• PDK ready to propose a name for President, but also for new elections (Koha)
• Prattipati meets Osmani, no statement for the media (media)
• PSD: Hamza and Abdixhiku “honorable members” of Vetevendosje Movement (Koha)
• International Stabilization Force - the first test for the Kosovo Security Force (AP)
• Svecla: Kosovo continues to rank first in Western Balkans in security (Indeksonline)
• Shahini: Not much time for planned projects to use Growth Plan funds (Kosovo Online)
• Guterres: International Women’s Day – Eight actions for a more equal world (Koha)

PDK ready to propose a name for President, but also for new elections (Koha)

Head of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) parliamentary group, Arian Tahiri, said today that this party has not moved from its position that the candidate for Kosovo President should be a name that does not come from a single political party but rather one that represents all. He said that the PDK is ready to propose a name for President but even go to new elections if a solution is not found.

“Now is not yet the phase to talk about specific names. The will of the Democratic Party of Kosovo is to contribute to the interests of the institutions and society. If we cannot find a name or if there is no willingness by the main political party, the PDK is also ready to go to elections. The PDK is ready to propose a candidate for the country’s president,” he said.

Asked if the PDK has changed their position on Vjosa Osmani’s eventual second term in office, he said: “I don’t want to comment on specific names. Someone that had a biased stance yesterday and represents only one group does not honor the country”.

Tahiri also said that the PDK is not interested in a political agreement but rather on a candidate that represents the will of the people. “Someone who has a good reputation both locally and internationally and that honors the state and the people of Kosovo,” he said.

Prattipati meets Osmani, no statement for the media (media)

Several media outlets reported today that US Embassy Charge d’affaires Anu Prattipati met today with Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani. The meeting is reported to have lasted for an hour, and no statements were given to the media.

PSD: Hamza and Abdixhiku “honorable members” of Vetevendosje Movement (Koha)

The Social Democratic Party of Kosovo (PSD) held a symbolic protest in front of the offices of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) and the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) in Pristina today. PSD leader Dardan Molliqaj held banners declaring PDK and LDK leaders, Bedri Hamza and Lumir Abdixhiku, “honorable members” of the Kurti-led Vetevendosje Movement. He criticized the opposition parties claiming that they have turned into tools of the Vetevendosje Movement, and called for Kosovo to go to early elections.

International Stabilization Force - the first test for the Kosovo Security Force (AP)

The news website notes that “Kosovo’s engagement in the International Stabilization Force (ISF) will not serve only to increase its international standing but also to strengthen the defense capacities of the Kosovo Security Force (KSF) on the eve of membership in NATO”.

Professor at John Hopkins University, Daniel Serwer, said in an interview with the news website that “the experience from the deployment in Gaza would be useful to protecting Kosovo’s territorial sovereignty. It would ensure that the KSF gets direct experience in real operations, and complex and tense scenarios. You would not want to get your first experience while protecting your borders”.

Serwer also said that some countries that have not recognized Kosovo’s independence could change their position and recognize it.

Director of the Pristina-based Kosovo Institute for Policy and Research Development (KIPRED), Lulzim Peci, told the Albanian Post that Kosovo’s status in the Board of Peace creates room for Kosovo to be included in UN-mandated missions without it being a member of the organization. “The presence of KFOR in Kosovo does not present any obstacle for the Kosovo Security Force to take part in peacekeeping missions,” he said.

Svecla: Kosovo continues to rank first in Western Balkans in security (Indeksonline)

Kosovo’s Minister of Interior Affairs, Xhelal Svecla, said today that according to the SecuriMeter 2025 report of the Regional Cooperation Council, Kosovo is ranked the highest in the region in terms of personal security perception. “64 percent of citizens said they feel ‘very safe’ or ‘quite safe’ in their daily lives, marking the highest percentage among six countries in the region. This reconfirmation of the trust in the institutions of defense and security is an indicator of the continuous support by the government in the army and police, a support that has reflected in strengthening capacities and increasing their efficiency in the service of the people. At the same time, it is also proof of the continued trust and security of the citizens in public institutions during our governance. Institutional stability has had a positive impact on increased security, fighting negative phenomena and advancing democratic progress. As a result of this, 80.5 percent of citizens have stated that they don’t want to emigrate, an assessment that is different compared to previous years. I commend all officials of our institutions for this assessment and for their commitment and professionalism in the service of the Republic and all our citizens,” Svecla said in a Facebook post.

Shahini: Not much time for planned projects to use Growth Plan funds (Kosovo Online)

The President of the Alliance for Kosovo Businesses, Agim Shahini, assesses that Kosovo does not have much time to implement planned projects in order to receive the next disbursement from the EU Growth Plan fund, after the pre-financing funds, which are not conditioned by specific requirements.

