Albanian Language Media:

• Kallas on Kosovo-Serbia dialogue: No progress without full normalization of relations (Klan)

• Gervalla to represent Kosovo at UN Security Council session (RTK)

• Osmani meets delegation of United Roma Party of Kosovo on International Roma Day (media) 

• Konjufca: LVV still does not have a name for next Speaker of Assembly, coalition needed to form government (Telegrafi)

• Haxhiu: Albin Kurti next PM, we either form government or go to elections (Paparaci)

• Abdixhiku to convene LDK leadership this afternoon, to discuss Kurti’s letter (Reporteri)

• Kica-Xhelili: Kurti's letter does not change LDK's position (Albanian Post)

• Haradinaj rejects any meeting with Kurti (Telegrafi)

   

Serbian Language Media: 

• NGO CASA research: More than 80% of surveyed Serbs believe situation of Serbs in Kosovo has worsened (KiM radio)
• Lawyer Vasic: 12 Serbs arrested in Prizren freed (Kosovo Online)
• Simonovic Bratic: What will the Council of Europe do to protect Serbian pilgrims? (Kosovo Online, media)
• A petition with demands submitted by dissatisfied people to health institutions (KiM radio)
• Mitrovica resident announce a protest tomorrow in front of the Administration of Clinical Hospital Centre (KiM radio, alternativna.com)
• Ramadani: After constitution of Assembly “Kurti’s propaganda offensive” expected (Kosovo Online)
• Petkovic sent a congratulatory message on World Roma Day (Radio Mitrovica sever)
• Vucic: I invite all to gather on April 12, set our demands (Tanjug)
• Serbs from Kosovo continue walking on foot to Belgrade (media)
• Student bike riders leave Vienna (N1)

Albanian Language Media 

Kallas on Kosovo-Serbia dialogue: There can be no progress without full normalization of relations (Klan)

The EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, in a press conference, after the meeting with the Albanian Prime Minister, Edi Rama, in Tirana, stated that there can be no progress without the full normalization of the relationship between Kosovo and Serbia. “I think that what is important is that in relation to Kosovo and Serbia there can be no progress without the full normalization of the relationship between these two countries” Kallas said.

Gervalla to represent Kosovo at UN Security Council session (RTK)

Deputy Prime Minister and Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Donika Gervalla, has traveled to New York to participate in the UN Security Council session that will be held today, April 8, 2025, at 15:00 local time in New York (21:00 in Kosovo).

This session will review the periodic report of the UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, on developments in Kosovo.

Minister Gervalla will be presenting Kosovo's achievements, current challenges and progress in various areas such as the rule of law, the economy and institutional reforms, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced.

Osmani meets delegation of United Roma Party of Kosovo on International Roma Day (media) 

Kosovo President, Vjosa Osmani, on the occasion of International Roma Day, hosted todaya delegation of the United Roma Party of Kosovo, led by Albert Kinolli. The Office of the President announced that Osmani congratulated Kinolli and all of the Roma community in Kosovo, emphasizing the importance of this day to reflect, as stated in the announcement, on the challenges and achievements, as well as to reaffirm the institutional commitment to the rights and equality of the Roma community. “During the meeting, the President highly appreciated the contribution of the representatives of the Roma community and the Roma community in general in building a fairer, more equal and inclusive society, describing their voice as essential in the country’s democratic processes.”

“Underlining her continued commitment to empowering non-majority communities in Kosovo, President Osmani praised the work of the Consultative Council for Communities and other mechanisms aimed at strengthening the participation and advancing the rights of communities, with particular emphasis on the Roma community,” the statement said.

Konjufca: LVV still does not have a name for next Speaker of Assembly, coalition needed to form government (media)

The acting Speaker of the Assembly, Glauk Konjufca, after a meeting with political parties where the constitutive session of the Assembly of Kosovo was discussed, stated that LVV has not yet determined the name of the next Speaker of the Parliament. “Regarding the Speaker of the Assembly, LVV has not yet given the name of the Speaker of the Assembly, this is because I think that all positions regarding the new composition of the majority that will then be transformed into the government, are subject to several principles and one of them is the attempt to establish the government”, Konjufca said.

