Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: Eight new cases, no deaths (media)
• Kurti, Vucic to meet on July 19 (Klan Kosova)
• Kurti: Kosovo becoming success story, can live without Serbia recognition (EWB)
• Rohde: I wonder why Assembly provides Simmons with a platform (media)
• US Embassy: Displaced persons have the right to return home (media)
• Montenegro PM: Demarcation agreement with Kosovo must be respected (media)
• State of emergency declared in Decan after hundreds poisoned (Koha/Express)

Serbian Language Media:

• No newly infected in Serbian areas in Kosovo (Radio KIM)
• Vucic: We will seek the protection of Serbs in Brussels (Kosovo Online, Tanjug, TV Pink)
• Gracanica Mayor asked the KFOR commander for protection of the Serb population (KiM radio)
• Serb assaulted near Klina (RTS, Radio KIM, KoSSev, RTK)
• Krivokapic: Agreement on border demarcation must be respected (Kosovo-online, RTCG)
• Petkovic: ZSO the main condition in the dialogue with Pristina (RTS)
• Office for KiM provided financial aid, food delivery for Dragica Gasic (Kosovo-online)

Opinion:

• The EU ready to "trade" Serbia's membership in exchange for a solution to the Kosovo problem (Danas)

International:

• Bieber: Bulgarian veto on North Macedonia damages EU’s credibility (EWB)

   

Albanian Language Media  

  COVID-19: Eight new cases, no deaths (media)

Eight new cases with COVID-19 and zero deaths from the virus were recorded in the last 24 hours in Kosovo. 32 persons recovered from the virus during this time. There are 108 active cases with COVID-19. 6,503 vaccine doses have been administered in the last 24 hours. To date, 270,641 vaccines have been administered in Kosovo.

Kurti, Vucic to meet on July 19 (Klan Kosova)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic will meet on July 19 in Brussels. The news was announced by Peter Stano, lead spokesperson for the external affairs of the European Union. “The fact that the meetings are continuing is a sign of progress. There is progress from meeting to meeting. The next meeting will be on July 19. Borrell will host the high-level meeting,” Stano said. He added that the focus of the meeting will be on the achievements so far and the future steps. Stano also recalled that the dialogue is very important for the European prospects of both countries and said that compromise is needed.

Kurti: Kosovo becoming success story, we can live without Serbia’s recognition (EWB)

European Western Balkans: Let me begin with asking you about what you talked about today at the Prespa Forum Dialogue – the problem with mini-Schengen and the necessity of having other forms of regional cooperation such as SEFTA. What is in your opinion the key difference between the mini-Schengen and SEFTA which you propose?                                  

Albin Kurti: First of all, we do not know what mini-Schengen really entails. I do not see why we need mini-Schengen when we have the Berlin Process, which has now been including, since the Sofia Summit, the Common Regional Market. So why would we need mini-Schengen if we have the Common Regional Market from the Sofia Summit? On the other hand, I do not think it is appropriate to call it mini-Schengen. It started in Novi Sad, and I do not see how we can do this initiative without mutual recognition of Kosovo and Serbia. Because the level at which the policy in Schengen zone of different countries cooperate with each other is unimaginable between Kosovo and Serbia, as long as we do not have mutual recognition.

EWB: But some might say that entering mini-Schengen is a commitment made by Kosovo within the Washington Agreement signed last year. What is your opinion about this? Is Kosovo going to back off from this commitment?

AK: Last year, we had a decision by the Constitutional court which showed that the previous government was not only illegitimate, but also anti-constitutional. Because, when it was elected – on the 3 June 2020, it actually did not have a majority. It did not have 61 MPs out of 120, but only 60. I think that among the public opinion in Kosovo there are enormous reservations towards the previous government and the readiness of the institutions who were never for this mini-Schengen initiative. I think that we are acting accordingly, and those who proposed mini-Schengen initiative should have the burden of proof to show what is it really the content of it and why it is needed when we have the Berlin Process.

EWB: From what you have said, it could be interpreted that you consider the Washington Agreement to be illegitimate in itself with all of its clauses. We have heard from the US Government that the agreement is valid in their eyes. Is this going to be a problem, in your opinion, in your relations with the US administration?

