UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, July 15, 2025

Albanian Language Media:

Trump again says he stopped war between Kosovo and Serbia (media)
Osmani met senior US officials, Congress members, to further partnership (media)
Guerot calls on parties for compromise, “form assembly and government” (media)
Ministry of Defense confirms receiving several US armored vehicles (Express)
Bajrami: Special Court violated Constitution and international law (Indeksonline)

Serbian Language Media:

Serbian List hands over petition against bridges reconstruction to US, EU, Germany, France and Italy (KoSSev, RTS, media)
PIK recommends suspension of four Kosovo police officers in two separate cases (Kosovo Online)
Agim Ceku and nine others sentenced to one year in prison each over misuse of authority (Radio kontakt plus, media)
Sweden's Andreas von Beckerath to take over as EU Ambassador to Serbia from August 1 (Tanjug)
Macut thanks Giaufret for strengthening Serbia-EU cooperation (Tanjug, media)
EC’s Mercier: We expect Serbian authorities to act on attacks on journalists (N1)

International Media:

Kosovo ex-PM among 10 convicted of falsifying war veterans’ lists (PI)
Hague Court cuts jail time for Kosovo’s ‘Commander Wolf’ (BIRN)
Kosovo Tax Administration scrutinises construction sector’s compliance with Labor Law (Prishtina Insight)

Albanian Language Media

Trump again says he stopped war between Kosovo and Serbia (media)

Several news websites reported on Monday that US President Donald Trump has again said that he stopped a war between Kosovo and Serbia. He made these remarks during a meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. Trump listed several countries for which he said he prevented a war between them, including Kosovo and Serbia. “We have been successful in resolving the issues of war... India-Pakistan, we have resolved it with Congo and Rwanda, a conflict that has lasted for 30 years... Serbia and Kosovo we have resolved, something that was going to happen. And again, I used that which is important to stop wars. We are working, Mark (Rubio) is working hard with everyone here,” Trump is quoted as saying.

Osmani met senior US officials, Congress members, to further partnership (media)

During her latest visit to the United States of America, Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani held important meetings with senior U.S. officials and members of Congress to further the strategic partnership between Kosovo and the U.S, a press release issued by Osmani’s office noted on Monday.

Osmani met with US Deputy Secretary of State, Christopher Landau, and discussed building new chapters of strategic cooperation, in line with the vision of the Trump administration, focused on security, development and strategic investments. At her meeting with Senior Bureau Official for the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs, Brendan Hanrahan, the commitment to advance partnership in key areas such as defense and the economy was reconfirmed. With the US Ambassador to the United Nations, Osmani discussed the US support for Kosovo’s full membership in the United Nations and strengthening Kosovo’s international position. With Senator Andy Kim, Osmani discussed strengthening cooperation in security, economic development and innovation. “Kosovo stands shoulder to shoulder with the United States – in values, vision and action,” the press release notes.

Guerot calls on parties for compromise, “form assembly and government” (media)

Several news websites reported on Monday that French Ambassador to Kosovo, Olivier Guerot, said that France has great partnership with Kosovo’s authorities, especially through the ambitious projects of the French Agency for Development. However, the current political situation is impeding the signing and ratification of projects. “Allow me with the greatest respect to call on all Kosovo political forces, without exception, and I encourage them to demonstrate a spirit of compromise and manage to constitute the assembly and a government supported by the assembly,” Guerot said.

Guerot also said that France has been and will continue to be alongside Kosovo in all its diversity, alongside all communities that make up Kosovo’s society. “Last year, the embassy stepped up its efforts with civil society and in particular we continued our work in supporting feminist NGOs. I’m not afraid of the word, because France practices feminist diplomacy—in Kosovo and around the world. Over the past four years, France has been one of the main international donors in this area, supporting 1,400 associations. Our work here in Kosovo is part of a comprehensive initiative based on human dignity, regardless of gender, religion, belief, community affiliation, or sexual orientation”.

Ministry of Defense confirms receiving several US armored vehicles (Express)

Kosovo’s Ministry of Defense confirmed on Monday that they received several armored vehicles manufactured in the United States. A spokesperson for the Ministry told the news website that the vehicles were purchased based on a bilateral state-with-state purchase plan. The spokesperson also said that they are expected to receive several other vehicles before the end of the purchasing activity. “These are the information that we can share with the public at this point,” she said.

Bajrami: Special Court violated Constitution and international law (Indeksonline)

Arsim Bajrami, one of the authors of the Constitution of Kosovo, criticized on Monday the Specialist Chambers of Kosovo for violating the Constitution of Kosovo, basic human rights and for a conspiracy against the liberation war of the former Kosovo Liberation Army. He told a press conference in Pristina that the specialist chambers “are a product of a false and fabricated report by Dick Marty” which he claimed was sponsored by Russia and Serbia.

“The Specialist Court is a politically framed project aimed at distorting the truth of our liberation war. It [the court] was built based on an ordinary deception by Marty’s report and the silence of the Council of Europe about this is pure complicity,” he said.

Bajrami criticized the institutions of Kosovo for failing to protect the liberation war and the people who are standing trial at the Hague. “The Assembly [of Kosovo] formed the Specialist Court with good faith in justice, but it has now turned into a monoethnic and discriminatory court that cooperates more with Serbia than with Kosovo’s authorities,” he said.

Bajrami listed a series of violations which he said make the court illegitimate such as the prolonged and unjustified detention of defendants, denying the equality of parties in the process, fabricated testimonies presented by Serbian secret services, and the total lack of transparency and international monitoring.

