Albanian Language Media:

• 16 Days of Activism against gender-based violence launched in Kosovo (media)
• RTK Union: If government doesn’t act, we will go into full boycott (AP)
• Hargreaves meets President of Constitutional Court (media)
• Sorensen: Grateful for Spain’s strong support for EU-facilitated dialogue (media)
• Police: Unknown persons have damaged Iber Lepenci water canal (media)
• 77-year-old Albanian from Kosovo still held in Serbian prison (EO)

Serbian Language Media:

• War crimes in Kosovo: Testimonies without evidence - are the real perpetrators prosecuted? (KiM radio, KoSSev) 

• New damage reported on the Ibar-Lepenac canal (Kontakt plus radio)

• "Women stand up for peace" photo exhibition opened in Pristina (Kontakt plus radio)

• Mijacic: If Nisma forms a coalition with Self-Determination, the AAK could go to the elections with the PDK (Kosovo Online)

Albanian Language Media 

16 Days of Activism against gender-based violence launched in Kosovo (media)

All news websites cover the launch of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence campaign in Kosovo. Kosovo caretaker Prime Minister Albin Kurti said in a post on X that Kosovo launches the campaign with a renewed commitment to ending gender-based violence. “This campaign reminds us of our collective responsibility to stand against GBV and to build a society where every woman and girl in Kosova lives with dignity, equality, and safety. Together, through action and awareness, we can ensure a safer future for all,” he said.

Kosovo’s Ministry of Justice said that this year’s campaign with the slogan “The right is hers – Today and every other day”, is dedicated to family equality, right to inheritance, economic independence, education, and safety for all girls and women. Caretaker Minister of Justice Albulena Haxhiu said in a Facebook post that this year too the ministry has organized the opening ceremony of the campaign. “Let us engage together and every day for justice, equality, prevention and addressing of domestic violence. The right is hers, today and every other day!” she said in a Facebook post. 

Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani said in a Facebook post that “femicide continues to be an open wound. Not simply a problem. Not a statistic. But a national crisis that is eroding the foundations of our society, day after day. What happened in Gadime e Ulet is not simply ‘another case’. A woman, even though protected by an active protection order, was brutally attacked with an axe by her ex-husband. When a protection order remains just a piece of paper, then the risk becomes reality. And reality kills us. The number of cases of violence against women and domestic violence is telling us clearly: papers do not save lives. Implementation, determination, reaction without delay – do! … Every misstep, every negligence, every delay can be fatal. No one who exercises violence should feel untouchable. No woman should remain unprotected”.

UK Ambassador to Kosovo Jonathan Hargreaves said in a Facebook video that this year’s campaign focuses on ending digital violence against women and girls. “I am proud that the British Embassy in Pristina is once again marking the campaign by hosting a Corner of Courage to support those who survived conflict related sexual violence in Kosovo. Come and see the Corner, and follow our Embassy’s activities over the coming 16 days!” he said.

Kosovapress covers the opening of the “Women Rising for Peace” global photo exhibition in Pristina marking the 16 Days of Activism campaign, and organized by the UN Mission in Kosovo. A press release issued by UNMIK notes that “two of Kosovo’s leading women peacebuilders are featured in a global photo exhibition launched today by UNMIK to mark the start of the annual campaign for 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence. This initiative joins global partners in calling for urgent action to prevent and end violence against women and girls. ‘Addressing gender-based violence is both a human rights imperative and essential for building lasting peace. When women and girls are safe and able to fully participate in all aspects of life, societies become more resilient, inclusive, and stable. This year, we renew our call for collective action across communities, civil society, and government institutions to ensure safety, dignity, and justice for all,” said Milbert Dongjoon Shin, Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General and OiC UNMIK. As part of this year’s campaign, UNMIK unveiled a global photo exhibition in Pristina showcasing powerful images captured by women photographers. The exhibition highlights the vital role of women peacebuilders, women’s rights defenders, and peacekeepers - bringing global attention to the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda and their meaningful contributions to peace and security. Captured across eleven contexts – Kosovo, Abyei, Cyprus, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Haiti, Lebanon, Mozambique, the Occupied Palestinian Territory, South Sudan, and Sudan –the exhibition presents a collective story of resilience, strength, and hope. Kosovo is represented by two prominent women leaders: former President Atifete Jahjaga and Gordana Đorić, both champions of WPS and women’s rights. Their portraits were captured by Kosovo photojournalist Laura Hasani. “Too often, the role of women in peace processes and trust building is overlooked or underrepresented,” Hasani said. “These photos aim to change that, so the world sees and hears from the women who are rebuilding communities and leading change”. Read more at: https://shorturl.at/8CIkv

