Albanian Language Media:

• Sorensen in Pristina as part of engagements for the dialogue (Koha)
• Bislimi hosts Sorensen, talk about implementation of agreements (media)
• Murati: Kosovo will have the fastest economic growth in Europe this year (media)
• AJK welcomes decision to abolish Independent Media Commission law (media)
• Kurti fined with €250 for second time for not testifying at prosecution (Kallxo)
• Picula: Serbia cannot join EU without recognizing Kosovo (media)

Serbian Language Media: 

• Petkovic sends letter to international organizations and Sorensen, asks violence against Serbs to stop (TV Most, media)
• Jevtic addresses international representatives over temporary closure of public utilities company in Strpce (Radio KIM)
• Mijacic on closure of Belgrade-run institutions in Leposavic and Strpce (social media)
• EU: Serbian health, education and social institutions in Kosovo should not be closed, their status to resolve in dialogue (Alternativna.com)
• Sorensen in Pristina, to meet Bislimi (KoSSev)
• Sorensen in Pristina: Usual visit, we are working and that is all (Kosovo Online, KoSSev)
• Sorensen meets Barduani, discussed security situation in region (Kosovo Online, social media)
• Incident in Mitrovica North, assault case reported: Police and Arsenijevic with different accounts on incident (Alternativna.com. social media)
• Vucic: I’m going to Moscow for May 9 parade (N1, BETA)
• PM Macut slams university rector’s decision as “unacceptable” and “unacademic” (N1)
• Vucic: Students, people will continue with violence, state will choose when to end it (BETA, TV Pink, N1)
• Students call for help early on 10th day of blockade (N1)
• NIS requests delay of US sanctions beyond April 28 (BETA, media)

Albanian Language Media 

Sorensen in Pristina as part of engagements for the dialogue (Koha)

The EU special envoy for the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia, Peter Sorensen, told reporters in Pristina today that his visit is part of his engagements in the process, and that after Pristina he will travel to Belgrade. Sorensen met with Kosovo’s caretaker Deputy Prime Minister Besnik Bislimi. “I am in Pristina with my staff as part of my engagements as the envoy for the dialogue. After Pristina I will go to Belgrade. It is a normal visit, and I am happy to be here. I will go to Belgrade and then back to Brussels. We are working, that is it,” he said.

Bislimi hosts Sorensen, talk about implementation of agreements (media)

Kosovo’s caretaker Deputy Prime Minister, Besnik Bislimi, met today in Pristina with the EU special envoy for the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia, Peter Sorensen. “They talked about the implementation of different agreements of the technical level, and highlighted the importance of starting discussions for the implementation of the Brussels agreement and the Ohrid implementation annex. Deputy Prime Minister Bislimi thanked Sorensen for the meeting and the conversation, and also for their cooperation,” a statement issued by Bislimi’s office notes.

Murati: Kosovo will have the fastest economic growth in Europe this year (media)

Kosovo’s caretaker Minister of Finance, Hekuran Murati, said in a Facebook post today that Kosovo will have the fastest economic growth this year in Europe according to the International Monetary Fund. “According to the International Monetary Fund, in 2025, Kosovo will have the fastest economic growth in Europe. The result of four years of good work might not be seen immediately, but they will surely be noticed sooner or later,” he said.

Murati also said that last month he hosted in Pristina the Vice President of the World Bank, and an IMF mission. “In both cases, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund commended Kosovo for the reforms it has implemented, the good economic performance, and the fiscal maturity,” he said.

AJK welcomes decision to abolish Independent Media Commission law (media)

The Association of Journalists of Kosovo (AJK) in a statement on Wednesday welcomed the ruling of the Constitutional Court of Kosovo to abolish the Law on the Independent Media Commission (IMC) after it found that several articles of the law were in opposition to the Constitution. Some of the violations relate to the way of the selection of members of the commission, the dismissal of the commission chairman, the competencies of the commission and others. “The Association of Journalists of Kosovo, together with media lawyer, Flutura Kusari, had sent an opinion about the law to the Court, and it welcomes the decision to abolish it, believing that a new law is needed, with broad debates and public participation in line with European standards and with respect for the recommendations of the Council of Europe,” the AJK said.

Kurti fined with €250 for second time for not testifying at prosecution (Kallxo)

A court in Pristina has fined the caretaker Prime Minister Albin Kurti with €250 for a second time after he failed to appear at the Special Prosecution and testify about the so-called state reserves case. The news website contacted the spokesperson of the caretaker government and the court for comment, but they did not respond. 

