Albanian Language Media:

• PDK, AAK call for minimum wage bill to be removed from assembly agenda (RFE)
• LDK leader Abdixhiku insists on removing excise duty on fuel products (media)
• Finance minister Murati rejects proposal to lift excise duty on fuel (media)
• Austrian chief diplomat to stay in Prishtina on Tuesday (Gazeta Express)
• Mehaj: U.S. support, irreplaceable in our development processes (Klan Kosova)
• Abazovic, Rama and Kovacevski to visit Kyiv together? (RTV21)

Serbian Language Media:

• Selakovic on sanctions against Russia: Serbia cannot impose sanctions to someone who respects its territorial integrity (Kosovo Online, RTV, Tanjug)
• Austrian FM expects region in the EU (FoNet, N1)
• Petkovic with US Ambassador Hill on dialogue and situation in Kosovo (RTS, Radio Mitrovica sever) 
• Djuric: Serbia-US relations on constant upward trajectory (Tanjug, N1, Politika)
• Ambassador Hill: Serbia to consider its neutral position (N1)
• Vucic: Scholz requested that Serbia join sanctions on Russia (Tanjug)
• Scholz: Germany expects EU membership candidates to join Russia sanctions (media)
• Two young Serbs stabbed in Straze village, near Gnjilane (Beta, NMagazin, RTV Puls, Kosovo Online)
• Office for KiM: Two shops in Velika Hoca robbed (Kontakt plus radio)
• Novo Brdo: Several returnee homes broken into in Ceranovica hamlet (Kontakt plus radio, Radio Mitrovica sever)
• Displaced persons from Suva Reka forbidden to attend the monastery's celebration (KiM radio)

Opinion:

• The Balkan chessboard and notable absentees (ekathimerini.com)

International:

• EU Parliament urges Serbia to reconsider relationship with Russia (Euractive) 
• How to keep the EU accession dream alive (intellinews.com)

     

Albanian Language Media  

  PDK, AAK call for minimum wage bill to be removed from assembly agenda (RFE)

Senior representatives of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) and Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK), called today for the draft law on the minimum wage to be removed from the agenda of the Kosovo Assembly scheduled for Tuesday. 

After the meeting of the Kosovo Assembly Presidency, heads of PDK and AAK parliamentary groups argued that the draft law is discriminatory. “We, the parliamentary groups of the opposition, will under no circumstance support leaving out the most vulnerable category in our country, the [war] veterans of the Republic of Kosovo,” PDK parliamentary group chief, Abelard Tahiri, told reporters.

AAK parliamentary group chief, Besnik Tahiri, said: “We think the law is discriminatory. I believe it is an immature law and as such it damages a very important and honourable category, the veterans of the Kosovo Liberation Army”.

LDK leader Abdixhiku insists on removing excise duty on fuel products (media)

Leader of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), Lumir Abdixhiku, said that today marks 100 days since this party first suggested to the Kurti-led government to reduce the excise duty on fuel products and to reduce the VAT on essential products. “The proposal was refused and is still being refused by Kurti’s arrogant regime. The oil price this morning marks a new record of €1.90 per litre, while the overall inflation has reached 13 percent. In this unprecedented crisis, the failure to act is a crime! Today we will submit to the Assembly a request for a parliamentary debate and our resolution with the same request as 100 days ago,” Abdixhiku said.

Finance minister Murati rejects proposal to lift excise duty on fuel (media)

Kosovo's Finance Hekuran Murati has rejected the idea of lifting the excise duty on fuel products which the opposition parties insist on as a way to ease the economic crisis. 

In a Facebook post, Murati said that such a move would not serve the interests of the citizens and only benefit oil traders and that the Government of Kosovo has not increased a single tax since it came to office. He said the increase of the fuel price is a result of the increase of import price which is beyond the government's control. "We are therefore working for a decision that would set a threshold price and a maximum profit margin because in such extraordinary situations, it is necessary for the Government to intervene in the market to stabilise prices, which is also set out in the applicable legislation." 

Murati said he was convinced that opposition parties know that removal of the excise tax would not bring any positive development for the consumers but that they were trying to make favours to certain businesses with such calls. 

Austrian chief diplomat to stay in Prishtina on Tuesday (Gazeta Express)

Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg will visit Kosovo on Tuesday, the news website reports citing unnamed sources. Schallenberg is scheduled to meet President Vjosa Osmani, Prime Minister Albin Kurti and Foreign Minister Donika Gervalla. The main topic of his visit is the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia.

