning (Tanjug)
• Vucic informs Erdogan about escalation of violence against Serbs in Kosovo (Kosovo Online)
• Germany terminates cooperation with Pristina in several areas (RTS, RFE, Blic)
• Doctor Todorovic sentenced to 10 months in prison “for the attack against Kosovo police officer” (Kosovo Online)

   

Albanian Language Media  

  Albania signs 13 agreements with Kosovo; Rama expects meeting with Kurti (media)

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama said today that Kosovo was sent 13 signed agreements and that he expects that after this, Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti will confirm their meeting scheduled to be held this afternoon in Pristina. Rama was referring to the 13 agreements that were supposed to be signed at the joint meeting of the two governments in Gjakova on June 14, but which Rama cancelled because of tensions in the north of Kosovo.

Meanwhile, Kosovo’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, confirmed to Telegrafi news website that it has received the 13 joint agreements between Kosovo and Albania, which Rama said he signed today. “We inform you that today we received 13 agreements from the Albanian Embassy in Pristina,” the ministry said.

Sanctions, Germany reduces cooperation in security with KSF (Albanian Post)

After the United States excluded the Kosovo Security Force from “Defender Europe 2023” as Prime Minister Albin Kurti refused the three-point plan for de-escalation in the north, the German Government too confirmed to Albanian Post that it has decided to reduce cooperation with Kosovo, including the security sector.

The German Embassy said in its response to the news website that all cancelled projects can be resumed only after the de-escalation in the north and “the necessary measures” to calm the situation there. “The EU said it would limit cooperation with Kosovo in different areas if the Kosovo government would not take respective measures for de-escalation. In line with these policies, the German Government too has decided to temporarily reduce cooperation with Kosovo, including the security sector,” the statement notes. The German Government also explicitly supports the EU efforts and the work of the EU Special Representative Miroslav Lajcak, and the EU-facilitated dialogue.

Tahiri: Other opposition parties said they’re ready to sign no-confidence motion (media)

Head of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) parliamentary group, Besnik Tahiri, commenting on the no-confidence motion against the Kurti-led government, said that all opposition MPs, including the minority MPs, without the Serbian List, can bring down the government, Klan Kosova reports. “The opposition parties that have talked to heads of groups should put their signatures so that we can bring it to the Assembly … I am confident that a majority consisting of Albanians and the minorities, without the Serbian List, is ready to give its verdict to this government which weakened Kosovo internationally and impoverished it domestically,” Tahiri said.

Telegrafi news website quotes Tahiri as saying that other opposition parties have expressed their readiness to sign the AAK-initiated no-confidence motion.

Kearns: Attacks against KFOR and reserves found by KP prove presence of illegal weapons (Kallxo)

Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee in the UK Parliament, Alicia Kearns, said in a statement to the news website today that recent attacks with firearms against KFOR and the weapons reserves found by the Kosovo Police prove the presence of illegal arms and smuggling in the north of Kosovo. She argued that this requires urgent action in order to make sure that any additional escalation does not result in fatal violence. “I am pleased that the issue of arms movement is getting the focus it deserves,” she said.

Kearns also suggested that “now we need cooperation between Serbia, Kosovo, and the international community to locate and confiscate illegal arms.”

EULEX: Government didn't coordinate in designating organisations as terrorists (Koha)

Following the United States and the European Union, the EU Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX) too said that the Kosovo government’s decision to designate the “Civil Protection” and the “Northern Brigade” as terrorist organisations was not coordinated. EULEX told Koha that “we want to add that the decision of the Government of Kosovo was not coordinated with EULEX”.

Kovacevski calls on Kurti and Vucic: Politicians are obliged to act as statesmen (Klan)

North Macedonia Prime Minister, Dimitar Kovacevski, after meeting his Albanian counterpart Edi Rama in Skopje today, called on the leaders of Kosovo and Serbia to make brave decisions and to implement the agreement reached in Brussels and Ohrid. “As a neighbour of Kosovo and Serbia, we appeal for calming the situation and the implementation of the agreement reached in Brussels and Ohrid on the road towards the normalisation of relations. I know that this process includes decisions, but politicians are obliged to act as statesmen, and with courage, no matter how difficult this may be,” Kovacevski said.