Picula: Serbia cannot join EU without recognizing Kosovo (media)

Several media outlets quote Tonino Picula, the European Parliament’s Rapporteur for Serbia, as saying that Serbia cannot join the European Union without recognizing Kosovo and giving up on the Serbian World policy. In an interview with Jutarnji List, Picula also said: “I am skeptical about new memberships until 2030, even for Montenegro. I am not optimistic about this. If there was a referendum for Serbia joining the European Union, we should not expect any spectacular results. Vucic is using the EU as an ATM machine”.

Serbian Language Media

Petkovic sends letter to international organizations and Sorensen, asks violence against Serbs to stop (TV Most, media)

Office for Kosovo and Metohija Director Petar Petkovic sent a letter to all relevant international missions in Kosovo and the EU Special Envoy for Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue, Peter Sorensen, informing them of Pristina’s latest unilateral escalating move closing several Belgrade-run institutions in Leposavic and Strpce, TV Most reported.

In a letter, Tanjug news agency had insight in, Petkovic called on international community to urgently take “the necessary steps to stop the spiral of violence against Serbs and other non-Albanians in the province and for Pristina to de-escalate the situation on the ground”.  

Petkovic warned that the goal of such actions by Pristina was “the established model of sabotaging the process of normalizing relations, which Pristina uses whenever it is unable to apply its other, favourite method - obstruction of dialogue through mere presence”. He underlined it has been clear that Pristina with such “insane actions, wants to divert public attention from the deep political crisis and thus conceal the fact that, despite all the pressure and manipulation, it is powerless to form a government, almost three months after the elections”.

He pointed out that persecution of workers and closure of the Republic Pension and Disability Insurance Fund, the Health Insurance Fund, the National Employment Service and Kopaonik Road in Leposavic, as well as the raid on the premises of the New Public Utility Company in Strpce, are aimed “at implementing a policy of ethnically motivated persecution of Serbs and other non-Albanians, and to close as many as one hundred and ten institutions by creating and maintaining unbearable living conditions”.

He pointed out that affected institutions employed more than 60 people who worked in the service of over 11,000 direct or indirect beneficiaries, without any discrimination.

He argued that “resorting to extremism and violence, along with the symbolic choice of the date of the attack, is a trademark of Self-Determination and therefore it comes as no surprise that anniversary of illegal election of Albanian mayors in four municipalities with a Serb majority in northern Kosovo was chosen as a day to implement this action”. 

Jevtic addresses international representatives over temporary closure of public utilities company in Strpce (Radio KIM)

Strpce mayor Dalibor Jevtic had addressed in writing representatives of the international community in Kosovo over the latest decision of Pristina authorities to temporarily close the New Public Utilities Company in Strpce operating within the Serbian system in this municipality, Radio KIM reported.

In a letter, Jevtic requested this issue be urgently resolved in order to prevent eventual endangerment of the public health in Strpce municipality, but also people visiting this area.

“With yesterday’s action some wanted to endanger public health and thus security and lives of the people by abolishing the Public Utilities Company. For some it is all about politics, for me it is a matter of survival and life”, Jevtic said in a letter.

New Public Utilities Company is the only company responsible for waste collection in this municipality. It worked in the Serbian system.

Jevtic said that Strpce municipality filed request to obtain licence for a public utilities company with Pristina’s institutions few years ago, adding that expert bodies at central level give positive recommendation to inter-ministerial group to issue a licence but that some have decided for political reasons not to respond to that recommendation and municipal request.

Jevtic also said that a regional company, operating in the Kosovo system, Bifurkacioni, had the agreement signed with the municipality in 2016 valid until 2024, but that this company did not honour or carried out a single provision of the agreement.

Jevtic said that a Serbian company paid taxes, had documentation properly maintained and paid contributions to the part of the workers within the tax system of Kosovo. This, he pointed out, is a confirmation that not even the market labour inspectors had the right yesterday to act on a political order.

Strpce mayor asked for immediate reaction of international representatives and suggested that until the situation is fully clarified, the utility company should be allowed to operate smoothly for the sake of interest of the local population.

