Albanian Language Media:

• Krasniqi: There are no more illegal institutions in north (RTK)

• MFA: Avoid entering and exiting Kosovo-Serbia border crossings (media)

• KFOR: Avoid actions that could create tensions (Express)

• Pacolli: There is no longer reason to have KFOR soldiers on Iber bridge (Zeri)

• Bislimi meets new Dutch ambassador, demands removal of EU measures (RTK)

• Finnish Foreign Minister to visit Kosovo today (Koha)

• Indictment filed against a Gorani for war crimes in Suhareka and Rahovec (RTK)

• Fried: Kosovo government is making Belgrade look like vulnerable party (RTK)

• Kurti: Mediation offers efficient solutions in cases of disputes (RTK)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic: I would go to Mitrovica if international forces allowed me to (Tanjug)

• Milan Radojevic questioned by KP: A clean face and a clear conscience are the most important things to me (Tanjug, media)

• Another indictment for an alleged war crime in Kosovo (RTS)

• The Albanian mayor of Zubin Potok on whether he supports the closure of provisional authorities (Danas)

• Stano: Maintaining ties with Russia is not in line with EU values (Danas, N1, media)

International:

• Reset Required: Bring VAR to the Kosovo-Serbia Dialogue (Balkan Insight)

• Vulin with Putin: Serbia will never impose sanctions on Russia (EWB)

Albanian Language Media

Krasniqi: There are no more illegal institutions in north (RTK)

Kosovo’s Minister of Local Government Administration, Elbert Krasniqi, commented on the closure of Serbian parallel institutions in the north of Kosovo, saying that these parallel Serbian institutions or structures were closed by the Kosovo Police following the request of the ministry he leads. However, he said, that the vacated facilities will be used for the demands of the residents there and also for the needs they will have.

"These five illegal institutions in the north have already been closed and they join the other seven which were closed earlier with a joint action of Kosovo's institutions", said Krasniqi.

He further said that now those illegal institutions do not work in Kosovo, because they acted outside the legal and constitutional framework of Kosovo and they no longer have space to operate in Kosovo.

Krasniqi said that the vacated facilities are mainly owned by the municipalities of Kosovo and they already have the institution that will operate in the vacated facility and the Regional Driver Training Center will operate there.

"We are already working at the local and central level to be as close as possible to the demands of the citizens, even with freed facilities, in order to respond to the citizens there as best as possible", said Krasniqi.

He emphasized that internationals have been informed that these parallel municipalities will be closed. He said that to him, as a minister, the parallel activities in Kosovo are unacceptable. “Closing them down after 24 years honestly shouldn't be an issue, rather it should be problematic if we continue and allow those institutions to operate there. There is no space in the Republic of Kosovo for Serbian institutions. This should be clear to everyone. It is a legal, constitutional obligation, it is our mandate to support our legitimate institutions there", stated Krasniqi.

MFA: Avoid entering and exiting Kosovo-Serbia border crossings (media)

Kosovo’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora called on all residents of Kosovo, including members of the diaspora, who have planned or are planning transit through the territory of Serbia, to avoid all entries and exits at the border crossings between Kosovo and Serbia.

"This call comes after the warnings of the so-called "Organizational Council for Blockades" in Serbia, which has announced that on September 6, 2024, blockades of the roads leading to the border crossings with the Republic of Kosovo are planned," says the announcement of the Ministry of Interior.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs calls on all residents and members of the diaspora to carefully follow the new developments and warnings related to the situation and to be informed only by the official sources of the institutions of Kosovo, in order to avoid misinformation and fake news. "The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora will continue to keep you informed of any new developments," the announcement concludes.

KFOR: Avoid actions that could create tensions (media)

The head of the Association of Citizens of the District of Mitrovica, Rasa Rojevic, has warned that from September 6, the Serbs will organize blockades at all border points with Kosovo. According to him, the blockade will last until the Kosovo Police withdraw from the north.

In an answer to Klankosova.tv, KFOR said that "it is important to avoid actions that could create unnecessary tensions. This is the key to sustainable security in Kosovo and regional stability", reads KFOR's response.

