UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, September 1, 2025

Albanian Language Media:

Kosovo Assembly Presidency meeting fails due to lack of quorum (media)
Basha holds consultative and informative meeting with Osmani (media)
Murati: Ready to elect government even without Serb Deputy Speaker (ekonomia)
Rasic against Serbian List being declared a terrorist organization (media)
Court confirms receiving Serbian List complaint about Deputy Speaker (media)
Gervalla in Slovenia, participating at Bled Strategic Forum 2025 (RTK)
Serwer: Assembly deadlock damages Kosovo’s image as a success story (RTK)
Stojkovic calls on Serbs in Kosovo not to vote for the Serbian List (Kosovapress)
Police: Graffiti in the north calling for peace are old (AP)
Serbian national released after distributing hate-inciting leaflets (media)
AJK: Man arrested after threatening journalist Vehbi Kajtazi (media)

Serbian Language Media:

Vucic in China, planned meetings with Putin and Jinping (Kosovo Online, N1)
Bled strategic forum starts today, Djuric to represent Serbia (Beta, Kosovo Online)
North Mitrovica: Marking of ten months since the fall of the canopy in Novi Sad (Alternativna)
North Mitrovica: Minors in the police station because of T-shirts with controversial inscriptions (KiM radio, Alternativna)
Posters with the tricolor appeared in Serbian areas in Kosovo, one person arrested in Leposavic (Kontakt plus radio, Alternativna, Kosovo Online, RTS)
A mural dedicated to the KLA appeared in Decani, while in the north all murals have recently been painted over (Kosovo Online)

International:

‘Normalised’: The reality of online violence for Kosovo’s young (BIRN)
Kosovo’s justice system unprepared in the battle against disinformation (PI)
Back to school in Serbia? Universities seek to break student boycott (RFE)
Leaked recordings reveal Vučić’s plot to neutralise Serbia’s few remaining independent media (EWB)

Albanian Language Media

Kosovo Assembly Presidency meeting fails due to lack of quorum (media)

All news websites report that the meeting of the Kosovo Assembly Presidency today failed due to lack of quorum. Present at the meeting, in addition to Assembly Speaker Dimal Basha, were deputy speakers Albulena Haxhiu (Vetevendosje) and Emilija Rexhepi (from non-Serb communities), while deputy speakers from the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) and the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) did not attend. The regulation for the work of the Assembly notes that the meeting is held when the majority of the presidency are present. The fifth deputy speaker, from the Serb community, has not been elected yet. MPs from the Serb community failed to secure the 61 required votes for the deputy speaker, and Basha declared the constitutive session of the Assembly to be complete. His decision was supported by the Vetevendosje Movement, but parties that were in the opposition in the previous mandate argued that the Assembly can be considered constituted only in its full composition with five deputy speakers.

Basha told a press conference today that the Kosovo Assembly cannot remain non-functional because of the non-election of one of its deputy speakers. He said that as the Assembly has its speaker and four deputy speakers, there is a quorum to continue its work. He said that all MPs from the Serbian List were included in the vote and that none of them got the required number of votes to be elected a deputy speaker. “As Speaker, I either had to stop the work or continue it. I believe that the Assembly must not remain non-functional because of the non-election of a deputy speaker. It is my responsibility to functionalize the Assembly … There is no logic in blocking the Assembly of the Republic because of the non-election of a deputy speaker. We have five members in the presidency. The timeline to set a prime minister designate should begin and we need functional institutions as the people expect of us. We also have pressure and requests from our international friends for the Assembly to continue its work,” he argued.

Basha holds consultative and informative meeting with Osmani (media)

Most news websites report that Kosovo Assembly Speaker Dimal Basha held a consultative and informative meeting with Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani today . “Basha informed Osmani about the end of the constitutive session and the two institutional leaders discussed further steps. Speaker Basha and President Osmani talked about the necessity of constitutional and legal processes to move with the foreseen dynamic, in order to enable the election of the new government as soon as possible, as a responsibility of the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo. The heads of institutions highlighted the importance of the functionality of institutions and political stability in the face of internal and international challenges, underlining that the citizens of the Republic of Kosovo expect efficiency and responsibility from their leaders. Assembly Speaker Dimal Basha reconfirmed his commitment for the Kosovo Assembly to exercise its full constitutional role after the constitution, while President Osmani reiterated her readiness to cooperate closely with all institutions for the good of the citizens of Kosovo,” a press release issued by the Kosovo Assembly notes.

