• US hopeful over Kosovo-Serbia agreement, Vucic not convinced (Euractiv)
• Why Kosovo's stand-off with Serbs goes on 15 years after statehood (Reuters)
• Kurti: Destruction of illegal drug labs, clear victory for rule of law (media)
• Kurti and Guerot discuss French-German proposal (media)
• Osmani and Wigemark discuss recent developments in north of Kosovo (media)
• Kurti: KSF search and rescue team saved three people in Turkey so far (media)
• Serbian products faced with boycott in Kosovo (Radio Free Europe)
• COMKFOR Ristuccia meets Kosovo’s religious leaders (media)
• An accord would close down the Balkan issue (Albanian Daily News)

US hopeful over Kosovo-Serbia agreement, Vucic not convinced (Euractiv)

US stakeholders in Kosovo have spoken in support of comments from Prime Minister Albin Kurti on Friday that he would accept the EU proposal, backed by France and Germany, for the normalisation of relations between Kosovo and Serbia.

The advisor of the US State Department Derek Chollet spoke with Kurti on the phone and said on Twitter he welcomes the signal but the proposal needs to be implemented as it will have “significant benefits for both countries.”

This was complemented by the US Ambassador in Pristina, Jeffry Hovenier, who said that the US will fully support the next steps of the European proposal for an agreement between Kosovo and Serbia.

“We will fully support the next steps for the EU proposal. This progress is important for Kosovo as we support its full integration into Euro-Atlantic and international structures,” Hovenier wrote on Twitter.

Last week at the meeting of the heads of EU governments in Brussels, the EU’s chief diplomat Josep Borrell said he wanted to bring both Kurti and Serbian President Aleksander Vucic around the same table.

“The proposal is on the table. I have invited the two leaders to come to Brussels soon, within a few weeks, so that we can finally push this proposal forward. We have gone from one crisis to another. Now is the time for de-escalation and constructive work,” said Borrell.

But Vucic said he was not interested in a meeting until the Association of Serbian Municipalities is created.

Read more at: https://bit.ly/3HVWQIx

Why Kosovo's stand-off with Serbs goes on 15 years after statehood (Reuters)

Fifteen years after Kosovo declared independence, 50,000 minority Serbs in the north bordering Serbia refuse to recognise state institutions, get pay and benefits from Serbia's budget and pay no taxes either to Pristina or Belgrade.

Tensions rose further recently as Serbs left all state bodies in the region including the judiciary and law enforcement and as state authorities stepped up a crackdown on cross-border smuggling, began building a border police base and acted to have Serbs switch their car registrations from Serbia to Kosovo.

Here are some facts about an enduring stand-off that fuels Western Balkans instability and must be settled to help meet conditions for Kosovo's aspiration to join the European Union:

What is the root of the tensions?

Independence for ethnic Albanian-majority Kosovo came on Feb. 17, 2008, almost a decade after a guerrilla uprising against repressive Serbian rule, and is recognised by more than 100 countries.

Serbia, however, still formally deems Kosovo to be part of its territory and denies suggestions it is whipping up strife within its neighbour's borders. Belgrade accuses Pristina of trampling on the rights of minority Serbs.

Read more at: https://reut.rs/3XJeKo1

Kurti: Destruction of illegal drug labs, clear victory for rule of law (media)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti said on Monday that the destruction of three illegal drug labs in the north by Kosovo Police on Sunday was "a clear victory for the rule of law". “Criminal gangs sponsored by Serbia will stop at nothing—including armed barricades and violent attacks on Police—to protect their illegal enterprises. They will fail,” Kurti wrote in a Twitter post.

Kurti and Guerot discuss French-German proposal (media)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti hosted a meeting on Monday with the French Ambassador to Kosovo, Olivier Guerot. A press release issued by Kurti’s office notes that the main topics of discussion were “the very good bilateral relations between the two countries and the ways for their further advancement, and the European proposal for the normalization of relations with Serbia, also supported by France”.

Kurti said that Kosovo remains committed and constructive in the process of dialogue “and wants to have good neighborly relations and to join the EU and NATO”. He also thanked Guerot for France’s role and continuous support for Kosovo.

