Albanian Language Media:

• Germany: We remain firmly committed to peace and stability in Kosovo (media)

• AJK reacts to Kurteshi’s remarks against Nacionale reporter (media)

• Court orders RTK to reinstate Berisha to his position and compensate him (media)

• “Vucic has engaged retired police officers from Kosovo for March 15” (media)

• Thaci in Kosovo to visit ailing father (media)

• Calls for boycotting all supermarkets in Kosovo on March 15 (Albanian Post)

• Kurti meets Yaroslav, son of late journalist from Ukraine, Olga Priadko (media)

   

Serbian Language Media: 

• Law students call on minister to move people from park before March 15 (N1)

• Belgrade University chief calls for easing of tensions (N1)

• Pavkovic: Rasic’s election with votes from Albanian municipalities calls his mandate’s legitimacy into question (Kosovo Online)
• AJK condemns Self-determination CEC member telling Nacionale journalist she works for media of ‘paid assassins’ (KoSSev)
• Flutra Kusari reacts to Kurteshi’s remarks, says it reflects ‘oppressive way of thinking’ of Self-determination (Kosovo Online)
• AJK: RTK director sanctioned three editors over not broadcasting reports on government and Kurti (KoSSev)

• 15 Minutes of Silence vigil held in Mitrovica North (media)

• Fatherland movement called the Serbs from Kosovo to leave the Pioneer Park (Danas, Beta)

• United Media condemns blockade of N1 as pressure (N1)

   

Opinion:

• Will Donald Trump ride to embattled Serb Leaders’ rescue? (BIRN)

   

International Media:

• Britain’s potential arms export to Kosovo, strategic support or regional gamble? (PI)
• Kosovo media ignoring ethics in rush to publish photos of the dead (BIRN)
• What can Ukraine learn from NATO's peacekeeping mission In Kosovo? (RFE)
• Record-Breaking demonstrations expected in Serbia on Saturday: “Serbia’s future as a free country is at stake” (crd.org)

Albanian Language Media 

Germany: We remain firmly committed to peace and stability in Kosovo (media)

The German mission to NATO said in a post on X on Wednesday that “for over 25 years, KFOR has helped to foster security in an unstable region. This week, Ambassador von Geyr and his NATO counterparts paid a visit to KFOR, an Alliance mission in which Germany has participated since the very beginning in 1999. Germany reinforced its KFOR contingent last year to approximately 300 servicewomen and men. In especially challenging times, we remain firmly committed to peace and stability in this part of our continent”.

AJK reacts to Kurteshi’s remarks against Nacionale reporter (media)

All media reported that Sami Kurteshi, VV representative at the Central Election Commission, accused a Nacionale journalist on Wednesday saying “you are a criminal media of paid killers” and that “you are instructed by a slanderer who helps paid killers”. The Association of Journalists of Kosovo reacted to Kurteshi’s remarks saying that “such unprecedented accusations against a news website by a senior member of the ruling party not only undermines the freedom of the press but also threatens the safety of journalists”.

Court orders RTK to reinstate Berisha to his position and compensate him (media)

Most news websites reported that the Basic Court of Pristina has upheld a lawsuit by Ridvan Berisha against a decision by the public broadcaster, the Radio Television of Kosovo, to terminate his employment. The RTK is now obliged to return Berisha to his position and compensate him with over €28,000. 

“Vucic has engaged retired police officers from Kosovo for March 15” (media)

Citing a report by N1, several news websites report that Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic will engage retired police officers from Kosovo “to create unrest in Belgrade” and that “some of them are already heading to Belgrade”. According to the Serbian news website, these officers were employed in the Serbian Ministry of Interior Affairs and were then integrated in the Kosovo Police. 

Thaci in Kosovo to visit ailing father (media)

All news websites report that former President Hashim Thaci has arrived in Kosovo on a temporary permit from the Specialist Chambers in The Hague. Thaci is currently in the Hospital in Pristina, where his father has been receiving treatment for some time. He had made requests to the Specialist Chambers in The Hague this year to visit his ailing father, but they had been refused so far.

