Albanian Language Media: 

• EU: We welcome the regular and inclusive mayoral runoff elections (Koha)
• Kurti: Either “Kurti 2.5” until December, or “Konjufca 1” until April (AP)
• Basha calls for formation of committees to pass budget and funds for RTK (Koha)
• Gashi: General elections, to restore trust and institutional functionality (Express)
• Vote counting interrupted in Mitrovica, suspected manipulation of ballots (Koha)
• Prosecutor’s Office orders suspension of ballot counting in Mitrovica (media)
• PDK calls for investigation into irregularities in Mitrovica: Vote is sacred (media)
• Kurti visits construction of center for care for victims of domestic violence (media)
• Ulutas praises Slovakia’s contribution to KFOR (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Brnabic meets Zelenskyy, thanks Ukraine for respecting territorial integrity of Serbia (Tanjug)
• Radakovic: LDK biggest winner of local elections, Self-Determination surprised in South Mitrovica (Kosovo Online)
• Mijacic: Relations between Mitrovica North and Mitrovica South new authorities to depend on who will form central-level government (media)
• Cannon salutes fired from Kalemegdan Fortress ahead of WWI Armistice Day (media)

International Media: 

• Western Balkans remains key smuggling corridor in Europe: Report (BIRN)
• Market trade in second-hand phones exposes Kosovo to privacy risks (Prishtina Insight)

Albanian Language Media

EU: We welcome the regular and inclusive mayoral runoff elections (Koha)

The European Union has welcomed the regular conduct of the mayoral runoff elections in Kosovo and called for the swift implementation of election results. “We welcome the regular and inclusive conduct of mayoral runoff elections on Sunday. We call for the swift implementation of election results,” an EU spokesperson told Koha.

Sources in the EU said that local elections, especially those in the north of Kosovo, are important also for overcoming the tensions and for the return of Serbs to Kosovo’s institutions. This is why the EU has on several occasions welcomed the participation of Serbs in the elections, seeing it as a starting point for their return to Kosovo institutions from which they withdrew three years ago. The EU highlighted this in the latest progress report on Kosovo and the report on Serbia saying that the withdrawal of Serbs from Kosovo’s institutions was a serious violation of obligations from the dialogue agreement on the normalization of relations.

Sources in the EU now say that the regular conduct of local elections will help the EU to life the penalty measures against Kosovo. But they also say that they will wait for the swift implementation of local election results and for local power in the northern municipalities to be transferred swiftly to those that won there in these elections.

Kurti: Either “Kurti 2.5” until December, or “Konjufca 1” until April (AP)

The leader of the Vetevendosje Movement, Albin Kurti, stated on Monday during a press conference that Kosovo MPs have two options: either to vote for the nominee for forming the government, Glauk Konjufca, or to extend the mandate of the current caretaker government. “With regard to the formation of the new government of Kosovo, there are ten days left... We are hoping for the best. I don’t think it would be wise to go to elections both in December and in April. The MPs of the Assembly of Kosovo face a choice: either Kurti 2.5 until December, or Konjufca 1 until April. Without one of these options, it’s impossible,” said Kurti.

Basha calls for formation of committees to pass budget and funds for RTK (Koha)

Kosovo Assembly Speaker Dimal Basha called on political parties on Monday to form the parliamentary committees in order to proceed with adopting the budget for 2026 and for allocating funds for the Radio Television of Kosovo (RTK). He said that once the budget committee is formed, the salaries for RTK employees can be executed on the same day.

Basha expressed solidarity with RTK employees, who have held two protests demanding the allocation of the budget, said that once the reports are adopted the funds can be executed. “In terms of procedures, we have a functioning Assembly, and now the committees need to be formed and once the reports are adopted, the Government or the Ministry of Finance executes the funds. The procedure is very simple … As far as RTK is concerned, we can meet, form the parliamentary committees, in this case only the budget committee, the report is adopted, and the funds for the salaries of the employees are executed on the same day,” he said.

Basha also said that if there is willingness from the political parties, he can call an assembly session on Tuesday to form the committee. He said that they have 56 votes but that they need support from other MPs too.

Gashi: General elections, to restore trust and institutional functionality (Express)

MP from the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) Arben Gashi said on Monday that with the conclusion of local elections, Kosovo needs to return to the national level, “because the country is in a stalemate”. “Kosovo cannot move forward with improvisations and without direction. General elections are the only and real way to restore trust and institutional functionality. We should hold them as soon as possible so Kosovo can have a government that leads, institutions that work and policies for development. Kosovo needs direction. And this direction must start now,” he said in a Facebook post.

Vote counting interrupted in Mitrovica, suspected manipulation of ballots (Koha)

In the Municipal Counting Center in South Mitrovica, the counting of ballots from Sunday’s mayoral runoff election has been interrupted. Although there has been no public statement from the responsible institutions, Koha sources report that the counting was stopped due to suspicions of vote manipulation. According to the same source, both the Police and the Prosecutor’s Office were present at the center. Koha tried to contact the Central Election Commission, but no one responded. The Police referred inquiries to the Prosecutor’s Office, which also did not provide a response.