Szunyog: Free and independent media are essential part of democratic society (media)

EU Head of Office in Kosovo, Thomas Szunyog, said in a Twitter post today that he met with media lawyer Flutura Kusari and “listened to her concerns about continuous threats and smear campaign against her in social media. The EU closely follows the media environment & the rights of journalists in Kosovo. Free and independent media are essential part of a democratic society.”

     

Serbian Language Media 

  Vucic: Underway silent ethnic cleansing of Serbs; we will demand an urgent session of the UN SC (Danas, RTS) 

President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, at today's press conference, said that the campaign of persecution of Serbs from Kosovo and ethnic cleansing is ongoing. Well organised by the authorities in Pristina, but also supported by some from the international community, reports Danas portal. 

He said that for 11 years, he has been participating in the negotiations regarding Kosovo and indicated that today Serbia is in the most difficult situation.

- Not by my own desire and responsibility, but by the daily activities of the regime in Pristina, but also by those who look favourably and remain silent on it, he noted.

There is an attempt at ethnic cleansing in Kosovo, said Vucic.

As he said, "perhaps it would be easier for me not to say that ethnic cleansing is underway in Kosovo, I could stick my head in the sand like an ostrich and say that it is not that bad...''

However, he said that it does not occur to him to wage war against NATO, but also that it does not occur to him to lie to his own people that nothing is happening...

Vucic stated that he wanted to inform the public that the action of pogrom, persecution and ethnic cleansing carried out by ''the Pristina regime is well organised, planned and supported by certain circles in the international community''.

Vucic gave examples, such as that all “prominent Serbs who could be a point of resistance to the Pristina regime must be 'killed, arrested, or removed''.

According to him, that action started in Strpce  in 2021 with the arrest of three Serbs, who are more than a year and a half in custody, accused of abuse of official position. He adds that it does not exist anywhere in the world. 

- EULEX and the international community are silent. I cannot remain silent because I will not participate in the persecution of my people - he stated.

As he said, since Kurti took power, another twenty Serbs were arrested, all whose names he listed. 

- That action was carefully prepared. First, full criminalization of the Serbian people had to be done with the help of foreign and domestic media supported by foreign services - he stated.

As he added, the second part of the action is underway in which they are trying to scare the population in the north.

He also listed the points which, as he said, were occupied, and with which "they are trying to prevent the building of barricades, the import of goods from Serbia, to bring complete fear into every Serbian home and to ensure the presence of poor Serbs who would like to please the occupier at any cost ".

- There are very few of those. There are 30 of them in the illegal army - said Vucic.

Vucic also showed a map of the streets where the Pristina security forces are located.

Alicia Kearns attacked the church and the health system - the pillars of the Serbian people

Alicia Kearns, a member of the British Parliament, ''known for her anti-Serb views, with her statements introduced two more attacks on the pillars of the Serbian people - the church and the health system'', said Vucic. 

- Don't worry, madam, we are already investigating you, who is paying you, why are you lying and why are you putting Serbia in such a difficult position - said Vucic. 

He cited several examples of police actions in which ambulances were searched and nothing was found.

According to him, there is also an action against the SPC (SOC).

- In our conversations about SPC, when Kurti spoke about it, he said his empty and mostly threatening sentences. He said there is only one more dangerous enemy than Vucic, and that is the SPC. His words are that the SPC is the source of all evil - he stated.

Serbia will ask for an urgent session of the UN Security Council

Vucic said that a general attack on Serbs is underway, and he wants to tell the international community that we have been waiting for the formation of the CSM (ZSO) and any serious process in that direction, the release of innocent people, but that nothing has happened.

- In line with all that, we are ready to continue the talks. It is clear that Serbia is backed into a corner and against the wall - he said.

As he said, next week he will ask for an urgent conversation with the head of NATO, Jens Stoltenberg, to indicate the situation and say what he can and can't do, and immediately after that, Serbia will ask, for the first time in this way, to convene an emergency session of the UN Security Council, bearing in mind that the lives of Serbs are at risk.