The spokesperson for the Specialist Chambers in The Hague, Michael Doyle, confirmed Thaci’s visit on humanitarian grounds. “For compelling humanitarian reasons, the Trial Chamber and the Pre-Trial Judge have instructed the Registry to arrange a supervised visit to Kosovo for Hashim Thaci to be with his father. The accused remains in custody of the Specialized Chambers," Doyle told Koha.

Calls for boycotting all supermarkets in Kosovo on March 15 (Albanian Post)

The civic initiative “Kosova Boycotts” today has called for a total boycott of all supermarkets in Kosovo on March 15 over high product prices. Members of the initiative displayed a banner in downtown Pristina today which says “On March 15, Kosovo boycotts all supermarkets”. One of the members said: “we call on the citizens to join us and raise our voices through a boycott and with our buying power because when we stand united in boycott, we send a message to the supermarkets and to the government that we are unsatisfied, and we apply social pressure”.

Kurti meets Yaroslav, son of late journalist from Ukraine, Olga Priadko (media)

Several news websites report that Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti hosted in a farewell meeting the son of the late journalist, Olga Priadko, who passed away on January 22 of this year. “After more than a year and a half of being sheltered in Kosovo, Yaroslav, accompanied by his family and at the request of his father, will return to his family in Ukraine, in an area far from the front lines. As a sign of gratitude and thanks, he presented Prime Minister Kurti with sweets produced in Ukraine. Yaroslav expressed his desire to return to Kosovo for the summer holidays and visit his classmates at the American School of Kosovo, where he was a student. The Prime Minister wished him health and happiness and said that he will always be welcome in Kosovo. The late Olga Priadko and her son Yaroslav came to Kosovo in May 2023 as part of the Journalists in Residence (JiR) program, supported by the Government of the Republic of Kosovo and implemented by the Kosovo Journalists Association,” a press release issued by the Prime Minister’s Office notes.

Serbian Language Media

Law students call on minister to move people from park before March 15 (N1)

In a post on X, protesting law students called on the Serbian Interior Minister to relocate the group of people claiming to be students from Pioneers’ Park before March 15, the date of the announced mass protest in Belgrade.

“We, the protesting law students, guided by the ideas of justice and unity, inspired by the principles of constitutionality and legality, call on the minister of internal affairs to relocate the group of people representing themselves as students from Pioneers’ Park before March 15, 2025, in the interest of everyone’s safety,” they said.

The students noted that “Article 29 of the Law on Police obliges the minister to take such measures in accordance with the law.”

Highlighting that there were no incidents at any of their previously organized protests, the students expressed concern that “attempts by certain groups to exploit the situation led us to conclude that there is an intention to incite conflict.”

They said that from the beginning of their protests, they have conducted and encouraged peaceful gatherings.

“In that spirit and being concerned for general safety while aiming to exercise our right to freedom of thought and expression, guaranteed by the Constitution, we wish for the upcoming protest to unfold in the same manner,” the students said.

If the group is not relocated from the Pioneers’ Park outside the Serbian Presidency building by March 15, “we will hold the minister directly responsible for any potential conflict,” they said.

Belgrade University chief calls for easing of tensions (N1)

Belgrade University Rector Vladan Djokic called for easing of tensions prior to the March 15 protest in Belgrade, N1 reported.

He told reporters that the students and a large part of the academic community are upset over the possibility of violence at next Saturday’s protest. “We are calling on everyone who has influence on politicians, the media and others to ease tensions”, he said prior to a news conference where a statement by the Expanded Rector’s Board was presented. That board has 52 members which includes all university school deans, the rector and his deputies.

The Rector said that the students want this protest to be peaceful like earlier protests in major university centers. “Not with undesirable scenes that some groups or individuals want. As a society we have to be reasonable and be dignified on that day”, he said, recalling that none of the students called for violence.

Asked about plans to resume classes, Djokic said that there is a window of several weeks to do that, adding that all colleges have made plans to resume compressed classes by the end of the academic year.