Murati: Ready to elect government even without Serb Deputy Speaker (ekonomia)

Vetevendosje MP Hekuran Murati said that his party is prepared to move forward with the election of Albin Kurti’s government “even as things stand now, without a Serb Deputy Speaker” of the Assembly, claiming they have the necessary votes. “There is no other way. The deputy speakers have been elected, and all that remains is one alternative on how to proceed further without one deputy speaker, which is one out of six, or the country goes to new elections. So, we are ready to continue with forming the government as it is now, and for the institutions to move forward. Otherwise, we return to elections, which we would not prefer. The opposition is not interested in testing whether Kurti has the votes for a government. This is the opportunity,” Murati said.

Rasic against Serbian List being declared a terrorist organization (media)

Kosovo Serb MP Nenad Rasic said today that he does not believe declaring the Serbian List a terrorist organization would be the right solution. “I don’t think this would be the right solution, although I experience problems from the Serbian List that you cannot even imagine. Nevertheless, I am not in favor of such a decision because this would not be in the spirit of the democracy that we want to build,” he said.

Rasic, who tried three times to be elected Deputy Speaker from the Serb community but failed, said that with all his respect for [Assembly Speaker] Dimal Basha, the latter should not have declared the constitution of the Assembly. “In my opinion it [the Assembly] has not been constituted and we need to wait for a decision from the Constitutional Court,” Rasic told T7.

Court confirms receiving Serbian List complaint about Deputy Speaker (media)

The Constitutional Court of Kosovo confirmed to several news websites today that it has received a complaint from the Serbian List about the election of a Deputy Speaker of the Assembly from the Serb community. The Serbian List submitted their complaint electronically on August 30. The court did not say how much time it will need to review the complaint.

Gervalla in Slovenia, participating at Bled Strategic Forum 2025 (RTK)

Kosovo’s caretaker Minister for Foreign Affairs, Donika Gervalla is attending the 20^th Bled Strategic Forum in Slovenia, themed “A runaway World.” She will speak on Kosovo’s vision for multilateralism, highlight Kosovo’s Euro-Atlantic progress and hold bilateral meetings to strengthen diplomatic ties and advance national interests.

Serwer: Assembly deadlock damages Kosovo’s image as a success story (RTK)

The U.S. professor and Balkan expert Daniel Serwer has warned that the ongoing political deadlock in constituting Kosovo’s Assembly and forming a new government is undermining Kosovo’s reputation as a democratic success story.

In an interview with RTK, Serwer said that while the crisis is unlikely to trigger internal instability, it prevents institutions from functioning effectively and slows Kosovo’s progress toward Euro-Atlantic integration. He argued that the stalemate also weakens Kosovo’s position in dialogue with Serbia.

“Reaching an agreement to form a functional and empowered government is the first essential step,” Serwer emphasized.

According to him, the deadlock stems from an unclear election outcome combined with political stubbornness, not from deeper institutional flaws. He noted that Kosovo has managed peaceful transfers of power in the past without such blockades.

Serwer cautioned that repeated political impasses damage Kosovo’s democratic image abroad. “It is a serious obstacle not to have a fully functional and empowered government,” he said.

Asked about Serbia, Serwer acknowledged that Belgrade may try to exploit Kosovo’s internal disagreements but argued that Serbia itself faces a less stable and less democratic political environment.

He added that Kosovo cannot make real progress toward NATO and EU membership without a government capable of passing legislation to implement the acquis communautaire. Preparations may continue, he noted, but legislative paralysis will block key reforms.

Looking ahead, Serwer expressed optimism that Kosovo has the capacity to strengthen its democratic culture. “Democracy does not develop overnight, and every democracy faces challenges. Even the United States today is facing some very serious challenges,” he concluded.

