Meeting with regional leaders and civil society groups, Acting Prime Minister Albin Kurti reaffirmed Kosovo’s ongoing commitment to supporting local Albanians. Kurti demanded that blocked funds be released and approved projects move forward.

Among those present were also the MP in the Serbian Parliament Shaip Kamberi, Mayor of the Municipality of Presheva Ardita Sinani and the President of the Albanian National Council Enkel Rexhepi.

The acting Prime Minister stated that the blocked funds target numerous projects in culture, sports, education, media, social support, and the Albanian language. According to Kurti, freezing these resources harms more than just the organizations involved—it directly impacts students, interns, journalists, and children with special needs. He noted that the real damage lies in the lost opportunities for citizens, making the true cost impossible to measure in money alone.

Prime Minister Albin Kurti highlighted the discriminatory climate that Albanians face in the Presheva valley, pointing to a recent visit by Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić as clear evidence of a deeper political crisis.

Kurti called on the European Union to counter what he termed systematic discrimination, insisting that European standards of equality, non-discrimination, and the rule of law must extend to Albanians in the Presheva valley. He underscored Kosovo’s commitment to documenting and internationalizing the issue within Brussels, Washington, and Strasbourg. Furthermore, Kurti stressed that ongoing support for these communities must be reinforced by sustainable institutional frameworks and dedicated budgetary mechanisms. /Kosovapress/p.s./

Speaking at a press conference, the government head said the article – which proposes a new approach to integrating the Western Balkans into the European Union – represented a step towards open debate and reflection on the region’s accession process.

Commenting on criticism of the editorial and on the broader challenges facing EU enlargement, Rama said some reactions had misinterpreted its purpose.

“It is regrettable, but I must say frankly that the ‘Molotov throwers’ association that you call the Democratic Party lives in a completely different world,” Rama said. “They have no connection with today’s world of international relations, the work needed to join the EU, or the internal and external debates around it.”

Rama said he had been among the first leaders to call for a different approach to the accession process several years ago.

“The so-called ‘cursed’ editorial – as some in Kosovo or Albania have described it – nowhere says or presumes abandoning EU membership. On the contrary,” he said, adding that the issue requires deeper discussion to fully understand the proposal.

Rama stressed that while the EU remains committed to enlargement, the bloc faces internal political challenges that complicate the accession process for Western Balkan countries.

He said some EU member states may struggle to justify enlargement to their own voters, many of whom remain skeptical about admitting new members.

“I have repeatedly said that the EU and its member states, especially some of them, may not have the capacity to face the final moment – to stand before their citizens and say they will admit new countries,” Rama said.

He warned that even if candidate countries meet all requirements, the process could still stall if a few member states fail to secure domestic support.

“The risk is that all countries become ready, and suddenly two or three states – we know which ones – may not find the political capacity to proceed. That would mean the process could remain hostage to that fact,” Rama said, adding that EU dynamics are often unpredictable due to domestic political developments.

Rama also pointed to political uncertainty in France, where presidential elections are scheduled for 2027, noting that France is a key player in the enlargement process.

“France ratifies the accession of a new EU member not like others, but with a two-thirds majority in parliament or through a referendum,” he said, adding that the country currently faces difficulties forming a majority government due to parliamentary fragmentation.

He added that it is unclear what position France’s next president may take on enlargement, underscoring the need to work proactively to maintain momentum in the accession process.

Referring again to critics of the initiative, Rama suggested they seek answers from policymakers in Berlin.

“They can go to Berlin and ask whether it is worth fighting for this idea or whether they should remain silent because they are completely out of the game,” Rama said. “I know what they would be told there.”

/a.f/u.sh/

In a brief statement to reporters, Vučić said that he has already held talks with European leaders.

“I had talks with European leaders, including Kaja Kallas. I think it is an opportunity for all of us to do something more, to work with more dedication and to achieve some results. However, we have many economic challenges,” said Vučić.

On the other hand, when asked by journalists, he spoke about the economic developments and projects that are in Serbia. /j.p/p.s./

The meeting was confirmed by the European Commission’s leading spokesperson Peter Stano on Thursday.

The high-level meeting the meeting will be overseen by EU officials Josep Borrell, the High Representative for Foreign Affairs, and Miroslav Lajčák, the Special Envoy for the Dialogue.