He added that it is impossible not to create a coalition in order to have the votes to form the new government. "When we are talking about the government, it is impossible not to establish a coalition that creates a majority capable of electing a new government with 61 votes. All positions, including that of the Speaker of the Assembly, are subject to this principle," Konjufca said.

"I think that when a future government is formed, there are two scenarios: Either it is the scenario of a short-term government that governs until the election of the president; Or it is the second scenario of the creation of a government that is capable of electing the president. Which scenario LVV embraces, I cannot tell you. As for the details of how we see these coalitions, you should come to LVV and we give our interviews there. There are only two possibilities, either a short-term government will be created or a long-term government that can also elect the president," he stated.

Haxhiu: Albin Kurti next PM, we either form government or go to elections (Paparaci)

Acting Minister of Justice Albulena Haxhiu said that so far only the name of the next prime minister is known, mentioning the name of Albin Kurti.  “What is known is the name of the prime minister, the names of other people who will hold other positions, whether in the government or in the assembly, are not known. What is known is that the next prime minister is Albin Kurti and the government of Kosovo will be formed very soon”

“Either we form the government or go to elections, we are interested in doing so”.

Abdixhiku to convene LDK leadership this afternoon, to discuss Kurti’s letter (Reporteri)

The leader of the Democratic League of Kosovo, Lumir Abdixhiku, will convene the leadership of his party this afternoon. This was confirmed by the deputy chair of the LDK, Gazmend Muhaxheri. "Today, the leadership meeting has been called for 16:00 hours. I cannot be part of this meeting, since I am not in Kosovo," Muhaxheri told the news website.

The LDK leadership meeting comes a day after the letter from the leader of Vetevendosje, Albin Kurti, to Lumir Abdixhiku regarding the constitution of the Assembly and the formation of the new government.

Kica-Xhelili: Kurti's letter does not change LDK's position (Albanian Post)

The deputy leader of the Democratic League of Kosovo, Doarsa Kica-Xhelili, stated that LDK's positions have not changed, even after the invitation of the leader of the Vetevendosje Movement, Albin Kurti, to consult regarding the constitution of the Kosovo Assembly.

Speaking to journalists, Kica-Xhelili said that the letter has been delivered to LDK leader Lumir Abdixhiku, and that it is up to him to respond to this invitation. “As you have seen, the letter was addressed to the leader of the LDK, Lumir Abdixhiku, and consequently it is up to the leader Abdixhiku to give an official response or not regarding whether he accepts such an invitation for discussion. This does not mean anything in relation to our positions towards Vetevendosje”, she said.

“I reiterate that when we stated that we will not enter into a coalition with the Vetevendosje Movement, we did not set any conditions regarding this position, because this position itself is principled, and we have expressed it publicly to the citizens of Kosovo”.

"Although we have sufficiently reiterated the position of the LDK, I understand and appreciate your question, because naturally we are noticing many movements in the positions of various actors of the leadership of the government of the Republic of Kosovo - from the words spoken before the elections and those after the elections - but this does not apply to the LDK."

Haradinaj rejects any meeting with Kurti (Telegrafi)

The leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK), Ramush Haradinaj, said that they have not been invited to a consultative meeting by the acting Prime Minister, Albin Kurti.  “We are not going [to the meeting],” Haradinaj said in a statement to KosovaPress today. According to Haradinaj, those who support Kurti's government are doing “great harm to the country.”

On Monday, it was announced that Kurti had invited LDK leader Lumir Abdixhiku to a meeting before the constitutive session of the Kosovo Assembly. The LDK told KosovaPress that Abdixhiku would consider this invitation and then respond to Kurti.

