Albanian Language Media:

• Osmani will send her comments to Constitutional Court tomorrow (Express)
• KLA war veterans: Everything ready for protest in the Hague on Sept 14 (EO)
• Osmani meets Saudi Arabia ambassador, invited to forum in Riyadh (media)
• GAP: Mayors made 1,815 promises, delivered only 918 (media)
• Serb woman living in Istog: Albanians have never caused us problems (Lajmi)
• Mustafi erases graffiti with Mladic’s name: I couldn’t keep silent (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Djuric: Zagreb-Ljubljana agreement threatens region, Serbs in Kosovo becoming second-class citizens (Kontakt plus radio, RTS)
• Serbian Democracy: “PIK hiding more than 30 complaints we filed” (Radio Mitrovica sever, KiM radio, Kontakt plus radio)
• EU in Kosovo expresses concern over attempts to intimidate and criminalize work of NGOs (media)
• “KLA” graffiti sprayed in Batuse village near church (Kosovo Online, KoSSev, media)
• Barbano: Judicial independence must be respected by everyone, at all times (media, social media)
• Serbian counterterrorism chief confirms dismissal, says retirement was his choice (N1)
• Serbian Interior Minister rejects claims regarding counterterrorism chief’s retirement (N1)

Opinion:

• Despite unjust sanctions against Kosovo, EU hasn’t turned Kosovars against it (Koha)

International:

• Nissinen: Kosovo is on the right path towards European and Euro-Atlantic organizations (The Geopost)
• Kosovo foreign tourist overnights grow 24% y/y in July (See News)

Albanian Language Media

Osmani will send her comments to Constitutional Court tomorrow (Express)

Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani will send to the Constitutional Court on Tuesday her comments about the constitution of the new Assembly, an advisor confirmed to the news website. “As you know, the Constitutional Court has imposed a temporary measure until September 30. The President will send to the Constitutional Court about the topic within the timeline set by the Court, namely tomorrow, September 9. The position of the President has always been that no one has the right to block the institutions, namely the state. As noted in Article 57, point 4 of the Constitution, the implementation of the rights of communities is inseparable from the obligation to respect the laws of the Republic of Kosovo and not to threaten the rights of others,” Osmani’s media advisor said.

KLA war veterans: Everything ready for protest in the Hague on Sept 14 (EO)

Deputy leader of the Organization of KLA Veterans, Gazmend Syla, said in an interview with the news website that the organization of the protest in the Hague against the trial of former KLA leaders on September 14, is in its final phase and there is great interest to take part in the protest, both from Kosovo and the diaspora. “We are in the final phase. We have completed all permit procedures with the Dutch authorities. Everything is ready and now we are waiting for the participants of the protest,” he said.

Syla also said that the protest will be held one day before the testimony of a US witness in court, as a sign of protest for fellow combatants and a clear message for the Specialist Court and the international community. “We are rejoiced by the fact that the witness is an American. Our main message for the Specialist Court and the international community: not in our names’. The people tell this court that it cannot make decisions on their name, because its content and mission have deviated. The court cannot decide on the name of the people … The protest is expected to be major, because there is outstanding interest to take part in it,” he said.

Osmani meets Saudi Arabia ambassador, invited to forum in Riyadh (media)

Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani hosted today Saudi Arabia Ambassador Faisal Hifzi Ghazi and discussed bilateral relations between Kosovo and Saudi Arabia, focused on attracting economic investments in Kosovo, further international support for Kosovo, as well as increased cooperation between the two peoples. Osmani expressed her appreciation for the continuous support from Saudi Arabia and said that Kosovo remains committed to furthering this friendship. Osmani also received an invitation to attend the “Future Investment Initiative" forum which will be held in Riyadh. 

GAP: Mayors made 1,815 promises, delivered only 918 (media)

The Pristina-based research institute, GAP, said today that from a total of 1,815 promises made by mayors of 27 municipalities in this mandate, only 918 have been fulfilled. The Municipal ID report notes that most promises were delivered in healthcare (66 percent), education (63 percent), administration (58 percent) and in the social area (55 percent). “The least number of promises were fulfilled in urbanism (34 percent), infrastructure (37 percent) and public services (41 percent). From a total of 382 promises that have not started being fulfilled, 98 percent of them fall in the responsibility of the local government, while only 2 percent require interinstitutional coordination to be fulfilled,” the report notes.

Serb woman living in Istog: Albanians have never caused us problems (Lajmi)

Blagica Popovic, a Serb woman born and living in Istog, said in an interview with the news website, that Albanians there have never caused them any problems. She said that her relationship with an Albanian woman who is her neighbor is like that of a sister. “Our parents have raised us not to differentiate between religions, but to differentiate good people from bad people. I grew up with Albanians,” she said.