NATO's peacekeeping mission in Kosovo said it is closely following current developments and continues to implement its UN mandate to contribute to a secure environment for all people in Kosovo and freedom of movement, at all times, and impartially.

KFOR has also noted in the response that other comments regarding the issue of the border blockade warning, the media should address to the Serbian authorities.

Pacolli: There is no longer reason to have KFOR soldiers on Iber bridge (Zeri)

Kosovo Assembly MP from the Vetevendosje Movement, Fitore Pacolli, said that KFOR soldiers no longer have a reason to stay on the Iber river bridge. According to her, security in the north is satisfactory and there is no reason for the presence of soldiers.

"There is no reason for the bridge to remain closed to vehicles and there is no longer any reason to have KFOR soldiers on the bridge, as long as the security in that part of the territory of Kosovo is satisfactory, and the Kosovo Police has shown that it is ready to protect that part of the territory of Kosovo from the crimes that may occur from violent acts as well as to protect the citizens from attacks, ordinary thefts...", she told Teve1.

However, she did not specify a date when the bridge could open, but said that they are working intensively."We have said that we will work intensively on the opening of the bridge, and we are doing so. Now all the technical works related to the bridge have been completed and in the meantime we are in constant consultation with the international community to open the bridge," she said.

Bislimi meets new Dutch ambassador, demands removal of EU measures (RTK)

Kosovo’s Deputy Prime Minister Besnik Bislimi welcomed the new ambassador of the Netherlands to Kosovo, Karin Boven. 

"I had a welcoming meeting with the new ambassador of the Netherlands in Kosovo, Karin Boven. We discussed the deepening of economic and trade relations, Kosovo's path towards the EU and the need for the removal of EU measures against Kosovo. I look forward to working closely with you, Ambassador", Bislimi wrote on the platform "X".

Finnish Foreign Minister to visit Kosovo today (Koha)

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Finland, Elina Valtonen, will stay in Kosovo today, as part of her visit to the countries of the Western Balkans. She will be welcomed in a meeting starting at 11:00 by her Kosovocounterpart, Donika Gervalla. The announcement issued by the Finnish MFA states that Valtonen will visit Serbia and Albania.

Indictment filed against a Gorani for war crimes in Suhareka and Rahovec (RTK)

The Special Prosecution has filed an indictment in the Basic Court in Pristina against the defendant Sh.L., of Gorani nationality, as it is suspected that he committed the crime "War crime against the civilian population" in collaboration with other persons.

According to the Special Prosecution, the defendant, in his capacity as a police officer of the police station in Prizren, during the war in Kosovo committed the criminal offenses of "murder", "torture", "inhumane treatment of the civilian population of Albanian nationality" in the municipality of Suhareka and Rahovec.

"Investigations have proven that the Serbian police forces first arrested the victims in the region of Suhareka and Rahovec and then sent them to the Police Station in Prizren. There, the defendant interrogated them using torture and inhumane treatment. As a result of the torture, the deceased R. J. died, while ten other civilians suffered serious physical injuries and psychological consequences", the announcement of the Special Prosecutor's Office states.

Further, it is announced that the defendant is in custody, according to the decision of the preliminary procedure judge, until a new decision by the court.

Fried: Kosovo government is making Belgrade look like vulnerable party (RTK)

The former assistant to the U.S. Secretary of State, Daniel Fried, during an interview with REL, conducted on the sidelines of the security forum, Globsec, held in Prague said that he does not understand why the government of Kosovo is clashing with the United States, adding that with its own actions, it is making the government in Belgrade look like the vulnerable party, something he didn't believe could happen.

He made these statements while commenting on the recent actions of the government of Kosovo, including the closing of parallel structures and branches of the Serbian Post in the north, and the intentions to open the main bridge over the Iber River. According to him, it is not in anyone's interest for Kosovo to have disagreements with its friends.

Fried also spoke about Russian influence in the Western Balkans, and about the U.S. approach to the region, depending on who wins the US presidential elections in November.

