UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, November 19, 2025

Albanian Language Media:

Kosovo Assembly meets on budget amid boycott and criticism (RFE)
Kurti: There is no economic crisis that’s why people are not protesting (media)
Citaku: Osmani should set the date for new elections as soon as possible (media)
Police find Serbian military uniforms, antitank grenade, in the north (media)
Svecla says “we will continue to uproot every terrorist remnant of Serbia” (media)
Petition calling for respect for human rights at Specialist Chambers (Vox Kosova)
Consequences for Serbs in the north even three years after withdrawing from institutions (RFE)
Osmani: Kosovo committed to Japanese investments in many areas (media)
Rama submits urgent request to court to “unblock” budget for Pristina (media)

Serbian Language Media:

Svecla again accuses “Serbia of terrorism” after weapons found in Donje Jarinje, while photo shows Yugoslav Army insignia (KoSSev)
KLI: Today's session of the Assembly convened contrary to the Constitution (Kosovo Online)
Constitutional Court: Serbian List’s appeal regarding election of Vice-President of Assembly still under consideration (Kosovo Online)
After last year’s ban in Belgrade, “Mirëdita, Dobar dan!” moves forward in Pristina (KoSSev)
N1 in Brussels: Montenegro and Albania take lead, Serbia to start harmonizing with EU foreign policy (KoSSev)
German FM: Serbia has hard work ahead on its EU path, me speaking only to N1 is a statement (N1)
Vucic: OSCE still represents most significant security platform for dialogue (RTS, media)
Macut: Serbian GDP to grow 2.3 pct in 2025, Serbia attractive for investments (media)
NIS files new request for license with OFAC (N1, KoSSev, media)

Opinion:

TikTokcracy: When algorithms manufacture support and decide elections (BIRN)
Dayton excluded Bosnian women, and the effects are still being felt (BIRN)

International:

Kosovo’s opposition PDK chooses new leader as elections loom (BIRN)
Clark: Organ-trafficking allegations were disinformation (Euronews Albania)
Albania's booming tourism, EU membership prospects draw Kosovo investors (SeeNews)
Despite unfair conditions, elections remain solution for political crisis in Serbia (EWB)

Humanitarian:

Office for KiM announced aid for Serbian households affected by floods in Kosovo (Tanjug, Radio KIM)

Albanian Language Media

Kosovo Assembly meets on budget amid boycott and criticism (RFE)

Kosovo caretaker Prime Minister Albin Kurti called on MPs from all political parties to go to the Assembly today and vote on the international agreements and Kosovo’s annual budget. He said that Kosovo will lose over €200 million if agreements with the European Union and the World Bank are not ratified. He said Kosovo will lose €88 million from the EU Growth Plan and €120 million from three agreements with the World Bank. “You know very well that in order to ratify the international agreements, even if we had a government, it would not be enough. But it is in public and social interest to be together where it is needed … I call on all MPs regardless of the parties, to be here in the Assembly today, where the people have elected us, and to ratify the international agreements,” he said.

Opposition MPs have boycotted today’s first session of the Assembly.

PDK MP Perparim Gruda said he joined the session to represent the PDK and to show that “we are not taking part in the session and why for us this session is anti-constitutional. This session will be remembered in Kosovo’s history for being illegitimate and anti-constitutional. In no place can the Assembly hold a session without the government being elected”.

MP Mimoza Kusari-Lila said in her address that if international agreements are not adopted by the MPs, Kosovo “will forever lose 10 percent” from the EU Growth Plan. “The EU Growth Plan has an expiry timeline. If the agreement is not adopted in December 2025, ten percent of €880 million will be lost. This would be irreversible, these funds cannot be restored even if elections are held in December,” she said.

Assembly Speaker Dimal Basha said that he is ready to call a meeting of the Assembly Presidency with representatives of all political parties as soon as possible. “Let us proceed at least with forming the four permanent committees and in this way enable the vote on international agreements, the annual budget, the budget of the three municipalities and the report of the Radio Television of Kosovo to allocate the funds for the public broadcaster,” he said.

