Albanian Language Media:

• Kurti: 2024 is the year of integration (media)
• Borrell’s report expected on Tuesday; govt skeptical of lifting measures (Koha)
• Gervalla: We’ll consider Association draft only if Serbia implements Basic Agreement (media)
• LDK, AAK react to declaration adopted by All-Serbian assembly (media)
• EU spokeswoman in Kosovo: Russia trying to disrupt Western Balkans integration (media)
• Police arrest Russian national in Zvecan for illegal border crossing (RFE)
• Barbano: Banjska aggression proved fragility of the situation in the north (media)
• Kurti: Another successful Pride Parade took place in heart of Pristina (media)
• Surroi: June 8 as a metaphor of two societies (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Fatherland: The All-Serbian Assembly marginalized Kosovo, served to cover up betrayal (N1, NMagazin, Danas)
• Vucevic on the All-Serb Assembly: A new political reality that everyone will have to get used to (Kosovo Online)
• Djuric: Spreading falsehoods about the character and nature of the All-Serb Assembly is harmful and destructive (Kosovo Online)
• Governments of Serbia and RS adopt Declaration on Protection of National and Political Rights and the Joint Future of the Serb People (N1, Beta, FoNet)
• Petkovic, Djuric met representatives of Kosovo Serbs (Tanjug)

Albanian Language Media

Kurti: 2024 is the year of integration (media)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti said in a post on X on Sunday that “2024 is the year of integration” and that “just the first five months, over 7,000 RKS passports, 6,800 IDs, and 1,100 driver’s licenses have been issued in municipalities where the Serb community constitutes a majority”. “The conversion of illegal driver’s licenses into RKS ones is continuing and going very well. Moreover, 159 new businesses have been registered in the newly opened Business Registration Agency offices in the four municipalities in the north of Kosova. This is the result of the constructive work between our government and our citizens, and the shared conviction that a united country is a strong country,” Kurti said.

Borrell’s report expected on Tuesday; govt skeptical of lifting measures (Koha)

The report of EU High Representative Josep Borrell on Kosovo’s steps to meet the obligations for lifting the penalty measures is expected to be submitted on Tuesday, Koha learns from its sources in Brussels. The report is expected to include the gradual lifting of some of the EU penalty measures imposed in June last year. “The expectations of European diplomats are that the report will be objective and that Borrell will at least recommend the gradual lifting of some of the measures, if not all the measures,” Koha’s Brussels-based correspondent Augustin Palokaj said. He also said that Borrell could use the latest developments in the north of Kosovo, especially those related to the closure of the offices of the Serbian Postal and Savings Bank, to impede the lifting of measures. “He could use this to not lift the measures against Kosovo, or not to lift some of them,” he said.

The Kosovo government meanwhile is not optimistic that Borrell’s report on Kosovo will be positive. In an interview with Kosovapress, Kosovo’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Donika Gervalla, argued that Borrell had an unprincipled position vis-à-vis Kosovo. “Borrell had an unprincipled position in general on topics between Kosovo and Serbia and I don’t have high expectations from the last steps that can be taken. Those measures were a subject of negotiations between Deputy Prime Minister Besnik Bislimi and Lajcak in Bratislava … Not only were the five points implemented, but we went even beyond that, so I don’t know what to say,” she argued.

Gervalla: We’ll consider Association draft only if Serbia implements Basic Agreement (media)

Kosovo’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Donika Gervalla, said in an interview that Kosovo would consider the EU draft on the Association of Serb-majority municipalities only if Serbia implements the basic agreement reached in Brussels and the implementation annex accorded in Ohrid. “We don’t ignore the decision of the Constitutional Court and that Association with those powerful rights given to it by the 2013 and 2015 agreement cannot be implemented with this government. This was the reason why a new draft presented by the EU was presented to us. However, even with the new draft by the EU we saw that during bilateral negotiations with Serbia in Brussels there was no success. We cannot apply something that was foreseen in Brussels as part of the agreement for the normalization of relations with Serbia, if Serbia rejects it,” she argued.