Stojkovic calls on Serbs in Kosovo not to vote for the Serbian List (Kosovapress)

Serbian opposition politician Cedomir Stojkovic has made a public appeal to Serbs in Kosovo, calling on them not to vote for the Serbian List in the local elections scheduled for October 12. According to Stojković, the Serbian List no longer represents the interests of the Serbian community, but is an instrument of Aleksandar Vucic’s regime, serving to maintain political control outside Serbia, the news agency reports.

“Serbs in Kosovo should know that if they vote for the Serbian List, they will be abandoned by Serbia. They will have nothing to do with the new government and Serbia’s future policies. If they vote for them, they are voting for criminals, corrupt individuals, Vucic’s puppets, and we in Belgrade will not tolerate that. If they decide to stay with the criminals, they are no different from them. My message to them is: Leave the Serbian List, let it go down with Vucic, and vote for normal people who want normal relations with Kosovo and Belgrade,” he said.

Stojkovic also said that the current regime in Serbia, led by President Aleksandar Vucic, is trying to regain control over the state and its citizens. He argued Vucic no longer has the support of the people, but only of hooligans, criminals, and terrorists. “When we see Andrej Vucic on the streets, it means that the regime is in serious trouble. Now he is sending his most prominent regime figures onto the streets to maintain discipline among his supporters. From the outset, Vucic has ruled with violence and blackmail. This is how he managed to gather thousands of party members, because people were afraid, under pressure, and being blackmailed. As soon as someone else shows their strength, Vucic’s system collapses. Now everyone who was forced to join his party sees the greatest strength in the Serbian people, and that is why everything is collapsing within the ruling party. In this situation, Vučić sends his most important people, such as his brother, who is de facto his deputy, to restore discipline among his supporters. But now no one wants to join the ruling party anymore, no one wants to support it, no one wants to take to the streets to fight for it. Instead, Vučić is forced to pay hooligans, criminals, and even some terrorists to give the impression that he has support. There is no support for Vucic, there are only paid hooligans, criminals, and terrorists,” he said.

Police: Graffiti in the north calling for peace are old (AP)

Kosovo Police said today that graffiti calling for peace - which some media reported to be seen in the north of Kosovo – are old and have not been painted now. Police deputy director for the north, Veton Elshani told the news website: “no, they [the graffiti] are old and with different calls, including calls for peace”.

The news website recalls that graffitis have consistently appeared in Mitrovica and that police had initiated investigations because they were signed by the so-called Northern Brigade. The Kosovo government had declared the Northern Brigade and the Civil Protection as terrorist organisations in June 2023.

Serbian national released after distributing hate-inciting leaflets in Leposaviq (media)

The Kosovo Police reported on Sunday that a Serbian national was arrested in the northern municipality of Leposaviq on suspicion of distributing materials that incite hatred and intolerance. According to the police, the man was caught during a routine patrol while handing out leaflets in the Serbian language containing messages considered to constitute the criminal offense of “Incitement of hatred and intolerance.”

Following his arrest, the suspect was questioned and then released by order of the prosecutor. Authorities confirmed that the case will continue to be investigated under regular legal procedure. The police emphasized that such acts are taken seriously and remain under close monitoring as part of broader efforts to maintain public order and prevent the spread of ethnic or political tensions in the region.

AJK: Man arrested after threatening journalist Vehbi Kajtazi (media)

The Association of Journalists of Kosovo (AJK) said in a statement that Kosovo Police have arrested 61-year-old Hysni Menxhiq from North Mitrovica following several days of investigation, in connection with a serious murder threat against journalist Vehbi Kajtazi, founder of the "Paparaci" news portal. Menxhiq has been placed under a 48-hour detention order.

The message Menxhiq sent to Kajtazi on Facebook stated: "Vehbi, I will find you in some position in Pristina, I will not let you go without harming your face and stomach, or without putting you in a bag, traitor, a servant of Serbia."

The Association of Journalists of Kosovo (AJK) is both shocked and deeply concerned by the life-threatening nature of the message sent to Kajtazi. The AJK welcomes the arrest of Menxhiq by the Kosovo Police.

The AJK urges the Prosecutor’s Office to act swiftly and bring formal charges in response to this serious threat to Kajtazi’s life, ensuring that justice is served through a timely legal process.