Mehaj: U.S. support, irreplaceable in our development processes (Klan Kosova)

Kosovo’s Minister of Defence, Armend Mehaj, said today that the United States have provided irreplaceable support for Kosovo’s development processes. After meeting US Ambassador Jeffrey Hovenier, Mehaj wrote in a Facebook post: “Deeply grateful to the United States for their irreplaceable support for Kosovo in the formation, development and overall advancement of the Ministry of Defence and the Kosovo Security Force. The support the United States has offered so far is crucial in developing the operational capacities to cooperate with the allied forces of partner countries and member states of NATO, for the participation of KSF in operations abroad together with U.S. military forces and allied forces.”

Abazovic, Rama and Kovacevski to visit Kyiv together? (RTV21)

Prime Minister of Montenegro, Dritan Abazovic, has received an invitation from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to visit Kyiv. The government in Podgorica said Abazovic has initiated the idea to travel to Kyiv together with the Prime Minister of Albania, Edi Rama, and the Prime Minister of North Macedonia, Dimitar Kovacevski. “As announced, Abazovic will initiate the idea of a joint visit to Kyiv by prime ministers of the Western Balkans, especially from NATO member states in the region, in order to convey a strong and united message of support from the Western Balkans for the sovereignty and integrity of Ukraine,” the Office of the Montenegrin PM said in a statement.

     

Serbian Language Media

  Selakovic on sanctions against Russia: Serbia cannot impose sanctions to someone who respects its territorial integrity (Kosovo Online, RTV, Tanjug)

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Serbia, Nikola Selakovic, pointed out today that Serbia respects the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine and that it condemned Russia's activities towards Ukraine, reported Kosovo Online, citing RTV. 

However, as he stated, when it came to imposing sanctions on the Russian Federation, Serbia makes decisions independently, based on the national interest and the interests of citizens, and that it could not be expected that it would be against someone who respected territorial integrity of Serbia, reported Kosovo Online. 

According to Tanjug, after a meeting with Austrian Federal Minister for European and International Affairs Alexander Schallenberg, answering a question from an Austrian journalist why Serbia did not harmonize with EU foreign policy and impose sanctions on Russia, Selakovic recalled that Serbia was a part of the country that had been under sanctions for many years, and as he said, it did not bring any good to anybody. 

He pointed out that Serbia has taken a clear position since the first day of the Ukrainian crisis and condemned the activities of the Russian Federation towards Ukraine and said that it stands firmly on the basic principle of international law and relations, which is respecting the territorial integrity and sovereignty of all internationally recognized UN member states.

"For us, a war between Ukraine and Russia, is a war between brothers. We share the same roots with both, we belong to the same group of peoples, our culture is similar, our spirituality is the same and every casualty in that war, for us is a fundamental tragedy, "Selakovic said.

Serbia respects the territorial integrity of Ukraine, as he said, it will advocate for that in every place as he says, especially because Serbia's territorial integrity has been violated.

"Do not expect Serbia to act against those who respect its territorial integrity, who is, in the UN system, the dam to attacks on that territorial integrity and sovereignty," the head of Serbian diplomacy pointed out.

He reminded that Serbia clearly showed its position by voting in international organizations, by behaving towards Ukrainian refugees, and sending humanitarian aid.

"However, let our national interest come first. Especially when you have a process that lasts 19 years and for which no one can tell you when it will end. In the meantime, our citizens must survive," he pointed out.

He added that in making decisions about the future of Serbia, the state leadership was guided by the national interests of Serbia and its citizens and reiterates that Serbia respects the territorial integrity of Ukraine, BiH, but also its own.

"What Serbia is trying to keep as its inalienable right is the right to make decisions about its future on its own, and we will continue to do that, but from the first day of the Ukrainian crisis we have said we condemn the violation of international public law, that we respect the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine and that this is something to which Serbia remains consistent and faithful,'' said Selakovic. 

The head of Serbian diplomacy also said that, among other things, Serbia has friendly relations with Russia and did not hide it, but also that it clearly said what it thought about the activities of the Russian Federation, i.e., that she has condemned them, reported Kosovo Online.

Austrian FM expects region in the EU (FoNet, N1)

Austrian Minister for Foreign and European Affairs Alexander Schallenberg said in Belgrade on Monday that he expects the Western Balkans to become part of the European Union.

