UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, September 10, 2025

Albanian Language Media:

Gashi: Neither majority nor non-majority community have the right to block institutions (media)
Krasniqi: Protest in the Hague on September 14 is for justice (media)
Basha asks for Slovenia’s support for Kosovo at CoE and EU (media)
Police Inspectorate rejects Serbian Democracy claims as “untrue and tendentious” (media)
Kosovo urges international response to Serbia's arrest of Kosovars (media)
Kosovo Police receive a donation from the UNDP (media)
POS devices used for payments in Dinars seized in Mitrovica North (media)
Begaj meets Kamberi, discuss challenges of Albanians in Presevo Valley (media)

Serbian Language Media:

Vucic: Serbia will face much larger problems, these are Kosovo issue and military alliances (KoSSev, media)
Official Gazette Bookstore closed? Syla claims ‘parallel institution’, Office for KIM ‘ethnic cleansing’ (KoSSev)
Serbian List: Continuation of systematic pressure (Radio kontakt plus)
Repacking voter lists: According to law or with a touch of politics? (Kosovo Online)
COM KFOR met Albanian Defense Minister, discussed Kosovo and dialogue (media, social media)
Vucic admits he was wrong to call MEPs ‘scum’, then says he thinks far worse of them (N1)

International:

Vucevic manipulates facts: Kurti is threatening with weapons and trying to ignite the region (The Geopost)
The Peace Lodge: Albanian, Serbian, Palestinian, and Israeli youth united in Kosovo summer camp (Prishtina Insight)

Albanian Language Media

Gashi: Neither majority nor non-majority community have the right to block institutions (media)

MP from the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) Arben Gashi said on Tuesday that neither the majority nor the non-majority communities have the right to block the formation of institutions. “It is in Kosovo’s long-term interest for the principle of majority to apply also for deputy speakers [of the Assembly] from the non-majority communities. No one has the right to keep the Assembly hostage over political interests – neither the majority, nor the ethnic minorities. The same way that the first party wins the right to propose and the obligation to form a majority, the minorities too are obliged to cooperate and find an acceptable candidate. The [Constitutional] Court needs to make a fair ruling: not to build blocking precedents, but to guarantee the functionality of institutions. Kosovo needs institutions that work and not intentionally-produced crises,” Gashi wrote in a Facebook post.

Krasniqi: Protest in the Hague on September 14 is for justice (media)

Leader of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) Memli Krasniqi said on Tuesday that the protest in the Hague on September 14 against the trial of former KLA leaders at the Specialist Chambers is a protest for justice. “PDK structures in the diaspora, activists and citizens from the diaspora and from Kosovo will be there to raise their voice for the righteous fight of the Kosovo Liberation Army and for our liberators who are being tried unfairly. This protest is a call for the truth and for justice for those that sacrificed everything for our freedom. The process in the Hague is nearing its end, and the people of Kosovo have faith that their heroes will be released soon. The KLA was and remains the foundation of our freedom. Today more than ever, it is our duty to stand united and to protect its honor and to seek equal justice for all,” Krasniqi said in a Facebook post.

Basha asks for Slovenia’s support for Kosovo at CoE and EU (media)

Kosovo Assembly Speaker Dimal Basha met on Tuesday with Slovenian Ambassador to Kosovo Borut Blaj and highlighted the importance of bilateral relations and cooperation between Kosovo and Slovenia. Basha informed Blaj about the process of constituting the new Assembly and stressed the need for the full functionalization of institutions. He also asked for Slovenia’s support for Kosovo’s membership in the Council of Europe and getting the candidate status for European Union membership.

Police Inspectorate rejects Serbian Democracy claims as “untrue and tendentious” (media)