Bajrami also said that the charge of a “joint criminal enterprise” is legally unfounded and politically dangerous. “The Kosovo Liberation Army was not a state army with a central command. It was a people’s movement, a patriotic guerilla that did not have a state structure nor a joint criminal plan. The only state plan was the one prepared by Serbia to exterminate the Albanians through its genocidal plan ‘The Horseshoe’,” he said.

Serbian Language Media

Serbian List hands over petition against bridges reconstruction to US, EU, Germany, France and Italy (KoSSev, RTS, media)

“On behalf of the Serbian people, over the previous couple of days, we handed over the petition of citizens against (Albin) Kurti’s bridges on the Ibar River to the representatives of the international community”, Serbian List said in a statement, KoSSev portal reported.

The Serbian List added the petition was handed over to the representatives of the US, European Union (EU), Germany, France and Italy. At the same time, Serbian List said they will hand over the petition to other international representatives in Kosovo in days to come so they could clearly see the stance of the Serbian people regarding those bridges.

Kosovo caretaker Prime Minister Albin Kurti laid foundations for the two new bridges, not far from the main Ibar River bridge connecting South and Mitrovica North, on July 1.

PIK recommends suspension of four Kosovo police officers in two separate cases (Kosovo Online)

Kosovo Police Inspectorate (PIK) has recommended suspension of four police officers in two separate cases, Kosovo Online portal reported citing Pristina-based Reporteri.

As PIK said the first case occurred in Urosevac, when an off duty Kosovo police officer assaulted a juvenile and threatened him with a weapon. The case was qualified as a criminal act of “slight bodily injuries”. The case goes in regular procedure in cooperation with Basic Prosecution in Urosevac.

The second case relates to the suspension of three Kosovo police officers involved in a case which occurred on Muharem Fejza Street in Pristina on June 30. The case is qualified as a criminal act of “abuse during performance of official duty or public authority”. This case also goes in regular procedure, in cooperation with Basic Prosecution in Pristina.

Agim Ceku and nine others sentenced to one year in prison each over misuse of authority (Radio kontakt plus, media)

The Basic Court in Pristina sentenced yesterday former Kosovo Prime Minister and chairman of the Kosovo Government commission for the recognition and verification of KLA veterans’ status Agim Ceku and nine other people to one year in prison each, while the accused Nuredin Lushtaku and Smajl Elezaj were acquitted, Radio kontakt plus reported.

They were accused of a criminal act of abuse of official authority. According to the indictment filed by the Special Prosecutor's Office in 2018, the defendants acted contrary to the laws and regulations of the Commission, unlawfully recognizing the status of KLA veterans to persons who did not meet necessary requirements. The Prosecution underlined that members of the Commission acted in purpose of obtaining material benefits for third parties by not performing their official duties and misusing their authority. The verdict can be appealed.

Sweden's Andreas von Beckerath to take over as EU Ambassador to Serbia from August 1 (Tanjug)

Swedish diplomat Andreas von Beckerath will be the new Head of the EU Mission to Serbia, a source in the Mission confirmed to Tanjug on Monday.

Von Beckerath is due to assume the post on August 1, succeeding Emanuele Giaufret. Von Beckerath currently serves as Sweden's Ambassador to Poland.

He has held several posts at Sweden's Ministry for Foreign Affairs, as well as in Swedish diplomatic missions abroad.

Macut thanks Giaufret for strengthening Serbia-EU cooperation (Tanjug, media)

Serbian Prime Minister Djuro Macut received a farewell visit from the Head of the EU Delegation to Serbia Emanuele Giaufret on Monday, and thanked him for his personal engagement and contribution to strengthening the Serbia-EU cooperation during his tenure, Tanjug news agency reported.

Macut said Giaufret had left a visible mark in advancement of not only political dialogue, but concrete cooperation as well, the Serbian Government said in a statement. Macut wished Giaufret much success in his new engagement.

Giaufret thanked Macut for the open and constructive cooperation, as well as for supporting the implementation of reforms on Serbia's EU path. Giaufret noted that, during his tenure in Belgrade, he had seen for himself Serbia's commitment to European values, and expressed the belief the country's EU integration process would make progress to the benefit of all its people.

EC’s Mercier: We expect Serbian authorities to act on attacks on journalists (N1)

European Commission spokesman Guillaume Mercier confirmed that the Commission received a letter N1 sent detailing the latest attacks and pressure on its journalists and other staff, adding that the Serbian authorities are expected to act on the issue, N1 reported.

“We are concerned about the increasing pressure and attacks journalists are facing in the context of the student and citizen protests in Serbia. We expect the competent authorities to swiftly follow up on these and all other attacks and for the authorities to ensure effective judicial follow up on all those cases and to bring the perpetrators to justice”, Mercier told a news briefing answering a question from an N1 correspondent.

He added media freedom is one of the essential foundations of a democratic society and a fundamental right in the European Union. “It's a crucial element for Serbia's EU accession process”, he also said.

International Media

Kosovo ex-PM among 10 convicted of falsifying war veterans’ lists (Balkan Insight)

Former Prime Minister Agim Ceku and nine others were found guilty of falsifying war veterans’ lists to enable people to claim welfare benefits, and sentenced to a year in prison each.

The Pristina Basic Court on Monday sentenced former Prime Minister Agim Ceku and nine others to one year in prison each, overturning a 2021 verdict that acquitted all 11 defendants accused of misuse of office in falsifying a list of Kosovo Liberation Army, KLA war veterans.

Besides Ceku, the nine others convicted are Sadik Halitjaha, Shkumbin Demaliaj, Qele Gashi, Shukri Buja, Ahmet Daku, Rrustem Berisha, Faik Fazliu, Fadil Shurdhaj and Xhavit Jashari. Nuredin Lushtaku and Smajl Elezaj were acquitted for lack of evidence.