Albanian Language Media: 

• Pierce: No need for new approach, just implement existing agreements (media)
• 49th attempt to constitute Assembly failed on Saturday, session to resume today (media)
• Political stalemate continues: Limaj insists on Parliament Speaker role (RTK)
• Civil society opposes government actions following Supreme Court ruling (RTK)
• One-month detention for Serbian official who insulted KLA (media)
• Site clearing Begins at ‘3 Skyscrapers’ for construction of new bridge (Klan)
• Court session for the 'Banjska' case to be held today (RTK)

Serbian Language Media: 

• Office for KiM Assistant Director Popovic rendered 30-day detention (media)

• Vucic, Djuric react to Popovic’s arrest, warn of consequences (media, social media)
• Petkovic says Popovic’s detention political decision, accuses international community of complicity (media)
• Serbian List terms Popovic’s detention as attack on dialogue and arbitrariness (media)
• Lawyer announces appeal, says Popovic did not incite hatred (media)
• Serbia ready to continue dialogue, constructive cooperation, Vucic tells Pierce on Friday (Tanjug, media)
• Petritsch: Kurti lacks a culture of compromise, hence crisis in Kosovo and stalemate in dialogue (Kosovo Online)
• 26 years since kidnapping of SOC monk Stefan Puric in Budisavce, near Klina (Radio KIM, Radio Goradevac)
• Bridge jumper from Kosovo disqualified in Podgorica over ‘double-headed eagle’ gesture (KoSSev, media)
• European Socialist Youth unanimously adopts resolution in support of Serbian students (N1)

Albanian Language Media 

Pierce: No need for new approach, just implement existing agreements (media)

The United Kingdom’s Special Envoy for the Western Balkans, Karen Pierce, has said that there is no need for a "magical solution" to the issue between Kosovo and Serbia, as in her view, simply implementing the existing agreements, the Brussels and Ohrid agreements, would suffice. “I don’t think we need a new approach or any magical solution to solve the problems in Bosnia and Herzegovina, or the issue between Kosovo and Serbia,” she stated.

Pierce emphasized the importance of implementing the agreements already in place. “The Brussels and Ohrid agreements contain very good ideas. These are not theoretical agreements—they address very practical issues like freedom of movement, access, and participation. It is vital that politicians implement them to help citizens and communities,” said the envoy.

49th attempt to constitute Assembly failed on Saturday, session to resume today (media)

The 49th attempt to constitute the Assembly of Kosovo has failed, media reported. The Vetevendosje Movement (VV) continued its efforts to push for a secret ballot vote to elect the Speaker of the Assembly. Other parties—including the PDK, LDK, AAK, and the Serbian List—did not propose any members for the Commission that oversees the secret ballot vote. The parliamentary session is scheduled to continue today  at 11:00 AM.

Political stalemate continues: Limaj insists on Parliament Speaker role (RTK)

Kosovo's political deadlock continues as the 50th attempt to constitute the Assembly is set for Monday. The Social Democratic Initiative (Nisma) is demanding the Parliament Speaker post for its leader, Fatmir Limaj, in exchange for its three votes to help form the legislative body. However, Vetevendosje Movement (LVV) has rejected the offer, and a recent meeting between Albin Kurti and Limaj ended without a deal.

Experts say Nisma may be pushing for the Speaker role due to a lack of qualified candidates for ministerial positions. Even with Nisma’s support, LVV would still need one more vote to reach the required majority of 61. The Constitutional Court has set a deadline of July 26 for the Assembly to be formed.

Civil society opposes government actions following Supreme Court ruling (RTK)

Kosovo’s civil society organizations have criticized the caretaker government for continuing to make decisions after a Supreme Court ruling on July 7, 2025, which stated that ministers who are also MPs cannot exercise executive powers. The Kosovo Law Institute (KLI) warned that any decisions made by such officials, including Prime Minister Albin Kurti, could be deemed unlawful and annulled.

Legal expert Blerim Burjani emphasized that holding both legislative and executive roles could result in criminal liability, especially if public resources are misused.

The Ministry of Finance, led by acting Minister Hekuran Murati, issued a controversial administrative instruction in April 2025 regarding digital fiscal devices, which became the subject of a lawsuit. The Supreme Court ruled the instruction illegal due to lack of proper mandate.