Basha insisted that issues related to the session “have nothing to do with political actions”. “This is why I once again call on all political parties to analyze with maturity in the context of state circumstances the expectations of our citizens who do not deserve the failure to vote on these crucial laws over unreasonable political grudges,” he argued.

Kurti: There is no economic crisis that’s why people are not protesting (media)

Several news websites report that Kosovo’s caretaker Prime Minister Albin Kurti, in his address to the Kosovo Assembly today, said that there is no economic crisis in Kosovo and that during his governance the economic growth rate has never been under four percent. He also said that the average economic growth rate is six percent “and that is why there are no protests by the people but only complaints by the opposition”. “There is no economic crisis in Kosovo. We are risking getting into a social crisis as a result of the budget crisis due to abuse with the procedures. So let us not abuse the procedures, let us be at the level of responsibility as representatives of the people and as state officials,” he said.

Citaku: Osmani should set the date for new elections as soon as possible (media)

MP from the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) Vlora Citaku told a press conference today that Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani should have played a more active role in breaking the political deadlock. “President Osmani should have been way more active in unblocking the political situation in the country. And this engagement should have been serious from day one. I don’t want to comment on President Osmani’s qualifications, but Osmani should not waste more time, she needs to summon the political parties and set a date for elections as soon as possible,” she said.

Police find Serbian military uniforms, antitank grenade, in the north (media)

Most news websites report that Kosovo Police have found Serbian military uniforms and an antitank grenade in an uninhabited house in a village in the north of Kosovo. Police said in their report that no suspect or witness was seen at the location and that investigations have been initiated.

Svecla says “we will continue to uproot every terrorist remnant of Serbia” (media)

All news websites report that Kosovo’s caretaker Minister of Interior Affairs, Xhelal Svecla, shared the information that Kosovo Police units found Serbian military uniforms and an antitank grenade in a village in the north of Kosovo. He said that Kosovo’s authorities will “continue to demolish Serbia’s criminal and terrorist elements, in the function of security for our citizens and in the defense of our Republic”.

Svecla also said that “we will continue without stopping our work and engagement in uprooting every terrorist remnant of Serbia in our country. Our institutions remain fully committed to law, security and defending the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Kosovo. Every action that threatens the security of our citizens will be treated with decisiveness and professionalism”.

Petition calling for respect for human rights at Specialist Chambers (Vox Kosova)

The news website reports that a petition has been signed by 329 Kosovo intellectuals, including former judges, academics, professors and jurists, calling on the Kosovo Assembly to adopt a resolution that would guarantee fair, impartial and transparent standards in the court proceedings at the Specialist Chambers of Kosovo against former KLA leaders. The initiative was launched by former Kosovo Ombudsperson Ilmi Jashari, former Presidents of the Constitutional Court, Enver Hasani and Arta Rama, professor Donika Shahini and others, and includes a proposed resolution text.

The initiators said that the petition reaffirms the constitutional and ethical obligation of Kosovo’s institutions to protect basic human rights and to guarantee a judiciary that is not only implemented but also perceived as such, in compliance with international standards and the values upon which Kosovo has been built. “The purpose of this Petition is clear and necessary: to reaffirm in institutional manner that the establishment of the Specialist Chambers and the Office of the Specialist Prosecutor – made possible with the decision-making of the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo – was an act of state responsibility to address the allegations made in the 2011 Report of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe,” they said.

The initiators said that “we want to remind you that full cooperation with the international community was and remains an expression of the will of the Republic of Kosovo to refute every ungrounded allegation that threatens the values of the fight of the KLA and the historic sacrifice upon which our state has been built”.

“Through the five years of the extended detention of the defendants, the formalist treatment of legal means, the unequal administration of evidence and the increased perception of institutional bias in favor of the prosecutor, a direct threat has been noticed against constitutional principles, basic human rights and the very integrity of justice,” the petition notes.

The authors also said that the proposed resolution was “drafted with professional care and in full compliance with the Constitution of the Republic of Kosovo, international standards and the independence of the judiciary. It does not interfere in merited judicial matters, but only calls for guarantees for a fair, unbiased and transparent process for all parties”.

