Although Serbia continues to create obstacles in the process of clarifying the fate of missing persons, Kosovo will not give up its pursuit of truth and justice, acting Prime Minister Albin Kurti has said.

Writing on the X platform about the start of excavations at a mass grave in the village of Kalludër in Zubin Potok, Kurti said the remains of 23 intellectuals from Mitrovica are believed to be located there. They included doctors, professors and human rights activists who were abducted and disappeared on April 19, 1999.

“Despite Serbia’s continued obstruction of efforts to clarify the fate of these innocent people, the Republic of Kosovo will not stop seeking truth and justice,” Kurti wrote.

He stressed that Kosovo’s institutions remain determined to find every missing person, uncover every hidden grave and bring those responsible to justice, so that the families of the missing may finally find some measure of peace and solace.

According to Kurti, although more than a quarter of a century has passed since the end of the 1998-1999 war, the families of 1,565 people who were forcibly disappeared, including more than 100 children, are still waiting to learn what happened to their loved ones.

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The European Union’s Special Envoy for the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia, Peter Sorensen, was received today in a meeting by Kosovo’s caretaker Prime Minister, Albin Kurti.

During the talks, the parties addressed current relations with the European Union, dynamics in the Western Balkans region, and the progress of the dialogue process. Special attention was paid to the current state of this process and the prospects for the next steps.

In this context, Prime Minister Kurti underlined Kosovo’s commitment to a constructive approach, highlighting the aim for sustainable peace, security within the Euro-Atlantic framework, long-term stability, and good neighborly relations according to European standards.

When addressing the issue of the return of Serbian judges and prosecutors who resigned, raised by Envoy Sorensen, the caretaker Prime Minister stated that the Government of Kosovo strongly relies on constitutional and legal principles, seeking equality for all citizens and inclusion of communities. He emphasized that personnel in the Republic’s institutions must reflect ethnic diversity and be guided by professional competence and ethical integrity, whether in the police, the judicial system, or the prosecution.

Kurti recalled that the collective resignations that occurred four years ago in the north of the Ibër River aimed to undermine the multiethnic character of the country’s democratic system. According to him, the way forward is determined by the Constitution and laws of Kosovo, which for the judicial system mean simultaneously preserving multiethnicity and guaranteeing the independence and quality of justice.

Also during the meeting, other current dialogue issues were discussed, with a special emphasis on the necessity of fully respecting the Basic Agreement of Brussels and the Ohrid Implementation Annex, without any violations.

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Kosovo’s acting president, Albulena Haxhiu, announced several days ago that the constitutive session of the new Assembly legislature, resulting from the June 7 elections, is expected to be held in early August.

However, there are still no concrete signs that the political parties are close to a compromise. For this reason, it remains uncertain whether the institutions will be formed within the deadline or whether Kosovo will enter another political crisis, with consequences for the functioning of the state.

Speaking to “Bota sot,” Albanian-American activist Agim Aliçkaj described the formation of new institutions as urgent and called on the parties to find a solution as soon as possible. He also referred to the invitations the acting prime minister has extended to opposition leaders for meetings.

According to Aliçkaj, after three rounds of elections that he considers entirely unnecessary, efforts to establish state institutions have become a matter that can no longer wait. He said that swift results must be achieved this time, as otherwise the functioning and very existence of the Republic of Kosovo would be at risk.

He said Prime Minister Kurti appears to have understood the importance of his role by respectfully inviting the leaders of the PDK, LDK and AAK to serious and proper talks on establishing the governing institutions. However, according to him, the statements and conduct of opposition leaders during the initial contacts do not indicate that they have properly understood the seriousness of this emergency.

Aliçkaj criticized the opposition parties’ responses to Kurti’s invitation, saying that they were showing no willingness to compromise. In his assessment, the AAK is avoiding dialogue, while the PDK intends to remain in opposition and is counting on the possibility of new elections.

Speaking about the AAK, he said its leader, Ardian Gjini, had rejected talks by presenting six demands, even though he claims they are not conditions. According to Aliçkaj, Gjini feels secure because he believes the party has nothing more to lose and that its loyal voters guarantee its presence in Parliament. He claimed that preventing the winner from governing is more important to the AAK leader, even if the state is weakened, adding that a party with such an approach does not deserve to cross the electoral threshold.

