Albanian Language Media: 

• EU Office encourages rapid constitution of Kosovo’s Assembly (RFE)
• Gervalla reacts after failure to secure votes for Assembly Speaker (media)
• Selimi explains why she didn’t vote for Gervalla as Speaker (media)
• Tahiri foresees new general elections in November (media)
• Haradinaj criticizes LVV, urges proposal of consensus candidate (media)
• Protest in support of former KLA leaders in the Hague on September 14 (media)
• Serwer: With Vucic and Russians, risk of escalation in Kosovo always looms (RFE)

Serbian Language Media:

• EU Office in Pristina: Swift formation of Assembly and Government essential for Kosovo to move forward (Kosovo Online, RFE)
• Verdict to Muhamet Alidemajt annulled, re-trial ordered (KoSSev, media)
• State Department sanctioned judge Nicolas Guillou (Kosovo Online, media)
• Protests against blockades held (Tanjug, media)
• Vucic: Protests against blockades not organized by SNS (N1, FoNet)
• NUNS: Police must stop attacking journalists – authorities must urgently respond to threats against N1 and other media outlets (N1)
• IFJ, EFJ call Serbian police to stop violence against journalists (N1)

International Media: 

• Trump administration imposes new sanctions on four ICC judges, prosecutors (Reuters)

Albanian Language Media

EU Office encourages rapid constitution of Kosovo’s Assembly (RFE)

The EU Office in Kosovo emphasized that swiftly establishing the Assembly and government is fundamental for Kosovo. The EU Office confirmed to Radio Free Europe that the bloc is closely following developments concerning the formation of the Assembly and the government. They emphasized that swift establishment of these institutions is crucial for Kosovo to advance key reforms across all sectors, reforms that are essential to improve the quality of life and living standards of its people.

Meanwhile, the Italian Embassy in Pristina described it as encouraging that Vetevendosje, led by caretaker Prime Minister Albin Kurti, nominated a new candidate for Speaker, Donika Gervalla, after previously proposing only Albulena Haxhiu. The embassy noted that this gesture “demonstrates a willingness to move forward,” which they hope will prove substantive in the coming days. They expressed hope that all political actors will act responsibly to ensure the timely constitution of the Assembly, in compliance with the Constitutional Court’s ruling.

Gervalla reacts after failure to secure votes for Assembly Speaker (media)

Donika Gervalla, Vetvendosje Movement’s candidate for Speaker,  responded after failing to secure enough votes for the position. Her candidacy prompted laughter from opposition MPs. Several MPs openly stated they would not vote for candidates who had held positions in the previous government. “In the words of the poet: ‘The road of honor is the hardest, but the best and the only true path for a person. And those who sought honor, found honor!’” Gervalla wrote on Facebook.

Gervalla did not win full support even among LVV’s own MPs. Shqipe Mehmeti Selimi, wife of former LVV parliamentary group leader Rexhep Selimi, did not vote.

Selimi explains why she didn’t vote for Gervalla as Speaker (media)

LVV MP Shqipe Mehmeti Selimi, who is Rexhep Selimi’s wife, informed that she abstained from voting for Donika Gervalla due to two Facebook posts Gervalla made in February and March 2020 targeting her husband. She emphasized that her decision wasn’t driven by party politics, but by those past remarks. Gervalla’s posts criticized Rexhep Selimi when he was proposed as chair of the LVV parliamentary group, calling his nomination a "very ugly signal" and labeling him a “figure of the criminal world.” Selimi shared these posts herself, explaining her vote by citing reasons of transparency and respect for the public, media, and LVV supporters.

Tahiri foresees new general elections in November (media)

Senior member of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), Abelard Tahiri said in an interview with T7 on Wednesday that Vetevendosje leader Albin Kurti doesn’t have the numbers to form a new government and that this is why he is continuing the blockade in the Assembly. Tahiri foresees that there will be new general elections around mid or late November. “He wants to take the country to new elections by saying that we are not voting his candidates for Assembly Speaker. He is looking for the best way to take the country to new elections,” he said.

Haradinaj criticizes LVV, urges proposal of consensus candidate (media)

Ramush Haradinaj, leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK), criticized Vetevendosje for not aiming to propose a unifying figure. He suggested their repeated nominations appeared designed to "consume" the 30-day deadline rather than break the deadlock. “If the intent had been to unite, alternate candidates would have been presented today,” he said. He emphasized they remain open to a constructive proposal from LVV.

Haradinaj pointed to other potential candidates like Glauk Konjufca, Saranda Bogujevci, or Shqipe Selimi, saying, if nominated, they would have received support. He regreted the absence of political compromise and urged more strategic thinking from LVV.