Serbian Language Media

Vucic in China, planned meetings with Putin and Jinping (Kosovo Online, N1)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic will be in China from September 2 to 5, where, according to announcements, he will attend a military parade in Beijing on the occasion of Victory Day, and bilateral meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin are also planned, reported Kosovo Online.

According to announcements from the Kremlin, the talks between Putin and Vucic will cover the current situation in Kosovo, as well as issues related to Republika Srpska, reported Kosovo Online, citing Sputnik.

The two leaders will also discuss Russian-Serbian cooperation in detail, with a special focus on the energy sector, but also on other strategic areas of mutual interest.

Vucic announced earlier that he will be in China from September 1 to 6 and added that Russian President Vladimir Putin will probably be there as well.

Bled strategic forum starts today, Djuric to represent Serbia (Beta, Kosovo Online)

This year's Bled Strategic Forum, attended by the highest officials of numerous countries and the European Union, begins in Slovenia. Serbia is represented by Minister of Foreign Affairs Marko Djuric, reported Beta.

The Forum, this year under the slogan "Runaway World", is also attended by the presidents, prime ministers or foreign ministers of the Western Balkan six.

The Bled Strategic Forum gathers participants from various fields to exchange opinions and come up with ideas for solving current and future challenges.

As announced, through strategic dialogue and innovative ideas, the conference will deal with the challenges of governance around the world and building trust in an increasingly polarized world.

Among others, the Presidents of Slovenia Natasa Pirc Musar, Montenegro Jakov Milatovic, Czech Republic Petr Pavel, Estonia Alar Karis, as well as the Prime Ministers of Slovenia Robert Golob, Croatia Andrej Plenkovic, Albania Edi Rama and Montenegro Milojko Spajic will participate in the Forum.

At the level of foreign affairs ministers, representatives of Serbia Marko Djuric, Slovenia Tanja Fajon, Kosovo Donika Gervalla Schwarz, Croatia Gordan Grlic Radman, Albania Igli Hasani, Montenegro Ervin Ibrahimovic, BiH Elmedin Konakovic, North Macedonia Timco Mucunski will participate in the conference.

The highest officials of the European Union - the President of the European Council, Antonio Costa, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Policy and Security, Kaja Kallas, and the European Commissioner for Enlargement, Marta Kos, are also participating in the Forum.

The European Union's special envoy for the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina Peter Sorensen, the French envoy for the Western Balkans Rene Trokaz, the high representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina Christian Schmidt and the deputy secretary general of NATO Radmila Sekerinska will also be at the Forum.

North Mitrovica: Marking of ten months since the fall of the canopy in Novi Sad (Alternativna)

In North Mitrovica, ten months will be marked today since the tragedy in Novi Sad, when 16 citizens, including children, died in the fall of the canopy, reported Alternativna.

This initiative was launched by Srđan Djordjevic from Mitrovica, who also organized the first commemorative gathering in North Mitrovica.

The gathering will be held on the promenade, near the monument to Prince Lazar, at 6:45 p.m.

“Let as many of us as possible gather and show that we are not morally blind, but that we sympathize with the entire Serbia and support the fulfilment of the students’ demands regarding the end of corruption, crime, media darkness and other violations of the law. Life is too short to be marked by fear,” Djordjevic stated and invited all who wish to speak publicly to do so.

North Mitrovica: Minors in the police station because of T-shirts with controversial inscriptions (KiM radio, Alternativna)

Two minors were taken to the police station in North Mitrovica today, because of the writing on the T-shirts they were wearing - it was confirmed for Alternativna from the Kosovo Police for the North region.

"They are in the police station for a statement. Since they are minors, there is also a social worker. Now we are waiting for the decision of the judge for misdemeanors, they will most likely be given a written punishment," Deputy Commander of the Kosovo Police for the North region, Veton Elshani told Alternativna.

Elshani also told the portal that the police noticed the boys on the bus who were wearing T-shirts with the words "Chetniks north" and "You fight, the north will burn" and that they were then taken to the police station.

"They will be released home as soon as we finish all the procedures," he said.

According to the photos of the Kosovo Police, they are Red Star sport club T-shirts.

And the police, as the portal was told, referred to the article of the law on "exposure of offensive content".