A report by the Group for Legal and Political Studies (GLPS) found that during the caretaker period (Feb 9 – Mar 27), 13 out of 76 government decisions exceeded legal limits.

The Supreme Court reaffirmed that a caretaker government may implement ongoing plans and the budget but cannot introduce new secondary legislation.

One-month detention for Serbian official who insulted KLA (media)

The Basic Court in Pristina has ordered a one-month detention for Serbian official Igor Popovic following his initial court hearing. Popovic was arrested at the border crossing in Bernjak after making insulting remarks in Hoca of Rahovec against the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA). The Deputy Director of Serbia’s Office for Kosovo was initially detained for 48 hours.

Site clearing Begins at ‘3 Skyscrapers’ for construction of new bridge (Klan)

Clearing work has begun at the area known as the "3 skyscrapers" in preparation for the construction of a new bridge over the Iber River. The work took place over the past two days. The news was confirmed by the Chief Executive Officer of the public company “Iber-Lepenc,” Faruk Mujka, who said the site was cleared by the company’s workers. “Happy that as the public enterprise ‘Iber-Lepenc,’ we are able to contribute even outside our designated area of responsibility. Yesterday and today, we deployed workers to the ‘3 skyscrapers’ on the northern bank of the Iber River and cleared the land to prepare it for construction of the new bridge, in accordance with the government’s decision,” Mujka wrote on Sunday.

On July 1, the foundation stone was laid for the construction of two new bridges over the Iber River, one designated for pedestrians and the other for vehicles.

Court session for the 'Banjska' case to be held today (RTK)

The court session for the Banjska case will be held today in Pristina, involving three defendants: Blagoje Spasojevic, Vladimir Tolic, and Dusan Maksimovic. They are among 45 individuals charged over the 2023 terrorist attack in Banjska, led by Milan Radoicic, which resulted in the death of Kosovo police sergeant Afrim Bunjaku.

While these three are on trial in Kosovo, 42 others—including Radoicuc, who admitted to leading the attack, remain at large. Kosovo has requested their extradition, but it has not been granted. Additional court sessions are scheduled for July 22 and 24.

Serbian Language Media

Office for KiM Assistant Director Popovic rendered 30-day detention (media)

Office for Kosovo and Metohija Assistant Director Igor Popovic arrested at Brnjak crossing point on Friday, over his statements about KLA made at Serbian victims’ commemoration event in Velika Hoca, near Orahovac, has been rendered 30-day detention, Kosovo Online portal reported.

Following his arrest on Friday he was sent to 48-hour detention. On Sunday, he was brought handcuffed to court in Pristina. His hearing at the special department of the Basic Court lasted for about one hour and a half, the portal added.

On Friday, Serbian media reported about the 27th anniversary of the massive kidnapping and murders of Serbs and Roma in Orahovac in the period from July 17 to 22, 1998, by Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA). During this period more than 100 Serbs and Roma, mostly civilians were kidnapped and murdered. Many of them are still missing, while remains of 36 of them have been found in 2005 in Volujak and Malisevo mass grave sites. 

Vucic, Djuric react to Popovic’s arrest, warn of consequences (media, social media)

“Arrest of Office for Kosovo and Metohija Assistant Director Igor Popovic shows Albin Kurti has lost his mind and wants to provoke new incidents and conflicts in the Western Balkans”, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said last night in reaction to Pristina’s court decision to render 30-day detention to Popovic over his remarks about KLA.

“We have informed all our partners, and we will inform all our friends. This may have rather unforeseeable consequences”, Vucic said. As he said, Serbia will preserve peace and stability, but will also react in a hard and strong way. “This terror at some point must stop”, he added.

Serbian Foreign Minister Marko Djuric in his reaction said Serbia demands Popovic’s immediate release and warned the international community it must be aware of the severity and danger of such Pristina’s actions. He also said it was "a savage behavior" by Pristina authorities, destabilizing the situation in Kosovo and the region.

"Serbia cannot tolerate this kind of savage behavior by (Albin) Kurti and the Pristina interim authorities against the officials of the Republic of Serbia, which alarmingly destabilizes the situation on the ground and in the region as well as eliminates the possibility of any sustainable normalization in Kosovo", Djuric said in a post on X social platform.