Mijacic on closure of Belgrade-run institutions in Leposavic and Strpce (social media)

Coordinator of the National Convention Working Group for the EU Chapter 35 Dragisa Mijacic in a post on X social platform said the action of Kosovo police to close down Belgrade-run institutions in Leposavic and Strpce on Wednesday was done with purpose to “welcome” EU Special Envoy for Belgrade-Pristina dialogue Peter Sorensen, who came to Pristina last night.

“Today’s action of Kosovo police in shutting down the Public Utilities in Strpce and two Serbia sponsored institutions (one of them in a health sector) was carried out with the purpose of “welcoming” Peter Sørensen EU Special Representative for the Belgrade-Priština Dialogue who just arrived to Priština. What is the European External Action Service – EEAS @eu_eeas  response?”, Mijacic wrote in a post on X. 

EU: Serbian health, education and social institutions in Kosovo should not be closed, their status to resolve in dialogue (Alternativna.com)

“No health and education institutions supported by Serbia, nor other structures also supported by Serbia providing basic social services, should be closed”, read the European Commission response sent to Alternativna.com portal.

Asked how does the EU assess the current events, relating to the closure of New Public Utilities Company in Strpce and four other Belgrade-run institutions in Leposavic, whether those actions are in line with reached agreements and what steps Brussels plans to undertake in response to this situation, the EU said that no health or education institutions, nor other structures supported by Serbia and providing basic social services should be closed.

“As it was said previously, it is envisaged that the status of those structures and services supported by Serbia be resolved through dialogue and normalization of relations”, the response also said.

It was added that they are “awaiting for further details in order to verify the facts”. 

Sorensen in Pristina, to meet Bislimi (KoSSev)

EU Special Envoy for Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue, Peter Sorensen is visiting Kosovo and today he will meet with acting deputy Kosovo prime minister Besnik Bislimi, KoSSev portal reported. As the portal added this news was confirmed by Bislimi’s advisor Klisman Kadiu to Koha newspaper.

Sorensen’s visit was not announced.

According to unofficial information, the portal writes further, Sorensen arrived in Pristina last night on a day when Kosovo authorities have closed premises of New Public Utilities Company in Strpce, and four Belgrade-run institutions in Leposavic. The Office for Kosovo and Metohija Director and Serbian List accused Pristina authorities of violating all possible agreements by such actions.

This is Sorensen’s second visit to Pristina, since he assumed duty. Previously he visited Pristina and Belgrade at the end of March. 

Sorensen in Pristina: Usual visit, we are working and that is all (Kosovo Online, KoSSev)

EU Special Envoy for Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue, Peter Sorensen said following the meeting with Pristina chief negotiator Besnik Bislimi in Pristina today that it was about a usual visit within the framework of his mandate, Kosovo Online portal reported citing Pristina-based Koha newspaper.

He also said that after Pristina, he will travel to Belgrade.

“I am in Pristina with my staff as part of my engagement as dialogue envoy. After Pristina I am going to Belgrade. It is a usual visit; I am happy to be here. I will go to Belgrade and then to Brussels. We are working, that is all”, Sorensen told the media briefly. 

Sorensen meets Barduani, discussed security situation in region (Kosovo Online, social media)

In a post published on their official Facebook account, KFOR said that “Commander of the NATO-led KFOR mission, Major General Enrico Barduani, hosted the visit of European Union Special Representative (EUSR) for the Pristina-Belgrade Dialogue, His Excellency Peter Sørensen, and the European Union Special Representative (EUSR) for Kosovo, His Excellency Aivo Orav at KFOR Headquarters, in Camp Film City in Pristina.

Today's visit in Kosovo was the second one in Mr Sørensen's tenure; as such, he did not miss the opportunity to exchange views with the COM KFOR on the developments in the security situation across the region.

COM KFOR underlined KFOR’s efforts on ensuring a safe and secure environment for all people living in Kosovo and in support of the EU-facilitated dialogue between Pristina and Belgrade, wherein KFOR and the EU act in permanent coordination. General Barduani highlighted KFOR’s steadfast commitment to support all efforts by the International Community, for the benefit of lasting security across Kosovo and regional stability”. 

Incident in Mitrovica North, assault case reported: Police and Arsenijevic with different accounts on incident (Alternatinva.com. social media)

Kosovo police registered an assault case in Mitrovica North last night. As police said one person was apprehended, and the complainant was a woman. In a brief report police provided no further details about the incident.

Leader of the Serbian Democracy Aleksandar Arsenijevic published the video of the attack on his social network and provided more details. He said the married couple of the Serbian ethnicity and young men of Albanian ethnicity were in question.

