President of France Emmanuel Macron will come to Belgrade today aiming at restoring "severed relations" with Serbia, today's French press assesses.

French television "France 24" states that Belgrade-Pristina relations will be among main issues for discussion. This broadcaster reminds of the fact that this is the first visit of the French President to Serbia after Jacques Chirac's stay in the Balkan region back in 2001.

Serbian Foreign Affairs Minister Ivica Dacic commented last night on the statement Kosovo Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj made regarding the role of France in reaching agreement between Belgrade and Pristina, by saying ironically he “sees how much Haradinaj respects the role of France,” Tanjug news agency reported.

Dacic added that could be seen during the recent meeting in Berlin, noting that the visit of the French President Emmanuel Macron to Serbia is good message to Pristina as well, given that Macron will not visit it.

Permanent Representative of Russia to the OSCE Alexander Lukashevich said Russia expects Albania, when it takes over the Chairmanship of OSCE to have a neutral stance on the process of resolving the Kosovo issue, Vecernje Novosti reported.

He also told members of the OSCE Permanent Council that the situation in Kosovo remains a serious challenge to European security. According to him Kosovo is “a grey zone” for smuggling drugs and organized crime.

Lukashevich also noted the UN SC 1244 still represents a basis for regulating the Kosovo issue.

Ambassador of the Republic of Belarus to Serbia Valery Brylev confirmed his country remains against Kosovo membership in Interpol, as was the case during the voting last year, the Serbian Internal Affairs Ministry said in a statement.

“Respecting the international law, United Nations Security Council Resolution and the Interpol rules must be a priority at this year’s voting as well,” Ambassador Brylev said after the meeting with Serbian State Secretary Biljana Popovic-Ivkovic.   

Serbian National Assembly Committee for Kosovo and Metohija Chairman Milovan Drecun told RTS that the latest arrest of two Serbs in Kosovo, school principals, is part of a well-planned and coordinated campaign of Tirana and Pristina, adding such cases of illegal arrests would continue.

Drecun also said he is not surprised “since it is one of the ways, used for many years, to pressure the Serbs to leave Kosovo and Metohija and those who were expelled not to come back”.

Srpska Lista (SL) in the strongest terms condemned the arrest of the two Serbs, school principals who dedicated their lives to raising and educating young people, adding they do not deserve the humiliating treatment they are exposed to, Radio kontakt plus reported.

Kosovo police said yesterday they arrested two Serbs over “espionage.”

Special Court in Pristina started a trial of Zoran Djokic from Pec suspected of committing war crimes against the civilian population in March and April 1999, in this town. Djokic pleaded not guilty after hearing the charges, Radio KIM reports.

Serbian Government Office for Kosovo and Metohija reacted to the arrest of two Serbs, Kosovo police accused of “espionage,” by saying that “campaign of intimidation of the Serbian people in Kosovo and Metohija by arresting Serbs and holders of important public functions continues,” KoSSev portal reported.

The Office said the arrest of Primary School principal from Vitina T.T and Technical School principal in Vrbovac B.D “is the most flagrant example of legal violence that reputable Serbs are being exposed to more frequently.”

French President Emanuel Macron set to visit Serbia on July 15 and 16, according to Belgrade-based Vecernje Novosti, wants to show that Paris is “still an important player on the world's political and security scene”.

Future EU Foreign Affairs Chief Josep Borrell to face five challenges on his new post, the issue of Belgrade - Pristina relations, among others, FT reports.

Federica Mogherini's successor, Josep Borrell, will face with the open issues of Iran, Venezuela, China and relations with USA.

"Spanish veteran will face with numerous challenges, starting from Venezuela to the Balkans, in times of EU fading impact", FT reports, adding that tensions between Belgrade and Pristina are rising, despite EU mediation.