The Kosovo Police Inspectorate (IPK) rejected on Tuesday claims made by the Serbian Democracy according to which over 30 complaints filed by this party were allegedly hidden. The inspectorate said that the allegations are both untrue and tendentious and that it treats every complaint with professionalism and impartiality. “The IPK reiterates clearly that no complaint is hidden. Every case that is received is registered officially, treated in line with the legal mandate and investigated professionally, objectively and independently, regardless of the ethnic, political or social background of the plaintiff. The IPK office in Mitrovica North functions regularly and is open to all citizens. From this office and in IPK premises in Hajvali in the six-month period of 2025, 38 complaints from citizens of the northern municipalities of the Republic of Kosovo were registered and treated. On every reported case, the IPK has initiated concrete investigative actions based on legal authorizations and sent to the competent prosecutions cases which it concluded contained elements of criminal offense, whereas cases of suspected administrative violations were processed for disciplinary action to the Kosovo Police. For every case, the IPK based on its legal obligations notifies the parties about the status of their complaints and the same happened with the plaintiffs from the party ‘Serbian Democracy’ who were notified about the status of their complaints. The IPK also held regular meetings in Mitrovica North with citizens, civil society organizations and local and international representatives with the aim of increasing transparency, accountability and public trust in this institution. In these meetings, explanations were given about the way that citizens’ complaints are treated, and special reports were published about the findings of investigations in the last five years. Accusations that the IPK allegedly ‘sides with the police’ are untrue. The IPK is an independent and multiethnic institution that is based on international standards, which is not influenced, and treats with impartiality every case by seeking accountability from the Kosovo Police based on its legal mandate. The IPK encourages all citizens, regardless of their communities, to submit their complaints to our offices and we assure the public that every case is treated with seriousness, professionalism and impartiality,” the IPK statement notes.

Kosovo urges international response to Serbia's arrest of Kosovars (media)

Kosovo’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora (MPJD) has called on the international community to urgently respond to what it describes as Serbia’s growing practice of detaining and arresting Kosovo residents, which it says violates international law and human rights conventions. On Tuesday, the Ministry confirmed the arrest of Hazir Haziri by Serbian authorities at the Merdare border crossing, while he was entering Serbian territory in a private vehicle. “The MFAD underscores the urgent need for the international community to respond to the Serbian authorities’ repressive practices, which are in violation of the core principles of international law and human rights conventions,” the ministry stated in an official Facebook post.

The ministry emphasized that the increasing number of detentions and mistreatment of Kosovo people by Serbian authorities represents a violation of the spirit of dialogue and of the agreements signed between the two parties.

Following the arrest, Kosovo’s Liaison Office in Serbia activated official diplomatic channels to obtain accurate and full information about Haziri’s detention. The ministry also informed the EU delegation in Serbia and diplomatic representatives of QUINT countries (U.S., UK, Germany, France, and Italy).

In case pre-trial detention is imposed on Haziri, the ministry has stated it will formally request a visit to the detention facility.

Once again, the MFAD has urged Kosovo people to avoid traveling through Serbia, as the risk of politically motivated arrests continues to rise.

Serbian authorities claim that Haziri was arrested on suspicion of committing war crimes.

Kosovo Police receive a donation from the UNDP (media)

The Kosovo Police received a donation on Tuesday from the UNDP. The news was announced after a meeting between Police General Director Gazmend Hoxha and UNDP Deputy Director. The donation aims to further strengthen capacities for public security and border control. Hoxha expressed appreciation for the UNDP as the donation helped to develop and functionalize for the first time the e-Learning platform where police benefited from training and can develop new training in the platform. At the ceremony, police also received advanced iBase and Analyst Notebook advanced software/licenses which enable the collection and analysis of information related to firearms, ammunition and explosives and which will further increase the efficiency of the Firearms Focal Point (FFP).

POS devices used for payments in Dinars seized in Mitrovica North (media)

Kosovo Police in Mitrovica North, while assisting market inspectors from the Directorate of Inspection of the municipality of Mitrovica North, as well as inspectors of the Kosovo Tax Administration, as part of an inspection in several businesses / premises in the Municipality of Mitrovica North in seven different businesses has come across seven POS machines that have been used for making payments in the Dinar currency. The State Prosecutor was notified and instructed the devices to be temporarily seized and a case of the criminal offense "abuse of economic authorizations" be initiated.

Begaj meets Kamberi, discuss challenges of Albanians in Presevo Valley (media)

Most news websites that Albanian President Bajram Begaj hosted on Tuesday the only Albanian member of the Serbian Parliament, Shaip Kamberi, and discussed the challenges and problems faced by Albanians in Presevo Valley. Kamberi said in a Facebook post that he expressed concern over the latest provocations in Bujanovac and asked for greater attention from the Albanian state. He also said that an active Albanian diplomacy would contribute to raising greater awareness about the issue of Presevo Valley in the international area and called for an Investment Fund that would increase the feeling of security and bring new hope for Albanians in Presevo Valley.

