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Ambassador Kosnett’s Interview with Radio Kontakt Plus (US Embassy, Radio kontakt plus)

Radio Kontakt Plus (RKP): Mr. Kosnett, in the first place, hello and welcome.

Ambassador Kosnett (AMB): Thank you Jelena. It is a great pleasure to be here in Mitrovica North.

RKP: Since we are talking about Mitrovica North, of course, political issues are always in the first place. When do you expect the Dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina to continue?

Vucic: We have problem with Albanians, but we also have strength (BETA, B92)

President Aleksandar Vucic said Serbia has a political problem with the Albanians in Kosovo but fights to preserve peace and stability. He added Serbia would "have the strength to protect the Serbs." Vucic made these remarks in the town of Secanj, he was visiting as a part of his ongoing “Future of Serbia” campaign, BETA news agency reported.

Djuric: Pristina introduced tariffs only to harm Serbia (RTS, TV N1)

Serbian Government Office for Kosovo and Metohija, Marko Djuric said the tariffs that Pristina authorities introduced on goods from Serbia “had one and the only goal and it is to harm Serbia,” adding there was no other political idea or principle behind that decision.

Commenting on statement of Kosovo Deputy Prime Minister Enver Hoxhaj, who said the new tax policy achieved its goal because it harmed Serbia’s economy, Djuric noted this once again proved what was the motive to introduce the tariffs.

Vucic: Serbia will act in accordance with behavior of EU states (Tanjug, B92, RTS)

President Aleksandar Vucic met late on Thursday in Villa Mir in Belgrade with EU Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Commissioner Johannes Hahn. They discussed Serbia's European integration, the situation in the region and the problems in the dialogue with Pristina, B92 reports.

The EU commissioner "insisted on progress in the field of democracy and the rule of law for the benefit of society and the movement of Serbia on its European path."

Chiefs of districts: Stop process of Serbs being deprived of their rights in Kosovo (Tanjug, RTS)

The chiefs of five administrative districts in Kosovo (Pec, Prizren, Mitrovica, central Kosovo and Pomoravlje) expressed concern today over more frequent political pressure by Pristina on Serbian people and urged all domestic and international political stakeholders to make additional efforts in order to prevent escalation of inter-ethnic tensions and stop the process of Serbs being deprived of their rights and their marginalization in Kosovo.

Fabrizi: No alternative to dialogue, cautious optimism (Tanjug, B92)

Head of EU Delegation to Serbia Sem Fabrizi said there is no alternative to Belgrade-Pristina dialogue on Kosovo and that status quo is not an option. He added that he remains cautiously optimistic about the achievement of an agreement between Belgrade and Pristina.

"I do not think there is a possibility to maintain this situation, the status quo is not an option, it does not help either Serbia or Pristina. There is a need for dialogue to continue and reach an agreement," Fabrizi told the students at the Faculty of Political Science in Belgrade.

Platform is end of Brussels dialogue, elites are (not) ready for compromise (Radio kontakt plus, Radio KIM)

Chances for Belgrade-Pristina dialogue to conclude during the mandate of EU High Representative Federica Mogherini are rather small. Pristina platform is an end to Brussels dialogue, while political elites in Serbia and Kosovo are not ready for a compromise. Tariffs on goods from Serbia and BiH are the most harmful for Kosovo. These all was said during an event organized at the Mitrovica Social Club as a part of the Center for Civic Energy project funded by Kosovo Open Society Foundation.

EP: Serbia must pursue reforms, and Belgrade-Pristina dialogue should resume (TV N1, RTS)

The EU-Serbia Stabilization and Association Parliamentary Committee’s 10th meeting in Strasbourg called for more rule of law, and media freedom in the country, the European Parliament said in a statement issued on Thursday, TV N1 reports. The statement says as follows: