UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, August 18, 2025

Albanian Language Media:

Kosovo Assembly constitutive session to resume on Wednesday (media)
“State urgency”, the Office of the President on constitution of Assembly (media)
Washington’s strong message: US “blesses” Albanian-Croatian defense plan (AP)
Special prosecution requests 30-day detention for war crimes suspect (media)
Special prosecution confirms it requested arrest warrant for Rakic (EO)
Police in Mitrovica North trained for “de-escalation and gender sensitivity” (media)
Chamber of Commerce files lawsuit against ERO in Supreme Court (media)
Specialist Chambers bans visit to Thaci for 11 individuals (media)
Behrami slams court’s decision to ban 11 people from visiting Thaci (media)
Kusari: Day 19, RTK employees still without salaries (Blic)

Serbian Language Media:

Simic: Tendency to change ethnic composition of voters in Serb-majority municipalities south of Ibar River (Kosovo Online)
Rapajic: Ethnic structure in Gracanica changing, Albanians ‘maximally united’ against Serbs (Kosovo Online, media)
Session of National Security Council concluded, no statements to media (Tanjug, TV Most, media)
EU Ambassador to Serbia meets Brnabic, calls for restraint from inflammatory rhetoric, disinformation about protests (N1, media)
Protests held across Serbia (N1)
16 arrested in Monday’s protests in Belgrade (N1)

Opinion:

Time to stop indulging Serbia’s authoritarian president (Financial Times)

International:

Kosovo’s tax revenue up 10.4% y/y in Jan-July (SeeNews)
Serbia’s populist leader vows tough response to protesters following riots (CNN, Associated Press)

Humanitarian:

Making movies while the world is on fire (Kosovo 2.0)

Albanian Language Media

Kosovo Assembly constitutive session to resume on Wednesday (media)

Most news websites report that the resumption of the constitutive session of the Kosovo Assembly has been scheduled for Wednesday at 11:00. The media department of the Assembly said two points are on the agenda – the election of the Speaker and the election of the deputy speakers.

The Constitutional Court published on Monday its full decision on the constitutive session and the election of the Assembly Speaker, saying that MPs need to elect a new Speaker through an open ballot and within 30 days, a deadline that starts from today.

“State urgency”, the Office of the President on constitution of Assembly (media)

The Office of the President of Kosovo told Klan Kosova today that the constitution of the new Assembly of Kosovo is “a state urgency”. “The Presidency considers a state urgency the constitution of the institutions from the will of the people as soon as possible. In this period of dynamic developments in the continent and global challenges that affect our region too, the swift formation of new institutions in line with the procedures foreseen in the ruling of the Constitutional Court is crucial for stability, democratic representation and for addressing the interests of the people,” the President’s Office said. “The delay so far has damaged not only the credibility of the institutions and the development of the country but also the country’s progress on the international arena”.

The President’s Office also called on all MPs to act with full responsibility, and in the spirit of cooperation and trust, “so that the state can move forward in consolidated fashion and to successfully complete the important processes that await Kosovo in strengthening its position both domestically and internationally”.

Washington’s strong message: US “blesses” Albanian-Croatian defense plan (AP)

The news website reports that an official of the US Department of Defense has welcomed the initiative for military cooperation between Albania, Croatia and Kosovo, calling it a positive step for regional security. The official confirmed the US support “for all forms of defense coordination” among partner countries in the Balkans. “We welcome defense cooperation between our Balkans partners,” he told the news website.

Five months after signing a joint declaration, Albania, Croatia and Kosovo have moved to the phase of practical implementation of cooperation in the area of defense. An earlier report by Radio Free Europe said that structured plans were developed for greater military cooperation and joint purchases of weapons, including from the United States. The first operational meeting was held in Tirana on July 18, while the three ministries are expected to adopt the implementation guidelines in September.

Special prosecution requests 30-day detention for war crimes suspect (media)

Most news websites report that the Special Prosecution of Kosovo has filed a request with the Basic Court in Pristina to set a 30-day detention measure for a suspect arrested recently on charges of war crimes in the municipality of Vushtrri in 1999. The suspect is charged in cooperation with other uniformed members of an active reserve group and units of the Serbian Ministry of Interior Affairs with killing unarmed civilians.