The decision to convene this new round of talks follows visits by Lajčák to Kosovo and Serbia this week, focusing on advancing the implementation of previous agreements.

/REL/u.sh/

Prime Minister of Kosovo Albin Kurti supported the Bank’s decision on use of Euro in payments, but President of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic considered it an attack against the Serbian population in Kosovo.

“The ultimate goal of the measures taken by Kosovo is to create unbearable living conditions and expel the Serbs from the territory of Kosovo,” Vucic said.

PM Kurti argued that the Bank’s regulation that entered into force on February 1 does not ban the dinar or the Serbian government to offer financial support for the Serbs of Kosovo.

According to Kurti, the citizens in the north of Kosovo are being threatened every day by criminal groups that accept money smuggled mainly from the border with Serbia.

As for Banjska event, Vucic said that Serbia has started investigative procedures and that there will be indictments against the responsible persons./rel/p.s./

President of Republic of Serbisë, AleksandarVučić: I welcomed the Prime Minister of Albania, Edi Rama.

I think that after a decade of silence in the relations between Serbia and Albania, I would say between the Serbs and the Albanians, it was the two of us who started to change the bad political legacy and I think that in previous years we have shown concrete results that our nations, our citizens and our peoples can move forward faster and forge closer cooperation. If you look at the numbers and the level of trade exchange in the period from 2019 to the end of 2022, you will see how significantly the cooperation between our countries has increased, both import and export from one country and from another. It coincides with the Open Balkans, but also with better political relations.

We have always supported activities related to this very useful regional format and we believe that it will contribute to cooperation, improvement of the reconciliation process and overcoming inherited problems from the past.

We are committed to actively contribute to the implementation of plans for the regional market, and most likely you already know that the National Assembly has ratified the agreement on free movement with ID cards only and on recognition of the professional qualifications in April 2023 and entered into force in June 1, 2023.

Apart from that, we are convinced that Prime Minister Edi Rama will invest more energy to deliver significant results for the upcoming period.

We discussed the Open Balkans initiative, the accomplishments under this initiative to date, and we will continue discussion during our dinner. Of course, we will have not easy talks, but I am confident we will have fruitful discussions. As for the Open Balkans, we launched the initiative together with Albania and North Macedonia, and it brought benefits to all our citizens. It can contribute to a better standard of all our citizens.

We will continue to have meetings on this topic, and you already know that preparations are being made and a third European level fair will take place, namely the Wine Vision Fair in Belgrade in October and I think it will be an international-level fair.

And of course we talked about regional issues and our often different views on situation in Kosovo, but I don’t think it would be fair or correct to do that in Albanian Prime Minister’s presence, and I don’t think he would do it either. Our differences or ​​our views on how to resolve the problems, leave it to us, so we will leave it to what belongs to our countries and continue the discussion further during the evening. I would like to once again welcome Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama. He is always welcome in our country, despite our different views on some issues, and Serbia will continue to develop strong and friendly relations with the Republic of Albania.

Prime Minister of the Republic of Albania, Edi Rama: I would like to thank you for the hospitality and the opportunity to meet in the framework of the tour to all Western Balkan capitals to discuss the topic of the upcoming Berlin Process Summit in Tirana and also discuss topics of common interest even more widely than that.

Given that the Prime Minister was not present, the meeting with the President will last longer than it would have lasted with her. This will certainly provide us the opportunity to discuss extensively not only topics such as the Berlin Process, but also to focus all together so that the Berlin Process Summit in Tirana becomes successful and success means that we succeed in making sure that the EU funding for the Western Balkan countries increases above the ceiling current IPA funds under the new European Commission plan and I believe that we could make a new plan so that the EC could draw up a new financial plan, so that our countries would be in the single economic market. We are also talking about other aspects, which, as the President already noted, are not always agreeable and quite convergent when it comes to certain aspects, but we have acquired the habit of openly and straightforwardly exchanging opinions and sometimes we agree not to agree on everything, yet it should not hamper us from keeping making efforts and working for the benefit of the goals, that I think are common goals of everyone, to take further forward a process of cooperation and peace and it is up to us to make it irreversible.

In order to concretely cooperate and work to do our best, we need moments like this that we know it is a specific moment with tensions currently running high in north of Kosovo and as for the situation in Kosovo, we do not express our opinions so as not to influence the situation.

/u.sh/

During a press conference, Rama said that they are wasting their time with their comings and goings to Brussels or statements of going there or not.