Mustafi erases graffiti with Mladic’s name: I couldn’t keep silent (media)

Most news websites report that an Albanian politician from Presevo Valley, Ragmi Mustafi, said in a Facebook post that he erased graffiti with the name of Ratko Mladic in downtown Bujanoc in Serbia. “I could not keep silent. In downtown Bujanoc, where our children pass by, was written in red letters the name of the criminal that ordered the Srebrenica massacre – Ratko Mladic with the nationalistic symbol the four ‘C’. The institutions were silent. The police were silent. And those that speak of ‘multiethnicity’ were silent. I could not,” Mustafi said.

Serbian Language Media 

Djuric: Zagreb-Ljubljana agreement threatens region, Serbs in Kosovo becoming second-class citizens (Kontakt plus radio, RTS)

Belgrade is worried about the new military agreements in the region, which, according to Serbian Foreign Affairs Minister Marko Djuric, do not contribute to trust, but deepen divisions, especially in the context of the situation in Kosovo, reported Kontakt plus radio, citing RTS. 

Djuric told RTS this morning that the military agreement between Croatia and Slovenia sends a message that "walls are being built instead of bridges" in the region and assessed that the process was not inclusive and transparent.

He said Belgrade is worried, because such moves do not contribute to stability, but increase tensions. He also recalled the memorandum on military cooperation that Croatia signed with Tirana and Pristina, calling it an "undoubted provocation".

"The creation of additional alliances without consulting the neighbors causes concern. Everything must be transparent, it is good practice in a region that has gone through many challenges in the last three decades", said Djuric.

Speaking about the situation in Kosovo, the head of Serbian diplomacy emphasized that the international community "closes its eyes to the apartheid Albin Kurti is carrying out against the Serbs."

"Serbs are becoming second-class citizens in Kosovo and Metohija. The biggest security guarantee is the responsible politics of Serbia, our army, and friends in the world. That is why it is important that we act unitedly in the upcoming elections", Djuric said.

He pointed out it is important for the Serbs to act in unison in the upcoming local elections and take back control over those institutions and all parts of the system that belong to them.

He added Serbia does not need "a hot, but a working political autumn", stressing the importance of the upcoming talks with partners in China and continuation of the diplomatic struggle for the interests of the Serbian people.

Serbian Democracy: “PIK hiding more than 30 complaints we filed” (Radio Mitrovica sever, KiM radio, Kontakt plus radio)

Members of the Serbian Democracy party - Ivan Orlovic, Stefan Veljkovic, Zoran Obrenovic, Aleksandar Lazovic and Aleksandar Ackovic submitted after the events of June 28 ten complaints to the office of Kosovo Police Inspectorate (PIK) in North Mitrovica, but none of those reports reached the Department of Investigations of the PIK, announced Serbian Democracy.

The Office of the Ombudsman in Pristina delivered this information to the SD party members about the absence of complaints against the work of individual members of the Kosovo police.

"Serbian Democracy was informed by e-mail by the Institution of the Ombudsman that the ombudsman "was informed that in the PIK, that is, they did not officially receive any complaints from the persons mentioned in the complaint submitted to the Ombudsman by the Serbian Democracy", this party announced.

They remind that their members - Ivan Orlovic, Stefan Veljkovic, Zoran Obrenovic, Aleksandar Lazovic and Aleksandar Ackovic filed complaints in the office of Kosovo Police Inspectorate in North Mitrovica immediately after the events from June 28 onwards, and in that period, a total of 10 separate statements were given due to "kidnapping and illegal arrests" carried out by the Kosovo police in Pristina, Vucitrn and North Mitrovica.

"In the past two years, Serbian Democracy submitted more than 30 complaints to the Police Inspectorate, complaining about the illegal, violent and arrogant behavior of the Kosovo police. This means that the Police Inspectorate of Kosovo is hiding more than 30 complaints that we filed, which is why it loses all credibility as an institution in the eyes of citizens. It is interesting that the Police Inspectorate in North Mitrovica refused to give our members a copy of the statement, except in one case, where our member Aleksandar Lazovic demanded on several occasions that he must be given a copy of the statement", the SD stated. 

Serbian Democracy demands that the Police Inspectorate "stop acting as a lawyer for the Kosovo police and start doing its job." They also appeal to EULEX with a request to "finally stop harboring illusions that its child (Kosovo police) is some kind of infallible creature, but to realize that it is an Albanian monoethnic, ultra-nationalist machine that works to the detriment of all citizens who do not want to be Albanians".

EU in Kosovo expresses concern over attempts to intimidate and criminalize work of NGOs (media)

“The EU in Kosovo is concerned over the recent media reports attempting to intimidate and criminalize the work of NGOs”, reads the official statement, published on the EU’s Office in Pristina website, Serbian media reported.