He will personally attend the next session, which, he said, indicates the importance of that session.

We will demand that the UN Security Council, in accordance with its powers, take urgent measures to protect the Serbs in Kosovo, specifically to order the international forces of KFOR to fulfil the articles of Resolution 1244 of the UN Security Council, and to prevent any action of temporary institutions in Pristina that undermines the security and dignity of Serbia.

-This specifically means that we will demand that the Security Council order KFOR to fulfil the obligations prescribed by Articles 9 and 15 of Resolution 1244, as well as Articles 3 and 4 of Annex 2 of that Resolution, he said.

As a second point that will be requested, Vucic mentioned demilitarisation of all armed formations of the Kosovo Security Forces. 

As for the third point, Vucic said that it will be in accordance with the answer on who is responsible for protecting the Serbs in Kosovo, mentioning that the anti-civilization act and the persecution of the Serbs must be stopped.

Next week, he said, he will sign the decision banning the export of arms and tools from Serbia, because, as he said, Serbia's vital interest is threatened, and it must be prepared in case of aggression against Serbia.

Vucic spoke about the energy crisis and gas reserves that Serbia has.

When asked if Serbia was preparing for war, he answered that it was not, but that it was ready to protect its country from all those who would threaten its sovereignty and integrity.

When asked why the international community doesn't do something, he replied that they all work together, but that NATO forces, i.e., KFOR, behave the most seriously.

- Quint controls all processes from EULEX to NATO. They let go and examine where the nerves of Belgrade and Serbia are, and they allow Kurti to do everything. All this is the source and cause of the crisis. They hope that the problem of the Serbs will be solved in silence. Everything is normal with them, even when they arrest people for wearing a T-shirt - he stated.

He added, don't expect anything to change there.

He wondered why sanctions against Serbia, which had done everything, were mentioned, and answered that there are several countries that want Serbia to be small in every way.

- We were hoping for an explanation and an apology from the British government, but now we know that we will not get it - said Vucic. 

Raska-Prizren Diocese warns of possible set up, says ‘continuation of March pogrom by different methods’ (KoSSev)

Serbian Orthodox Church warned this morning about escalating repressive measures of the Kosovo authorities towards Serbian people and the Serbian Orthodox Church (SOC) in Kosovo, which are threatened by ‘new pogrom’, KoSSev portal reports.

“The Diocese of Raska-Prizren has received confidential and reliable information indicating that in the coming days and weeks, the Kosovo government allegedly intends to launch an entire series of actions aimed at further discrediting Serbian Orthodox Church. Those actions may involve continuation of the further systematic media smearing of our Church and its believers, planting of false evidence, repressive actions and further incitement of the ethnic and religious intolerance”, Raska-Prizren Diocese said in a statement.

They also said those information and any other additional ones, the Diocese will share with leading Western embassies and KFOR in Pristina for their attention, and for “further verification aimed at undertaking necessary measures to prevent further escalation of ethnically motivated violence and attacks against the Serbian Orthodox Church”, the statement adds.

Diocese warns of further deterioration of difficult situation

“Despite international appeals for de-escalation in the north of Kosovo, release of the three arrested Kosovo police officers by Serbian authorities and yesterday’s rebuttal of KFOR of unfounded and dangerously malicious accusations by the British MP, Mrs. Alicia Kearns against the Serbian Orthodox Church and regarding alleged “weapons smuggling”, Kosovo prime minister Mr. Kurti, unfortunately continued making provocative statements”, the statement reads.

They recalled that Kurti in a media conference yesterday firstly said that claims against SOC must be examined and that Kosovo government will then make a final word regarding recent accusations, and then continued on Twitter with fresh accusations that “the weapons allegedly transported by ambulance vehicles were left at Orthodox churches”. Those claims came despite a previous rebuttal by KFOR that there is no evidence for such accusations.    

“This situation indicates reality in Kosovo and Metohija, where the prime minister is both prosecutor and the judge passing the final verdict”.