Pavkovic: Rasic’s election with votes from Albanian municipalities calls his mandate’s legitimacy into question (Kosovo Online)

Milos Pavkovic, a researcher at the European Policy Center in Belgrade, told Kosovo Online that Nenad Rasic was not elected with the votes of the Serbian community in the elections held in Kosovo on February 9, and that, while this is not necessarily illegal, it is problematic from both a democratic perspective and in terms of the legitimacy of representing non-majority communities.

“The Serbian List accused Rasic of receiving votes from Albanian municipalities, meaning that his coalition partner, Self-Determination, secured votes for him. While this is not necessarily illegal, it does call into question the legitimacy of Rasic or any other representative of his party as a member of parliament. It also raises concerns about a crisis in the representation of the Serbian community and trust in the electoral process. In a way, it is a misuse of votes”, Pavkovic said.

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

AJK condemns Self-determination CEC member telling Nacionale journalist she works for media of ‘paid assassins’ (KoSSev)

Association of Journalists of Kosovo (AJK) in the strongest terms condemned insults and threats made by Self-determination Movement member at Central Election Commission (CEC) Sami Kurteshi against the media, KoSSev portal reported.

This, as AJK said in a statement, occurred after Nacionale journalist Besara Hoti asked Kurteshi a question, to which he responded, “you are a criminal media, a media of paid assassins”. In its reaction the AJK said that these insults firstly jeopardize the security of the journalists, by, as they said, a high official of the ruling Self-determination.

“AJK considers this statement as irresponsible, unacceptable and dangerous. Such unprecedented accusations against the media by a high official of the ruling party not only violate the freedom of the media, but also endanger the security of the journalists”, the statement added.

AJK called on the ruling party in Kosovo to react, in order for their representative to refrain from threatening messages against the media.

KoSSev portal recalled that Sami Kurteshi at the beginning of March used “sexist language” while addressing a female journalist. Back then the AJK said such a language “was unworthy and inappropriate for any institutional communication”.  

The journalist Besarta Hoti and her colleague cameraman Kushtrim Zenuni were the targets of verbal attacks by Self-determination members and supporters also before. In a Self-determination pre-election gathering in Malisevo some of participants told this media team that they are “worse than Serbia”. One of Self-determination supporters Filiz Mustafa, as AJK said, ‘lynched’ Besarta Hoti on Facebook over her reporting on the party pre-election gatherings in several towns across Kosovo.

KoSSev portal recalled that in addition to the Self-determination supporters, the leader of this party Albin Kurti does not maintain “a friendly attitude” towards part of the media in Kosovo, in particular those being critical of Self-determination. Kurti accused them of links with Serbia, and there were attempts to revoke their license such was the case with the largest TV station Klan Kosova, to boycott some of the media during the pre-election campaign.

Flutra Kusari reacts to Kurteshi’s remarks, says it reflects ‘oppressive way of thinking’ of Self-determination (Kosovo Online)

Media law lawyer Flutra Kusari reacting to the statements of Sami Kurteshi, Self-determination member of the Central Election Commission that a journalist works for a “media hired by criminals and paid assassins”, said Kurteshi’s remarks “reflect a oppressive mentality of Self-determination Movement”, Kosovo Online portal reported.

As she said, this political party over the last five years had misused its power for the fight against journalists and the media.

“The remarks of Sami Kurteshi reflect the violent way of thinking of the Self-determination Movement, which over the last five years misused their power to fight against journalists and media”, Kusari said.

She added that such an approach represents a “continuation of Self-determination policy to portray media and journalists as enemies of the people” with the aim to influence the public not to trust them.

She called on Self-determination to distance themselves from Kurteshi and undertake measures against him, while Kosovo police should offer additional protection to endangered journalists.

AJK: RTK director sanctioned three editors over not broadcasting reports on government and Kurti (KoSSev)

Three RTK editors have been sanctioned today by the director of this media outlet, as they did not broadcast a report on Kosovo Government and Prime Minister Albin Kurti in a late news edition, Association of Journalists of Kosovo (AJK) said, KoSSev portal reported. As AJK added, it was about political pressure exerted by the ruling party through the director of RTK.