President Begaj said he will not stop efforts to unite the Albanian political factor and lobbying at all levels in defense of the rights and identity of Albanians in Presevo Valley.

Serbian Language Media

Vucic: Serbia will face much larger problems, these are Kosovo issue and military alliances (KoSSev, media)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic told Belgrade-based Prva TV last night that Serbia, in addition to its current problems, will face much larger ones, KoSSev portal reported.

“These are the issues of Kosovo and Metohija and military alliances being created in the region”, he said. Speaking briefly about Kosovo he reiterated what he said a couple of days ago, in the Ministry of Internal Affairs Commanding Room from where protests are observed. “After military alliance Tirana-Pristina-Zagreb, an additional alliance Zagreb-Ljubljana was created and it has been fully clear they are not made because of military neutrality of Austria, but because of Serbia, of course”, he said, adding he expects inclusion of Bulgaria.

“And to any of our questions, be it in Europe or NATO why you are doing that, we cannot receive replay. Simply, because supposedly it is not normal. And as Kosovo is not a state, not only for us, but also for four NATO states and five EU states it is not (a state) either”.

Official Gazette Bookstore closed? Syla claims ‘parallel institution’, Office for KIM ‘ethnic cleansing’ (KoSSev, Radio KIM)

Mitrovica North municipal inspectors visited yesterday the Serbian Official Gazette Bookstore in this city, and according to unofficial information closed it down, KoSSev portal reported on Tuesday. The portal said its team upon visiting the spot found a closed door, without notification that the premise had been closed by the municipality.

As it learnt unofficially the premises were visited by municipal inspectors, who demanded on that occasion proof of ownership, respectively necessary documentation for work, as they said. Visar Syla, chief of Mitrovica North mayor Erden Atiq’s cabinet indirectly confirmed to KoSSev this information. In a written statement to the portal he claimed that during control of this bookstore, he referred to “as a parallel system of Serbia” several persons without documentation to use the premise were found inside. “Since they had no certificates or contracts, the premise was closed until documentation is presented”, he said in a written reply.

At the same time, the Serbian Government Office for Kosovo and Metohija termed this act differently saying that “(Albin) Kurti’s police closed premises of Official Gazette in Kosovska Mitrovica and prevented textbooks supply for the Serbian schools”. The Office also said that “this cunning attack by so-called inspectors of illegitimate municipal authorities, installed contrary to the will of the majority Serbian population in the northern part of Kosovska Mitrovica is an immediate attack on children, with clear goal to deprive the youngest Serbs of possibility to educate in their mother tongue and on curriculum of the Republic of Serbia”. The statement concluded that this is yet another in a series of decisions of Albin Kurti “to continue pursuing a policy of ethnic cleansing aiming to persecute anything Serbian from Kosovo”.

In a news report on closure of the Official Gazette Bookstore, Radio KIM reported that this bookstore was one of the few Serbian ones in Kosovo where parents of Serbian schoolchildren not only from the north, but also from the south of the Ibar River could buy textbooks and school supplies.

Serbian List: Continuation of systematic pressure (Radio kontakt plus)

Reacting to the closure of the Serbian Official Gazette Bookstore in Mitrovica North Serbian List in a statement said the premises were “raided by Kosovo police, expelling employees from their working places forcibly and confiscating official equipment and thousands of books dedicated to our children”, Radio kontakt plus reported.

They termed the act as continuation of systematic pressure against Serbian people in Kosovo. Serbian List also held a meeting with Official Gazette Bookstore employees, extending support to them and reassuring them they will not be left alone, the statement added. It was also said they will continue receiving their wages.

“We demand an urgent reaction from the international community and protection of the basic human rights, as today’s raid is yet another proof that Pristina authorities continue systematic pressure to disfranchise the Serbs”, Serbian List said in a statement.