Consequences for Serbs in the north even three years after withdrawing from institutions (RFE)

Three years after Serbs in the north of Kosovo withdrew from the institutions, there are ongoing accusations against the Serbian List and Belgrade that the people [Serbs] have been “deceived” and that they [SL and Belgrade] are “taking revenge” and “blackmailing” anyone who opposes their policies, the news website reports. The complaints started appearing several months after hundreds of members of the police, judiciary and the local administration in the north of Kosovo resigned in early November 2022 after the Kosovo government’s insistence to replace Serbian license plates with Kosovo-issued license plates. The withdrawal from Kosovo’s institutions was initiated by the Serbian List, while Belgrade – which supports the biggest party of Serbs in Kosovo – supported the decision. The workers who resigned were offered provisional payment contracts from the budget of Serbia. However, many of them have been left without this income and without the possibility of returning to their previous jobs.

One of them is Slobodan Raskovic from the village of Dren in Zubin Potok in the north of Kosovo, who says that for two months now he has not received the wage of 66.000 Dinars or around €550 from the budget of Serbia, as compensation for his resignation from Kosovo Police three years ago. In an interview with Radio Free Europe, he said that his very existence is under threat because he used the money to support his family. His wife is unemployed, and they have four children. Raskovic said he believes that the money he used to get from Serbia has stopped because he doesn’t support the policy of the Serbian List, while his wife, Bojana, was a candidate for the municipal assembly of Zubin Potok from the Kosovo Alliance in the latest local elections.

Raskovic said he resigned from Kosovo Police after 20 years of work experience believing that he had to stand in solidarity with his compatriots. Now looking back, he thinks he made the wrong decision, and that, if possible, he would immediately rejoin the Kosovo Police.

In September last year, now caretaker Minister of Interior Affairs of Kosovo, Xhelal Svecla, told Radio Free Europe that the legislation in force does not allow for police officers that resign to return to duty. He said that the competent authorities waited for 30 days for the police officers to review their decisions but that this did not happen. Meanwhile, the Kosovo Police has announced vacancies to fill the jobs in the northern municipalities on several occasions.

Raskovic said that Serbia, in addition to the financial compensation, has also stopped the allowances for children he used to receive. “We have no income at all now,” he said, adding that he never received any justification or decision, but that he also did not complain because “there is no one to complain to”. “Whom should I address when they [Serbian List and Belgrade] stopped my wage? I don’t know what to do,” he said.

Raskovic’s wife, Bojana, said she was politically engaged against the Serbian List, because in her opinion the position of the Serb community in Kosovo has deteriorated and that only “appropriate people” find jobs. “They think that only those that think like them [the Serbian List] can get a job and everything else. Whoever thinks differently has no right. They decide about everything,” she argued.

Radio Free Europe tried to get a comment from the Serbian List about the accusations of the Raskovic family but got no reply. The Serbian Government’s Office for Kosovo also did not reply to the question why financial compensations by the Serbian budget for people that withdrew from Kosovo’s institutions were terminated.

Milos Kovacevic from the village of Banje in the municipality of Skenderaj also told Radio Free Europe that in February this year he was removed from work at the provisional municipal body that operates under the Serbian system, only because in the parliamentary elections he was politically engaged against the Serbian List. On November 16, Kovacevic said that he is still unemployed and on the brink of survival.

Similar cases were recorded in previous elections in Kosovo, when members of the Serb community that did not support the Serbian List, got termination letters.

Meanwhile, Belgrade, during election campaigns in Kosovo, has often announced job vacancies in its institutions. This was also the case in the last local elections on October 12, when the Serbian Ministry of Healthcare announced 400 new vacancies for its institutions in Kosovo, a move which Kosovo’s authorities qualified as “interference in the election process”.

