Albanian Language Media:
 

• Prosecution: International arrest warrant issued for persons accused of expelling population from Kosovo (media)
• Prattipati: Inclusion of Serb community in institutions is essential (media)
• German Embassy: Respect Constitutional Court’s decision, work toward political compromise (ekonomia)
• Appeals Chamber also rejects Veseli, Selimi, and Krasniqi’s temporary release request  (Klan)
• Tahiri on Gjilan protest: Vetevendosje is the real address for public outrage (media)
• LDK MP: We won’t vote for LVV, neither for Assembly nor government (ekonomia)
• Hundozi: RTK seeks government loan to overcome financial crisis (RTK)

Serbian Language Media:

• The appeal of the member of the MIA of Serbia against the decision on deportation from Kosovo was rejected (KiM radio, KoSSev)
• Detention of the accused for war crimes Djordjevic extended for two months (KiM radio)
• Prattipati met Serbian List: Important participation of Serbs and their representatives in Kosovo institutions (Kosovo Online)
• Three Serbs and one Albanian in the race for mayor of Gracanica? (medijacentar.info)
• Six presidents of temporary authorities were relieved of their duties (Alternativna, Zubin Potok info)
• Fresh protests across Serbia (N1)
• Dacic: 114 people detained after yesterday's protests, 75 police officers were injured (KiM radio, N1)
• Belgrade Center for Human Rights: Police protected exclusively safety of SNS members (Beta, N1)

International:

• Serbia clashes escalate as ruling party loyalists and police battle protesters (Balkan Insight)

Albanian Language Media

Prosecution: International arrest warrant issued for persons accused of expelling population from Kosovo (media)

Kosovo’s Special Prosecution has issued international arrest warrants for 21 individuals accused of forcibly expelling civilians during the last war. Special Prosecutor Atdhe Demaj said at a press conference today that the suspects remain unreachable and their full names will be published soon. The indictment alleges they committed war crimes, including systematic destruction of civilian property, burning homes, attacking civilians, and arbitrary detentions, as part of a campaign that forcibly displaced 863,000 Albanians.

Prattipati: Inclusion of Serb community in institutions is essential (media)

The Chargé d’Affaires of the Embassy of the United States in Kosovo, Anu Prattipati, held a meeting with representatives of the Serb List. During the discussion, Prattipati emphasized that broad participation from all established parties is essential to ensure inclusive representation in Kosovo’s future.

According to the U.S. Embassy’s statement, she underlined that only through equal and responsible engagement of all communities can a democratic and functional society be built. In particular, Prattipati highlighted the importance of the Kosovo Serb community and its representatives fully and actively participating in the work of Kosovo’s institutions. “Only through direct and continuous inclusion can the voices, concerns, and needs of citizens be truly heard and addressed,” the U.S. Embassy statement read.

German Embassy: Respect Constitutional Court’s decision, work toward political compromise (ekonomia)

The German Embassy in Pristina welcomed the Constitutional Court’s decision calling on Kosovo’s MPs to convene the Assembly within 30 days and elect its speaker.  “As a key democratic institution in an independent country, it is vital that Kosovo’s Constitutional Court be able to carry out its mandate independently. Personal attacks against judges are unacceptable and undermine the trust and independence of the Court. Allegations against democratically appointed judges must be presented clearly and properly in line with due legal procedures. We fully support the Constitutional Court and view with concern politically motivated accusations that obstruct its effective functioning, especially at a time when the Parliament has yet to fulfill its duties of representing its citizens,” the statement from the German Embassy in Pristina read.

Appeals Chamber also rejects Veseli, Selimi, and Krasniqi’s temporary release request  (Klan)

The Appeals Chamber of the Specialist Chambers has rejected the request of Kadri Veseli, Rexhep Selimi, and Jakup Krasniqi to overturn the Trial Panel’s decision denying them temporary release. Their request to be released after the Trial Panel rejected the conclusion of the Specialist Prosecutor’s case on May 13, 2025. Veseli, Selimi, and Krasniqi appealed the decision and temporarily waived their right to a bi-monthly review of detention until a new ruling is made.

Former President Hashim Thaci did not submit such a request for temporary release, as he is also facing a separate trial for attempted obstruction of justice.

