Albanian Language Media:

• Kurti invites opposition leaders to a meeting today (media)
• Chief negotiators to meet this week on the Serbian Dinar in Kosovo (media)
• One month detention for Serb suspected of hooliganism in north (RFE)
• Osmani visits Texas Guard; expresses deep gratitude for U.S. Army (media)
• Kurti: Presevo Valley Albanians have unwavering support of Kosovo govt (media)
• Quni: Serbia, Russia can repeat Banjska to create political disadvantages (KTV)
• “The discrimination of Albanians in Gracanica” (Telegrafi)

  Serbian Language Media:

• Serbian Finance Minister: EU our most significant partner, China an opportunity not to be missed (N1, Beta)
• The dinar: Media announced punitive measures as transition period “ends”, CBK silent, KP has no orders (KoSSev)
• Svecla with kayakers rowed from Radoicic's pontoon on Lake Gazivode (KoSSev)
• Krivokapic: Slobodan Miletic has been detained for one month (Kosovo Online)
• Office for KiM: S. M. detained as a victim of betrayed and empty promises of the international community (Kosovo Online, Radio Mitrovica sever)
• Editor of Vreme: Vucic and Thaci could have reached an agreement (N1)

International Media:

• North Macedonia's First Female President Sworn In, Declines To Use 'North' (RFE)
• Greece reacts to North Macedonian president’s swearing-in speech (ekathimerini.com)

                             Albanian Language Media

Kurti invites opposition leaders to a meeting today (media)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti has invited the leaders of the three opposition parties to a meeting today, for discussions on the implementation of the remaining agenda of the Assembly and said that he expects a positive response.

A spokesperson for the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) said that party leader Memli Krasniqi will attend the meeting and will discuss the possibility of setting a date for new elections. “Our position is clear and consistent – Kosovo is faced with a crisis in every area and the only way out of this situation are early parliamentary elections which must be held as soon as possible,” the spokesperson said.

Leader of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), Lumir Abdixhiku, said Kurti’s invitation is late and that the Assembly’s agenda is discussed at the Assembly Presidency where parties have their political representatives.

Leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK), Ramush Haradinaj, said the topic of the meeting called by Kurti falls under the responsibility of heads of parliamentary groups and that if there is no other topic related to the political momentum, the issue can be discussed at a later time.

Chief negotiators to meet this week on the Serbian Dinar in Kosovo (media)

Several news websites reported on Sunday on the end of the transitional period provided by the Central Bank of Kosovo on the Serbian Dinar in Kosovo. Chief negotiators from Kosovo and Serbia are expected to meet in Brussels this week to discuss modalities on how Serbia sends funds to the Serb community. A political advisor to Kosovo’s Deputy Prime Minister and chief negotiator Besnik Bislimi said the “meeting is expected to be held this week, but not on Monday”.

Even after eight rounds of meetings in Brussels, Kosovo and Serbia have yet to agree on the Serbian Dinar in Kosovo, and both sides have traded accusations for lack of readiness to find a solution.

The Board of the Central Bank of Kosovo had adopted a new regulation on cash payment operations according to which the only currency for payments in Kosovo is the Euro.

One month detention for Serb suspected of hooliganism in north (RFE)

The Basic Court in Pristina said on Sunday that it ordered a one-month detention for a Serb [initials S.M.] who is charged with activities against the Constitution of Kosovo and hooliganism related to the violence in May 2023 in the north of Kosovo. The court said it accepted the request of the prosecutor who said that if the suspect is set free, he can flee or change the evidence related to the charges against him or exert influence among other suspects who are at large.

The news website recalls that in summer last year, Kosovo Police arrested dozens members of the Serb community for attacks against NATO peacekeepers in Kosovo, on charges against the constitutional order of Kosovo and for assaults against reporters.

Osmani visits Texas Guard; expresses deep gratitude for U.S. Army (media)

Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani, during her stay in the United States, visited the Texas National Guard. “Honored to have visited the brave women and men of the Texas Guard - who also served in Kosovo last year during Serbia's act of aggression. They continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with us in defense of our Republic. I expressed the deep gratitude of the people of Kosovo for U.S. Army’s 25 years of unwavering dedication to peace and freedom in our country and the region,” Osmani wrote in a post on X.

