Albanian Language Media:

• US Congressman Keith Self meets Osmani (media)
• Osmani: Kosovo, most pro-European and safest in Europe (media)
• Osmani participates in U.S. government-hosted panel (media)
• Osmani and President of Senegal discuss deepening cooperation (media)
• Kurti meets Oman Foreign Minister at UNGA High Level Week (media)
• Hoxha: Drones suspected from Serbia flew over north of Kosovo (EO)
• Rohde: Germany remains strong partner of Kosovo (media)
• “Return to Kosovo” documentary screened at European Parliament (AP)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic speaks with European and regional leaders in New York (Tanjug)
• Sljuka: Decisions affecting Serbian community can not be concealed by populist addresses (Kosovo Online)
• Popovic: By banning Serbian List video, Pristina wants to hide truth about situation of Serbs in Kosovo (RTV, Prva TV)
• Radosavljevic from Serbian List accuses CI For Freedom Democracy and Survival of violating election laws and influence on electoral will (media)
• Bajrami: Investigations launched into import of energy in Kosovo (Kosovo Online)
• Elshani: From November 1 no more driving with authorization (Radio Mitrovica sever, Kontakt plus radio, KiM radio, KoSSev) 
• PM says Serbian public universities working (N1)

International:

• Ukrainian reporters combat Russian propaganda from afar in Kosovo (PI)
• US sanctions against Serbian NIS to take effect on 1 October (EWB)

Albanian Language Media

US Congressman Keith Self meets Osmani (media)

US Congressman Keith Self said in a Facebook post that he is “grateful to President Osmani of Kosovo for spending time with me yesterday after her meetings with President Trump and members of the United Nations”.

Osmani: Kosovo, most pro-European and safest in Europe (media)

Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani attended the traditional meeting organized by EU High Representative Kaja Kallas with representatives of the Western Balkans. “Kosovo, as the most pro-European and safest country in Europe, will continue to work towards EU integration, in full alignment with EU policies,” Osmani wrote in a Facebook post.

Osmani participates in U.S. Government-hosted panel (media)

At the invitation of U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau, the President of Kosovo, Vjosa Osmani, took part in a panel organized by the U.S. Government. The panel, titled “The Global Refugee and Asylum System: What Went Wrong and How to Fix It,” was held within the framework of the High-Level Week of the United Nations General Assembly. “It was a pleasure to participate in this important panel, invited by Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau, which addressed global challenges in the refugee and asylum system, as well as pathways for its improvement,” Osmani said.

Osmani and President of Senegal discuss deepening cooperation (media)

Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani met with the President of Senegal, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, during her stay in New York. They discussed opportunities to deepen cooperation in strategic areas. Osmani stated that the strong partnership between Senegal and Kosovo serves as an example of friendship and cooperation, “which will continue to grow stronger”. 

Kurti meets Oman Foreign Minister at UNGA High Level Week (media)

Kosovo’s caretaker Prime Minister Albin Kurti met with Sayyid Badr bin Hamad bin Hamood Albusaidi, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Sultanate of Oman, in what he described as a warm and productive meeting. “I informed Minister Albusaidi of Kosova's robust economic growth and positive investment climate. We agreed to take concrete steps towards enhancing relations between our two countries, including through educational exchange; promotion of investment in agriculture and other industries; and new bilateral agreements,” Kurti wrote in a post on X.

Hoxha: Drones suspected from Serbia flew over north of Kosovo (EO)

Kosovo Police General Director Gazmend Hoxha told reporters today that they have recently recorded cases of drones flying over the north of Kosovo which are suspected to come from the territory of Serbia. He said that Kosovo Police is in constant communication with KFOR and that it is monitoring the situation. “Lately there were drones flying and we suspect they are coming from the territory of Serbia to the northern part of Kosovo. Police are in contact with KFOR, we are monitoring the situation to see what can be done,” he said.

Hoxha said that there is a risk along the border but not for the people which he said are protected by the institutions. “It is dangerous for the part of the order, yes, but not for our citizens. We are protecting them. While the airspace is the responsibility of KFOR,” he said.

Hoxha also said that international institutions have been notified about the situation. “We have notified KFOR and our partners. This is the responsibility of KFOR and they are working on this,” he said.

Rohde: Germany remains strong partner of Kosovo (media)

Germany’s outgoing ambassador to Kosovo, Jorn Rohde, delivered his final message in a farewell video, expressing heartfelt sentiments about his time in Kosovo. He said he will miss Kosovo, its people, and hiking in its mountains. Rohde reflected on the progress made over the past five years, highlighting that Germany has always been, and will continue to be, a strong partner for Kosovo. 