AK: I am one of the leaders who endorsed president Biden, in contrast to president Vučić, who was lobbying hard for President Trump. I did not say that what has been signed in Washington that I will just throw away – not at all. The last point, which was the recognition of Israel to Kosovo has been implemented and that is the most valuable part of the agreement. You must know that the two texts are not the same. For example, in the text of Serbian side, it was written that the embassy from Tel Aviv will be shifted to Jerusalem, but it did not happen yesterday as it was supposed to. So, two different texts, two unilateral commitments.

There are some points within the Washington Agreement which are problematic for our constitution

We do not want to negate it in principle, but at the same time we have to be careful, because there are also some points which are problematic for our constitution that have been signed as a commitment by the previous Prime Minister. Just to mention, the fact that we are not going to lobby and engage for membership in the international organizations. That goes in collision with the Constitution of the Republic of Kosovo.

EWB: What is your impression, how does the US administration see the Washington Agreement and its clauses? Did things fundamentally change with the Biden administration coming this January?

AK: I have already made four new proposals in relation to Serbia. One is reciprocity of rights of minorities – in Serbia there is a national council for Albanians, and for Bosniaks. I believe we could have the reciprocity of rights. Then I proposed the SEFTA (South East European Free Trade Agreement), similar to the one that Norway, Iceland and Switzerland have with the EU, namely EFTA, EEA.

Next, we should focus on missing persons’ issues. The last one is that we just had the NATO Summit in Brussels. President Biden came and stayed eight days, he came for NATO Summit, first and foremost, and also for G7 summit. I also proposed that Kosovo and Serbia do jointly Peace Declaration that we are not going to attack each other. Because, with the exception of Serbia, other countries want to join NATO or already did. I think that these proposals are actual, and we should engage them.

EWB: I was talking about the Washington agreement bearing in mind that many were thinking that this agreement will fundamentally stop being important for the new administration if Joe Biden wins the elections, and he indeed won. Generally speaking, do you see a big difference in the US approach towards Kosovo and Serbia-Kosovo relations, since the change of the administration in Washington, especially when it comes to relations between the US and the EU administrations on the dialogue?

AK: On one level, US maintains its stance for independent Kosovo, in spite who wins the elections there. But then, again, there are certain differences. President Biden wants to strengthen Trans-Atlantic relations between the US and Europe. He is a social democrat, and he also has a value based policy, where out of dialogue he wants to have a transformative result, not transactional approach.

Read the full interview here: https://bit.ly/3xBWVLd Rohde: I wonder why Assembly provides Simmons with a platform (media)

German Ambassador to Kosovo, Jorn Rohde, said today that he was wondering why the Kosovo Assembly is giving former EULEX judge Malcolm Simmons “a platform to continue his disinformation campaign”. “Very convincing and comprehensive EULEX rebuttal of the unsubstantiated allegations. I just wonder why the Kosovo Assembly still provides former judge Simmons with a platform to continue this disinformation campaign,” Rohde tweeted.

US Embassy: Displaced persons have the right to return home (media)

The United States Embassy in Kosovo said in a Facebook post today that “victims deserve justice and displaced persons have the right to return home”. “Ministers and mayors - please put politics aside and cooperate to ensure all Kosovans enjoy peace and security, free from harassment and intimidation,” the statement notes.

Montenegro PM: Demarcation agreement with Kosovo must be respected (media)

Montenegro Prime Minister Zdravko Krivokapic said that the border demarcation agreement with Kosovo is valid and that it needs to be respected. His remarks come as a response to Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti’s comments that he will do everything to “correct” the demarcation agreement.

Krivokapic said in an interview with Radio Television Montenegro that the agreement is binding for both countries. “The issue of borders in the Balkans is always problematic. If you touch the borders, there will potentially be a war. The two groups of experts have concluded the situation and it is internationally verified and I don’t see any reason why this issue should be raised,” he said.

Kurti: Greek recognition of Kosovo would contribute to peace and security (media)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti said today that Greece and Kosovo must further bilateral relations because of long historical ties and the common goal for a better future of the Balkans. Kurti made the remarks after his meeting in Athens with his Greek counterpart Nikos Dendias. He also said that the recognition of Kosovo’s independence by Greece would contribute to peace and security in the region. Dendias said Greece is very interested in strengthening relations with Kosovo and intensifying economic-trade cooperation and new investments in Kosovo. He added that Greece continuously advocates for visa liberalisation for Kosovo citizens and that it will support Kosovo in its European path.