Manipulating public opinion and spreading fake news part of Self-determination Movement platform

Referring to the accusations of the British MP Alicia Kearns about “weapons smuggling”, the Diocese said that she presented neither the stance of the government in London nor of the NATO alliance, but  “apparently, the information she received from Mr. Kurti, a few days ago during his stay in London”.

“Manipulating the public opinion by spreading the fake information, is part of the political platform of the Self-determination Movement, which is known at least to that part of the impartial and objective public. We believe that such conduct has no support from many moderate Kosovo Albanians, because such policy can not lead towards the European future of this part of the Balkans, it rather incites further conflicts and instability”.

SOC in Kosovo obstacle to implement complete ethnic cleansing

Raska-Prizren Diocese underlined its “peaceful but resolute stance” wishing “dignified and safe” lives for all citizens in this area.

“Therefore we feel an obligation to condemn any form of violence and repression”, adding they do not see the same with the Kosovo prime minister.  

“Unfortunately, at the same time, we also see that this is exactly our attitude as a hindrance to what is already looming as the final goal of Mr. Kurti, who for years was and remains the fiercest opponent of the coexistence of Serbs and Albanians and an open advocate of an ethnically pure “Greater Albania”. It is absurd that Mr. Kurti and his closest collaborators, who until yesterday themselves participated in the attacks on EULEX and the police (international and Kosovo), threw Molotov cocktails at the buildings of the Kosovo government and police, planted tear gas in the Parliament, destroyed public property, endangered people's lives and were arrested, today present themselves as the supposed defenders of the law, which they recklessly violate on several sides, ignoring even all international warnings".

More than 2000 families left northern Kosovo in a year, ‘March pogrom by different methods”

The Diocese also warned that based on its information, over the last couple of months, more than 2000 Serbs families left northern Kosovo because of police repression.

“Which continues even more intensively, by demonstrating force on the streets of Serbian settlements, arbitrary arrests without courts’ orders, public targeting of the reputable personalities on national and political grounds, keeping people imprisoned without clear legal grounds, maltreating prisoners in prison facilities, and all those followed by aggressive media campaign by party’s bots, in particular on social media, by which they openly call for hatred and violence”, the statement warned.

Read the full statement at: rb.gy/w1rkz Dacic: Accusations against SPC (SOC) part of a propaganda war; we asked Foreign Office for explanation (Kosovo Online, TV Pink, RTV)

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Serbia, Ivica Dacic, assessed for TV Pink, that the statement by the British MP and the President of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the British Parliament, Alicia Kearns, that the Serbian Orthodox Church participates in the smuggling of weapons from central Serbia to Kosovo, is part of the propaganda war being carried out against Serbia, the aim of which is to expel the SOC from Kosovo, reported Kosovo Online.

"It is part of the story about the criminalization of the north of Kosovo and a new way to spread the accusation that has been going on for years, and for more than 10 years it has been repeated that the north is criminalised, and now the Serbian Orthodox Church is being inserted in. It is one of their obstacles, since the SOC is very important for the survival of our people and it is necessary to identify it with the criminals in the accusations," Dacic told TV Pink.

He added that such an accusation is part of a general attack on Serbia and the Serbian people and that as soon as it was published, there was a reaction, and an explanation was requested from the Foreign Office.

"We did not receive any written answer, and we were told verbally that this is not the official policy of the British government, and that Kearns cannot speak on behalf of the government without the British government having concrete evidence for what she stated," said Dacic.

According to Dacic, Kearns continued to work despite this, and probably according to ''the agenda she agreed with Kurti, as well as that it would not be anything new if she would be an Albanian lobbyist'', reported portal Kosovo Online.

"There is no evidence for her statements, that's what KFOR also said. We can't supply people with basic food, let alone weapons," he said.

Referring to the large number of criminal charges against Serbs, including people from the Serbian List, Dacic assessed that it was about the idea of expelling Serbs from the north of Kosovo and creating an atmosphere for them to conclude that there is no life for them there.

"Of course, they would like to expel the Serbs from the south as well, but they live in special conditions and it is difficult for them to be able to successfully defend their interests like the Serbs in the north, where they are a compact unit and where there are no Albanians," Dacic said.