Special prosecution confirms it requested arrest warrant for Rakic (EO)

The Special Prosecution of Kosovo confirmed today that it has requested the Basic Court in Pristina to issue an arrest warrant for Goran Rakic, former leader of the Serbian List, for placing barricades in the north of Kosovo in 2022, when Rakic was a member of the Kosovo Assembly. A spokeswoman for the Special Prosecution said other defendants – Zlatan Elek [current leader of the Serbian List], Igor Simic and Slavko Simic – have already been interviewed, and that Goran Rakic was summoned three times but did not answer initially citing health problems and did not give any explanation about the other two summons. “Therefore, with the aim of securing the presence of G.R., the Special Prosecution of the Republic of Kosovo has filed a request with the Basic Court in Pristina to issue an arrest warrant for him,” the spokeswoman said.

Police in Mitrovica North trained for “de-escalation and gender sensitivity” (media)

The Kosovo Police said in a Facebook post on Monday that police officers from the Regional Directorate in Mitrovica North attended a workshop on "communication for de-escalation and gender sensitivity” which started in June and ended on Monday. “A total of 201 police officers from the 59th, 60th, 61st and 62nd generations of Kosovo Police participated in the training. The workshop was organized by the officers of EULEX [the EU Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo] and the Kosovo Police, and its goal was to increase professional capacities in the areas of effective communication, prevention and reduction of tensions, as well as strengthening gender sensitivity during police duty. Participants had the opportunity to exchange experiences, discuss practical cases and deepen their knowledge of modern approaches to managing situations that require special attention. Kosovo Police expresses its gratitude to EULEX for their support and organization of this workshop, appreciating their contribution in raising the professional capacities of police officers. Kosovo Police remains committed to the professional training of its employees and improving standards that guarantee respect for human rights and equal treatment of citizens,” the post notes.

Chamber of Commerce files lawsuit against ERO in Supreme Court (media)

The Kosovo Chamber of Commerce has announced that it has filed a lawsuit in the Supreme Court against the Energy Regulatory Office (ERO) regarding the decision that obliges businesses to immediately switch to the liberalized energy market. Through a post on Facebook, the KCC published the lawsuit document submitted today, emphasizing that this legal action was undertaken to protect businesses, Kosovo’s economy, and people as end consumers, against what it describes as an “unjust decision” of the ERO.

Specialist Chambers bans visit to Thaci for 11 individuals (media)

The Kosovo Specialist Chambers in The Hague has restricted non-privileged visits to former Kosovo President Hashim Thaci to 11 people, citing risks of disclosing confidential information about protected witnesses.

The decision issued on August 18, 2025, by Pre-Trial Judge Marjorie Masselot, bans visits from figures including Artan Behrami, Blerim Shala, Ismajl Syla, Vllaznim Kryeaziu, Milaim Ahmetaj, Milaim Cakiqi, Avni Kastrati, and four others whose names are redacted.

The prosecution alleged these individuals previously used law voices during visits and passed instructions from Thaci to witnesses. Thaci’s defense argued the restrictions were unnecessary and violated his rights to private and family life.

The judge concluded the measures were necessary to protect the integrity of proceedings and prevent leaks of confidential information, noting credible indications that Thaci’s brothers and other associates had discussed witness testimonies during earlier visits.

Behrami slams court’s decision to ban 11 people from visiting Thaci (media)

MP from the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) Artan Behrami said in a Facebook post today that the decision by the Specialist Chambers in the Hague to limit visits to former Kosovo President Hashim Thaci is a violation of human rights. “It is a decision completely outside of the time context. It is part of the Court’s scenario to make drama and spectacles. At the same time, it is very sad how the Court approves all the insanities of the Prosecution for the total isolation of President Thaci,” he argued.

Kusari: Day 19, RTK employees still without salaries (Blic)

Media law expert Flutura Kusari has reacted to the fact that the employees of RTK have still not received their salaries, despite an agreement reached with the Ministry of Finance for a form of credit. “Day 19, RTK employees are still without pay. The special war and pressure of the Vetevendosje Movement and the government on the public broadcaster continues. P.S. The government decision has been made, but it means absolutely nothing when journalists still haven’t received their salaries,” Kusari wrote on Facebook.

Serbian Language Media

Simic: Tendency to change ethnic composition of voters in Serb-majority municipalities south of Ibar River (Kosovo Online)

Serbian List Vice President Igor Simic told press conference this party is concerned about tendency for voters from Albanian-majority municipalities to be added to the electoral lists in Serb-majority municipalities, particularly south of the Ibar River, with the aim of, as he said, changing the ethnic structure of voters and municipal assembly members in those local governments.