“We can plan to use the funds allocated to Kosovo, but we do not have much time because we must submit our projects by June and I doubt that we will succeed. So far, other countries, for example Albania, Serbia and Macedonia, have received more than 160 million each, while we have received nothing,” Shahini told Kosovo Online.

He states that there are several criteria for the disbursement of funds to Kosovo, but that the primary criterion should be European integration, which includes administration, human rights, minority rights, and meeting economic quality standards.

“The dialogue with Serbia is also one of the conditions. The condition that representatives of the Serbian community return to northern Kosovo has been fulfilled, but progress must be made with the European Union agenda and with the agenda for a new relationship between Kosovo and the EU,” Shahini notes.

Asked whether, as one of the conditions for disbursement, the EU could require submitting the European statute of the Community of Serb Municipalities to the Constitutional Court for review, Shahini says that this could also happen.

“Several times we have been surprised by various EU demands. We do not know whether that will happen or not, but it is possible. What is imortant is that we no longer have sanctions. That is a good thing, but it does not mean we cannot return to various sanctions if, as a state and as leaders, we behave in a way that ignores the international factor. Therefore, we must carefully open ourselves toward the European Union and the international community, advance economic growth, ensure that borders are open without problems, with the movement of goods and capital with various countries without delays, and move together toward the EU,” Shahini assessed.

Guterres: International Women’s Day – Eight actions for a more equal world (Koha)

Op-ed by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres. 

Over nearly a decade leading the United Nations, I have seen our world repeatedly tested – by climate shocks, deepening poverty, violent conflict and shrinking civic space. 

But I have also watched many solutions take root, and they shared one common denominator: women.

As the world marks International Women’s Day, it is time to recognize that gender inequality is the greatest human rights challenge of our time – and advancing equality is one of the strongest drivers of sustainable development and peace.

Here are eight actions drawn from my own experience, and inspired by the work of the UN system and civil society movements across the globe, to advance women’s rights and deliver results.

1. Fix the Power Gap

Gender equality is a question of power. But male-dominated institutions still shape our world. A rising tide of authoritarianism is deepening these inequalities, rolling back hard-won protections – from fair work practices to reproductive rights – and entrenching racial and gender biases that hold women back. Gender equality lifts societies. When power is shared, freedom expands.

2. Make Parity a Priority                                                               

Women are grossly under-represented in governments and boardrooms across the globe. At the United Nations, we set out to make gender parity a priority, starting with senior leadership. We did this by widening the search for qualified candidates, not by lowering standards. The UN is stronger for it, with an enhanced workplace culture and more inclusive decision-making. The lesson is clear. When institutions choose equality, results follow.

3. Bet on the Highest-Return Investment 

Investment in women delivers outsized returns. Every dollar spent on girls’ education yields nearly triple the gains, while maternal health and family planning generate more than eightfold benefits. Policies that support families such as child care and elder care strengthen communities and unlock even more growth. Taken together, such steps lay the foundation for closing gender gaps – which can boost national income by as much as 20%.

4. Make Room at the Peace Table

Peace agreements are more durable when women take part in negotiating and implementing them. Yet in too many conflicts – including Gaza, Ukraine, and Sudan – women have been largely shut out of the room, even though they carry the heaviest burdens of war. At a time of rising instability, inclusion is not symbolic – it is a shortcut to stabilize our fractured world.

5. End Legal Discrimination 

Worldwide, women hold only 64 per cent of the legal rights enjoyed by men. In too many places, they cannot own property, work freely, or seek a divorce. Even where protections exist, women face higher barriers to access legal aid or the courts. Every country must commit to dismantling discriminatory laws, and to enforcing rights in practice. 

6. Zero Tolerance for Gender-Based Violence – and Zero Excuses

Violence against women is a global emergency, rooted in inequality and sustained by silence. Every woman and girl has the right to live free from fear.  Yet gender-based violence – including sexual exploitation and abuse – remains a horrific breach of trust and humanity. We must confront it everywhere, with zero tolerance, full accountability, and unwavering support for survivors. 

7. Code Out Bias

With women comprising just one in four tech workers, bias is being hardwired into the systems that shape daily lives. Meanwhile, misogyny is exploding online. Technology companies and governments must act together to build safe, inclusive digital spaces – and the world must do more to remove barriers for girls in science and technology.

8. Put Gender in the Climate Plan 

Climate change is sexist. Women often eat last in food crises and endure greater danger in emergencies. Girls face higher risks of child marriage when livelihoods collapse. But women are also leading climate solutions – advancing green legislation, powering global movements, and driving change on the ground. A liveable planet demands gender-responsive climate policies, including equal access to green jobs, better protection in emergencies, and full participation in environmental decision-making.

Across the globe, I have seen these eight solutions in action – in war zones and recovery efforts, parliaments and classrooms, organizations and communities.

If leaders get serious about gender equality and commit to them now, we will change the world – for women and girls, and for us all.