UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, March 28, 2025

Albanian Language Media:

Election results certified: LVV 42.3%, PDK 20.95%, LDK 18.27%, AAK-Nisma 7.06% (media)
Presidency indicates when constitutive session of Assembly will be called (Express)
Kurti: Until new government is elected, we will be guardians (media)
After not resigning, Bajrami publishes the law on the government (Klan)
Muhaxheri, Ahmeti and Hamza give up their mandates as MPs (Reporteri)
VV takes Supreme Court decision on postal votes to Constitutional Court (Koha)
Kosovo and Serbia not yet benefiting from the EC Growth Plan (media)
Kurti hosted representatives of four European policy institutes (media)
Ambassador Rohde expresses frustration over EU measures against Kosovo (Koha)
Isufaj and Israeli Ambassador discuss rule of law in Kosovo (RTK)

Serbian Language Media:

Vucic: We will send delegates to East Africa, in 10 to 15 days we will has a surprise with one country from that region (Kosovo Online, media)
Djuric: Zagreb, Tirana and Pristina want no region of future, but new arms races (Tanjug)
Central Election Commission confirms final results: LVV secures 48 seats, Serbian List gets nine (KoSSev)
EC Spokesperson: EU closely following situation in Serbia (N1)
Vucic: If US sanctions on NIS enter into force, we will wait for Russia's response and react (Tanjug)
New date announced for “largest rally in Serbia’s history” (N1)
Dacic: Protest note sent to INTERPOL over requests for arrest warrants for Dodik, Stevandic (Tanjug)

International Media:

Kosovo jails administrator of misogynistic ‘Albkings’ telegram group (Balkan Insight)

Albanian Language Media

Election results certified: LVV 42.3%, PDK 20.95%, LDK 18.27%, AAK-Nisma 7.06% (media)

More than six weeks after election day, the Central Election Commission has certified the results of the parliamentary elections of February 9. The Vetevendosje Movement has been certified as the winner of these elections with over 390,000 votes or 42.30 percent. This result provides Vetevendosje with 48 seats in the Assembly. The Democratic Party came in second with over 190,000 votes or 20.95 percent (24 seats), followed by the Democratic League (LDK) with over 170,000 votes or 18.27 percent (20 seats). In fourth place is the coalition between the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) and the Social Democratic Initiative with over 66,000 votes or 7.06 percent (8 seats in the Assembly).

The results were certified with 9 votes in favor and two against. Members of the Vetevendosje Movement in the CEC voted against. They previously complained about the postal voting process, announcing an appeal to the Constitutional Court. Sami Kurteshi of the Vetevendosje Movement said that without the last legal opportunity in the Constitutional Court being completed, he cannot vote on the certification of the results.

Meanwhile, Ilir Gashi from the PDK said that all issues must be addressed, including the internal defects that have accompanied the process this time.

Alban Krasniqi of the Vetevendosje Movement said that “the black marks that this process has left and the risk that these will pass without going through the justice system constitute a danger to democracy.”

At the CEC meeting on Thursday, the issue of certification of candidates who have won the post of MP and on the other hand have not yet resigned from their other posts, in the government and municipalities, was discussed in advance.

Presidency indicates when constitutive session of Assembly will be called (Express)

After the certification of the results of the February 9 parliamentary elections by the Central Election Commission, the legal deadlines for calling the constitutive session of the new Assembly of Kosovo by President Vjosa Osmani have begun. “The constitutive session of the Assembly resulting from the February 9 elections will be called by President Osmani within the constitutional deadline,” said Bekim Kupina, media advisor at the Presidency.

President Osmani, within 30 days of the certification of the results, can call the constitutive session of the Assembly for the swearing-in of the MPs.

Kurti: Until new government is elected, we will be caretakers (media)

Kosovo’s Prime Minister Albin Kurti has announced that until the new government is elected, he, together with his current cabinet, will exercise all responsibilities that belong to the executive in accordance with the legislation in force. "On March 23, 2025, the full four-year mandate of the government of the Republic of Kosovo, led by me as Prime Minister, officially ended and entered the transitional phase of functioning as a caretaker government, which is effectively like the government in resignation of previous mandates. This is the first time that a Government of the Republic of Kosovo has successfully completed its full constitutional mandate, marking a new chapter of institutional stability in our democratic Republic," Kurti wrote on Facebook.

He added that “this places the government in a caretaker role, to guarantee the continuity, security and uninterrupted functioning of the state, in accordance with the Constitution and laws.”

After not resigning, Bajrami publishes the law on the government (Klan)

Hykmete Bajrami, MP from the Democratic League of Kosovo has reacted after the certification of the results and the non-resignation of Albin Kurti. Through a post on Facebook, she has published the law on the government, which states that if a member of the incumbent Government is elected MP of the Assembly of Kosovo, the same, according to the law, must resign from the position of member of the Government before the day of certification of the election results. “Albin Kurti is saying we don’t need them to resign, he is referring to Article 29, par. 1, subpar. 1.4 of Law No. 08/L-117 on the Government of the Republic of Kosovo. The question is what to do with Article 26, par. 1. of the same Law, which literally states:

“In the event that a member of the incumbent Government is elected MP of the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo, the same must resign from the position of member of the Government before the day of certification of the election results. Hello Albulena”, Bajrami wrote.

Muhaxheri, Ahmeti and Hamza give up their mandates as MPs (Reporteri)

The Mayor of Peja, Gazmend Muhaxheri, the Mayor of Lipjan, Imri Ahmeti and the Mayor of Mitrovica, Bedri Hamza, who won the votes to become MPs in the February 9 elections, have given up on taking up their mandates as MPs. At the CEC meeting, it was announced that Muhaxheri will be replaced by Arben Gashi, and Ahmeti by Paris Guri. Meanwhile, Bedri Hamza will be replaced by Rashit Qalaj. The Chairman of the CEC, Kreshnik Radoniqi, announced that Muhaxheri and Ahmeti submitted their resignations on March 17, and Hamza on Thursday.