He expressed hope that the countries of the region, including Serbia, would align their policies towards Russia with Western policies just as they did in the United Nations.

Speaking at a news conference after a meeting with his Serbian counterpart Nikola Selakovic, Schallenberg welcomed President Aleksandar Vucic’s readiness to continue talks with Pristina. The Austrian minister said that the entire region is looking at the dialogue process.

Petkovic with US Ambassador Hill on dialogue and situation in Kosovo (RTS, Radio Mitrovica sever) 

Director of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija, Petar Petkovic, met today the Ambassador of the United States of America to the Republic of Serbia Christopher R. Hill and Director of the Office for Southern and Central European Affairs at the State Department Martin McDowell, who was acquainted with the current phase of the dialogue in Brussels and the steps that Belgrade was taking to contribute to finding solutions in key areas important for the normalization of relations between Belgrade and Pristina and the lives of all citizens in Kosovo and Metohija, stated the Office for KiM in a statement to the media. 

"In the previous period, Belgrade has shown readiness, openness and flexibility in finding constructive solutions that should help resolve open issues in the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, but it is questionable whether there is such readiness on the other side of the negotiating table because so far it has been more than obvious obstruction of Pristina," underlined the director of the Office for KiM, the statement read. 

Petkovic said that it was important to make progress in the search for the missing and energy, and that Belgrade was committed to finding sustainable solutions in these and other areas, but that there was reasonable doubt whether Pristina was ready to respect and implement both past and future agreements.

"He pointed out that in the previous days we have witnessed a series of incidents and ethnic intolerance to which Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija were exposed, and that since Albin Kurti came to power, we have 184 ethnically motivated incidents that worry our people in Kosovo and Metohija, but also deters potential returnees,'' reads the statement.

He informed his interlocutors about the lists of 72 Serbs, who were defending their legitimate rights, extended these days on the Serbian List's leaders, and pointed out that this was political intimidation and revenge of the authorities in Pristina, which wants to further destabilize the situation.

Petkovic recalled of the fact that for six years the authorities in Pristina have refused to implement the court's decision to return 24 hectares of land to the Visoki Decani monastery, which was noted in the latest report by the State Department, but also that Serbs in Kosovo are waiting for nine years the formation of the Community of Serbian Municipalities, which should protect and guarantee their collective rights, which is especially important in light of the growing number of incidents generated by the authorities in Pristina.

"Precisely because of security and calming tensions on the ground, it is important that we talk, and Belgrade firmly believes that only dialogue is a mechanism for solving all problems," reads the end of the statement, reported Serbian media.

Djuric: Serbia-US relations on constant upward trajectory (Tanjug, N1, Politika)

Serbian Ambassador to the US Marko Djuric says Serbia-US relations are on a constant upward trajectory and that a great, mutually beneficial future is ahead of the partnership between the two countries.

"Serbia-US relations are based on a 140-year-long tradition, on unbreakable ties of hundreds of thousands of Serbian Americans with their mother country, and on political, economic, educational, cultural and scientific ties. We are working together on overcoming the legacy of the 1990s and we wish to restore the relations to their former glory," Djuric told Politika daily in an interview.

Djuric said he had recently conveyed to US President Joe Biden an invitation from Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic to visit Serbia and added that he was confident the visit would take place in the upcoming period.

"I am optimistic about Serbia-US relations. The foreign policies of big powers change in a manner that is proportionate to mutual interests as well as to efforts to align them. Today, Serbia is investing serious efforts into this relationship. During my tenure in the US so far, I have witnessed an increased attention and interest in Serbia as well as in a deepening of our ties across the political spectrum in Washington," Djuric said.

Ambassador Hill: Serbia to consider its neutral position (N1)

US Ambassador Christopher Hill said on Monday that Serbia has to consider whether it can maintain its neutral position on the war in Ukraine and its relationship with Russia, reported N1.

Speaking at the unveiling of a memorial plaque to former US Ambassador in Yugoslavia George F. Kennan, Hill said that he thinks that Serbia has to consider whether its neutral position is tenable… We have not seen this kind of development since World War 2, he said, adding that the world has changed in the past two months. We all have to think about where we are, what our position is and where we want to be in the future, he said.

According to the Ambassador, what happened in Ukraine, the brutal assault on that country and killing of civilians is completely unacceptable.

The ambassador said that he isn’t here to hand out advice and that Serbia has to decide whether to impose sanctions on Russia and normalize relations with Pristina on its own. He said the point is that Serbia and Kosovo have to work on resolving problems on their own and move on. He added that he would like to see more progress on the Brussels dialogue.