“We’ve witnessed many developments. Visa liberalization in 2024 was a major achievement. There are also things that haven’t been accomplished yet, such as Kosovo’s membership in the Council of Europe. The ties between our countries are unique. As you know, 600,000 Kosovars or Germans of Kosovar origin live in Germany, and this number is growing. I’m confident our relations will continue to grow. We will remain a strong partner for Kosovo. We’ve been a key partner since independence,” Rohde stated.

He concluded by asking the people of Kosovo to extend the same friendship to his successor, Rainer Rudolph, who will be arriving in Kosovo soon.

“Return to Kosovo” documentary screened at European Parliament (AP)

“Return to Kosovo” documentary about the bond in 1998 between a British wartime reporter Julius Strauss and five-year-old Besnik Deliu - who survived the massacre in Upper Obri by Serbian forces in September 1998, during which 23 members of his family were killed, was screened at the European Parliament. The screening was organized by the Kosovo Embassy in Brussels and with the support of members of the European Parliament, Lukas Mandl and Adnan Dibrani. Kosovo’s Ambassador to Brussels, Agron Bajrami, said that the massacre in Upper Obri was not an isolated event. “It was part of a systematic campaign of terror and violence that Serbia carried out against the people of Kosovo … Kosovo today works to leave the past behind, not by forgetting it, but by turning it into a pledge: a pledge for justice, democracy and peace. And above all, a pledge for a European future. This future is the natural horizon of the people of Kosovo which has paid with sacrifice and suffering for the right to live in freedom,” he said.

Deliu, in his address to the audience, called on the European Union and the international community to stop wars and to promote peace worldwide. 

Commenting on war crimes in Kosovo and the need to safeguard and promote peace, stability and security in the Western Balkans, Austrian MEP Lukas Mandl called on the five non-recognizing EU member states to recognize Kosovo as soon as possible.

There were also calls on EU institutions, member states and the international community not to tolerate the denial of crimes committed by Serbian troops in Kosovo, over what was said, economic interests for lithium.

Serbian Language Media 

Vucic speaks with European and regional leaders in New York (Tanjug)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Friday morning he had spoken with several European and regional leaders in New York and noted that Serbia was respected and recognizable everywhere, Tanjug news agency reported.

In a post on his official Instagram profile, Vucic wrote that he had spoken with Spanish PM Pedro Sanchez, Greek PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Slovenian President Natasa Pirc Musar and Croatian President Zoran Milanovic.

"Many important brief meetings with European and regional leaders in the UN building. I am happy that Serbia is respected and recognizable everywhere", Vucic posted.

Sljuka: Decisions affecting Serbian community can not be concealed by populist addresses (Kosovo Online)

New Social Initiative Associate Aleksandar Sljuka opined today that address of outgoing Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti to the Serbian community, telling them he wishes better cooperation was “populist” and that decisions of Kosovo authorities affecting the Serbian community can not be concealed by declarative promises, Kosovo Online portal reported.

As Sljuka said in this address Kurti wanted to portray him as a decision maker who is ready to cooperate with everybody, and wanted to justify himself in front of the international community. However, Sljuka further noted, interested stakeholders from the international community are well aware of negative decisions that the Kurti-led government made, condemning them on many occasions so such Kurti’s address can not deceive them.

Although Kurti wanted to present himself as a decision maker respecting the Constitution and laws in Kosovo, and while from the Kosovo government perspective some decisions were sometimes in line with the laws, they were contrary to decisions made within the context of the dialogue and had a negative effect on the Serbian community, he asserted. 

He also described Kurti’s address as “marketing trick” which can be interpreted in a manner that he is a leader ready for concessions, cooperation and dialogue, although it is well known fact that over the last four years since he took power, the essential dialogue, consultations and talks with Serbian community he was announcing as one of the plans of his government had never started.

Kurti’s remarks on education and the healthcare system should be taken seriously, Sljuka said, adding he does not believe violent closure of those institutions would occur. Nevertheless he warned of other, what he described as perfidious decisions that indirectly impact the functioning of these systems, such as decision on residence permit and registration, pointing out difficulties that students and professors who do not have Kosovo documents would face if this decision is implemented. 