Gervalla said that Kosovo cannot send the EU draft on the Association to the Constitutional Court separately from the agreement reached last year, but only as part of the package that includes a detailed implementation plan.

LDK, AAK react to declaration adopted by All-Serbian Assembly (media)

The Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) said in a statement on Sunday that the declaration adopted by the All-Serbian Assembly in Belgrade, and which refers to Kosovo as an inalienable part of Serbia, is a bomb that can go off anytime and that Serbia “declared its political and cultural project for a Greater Serbia and its historic objectives to undo Kosovo and Bosnia and Herzegovina”.

The LDK expressed concern over what it called the Assembly’s hostile conclusions against Kosovo and the region, and called on “Kosovo’s friends, that gave so much for its freedom, to seriously address Belgrade’s effort to undermine neighborly relations between countries in the region and defunctionalize the political achievements in furthering democracy in the last 30 years. Yesterday’s alarm in Belgrade, for those of us that know their continuous fascist outbursts, is the installation of a bomb that can go off anytime”.

Head of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) parliamentary group, Besnik Tahiri, said in a Facebook post that the declaration adopted by the All-Serbian Assembly in Belgrade proves a Milosevic-like mindset. “The declaration of the so-called ‘All-Serbian Assembly’ which notes that Kosovo is ‘an unalienable part of Serbia’ proves the Milosevic-like mindset which resulted in several wars in the Balkans, the genocide in Bosnia and Herzegovina and in Kosovo. Such declarations also fall in contravention with the western calls for normality in the Western Balkans and with the Dayton Agreement,” Tahiri said.

EU spokeswoman in Kosovo: Russia trying to disrupt Western Balkans integration (media)

Several news websites cover an interview that spokeswoman for the EU Office in Kosovo, Ioanna Lachana, gave to The Geopost, highlighting her remarks that the Western Balkans is faced with disinformation from Russia, through which the latter tries to prevent the integration of the region in the European Union. According to Lachana, Russia tries to spread pro-Kremlin narratives and cast everything that is pro-Western in a negative light, and that the moment this propaganda is repeated, there may be people who start to harbor anti-Western feelings. “If information is manipulated, our public discourse is also affected. And the Western Balkans, of course, is no exception. Here too we see interference, especially from Russia, which is trying to disrupt the path of the partners of the Western Balkans, their path to the EU and the path of integration in the EU. Of course, no one can fight this phenomenon alone. We all have to work together, the community of defenders and everyone involved,” she argued.

Watch full interview at: https://tinyurl.com/bderp84a

Police arrest Russian national in Zvecan for illegal border crossing (RFE)

Kosovo Police arrested a Russian national in the village of Grizhan in the municipality of Zvecan, after verifying that he entered Kosovo illegally. The arrest was made on Friday and the news was announced in the police 24-hour report. Following a prosecutor’s decision, the suspect was sent to 48-hour detention.

The news website recalls that on May 13, Kosovo Police had expelled two Russian nationals who were detained on May 6 for illegally crossing the border into Kosovo.

A decision by Kosovo’s authorities in 2020 notes that all Russian nationals, including those with diplomatic passports need a visa if they want to enter, transit, or stay in Kosovo.

Barbano: Banjska aggression proved fragility of the situation in the north (media)

Head of the EU Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX), Giovanni Pietro Barbano, in an interview with Kosovapress news agency, said that the security situation in the north of Kosovo is fragile and that there are concerns about possible tensions. He argued that the aggression in Banjska in September last year proved the fragility of the security situation, and that special attention is required from the institutions. He also said that he expects Serbia to hold accountable those that carried out the aggression in Banjska.

Commenting on the initiative to open the Iber bridge for traffic, Barbano said that it may have serious implications on the security situation and that it should be addressed with caution. 