Meanwhile, the Director of the Directorate for Agriculture and Rural Development in the municipality, Ferdi Kadriu, stated in a Facebook post that during the morning shift, ballots with serial numbers different from the corresponding batch were detected. According to him, the second shift is currently on duty, but the process has been halted by law enforcement and judicial authorities. “Yesterday, the voting process in our city was completed, and today the recounting of ballot boxes began at the Municipal Counting Center. During the morning shift, ballots with serial numbers different from the corresponding batch were identified. The second shift is currently on duty, but the process has been suspended by law enforcement and judicial institutions. The counting staff have been removed from the hall, and the work has been paused. This situation is serious and deserves everyone’s attention. The will of the citizens is the foundation of local governance, and this will must not be distorted. From the beginning of the campaign to the unusually high number of voters in the runoff, strong suspicions have been raised, which today are taking concrete form,” he wrote.

Prosecutor’s Office orders suspension of ballot counting in Mitrovica (media)

The Basic Prosecutor’s Office in Mitrovica has announced that it has ordered the temporary suspension of the ongoing ballot-counting process at the Municipal Counting Center in the Municipality of Mitrovica. According to the Prosecutor’s Office, this decision came following reports of irregularities that led to the interruption of the counting process by election commissioners, due to discrepancies in the serial numbers of some ballots. While these discrepancies were initially suggested to be technical errors, there have also been allegations of deliberate manipulation of ballot papers. “For these reasons, and with the aim of avoiding any doubts, this order will remain in effect until an official response is received from the economic operator that printed the ballot papers, confirming whether we are dealing with a technical error or deliberate manipulation of the ballots. Depending on the response, further actions will be taken,” the Basic Prosecutor’s Office of Mitrovica announced.

PDK calls for investigation into irregularities in Mitrovica: Vote is sacred (media)

The Secretary-General of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), Vlora Citaku, stated that the people of Mitrovica have deserved and continue to deserve a democratic, transparent, and fair electoral process, free from intimidation, pressure, and interference. In a Facebook post, she called for every irregularity during and after the electoral process to be investigated by the competent authorities. “Every irregularity before, during, and after the electoral process must be investigated by the competent institutions, without any political influence or interference. The vote is sacred and must be protected at all costs,” Citaku wrote.

On Monday, at the Municipal Counting Center in Mitrovica, PDK officials there reported numerous irregularities in the electoral process, claiming that around two ballot papers did not match the corresponding serial numbers.

Kurti visits construction of center for care for victims of domestic violence (media)

Kosovo’s acting Prime Minister Albin Kurti visited the ongoing construction works at the Center for Shelter and Care for Victims of Domestic Violence, as well as the school and kindergarten facility in Mitrovica North - both investments funded by the central government. “The Center for Shelter and Care for Victims of Domestic Violence, currently under construction, has a total cost of €640,000. The building will have two floors, with three rooms for women without children, three rooms for women with children, and a separate room for children. The works are expected to be completed in the spring of next year. Meanwhile, the new school and kindergarten facility, where construction began in early October, is another investment by our government worth €4.1 million, and it will accommodate around 500 children. Kurti was briefed on the project details and the progress of the construction works. He expressed his gratitude to all those who have contributed and cooperated in the implementation of these two important projects.

Ulutas praises Slovakia’s contribution to KFOR (media)

The Commander of the NATO-led KFOR mission, Major General Ozkan Ulutas, received on Monday in a meeting the Commander of the Slovak Special Operations Forces, Major General Jaroslav Kram. During the meeting, the generals exchanged views on the security situation in Kosovo, the region, and beyond. “KFOR continues to implement its mandate to contribute to a safe and secure environment for all people and communities living in Kosovo and to ensure freedom of movement, at all times and in an impartial manner. KFOR works in close coordination with the Kosovo Police and the European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX), within their respective responsibilities for security matters,” KFOR announced.

Serbian Language Media

Brnabic meets Zelenskyy, thanks Ukraine for respecting territorial integrity of Serbia (Tanjug)

Serbian Parliament Speaker Ana Brnabic, who is visiting Ukraine, met on Monday in Kyiv with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and thanked him for his country's unwavering position to respect Serbia's territorial integrity, Tanjug news agency reported.

"In the discussion, great gratitude was expressed to Serbia for the humanitarian aid it has provided (to Ukraine)", Brnabic told reporters after meetings with Zelenskyy, Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko and Parliament Speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk.

She also expressed great gratitude for “Ukraine's full recognition of, and respect for, Serbia's territorial integrity and Kosovo and Metohija as an autonomous province that is an integral part of the Republic of Serbia”. 