Posters with the tricolor appeared in Serbian areas in Kosovo, one person was arrested in Leposavic (Kontakt plus radio, Alternativna, Kosovo Online, RTS)

Posters with the Serbian tricolor appeared yesterday morning in Serbian areas in Kosovo, reported Kontakt plus yesterday.

On them messages were written: "We do not give Serbia!", "I want a normal life!", "I want peace!", "I want to study!", "I want to work!"...

In North Mitrovica, posters were found on the building of the Technical School, and near the Faculty of Philosophy, and as learned by the media, posters also appeared in several locations on the territory of Gracanica. Kosovo Online writes that identical posters have also appeared in Kosovo Pomoravlje.

Most of the posters in North Mitrovica have since been removed and one person was arrested in Leposavic

The deputy commander of the Kosovo Police for the North region, Veton Elshani, told Kontakt Plus that the posters appeared yesterday morning in Zubin Potok and Leposavic.

He stated that one person was arrested in Leposavic in connection with this case.

"We had posters in the north of Kosovo. In connection with this case, we arrested a man. We are waiting for the prosecutor's decision," said Elshani.

He could not specify who removed the posters in North Mitrovica, but stated that "most likely, the police took some of them as a copy, in order to forward them to the competent prosecutor."

The posters were put up just one day before the start of the new school year.

In the north of Kosovo, murals were painted over; "RESISTANCE!" leaflets

At the beginning of last week, leaflets with the inscription "RESISTANCE!" appeared in some residential buildings in North Mitrovica, the portal Alternativna reported at the time.

A week ago, the Kosovo authorities painted over the murals and graffiti in the north of Kosovo, and some of yesterday's posters were placed right over the crossed graffiti at the Technical School in North Mitrovica, reported Kontakt plus.

A mural dedicated to the KLA appeared in Decani, while in the north all murals have recently been painted over (Kosovo Online)

Videos of a new mural in Decani, dedicated to members of the KLA, have appeared on social media, reported portal Kosovo Online on Friday in English.

According to the description of the footage showing the mural, which was recently created judging by the material on social media, it is dedicated to KLA members.

On the other hand, in recent days, with the assistance of the Kosovo Police, numerous murals in northern Kosovo — in North Mitrovica, Zvecan, Leposavic, Zubin Potok — have been painted over, reported Kosovo Online.

At that time, Lieutenant Erduan Baliqi, Head of Planning and Operational Evaluation of the Regional Operations of the Kosovo Police in the Mitrovica North region, told Kosovo Online that the repainting of graffiti and murals in North Mitrovica and Zvecan was carried out by a company engaged by the Municipality of North Mitrovica, while the role of the KP was solely to provide assistance.

Thus, in North Mitrovica, murals dedicated to Patriarch Pavle and Metropolitan Amfilohije were painted over, while in Leposavic and Socanica murals dedicated to deceased young men — Djordje Lukovic and Jovan Milanovic — were painted over.

On the wall of the “Sava Decanac” Cultural Center in the center of Leposavić, there had been a mural dedicated to Jovan Milanovic Dzin, a young man who died of cancer five years ago.

The mural in the center of Socanica was dedicated to Djordje Lukovic, who died in a traffic accident.

International

‘Normalised’: The reality of online violence for Kosovo’s young (BIRN)

With social media and the rise of AI, abuse and violence that should be socially unacceptable have become the online reality for many young people in Kosovo.

All Linda did was post a selfie on Instagram using her favourite filter. Days later, in early 2024, she woke to an alarming phone call from a friend, asking: “Have you seen what they’ve posted about you on TikTok?”

Manipulated using AI, a photomontage featuring Linda’s face was doing the rounds of TikTok groups in which users share explicit content featuring what they call ‘whores’.

Linda [not her real name] was just 19, a student in the Kosovo capital, Pristina.

“It wasn’t me in that photo,” she said. “It wasn’t my original photo. It was my face, but the body, the background, everything else had been artificially created using AI. It looked as though I was in an adult scene.”

Her name was attached to the photo and Linda was inundated with messages asking her for more; she said she felt like an object being bought and sold.

Ashamed and frightened, Linda decided not to go to the police; instead, she deleted her account, changed her phone number, and has not posted anything on social media since.