Osmani: Kosovo committed to Japanese investments in many areas (media)

Most news websites report that Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani hosted on Tuesday representatives of the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) together with some of the most well-known Japanese companies. Osmani noted the great potential for the expansion of economic relations between Kosovo and Japan, emphasizing that Kosovo offers a young, skilled and competitive workforce, as well as a favorable strategic position for access to European markets. “President Osmani presented numerous opportunities for Japanese investment in the ICT sector, innovation, infrastructure, urban development and large engineering projects, where Japanese businesses can bring their experience and advanced technology. In this spirit, President Osmani invited JETRO and Japanese companies to explore opportunities in creating sustainable and long-term partnerships with the private sector in Kosovo. In conclusion, President Osmani reiterated Kosovo’s strong interest in opening a JETRO representative office in Prishtina, emphasizing that such a presence would significantly strengthen bilateral economic cooperation, facilitate the identification of potential projects and partners for Japanese companies, and increase Japan’s economic role in the Western Balkans,” a press release issued by Osmani’s office notes.

Rama submits urgent request to court to “unblock” budget for Pristina (media)

Most news websites report that Pristina Mayor Perparim said on Tuesday that the municipality has submitted an urgent request to the Constitutional Court, after what he called a decision by the Ministry of Finance to block the budget for Pristina. He argued that the ministry’s decision is “arbitrary” and “unprecedented” and that it is threatening the normal functioning of public services in the capital. “We have asked the Constitutional Court to protect the law, the institutional independence of the municipalities and the rights of our citizens,” he said, adding that Pristina needs solutions and not administrative obstacles.

Serbian Language Media

Svecla again accuses “Serbia of terrorism” after weapons found in Donje Jarinje, while photo shows Yugoslav Army insignia (KoSSev)

KoSSev portal reported that Kosovo’s acting Minister of Internal Affairs, Xhelal Svecla, has “again accused Serbia of terrorism” after an anti-tank projectile and military uniforms were discovered in a deserted house in the northern village of Donje Jarinje.

Kosovo Police reported that an anti-tank round, ammunition, and several military uniforms were found last night in an uninhabited building and that all items were seized.

According to KoSSev, the attached photograph shows uniforms bearing the insignia of the Yugoslav Army, not the Serbian Army, as originally stated in reports.

Svecla reacted within hours, reiterating accusations against Belgrade, wrote KoSSev.

Repeating much of the police statement, he wrote that Kosovo is “continuing to remove Serbia’s criminal and terrorist elements, in the interest of our citizens’ security and the protection of our Republic.” He added that Kosovo will “work without interruption to eradicate every terrorist threat posed by Serbia on our territory.”

A similar message was issued just two days earlier, when Kosovo Police found ten ignition fuses for detonators in the municipality of Leposavic.

Before the official investigation had concluded, Svecla again accused Serbia of carrying out and planning attacks in Kosovo “through criminal and terrorist gangs.”

KLI: Today's session of the Assembly convened contrary to the Constitution (Kosovo Online)

The Kosovo Institute for Justice (KLI) announced that the ninth convocation of Kosovo Assembly recorded the highest level of constitutional irregularities, procedural deviations and parliamentary irregularities in the history of Kosovo, reported Kosovo Online.

As they stated in the announcement, today, before the session for the election of the Government, another extraordinary session was called with several agenda items in complete contradiction to the Constitution, parliamentary practice, the Law on Government, the Law on International Agreements, the Law on Legislative Initiatives and the Rules of Procedure of the Assembly.

"The attempt to form parliamentary committees without forming a government seriously violates the values of parliamentary democracy and destroys the constitutional and legal order in Kosovo. This approach of the current President of the Assembly is in contradiction with the Rules of Procedure of the Assembly, current laws in Kosovo and the current parliamentary practice. According to the mandatory procedure, the Presidency must first determine the structure of the committee, receive proposals from parliamentary groups, draft the final document and only then send it for adoption at the plenary session. The current procedure bypassed this process by going through it arbitrarily," they stated.

As they further state, Parliamentary committees are formed only after the Assembly of Kosovo votes for the Government, to know the political balance and division of the Government and the opposition.