Regarding the PDK, Aliçkaj said its leader had merely made public the decision of those he called the party’s real bosses that it should remain in opposition. According to him, this amounts to a boycott of the process of establishing the institutions, in the hope that LVV and the divided LDK will be unable to secure a quorum for the election of the president and that the country will be forced to hold elections again.

He claimed that the PDK’s interest in a new electoral process is linked to what he described as deceptions by Serbian lobbyist and former US ambassador Richard Grenell regarding the release of Thaçi and Veseli from the Hague Court. Aliçkaj added that even if they were released, their impact on the vote would be minimal. According to him, the party’s real problems are corruption, subservience to foreigners and concessions to Serbia, and without apologizing for past mistakes and changing, it cannot secure new votes.

As for the LDK, Aliçkaj said the party is gripped by major internal uncertainty and that it is unclear who controls it. He recalled that leader Lumir Abdixhiku and former President Vjosa Osmani had begun talks with Prime Minister Kurti on the possibility of a coalition on a positive note, but claimed that Abdixhiku was forced to suspend them quickly after his position came under threat.

According to Aliçkaj, the LDK leader must now resolve his disagreements with fellow party members, some of whom, he claimed, sympathize with the Serb List, some with the priests of the Patriarchate of Peja and others with the PDK.

The Albanian activist further warned that the protracted political crisis is creating a dangerous situation for the state of Kosovo. He said there is no longer any room for boycotts, blockades or excuses and that blaming other parties serves no one.

Aliçkaj emphasized that only the people of Kosovo can determine who is to blame and that a people who have suffered so much and shown such patience cannot be deceived. According to him, responsibility for forming the institutions rests with all the parties that participated in the elections and, in particular, with the lawmakers elected by the people, regardless of who won and who lost.

He called on the losing parties to accept the result, act as a constructive opposition, change and work hard toward a possible victory in the regular elections four years from now. According to him, the citizens’ vote has designated Kurti as the leader.

Aliçkaj said everyone must respect the popular will expressed through the vote and understand that without a state they represent nothing. He said that, for the third consecutive time and by a decisive vote, citizens had expressed their desire for Kosovo to be led by Prime Minister Albin Kurti and his coalition.

According to him, if the lawmakers elected by the people follow the path of God rather than that of the devil, a solution can easily be found. He said Mr. Kurti could form the government and Parliament through a simple coalition, as needed.

For the presidency, Aliçkaj proposed putting forward three capable, independent and nonpartisan candidates. According to him, lawmakers should remain in the chamber and vote, as this is an obligation arising from the mandate for which they were elected, while the president should be elected by a majority vote.

Finally, he described Kosovo’s Constitution as highly complex and drafted for educated and conscientious people, but said it had granted excessive privileges to minorities. According to Aliçkaj, the Serb List is abusing these provisions with the aim of destroying the state.

He also criticized the decision of Kosovo’s Constitutional Court, saying that the election of the president had been complicated by what he called the unnecessary requirement for a quorum of two-thirds of lawmakers. Aliçkaj called for ways to be found to change these rules in order to create a normal situation and prevent the state from being blocked.

Concluding his remarks to “Bota sot,” Agim Aliçkaj said that establishing the institutions constitutes a state and national obligation. He warned that boycotting and blocking them for an extended period, regardless of the reasons, could turn into hostility and treason against the state and the nation.

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A few days ago, Albulena Haxhiu, acting President of Kosovo, announced that the session for the constitution of the next legislature of the Assembly, resulting from the June 7 elections, is expected to be held in the first weeks of August.

However, due to the lack of concrete indicators of an agreement between the parties, it remains unclear whether the country will be able to establish its institutions within the deadlines or will face a new political blockade and the consequences it brings to state functioning.

On this issue, Agim Aliçkaj, an Albanian activist from the United States, told “Bota sot”, describing the formation of new institutions as an emergency and stressing that political forces must reach a solution without wasting time.

In this context, he also refers to the calls of the acting prime minister for meetings with opposition leaders.

“Efforts to constitute the state bodies, after three rounds of completely unnecessary elections, have become an immediate necessity, which now must absolutely produce quick results. Otherwise, the functioning and the very existence of the Republic of Kosovo are endangered.