“Like the media, NGOs are a key pillar of Kosovo’s civil society, and their role is to monitor, analyze, and hold the authorities accountable, including the Kosovo Police. In late 2024, NGO Aktiv, in partnership with several other NGOs, released a public report drawing attention to the inappropriate behavior of some Kosovo Police officers, frequently displaying unauthorized symbols. The Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Kosovo Police acknowledged this issue and created a working group to address it, in partnership with the international community, including the EU.

Any attempts to silence NGOs in pursuing this kind of work are unacceptable as they undermine transparency, erode public trust, and threaten to suppress scrutiny and citizen participation, which are the cornerstones of a functioning democracy.

The EU in Kosovo will continue to support and actively engage with both the media and NGOs, underscoring the importance of high journalistic standards and contributing to further strengthening of the civil society as a whole”, the statement concluded.

“KLA” graffiti sprayed in Batuse village near church (Kosovo Online, KoSSev, media)

In the vicinity of the Serbian Orthodox Church in the village of Batuse near Kosovo Polje, graffiti reading “KLA” and “Adem Jashari” were sprayed over the weekend, Serbian media reported.

Around 300 Serbs live in this village and it is not the first time such incidents have been recorded. The village has 80 Serbian households and 20 Albanian ones. Kosovo police have not yet commented on the incident, Kosovo Online portal added.

This village is also a home to women’s association Tradition Through the Centuries of central Kosovo and the singing group Kosovke. Just a few days ago, members of the Kosovo police at Brnjak crossing point confiscated the Association’s flag, tore it, and threw it into a garbage bin.

Barbano: Judicial independence must be respected by everyone, at all times (media, social media)

Head of EULEX, Giovanni Barbano said judicial independence is one of the cornerstones of rule of law and must be respected by everyone.  

“Judicial independence is one of the cornerstones of the rule of law: independence of judges must be respected by everyone, at all times. Undue interference through personal attacks directly targeting judges and prosecutors performing their duties is always unacceptable”, Barbano wrote in a post on X. 

Serbian counterterrorism chief confirms dismissal, says retirement was his choice (N1)

Spasoje Vulevic, commander of Serbian Special Anti-Terrorist Unit (SAJ), confirmed that he was dismissed from his position and will retire at his own request, N1 reported. Speaking to BETA news agency, Vulevic said a new organizational plan was adopted on Thursday and that the following day, he was informed he would no longer serve as commander because, as he said, he was not under the control of President Aleksandar Vucic.

“After finishing military high school and the Military Academy, I spent 33 years in SAJ. I started as a regular member, went through all levels of command, and since 2005, I have been commander of the unit. On Friday, September 5, I was dismissed and offered the position of adviser to the Minister. I rejected the offer and chose to retire early”, Vulevic said.

He said Interior Minister Ivica Dacic and Police Director Dragan Vasiljevic personally informed him of the decision. “On Thursday, a new systematization was adopted, which requires new appointments for all positions within the Police Directorate. Commanders and chiefs are addressed first. Dacic and Vasiljevic called me and said that I was being removed because, as they put it, the President does not want to have an armed formation that is not under his absolute control. That is why I can no longer be commander”, Vulevic explained.

Born in 1971 in Pec, Vulevic completed primary school there before graduating from the Military High School and Military Academy in Belgrade. He joined SAJ in 1993 and led the elite unit for nearly two decades.

Serbian Interior Minister rejects claims regarding counterterrorism chief’s retirement (N1)

Serbian Interior Minister Ivica Dacic denied reports suggesting that the retirement of Colonel Spasoje Vulevic, longtime commander of the Special Anti-Terrorist Unit (SAJ), came at the request of President Aleksandar Vucic. In an official statement, Dacic stressed that Vulevic met the conditions for retirement on March 23, 2024, before Dacic even assumed his ministerial post. At that time, Vulevic was approved to continue his service. “Colonel Vulevic informed us that he has decided to retire, and this is his personal request, without any external influence”, Dacic said.

The minister dismissed claims of political involvement as “malicious lies.” He also said “it was absolutely absurd to involve anyone outside the Interior Ministry in employment matters, especially President (Aleksandar) Vucic. Decisions on retirements are made by me as minister every few months for all who meet the requirements. Personnel appointments in the police are decided by the police director with my consent, not by the president or anyone else”. Dacic called on the public to stop spreading falsehoods for “cheap political points”.