Kurti: Presevo Valley Albanians have unwavering support of Kosovo govt (media)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti met with the only Albanian member of the Serbian Parliament, Shaip Kamberi, and his associates Ardita Sinani and Ragmi Mustafi, who are candidates for mayors in the municipalities of Presevo and Bujanovac. The meeting focused on the political and security situation in the region, as well as on the possibilities of expanding support for Albanians in Presevo Valley. A press release issued by Kurti’s office notes that the Kosovo Government has already allocated €3 million for Presevo Valley in this year’s budget, not only to help preserve culture and identity but also to increase support for other programs such as agriculture. The statement also notes that “Albanians in Presevo Valley continue to have the unwavering support of the Government of the Republic of Kosovo in the face of discrimination and repressive policies of Belgrade towards the Albanian community”.

Quni: Serbia, Russia can repeat Banjska to create political disadvantages (KTV)

MP from the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) Anton Quni said in an interview with KTV on Sunday that the terrorist attack in Banjska on September 24 can be repeated as long as there are unresolved disputes between Kosovo and Serbia. He argued that if the situation remains the same, “there is a risk that Serbia in cooperation with Russia could repeat a similar attack in order to create political disadvantages on the table of talks”.

“The discrimination of Albanians in Gracanica” (Telegrafi)

The news website reports that Albanian residents in the municipality of Gracanica continue to face major challenges and that in addition to problems that they currently have with construction permits, they are also discriminated in terms of employment. Deputy chair of the municipal assembly of Gracanica, Granit Gashi, said in an interview with the news website that the staff of the municipality consists almost completely of Serbs with only three Albanian staff members. He argued that this is a clear violation of the Law on Public Servants and other regulations.

According to Gashi, the municipal department for education in Gracanica does not manage with a single educational institution neither in Albanian nor in Serbian language. He said that with a staff of almost 250 members, some of them are sent to other departments, while the others stay at home and get paid without working. He said that the Ministry of Education allocates over €1.1 million annually for their wages. “This is unacceptable, and we will very soon address this with the competent authorities,” he said.

The news website also notes that the Albanian residents of Gracanica are faced with discrimination as the municipality applies double standards in the implementation of a regulation for issuing construction permits. Gashi said that the Ministry for Local Government has found that the regulation is illegal and has asked the municipality to repeal it, but the latter has not complied. He also said they are waiting for a final report on the matter by the People’s Attorney.

Serbian Language Media 

Serbian Finance Minister: EU our most significant partner, China an opportunity not to be missed (N1, Beta)

Finance Minister Sinisa Mali said that the European Union is Serbia's most significant partner, but that cooperation with China is an opportunity for domestic businesses to earn more, expand operations, create jobs, and increase employee salaries.

In an interview with the newspaper Blic, Mali said that people are not aware of the importance of the visit of the Chinese president to Serbia and emphasized that the news of Xi Jinping’s arrival resonated globally.

According to Mali, the most important consequence of that visit is the signing of the Agreement on Mutual Assistance and Cooperation in Customs Matters, which, as he stated, will lead to more efficient implementation of customs regulations and increased security in the international trade of goods.

“When it comes to exports, this means that we no longer have tariffs that were very high on Serbian apples, plums, peaches, soybean oil, as well as on frozen raspberries, carbonated water, almost all pharmaceutical and industrial products,” Mali said.

The dinar: Media announced punitive measures as transition period “ends”, CBK silent, KP has no orders (KoSSev)

The transition period for businesses using the dinar to adapt to the regulation of the Central Bank of Kosovo ended yesterday – according to RTK, other Pristina-based media, however, reported that this phase in the implementation of this regulation ends today. These media reports arrive ahead of tomorrow’s round of dialogue in Brussels on this issue. The CBK and the Kosovo government are silent. On the other hand, the dinar is still being used in the territory of Kosovo. The KP of the region north states that it has not received any orders so far.

Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/mufkszwn

Svecla with kayakers rowed from Radoicic's pontoon on Lake Gazivode (KoSSev)

KoSSev reported yesterday that the Kosovo Minister of Internal Affairs was again in the North of Kosovo. And while in the past he visited special units on several occasions, toured infrastructure, and other works, now he was rowing on Gazivode as a tourist.

"With the members of the Kosovo Kayak Association, we spent this week sailing on Lake Gazivode," said Xhelal Svecla in a FB post. 

He said that the members of this association invited him, for which he thanked them.

"Lake Gazivode, surrounded by natural beauty and with the capacity it has, was today the address of the athletes of the Kayaking Federation, who sail the waters of our country and beyond," he added.

Kosovo's interior minister published more photos.

As KoSSev reported, one of them shows him in a boat rowing, there are also photos of several other people, including one showing two people in jerseys with "Kosova" written on the back.

The photos also show the pier from Milan Radoicic's villa, which was seized shortly after the events in Banjska on September 24 last year.