State of emergency declared in Decan after hundreds poisoned (Koha/Express)

The municipality of Decan decided today to declare a state of emergency throughout the territory of the municipality after hundreds of citizens reported they were poisoned. The municipality’s decision notes that “all local institutions are obliged to raise the level of readiness to manage the emergency after the recent poisonings”.

The decision came after the Basic Prosecution in Peja initiated investigations into the poisoning and has asked for the autopsies of the bodies of two persons that passed away in Decan in the last 24 hours. The Ministry of Health called on all citizens of Decan not to consume water from the supply system until the cause of the poisonings is determined. Minister of Health Arben Vitia told reporters today that the two deaths in Decan in the last 24 hours are not related to the poisoning.

Decan Mayor Bashkim Ramosaj met today with Minister of Health Arben Vitia, and is scheduled to hold a press conference at 16:00 today. Kosovo President Vjosa Osman is also expected to visit the municipality.

Several news websites say that around 900 cases of poisoning have been reported in the municipality since Sunday.

Gazeta Express reports that philosopher and political commentator, Blerim Latifi, took to Facebook today to say that “if the water poisoning in Decan is confirmed to be intentional then we can only imagine how unsafe the public water supply systems in Kosovo are. We can imagine that any lunatic or terrorist can very easily poison the water in these systems to cause insecurity and chaos in our already-fragile state. The Kosovo Government must act immediately to guarantee the sufficient safety of these systems.”

   

Serbian Language Media

  No newly infected in Serbian areas in Kosovo (Radio KIM)

Out of 32 tested samples none was positive for Covid-19, Crisis Committee of Mitrovica North announced today, Radio KIM reports.

Currently there is one active case.

A total of 148 persons have died in the Serb-populated areas in Kosovo, due to Covid-19 related implications since the outbreak of the pandemic. 

Vucic: We will seek the protection of Serbs in Brussels (Kosovo Online, Tanjug, TV Pink)

The President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic said today that he believes that the dialogue with Pristina will continue in the second half of the month at the highest level in Brussels, and that on that occasion the protection of the Serbian people in Kosovo will be highlighted as a strong request, reported Kosovo Online, citing agency Tanjug. 

When asked how the Serbs in Kosovo, who are constantly under pressure, can be helped, he told TV Pink that ''we would fight and take care of our people as much as we can and through the international community'' reported Tanjug.

Regarding the case of Dragica Gasic, a returnee to Djakovica, Vucic said that her case was just a paradigm of how much a country bothers them.

Vucic also said that he could not believe how it was reported in ''some of our media''.

He also notes that Serbia has had no de facto authority in Kosovo since 1999 and 2008, and that it cannot do anything outside the international community to protect those people, but that it will help in other ways as much as possible.

When asked about the armament of the Pristina army, he points out that they are doing everything that is contrary to Resolution 1244 and international law. As for the announcement about the procurement of weapons from Turkey, he says that he will talk about it with Turkish friends.

He pointed out that our and Pristina's army are like "heaven and earth", and that they cannot be compared because they are not the same categories.

He said that we have good relations with KFOR and thanked NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg for the good messages and respect for what they discussed, emphasizing that the goal is to preserve the security and development of our country.

Vucic also thanked the municipality of Zvecan for presenting him with the recognition of an honorary citizen.

Gracanica Mayor asked the KFOR commander for protection of the Serb population (KiM radio)

After frequent incidents on the territory of the municipality of Gracanica, which resulted in the destruction of public property, the president of the municipality of Gracanica, Srdjan Popovic met yesterday KFOR Commander Franco Federici, to whom he reportedly expressed his concern and fear that due to untimely police reaction, pressure and provocations against the Serb population may continue, reported Kim radio.

Popovic informed the KFOR commander about the latest incidents on the territory of the municipality of Gracanica. He requested greater engagement in the protection of the Serbian population and public property on the territory of this local self-government.