Popovic: By banning Serbian List video, Pristina wants to hide truth about situation of Serbs in Kosovo (RTV, Prva TV)

Serbian List Presidency member Srđan Popovic said today Pristina, by banning the airing of Serbian List campaign video, is trying to hide the truth about the difficult situation of Serbs in Kosovo. As he said Serbian List representatives, regardless of obstructions from Pristina, are continuing their campaign for the local elections scheduled for October 12.

Speaking of Independent Media Commission’s justification for banning the Serbian List video as it mentions the sentence “How to tolerate terror and re-establish freedom?” assessing it as a violation of the constitutional order, Popovic asked “don’t they see how much (Pristina) is breaking the law and how hard our people are living nowadays?”.

“(…) This video shows our everyday life, and I think the real reason for the ban is to cover up the truth, which some in Pristina do not like”, Popovic told TV Prva. He added that the Serbian List legal team is considering filing an appeal against the Commission’s decision, but it is not a priority for them because they do not expect a positive outcome.

Asked about the recent warnings of the Serbian List related to Voter’s Lists manipulation and increase in number of Albanian voters in municipalities populated by Serbs and how this will affect the election results, Popovic responded this is one of the major problems that is particularly affecting Gracanica municipality, adding Pristina authorities are trying in every way to take over and ‘Albanize’ municipalities with a Serbian majority.

“The question for the international community is why this political engineering is allowed. All that remains for us is to fight for our rights and for our people. The campaign is going very well. All of us in the Serbian List share the daily fate of our people, we are constantly on the ground, going from door to door. These elections are particularly important for our people, especially because of the pressure from Pristina. There are rumours that they organized their voters to come from Germany, Belgium, France...”, Popovic said.

Radosavljevic from Serbian List accuses CI For Freedom Democracy and Survival of violating election laws and influence on electoral will (media)

Serbian List councilor candidate in Leposavic municipality, Marko Radosavljevic pointed out, as he said, the gross violation of election laws in Leposavic municipality by For Freedom, Justice and Survival party, Kosovo Online portal reported.

As he said on Thursday, the party leader Nenad Rasic, who is also acting Kosovo Minister for Communities and Returns, in cooperation with the German organization GIZ, has been awarding grants in recent days, which Radosavljevic considers to be a direct attempt to influence the electoral will of people.

“The president of the Freedom, Justice and Survival party, Nenad Rašić, in cooperation with the German organization GIZ, has been awarding some kind of grants these days, grossly violating the electoral will on the territory of our municipality. I am sure that he is not immune to the unity which the Serbian List is creating these days and is trying in every way to destabilize it. I am not surprised by a man who tried to reach higher positions without the support of Serbian votes, but I am more surprised that a renowned organization like GIZ, which comes from the most democratic country in Europe, uses such undemocratic principles”, Radosavljevic said.

He added that it was “a serious attempt to influence voters and warned citizens to be careful and not fall for offers of grants or other benefits”.

Elshani: From November 1 no more driving with authorization (Radio Mitrovica sever, Kontakt plus radio, KiM radio, KoSSev) 

According to announcements, the traffic law that the Kosovo police will implement from November 1st will affect those car owners who have ID cards that Serbia issues for its citizens in Kosovo, such as the PU (Police Department) for Kosovska Mitrovica, the PU for Pristina, etc. The law will not affect persons residing in central Serbia, but they will have to leave Kosovo once every three months, reported Serbian media in Kosovo, citing Radio Mitrovica sever.  

The Deputy Director of the Kosovo Police for the Northern Region, Veton Elshani, spoke to Radio Mitrovica sever about the beginning of the implementation of the Law on Foreigners in the North of Kosovo, but also about the Traffic Law, which, according to the campaign they are conducting for the purpose of informing drivers, providing that it will no longer be possible to drive with an authorization, if the driver does not have a residence in the country where the vehicle that is driven with a license is registered.

Elshani said that there are no new deadlines for replacing driver's licenses for those who did not do it within the deadline. Also, he said that the process is not complicated, but that the law will apply to everybody, including company vehicles, as well as official vehicles of health and education, unless a new regulation of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Kosovo is adopted in the meantime.

When asked if he expects any problems in implementing this law, and whether he has an estimate of how many people come to work, study, or reside here and live without Kosovo documents, Elshani said that they will be “tolerant and together with people” in the process. He said, among other things, that when they see that a person does not want to register, then the procedures are in place, which as a last resort require deportation. Aware that there are women here who are married, have children, that all have Kosovo documents except themselves, Elshani said that certainly mothers will not be separated from their children. He underlined that it is important that people enter the system. That same mother, according to Elshani, can obtain Kosovo documents on the basis that she is married. He says that she should come forward, and that the Ministry of Internal Affairs can find a solution, and when it comes to a person without ''citizenship, that person exists and a solution can be found through family reunification. You get it first for one year, then another year and the third year you get citizenship''.