Opinion

Despite unjust sanctions against Kosovo, EU hasn’t turned Kosovars against it (Koha)

Brussels-based correspondent Augustin Palokaj writes in an opinion piece that Kosovars have great trust in the European Union and want Kosovo to become a member state. “This is proved by the latest polls published by the Eurobarometer. But Kosovo, after Turkey, has the smallest support from citizens in the EU, although the difference between those that would accept Kosovo in the EU and those that are against it is not big. A concerning message for the political parties in Kosovo should be that the citizens trust them the least. The results of the latest Eurobarometer, which measures the perception toward the EU enlargement process, is full of surprises. For example, most Spanish people would accept Kosovo in the EU, although their country does not recognize Kosovo as a state. Citizens from countries like Greece and Cyprus support Kosovo more than they support Albania. The Croatian people have great support for Kosovo and Albania, while most of them would accept even Serbia in the EU. But the majority of Serbs don’t want to become part of the European Union and their hearts and minds are with China and Russia,” he writes.

“Kosovars have great trust in the EU and they want to become part of it, despite the fact that Kosovo is still under unjust penalty measures by the European Union … Around 64 percent of Kosovars have a positive opinion about the EU, while only 9 percent have a negative opinion. Kosovars have great trust in the EU, 78 percent of them trust it. But the United States and NATO are trusted by 88 percent of Kosovars. In Kosovo, 94 percent of people are aware about the aid that the EU gives to Kosovo. In Serbia on the other hand, only 38 percent have a positive opinion about the EU. The people of Serbia have much more trust in Russia and China than in the EU. Only 38 percent trust the EU, while 50 trust Russia and 57 percent trust China”. 

Palokaj argues that the support that Kosovars have for integration in the EU and their awareness about the EU aid for Kosovo, should be used by the EU and the political parties in Kosovo, to work more on meeting the expectations of the people. “Because Kosovo is unjustly kept not only at the end of the line of candidate countries, but the only country without a candidate status. It is now clear that the citizens of the EU do not have any specific opposition to Kosovo compared to other countries and another positive fact is that there is support even from citizens of countries that have formally not recognized Kosovo as a state,” he concludes.

International

Nissinen: Kosovo is on the right path towards European and Euro-Atlantic organizations (The Geopost)

With the completion of his three-year diplomatic mandate in Kosovo, the Ambassador of Finland, Matti Nissinen, has shared with The Geopost his reflections on his personal and professional experience in the country. During this period, he has been engaged in strengthening bilateral relations between Kosovo and Finland, through numerous projects in the fields of education, civil society, European integration and the fight against disinformation.

In the interview for The Geopost, Nissinen speaks about the most significant moments of his diplomatic mission, about the close cooperation with the institutions and citizens of Kosovo, as well as about his hopes for the future of the country. While he expresses his conviction that Kosovo is on the right path towards European and Euro-Atlantic organizations.

He gives clear messages about the necessity of investing in people, education and broad social cooperation as a path towards a more secure and European future for Kosovo.

The Geopost: Ambassador, thank you very much for this interview with The Geopost. As you are now concluding your mandate in Kosovo, would you say your work here has been more of a privilege, or have you faced greater challenges during your mission?

Nissinen:  I would say my mandate here in Kosovo was, a very, very special one, highly enjoyable and rewarding, both professionally and personally. I truly enjoyed my three-year mandate in Kosovo. I made a lot of friends, in all parts of the country, and this is something that I will definitely remember after my departure. Also, outside of Pristina, I remember my several visits to different regions and municipalities and the meetings and friendships that I made there, they are truly enjoyable. So, I really enjoyed my mandate.

The Geopost: During your mandate, we have seen many activities that brought the two nations and peoples closer together. Which of those stands out as the most special for you this year?

Nissinen: Well, it’s difficult to choose just one project or topic because there were so many projects that we did with the embassy. But I would say that on the political front and our bilateral cooperation, one of the most memorable ones is President Osmani’s visit to Finland just recently. I think that underlined the close, very friendly bilateral relationship that our two nations have. And I think it was a very good opportunity to further deepen those areas of cooperation. Another thing that comes to my mind is the intensive work that we did together with civil society organizations, youth, and also the business community. One example being, a lecture series on European Union affairs that I organized with a local university. And that was truly fascinating to have debates and discussions with young people on European Union affairs, which is, another way for us to underline our work, how we want to support the EU integration process of Kosovo. And those discussions that I had with the university students, they were really enjoyable and, and inspiring ones.

Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/yc3929bj

Kosovo foreign tourist overnights grow 24% y/y in July (See News)

The number of overnights spent by foreign visitors in Kosovo hotels increased to 107,226 in July, from 86,582 in the same month of 2024, the statistical office, ASK, said on Monday.

The number of foreign visitors rose 33% year-on-year to 50,825 in the month under review, ASK said in a monthly data release.

Albanians made the largest group of visitors in July, 8,260, followed by Germans, 7,051, and Swiss citizens, 5,301.

Total hotel visitors, including domestic tourists, rose 35% on the year to 77,481 in July.