Tahiri on Gjilan protest: Vetevendosje is the real address for public outrage (media)

After the triple murder in Gjilan, people have called for a protest. PDK MP Abelard Tahiri stated on Facebook that the protest should be directed at the Vetëvendosje Movement, which he accuses of being the source of crime and fear in the city. He criticized the government, particularly Minister Xhelal Svecla and Prime Minister Albin Kurti, for remaining silent for five days and allegedly allowing the suspect—wanted for usury and accused of killing three innocent people—to escape instead of securing the city to capture him.

LDK MP: We won’t vote for LVV, neither for Assembly nor government (ekonomia)

LDK MP Alban Zogaj stated that his party will not vote for LVV, neither for the Assembly Speaker not for forming a new government, citing past misgovernance and lack of cooperation. He emphasized that LDK will participate in votes but vote against LVV, while inviting LVV and other parties to seek political agreements. Zogaj noted that the Assembly could still be convened within the Constitutional Court’s deadline if LVV secures support from another parliamentary party.

Hundozi: RTK seeks government loan to overcome financial crisis (RTK)

Acting Director General of RTK, Hysen Hundozi, informed the public broadcaster’s employees on Friday about the severe financial situation, announcing that RTK’s management has approached the Ministry of Finance for a loan to overcome the crisis, expressing hope it will be approved soon. In his statement, Hundozi said that due to the inability to communicate directly with RTK’s founder, the Assembly of Kosovo, management has been in continuous contact with both local and international institutions to find alternative solutions. After reviewing multiple options, RTK and the government identified a legal mechanism that would allow financial assistance until the Assembly is constituted. The official loan request has been submitted to the Ministry of Finance and is being treated as a priority.

Hundozi thanked staff for their professionalism, patience, and understanding during this challenging period.

Serbian Language Media 

The appeal of the member of the MIA of Serbia against the decision on deportation from Kosovo was rejected (KiM radio, KoSSev)

The Appeals Commission for Foreigners of the MIA of Kosovo rejected the appeal of Mladen Milojevic from Leposavic against the decision of the Department for Migration and Aliens by which he was deported from Kosovo to Serbia on June 14, reported KiM radio.

Milojevic is a member of the MIA of Serbia, but he lived in Kosovo. He is one of 11 Serbian police officers, as confirmed earlier by the Office for Kosovo and Metohija, expelled from Kosovo.

Milojevic's lawyer, Srdjan Mitrovic, told the media that a lawsuit will be filed against this decision in an administrative dispute in the Basic Court in Pristina.

Milojevic was detained in Jarinja in mid-June, and the decision on his deportation was signed by the Minister of the Interior, Xhelal Svecla.

Milojevic, who lived in Leposavic, was banned from coming to Kosovo for the next five years.

Detention of the accused for war crimes Djordjevic extended for two months (KiM radio) 

Miljojko Djordjevic from North Mitrovica, accused of war crimes against the civilian population, had his detention extended for another two months, his defense attorney Srdjan Mitrovic confirmed, reported KiM radio.

Detention was extended until October 14 based on the decision of the judges for the preliminary proceedings of the Special Department of the Basic Court in Pristina, which deals with war crimes.

Djordjevic's lawyer, Srdjan Mitrovic, filed an appeal to the Court of Appeal of Kosovo against the decision of the Basic Court.

Miljojko Djordjevic was arrested on May 15 of this year after a months-long investigation conducted in cooperation with the War Crimes Investigators, the Special Prosecutor's Office of Kosovo stated.

He was accused of war crimes against the civilian population during the conflict in Kosovo in 1998 and 1999.

According to the indictment, Djordjevic, as the commander of the police unit within the MIA of Serbia in Zvecan in the period 1998/1999, participated allegedly in the murders, expulsions, robberies, torture and physical abuse of Albanian civilians. It is suspected that in April 1999, together with members of the Serbian military and police forces, he participated in the attack on the village of Zaza, in which seven civilians were killed. The bodies of the victims were found after the end of the war at the village cemetery in Suvi Dol in the municipality of North Mitrovica, the Prosecutor's Office stated.

After ordering a month's detention, his defense attorney Srdjan Mitrovic denied the allegations that his client was the commander of the Zvecan police station.

Mitrovic then said that the indictment was based on witness statements given 26 years after the war conflicts.

