Albanian Language Media:

• President says EU decision to lift visas for Serbs legally unimplementable (media)
• Osmani: Kosovo remains steadfast on path to rightful place within EU (media)
• Kosovo Police install security cameras near Iber Bridge (media)
• Foreign Ministry: Fingerprints sent by Serbia match those of Faton Hajrizi (media)
• Market inspectorate closes two more gas stations in north of Kosovo (media)
• Kasanof appointed U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary for Western Balkans (media)
• AJK slams “dangerous smearing campaign” by VV MPs against two media (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Antonijevic: Abolition of visas has ended long-standing injustice, closed black hole in region (Kosovo Online)
• Sljuka: Visa liberalisation for Serbian passports holders in Kosovo positive news amid sea of negative things (Kosovo Online)
• Alexander Sasha Kasanof appointed new Deputy Assistant Secretary for Western Balkans (KoSSev)
• Kosovo police installed surveillance cameras on northern side of Ibar River Bridge (media)
• Two more NIS gas stations closed in northern Kosovo (RTS)

International Media:

• EU Scraps Visa Requirement for Kosovo Serbs With ‘Special’ Passports (Balkan Insight)

Albanian Language Media

President says EU decision to lift visas for Serbs legally unimplementable (media)

Most media cover a statement by the office of Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani following the EU Council’s decision to lift visa requirements for Kosovo Serbs holding Serbian passports issued by the Serbian Coordination Directorate. “The EU Council’s decision today to include on the white Schengen list, namely, to allow visa-free travel for our citizens with illegal Serbian passports issued in Kosovo, damages our citizens, Kosovo, its multiethnic character and the EU itself,” the statement notes. “The legitimization of these illegal passports by the EU sabotages the process of integration of the Serb community in Kosovo, especially at a time when a large number of Serb citizens in Kosovo were being equipped with passports of the Republic of Kosovo. This decision also has a negative impact on the rule of law throughout Kosovo and for all its citizens. Moreover, these documents which contain unverified information, can be carried by persons that can directly threaten order and security in the EU too”.

Osmani further argued that the EU decision supports Serbia’s illegal structures in Kosovo and falls in contravention with the Constitution and the laws of Kosovo, as well as with the EU standards in the rule of law area. “Kosovo has not been consulted about the decision at all, although our institutions have sent on time our arguments as to why this decision is detrimental. This EU decision is legally unimplementable in Kosovo, therefore Kosovo and its institutions cannot bear its consequences or legal and political responsibility. The right of free travel must exist for all but in contravention with the Constitution and the laws of the Republic of Kosovo as well as our efforts and engagement for the rule of law in every part of Kosovo,” the statement concludes.

Osmani: Kosovo remains steadfast on path to rightful place within EU (media)

Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani said on Monday after meeting outgoing EU Head of Office in Kosovo, Tomas Szunyog, that “Kosovo remains steadfast on its path towards its rightful place within the European Union. We've shown time and again that we're ready to achieve EU candidate status. It’s time to move forward”.

Kosovo Police install security cameras near Iber Bridge (media)

Kosovo Police Deputy Director for the north, Veton Elshani, said on Monday that police are installing ten cameras near the Iber Bridge to manage the northern part of Mitrovica with the aim of preventing criminal acts and discovering them if they happen. “Kosovo Police is the only institution that controls public areas with videos. The mandate of Kosovo Police is to safeguard order and public quiet, prevent criminal acts and discover them if they happen, and this is done by observing public areas with cameras. As part of this, we have installed cameras in the northern part near the Iber Bridge which will help us manage the northern part and this will be continued in the future,” Elshani said.

Elshani said that cameras were also installed at the Three Towers and that there is a total of 10 new cameras installed.

Foreign Ministry: Fingerprints sent by Serbia match those of Faton Hajrizi (media)

Kosovo’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement on Monday that “regarding the case claimed by Serbia of the killing of a citizen from Kosovo in Serbia, we inform the public that we have just been informed by the International Legal Cooperation Unit (ILECU) of Kosovo Police that Serbian authorities on July 22, 2024, sent the fingerprints of a person from Kosovo and the same together with the fingerprints of Kosovo citizen, Faton Hajrizi, were sent to the Kosovo Forensics Agency, and upon comparison, the ILECU received the reply that the fingerprints belong to the citizen reported as killed, Faton Hajrizi. We ask the public to take the news from Serbia with reservation until they are fully confirmed, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora will keep you informed as soon as we have information about the case”.

Market inspectorate closes two more gas stations in north of Kosovo (media)

The Central Inspectorate of Market Supervision in Kosovo said on Monday that it temporarily closed two more gas stations in the north of Kosovo saying that they were operating without permits. The statement notes that the two gas stations are located in Zvecan and Leposavic. The inspectorate also said that all entities that engage in the trade of oil products must be equipped with valid permits from the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Enterpreunership.

Kasanof appointed U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary for Western Balkans (media)

Most news websites reported on Monday that Alexander “Sasha” Kasanof has been appointed U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Western Balkans. The post was previously held by Gabriel Escobar, whose mandate expired in May this year. A statement by the U.S. State Department notes that Kasanof “served previously as Executive Assistant to former Under Secretary for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland and Acting Under Secretary for Political Affairs John Bass.  Sasha has served overseas in Ireland, Turkmenistan, Chile, and Ukraine.  He received the James Clement Dunn Award for Excellence for his work as Political Counselor at U.S. Embassy Kyiv during the Maidan Revolution and Russia’s subsequent invasion of Ukraine.  Sasha’s assignments in Washington include:  Director of the Office of Global Policy and Programs in the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, Deputy Director of the Executive Secretariat Staff (“the Line”), Director of the Office of Eastern European Affairs, and Deputy Director of the Office of Caucasus Affairs and Regional Conflicts.  He is a graduate of the National War College, the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, and Hamilton College.  Sasha speaks French, Italian, Russian, and Spanish”.