Elshani, when talking about driving with authorization, said that from November 1 it will not be possible anymore. 

When asked what will happen to the official vehicles of health and education, he says that the question has been addressed to the Ministry, because if they do not have some other regulation, everyone will be fined. However, Elshani adds, "it is possible that we will not touch healthcare".

Whether he is aware of complications created for the Serbs, Elshani replied that as the police ''we only see bad things, but it's good to see good things as well. There are many Serbs here who have re-registered vehicles with PR, KM; GL on RKS plates'' because he said they did not have anyone in Serbia, couldn't buy a car in Serbia, so they had to re-register on the RKS. On other cases and issues faced by others, he replied that the law should be the same for everyone. He said, “We have people who are licensed to drive 28 cars''.

Elshani says that everyone who comes “from other countries is treated the same’’, when asked whether Bangladeshi, Nepalese are treated the same as Serbs in Kosovo. 

Bajrami: Investigations launched into import of energy in Kosovo (Kosovo Online)

Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) MP, Hikmete Bajrami said the investigations into import of energy in Kosovo are launched, following the complaint filed to the Energy Community in Vienna and Energy Regulatory Office in Ljubljana, Kosovo Online portal reported citing Pristina-based Democracia.

Bajrami added that the complaint in particular requested investigation in relation to the costs of transport and violation of REMIT regulations.

“Our claims about misuses in the field of energy import were grounded and have now received international attention. The fact that investigations were launched by RUE (Energy Regulatory Office in Kosovo) itself is result of the work of the mentioned institutions, where investigations in certain states are carried out by regulatory offices of those states, in this case Kosovo”, Bajrami is quoted as saying.

In relation to the alleged involvement of companies such as KOSTT, KEK, and RUE, she added they are now expecting that Kosovo Special Prosecution also launches an investigation as it received the appropriate case. 

PM says Serbian public universities working (N1)

Prime Minister Djuro Macut said on Friday all public universities and schools in the country are working except for Novi Sad University and the Aviation Academy in Belgrade’s Zemun neighborhood, Tanjug news agency reported.

He told Serbian public broadcaster RTS that practically all public university schools, except some at Novi Sad University, were working as are all high schools except the Aviation Academy where there are problems between the two separate levels of that school.

Macut said that he would visit public universities next week for what he said would be a dialogue on the start of the new school year early in November.

International

Ukrainian reporters combat Russian propaganda from afar in Kosovo (PI)

Kosovo has become a safe haven for some Ukrainian reporters, who are continuing their work combating Russia’s disinformation machine from a distant land.

When Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022, Ukrainian journalist Lyudmila Mekh packed her suitcase and fled Kyiv with her husband, fellow reporter Serhiy Shevchenko. Threats to press freedom and to their own safety made staying at home impossible.

Two weeks later, they landed in Prishtina, Kosovo, a country they had never visited before, but which would now become a temporary home where they could pursue their careers, thanks to a special residency programme.

Since March 2022, the couple have been in Kosovo as part of the “Journalists in Residence” programme, supported by the Kosovo government and the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom, ECPMF, which has hosted up to 20 Ukrainian journalists displaced by the war.

“Articles produced by journalists in residence are published for a wide Ukrainian audience – from ordinary citizens to senior representatives. In Kosovo, translations are also made available to local readers, including random citizens interested in developments from the Ukrainian war and right information,” Mekh told BIRN.

Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/32cmu7tr

US sanctions against Serbian NIS to take effect on 1 October (EWB)

President of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić stated yesterday, speaking to the media in New York from the United Nations General Assembly, that the United States has postponed sanctions against the Petroleum Industry of Serbia (NIS) for only four more days, and that they will take effect on 1 October.

NIS ended up on the sanctions list at the start of this year due to the Russian majority ownership stake in the company, which dates back to 2008. Russia has reportedly refused to sell part of its shares in the company so that the sanctions can be avoided.

So far this year, the full implementation of sanctions against the company NIS has been postponed six times based on special licenses issued by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the US Department of the Treasury.

Speaking from New York, Vučić emphasized that Serbia, in the case of NIS, is collateral damage of the current relations between America, the West, and Russia.

Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/32wbz2p5