Prime Minister Kurti seems to have understood the weight of his role, by respectfully inviting the leaders of PDK, LDK and AAK to regular and serious discussions on the formation of governing institutions. The statements and positions of the opposition leaders during the first contacts do not indicate that they are up to the task of perceiving the seriousness of this emergency situation,” he said.

Furthermore, Aliçkaj commented on the opposition parties’ reactions to Kurti’s invitation, criticizing them for a lack of readiness for compromise. He said that AAK is opposing dialogue, while PDK, according to him, aims to remain in opposition and counts on new elections.

For the LDK, Aliçkaj stressed that it is going through a period of internal confusion, which, according to him, has also led to the suspension of negotiations for a possible cooperation with the Vetëvendosje Movement.

“The head of AAK, Ardian Gjini, has opposed the talks, presenting six conditions, which he says are not conditions. He seems relaxed, because he thinks his party has nothing left to lose and that it has a stable electorate to secure a presence in Parliament. For him, it is more important that the winner does not govern, even if the state weakens. Such a political entity does not deserve to pass the electoral threshold.

The head of PDK has merely made public the decision of the party’s real leaders that it should remain in opposition. This implies boycotting the process of creating institutions, in the hope that LVV, together with the divided LDK, will not manage to secure the quorum for electing the President, and that the country will head towards new elections.

PDK’s interest in new elections is based on the manipulations of the Serbian lobbyist, former US ambassador Richard Grenell, for the release of Thaçi and Veseli from the Hague Tribunal. They fail to understand that, even if released, their impact on votes will be negligible. Their core problem is corruption, subservience to foreigners, and concessions to Serbia. If they do not apologize for past mistakes and do not transform themselves, they have no way to gain new votes.

The LDK has turned into complete chaos and it is unknown who controls it. The head of LDK, Lumir Abdixhiku, together with former President Vjosa Osmani, started discussions well with Prime Minister Kurti for a possible coalition. But very soon he had to suspend the talks because his position was jeopardized. Now he must deal with internal party factions, some of whom have sympathies for the Serbian List, some for the clerics of the Patriarchate of Peja, and some for PDK,” he underlined.

Further, the Albanian activist stressed that political blockades are seriously damaging the state, adding that all parties bear responsibility for creating new institutions.

“The prolonged political crisis is turning into a threatening situation for the state of Kosovo. There is no more room for boycotts, blockades, or justifications for them. Blaming others does not benefit anyone.

Only the people of Kosovo determine the guilty ones, and this much-suffering, patient people cannot be fooled. All parties that took part in the elections bear responsibility for setting up institutions, especially the deputies elected by the people, regardless of who won and who lost.”

Likewise, he called on the opposition to accept the result and cooperate with the winning force, since the citizens, with their vote, chose Kurti as leader.

Regarding the president’s issue, according to him, three capable, independent, and non-partisan candidacies should be proposed.

“The losers of the elections have only one honorable path: to become a constructive opposition, to change, and to work hard for a possible victory in regular elections four years from now.

Everyone must respect the people’s will expressed through the vote and understand once and for all that, without the state, they are nobody. For the third time in a row, by a strong vote, the people are expressing their desire that the state be led by Prime Minister Albin Kurti and his coalition.

If the deputies elected by the people are on the path of God and not of the devil, the solution is easy. The Government and Parliament can be formed by Mr. Kurti, with some light coalition as needed. Three capable, independent, and non-partisan candidates should be proposed for president. The deputies must stay in the hall for the vote, as required by the obligation of the work for which they were elected. The president should be elected by majority vote,” he elaborated.

In the end, he added that the Constitution of Kosovo has provisions that, according to him, allow the blocking of institutions, and that they should be reviewed to prevent political crises.

Aliçkaj stressed that creating institutions is a state and national obligation, noting that prolonged boycotts and blockades damage the state’s functioning.

“The Constitution of Kosovo is highly complicated and was drafted for elevated and conscientious people, but it has also given excessive privileges to minorities. The Serbian List exploits it with the aim of destroying the state. The Constitutional Court of Kosovo has complicated the election of the President with the decision on the unnecessary quorum requirement of two-thirds of deputies. Ways must be found to change these rules and create a normal situation that does not allow the blocking of the state.

Creating institutions is a state and national obligation. Their prolonged boycott and blockade, regardless of the reasons, can turn into hostility and treason against the state and nation,” concluded Agim Aliçkaj for “Bota sot”.