Krivokapic: Slobodan Miletic has been detained for one month (Kosovo Online)

The Basic Court in Pristina has ordered a one-month detention for Slobodan Miletic, who was arrested at Jarinje on May 10th, stated his attorney Jelena Krivokapic, announcing that she will exercise the right to file an appeal with the Appellate Court tomorrow morning.

Krivokapic told reporters that the preliminary hearing judge had issued a decision accepting the request of the special prosecutor, based on which Miletic's detention was set for one month.

She noted that she has not yet read the reasoning because, due to the rapid progression of the process, she accepted receiving the decision in the Albanian language.

"I will read it when I receive the translation into Serbian, but I already know what it entails because the judge discussed it at the hearing. He said that although they could not provide me with any evidence, except for one photo where nothing is visible, they have evidence which currently, at this stage of the process, cannot be disclosed to me," Krivokapic explained.

Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/mry255cw

Office for KiM: S. M. detained as a victim of betrayed and empty promises of the international community (Kosovo Online, Radio Mitrovica sever)

Slobodan Miletic was detained at Jarinje despite firm guarantees from the EU and the US that there would be no persecution or retaliation against Serbs who expressed dissatisfaction with protests and barricades in 2022. He is a victim of the international community's betrayed and empty promises, announced the Office for Kosovo and Metohija on Friday evening after Miletic was remanded in custody.

"Slobodan Miletic from Zvecan was detained today at the Jarinje administrative crossing and was held under the pretext of participating in the protests of Serbs in the north of Kosovo and Metohija and barricades, despite firm guarantees from the EU and the US as of December 28, 2022, that there would be no persecution or retaliation against Serbs for expressing their dissatisfaction due to Kurti's occupation of the north of Kosovo and Metohija," the statement said.

Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/bdz58a7j

Editor of Vreme: Vucic and Thaci could have reached an agreement (N1)

According to Stevan Ristic, the director of the weekly magazine Vreme, President of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic and former president of Kosovo Hashim Thaci could have reached an agreement, but now this seems unlikely. He commented on the recent statement by former U.S. envoy Richard Grenell that Belgrade and Pristina were close to a "final agreement."

Grenell, a close associate of former President and current U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump, recently stated in an interview how Serbia and Kosovo were on the verge of achieving a so-called “final agreement”, which, among other things, envisaged the abolition of the Kosovo Specialist Chambers.

Ristic told N1 that this is related to a much larger plan.

“I think that package was supposed to include the partition of Kosovo. Efforts were made in that direction, and Grenell was responsible for it. This resulted in President Vucic’s visit to Donald Trump,” he said.

However, Ristic explained that this engagement came too late, adding that he believes Vucic and Thaci had a decent relationship.

“I believe they were representatives of Serbia and Kosovo who could reach an agreement, which is not the case now. I think that with the current Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti, serious discussions cannot be held about anything, let alone about the Community of Serb Municipalities, not to mention partition,” he stressed.

Ristic also assessed that some other countries managed to block the agreement between Vucic and Thaci, and that Trump was no longer “strong enough to pin that idea to himself” at that time.

International Media 

North Macedonia's First Female President Sworn In, Declines To Use 'North' (RFE)

Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova, North Macedonia's first female president, was inaugurated on May 12, although she declined to use the country’s full official name during the ceremony, angering opposition leaders. Siljanovska-Davkova has previously refused to use the word "North" before the country's name in public speeches, a snub directed at the divisive Prespa Agreement made with Greece in 2019 that resolved the countries' name dispute. The agreement, which mandated that Macedonia become North Macedonia, cleared the path for North Macedonia's further Western integration. In her speech, Siljanovska-Davkova said: "I will respect this parliament, forget the bad moments, only remember the good ones. I will be president on both the left and the right, for all citizens."

Greece reacts to North Macedonian president’s swearing-in speech (ekathimerini.com)

The Greek Foreign Ministry has responded to the use of the word “Macedonia” newly sworn-in North Macedonia President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova.

In a statement, it points out that the new president’s deliberate avoidance of the country’s constitutional name is a “gross violation” of the 2018 Prespa agreement and warns of consequences in bilateral relations and for North Macedonia’s prospects of joining the European Union.

The full statement follows:

During her swearing-in in Parliament, today, and despite the fact that in the official text of the oath the country is referred to as “Northern Macedonia”, the new President of the Republic of Northern Macedonia, Mrs Siljanovska-Davkova, chose to call her country. “Macedonia”.

Read more at:https://tinyurl.com/24ndv7mx