Police on incident

Kosovo police deputy commander for the region north, Veton Elshani confirmed the incident took place. The case has been registered as assault, adding it involved a female person who reported the assault, one suspect and two witnesses. According to Elshani the passengers in the two vehicles were first engaged in a verbal dispute, that suspect was identified and the case went into regular procedure.

He did not provide additional details on the very incident and those involved. Kosovo police later said in a statement that the defendant was released, without mentioning ethnic background of persons involved.

Arsenijevic on incident

Leader of Serbian Democracy Aleksandar Arsenijevic informed the public of the incident in Mitrovica North last night and published the video recording in which is seen how police separates one person attempting to attack another one.

Arsenijevic said the married couple of Serbian ethnicity was attacked by three men of Albanian ethnicity.

He said the incident took place at Ivo Lola Ribar Street in the very centre of the city, when the Jovic couple driving by white WV Passat vehicle, with “RKS” registration plates noticed men from that vehicle hurling sexist comments to two girls on the street.

As Arsenijevic said the Jovic couple pulled their vehicle and kindly asked the men in another vehicle to stop such behaviour. Instead of stopping such behaviour the men started threatening the Jovic couple and then chased them to the Tzar Lazar Monument in the centre, Arsenijevic added. 

When the Jovic couple reached Kosovo police and attempted to report the incident, one of the attackers, as Arsenijevic further said, physically assaulted the husband, in front of police and his wife as well as that the attacker was apprehended afterwards.

Arsenijevic also claimed this was not an isolated case, but rather part of a wider pattern of sexual harassment of the young girls and women in Mitrovica North. He warned if institutions do not react decisively to this problem, people would be forced to organize themselves.    

"If police and a prosecutor's office are unable to deal with this kind of behaviour - or, even worse, they are complicit in it together with the entire repressive apparatus - the Serbian population will be forced to self-organize, introduce neighbourhood watches and defend themselves", Arsenijevic said.

He called on the international community to react urgently, stressing that such cases are already well known to the institutions.

Vucic: I’m going to Moscow for May 9 parade (N1, BETA)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said Wednesday that he hasn’t changed his stance despite pressures and will attend the May 9 parade in Moscow marking the 80th anniversary of the victory over fascism in World War II, N1 reported.

“I have always had an open, honest, and warm relationship with President Putin, though it’s not always easy or straightforward since we don’t always see eye to eye, but we believe each other when we say something. Eight months ago, I said I’d go to Moscow on May 9, and I’m going”, Vucic told Pink TV. He said he will probably travel to Moscow alone and that he expects to face “a barrage of criticism, both from abroad and at home”, for the trip.

Vucic noted that in Moscow, he will discuss a new gas deal with Putin and seek solutions for the Serbian Oil Industry (NIS), which has been hit with US sanctions due to its majority Russian ownership. “I have a lot of economic business in Moscow. I need to talk to President Putin about the gas deal, as we have to sign it by May 30. We also need to address the oil company issue and cover all other topics”, he added.

PM Macut slams university rector’s decision as “unacceptable” and “unacademic” (N1)

Serbian Prime Minister Djuro Macut called it unacceptable and unacademic for University of Belgrade Rector Vladan Djokic to cancel a scheduled meeting by issuing an open letter through the media, effectively halting ongoing discussions about normalizing university operations, N1 reported.

In a written statement, Macut stressed that communication within the academic community “shouldn’t play out through media statements but in a spirit of collegiality and mutual understanding”. He noted that talks on the issue began on Tuesday, with an agreement to continue them.

“To my great disappointment, instead of continuing the dialogue, I received - through the media - a statement that does not reflect the content of our conversation, along with a cancellation of the meetings that had been scheduled for today. I find this manner of communication completely unacceptable and unacademic, where discussions that have only just begun are portrayed to the public as failed, and personally agreed meetings are cancelled”, the Serbian Government quoted the Prime Minister Macut as saying.

Macut emphasized that, in spite of this, he would still consider it a great honour to engage in discussions with academic community representatives. “I hope the University of Belgrade will show a willingness to engage in dialogue without stipulating conditions”, he added.

The talks between the prime minister and the rector, which began on Tuesday, were set to continue on Wednesday. However, Rector Djokic announced he couldn’t attend the meeting, citing a summons from the First Basic Public Prosecutor’s Office in Belgrade to provide information regarding a second criminal complaint filed against him by student Milos Pavlovic, alleging discrimination.