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The government reshuffle process began this week after parliament accepted Prime Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko’s resignation on July 15, which also led to the resignation of her entire cabinet.

Serhii Koretskyi is a Ukrainian executive with a long career in the energy and private sectors.

Since 2025, he has served as chief executive officer of Naftogaz, Ukraine’s largest state-owned oil and gas company.

Before that, Koretskyi had built extensive experience leading private companies and state-owned energy enterprises.

He holds three university degrees: in Vehicles and Automotive Engineering, Business Economics from Lutsk Technical University, and Oil and Gas Production from the Ivano-Frankivsk National Technical University of Oil and Gas. In 2019, he also completed an executive business administration programme at the Kyiv-Mohyla Business School.

From private business to leading state-owned companies

Koretskyi worked for nearly two decades at Continuum Group (1997–2018), where in 2013 he became head of the WOG fuel station network. During his leadership, the company expanded its services and developed new business models, including the expansion of its cafe sector.

He later launched his own ventures, including the IDEALIST cafe chain and the Swiss energy trading company Centurion Group SA. In November 2022, Koretskyi was appointed head of Ukrnafta and Ukrtatnafta, where he led projects to modernise equipment and launch new drilling projects. In April 2025, Naftogaz’s supervisory board appointed him as the company’s chief executive officer.

The challenges of leading Ukraine during the war

Koretskyi takes over the Ukrainian government at a difficult time, as Russia has intensified missile and drone attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. The attacks have caused major damage to the gas sector and affected the country’s daily production.

His appointment is seen as a choice that brings a figure with management and energy-sector experience to the head of government at a time when Ukraine faces major economic and security challenges.

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Svyrydenko’s dismissal

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced plans to reorganise the cabinet of ministers. He has offered Svyrydenko a new position, but did not provide details. In her statement, she confirmed her resignation and her willingness to continue working in the new role. It is likely to be the position of Ukraine’s ambassador to the United States.

The prime minister’s resignation also means the resignation of the government. Therefore, following the appointment of a new prime minister, Ukraine’s parliament must reappoint the ministers. Among the candidates mentioned to lead the government are former prime minister and current Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal, Digital Transformation Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov, and Serhii Koretsky, chief executive of the state-owned company Naftogaz.

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At the Assembly building, Kosovo’s acting prime minister and at the same time leader of the Vetëvendosje Movement, Albin Kurti, first held a meeting with the chairman of the Democratic Party of Kosovo, Bedri Hamza.

Later, at 18:00, a meeting with LDK leader Lumir Abdixhiku is also scheduled.

As he entered the Assembly together with acting Finance Minister Hekuran Murati, Kurti said: “We expect the meeting to be constructive and to establish the institutions of the eleventh legislature.”

Hamza, meanwhile, told reporters that he expects the meeting to conclude successfully so that the country has “institutions, institutional stability and progress”.

These meetings are being held two days after the result of the June snap parliamentary elections was certified, elections that were called after parties failed months earlier to reach agreement on the country’s new president.

Kurti had also invited Alliance leader Ardian Gjini to the meeting, but the latter rejected the invitation, arguing that his party has already presented six conditions that Kurti would have to meet in exchange for support for the creation of the institutions.

Political analyst Ilir Deda described these meetings as positive, but underlined that the last moment has arrived “for political leaders, with one or two meetings at most,” to “give an answer on the creation of institutions”.

In a statement to Radio Free Europe, Deda said that holding new elections would be very harmful for the country. According to him, “Kurti, Hamza and Abdixhiku have an extraordinary responsibility to reach an understanding together and give Kosovo a functional Government, a president and political stability in the next four years.”

According to the final result of the June 7 elections, Kurti’s LVV won 53 mandates, the PDK 22 seats, the LDK 18 and the Alliance seven.

After the certification of the results, deputies of the new legislature must constitute the Assembly, form the Government and elect the president.

To constitute the Assembly and form the Government, 61 votes are needed in the 120-seat Assembly. Kurti’s party has the votes for the first two processes, as it is also backed by the votes of non-Serb minority parties, which have ten mandates.

However, there is still no agreement or consensus on the name of the president.

For the vote for president to be valid in the first two rounds, the presence of two-thirds of lawmakers in the Assembly is required.

If a political agreement is missing, this remains impossible for each parliamentary party.