"KFOR must strengthen its presence on the territory of the municipality of Gracanica, patrols must be strengthened. They understand the situation and know that there is tension in our municipality. The most important thing for us is that they understood our problems and our concerns, and that so far they have always reacted in a timely manner, and that we have always solved all problems together. Many of our fellow citizens understood these incidents as a threat, and this is not at all naive, and that is why we are trying to act preventively in order to stop this as soon as possible," said Popovic.

It is added that Popovic hopes that after the meeting, KFOR will be more visible on the ground because, as he said, it is obvious that the Police is not doing its job well enough.

"The harsh rhetoric that is coming from Pristina and which is more and more present has certainly contributed to this development of the situation on the territory of the municipality of Gracanica. Such rhetoric must be stopped. What is surprising is that there is no condemnation from Pristina, but also from the international community and embassies for such things, and that is devastating," said Popovic.

The meeting between Popovic and Federici was also attended by Colonel Bray Hopkins, the regional commander of KFOR, as well as representatives of KFOR for liaison.

Serb assaulted near Klina (RTS, Radio KIM, KoSSev, RTK)

Unknown persons physically assaulted Ranko Bacic in the village of Dolac, Klina municipality causing bodily injuries to him, RTS reports. He was assaulted on Monday afternoon on the way to his property.

The Serbs living in Klina told RTS they suspect that Albanians assaulted him, adding the police didn’t provide any details, pending Bacic’s statement. Later in the day, police confirmed the incident, KoSSev portal said, adding Bacic sustained serious bodily injuries. 

He was medically treated at the Health House in Klina, and afterwards transferred to Pec hospital where police guards him. President of the Interim Municipal Council of Klina, Bozidar Sarkovic, tried to visit him in the hospital, but the police did not allow him to do so, RTK said.

Ranko Bacic is 67 years old and lives in Velika Plana as an internally displaced person. He came to his family property in Dolac village to obtain personal documents in Klina. He is not a returnee, but was planning to return. 

Reacting to an incident, Office for Kosovo and Metohija Director Petar Petkovic said the attack indicates there is no political will in Pristina to let Serbs return and live on their properties, which are mostly usurped.

“That is why we appeal once again, in particular, to the international community and those responsible to ensure the safety of our people in Kosovo and Metohija to deal better with their work, increase patrols in the Serbian areas and where Serbs live and this way attempt to prevent incidents directed against the Serbs”, Petkovic said.

He also said that since the beginning of this year, 73 incidents against the Serbs and their properties took place in Kosovo.

“This tells that these incidents are the result of Pristina’s aggressive rhetoric and unless we start respecting one other and cease using strong words, there would still be incidents and attacks”, Petkovic said. 

Krivokapic: Agreement on border demarcation must be respected (Kosovo-online, RTCG)

Montenegrin Prime Minister Zdravko Krivokapic told Radio Television of Montenegro (RTCG) that agreement on border demarcation with Kosovo “is valid and that facts and reality must be respected”.

Krivokapic made these remarks commenting on the statement of Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti who earlier said “there would be no implementation of the Agreement on Demarcation with Montenegro, in the format it was ratified in 2018”.

Krivokapic added “this agreement is valid and binds both sides”.

“The issue of the borders in the Balkans has always been problematic. If you touch upon the borders, it is a potential conflict. Two groups of experts assessed the situation and it has been internationally verified and I see no reason to bring this topic up”, Krivokapic said. 

Petkovic: ZSO the main condition in the dialogue with Pristina (RTS)

Director of the Office for KiM, Petar Petkovic stated yesterday that the Community of Serbian Municipalities (ZSO) was the main condition if we want to go further in the normalization of relations between Belgrade and Pristina, reported Radio Television of Serbia (RTS).  

Petkovic said in Zvecan that obviously Pristina did not want to form ZSO, that it was finding various reasons why it was refusing to do that. 

''Now he (Besnik Bislimi) says that it is necessary to abolish some parallel institutions, and the question is what will be the next request - whether that next request will be that there are no more Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija, and so when that would be fulfilled, then they would form the Community of Serbian Municipalities (ZSO), then I just wonder for whom the Community of Serbian Municipalities is formed,'' Petkovic said. 