RTK Union: If government doesn’t act, we will go into full boycott (AP)

The Union of Workers of the Radio Television of Kosovo (RTK) has warned that starting from next week they could fully boycott political events and the election campaign for the December 28 national elections. In a media statement, the union said that the institutions are completely ignoring the financial crisis and that the situation of workers and the public broadcaster is becoming increasingly difficult. 

“The Union will not stop the strike. We call for full support from all colleagues for our legitimate and legal actions. This week we will announce a position to fully boycott our work, because we are forced to do so by the Kosovo government’s inaction after calling on it dozens of times to find a solution,” the statement notes. “We call on the government to urgently solve the problem of allocating the budget and not force us to take measures that no one wants. We also notify all stakeholders in the country that after the constitution of the new assembly, the law on the independent funding of RTK and the issue of property should be adopted without delay. The RTK needs a permanent solution that guarantees the sustainable operation of the sole public broadcaster in the country”.

The Union and workers of the RTK have said that “this is the biggest crisis that the public broadcaster has ever gone through” and called on the government to urgently ensure the institutional survival of the public broadcaster.

Hargreaves meets President of Constitutional Court (media)

UK Ambassador to Kosovo Jonathan Hargreaves said in a Facebook post on Tuesday that he met with the President of the Constitutional Court of Kosovo. “We discussed the latest developments affecting Kosovo’s state institutions. I hope that after the 28 December elections political parties and MPs will act in the spirit of the Constitution in order to swiftly restore stable and empowered governance,” Hargreaves noted.

Sorensen: Grateful for Spain’s strong support for EU-facilitated dialogue (media)

EU Special Representative for the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia, Peter Sorensen, said he had insightful discussion in Madrid with Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares on the EU-facilitated dialogue. “Grateful for Spain’s sustained interest and strong support for advancing the normalisation process,” Sorensen wrote in a post on X.

Police: Unknown persons have damaged Iber Lepenci water canal (media)

Several news websites report that Kosovo Police said that unknown persons have damaged one part of the Iber Lepenci water canal using heavy equipment.

Media also note that in November 2024, the water canal was attacked with an explosive device, severely damaging the critical infrastructure that supplies water to multiple municipalities and supports the main coal-fired power station of Kosovo. At the time, the Kosovo government blamed Serbia for the attack claiming that it was part of its destabilization strategy. 

77-year-old Albanian from Kosovo still held in Serbian prison (EO)

The news website reports that Hazir Haziri, a 77-year-old from Kosovo, is still being kept in prison in Serbia after being arrested in September this year at the Merdare crossing. Serbian authorities have charged Haziri with committing war crimes in 1998-99. His family however have denied the allegations and are calling on Kosovo’s institutions to help bring him back to Kosovo saying that he is in a grave psychological condition. “He has nothing to do with the accusations against him and this was verified by the attorney we have engaged. All legal proceedings have been finalized and he is being kept in prison without any evidence for three months now,” Haziri’s daughter said in an interview with the news website.

Serbian Language Media 

War crimes in Kosovo: Testimonies without evidence - are the real perpetrators prosecuted? (KiM radio, KoSSev) 

While the court proceedings for the crimes committed during the conflict in the late 1990s continue in Kosovo, the indictments against several suspects, most of whom are Serbs, attract increasing public attention. Although many crimes have undisputedly occurred, the interlocutors of KiM Radio warn that justice cannot be served if people who have nothing to do with these crimes end up in court.

The growing number of indictments deepens doubts about selective justice. Part of the public gets the impression that judicial processes are used for political and other purposes, instead of ensuring the impartial prosecution of those responsible for the most serious crimes.