The Constitution stipulates that the president must be elected within 60 days from the day the Assembly is constituted.

If this does not happen, the Assembly is dissolved and the country goes to new elections. If the country goes to elections again, then they would be the fourth parliamentary elections since February 2025.

Parties’ positions

A few days ago, LVV official Arbërie Nagavci told Radio Free Europe that her party has the votes needed to create the new Government and that for the election of the president it will seek consensus with the other parties.

According to this party, the president should be a consensual and non-partisan figure. Months earlier, LVV had proposed two names from civil society for the post, Feride Rushiti and Hatixhe Hoxha, but failed to reach agreement with opposition parties and these candidacies did not secure the necessary votes.

PDK, LDK and the Alliance, the three opposition parties, have presented several conditions for possible cooperation with Kurti’s party.

Hamza has said that before discussing possible governing cooperation, a series of issues should be addressed with LVV, such as wages and pensions, energy capacities, American gas and Kosovo’s membership in the European Union.

For the LDK, according to Abdixhiku, Kosovo’s strategic orientation, including American gas, remains a “precondition of political existence”.

As for the Alliance, among its six conditions are Kosovo’s acceptance of the American gas project, the construction of a coal-fired power plant and several other economy-related demands.

Political affairs expert Ilir Deda told Radio Free Europe that all the opposition parties’ demands are in Kosovo’s interest and, according to him, are aimed at increasing citizens’ well-being as well as deepening “Kosovo’s partnership with the United States”.

Business chambers: Rejecting gas endangers Kosovo’s partnership with the US

Kurti’s acting government is facing calls from the US Embassy, opposition parties and business chambers to join regional initiatives for the liquefied natural gas (LNG) network, backed by the United States.

Two days ago, the chargé d’affaires at the US Embassy in Prishtina, Anu Prattipati, reiterated the request that Kosovo be supplied with American LNG “to secure American investments in the future”.

Despite this, so far Kosovo’s executive has given no signals that it is ready to become part of these initiatives, while acting Economy Minister Artane Rizvanolli and Kurti have mentioned the idea of gasifying domestic coal.

The post Political leaders begin talks on forming new institutions appeared first on Albeu.com.

Berisha said that Rama has attacked bloggers and influencers, has declared “the algorithm as the black ogre” and, according to him, instead of reflecting on citizens’ demands, he is focused on targeting participants and figures linked to the protest.

He also said that the prime minister had tried to discredit specific individuals, mentioning the case of a woman who, according to him, was declared “non grata” simply because she had a photo with Ahmadinejad.

“He declares a lady non grata because she had a photo with Ahmadinejad. But allow me to tell you something, citizens. I was prime minister in office when foreign intelligence services informed me that Edi Rama had gone to Tehran and had met with Ahmadinejad,” Berisha said.

He went on to declare that Rama had traveled to Iran several times and added that Erion Veliaj had also made that trip several times.

According to Berisha, investigations by the competent authorities had found that in at least one case, Rama had taken part in the Socialist International convened in Iran by Ahmadinejad.

Berisha raised the question of what this situation means when, on the one hand, according to him, a woman is declared “non grata” simply because, as he explained, she had received a medal as a reader of the Quran at a religious conference.

The head of the Democratic Party also spoke about attacks that, according to him, have been made against figures linked to the KLA. He said matters had gone so far that figures from the war were being smeared, mentioning former KLA fighter Tahir Sinani.

According to him, bills and documents have been brought out and sought out “like the hyenas of the former secret police,” without any interpretation, with the aim of tarnishing the war and the KLA, simply because the KLA flag was also waved at the protest.

Berisha also mocked Rama’s attempt to use the flamingo symbol, which has become an identifier of the protest. He said the prime minister is trying to fight the protesters by other means, by printing the flamingo on his shirt or posting it on Facebook, but that he has no moral right to do so.

“You can print Lubi Balluku, the two Lindas, Gys Agasi, Engjëll Agaçi, Aruba on your shirt. You can print drugs, cocaine, but never flamingos,” Berisha said.

He added that at other times Rama places them in his main Facebook photo, believing that this makes him friendlier toward them.

In conclusion, Berisha called on the prime minister to step down, declaring that he is “the fiercest enemy of Albanian youth.”

“You are arrogant, you are cynical, you hate them and you want them to leave Albania. Therefore, resign immediately because their patience is running out,” he said.

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