Kurti: Another successful Pride Parade took place in heart of Pristina (media)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti in a post on X posted pictures from the Pride Parade in Pristina where he took place along other government officials. “Another successful Pride Parade took place in the heart of Prishtina, celebrating love, acceptance, and equality. Our strength, as individuals and as a country, lies in embracing our diversity and ensuring freedom and dignity for all,” Kurti said.

Surroi: June 8 as a metaphor of two societies (media)

KOHA Media Group founder and publicist, Veton Surroi, a post on X on Sunday, shared a photo of Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti during the Pride Parade in downtown Pristina, and a photo of Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic addressing the All-Serbian Assembly in Belgrade. “June 8th as a metaphor of two societies: Prishtina celebrating diversity with PM Kurti leading Pride Parade. Belgrade celebrating uniformity with President Vucic leading First SveSrpski Sabor,” Surroi writes.

Serbian Language Media 

Fatherland: The All-Serbian Assembly marginalized Kosovo, served to cover up betrayal (N1, NMagazin, Danas)

The national movement of Serbs from Kosovo "Fatherland" (Otadzbina) assessed that the so-called All-Serb Assembly organized by Aleksandar Vucic and Milorad Dodik completely marginalized the issue of Kosovo, which was mentioned only in one general formulation on the Resolution 1244 of the SC and served to cover up betrayal.

"Many expected that the parliament would discuss, for example, the Franco-German proposal, which is essentially fatal for Serbian national and state interests, because Aleksandar Vucic accepted as president of Serbia to renounce the southern Serbian province. He accepted separatist license plates, as well as personal documents and documents of the self-proclaimed Republic of Kosovo. The authorities in Belgrade renounced the dinar without any fight, which was recognized as an official currency by the UNMIK administration in 2000. Aleksandar Vucic says that he did not sign it. But according to international law, if the president of a country or the prime minister even the Minister of Foreign Affairs verbally accepts an agreement, it is essentially valid," they stated in the statement.

They believe that Vucic knows this himself, but that "it costs him nothing to deceive his own people that he did not renounce the southern Serbian province".

From "Fatherland" they believe that it is precisely this "flexible or rather treacherous action" of the president when it comes to Kosovo, that caused so much praise of the American ambassador in Belgrade Christopher Hill, the support of the authorities for the elections and Hill's influence on the divisions in the opposition.

"Essentially, the entire parliament is pouring from 'the hollow into the empty', and its only goal is to mask and obscure the betrayal of Kosovo and Metohija by the President of Serbia", they assessed in the statement, with the remark that the Serbian Patriarch Porfirije was also present at the Assembly, during whose time Serbia slowly loses the southern Serbian province, while the church remains silent on this phenomenon and behaves more like a branch of the SNS than as a serious spiritual organization of the Serbian people.

Vucevic on the All-Serb Assembly: A new political reality that everyone will have to get used to (Kosovo Online)

Serbian Prime Minister Milos Vucevic claims he is not surprised that the All-Serb Assembly has sparked various reactions in the region, as, according to him, many are bothered by President Aleksandar Vucic's policies that have led to the revival of national pride, unity, and cohesion among Serbs, which hasn't existed for a long time.

Vucevic mentioned on Instagram that everyone will have to get used to the new political reality.

"The All-Serb Assembly has caused different reactions in the region. And I cannot say I am surprised. There are many who are disturbed by President Aleksandar Vucic's policies, which have resulted in the revival of national pride, unity, and cohesion, something that hasn't existed among Serbs for a long time," Vucevic stated.

He emphasized that "such ill-wishers," who are bothered by anything with a Serbian prefix, are not worth addressing.

"They are blinded by hatred, and I fear that this state of mind is not easy to change. But they cannot, nor will they, prevent Serbs from fulfilling each of the 49 points in the recently adopted declaration. This is a new political reality that everyone will have to get used to. A new reality that will make things better for everyone," Vucevic concluded.