According to the data of the Humanitarian Law Center Kosovo (HLC Kosovo), in 2025, 13 indictments were filed for war crimes against the civilian population, while in 2024, 35 such cases were processed. The structure of the accused changed significantly after the termination of EULEX's jurisdiction, said Bekim Blakaj from the HLC Kosovo. The staff of that organization has been monitoring war crimes trials since 1999.

"While EULEX was competent to organize trials for war crimes - the indictments were mostly against Albanians. The reason for this was that (perpetrators) could not be tried in absentia. Maybe Albanians made up more than 70 percent of those accused of war crimes," Blakaj told KiM radio.

However, in recent years, indictments have mostly been filed against Serbs, confirms lawyer Jovana Filipovic. She pointed out that current proceedings were often based solely on testimonies, without material evidence that would directly link the accused to the crimes. According to her, the testimonies usually appeared just before or after the arrest, even though they were about events older than two decades. 

"The question arises as to how it is possible that only in the period of 2022-2023 there is a sudden recollection of the victims about who allegedly committed a crime against them," she asked.

Lack of evidence and growing distrust in judicial processes

Bekim Blakaj sees the lack of material evidence as one of the biggest obstacles in conducting proceedings for war crimes.

"We have no forensic evidence, no documentation that can be used as evidence before the court. The Prosecution generally only uses the statements of eyewitnesses, witnesses or statements of those who survived those events. Of course, over the years, the memory of witnesses fades. Very often they are not able to give accurate statements and describe what that event looked like during the war. That is problematic," he said.

Radio-television of Serbia (RTS) journalist Andrija Igic, who regularly follows war crimes trials in the Basic Court in Pristina, is of the opinion that "it is irrelevant whether there is evidence", but that the only important thing is "to bring the Serbs before the judge". He said that trials for war crimes have a strong impact on the public and that those who intend to return to Kosovo no longer think about it, while those who live in Kosovo are increasingly considering leaving.

"One gets the impression that they are only doing this to prosecute someone, to make any kind of process. What is symptomatic is that in the whole process, you are accused by Albanians who are victims, then the prosecutor files an indictment, you are arrested by Albanians, the judges in the three-member court panel are Albanians, and finally the Albanians take you to prison and take care of you. All this speaks of a very bad environment in which Serbs find themselves," Igic told KiM radio.

Blakaj also emphasized that in recent years "low-profile perpetrators" are most often tried, that is, people who did not have a commanding role during the war.

"It would be desirable to prosecute those who had greater responsibility," he added.

Andrija Igic, following the trials, got the impression that cases of prosecution of war crimes in Kosovo were initiated only to achieve some kind of justice. However, he adds that "justice is not to accuse the wrong man."

"All of us who were in Kosovo and Metohija, before, during and after the conflict, can be on the indictment list," he said.

The case of Dragan Nicic and the difficulties in identifying the accused

Dragan Nicic, a retired teacher from Pasjane, was arrested in August 2024 in his family home on suspicion of having committed a war crime against the civilian population. His family, however, rejects all the accusations and claims that it is a matter of mistaken identity, considering that during and after the arrest it was suggested that the crime allegedly was committed by Dragan Bilic.

On the same day, Dragan Cvetkovic, Slobodan Jevtic and Milca Sosic from Pasjane, and Nenad Stojanovic from the village of Bosce near Kamenica were also arrested. After the detention, several hundred residents of Pasjane went out to protest, recalled KiM radio. 

"We are not running away from the crimes that happened in Kosovo. But let the court prosecute those who did it and let the innocent go. Isn't it a crime to hold an innocent man for a year and a half," asked Dragan's son Bojan Nicic. 

Lawyer Jovana Filipovic believes that the parties in the proceedings are not equal. She stressed that the defense often does not get the evidence it is looking for, nor does it get an answer as to whether the prosecution or the court will obtain it.

"There is a problem in the identification of the accused. It is not clear whether what the witnesses describe was actually done by the person who was accused or perhaps by someone else or even several other people. This is the problem we encounter in all these proceedings, and it stems from the fact that the cases are conducted against persons who are currently available, regardless of whether they are actually the perpetrators," lawyer Jovanovic told KiM radio. 