VV takes Supreme Court decision on postal votes to Constitutional Court (Koha)

The Vetevendosje Movement has sent the Supreme Court’s decision, which on Wednesday described the party’s appeals as unfounded, to the Constitutional Court.

“The Vetevendosje Movement has today filed a request for the assessment of the constitutionality of the Supreme Court’s decision in the Constitutional Court, along with a request for an interim measure against an absurd and politically influenced decision of the Supreme Court. We consider that it is the duty of everyone, and especially of the institutions called upon, to preserve the expressed will of citizens in the electoral process, a will from which the legitimacy of each institution of the Republic stems. Therefore, only a fair decision of the Constitutional Court would be a guarantee of preventing such deformation”, the Vetevendosje statement reads.

Kurti hosted representatives of four European policy institutes (media)

The acting Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, hosted on Thursday in a meeting representatives of four important European public policy institutes: Carnegie Europe, the Jacques Delors Institute – Notre Europe, the German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP) and the Clingendael Institute from the Netherlands. Kurti informed the representatives of the organizations about the latest political, democratic and institutional developments in Kosovo, as well as about the governing priorities in this new phase after the February 9 elections. He reaffirmed Kosovo's commitment to membership in the European Union as well as its commitment to advancing towards NATO membership, as part of the Kosovo’s clear Euro-Atlantic orientation.

"The delegation's visit to Kosovo was organized by the Democracy for Development Institute (D4D) and aims to gather information and conduct an in-depth analysis of developments in the country. At its conclusion, the five partner institutes will collaborate on a joint publication, which will provide concrete recommendations for advancing reforms and strengthening democratic institutions in Kosovo," the Kosovo government's press release stated.

Kosovo and Serbia not yet benefiting from the EC Growth Plan (media)

The European Commission has started the first payments from the Growth Plan for the Western Balkan countries, but for the moment neither Kosovo nor Serbia have received these funds. Unlike other countries in the region, these two have an additional precondition related to the process of normalization of relations. “Within the framework of the Growth Plan procedure, there is a precondition for Serbia and Kosovo, which implies constructive engagement in dialogue, in the context of normalization of relations. At this stage, I cannot confirm whether this condition has been met or not. This will be clarified after a decision on pre-financing is made,” said EC spokesperson Guillaume Mercier.

Well-informed sources say that Kosovo and Serbia will receive pre-financing funds, but at different times. The dialogue does not represent an obstacle, since, as is known, this prerequisite has already been positively assessed by both Pristina and Belgrade. Serbia is expected to receive the first tranche in the coming days, while Kosovo will be able to count on these funds only after the formation of new institutions, as ratification of the agreement in Parliament is necessary.

Ambassador Rohde expresses frustration over EU measures against Kosovo (Koha)

The German Ambassador to Kosovo, Jorn Rohde, has expressed frustration with the measures that the European Union continues to maintain against Kosovo. In an interview on KTV’s “Interaktiv” show on Thursday, Ambassador Rohde said that the punitive measures should be removed. “Regarding the measures, I can only repeat that Germany has consistently advocated for the immediate removal of the measures, like most countries. I must admit that I am also a little frustrated that it has not happened yet, because it creates an imbalance and concrete effects,” he said.

Isufaj and Israeli Ambassador Discuss Rule of Law in Kosovo (RTK)

The Chief Prosecutor of the Special Prosecution of Kosovo, Blerim Isufaj, and the Israeli Ambassador to Kosovo, Tammy Ziv, discussed in a meeting the deepening of cooperation and strengthening of the partnership between the Special Prosecution and the State of Israel. The Special Prosecution announced that Isufaj received Ambassador Ziv on Thursday in a meeting and they held fruitful discussions regarding issues related to the rule of law in Kosovo. They also discussed various topics regarding mutual cooperation and both parties expressed their readiness for further cooperation in the future in all areas of common interest.

Serbian Language Media

Vucic: We will send delegates to East Africa, in 10 to 15 days we will have a surprise with one country from that region (Kosovo Online, media)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said yesterday in relation to Kenya's recognition of Kosovo, that Pristina authorities and certain Western European countries have been working on this for two and a half years, adding that in the next 10 to 15 days, Serbia will make "surprise with one country" from the region near Kenya, Kosovo Online portal reported.

"We have been trying and fighting in every way to stop this. For two and a half years, they have been working in Kenya, and some Western European countries have been involved, sending their high representatives directly to Nairobi. They worked on this issue with the Resolution on Srebrenica as well. At that time, we managed to get Kenya to abstain, which was a surprise for many", Vucic told Oko broadcast on RTS. He also said he had spoken with William Ruto, the man who replaced President Kenyatta.

He pointed out he is proud of the fact that during his leadership, 28 countries withdrew their recognition of Kosovo, unlike those who, as he said, only looked for criticism, during which time 92 countries recognized Kosovo and none withdrew recognition.

International Media

Kosovo jails administrator of misogynistic ‘Albkings’ telegram group (Balkan Insight)

Pristina court hands jail sentence for identity theft and blackmail to the main administrator and founder of a Telegram group that made available intimate photos and videos of women and girls without their permission.

Pristina Basic Court on Thursday sentenced a defendant identified only as F.P., the administrator of a group on messaging app Telegram called Albkings – which distributed intimate images and the personal information of women and girls – to one year and nine months in prison and imposed a 5,000-euro fine.

Kujtim Kerveshi, lawyer for one of the victims, told BIRN that F.P., the main administrator and the founder of the group, was found guilty of identity theft and blackmail. The verdict can be appealed.