AJK further said editors Jehona Zhitia, Valon Bajrami and Arton Mulliqi were sanctioned by RTK director Rilind Gervalla. They did not provide details on how the editors were sanctioned, but did say why they were sanctioned, the portal added.

The reason is that they allegedly did not broadcast the report on Kosovo Government and Prime Minister in the technical mandate Albin Kurti in late news addition, after they assessed that the report “did not meet professional standards”.

The Association of Journalists of Kosovo condemned the act of the RTK director, describing him as a former activist and donor of Self-determination. They also said this was “a gross interference” of political nature, and also continuation of tendency on the part of the ruling party “to establish full control over RTK” and they are doing so “through the director of this media outlet, Rilind Gervalla”.  

15 Minutes of Silence vigil held in Mitrovica North (media)

Several dozen people from Mitrovica North gathered today to pay a tribute to 15 victims of Novi Sad railway station canopy collapse tragedy, Kosovo Online portal reported.

As it was the case previous times the 15 Minutes of Silence vigil was held in the center of Mitrovica North, near the Tzar Lazar monument. During the gathering today it was also announced transport will be provided for those wishing to attend the students protest in Belgrade on March 15.

Fatherland movement called the Serbs from Kosovo to leave the Pioneer Park (Danas, Beta)

The national movement of the Serbs from Kosovo "Otadzbina'' (Fatherland) today called on the Serbs from Kosovo who are currently in Pioneer Park in Belgrade, where ''a camp of students'' who want to return to classes has been set up, to "leave that area, not to protect the traitor Aleksandar Vucic and to join the justified demands of the students in the blockade", reported Danas. 

In the statement, they assessed that the organized arrival of Serbs from Kosovo to Pioneer Park was "unjustified, immoral and dishonorable". 

"It is strange that retired members of the Special Operations Unit, as well as some members of the Gendarmerie, such as Goran Radosavljevic Guri, come to defend the greatest traitor in the history of the Serbian people, Aleksandar Vucic. Those who until now were proud of their patriotism towards the end of their life and work careers sold both by defending the one who betrayed Kosovo and Metohija," announced the movement "Fatherland".

United Media condemns blockade of N1 as pressure (N1)

United Media condemned Thursday’s blockade of the entrance to the N1 TV grounds, calling it “part of a regime campaign against the station”, N1 reported.

“United Media strongly condemns the blockade of the entrance to the courtyard of N1 television, carried out by a group of people, including Novi Sad officials, preventing our journalists and employees from performing their work without hindrance”, the statement said.

“We see this as a direct pressure on independent journalism and a result of a campaign led by the highest government officials and regime media, which has been intensifying against N1 in recent days due to its professional reporting on student protests in Serbia”, it was added.

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

Opinion

Will Donald Trump ride to embattled Serb Leaders’ rescue? (BIRN)

Opinion piece by David B. Kanin.

Aleksandar Vucic and Milorad Dodik may look to the new US administration to help them amid political crises at home - but whether Washington is interested in their plight is unclear.

No one is surprised that President Donald Trump has not yet turned his attention to the Balkans, given the tumultuous events of his first few weeks back in office.

The United States has virtually discarded NATO, thrown Ukraine under the bus and embraced the version of European security promoted by Vladimir Putin and Viktor Orban.

From the new US administration’s point of view there is little reason yet to focus on a lower-profile geopolitical conflict zone traditionally more of an annoying strategic headache than an opportunity venue for great powers.

This presents a problem for Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vucic and the Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik, both of whom likely hope to gain the Trump regime’s attention sooner rather than later.

Many officials in Serbia and Bosnia’s Serb-led entity, Republika Srpska, are delighted that Trump is back in the White House. Vucic and Dodik had good relations with the first Trump administration and may count on his help to rescue them from their current acute difficulties.

Nevertheless, Vucic could use a near-term vote of confidence from Washington as he struggles to wrestle back control of his country from a protest movement skillfully led by students and embraced throughout Serbian society.