See at:https://bit.ly/3tUULXp Vucic: Scholz requested that Serbia join sanctions on Russia (Tanjug)

After Friday's meeting with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said Scholz had requested that Serbia join the sanctions on Russia.

"We discussed the global political situation and Scholz requested, in a very decided, clear and harsh manner, that Serbia join the sanctions against Russia, and that I support the restrictive measures the EU has already imposed on Russia," Vucic told a joint press conference with Scholz.

He noted that he had spoken to Scholz about Serbia's position, the specific nature of the situation regarding Kosovo, Brussels dialogue, European integration, energy, as well as Serbia's traditional ties with Russia. 

He said Scholz had brought new energy and hope for everyone in the Western Balkans because he understood and wanted to hear everyone in the Western Balkans and wanted there to be a real European perspective of EU enlargement.

"That is very important and an exceptional message to everyone in the Western Balkans," Vucic noted.

He said he had told Scholz Serbia would have to make faster progress on rule of law, democratization of society and human rights, but that it would be possible to assess that by the end of the year through the new government's work.

Speaking about the discussion on Kosovo (an issue Serbia and Germany disagree about) and the Brussels dialogue, Vucic said:

"While I do not want to use this press conference to criticize others, I pointed to all parts of the 2013 Brussels Agreement that remain unfulfilled, but I understood the message by Scholz, who said it is important to make many small steps so that one day we can make greater success in finding a solution," Vucic said.

He said Belgrade would do everything for progress to be achieved in the Brussels dialogue with Pristina.

They also discussed next winter and difficulties that are already being felt.

"Scholz was fair and offered Germany's assistance in finding a solution to the crisis we are already feeling and will yet be feeling, in terms of construction of energy capacities that would connect us with the rest of the region and enable us to have diverse ways for diversification," Vucic said.

"I thank him for offering great support in the energy sector and all other fields. We appreciate that and we would hardly be able to make progress without that," Vucic also said.

“We never heard request for mutual recognition before”

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said it had been the first time he had heard a European official request a mutual recognition with Kosovo from Serbia, reported Tanjug agency.

At a press conference with Scholz, Vucic said Serbia would look at how to approach this in the future.

"The Serbs love the territorial integrity of Serbia as much as you love the territorial integrity of Ukraine," Vucic said, noting that UN SC Resolution 1244, which guarantees the territorial integrity of Serbia, was still in full effect.

Vucic was responding to a Der Spiegel request for a comment on Scholz's statement in Pristina earlier in the day that countries could not become EU member states without mutual recognition.

"Today, we heard a request for mutual recognition. We had never heard a European request for mutual recognition before - what we kept hearing is a part of the negotiating platform Serbia has with the EU - a comprehensive normalization of Belgrade-Pristina relations - but no one has ever spoken about mutual recognition," Vucic said.

He said only the US had adopted this as its principle three years ago but that no one in Europe had requested official mutual recognition.

"We heard that at a press conference in Pristina today. I can understand that it is what I predicted. Things are changing at Serbia's expense. But if you think you need to threaten us because we want to protect the UN order and reach a compromise solution, you do your job and we will do ours," Vucic said.

He said it was important that Scholz understand the essence of the problem and that things must be solved step by step.

"Serbia has never given up on dialogue and is not refusing to attend a single meeting. Serbia has attended (every meeting) and accepted all invitations. We even accepted a document on missing persons a year ago and we could have signed the document, but we were unable to due to other people's whims," Vucic added.

Responding to an RTS remark that he had said in Pristina it was normal for a recognition of Kosovo by Serbia - rather than a comprehensive normalization of relations - to take place, Scholz said Germany's stance on the Kosovo issue had been "known for a long time now".

"Besides, I said something that is obvious, maybe that helps," he concluded.

Scholz: Germany expects EU membership candidates to join Russia sanctions (media)

Germany wants to give a renewed push to the European perspective of the Western Balkans, promised at the Thessaloniki summit two decades ago and, at the same time, it expects EU membership candidates to join the sanctions against Russia, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said in Belgrade on Friday.

"When it comes to European integration, we support all aspirations of the Western Balkans, and reforms in rule of law, media freedoms and the fight against corruption are needed on that path. We see that a judicial reform that represents such progress has been carried out, but further steps are needed," Scholz told a press conference with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic.