Protest in support of former KLA leaders in the Hague on September 14 (media)

Most news websites reported on Wednesday that the protest held in downtown Pristina on August 7 calling for the release of former KLA leaders who are standing trial in the Hague, will be followed by another protest on September 17 in the Hague. A press release issued by the KLA War Veterans said that the protest is organized by the Albanian diaspora and supported by the categories of the former KLA.

Serwer: With Vucic and Russians, risk of escalation in Kosovo always looms (RFE)

Professor at John Hopkins University and expert on the Balkans Daniel Serwer stated that Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic no longer enjoys the West’s support as he once did. “He has clearly turned toward Moscow and Beijing,” Serwer told Radio Free Europe.

On the weeks-long protests against Vucic’s government, Serwer remarked that Vucic has no one to blame but himself. Commenting on the Russian Foreign Ministry’s reaction, Serwer warned that Moscow will pressure Vucic to suppress the demonstrations. When asked about the risk to regional stability, Serwer said: “With Vucic and the Russians, the risk of escalation, or diversion through another destabilizing incident in Kosovo, always exists.”

He views the protests in Serbia as a genuine expression of popular dissatisfaction, yet notes that the demonstrators have not put forward a clear political alternative.

Serbian Language Media

EU Office in Pristina: Swift formation of Assembly and Government essential for Kosovo to move forward (Kosovo Online, RFE)

The EU Office in Pristina encouraged yesterday political parties to respect the Constitutional Court’s ruling and swiftly constitute the Assembly, while the Italian Embassy in Pristina voiced its expectation that all political actors will act responsibly to ensure the timely establishment of parliament, Kosovo Online portal reported citing Radio Free Europe (RFE/RL).

The EU Office in Pristina told RFE/RL the bloc is closely monitoring developments regarding the constitution of the Kosovo Assembly and the formation of the government. The EU Office stressed that the swift formation of the Kosovo Assembly and government is essential for Kosovo to move forward with important reforms in all sectors, which will improve the quality of life and living standards of people in Kosovo.

The Italian Embassy in Pristina welcomed the fact that Self-Determination, the party of caretaker Prime Minister Albin Kurti, has proposed a new candidate for Speaker of Parliament, after previously nominating only Albulena Haxhiu. In a written response to RFE/RL, the Italian Embassy said the nomination of Donika Gervalla for Speaker of the Assembly “demonstrates a readiness for progress, which will need to be confirmed in the coming days”. “We hope that all political actors will act responsibly in order to ensure the timely constitution of the Assembly, in line with the Constitutional Court’s ruling”, the Embassy is quoted as saying by the portal.

Verdict to Muhamet Alidemajt annulled, re-trial ordered (KoSSev, media)

The Pristina Court of Appeals ordered a re-trial in the case of Muhamet Alidemajt, sentenced in the first instance to 15 years in prison for allegedly committing war crimes in 1999, in the village of Izbica, KoSSev portal reported last night. The Court of Appeals also decided Alidemajt to remain in detention until a new verdict is passed.

His defense lawyer Milos Delevic told KoSSev portal he did not receive the court’s decision yet and cannot speak of details. However, he emphasized he expects the new trial to be fair and just. “(….) What I can say is that in re-trial we expect a fair and just trial, which will unequivocally confirm the innocence of my client and result in his acquittal”, Delevic said.

Muhamet Alidemajt was found guilty on July 12, 2024 and sentenced in a first-instance proceeding to 15 years in prison for the war crimes he allegedly committed in the village of Izbica. According to the indictment, Alidemajt allegedly with other members of the Serbian police and military forces “took part in the murders of Albanian civilians in March 1999, when 130 Albanians were killed”. Alidemajt originates from the village of Krnjina near Istok. He lived in Belgrade for longer than two decades, until 2021 when he came to Kosovo and got arrested and detained. 

While Kosovo prosecution accused him of allegedly committing war crimes in 1999, his neighbours from Jakovo settlement, near Belgrade, two years ago contacted KoSSev portal claiming that Alidemajt was innocent, he was not part of the Serbian security forces and that he lived and worked in Jakovo during the war events in Kosovo.

The neighbors even got involved to provide part of the funds for his defense and expressed readiness to testify, because, as they said, “one cannot stay idle while someone is accused of crimes he is neither guilty or responsible for”. 

State Department sanctioned judge Nicolas Guillou (Kosovo Online, media)

The United States of America have sanctioned French judge Nicolas Guillou, who was a pre-trial judge in the case of former KLA leader Hashim Thaci, because, as Kosovo Online portal reported, he approved issuance of international warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former minister of defence Yoav Gallant.  