Osmani and Wigemark discuss recent developments in north of Kosovo (media)

Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani met on Monday with the EU Rule of Law Mission (EULEX) Head Lars-Gunnar Wigemark and discussed recent developments in the north of Kosovo and also cooperation in the framework of the EU mission’s mandate, a press release by Osmani’s office notes. Osmani also said that “Kosovo’s institutions remain committed to implementing the rule of law and security throughout the territory of the country”. Wigemark wrote in a Twitter post after the meeting: “Had a very good discussion today with the President of Kosovo Vjosa Osmani about developments in northern Kosovo, cooperation between EULEX and the Kosovo Police as well as the Mission’s monitoring of the Kosovo judiciary in the framework of the EULEX mandate”.

Kurti: KSF search and rescue team saved three people in Turkey so far (media)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti said in a Twitter post on Monday that “the Kosovo Security Force search and rescue team currently operating in Turkey has thus far saved 3 people trapped under the rubble—including two children. Keep up your life-saving work, and thank you for making your country proud!”

Serbian products faced with boycott in Kosovo (Radio Free Europe)

Products originating in Serbia continue to have a big space in the consumers’ basket in Kosovo although recently there have been increased calls to boycott them. During 2022, Kosovo imported from Serbia products worth €371.6 million and exported products worth €60.7 million.

For some time now, a group has been created on Facebook with the name “Don’t buy Serbian products” and it has over 110,000 members. This call seems to have influenced some citizens to check the country of origin of a product before buying it.

“We are finding local products, and there are also products from other countries. We don’t have to buy Serbian products,” Hasimi Maliqi, from Pristina, told Radio Free Europe. She said that they have no Serbian products in her house – starting from refreshing drinks to spices. “The moment I see the flag on the raft, if it is a Serbian flag, I don’t even get close to it,” she said.

Valbona Olluri, also from Pristina, said she does the same. “We don’t buy products from Serbia. We no longer use the oil from Serbia. We buy the oil from Kosovo or from another country. The same goes for other products in our kitchen … only local products or products from another country,” she said.

Endrit Binakaj, a supporter of the online campaign “Don’t buy Serbian products”, said he hasn’t been buying Serbian products for years now. He said his main goal is to support local producers. “I have seen that among my friends too there is greater awareness to boycott products originating from Serbia. We are all noticing this, because when we go to stores we see that there is a great discount for Serbian products because no one wants to buy them,” he told the news website.

COMKFOR Ristuccia meets Kosovo’s religious leaders (media)

Commander of KFOR, Major General Angelo Michele Ristuccia, met on Monday that Kosovo’s religious leaders, Bishop Dode Gjergji, Grand Mufti Naim Ternava and Bishop Teodosije Sibalic at KFOR headquarters in Pristina. KFOR said in a Facebook post that the meeting was aimed at promoting the role that religious leaders have in strengthening peace. “Ristuccia emphasised the importance of all religious communities in promoting peace, tolerance and mutual respect and ensuring unity in the face of evidence that threatens to divide even more. Religions are not problems, but part of the solution for a more harmonious coexistence. The KFOR Commander also underscored KFOR's commitment to supporting peace, cooperation and progress for all people living in Kosovo, as stated in UN Security Council Resolution 1244 of 1999,” the statement notes.

An accord would close down the Balkan issue (Albanian Daily News)

An in- depth analysis of the dynamic engagement of the US diplomacy jointly with the EU in the effort to resolve the longstanding conflict between Serbia and Kosovo was made by the President of the Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Serbia, Sonja Biserko in an exclusive interview with Albanian Daily News.

“I would say that this is a specific, maybe a historic moment when the West is resolute in closing down the Balkan issue. It is momentum that neither Kosova nor Serbia should miss,” said Mrs. Biserko, a seasoned political researcher and analyst of Balkan affairs whose dream is to see ‘the plural Balkans within a plural Europe.” “It is a really big challenge. It also implies the enormous responsibility of regional elites and societies, and requires critical and creative reflection and action, in the region and in Europe. This is my dream. I love Balkans,” said Biserko.

Read more at: https://bit.ly/40R7SaJ