"This also applies to special committees. The two most important supervisory committees - the Supervisory Committee of the Kosovo Intelligence Agency KOA and the Committee for the Supervision of Public Finances, according to the law, the Rules of Procedure and parliamentary practice, belong to the opposition. In this uncertain political phase, it is not yet known which entity has the status of the opposition, which makes it impossible to legally form these committees," they added.

They estimate that in this situation of institutional crisis and serious violations of the constitutional order, the only real solution is to reach a political agreement between the parliamentary parties.

"For this reason, we call on all political entities, and especially the Self-Determination Movement, that before today's session at 2 p.m., Glauk Konjufca, the mandate holder for the formation of the Government, immediately convenes a meeting with the leaders of all parliamentary parties. The purpose of this meeting should be to reach an agreement on the formation of a technical Government, which will enable solving urgent issues of state administration, approving budget allocations for the year 2026, the budget for RTK, the allocation of the budget for the Municipality of Pristina, Gnjilane and Zubin Potok, as well as solving all other unresolved issues that require full institutional functioning," they stated in the announcement.

Only a political agreement, they further state, and the constitution of a technical government, can restore procedural regularity, the legitimacy of institutions and respect for the Constitution.

"If this step is not taken, the continuation of the current deviations will cause irreparable damage to the country's constitutional order, the functioning of parliamentary democracy and the rule of law," the Institute's statement concluded, reported Kosovo Online.

Constitutional Court: Serbian List’s appeal regarding election of the Vice-President of Assembly still under consideration (Kosovo Online)

The appeal submitted by Serbian List to Kosovo Constitutional Court regarding election of Deputy Speaker of Assembly from Serbian community is still under review, the Constitutional Court announced, reported Kosovo Online today.

"This request is currently under review. All interested parties and the public will be informed in a timely manner of any decision by the Court," the Constitutional Court's response stated.

A complaint was submitted to the Constitutional Court on October 16 on behalf of ten deputies who claim that the Constitution and Rules of Procedure of the Assembly were violated, as well as the previous judgment of the Constitutional Court, when on October 10, Nenad Rasic, a deputy of the Party for Freedom, Justice and Survival, was elected vice-president of the Parliament from Serbian community.

Rasic was proposed by Dimal Basha, the Assembly Speaker from the Self-Determination Movement, and since he did not have the support of the majority of Serbian MPs, Serbian List, which has nine MPs, considers his election controversial and contrary to regulations.

After last year’s ban in Belgrade, “Mirëdita, Dobar dan!” moves forward in Pristina (KoSSev)

The “Miredita, Dobar dan!” festival will take place from November 20 to 22 at the Alternative Cultural Center Defy Them in Pristina, bringing together artists, activists, and civil society groups from Kosovo and Serbia, reported KoSSev.

This year’s festival is organized by the Youth Initiative for Human Rights (YIHR), Civic Initiatives, Barabar Center, Rockefeller Brothers Fund, National Endowment for Democracy(NED), Pro Peace (formerly forumZFD), Integra from Kosovo, and the British Council.

While media invitations were sent exclusively in Albanian and English, the full festival program was provided in Albanian, English, and Serbian.

Program

The opening night will be held on November 20 at Defy Them, starting at 19:30. Following the opening ceremony at 20:00, the young Belgrade indie band Pliš will perform.

On the second day, November 21, a debate and roundtable will be held at the Grand Hotel at 13:00, titled “Peace in an Era of Global Turmoil: The Future of Relations Between Serbia and Kosovo.”

At 15:00, the Barabar Center will host an exhibition opening and an artist talk, followed by the theatre performance “All the Good Barbies” at 19:00.

The final day, November 22, will open with a debate at 13:00 titled “Kosovo Knot in Times of Mass Protests in Serbia,” accompanied by the promotion of YIHR’s book Kosovo Chronology 2.0.

At 17:00, a poetry evening with Uzice-born poet Radmila Petrovic will take place at Pristina’s Bubble Bar. The festival will officially close with a ceremony at 19:30 in the Grand Hotel’s congress hall, followed by a screening of the Serbian feature film “78 Days” at 20:00.

Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/mwhj9ste

N1 in Brussels: Montenegro and Albania take the lead, Serbia to start harmonizing with EU foreign policy (KoSSev)

The European Commissioner for Enlargement, Marta Kos, said at the first EU Enlargement Forum that 2025 was a good year for enlargement and that Montenegro, Albania, Moldova and Ukraine had achieved a lot. She pointed out that the reforms are paying off, but also that there are no shortcuts on the road to expansion, reported KoSSev, citing N1.

The Commissioner for Enlargement insisted on bringing all the actors to one place and discussing the current situations - on current needs to be done both in the candidate states and those that should become candidates for EU membership, as well as in the member states that will, of course, be crucial for the further enlargement of the EU tomorrow, given that each member state needs to approve the membership of each candidate state in the EU.

As N1's European correspondent reported, the key message at the forum was that there would be no shortcuts to EU membership.

All the states that want to be members are expected to fulfill their obligations, to fulfill all the promises they have made so far, above all in relation to the state of democracy, the fight against corruption, then the rule of law, and what has been repeated many times at this forum - the harmonization of the foreign policy of the candidate countries with the foreign policy of the EU, cited KoSSev.

This primarily refers to the sanctions against Russia due to the current geopolitical situation, i.e., the war in Ukraine.

Marta Kos said that EU democracy cannot be defended if it is not defended in the candidate states, that way she emphasized what is crucial for further European integration.

As N1's correspondent stated, one of the words that was often mentioned at today's forum is "destabilization", and that is another topic that will be worked on.

From the first Forum on enlargement, praise could be heard at the expense of certain countries that are progressing in their process. In this sense, Montenegro has become a leader in European integration and is expected to become a member by the end of next year, Albania is seen as a member by the end of 2027.

Ukraine and Moldova have been praised as countries that are taking big steps towards the EU, and they have been asked to make tangible progress, which is why all the other countries in our region are at the back of this whole process.

The EU's high representative for foreign policy, Kaja Kallas, said that the doors of the EU are currently wide open, but they can also be closed, and that the candidate countries should seize the moment.

German FM: Serbia has hard work ahead on its EU path, me speaking only to N1 is a statement (N1)

In an exclusive interview with N1, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said yesterday that everyone in Serbia needs to know that Germany expects the country to meet the criteria necessary for EU accession, and that hard work lies ahead on that path. Regarding the European Commission report on Serbia, which is the most critical to date, Wadephul said that Berlin takes the EC’s criticisms seriously and that “everyone in Belgrade should do so as well.”

Wadephul also discussed his views on Serbia’s regional position, the government’s attacks on independent media, including N1, the behavior of Serbia President Aleksandar Vucic, who called members of the European Parliament “scum,” and also commented on Serbia’s relations with Russia and the Kosovo issue.

N1: This is your first time in Belgrade as a minister, a lot has happened in Serbia in the past 12 months: a tragedy, protests, then the reaction from the government, which Brussels criticized quite a lot. What is the most important thing, and how does Germany see everything that happened in Serbia in the past 12 months?

Wadephul: I have known the country for a very long time and have been here several times, but you’re right; this is my first time here as a foreign minister. Germany stands clearly with all the Western Balkan countries, which are heading towards the European Union. The promise of Thessaloniki has to be held, and of course, Serbia has the chance, which each and every state in the Western Balkans has, to make a clear path towards accession to the European Union. We are looking at whether the principles of the European Union are really true here in this country. So democracy, freedom of media, and the freedom of assembly are core for Europe, and that is what we are looking at. We heard from the government that the willingness is clear that Serbia should become a member of the European Union. That is what we would support, but there are no shortcuts; everybody in this country has to know that we expect Serbia to meet the criteria. So, it will be hard work for the country, but this country is important here in the region, and it would be important for it to join the European Union, so we are collaborating closely with the government to achieve that goal.

Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/64t8nwmh

Vucic: OSCE still represents most significant security platform for dialogue (RTS, media)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic met today with newly appointed Head of the OSCE Mission to Serbia, Ambassador Marcel Pesko emphasising on this occasion that Serbia, despite challenges it faces, considers that OSCE still represents the most significant security platform for dialogue, RTS reported.