Prattipati met Serbian List: Important participation of Serbs and their representatives in Kosovo institutions (Kosovo Online)

Chargé d'affaires at the US Embassy in Pristina, Anu Prattipati, in a conversation with representatives of the Serbian List, pointed out the importance of the participation of the Serb community and its representatives in the work of Kosovo institutions.

''Chargé d'affaires Anu Prattipati continued meeting with Kosovo's political parties this week. In her discussion with Serbian List representatives, she stressed that broad participation from all established parties is essential to ensuring every community has a voice in Kosovo's future. The Chargé also emphasized the importance of the Kosovar Serb community and its representatives to fully participate in the work of Kosovo's institutions. Only through active engagement can citizens' voices, concerns, and needs be heard and addressed,'' read the post of the US embassy on FB.

Three Serbs and one Albanian in the race for mayor of Gracanica? (medijacentar.info)

In the upcoming local elections scheduled for October 12, there will most likely be four candidates in the race for the mayor of the municipality of Gracanica, reported Media Center Caglavica. 

According to the information of the Media Center, the candidate in front of the Serbian List will be Novak Zivic, who until August 7 of this year held the position of President of the Provisional Authority of the City of Pristina, but was relieved of that duty at the meeting of the Government of Serbia that day. Until the publication of this news, Media Center did not receive official confirmation that he is a candidate of the Serbian List.

Igor Rasic, the candidate for the Freedom, Justice and Survival party, Nenad Rasic, the current Minister for Communities and Return, confirmed for Media Center that he will be in the race for the first person in the municipality.

Goran Marinkovic confirmed his participation in the elections for Media Center, stating that he will be the candidate of the Kosovo Alliance for mayor, and he also pointed out that this party will also have a list of candidates for councilors.

In addition to the three candidates from the Serbian community, for the first time in the race for the mayor of Gracanica, a candidate from the Albanian community - Leutrim Ajeti, who until now held the position of deputy mayor for communities - is participating. He is speaking on behalf of the Albanian Alliance, an initiative that brings together four Albanian parties in Kosovo - the Self-Determination Movement (VV), the Democratic Alliance of Kosovo (LDK), the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) and the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK).

Serbian List scheduled a media conference at 2:00 p.m., where, as announced, they will present the candidates and councilors for the upcoming local elections.

Six presidents of temporary authorities were relieved of their duties (Alternativna, Zubin Potok info)

The presidents of the Provisional Authorities of several municipalities in Kosovo were relieved of their duties at the session of the Government of Serbia held on August 7.

As stated in the decisions signed by Prime Minister Djuro Macut, those relieved of duties are: 

Novak Zivic, President of the Provisional Authority of the City of Pristina, Sasa Milosevic, president of the Provisional Authority of the Municipality of Gnjilane, Zoran Todic, president of the Provisional Authority of Leposavic Municipality, Tanja Aksic, president of the Provisional Body of the Municipality of Kosovska Kamenica, Goran Dancetovic, president of the Provisional Authority of the Municipality of Obilic and Bozidar Dejanovic, president of the Provisional Authority of the Municipality of Vitina.

Temporary municipal bodies were formed in Kosovo after the Municipal Assembly was dissolved in 2013 by decision of the Government of Serbia.

The decision to dissolve municipalities in the north of Kosovo was made on the eve of the first local elections in Kosovo.

Fresh protests across Serbia (N1)

Protests took place across Serbia on Thursday evening after student protesters called on citizens to take to the streets.

Demonstrations were scheduled in more than 30 cities and municipalities, including three separate locations in Belgrade.

In Novi Sad, citizens gathered in front of the Security Intelligence Agency building. A portion of the demonstrators then moved to the offices of the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), which they demolished. They first broke the windows and then pelted the offices with eggs, red and white paint, and stones. A reporter for TV Nova said that neither SNS members nor police were present in front of the building. SNS offices at a second location were also demolished.

Police responded for the first time after citizens in Novi Sad headed toward the SNS office on Kosovska Street, deploying tear gas against the crowd.

In line with the list of locations student protesters posted on Instagram, Belgraders gathered at three different sites.

On Kneza Milosa Street in downtown Belgrade, citizens assembled near the offices of the ruling Serbian Progressive Party, where SNS activists were standing guard. The Green-Left Front posted a video on its X profile showing a group of men dressed in black and holding wooden bats in front of the SNS offices. A cordon of gendarmerie officers was positioned between them and the group of protesting citizens.