He commented the stance of the leader of Pristina team in the dialogue of Besnik Bislimi that Serbian parallel municipalities should be abolished, and that this would be a condition for the formation of the ZSO, and said that Bislimi did not mention something like that in Brussels and that he it’s was unclear to him which municipalities and parallel institutions he was referring to. 

''We are here on our own (land) and we have our municipalities and institutions here, which are several decades old and institutions that are centuries old and we do not endanger anyone, we live here, our people work here, we want to build our future here,'' Petkovic said.

Office for KiM provided financial aid, food delivery for Dragica Gasic (Kosovo-online)

The Office for Kosovo and Metohija Director Petar Petkovic said today that the Office provided financial assistance in amount of 300.000 RSD (approximately EUR 2.500) for Dragica Gasic, the first Serbian returnee in Djakovica as well as food delivery for her, Kosovo-online portal reports.

At the same time, Vuksan Gojkovic who was helping her has been employed. Speaking about Gasic’s case while visiting Klina municipality, Petkovic said he brought up this issue in Brussels during the Belgrade-Pristina talks, adding if Pristina wishes normalization of relations it must respect basic human rights.

During the visit in Klina municipality Petkovic also spoke with the Serb returnees in Berkovo village and announced help in establishing an agricultural cooperative so the Serbian farmers would have the possibility to sell and distribute their products.  

   

Opinion

  The EU ready to "trade" Serbia's membership in exchange for a solution to the Kosovo problem (Danas)

"The European Union will intensify 'trade' in the membership of Serbia and other Western Balkan countries in exchange for a compromise between Belgrade and Pristina on the status of Kosovo, and we could soon expect more concrete progress in the dialogue," Aleksandar Popov, director of the Center for Regionalism, told daily Danas.

According to Popov, to possible "membership trade" indicated the message of the EU special representative for the Western Balkans and dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, Miroslav Lajcak - that the Western Balkans region and the EU were part of the "same family", as well as Lajcak's talks with Greek Foreign Minister Nicos Dendias on the European perspective of the Western Balkans and the negotiations between Belgrade and Pristina.

Lajcak from Dubrovnik, where the "Dubrovnik Forum 2021" took place, said that the Western Balkans and the EU were "deeply connected" and that this integration would increase.

On the sidelines of the ministerial forum in Dubrovnik, he met with Greek Foreign Minister Nicos Dendias, which, according to Popov, indicated that Greece could have a more serious mediating role in the negotiations between Belgrade and Pristina in the coming period.

In a conversation with Danas, Popov reminded that lately the determination of the EU and the USA has been noticeable - to bring the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina on a more serious track than the first meeting as soon as possible.

- Now the goal is to find some middle ground, no matter what it is, from those extreme starting points, that is, Kurti’s the only full recognition of Kosovo by Serbia, and Vucic's answer that there is no talk about it. Through this statement by Lajcak, an attempt is made to make a certain trade, the message is sent that it is a (compromise solution between Belgrade and Pristina), a way to accelerate the process of Serbia's accession to the EU, which would attract other smaller countries. That is a kind of incentive, says Popov.

He pointed out that the inclusion of Greece showed that Lajcak needed "any alliance" that could lead to positive results.

- A lot of things are happening behind the curtain that we do not see, and then we are surprised when it is finalized. Because of that, it can easily happen soon, when Vucic and Kurti meet again, to come up with some articulated proposal. Vucic says that he is exposed to strong pressures and I believe that he is, because now the EU and the US have joined forces to resolve the Kosovo issue. It is possible that something is being prepared even now that would lead to a conciliatory variant for both sides, Popov points out.

The next meeting between the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic and the Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti within the framework of the dialogue led by the EU, should take place at the end of this month, recalled the daily.

   

International

  Bieber: Bulgarian veto on North Macedonia damages EU’s credibility (EWB)

What are the main reasons for the apparent stalemate of EU enlargement in the Western Balkans and did the policy of stabilitocracy come to end? Also, what should be expected from the Slovenian EU Presidency and what effects will the Bulgarian veto on North Macedonia have on the entire region and EU’s own credibility? These are some of the topics we have discussed with Florian Bieber, professor at the University of Graz and the coordinator of the Balkans in Europe Policy Advisory Group (BiEPAG), during the Prespa Forum Dialogue on 2 July.

See more at:https://bit.ly/3wCarNq