Djuric: Accusations against Serbian Orthodox Church deeply concerning (Tanjug)

Serbian Ambassador to the US Marko Djuric has expressed concern over the spread of "baseless accusations" made against the Serbian Orthodox Church by British MP Alicia Kearns, Tanjug news agency reports.

"It is deeply concerning to witness the spread of such baseless accusations, especially considering the potential consequences they can have on the delicate balance in Kosovo*", Djuric wrote in a post on his official Twitter account.

He noted that Kearns's accusations that the Serbian Orthodox Church was involved in weapons smuggling from central Serbia to Kosovo and Metohija had been immediately refuted by Kfor.

"Their unequivocal denial of these allegations should be regarded as the authoritative position on this issue. As a mission dedicated to maintaining peace, security, and stability in the region, their statement carries significant weight", Djuric said.

"With that in mind, we must remember the events of the March pogrom in 2004, where similar false accusations led to the destruction and desecration of Serbian cultural and religious sites – 35 churches and monasteries, among them even UNESCO World Heritage sites – and ethnic cleansing of Serb-populated towns and villages, causing considerable harm and exacerbating tensions. We cannot afford to repeat the mistakes of the past.

Furthermore, I want to also address the allusion made by Albin Kurti, which insinuates the possibility of these claims being true. It is irresponsible to make such insinuations without concrete evidence, especially considering the lack of credibility in the allegations and the denial by NATO/KFOR", Djuric added.

Vucic informs Erdogan about escalation of violence against Serbs in Kosovo (Kosovo Online)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, spoke over the phone with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, about the situation in Kosovo and chronology of events that led to the escalation of violence against the Serbian community there, Kosovo Online portal reports.

“Constructive conversation with the President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. I informed him about the current events in Kosovo and Metohija and the chronology of events that led to the escalation of violence against the Serbian community in Kosovo and Metohija.

We also discussed regional issues and agreed that peace and stability are needed more than ever.

We confirmed our readiness to continue excellent cooperation in all areas of mutual interest”, Vucic said in a post on Instagram.

Germany terminates cooperation with Pristina in several areas (RTS, RFE, Blic)

The German Embassy in Pristina has confirmed that it has temporarily suspended cooperation with institutions in certain areas, due to non-fulfillment of the European Union's demands for de-escalation of the situation in the north of Kosovo, reports RTS. 

That measure, which Germany says it took in line with Brussels' actions, does not affect "projects with the civil society sector, as well as projects they have started to implement."

"Measures include the postponement of government consultations on development cooperation, the suspension of the planned bilateral climate partnership and the delivery of specific equipment to security providers," the German embassy said in a response to Radio Free Europe, cited RTS.

Blic daily reported that the German Embassy told BIRN that "all affected projects can be restarted at any time" if Kosovo implements measures to de-escalate the situation in the Serb-majority north of the country.

- The EU spokesperson told BIRN on July 1 that project proposals sent by Kosovo were not sent to the Western Balkans Investment Framework (WBIF) board for confirmation - daily Blic reported, citing BIRN.

Doctor Todorovic sentenced to 10 months in prison “for the attack against Kosovo police officer” (Kosovo Online)

The Basic Court in Mitrovica sentenced doctor Nikola Todorovic (42) to ten months in prison under the charges that in April this year he attacked Kosovo police officer M.O at Jarinje crossing point, Kosovo Online portal reports citing Oath for Justice.

The verdict for Todorovic was announced on June 23 and his detention measure had been extended until the verdict became enforceable.

Todorovic was on his way to Kosovo with his wife and three children, and Kosovo police did not allow them entry as the children had Serbian passports only. The Office for Kosovo and Metohija said in reaction to the arrest, that his three children, aged 12, eight and five, were all the time watching how Kosovo police mistreat their father and take him handcuffed in the direction of Leposavic.  

His defence lawyer Milos Delevic said “Kosovo police did not accept Serbian passports of his children, and demanded that he presents children’s birth certificates instead” so that they could enter Kosovo.