Radakovic: LDK biggest winner of local elections, Self-Determination surprised in South Mitrovica (Kosovo Online)

Advocacy Centre for Democratic Culture (ACDC) Executive Director Dusan Radakovic said results of run-off local elections in Kosovo did not bring major surprises, except for the victory of Self-Determination’s candidate Faton Peci in South Mitrovica, which, he said, was unexpected, Kosovo Online portal reported.

According to Radakovic, the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) was the biggest winner of these elections, while Self-Determination achieved its greatest success precisely in South Mitrovica. Radakovic also said the results of the local elections in Pristina were not surprising. 

“It was a big surprise for me that Mitrovica gave such a large victory - more than 2,000 votes - to Faton Peci. Where were those 2,000 votes in the first round? Although we know that the PDK had a coalition with all the others who supported it, such a victory with so many votes is quite surprising”, Radakovic said. He also said from the perspective of Serbs, this is not particularly welcomed, “(…) since we fear there will certainly be continued repression regarding the entire political situation in Mitrovica South”.

Mijacic: Relations between Mitrovica North and Mitrovica South new authorities to depend on who will form central-level government (media)

Following the victory of Self-determination Movement candidate in Mitrovica South Faton Peci in the second round of mayoral elections in this municipality, National Convention Working Group for EU Chapter 35 Coordinator, Dragisa Mijacic opined that relations between new authorities in Mitrovica South and Mitrovica North will depend on who will form the central-level government, Kosovo Online portal reported.

As he said if Self-determination forms the government, then the influence of Mitrovica South mayor, Faton Peci may be a bit stronger than if a prime minister would come from some other political group.

"Mitrovica South and Mitrovica North are two separate municipalities and naturally have reasons to cooperate. However, there is also a great animosity created in particular over the previous two years, when Self-determination led the northern part of the city and made decisions which were not in the interest of the Serbian people living in that area. The great challenge here is, first of all, before the new mayor of North Mitrovica - how to resist the pressure and how to legally win the battle to revert decisions that are possible to revert, and primarily concern some identity issues, but also some others”, Mijacic said.

He also criticized the fact that a committee for cooperation between Mitrovica South and Mitrovica North was managed by Kosovo Prime Minister, terming it as an interference in local self-governance affairs “in a rather flagrant and unlawful manner”. “We will see if this committee will survive. Somewhere it is important to establish cooperation, somewhere it is important to jointly resolve some issues, but in no way by majorization and use of force by one side against the other”, he added. 

Cannon salutes fired from Kalemegdan Fortress ahead of WWI Armistice Day (media)

Serbian Armed Forces Guard troops fired ten cannon salutes from Belgrade's Kalemegdan Fortress at 4 pm Monday to honour November 11, WWI Armistice Day, Tanjug news agency reported.

At the Sava Terrace, the Serbian Armed Forces Guard orchestra played the anthem as the Serbian flag was raised. The ceremony was also attended by State Secretary at the Ministry of Defence Mile Jelic and Serbian Armed Forces Guard Commander Brig Gen Zeljko Furundzic.

International Media

Western Balkans remains key smuggling corridor in Europe: Report (BIRN)

For all their political and economic differences, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia share a set of vulnerabilities that make them a favourable environment for organised crime, according to the 2025 Organised Crime Index published on Monday.

The report, produced by the Geneva-based Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime NGO, says that all six Western Balkan countries act in different ways as source, transit and destination points for human trafficking and smuggling, especially on the well-established migratory route from Greece to Central Europe.

Albanian criminal groups and their diaspora networks continue to move people and illicit goods across the Atlantic. “Albania remains both a source and transit country for human trafficking, with organised criminal groups maintaining extensive international networks,” the report reads.

Border areas in North Macedonia and Kosovo with limited controls are another key corridor for migrants, trafficked persons and goods moving towards Serbia. “Human trafficking in Serbia remains widespread, with the country acting as origin, transit and destination,” it says.

The high rate of people migrating from the six Western Balkan countries to the European Union makes forced labour and sexual exploitation easier to organise – and harder to fight. Victims are found among workers in seasonal tourism, construction, hospitality, agriculture, and in private households.

Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/3mm7yeku

Market trade in second-hand phones exposes Kosovo to privacy risks (Prishtina Insight)

An investigation by BIRN has revealed that many mobile shops in Kosovo buy and sell used phones without clear procedures for erasing personal data, leaving people’s private information at risk of being recovered and misused.

An investigation by BIRN has revealed that the buying and selling of used phones in Kosovo often takes place on the black market, where no strict rules exist to ensure that personal data are permanently deleted. As a result, citizens’ private information is at serious risk of being misused.

Across Kosovo, second-hand phones and laptops are frequently traded without contracts, confidentiality agreements, or any formal documentation. This unregulated environment creates a high potential for abuse, as personal data stored on devices can easily be recovered and exploited.

Read more at: https://shorturl.at/M0Qf4