Repacking voter lists: According to law or with a touch of politics? (Kosovo Online)

Already last winter, when results of the census were presented, it was pointed out that they did not reflect the true number of either Serbs or Albanians in Kosovo. Suspicion about the figures persists now that the Central Election Commission (CEC) has announced the number of voters in each municipality. In Serb-majority municipalities in the north, the number has decreased, while in Gracanica it has increased, the Serbian List pointed out. The CEC cites the activation of the address system, while interlocutors of Kosovo Online suspect political motives behind it and an attempt to secure the best possible position for Albanian political actors.

Read the full article at: https://shorturl.at/SMR9R

COM KFOR met Albanian Defense Minister, discussed Kosovo and dialogue (media, social media)

“Major General Enrico Barduani, Commander of the NATO-led KFOR mission, visited the Albanian Minister of Defence, H.E. Pirro Vengu, and the Chief of Defence, Lieutenant General Arben Kingji, at the Ministry of Defence in Tirana”, KFOR said in a statement on its Facebook account on Tuesday.

“Discussions focused on KFOR’s ongoing engagement in maintaining security and stability in Kosovo and in the wider region, as well as on the importance of the EU-facilitated dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina. General Barduani highlighted that KFOR maintains its resolve to ensure a safe and secure environment for all communities. He expressed his appreciation for the professionalism and dedication of the Albanian contingent to KFOR, noting their valuable contribution to the mission and to promoting peace and stability in the Western Balkans. He further underlined the importance of sustained cooperation and partnership between KFOR and Albania.

KFOR continues to implement its mandate - based on UN Security Council Resolution 1244 of 1999 - to contribute to a safe and secure environment for all people and communities living in Kosovo and freedom of movement, at all times and impartially. KFOR works in close coordination with the Kosovo Police and the European Union Mission Rule of Law in Kosovo (EULEX) in their respective roles as security responders”, the statement concluded.

Vucic admits he was wrong to call MEPs ‘scum’, then says he thinks far worse of them (N1)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic assessed that representatives of Serbian opposition parties who spoke in Strasbourg on Tuesday demonstrated a “lack of moral credibility”, N1 reported.

A group of representatives from five Serbian opposition parties, who spoke to members of the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Tuesday about the current political situation in Serbia, called for sanctions against President Aleksandar Vucic and other high-ranking state officials. Appearing on Prva TV, Vucic said that the opposition had gone too far and that their demand for sanctions against government officials was actually aimed against the state and its people. According to him, opposition representatives lack a plan, platform, and ideas.

As N1 further said the Serbian President admitted he was probably wrong to call the Members of the European Green Party “scum” after they attended a student protest in Novi Sad, but then went on to say he thinks far worse of them.

Read the full article at: https://shorturl.at/JCqmQ

International

Vucevic manipulates facts: Kurti is threatening with weapons and trying to ignite the region (The Geopost)

Milos Vucevic, advisor to Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, has twisted the truth by claiming that Kosovo’s acting Prime Minister Albin Kurti is threatening with weapons and trying to escalate the conflict and set the Western Balkans region on fire. Vucevic’s statement: “The formation of military alliances against Serbia is reminiscent of the 1990s. From a historical perspective, it is clear what is being prepared and that it is directed against the Serbian people. And Albin Kurti is the pioneer of this genocidal policy against the Serbian people. Not only does he not hide it, he even brags about it,“ Vučević wrote on social network ”X” in response to Kurti’s announcement that he would form a joint KSF military unit with the Albanian armed forces. “Once again, we are witnessing the silence of the international community, before whose eyes and ears Kurti is proclaiming a new war holiday. And once again, we are witnessing the so-called authorities in Pristina seriously violating UN Security Council Resolution 1244,” he continued. Vucevic's statement was published by the Kosovo Online portal.

Analysis:

Such statements, which aim to misinform citizens by misinterpreting Kurti’s statements, once again highlight Serbia’s malicious claims against Kosovo. Acting Prime Minister Albin Kurti said on Sunday: “We will form a joint military unit with the armed forces of the Republic of Albania.” This statement contains neither threats nor bellicose language. At no point did he threaten or claim to destabilize the region. Kurti spoke of military cooperation with Albania, which is common between partner states, while Vucevic portrayed it as a threat. In summary, Vucevic’s statements are a clear manipulation of the facts, as there is no evidence to support his claims. Kurti has not called for violence or war but merely announced a form of military cooperation between the two neighboring states.