He said a meeting with Vucic had also addressed the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina.

"Progress in the dialogue is something that is necessary. I called on all leaders to ensure there is headway and that a series of small agreements are made to advance overall normalization of relations," he said.

He said Germany supported the activities of the EU special envoy for the dialogue, Miroslav Lajcak.

Scholz said he had also discussed with Vucic the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina and that it made no sense to threaten the country's future with "secessionist tendencies".

He said cooperation was very important for Germany and that he wanted the Western Balkans to make progress and have a full European perspective.

"In the future, the EU will only be successful as a great whole. We must defend our values together and it would be good if Western Balkan countries were a part of that," Scholz added.

He said Germany's economic ties with Serbia were developing well and added that he was confident the number of jobs created by German companies in Serbia would continue to grow.

When asked by a reporter if there was a timeframe for EU accession of Serbia and other Western Balkan countries given the Serbians' fatigue from promises by the EU and European leaders and in view of opinion polls suggesting a decline of the EU's popularity in Serbia, Scholz responded that he was an advocate of a soonest possible EU accession of Serbia and the Western Balkans and added that the region could count on Germany's support in that regard.

"My goal is that we succeed in that, not in the distant future, but as soon as possible. It will not be possible in six months, as everyone knows, and it will take a long time, but it would be good to boost this with great courage," he said.

Two young Serbs stabbed in Straze village, near Gnjilane (Beta, NMagazin, RTV Puls, Kosovo Online)

RTV Puls reported that two Serbian young men from Partes, near Gnjilane were attacked, B.S. and V. D. They were attacked with a knife last night, severe bodily injuries were inflicted but were not life-threatening, cited portal NMagazin. 

According to the RTV Puls, the attack took place in a tavern in the nearby village of Straze, around midnight.

Kosovo police spokesperson for the Gnjilane region, Ismet Hashani, confirmed that two Serb young men had been attacked and said police were working to identify and prosecute the attackers.

"No one has been arrested so far," Hashani said, without stating the attacker's nationality.

In Partes, RTV Puls sources said that their compatriots were attacked by an Albanian who found himself in a bar as a guest. He inflicted two stab wounds on one of the injured and one to the other. 

The director of the Health Center of Gnjilane, Dr. Zoran Peric, stated that the attacked young men had stab wounds in the area of the chest, but that they were not life-threatening.

"Immediately after the attack, the injured young men were medically taken care of in the hospital in Pasjane, after which the special Kosovo police came and took them to the hospital in Gnjilane for further treatment," Peric said, reported Kosovo Online portal.

RTV Puls recalled that this was not the first incident in a tavern in the village of Straza, visited by both Serbian and Albanian guests. Last year, the Kosovo police arrested an Albanian who took part in the attack of several people on a 23-year-old Serb from the village of Zebince after an argument in that bar, reported NMagazin.

Office for KiM: Two shops in Velika Hoca robbed (Kontakt plus radio)

The Office for Kosovo and Metohija informed the public on Saturday that during the night between Friday and Saturday, two shops in Velika Hoca, owned by M. Lukic and B. Pavlovic, were broken into, reported Kontakt plus radio. As it was stated, cash registers with money and almost all valuable goods were stolen.

The case was reported to police, which carried out an investigation, the Office said. 

“This is undoubtedly another economic blow to Serbs who live in this enclave in Metohija and who are trying to survive in very difficult conditions, because these stores were a significant source of income for them. That is why their existence is endangered in this way,” Office for KiM said. 

“This case must not remain just a line in the report of the local police,” the Office for KiM said and added that they insisted the perpetrators be found and adequately sanctioned, because that was the only way such acts could be prevented in the future.

“Serbs and their property in Kosovo and Metohija are frequent targets of criminals and extremists in the province precisely because there is no political will in Pristina to stop such actions, but on the contrary, such actions are encouraged by irresponsible and inflammatory statements by Albanian politicians,” Office for Kosovo and Metohija concluded. 

Novo Brdo: Several returnee homes broken into in Ceranovica hamlet (Kontakt plus radio, Radio Mitrovica sever)

Unknown perpetrators broke into several Serb houses in the Ceranovica hamlet near Novo Brdo, causing material damage, sources from Kosovsko Pomoravlje told Radio Television of Serbia (RTS), cited Kontakt plus radio. 