Kurti: Mediation offers efficient solutions in cases of disputes (RTK)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti has emphasized the importance of mediation as an efficient and quick tool for resolving disputes. He invited citizens to use this opportunity to resolve disputes. In a Facebook post, Prime Minister Kurti said that at a time when the courts are faced with a large number of unresolved cases, "Mediation" offers an efficient and quick solution for resolving disputes.

"In the Republic of Kosovo, from 2021 to 2023, the numbers of cases in Mediation have marked a significant increase, so much so that 5,424 criminal cases and 6,633 civil cases have been referred to Mediation by the courts alone," Kurti wrote, adding that statistics show that about 90% of mediation cases in Kosovo end successfully, offering an effective alternative to long and costly court processes.

According to him, this Mediation progress is the result of the policies implemented by the Ministry of Justice, which have ensured a quick and low-cost procedure for people. "Mediation is the wise choice for a fair and lasting solution", wrote Kurti.

Serbian Language Media 

Vucic: I would go to Mitrovica if international forces allowed me to (Tanjug)

It is not true that Serbian institutions are not functioning in Kosovo, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Wednesday, noting that the two main sectors - health care and education - were functional, reported Tanjug. 

Speaking to reporters in the village of Tekeris during a visit to the Podrinje region in western Serbia, Vucic said he would visit North Mitrovica "as early as tomorrow" if international forces allowed him to.

"Going there is not a matter of my choice but of their decision," Vucic said, adding that he would visit not only North Mitrovica but all Serb villages and neighbourhoods in Kosovo.

He said he was very saddened and unhappy over developments in Kosovo and the fact that someone "does not want peace."

"I do not want to give them a chance to take part in an expulsion and pogrom of our population," Vucic said.

As a positive note, he mentioned the numbers showing that at the beginning of the new school year in Kosovo, 1,081 first-graders out of a total of 9,700 elementary school students had enrolled in schools operating under the Serbian education system.

"That is not a small number, given the situation we have there," Vucic said, reported Kosovo Online.

Milan Radojevic questioned by KP: A clean face and a clear conscience are the most important things to me (Tanjug, media)

The former mayor of North Mitrovica, Milan Radojevic, was questioned at the police station in Mitrovica, after the Kosovo authorities charged him with falsifying documents, after which he emphasized that he is not hiding from the police and that he voluntarily appeared at the station yesterday.

"I'm not hiding, I think that a clean face and a clear conscience are the most important. That's why I came here today to see what it's all about, what the problem is. If my biggest sin is working for the institutions of the Republic of Serbia, I'm extremely proud of that," said Radojevic. 

He assessed as painful the situation that has been prevailing in North Mitrovica for several days and the lack of professionalism in the behavior of the police both towards Serbs and in their efforts to serve him a summons for questioning, since they did not find him at home, because he was in central Serbia.

Another indictment for an alleged war crime in Kosovo (RTS)

The Special Prosecutor's Office in Pristina filed an indictment against Gorani, Š. L., on the suspicion that he, in co-perpetration with other persons, allegedly committed a war crime against the civilian population during the conflict in Kosovo. 

"During the war, the defendant, in his capacity as a police officer of the police station in Prizren, committed murders, tortures, and inhumane treatment of the civilian population of Albanian nationality in the municipalities of Suva Reka and Orahovac," read the prosecution's statement.

It is claimed that the investigation allegedly showed that Serbian police forces first arrested the victims in the region of Suva Reka and Orahovac, and then sent them to the police station in Prizren.

"There, the defendant interrogated them, torturing them and acting inhumanely. R.J. died as a result of the torture, while ten other civilians suffered severe physical injuries and psychological consequences," the prosecution claims.

This criminal case was handed over to the Special Department of the Basic Court in Pristina for further processing. The defendant was ordered detention according to the decision of the judge for the preliminary proceedings, pending a new decision of the court.

The Albanian mayor of Zubin Potok on whether he supports the closure of provisional authorities (Danas)

The mayor of Zubin Potok, Izmir Zeqiri, said in an interview with Danas that the now closed provisional authority of Zubin Potok did not serve the citizens, which can be seen in the bad situation in the city.