N1’s reporters said that Serbian Progressive Party supporters fired pyrotechnics over the gendarmerie cordon toward the citizens, with flares, plastic bottles, and firecrackers also being thrown. The gendarmerie pushed the demonstrators back, while the SNS activists remained positioned in front of their party offices.

SNS activists also used a laser to disrupt the N1 news crew.

Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/yc5vs9ba

Dacic: 114 people detained after yesterday's protests, 75 police officers were injured (KiM radio, N1)

The Minister of the Interior Ivica Dacic said today that after yesterday's incidents, 114 people were detained, and 34 criminal and 28 misdemeanor charges were filed.

"Without any reason, the police were massively and brutally attacked, there were violent attempts to break through the established cordons, throwing stones, bricks, pyrotechnics, frozen water bottles, using batons at the police..." Dacic said at the press conference.

As he said, 75 police officers were injured, several vehicles were damaged, and more than 70 pieces of protective equipment were destroyed.

"All those who tell lies about police brutality should comment on this information. What kind of police brutality is this, if 75 police officers were injured last night, 27 the night before, and 19 the night before. So, in the previous three days, 121 police officers were injured, nine of them with serious injuries," said Dacic.

Dacic said that "the blockaders came to clash with the police, with the intention of injuring the policemen".

"The police never intervened before she was attacked. We detained 114 people, 34 criminal charges were filed, 28 misdemeanor charges were filed, and 11 offenses under the Traffic Safety Act were discovered. Those persons will be or have already been handed over to the competent judicial authorities. How these offenses will qualify is no longer in the hands of the MIA," said Dacic.

Belgrade Center for Human Rights: Police protected exclusively safety of SNS members (Beta, N1)

The Belgrade Center for Human Rights (BCHR) condemned Thursday the “biased and discriminatory conduct of the police,” who have – particularly during recent protests across Serbia – “sided with and protected exclusively the safety of Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) members”.

It said in a press release that the police left citizens protesting against the current authorities without protection and, in many cases, subjected them to severe physical abuse.

“To recall, citizens peacefully protesting in Vrbas in the evening of 12 August 2025 were attacked by SNS activists using pyrotechnics, frozen glass bottles and bricks, while the police remained passive, disregarding their duty to protect the safety, lives and physical integrity of the individuals under attack,” this NGO said.

According to the Belgrade Center for Human Rights, the officers’ failure to protect the safety of the assaulted citizens in Vrbas bears all the elements of the crime under Article 344a (5) of the Criminal Code, wherefore the BCHR has filed a criminal report against several unidentified police officers with the Vrbas Basic Public Prosecutor’s Office.

The BCHR said the police again acted with bias during protests in several cities across Serbia on Wednesday night, safeguarding only SNS members, while also “abusing a number of citizens demonstrating against the authorities.”

“Numerous photos and videos posted on social media capture the police’s cruel treatment of the protesters… Police bias and selectiveness have been evident for some time. To recall, police officers have been guarding and sealing off, with fences and glue, the area around the Belgrade Pionirski Park and part of Nikola Pasic Square in front of the National Assembly, under the excuse that a public gathering allegedly notified in accordance with the law is at issue,” the Center said.

It emphasized that regardless of the political, party or other affiliation of participants in public assemblies, the police are under the duty to provide equal protection to all, prevent violence, refer those responsible for acts of violence for prosecution and refrain from any unlawful and unjustified use of force against citizens.

“Contrary to this duty, the leadership of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and in particular the Police Director, have sided with the Serbian Progressive Party, publicly laying all the blame for the violence in the streets solely on the protesters,” the Belgrade Center for Human Rights said.

International

Serbia clashes escalate as ruling party loyalists and police battle protesters (Balkan Insight)

As political confrontation continued in cities across Serbia, ruling party supporters clashed violently with student-led protesters and tried to attack journalists, while police used batons and tear gas in an attempt to disperse the demonstrations.

Supporters of the ruling Serbian Progressive Party members, protected by police, clashed with protesters again in major Serbian cities on Thursday night as months of anti-corruption demonstrations erupted into civil unrest for a fifth consecutive night.

In cities and towns across the country, protesters mostly demonstrated at Progressive Party (SNS) premises, which were guarded by two rings of security: party activists – burly men armed with fireworks, rocks, bottles and wooden sticks – and police. Several dozen people were arrested in the clashes, authorities said.

Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/j5tjxew6