Vucic also said Serbia is ready to continue good cooperation with the OSCE and expressed belief that Pesko’s diplomatic experience will help jointly advance future activities.

"A cordial meeting with Marcel Pesko, whom I congratulated on assuming the duty of Head of the OSCE Mission to Serbia and expressed my commitment to continuing the good cooperation our country has with this organization. I expressed my belief that the rich diplomatic experience of my distinguished interlocutor will contribute to advancing processes on which we will work together”, Vucic said in a post on Instagram.

Macut: Serbian GDP to grow 2.3 pct in 2025, Serbia attractive for investments (media)

Serbian Prime Minister Djuro Macut said on Wednesday that, in spite of the difficult times the entire world was facing, Serbia had remained attractive for foreign investments and that its economy was projected to grow by 2.3 pct this year, Tanjug news agency reported.

"The estimates are that growth will be 3 pct next year and 5 pct in 2027, because a major investment cycle is expected to take place at that time", Macut said at the presentation of the Foreign Investors Council's (FIC) White Book 2025, adding that the budget deficit and the debt-to-GDP ratio were expected to decline.

"The recommendations you have made in this publication are not merely criticism, but also advice on how to advance the business environment in Serbia", he told the authors at the presentation, held at the Palace of Serbia.

NIS files new request for license with OFAC (N1, KoSSev, media)

The Serbian Oil Industry (NIS) said on Wednesday it filed a request with the US Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) for a license to operate freely, N1 reported.

A press release on the NIS portal said the request was filed on November 18. NIS requested a license from OFAC multiple times since the US included the company in its sanctions against the Russian energy industry which took effect in October. NIS is majority Russian owned. The Serbian authorities are considering several options to resolve the issue.

NIS also said its earlier license issued on November 14 (and is valid till February 13, 2026) allows negotiations with shareholders and other interested parties to change the ownership structure of the company. “The request for a new license was sent to OFAC, in line with the status of the negotiations between shareholders and interested parties, which would allow the company to operate while the negotiations for a tenable solution for the NIS are ongoing”, the press release said.

Opinion

TikTokcracy: When algorithms manufacture support and decide elections (BIRN)

Opinion by Peter Horrocks.

A study of recent electoral cycles in Romania, Bulgaria and Kosovo shows what can happen when algorithms are allowed to hack democracy. This new ‘TikTokcracy’ must not go unchallenged.

In December 2024, Romania suspended democratic reality. A presidential vote was annulled because tens of thousands of algorithmic ghosts had whispered a virtually unknown pro-Russian candidate into the lead. Democracy was hacked by attention.

We’ve entered the age of ‘TikTokcracy’, where governments can be ‘elected’ not by genuine support, but by automated, manufactured popularity. It’s the new constitutional future facing Europe and the reality in which the EU’s southeastern front already lives.

We are witnessing the dissolution of a foundational premise of democratic theory: that citizens, given access to information and the space for reflection and debate, can self-govern.

What happens when the information environment itself becomes a weapon? When does algorithmic architecture and engagement metrics of attention become the primary mediators between citizen and state?

The Balkan Free Media Initiative’s new study, launched in partnership with Sensika, reveals that Romania’s experience was not an anomaly. There, networks of fake TikTok accounts, paid influencers, and misinformed supporters acted in coordination – sometimes knowingly, sometimes unknowingly – to generate manufactured popularity for Calin Georgescu.

This orchestrated use of fake accounts, paid actors, and unwitting participants to artificially amplify content and create the illusion of organic support represents coordinated inauthentic behaviour.

These networks pushed biased and often false narratives to Romania’s most disenchanted voters – young people and the diaspora. The result was a surge in support for Georgescu, as well as distrust in Romania’s already fragile democracy.

We found similar patterns of coordinated inauthentic behaviour, unmarked political content, and artificial amplification timed to electoral cycles in Bulgaria and Kosovo – the kind of manipulation that traditional monitoring, platform transparency tools, and current enforcement mechanisms have missed.