Addressing the press conference at which party presented its mayoral candidates in Serb-majority municipalities, Simic commented on the formation of the Albanian Alliance, led by the current deputy mayor of Gracanica, Leutrim Ajeti, as a result of cooperation among the four largest Albanian parties in Kosovo (Self-Determination, PDK, LDK, and AAK), as well as on alliance’s participation in mayoral and municipal assembly elections in Gracanica.

He emphasized what is concerning is the silence of the international community on this issue.

“The Serbian List has often been criticized for allegedly lacking political pluralism and similar things. Unfortunately, we do not hear such comments from international representatives today, when those who cannot form a majority in the Assembly in Pristina unite to fight for the post of mayor or assembly members in a Serb-majority municipality such as Gracanica”, Simic said.

He added that this is what concerns the Serb List, and that the party will address the matter in more detail during the campaign.

Rapajic: Ethnic structure in Gracanica changing, Albanians ‘maximally united’ against Serbs (Kosovo Online, media)

Mitrovica North-based Advocacy Center for Democratic Culture (ACDC) Programme Director Aleksandar Rapajic said tendencies to change ethnic structure in Gracanica are ongoing for decades, adding Albanian alliance that will take part in upcoming elections clearly demonstrates that “when it comes to working against the Serbs, Albanians are maximally united”, Kosovo Online portal reported.

As he further said Gracanica because of its proximity to Pristina is an attractive place and Albanians keep moving to live there. “(….) There is an artificial pressure exerted there, properties are bought, Albanians are populating the area, in particular the urban parts such as Caglavica and Gracanica. And the ethnic structure is slowly changing. Given that this is ongoing for longer than a decade, it starts yielding results”, Rapajic explained.

“This annual idea of creating Gracanica municipality, because Gracanica municipality was created in order to make a Serb-majority municipality in this part of central Kosovo, but we see that interests of Albanians are a bit different”, he added.

Commenting on the decision of four Albanian major parties to form a joint list for upcoming local elections in Gracanica, Rapajic said Albanian parties may criticize one another for different issues but never when it comes to what is being done to the Serbs in Kosovo.

“(…) Fact that a joint list was made in Gracanica speaks how much it is nationally oriented, that there is neither idea nor program, rather it is only about an idea to collect the votes, and then perhaps in cooperation with some Serbian parties close to the (Pristina) government, perhaps influence the formation of the municipality”, he said.

Commenting on potential change in ethnic structures in Serb-majority municipalities south of the Ibar River, Rapajic opined that Gracanica, Strpce and Novo Brdo are the most affected. He also said currently Novo Brdo is not that much interesting for investors, however, when it comes to Gracanica and Strpce which are both interesting for investors and Albanians because of their locations, the change in ethnic structure is becoming a major problem.

Session of National Security Council concluded, no statements to media (Tanjug, TV Most, media)

The National Security Council session chaired by Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has concluded slightly before midday, Tanjug news agency reported. The session was held at the Palace of Serbia, in Belgrade. TV Most reported topics included the situation in central Serbia, and Kosovo, as well as latest developments in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Republika Srpska.

There were no statements to the media following the session.

In attendance were Assembly Speaker, Ana Brnabic, Prime Minister Djuro Macut, Defense Minister Bratislav Gasic, Security Information Agency (BIA) director Vladimir Orlic, Interior Minister Ivica Dacic, Serbian Army Chief of Staff General Milan Mojsilovic, Police Director Dragan Vasiljevic, commanders and chiefs of MIA units, and Justice Minister Nenad Vujic. Representatives of the prosecution and judicial bodies also took part in a session.

EU Ambassador to Serbia meets Brnabic, calls for restraint from inflammatory rhetoric, disinformation about protests (N1, media)

In a meeting with Serbian Parliament Speaker Ana Brnabic, the European Union (EU) Ambassador to Serbia, Andreas von Beckerath, underlined the need by all parties to uphold the respect for fundamental rights, including the right for peaceful assembly, the EU Delegation to Serbia said in a press release, N1 reported.

“This also implies avoiding any kind of violence against political opponents and party premises as a means of political protests”, the press release quoted him as saying.

Beckerath and Quint representatives met Monday with Brnabic upon her request, to discuss the current political situation and reforms in the field of electoral framework and media reform.