As he said this situation is unacceptable and will have very serious consequences for relations between Belgrade and Pristina. He pointed out there can be no dialogue with Pristina while arrests and pressure on Serbian officials and the Serbian people are taking place.

Petkovic says Popovic’s detention political decision, accuses international community of complicity (Kosovo Online, media)

Office for Kosovo and Metohija Director Petar Petkovic reacting to Pristina’s court decision to send Igor Popovic, Assistant Director to 30-day detention, said this decision was political and illegal, Serbian media reported.

"Kurti's judges in Pristina ordered my assistant to be detained for up to 30 days because he bravely stood up in defense of Serb victims and sufferings. This is a direct political decision made on Kurti's order, which is not based on any facts, because it is true that no one has ever been held accountable for crimes against Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija", Petkovic said in a statement.

"There is neither shame nor honor for Albin Kurti, however, by this verdict the international community faced a lasting defeat of all its values, rights and justice”, Petkovic said, adding any possibility of continuing the dialogue with Pristina after this, as he said, scandalous, illegal and inadmissible verdict will fall in vain if Popovic is not acquitted.

According to Petkovic, “representatives of the international community are complicit in the decision to detain the high representative of the Serbian state, although, they assured through intensive contacts in the previous days that there is no legal basis for detaining Popovic”. Petkovic also underlined that KLA leaders are currently standing trial for the war crimes against Serbs in the Hague.

Serbian List terms Popovic’s detention as attack on dialogue and arbitrariness (media)

Serbian List assessed that Pristina court decision to render 30-day detention to Office for Kosovo and Metohija Assistant Director Igor Popovic over his KLA remarks “was politically motivated and made as per instruction of Kosovo technical prime minister Albin Kurti”, Kosovo Online portal reported.

The Serbian List also said Popovic was detained because he spoke about sufferings of Serbs and called those who have committed crimes against them to be held accountable. They also said that detention of Igor Popovic was an attack on dialogue and determination of the Serbian state to resolve all the issues in dialogue. At the same time, it is evidence of “unserious and irresponsible approach of the international representatives who tolerate Kurti’s arbitrates, autocracy and persecution of everything Serbian”, the statement concluded. 

Lawyer announces appeal, says Popovic did not incite hatred (media)

Ljubomir Pantovic, defense lawyer of Igor Popovic, Office for Kosovo and Metohija Assistant Director, sent to 30-day detention, said there was not a single insulting word uttered, nor reference to other ethnic groups in the remarks Popovic made at commemoration ceremony for the Serbian victims in Velika Hoca on Friday, Serbian media reported.

Speaking of the prosecutor's qualification of Popovic’s remarks as “inciting discord and intolerance”, Pantovic argued that his speech was not a hate speech and was not something that could incite discord and intolerance. He said Popovic spoke about the difficult situation of the Serbs in that area. He did not mention any other ethnic group or nationality, in particular Albanian one. The lawyer also said he will file an appeal to the decision.

Serbia ready to continue dialogue, constructive cooperation, Vucic tells Pierce on Friday (Tanjug, media)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic met with the UK's Special Envoy for Western Balkans Dame Karen Pierce in Belgrade on Friday and expressed Serbia's readiness to continue open dialogue and constructive cooperation, Tanjug news agency reported.

"A substantial discussion with special envoy Karen Pierce, whom I congratulated on her appointment, and expressed Serbia's readiness to continue open dialogue and constructive cooperation. We exchanged views on key regional issues, Serbia's European path as well as the bilateral relations between our two countries", Vucic wrote in a post on his official Instagram account.

Vucic thanked the UK for a strategic approach to the region, including its support for Serbia's EU path, as well as for hosting the upcoming Berlin Process Summit in London. "I noted that, although Serbia-UK relations are good, there is significant space to advance them further while relying on the long tradition and historical ties between our nations. I placed emphasis on economic cooperation and continuity of high-level political dialogue, including an invitation to PM (Keir) Starmer to visit Serbia", Vucic posted. He also noted that he firmly believed in continued cooperation with the UK on strengthening peace, stability and prosperity in the region and Europe.