Djuric: Spreading falsehoods about the character and nature of the All-Serb Assembly is harmful and destructive (Kosovo Online)

Serbian Minister of Foreign Affairs Marko Djuric has stated that spreading falsehoods about the character and nature of yesterday's All-Serb Assembly in Belgrade, as well as sowing fear and intolerance regarding the same, is "harmful and destructive." He called on politicians in the region and the country to refrain from such messages.

Djuric, through the social network "X," stated that "instead of fueling intolerance, they would have done a greater service to those they represent if they had shown an interest in attending the assembly."

"I want to call on all those in the region, regardless of national or religious affiliation, who spread falsehoods and show intolerance regarding yesterday's assembly in Belgrade, its messages, character, and participants, to, instead, be guests and participants in the All-Serb Assembly next time," Djuric stated.

Djuric emphasizes that the loudest critics of yesterday's assembly in the region are those who, not only in words but also in deeds, show that they are against the Dayton Agreement and who, as he stated, barely conceal their ethnonationalist intolerance directed towards Belgrade and Banja Luka.

"We are proud of our national symbols, of the cooperation of Serbs throughout the region in protecting their collective rights and preserving their identity and culture. We are also proud of all our citizens, members of 24 national communities living in our country. All of this is equally part of Serbia's richness. This is the truth about our policy, and no one can change it with lies," Djuric concluded.

Governments of Serbia and RS adopt Declaration on Protection of National and Political Rights and the Joint Future of the Serb People (N1, Beta, FoNet)

The governments of Serbia and Republika Srpska unanimously adopted on Saturday the Declaration on the Protection of National and Political Rights and the Joint Future of the Serb People during a joint session at the Palace of Serbia in Belgrade, as part of the All Serb Assembly.

Before the adoption of the declaration, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic stated that the document addresses Kosovo and Metohija, the respect for United Nations Resolution 1244, as well as dialogue and adherence to agreements.

Vucic emphasized that the declaration “does not mention the dissolution of the RS and the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina“.

“I won’t intrude on your decisions, I only ask that you think a million times about how much we all need peace,” Vucic said at the joint session of the two governments.

He stated that Serbia “will never abandon Republika Srpska”.

“My only plea to you is to attempt to resolve all problems peacefully and in dialogue with all other peoples (in Bosnia and Herzegovina), in accordance with the Dayton Agreement,” Vucic said.

President of RS Milorad Dodik stated that the declaration is a national document that rehabilitates Serbian national interests, emphasizing that Serbian national and state interests have no alternative.

According to him, the declaration encompasses all important aspects of Serbia and RS relations, including the decision for RS to mark February 15 as the Day of Republika Srpska, while January 9 will be celebrated as the Day of the Establishment of RS.

The declaration will be forwarded to the parliaments of Serbia and RS for adoption.

Petkovic, Djuric met representatives of Kosovo Serbs (Tanjug)

The head of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija,  Petar Petkovic and FM Marko Djuric met with political and institutional representatives of Kosovo Serbs on Friday to discuss the political and security situation in the province in light of the daily, unilateral and violent moves Pristina's PM Albin Kurti is taking in front of the eyes of the international community.

The Serb representatives informed Petkovic and Djuric - a former head of the Office for Kosovo-Metohija - of all the challenges and problems facing the Serbs in the province.

At the meeting, held a day before the first All-Serbian Assembly in Belgrade, the delegation of Kosovo Serbs also noted an unwavering determination of the Serbs to remain and survive in their ancestral homes, the Office said in a statement.

"The strength of the Serbian unity has always been and will be the strongest bulwark and the loudest answer to all those who think they can extinguish the spark of the existence of the Serbs and Serbian names and family names in the territory of Kosovo-Metohija as well as anywhere where the Serbs live. Our most important task today is to protect the Serbs in Kosovo-Metohija and, in that, we have strong support, and efforts, from our state, Serbia, and President Aleksandar Vucic," a joint conclusion said.