Bojan Nicic claimed that his father never participated in any war, that he was not mobilized or employed in the police. He also said that they did not have even a millimeter of land in central Serbia, but that he and his brother, as well as their father, worked all their lives to build a house in Kosovo.

"It's been a year and five months since the arrest, and we're still thinking and looking for where the father went wrong. We still can't find a single little thing where the father could have fallen," he said.

It is important to note that during the year 2025, verdicts were also passed, so Milos Pleskovic (15 years in prison), Sacir Lutvija (10 years), Caslav Jolic (five years) and Dragisa Milenkovic (seven years) were sentenced for war crimes. However, some suspects were acquitted - among them Gavrilo Milosavljevic and Zlatan Arsic.

New damage reported on the Ibar-Lepenac canal (Kontakt plus radio)

The Kosovo police recorded new damage on the Ibar-Lepenac canal, where the tarpaulin over the bridged pipes was damaged, Kontakt plus radio reported today. 

The lieutenant of the Regional Operative for the North region, Erduan Baliqi confirmed for Kontakt plus radio a new damage to the Ibar-Lepenac canal in the municipality of Zubin Potok. 

According to his statements, minor damage was caused to the tarpaulin covering over the bridged pipes in the channel.

The case was reported yesterday, and so far, there are no suspects, the investigation is ongoing.

"Women stand up for peace" photo exhibition opened in Pristina (Kontakt plus radio)

The exhibition, as announced by UNMIK, is organized on the occasion of marking 16 days of activism against gender-based violence, reported Kontakt plus radio. 

The global photo exhibition launched yesterday by UNMIK on the occasion of the start of the annual campaign "16 days of activism against gender-based violence" shows two leading peace builders from Kosovo.

This initiative joins global partners in calling for urgent action to prevent and end violence against women and girls.

"Addressing gender-based violence is a human rights imperative and essential to building lasting peace. When women and girls are safe and able to fully participate in all aspects of life, societies become more resilient, inclusive and stable. This year, we once again call for joint action across communities, civil society and government institutions to ensure safety, dignity and justice for all," said Milbert Dongjoon Shin, Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General for UNMIK.

As part of this year's campaign, UNMIK opened a global photo exhibition in Pristina, which showcases powerful images captured by local female photographers.

The exhibition highlights the key role of women peacebuilders, women's rights defenders and peacekeepers — drawing global attention to the Women, Peace and Security Agenda and their essential contribution to peace and security.

Mijacic: If Nisma forms a coalition with Self-Determination, the AAK could go to the elections with the PDK (Kosovo Online)

Dragisa Mijacic, coordinator of the Working Group of the National Convention on the EU for Chapter 35, stressed that when it comes to pre-election coalitions in Kosovo, it remains to be seen whether Ramush Haradinaj’s Alliance for the Future of Kosovo will enter the elections with Fatmir Limaj’s Social Democratic Initiative, or whether the two parties will opt for new coalitions.

Speaking to Kosovo Online, Mijacic said that he also expects coalitions within the Serbian political camp in Kosovo, noting that the Serb List needs rebranding in order to become an acceptable political actor in a future government.

“The most interesting thing will be to see whether Nisma and Haradinaj’s party will go together this time, or whether they will split. If Nisma goes with Self-Determination, then the AAK will probably also go, perhaps with the PDK. But that is difficult to predict at this moment. On the other hand, there is now a need for the Serb List to reform itself internally, to include some other political actors and to rebrand itself so that it becomes an acceptable political actor in the future developments related to forming a new government. Therefore, as far as the Serbian political camp is concerned, reconstruction and a different approach are needed, so I expect there will be a coalition there,” Mijacic said.

Asked whether the early elections will provide a solution to the political crisis, Mijacic emphasized that hope for this always exists.

“What has happened so far has led to a situation where a government cannot be formed. When a government cannot be formed, then processes on which many things depend cannot move forward, including the status of the Serbian community. So, I hope that these elections will result in the formation of a new coalition government that will also include Serbian political actors, and that will be constructive in resolving all the accumulated issues that have been awaiting solutions for so many years,” Mijacic concluded.