When asked about the mentioned operation of the KP, in which the Serbian institutions in the north of Kosovo were closed, Zeqiri did not answer specifically but spoke about the influence of Serbia on the local population through the provisional bodies. 

"What we had here is that 24 years after the war, the government was in the hands of a team financed by Serbia. Let's go out into the street now, so you can see what the situation is like. The people are not to blame for it, but those who took money for themselves that Serbia sent for the citizens. They abused their position and the money of Serbia and Kosovo. That's why I say that the law must work," he said.

He also says that he is open to talking with all citizens, and that we should work on things that bring communities together.

"Honestly, I wanted to cry two or three times when I saw how some families live here. And where are the millionaires who were here?" he says.

To the journalist's remark that Serbs complain that the closure of provisional bodies makes life difficult for them, he replies that it is "a bit more political propaganda than the truth". Zeqiri claims that the municipal administration in the Kosovo system also serves the citizens.

Zeqiri is from the ranks of the Democratic Party of Kosovo and has been in power since the elections on April 23, 2023, in which the turnout was around 3.5 percent and which the Serbs boycotted, so he won 197 votes, recalled Danas.

Stano: Maintaining ties with Russia is not in line with EU values (Danas, N1, media)

Commenting on Aleksandra Vulin's visit to Moscow, European Commission spokesman Peter Stano said that maintaining ties with Russia during its ''war of aggression against Ukraine is not in line with EU values and the process of joining the European Union''.

"The European Union wants to count on all candidate countries as reliable European partners that share common principles, values, security and progress. The European Union has been crystal clear with its partners: relations with Russia cannot be normal because of Russia's unjustified, aggressive war against Ukraine," Stano told N1, reported Danas.

International Media

Reset Required: Bring VAR to the Kosovo-Serbia Dialogue (Balkan Insight)

The dialogue on the normalisation of relations between Kosovo and Serbia appears to be moving towards a troubling scenario in which ‘no solution is a solution’ may become the default stance of the international community, particularly among EU capitals.

The European Union’s efforts to facilitate the normalisation of relations between Kosovo and Serbia have reached a critical juncture. Despite years of dialogue and the signing of dozens of agreements, the process has stagnated and tensions have escalated.

The Banjska incident in September 2023, condemned by the European Parliament as a terrorist attack by Serb gunmen on Kosovo police, underscored the fragility of the current status quo and the limitations of the EU approach.

As critics point out, the bloc’s reliance on constructive ambiguity and its limited role as a facilitator, rather than mediator, have hindered progress and risked deepening instability in the region.

Trust is also an issue.

As diplomat from an EU member state told me, “We do not trust the Kosovo government, and the Kosovo government does not trust us.”

Read more at:https://tinyurl.com/ytmh3abv

Vulin with Putin: Serbia will never impose sanctions on Russia (EWB)

During a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Vladivostok, Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vulin stated that Serbia, under the leadership of Aleksandar Vučić, will never become a NATO member and will never impose sanctions on Russia, and will never allow any anti-Russian actions to be conducted from its territory.

“Serbia has not, and will not, become part of the anti-Russian hysteria”, Vulin said. He added that Serbia respects Russia, and the Eastern Economic Forum is proof of how wrong and foolish it is to try to isolate Russia.

He emphasised that Serbia will never never participate in such a policy.

“When Russia cares about Serbia, when it cares where we live and what Serbia does, it makes things easier for Serbs. If Russia had not endured through all these centuries, there would be no Serbia. We are peoples connected not only by a shared past but also by a shared future”, Vulin said.

He conveyed to Putin the “personal, warm, brotherly greetings of President Aleksandar Vučić” and expressed the desire for Putin to continue leading Russia for the benefit of its people.

Putin reminded Vulin that Russia plays a significant role in ensuring energy supplies to Serbia “under excellent conditions for Belgrade”.

“Unfortunately, regarding trade and economic relations, we see a slight decline in trade volume, and I know you in the Serbian government are addressing these issues”, Putin said.

Read more at:https://tinyurl.com/mtawz239