“Meanwhile, the situation on the ground is degrading daily. And explosion of that situation would have extraordinary consequences for everyone”, warned Rama.

Therefore, Rama added, “I think it is very important that the two leaders get together into a conference under the auspices of the godfathers of the plan and stay inside until they have resolved all the points and normalized the relations”.

Rama also said that, “The daily reality today is becoming the basis for a very negative reality tomorrow in all aspects. It’s not relevant at all; it’s not up to me to discuss the economy of Kosovo or even less that of Serbia”.

“So, I think the only beneficiary of this situation is that gentleman sitting in the Kremlin”, said Rama./p.s./

“We have said a lot about our expectations, the potential consequences and steps. The main goal is that the meeting takes place in Brussels, but I have nothing to announce regarding this issue,” Stano said in a press conference.

Stano said that he can’t confirm a date for the meeting called by the EU’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell last week.

“We are waiting and we very much hope that a meeting date and modalities can be set. We have no time to waste. Now is the time for action, not for words and speculation,” Stano said.

Diplomatic sources told Radio Free Europe that meeting could take place on June 22 or 23, but they also suggested that Kurti and Vucic may not meet face to face, but instead hold bilateral meetings with Borrell.

/u.sh/

The European External Action Service published the Declaration on Missing Persons after the PM Kurti and Serbian President adopted the text of the deal on the missing persons within the timeframe 1 January 1998 – 31 December 2000.

The Declaration also includes persons forcibly disappeared, a phrase about which the Kosovo delegation insisted to be included in the document.

Under this Declaration, the two parties jointly commit to ensure full access to reliable and accurate information that helps to locate and identify the remaining Missing Persons within the timeframe 1 January 1998 – 31 December 2000 and this includes all materials, notes, orders, documents, videos, audio recordings, and any other documents including those having classified status, under the possession of institutions of both parties, relevant to this context, to make available all domestic and international documentation of significance in determining the fate of the remaining Missing Persons.

There are 1,643 people still listed as missing from the Kosovo war.

Full text of the Declaration:

Emphasizing the importance of resolving the fate of the remaining Missing Persons to bring closure to the suffering of their loved ones and to foster lasting reconciliation and peace,

Bearing in mind that this Declaration follows the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) understanding of Missing Persons, which includes persons forcibly disappeared,

Recalling that all categories of Missing Persons, will be treated with equal priority,

Acknowledging the important work done through the Working Group on Missing Persons, chaired by the ICRC,

Encouraging cooperation with other relevant actors in the field of Missing Persons, in particular International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP),

Recognising the issue of Missing Persons as a humanitarian one,

Noting the urgent need for additional efforts to alleviate the human suffering of the families,

We jointly commit

To ensure full implementation of respective commitments in the field of Missing Persons,

to closely cooperate on identifying burial sites and follow-up on the excavations,

to ensure full access to reliable and accurate information that helps to locate and identify the remaining Missing Persons within the timeframe 1 January 1998 – 31 December 2000. This includes all materials, notes, orders, documents, videos, audio recordings, and any other documents including those having classified status, under the possession of institutions of both parties, relevant to this context,

to make available all domestic and international documentation of significance in determining the fate of the remaining Missing Persons,

to use satellite data, LIDAR and other advanced technology in detecting mass graves,

to enable and encourage active engagement of families of Missing Persons in the process of identifying their fates,

to adequately ensure the rights and address the needs of the families of Missing Persons,

to establish and work together through a Joint Commission chaired by the European Union and observed by the ICRC with the aim of supporting the effort to resolve the fate of the remaining Missing Persons,

to monitor and support the work and the progress made by the Working Group on Missing Persons through the Joint Commission. In this context, the parties will review and update the Terms of Reference and General framework of the Working Group.

/KosovaPress/u.sh/

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell convened the meeting between Kosovo PM Kurti and the Serbian President Vucic.

PM Kurti had talks with U.S. Special Envoy for the Western Balkans Gabriel Escobar ahead of the meeting.

In a statement via the social media ahead of the meeting, Serbian President Vucic said that it will be difficult, because “all the big ones in the West are against us,” without elaborating who he was referring to.

The leaders are expected to discuss the issue of the missing people, as well as a draft status of the  association of Serb-majority municipalities in Kosovo.

/KosovaPress/u.sh/