According to a State Department statement, in addition to Guillou, Kimberly Prost from Canada, Nazhat Shameem Khan from Fiji and Mame Mandiaye Niang from Senegal were also sanctioned. The full State Department’s statement is available at: https://shorturl.at/uxcJN 

During his tenure at the Specialist Chambers in the Hague, Guillout upheld war crimes indictments against former KLA leaders, Hashim Thaci, Kadri Veseli, Rexhep Selimi and Jakup Krasniqi. He also ordered the arrest of four more former KLA members, the portal recalled. 

Protests against blockades held (Tanjug, media)

Tanjug news agency reported that gatherings of people opposing blockades and who, as they said, wish normal life, to work, study and move freely, were organized across Serbia. New gatherings have been announced for Saturday.

The gatherings were organized in 49 places, including among other Loznica, Pozarevac, Leskovac, Vranje, Becej, Pancevo, Subotica, Bor, Odzaci, Stara Pazova, Sid, Kovin, Beocina, Srbobran, Zabalj, Kikinda, Apatin, Sombor, Zrenjanin, Kanjiza, Indjija, Plandiste, Vrbas, Secanj, Titel, Kula, Ruma, Pecinci, Sombor and Bac, news agency recalled. 

According to the Serbian Interior Ministry around 31.000 people took part in the gatherings, while assessment of the Security Informative Agency (BIA) was that 34.000 people participated. Gatherings concluded peacefully. 

Vucic: Protests against blockades not organized by SNS (N1, FoNet)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said that Wednesday evening’s gatherings against blockades were not organized by his Serbian Progressive Party (SNS). The Pozarevac SNS board called for the gatherings to protest against the student blockades and anti-government protests that have been ongoing for months, N1 reported.

Vucic said gatherings were against blockades and violence, and not against blockaders. “The blockaders have no faces, they are hidden and have nothing to offer. The citizens feel unsafe and want a return to security  and stability”, he said. “Once the blockaders show their faces, and they will do so at some moment, the fairytale will end”, he added.

Vucic also said the state bodies would change their tactics and behavior. “We will implement certain measures in a different way. Something will be visible, something will be less visible at first, but the results will be visible”, he said.

NUNS: Police must stop attacking journalists – authorities must urgently respond to threats against N1 and other media outlets (N1)

The Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia (NUNS) strongly condemned the new threats directed at journalists, as well as the police attack during a citizens’ protest in front of the building housing the court and the prosecutor’s office in Novi Sad.

NUNS issued a statement saying that, during a police operation on Wednesday morning in front of the Novi Sad court, N1 journalist Lea Apro and Razglas News journalist Zarko Bogosavljevic were repeatedly struck with shields and hands despite clearly displaying press markings and credentials.

The Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia once again called on the Ministry of Internal Affairs “to put an end to unlawful police actions against journalists and to ensure they can work freely in the public interest”. “Such behavior of the police toward journalists is unacceptable and dangerous, as it directly undermines press freedom and democracy”, NUNS emphasized.

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

IFJ, EFJ call Serbian police to stop violence against journalists (N1)

The International and the European Federations of Journalists (IFJ) and (EFJ) have called the Serbian police “to immediately stop the violence against journalists and protect them while they are covering the clashes between rival groups of protesters in Serbia”, N1 reported.

“The IFJ and the EFJ call on the Serbian judicial authorities to initiate the necessary legal proceedings. The federations also join UNS and NUNS in calling on high-ranking government officials to stop their smear campaigns against journalists. It is clear that the Serbian authorities are actively involved in the brutal repression of journalists who are just trying to do their job. With our affiliates in Serbia, we document all these cases of violence. The perpetrators have been identified. They will be held to account”, the press release quoted EFJ General Secretary Ricardo Gutierrez as saying.

It also quoted IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bellanger as saying that "the violence and intimidation we are witnessing in Serbia are not isolated incidents, they are part of a deliberate campaign to silence journalists who are simply doing their job. This cannot be allowed to stand. We demand the police stop violence against journalists and protect them. When journalists are threatened and attacked, democracy itself is under assault".

International Media 

Trump administration imposes new sanctions on four ICC judges, prosecutors (Reuters)

President Donald Trump's administration on Wednesday imposed sanctions on two judges and two prosecutors at the International Criminal Court, as Washington ramped up its pressure on the war tribunal over its targeting of Israeli leaders and a past decision to investigate U.S. officials.

In a statement, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio called the court "a national security threat that has been an instrument for lawfare" against the United States and Israel.

The move drew ire from France and the United Nations. Paris urged Washington to withdraw the sanctions, while the ICC said it deplored the designations, calling them "a flagrant attack" against the independence of an impartial judicial institution.

Read more at: https://shorturl.at/x0vBl