AJK slams “dangerous smearing campaign” by VV MPs against two media (media)

The Association of Journalists of Kosovo (AJK) said in a statement on Monday that it is “alarmed with the new campaign of the Vetevendosje Movement against the media in Kosovo”. “MPs Sali Zyba and Dimal Basha shared an article by a media called ‘Slobodna Bosna’ through which they accuse media in Kosovo [Periskopi and Nacionale news websites], which according to them are ‘under the control of Serbia and Vucic’ … Both MPs and other exponents of Vetevendosje shared an article published on the website of the national broadcaster, RTK, which without an author translated the text of the Bosnian media … The AJK strongly condemns this dangerous and unacceptable campaign by MPs of the ruling party, Vetevendosje, targeting these two media and the reporters that work there,” the statement notes.

Serbian Language Media 

Antonijevic: Abolition of visas has ended long-standing injustice, closed black hole in region (Kosovo Online)

Lawyer and human rights activist Milan Antonijevic said following the EU's decision to abolish visas for Serbian Coordination Directorate passport holders in Kosovo, that a long-standing injustice has finally been corrected, effectively closing, as he said, the only black hole in the region, Kosovo Online portal reported.

He also said that Pristina is trying in every possible way to send a message it is the only one deciding on the rights of Serbs in Kosovo.

"In this case, the EU has very clearly stated it does not want to create a group of second-class Serbs from Kosovo but will equalise their rights with those living on the other side of the Ibar River or the other side of Merdare. I believe that in this way, Pristina loses certain arguments because I don't see why one should fight against the rights of someone who is your neighbour, who lives on the same territory, as it sends a very bad message. If you want Serbs to stay in northern Kosovo, then you must fight for their rights in every possible way, not try to diminish or prevent Brussels from equalising those rights", he said. 

Sljuka: Visa liberalisation for Serbian passports holders in Kosovo positive news amid sea of negative things (Kosovo Online)

Aleksandar Sljuka from Mitrovica North-based New Social Initiative opined that the decision of EU Council to lift visas for Serbian Coordination Directorate passports holders in Kosovo was positive and joyous news amid the sea of prevailing negativity, because, as he says, the previous decision was discriminatory.

Sljuka recalled that for 15 years, everyone holding these passports has been waiting for liberalisation and has been unable to travel.

"From this year, Kosovo passports have received visa liberalisation, and in the past seven months, travelling has been possible using them. However, there is a small number of people {in Kosovo} who could not obtain that passport. For them, this is an extremely significant decision, as well as for others who, due to Kosovo dual citizenship law, can have both passports but would prefer to have a Serbian passport and travel with it. This is good news. The previous decision was discriminatory, and in this way, all citizens of the Western Balkans will be able to travel", Sljuka said.

Alexander Sasha Kasanof appointed new Deputy Assistant Secretary for Western Balkans (KoSSev)

Alexander Sasha Kasanof is the new Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Western Balkans as well as Press and Public Diplomacy in the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs. The media widely report that he is replacing Gabriel Escobar, although this is not mentioned in the State Department’s press release, KoSSev portal reported.

Kasanof served previously as Executive Assistant to former Under Secretary for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland and Acting Under Secretary for Political Affairs John Bass. His assignments in Washington include: Director of the Office of Global Policy and Programs in the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, Deputy Director of the Executive Secretariat Staff (“the Line”), Director of the Office of Eastern European Affairs, and Deputy Director of the Office of Caucasus Affairs and Regional Conflicts. Kasanof has served overseas in Ireland, Turkmenistan, Chile, and Ukraine. He is a graduate of the National War College, the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, and Hamilton College. Kasanof speaks French, Italian, Russian, and Spanish, the portal added. 

Kosovo police installed surveillance cameras on northern side of Ibar River Bridge (media)

Two surveillance cameras have been installed on the electric poles near the main Ibar River Bridge in Mitrovica North, and according to Kosovo police deputy commander for the region North, Veton Elshani the plan is to install ten more such cameras, Kosovo Online portal reported.

Kosovo police started installing surveillance cameras on April 26, in the north, in order to, as Elshani said, increase security in the city. Serbian List back then criticised this decision, citing privacy rights concerns. 

Two more NIS gas stations closed in northern Kosovo (RTS)

The Kosovo Trade Ministry assisted by Kosovo police closed yesterday two more gas stations of the Serbian Oil Industry (NIS) in Zvecan and Leposavic, RTS reported. According to the Ministry the gas stations need to have licences of Pristina institutions in order to sell the petroleum products.

Last Tuesday, three more NIS gas stations had been closed in northern Kosovo, one in Mitrovica North, one in Zubin Potok and one near Gazivode lake. 

International Media

EU Scraps Visa Requirement for Kosovo Serbs With ‘Special’ Passports (Balkan Insight)

Kosovo government protests as European Commission scraps visa requirements for its residents who hold Serbian passports issued by Serbia's Directorate for Kosovo.

Kosovo residents, most of them Serbs, who have passports issued by Serbia’s Directorate for Kosovo, until now less valuable than standard Serbian passports, will now be able to cross the external border of EU member states without visas, the Council of the European Union decided on Monday.

“Today, the Council adopted a regulation ensuring that the whole Western Balkan region is subject to the same visa regime, by removing the exclusion previously applied to holders of Serbian passports issued by the Serbian Coordination Directorate”, the EU body said. The regulation will enter into force 20 days after the decision is published in the EU Official Journal.

Read more at: https://shorturl.at/G2aUL