Petritsch: Kurti lacks a culture of compromise, hence crisis in Kosovo and stalemate in dialogue (Kosovo Online)

Albin Kurti, Kosovo’s acting Prime Minister and leader of the Self-Determination Movement, lacks a culture of compromise, which is why Kosovo is facing an institutional crisis and why the dialogue with Belgrade has stalled, said Wolfgang Petritsch, former EU Special Envoy for Kosovo and former High Representative of the international community in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

In an interview with Kosovo Online, Petritsch emphasized that the prerequisite for successful normalization of relations and dialogue with Serbia is first the establishment of internal dialogue within Kosovo, ideally also with Kosovo Serbs.

Regarding the construction of two new bridges on the Ibar River, Petritsch said that if they are built unilaterally without, metaphorically speaking, a “pillar on the Serbian side,” they will not help much. He advised cooperation rather than unilateral action.

Speaking about the UN Charter, he noted that the 1999 NATO intervention had far more negative consequences than was initially thought. He also stated that the UN is in a fundamental crisis, because everything proposed and implemented by the U.S. and Europe since 1945 is now being called into question - by the U.S. itself.

Read the full interview at: https://shorturl.at/AQNpG

26 years since kidnapping of SOC monk Stefan Puric in Budisavce, near Klina (Radio KIM, Radio Goradevac)

July 19 marked 26^th years since disappearance of Serbian Orthodox Church (SOC) hieromonk Stefan Puric, who according to testimonies, perished when kidnapped by Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) members, in the village of Budisavce, near Klina, following the end of the conflict in 1999, Radio KIM reported. Stefan Puric was a monk in the SOC Monastery in Budisavce village.

In the days following the end of the conflict, remaining Serbian civilians from the area – elderly, women and children – sought shelter in the Budisavci Monastery. Seeing that they are lacking food, over the larger presence of people, Father Stefan together with the village teacher Vujadin Vujevic went out to buy groceries, believing nothing will happen to them. Radio Gorazdevac further reported that based on some testimonies they were intercepted by KLA on the way, killed and their bodies disposed of in some of the nearby pits. Their whereabouts remain unknown to date.

Radio Gorazdevac also said Father Stefan Puric is one of the two only religious clerks who went missing and then perished in the territory of the entire former Yugoslavia during the wars that occurred there in the last decade of XX century. The second one is Father Hariton from SOC Saint Archangels Monastery, near Prizren who was also kidnapped in 1999. His decapitated body was found one year later.  

Bridge jumper from Kosovo disqualified in Podgorica over ‘double-headed eagle’ gesture (KoSSev, media)

The sports manifestation “Jumps from Vezir’s Bridge”, a spectacle reinstated in Podgorica, capital of Montenegro, after 15-year long break concluded over the weekend with one incident, KoSSev portal reported citing Podgorica-based Vjesti.   

A competitor from Kosovo, Shkelzan Goqi, was disqualified after he showed a “double-headed eagle” symbol to spectators, which is considered to be a sign of “Greater Albania”. Video reports showed a tense situation and a competitor being booed and whistled as he showed the gesture while getting ready to jump off the bridge to the river which is part of the sports manifestation.

The winner of the competition, Edvald Krnic said he was angry at Goqi’s conduct and intervened immediately. "Such provocations have no place at sports events. I immediately intervened with the expert jury that made a decision on his disqualification. He was subsequently banned from competing at such competitions in Podgorica", Krnic told Podgorica-based daily Pobjeda.

European Socialist Youth unanimously adopts resolution in support of Serbian students (N1)

At the Congress of the Young European Socialists (YES) held in Paris, delegates unanimously adopted a resolution titled “In Solidarity with the Student Movement in Serbia”, proposed by the youth wing of Serbia’s Democratic Party (DS).

The resolution strongly condemns all forms of repression against students and young activists in Serbia, with particular emphasis on the police crackdown during the peaceful student protests on March 15 this year. During that protest, police reportedly used sonic weapons and other repressive means against demonstrators, according to the Democratic Party’s statement.

The Young European Socialists denounced the excessive use of force and arbitrary arrests of young activists, and expressed full support for the students’ legitimate demands for free elections, an end to police violence, media freedom, and the depoliticization of public institutions, the statement added.