Read more at: https://shorturl.at/cVWW1

Protests held across Serbia (N1)

Protests under the slogan “So, Where Were We?” were staged in a number of cities across Serbia including in the capital Belgrade in a show of support for protesters who were arrested at previous protests, N1

In Belgrade, two columns were formed in a central boulevard and in New Belgrade. A column of police vans drove past the New Belgrade column to the boos and whistles of protesters. Windows were broken on the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) offices in the Palilula municipality before a Gendarmerie cordon was deployed to keep the protesters away.

In the central Serbia city of Kragujevac, protesters gathered in front of the offices of the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) where a cordon of riot police stopped them from getting too close to the building.

In the western city of Novi Pazar near the borders with Bosnia-Herzegovina and Montenegro, students and their supporters blocked the main road to neighboring Montenegro in a show of solidarity with the protesters who were reportedly beaten and arrested by riot police and Gendarmerie troopers.

Protests were also staged in Pozega, Valjevo, Bor, Zrenjanin, Ivanjica, Kostolac, Kragujevac, Smederevo, Sremska Mitrovica, Sombor, Srbobran, Indjija and Obrenovac.

16 arrested in Monday’s protests in Belgrade (N1)

Sixteen participants in Monday’s protests in Belgrade have been arrested so far, the Tanjug news agency learned from the Serbian Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Previously, Internal Affairs Minister Ivica Dacic said there were “a total of 2,300 to 2,400 blockaders in Belgrade who drastically disrupted public order” and “showed through their aggression that they intended to demolish and set fire to the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) offices and attack police.”

Protests were also held Monday evening in several other Serbian cities. In Belgrade, a group of demonstrators vandalized the offices of the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) in the Palilula municipality. Subsequently, gendarmerie members arrived and pushed them back.

Residents also gathered in New Belgrade, where they held a protest march. Serbian President and SNS Presidency member Aleksandar Vucic visited the damaged party offices in downtown Belgrade.

Although the gendarmerie had previously dispersed the protesters from the area using tear gas, local residents came out onto their balconies, jeering the president and his group of supporters with shouts of “boo” and “treason”.

Opinion

Time to stop indulging Serbia’s authoritarian president (Financial Times)

Europe must raise pressure on Aleksandar Vucic to avoid a deeper democratic retreat

After around a decade in power veteran authoritarians invariably face a fork in the road: do they intensify repression, entrench their crony capitalist circle and squeeze what if any remains of an independent media, or do they bow to opposition calls for reform. This has played out many times around the world in the post-cold war decades. Autocrats almost always opt for the first approach and become more hardline. Now, with anti-government protesters on the streets of the capital, Belgrade, Serbia’s Aleksandar Vucic faces this choice.

For eight years as Serbia’s president, and before that as prime minister, he has ruled with an increasingly interventionist hand yet runs more of a managed democracy than a full-blown autocracy. Vucic has performed a similarly wily balancing act on the global stage. He has had cordial relations with Moscow without being so pally as to infuriate the EU and the US; he has turned a blind eye to the sale of Serbian arms to Ukraine. He has wooed Beijing for billions of dollars of investment in industry and infrastructure.

Though Serbia is still only a candidate for EU membership, Vucic has close ties with the bloc’s leaders such as France’s President Emmanuel Macron and European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen, not least via holding out the prospect that European mining companies could exploit the country’s untapped lithium deposits to supercharge Europe’s quest for greater energy independence. He also forged good relations with close aides of Donald Trump in the US president’s first term.

Vucic’s hedging routine may deserve to be studied by other multi-aligned states. But back home he is running out of road, as frustrations at his unaccountable and opaque rule have bubbled over into protest. The spark was the collapse of a train station canopy last November in the city of Novi Sad, which killed 16 people. The station had been renovated by Chinese companies under China’s Belt and Road Initiative. Vucic’s opponents blame the collapse on state corruption, shoddy governance and lax oversight, which they see as the hallmarks of his regime.

Since November, opposition demonstrators have intermittently taken to the streets in large numbers, more recently calling for snap elections. Last week saw the most violent protests yet, with clashes with police in several cities. Over the years Vucic, an extreme nationalist in his youth, has exploited pan-Serb sentiment and irredentism in Serb minorities in neighbouring Bosnia and Kosovo to shore up support. But that card may be losing its potency.