Meanwhile, Dodik needs Washington’s help as he seeks to move against the Bosnian legal system and avoid being removed from office and even jailed after his recent conviction and the warrant issued on Wednesday for his arrest.

Vucic’s tactics smack of desperation

Read more at: https://shorturl.at/p59FR

International

Britain’s potential arms export to Kosovo, strategic support or regional gamble? (PI)

The recent proposed arms sale to Kosovo establishes the UK as an engaged player in the Western Balkans, where Russian influence and hybrid warfare methods increasingly endanger stability.

The United Kingdom’s recent consideration of arms sales to Kosovo represents the crystallisation of a new type of British foreign policy and a new era in Britain’s approach to the Balkans. It is likely that the changing complexity of the Western Balkans and the position of the UK in European defence will be key pillars of this evolution.

Reportedly, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) is looking at weapons exports as part of a broader strategy to boost the capability of Kosovo’s security forces and grow the UK local defence industry. This move, however, raises a plethora of questions around regional stability in the present context and the UK’s geopolitical objectives in the region. In addition, it risks aggravating Kosovo’s already tense relations with Serbia.

Existing developments include Maria Eagle, Secretary of State for Defence, declaring in a Written Question that “the UK continues to monitor the security situation in Kosovo closely… HMG are also currently exploring export opportunities to Kosovo… alongside bolstering Kosovo’s security and resilience.”

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

Kosovo media ignoring ethics in rush to publish photos of the dead (BIRN)

Media have a duty to bereaved families when it comes to reporting deaths, and particularly the publication of photographs. It is a duty too often ignored in Kosovo.

Vahide Mustafa first learned about the death of her husband, Nysret, from a news story that popped up on her Facebook feed on the first day of February 2023.

Nysret had died while working in a quarry in the Suhareka/Suva Reka municipality of southern Kosovo, near the city of Prizren. He was 51. The media got the news before his wife.

“Everyone who knew us called and came here,” said Mustafa. “We were speechless; we didn’t even realise what had happened.”

The shock, however, was compounded by the media’s use of a photograph of Nysret without his family’s permission, cropped to remove his wife.

“It was posted on Facebook hundreds of times,” she said. “It was a picture he took with me, and they just cropped the picture and posted it.”

Mustafa’s story is just one of many in Kosovo in which online media used photographs taken from the social media profiles of private individuals hurt or killed in accidents, without first seeking permission.

Read more at: https://shorturl.at/7cZqD

What can Ukraine learn from NATO's peacekeeping mission In Kosovo? (RFE)

While they are more than 1,600 kilometers apart and vastly different in size, Kosovo and Ukraine share a common struggle over sovereignty -- one still reeling from war 26 years ago, the other fighting to preserve its territorial integrity against Russia.

As discussions continue about what a peacekeeping force might look like in Ukraine, Kosovo’s quarter-century of experience with international peacekeepers could provide valuable insights -- should a cease-fire be reached in the full-scale war Russia launched in 2022.

Ivan Vejvoda, a senior fellow at the Institute for Human Sciences in Vienna, said that any peacekeeping mission in Ukraine must involve all parties.

Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/ydyw73xa

Record-Breaking demonstrations expected in Serbia on Saturday: “Serbia’s future as a free country is at stake” (crd.org)

What started as a student protest has grown into the largest demonstrations in the country’s history. On Saturday, the biggest protest yet is planned, and it remains unclear how the government will respond.

“The government is trying everything—threats, disinformation, and violence. Serbia’s future as a free country is at stake, and yet the reactions outside of Serbia are few,” says Ivana Randjelovic, Head of the Europe Department at Civil Rights Defenders.

On November 1, 2024, a concrete canopy at a train station collapsed, killing 15 people. This tragedy became the catalyst for nationwide protests against corruption, calling for greater transparency and accountability from the country’s leaders.

Over the past four months, multiple mass protests have been organised, with the most recent one drawing around 100,000 people to the streets of Belgrade. The demonstration on Saturday is expected to be the largest yet.

Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/4t22rwb4