Sreten Stoiljkovic, whose house was broken into, said that the burglars broke the windows and entered several houses. Due to his work, he settled in Kragujevac, so he occasionally visits the property in Ceranovica. He found out about the latest case of burglary from a neighbour.

“Neighbour was in the village because of the All-Soul’s Day, and when he visited the houses, he noticed that almost everything was broken into, even those that were usurped by Albanians,” Stoiljkovic said.

He said that he informed the deputy president of Novo Brdo, Svetislav Ivanovic, about the case of the burglary, who visited the village, and that the police were also informed about the latest case of the burglary.

RTS reported that Ceranovica is a village/hamlet near Novo Brdo, and robberies and burglary of returnee houses are common since most owners do not reside there permanently, cited Kontakt plus radio.

Displaced persons from Suva Reka forbidden to attend the monastery's celebration (KiM radio)

A group of 50 believers, Serbs displaced from the Suva Reka municipality, were banned from attending the monastery's celebration on Sunday, the feast of the Holy Trinity in Musutiste village, the Office for Kosovo and Metohija announced, KiM radio reported on Saturday.

"Representatives of the Provisional Authority and the organizers of the trip duly informed the members of the Kosovo Police on June 8 that a group of displaced believers wants to celebrate the temple's glory in Musutiste on June 12 and attend the cutting of the feast cake on the ruins of the Holy Trinity Church," the statement said. 

The Office for KiM stated that a negative request was received on their request that the police provide security support, without which the realization of the trip in ''this purely Albanian environment was impossible, and they were thus unable to visit their homeland and attend celebrations', which they have done for years'', reported KiM radio.

"Such a gesture by the representatives of Pristina clearly shows that Serbs are not welcome in Kosovo and Metohija to celebrate a holiday and visit graves, let alone guarantee a safe return in ethnically cleansed areas," the statement said, reported the radio. 

The Office for KiM asked "who is bothered by believers and pilgrims and for whom they pose a danger?", cited KiM radio the statement from the Office.

Rakic condemned the prevention of displaced persons from Musutiste to visit their church

Minister for Communities and Returns Goran Rakic assessed that preventing displaced Serbs from Musutiste from visiting their centuries-old homes only for one day was absurd and pointed out that this showed how much the will of Kosovo institutions was to help the return of displaced persons, reported KiM radio.

"We are constantly facing such problems when it comes to Musutiste. This is an indicator that the return process in Kosovo is under great question and that we should look for the culprits in institutions that do not have the will to help us solve this issue in a more positive way. Representatives of the international community must deal in detail with everything that prevents us from returning more IDPs to Kosovo," Rakic said.

According to the Ministry, Rakic asked what it would look like if the displaced returned to live in this place, if the police could not provide a one-day stay for the displaced in Musutiste, reported the radio.

     

Opinion

 

The hosting of this year’s annual Summit of the South East European Cooperation Process (SEECP) in the northern port city of Thessaloniki bolsters Greece’s international image as a factor of stability in the Balkan and Eastern Mediterranean regions.

Reporting in Balkan capitals ahead of Friday’s summit revealed that Greece’s northern neighbors have moderate expectations of the event. This should come as no surprise. Forums of this kind are organized so that political leaders get an opportunity to get together and hold discussions. It helps keep channels of communication open, which is very important, especially at times like this.

Eyes will on Friday be fixed on German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and the European Union leadership which will be represented at the highest level by the president of the European Council, Charles Michel, and the European Commission head, Ursula von der Leyen. European officials are expected to (once more) reassure Western Balkan states that the EU gate is still open for them. They will most likely call for patience as well as reforms.

Read more at: https://bit.ly/3aT6UFB      

International 

  EU Parliament urges Serbia to reconsider relationship with Russia (Euractive) 

Serbia should demonstrate its commitment to the EU’s policies and standards and is expected to reconsider its relationship with Russia on the economy, defence and Kremlin disinformation, according to a report to be voted early this week by the European Parliament’s foreign policy committee (AFET).

Read more at: https://bit.ly/3aPN11Z How to keep the EU accession dream alive (intellinews.com)

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has confirmed what many feared already: Russia is aggressively seeing to expand its presence in what it sees as its spheres of influence, and that includes the Western Balkans. Expanding the EU to this region, made vulnerable by its poverty relative to other parts of Europe and its long-standing unresolved conflicts, is a way of exporting stability and prosperity. Yet even before the war, political disputes had stymied the progress of the six Western Balkan countries. 

Read more at: https://bit.ly/3zzTwjL