The First Basic Public Prosecutor’s Office later clarified that no interrogation with Dokic had been scheduled or planned. Instead, it had sent a request to the University of Belgrade’s Rectorate for information related to the criminal complaint filed by Pavlovic and several others.

Vucic: Students, people will continue with violence, state will choose when to end it (BETA, TV Pink, N1)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said that students and people involved in blockades will “keep up their violent actions”, but “the state will pick the right moment to put a stop to it”. Vucic told Pink TV that Serbian authorities have handled the blockade participants “more democratically than 95 percent of EU countries, or nearly all of Europe”.

“Nobody is thrilled about this, and we’re not sadists looking to beat anyone into submission to prove who’s stronger. Everyone knows who holds the power in a state. By definition, the state has a monopoly on legitimate force, but it must act democratically. The state must choose the moment carefully, and that moment will be the last resort for using force. We hope we never have to go there”, Vucic said. He added he can say “with certainty” that the “colour revolution in Serbia is over”.

“Their chance was on March 15, when they planned to take me out. That afternoon, I uncovered plots by certain criminal groups, I don’t mean the students – working with some state structures. I can now say with certainty that the color revolution is finished, and our job is to get back on the path of economic progress as soon as possible”, he said.

Vucic called the multi-day student blockade of Serbian public broadcaster RTS buildings in Belgrade an “unprecedented crime”. “Everything they are doing to RTS is a crime without parallel, and I’m not saying this because I love or respect RTS’s work – quite the opposite. Blocking access to a building for 10 days, preventing people from leaving, stopping food deliveries, all backed by some NGOs and ignored by many abroad… That shows you who is supporting them. When Aleksandar Vulin and his friends held a protest outside N1 TV for an hour or two, the EU, OSCE, and every political party immediately cried foul, calling it "unprecedented pressure”, Vucic remarked.

He dismissed a criminal complaint filed by the Democratic Party (DS) against unidentified persons for the alleged use of a sound cannon at a student protest in Belgrade on March 15, calling it “yet another piece of nonsense”. “Everyone in Serbia knows there was no sound cannon. Even a report from Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) confirmed it, they even looked into what happened, not just into what didn’t happen. It’s just another lie in a long line of them. If I weren’t president, I’d say any fool can file a complaint”, he said.

He described the protests and blockades as a “revolt of the wealthy and privileged”, noting that “there’s no poor people” among the demonstrators.

Students call for help early on 10th day of blockade (N1)

The students blocking Serbian public broadcaster RTS headquarters for a 10th day called the public to join them in the early morning hours of Thursday, alleging they were warned of a possible police intervention.

An appeal went out on social media and crowds of people responded. One of the leaders of the veterans who have been helping keep the students safe from provocations told N1 that they were there through the night and that there was no indication of a police intervention. Speculations on social media and among journalists say that the warning of a police intervention was a test to see how long it would take for crowds to reinforce the students who spent the night outside the RTS building. Earlier, President Aleksandar Vucic said that the authorities would decide when to end the protest.

The protest continued uninterrupted in calm on Thursday morning with student security monitors standing at the entrances to the RTS headquarters. The public broadcaster TV continued its programming with pre-recorded short news which said the student blockade was illegal.

NIS requests delay of US sanctions beyond April 28 (BETA, media)

The Serbian Oil Industry (NIS) said Wednesday that it has submitted a new request to the US Treasury Department for a special license to postpone the full implementation of US sanctions set to take effect on April 28, BETA news agency reported.

The goal is to ensure uninterrupted business operations beyond April 28, when the current license issued on March 28 expires, the company said. NIS noted that on March 14, it filed a separate request with the US Treasury Department to be removed from the SDN list (Specially Designated Nationals), which targets individuals and entities deemed to be involved in activities subject to specific sanctions programs.

The company emphasized that, despite the challenging circumstances, it remains committed to maintaining a steady supply of all types of petroleum products to the domestic market and preserving job security for its employees in the coming period. NIS pledged to keep the public promptly informed about any developments that could impact its operations.

The full enforcement of US sanctions against NIS was previously deferred for 30 days, with that grace period expiring on April 28. This was the second time the US delayed sanctions at NIS’s request, with support from the governments of Serbia and Hungary, as well as a Croatian company operating the JANAF oil pipeline.