Haradinaj said that the opposition should “stand together and give the country the expected change.” "Kurti knows that he has no meeting with us, he hasn't invited us, we won't go, that's for sure," Haradinaj said briefly.

Serbian Language Media

NGO CASA research: More than 80% of surveyed Serbs believe situation of Serbs in Kosovo has worsened (KiM radio)

The Serbian community in Kosovo faces a series of political, economic, and social challenges affecting its daily life and future, according to the latest report of the non-governmental organization CASA. As many as 80.6% of respondents believe that the position of the Serbian community in Kosovo has worsened in the last three years, reported KiM radio.

According to the data of the NGO CASA, conducted based on a public opinion survey, in the north of Kosovo that percentage is as high as 91.7%, while the percentage south of the Ibar is lower - 69.9%.

CASA published the Public Opinion Research Report "Insight into the Challenges, Needs and Attitudes of the Kosovo Serb Community", which analyzes the key issues:

- Access of Kosovo Serbs to public services at the local level

- Access of Kosovo Serbs to public services at the central level

- The phenomenon of mass migration of Kosovo Serbs

- Institutional participation of Kosovo Serbs

As they said, this report gives a cumulative average of the responses of the surveyed members of the Serbian community, but also provides separate analytical data for the Serbian community north and south of the Ibar, when their views differ due to the different contexts in which they live and the latest developments.

"The key challenges in the north include security risks, the closure of Serbian temporary institutions and economic problems, while the Serbian community south of the Ibar recognizes the lack of employment opportunities as a key problem, political tensions and security".

Research shows that local institutions in Kosovo do not ensure fair and equal access to rights and services for all citizens, including Serbs. 67.5% of respondents believe so.

"The closure of temporary institutions under the administration of Serbia, which provided basic financial and administrative services and were crucial for access to the rights to documents and services in both systems - Serbian and Kosovo, had serious consequences for everyday life, as stated by 85.5% of respondents. Respondents also evaluated the work of central institutions, where discrimination is the most frequently identified obstacle, with a high 35.9% of respondents in the general sample, along with the physical barrier, lack of information and others".

As many as 92.30% of respondents claim that the number of people from their immediate environment who leave Kosovo has increased in the last three years, and they see the lack of jobs, unfavorable political situation, and security reasons as the main reasons. "The vast majority, three out of four respondents, support the return of Serbs to the institutions they left in 2022."

The public opinion survey was conducted in November 2024, as part of the project "From 'integration' to a new social contract for a truly multi-ethnic Kosovo", which is carried out by the Center for Affirmative Social Actions - CASA and Prostor/I for Social Change, with the support of the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Kosovo. The survey included 802 respondents from the Serbian community in 15 municipalities across Kosovo, ensuring diversity in terms of gender, age, educational background, as well as social and professional status. Respondents were chosen from areas north and south of the Ibar River, to obtain a comprehensive overview of attitudes, the NGO CASA said.

The report ‘Insight into the Challenges, Needs and Attitudes of the Kosovo Serb Community’ is available at: https://tinyurl.com/2s3a6ccw

Lawyer Vasic: 12 Serbs arrested in Prizren freed (Kosovo Online) 

Lawyer Dejan Vasic confirmed for Kosovo Online that the Serbs who were arrested in Prizren, 12 of them, have been released.

On April 4 and 5, the Kosovo police arrested 16 persons of Serbian nationality in four vehicles with Serbian license plates.

Four Serbs were arrested in Djakovica, while 12 of them were arrested in Prizren.

Four Serbs arrested in Djakovica B.R., N.V,, P.K, and M.S. suspected of having committed the criminal offense of "illegal possession, control or possession of weapons", were sent to one-month detention, lawyer Predrag Miljkovic confirmed yesterday. Their defence lawyers argued that four arrested Serbs had in their vehicle “work and household tools” and not “the weapons” as prosecution claimed.  

Simonovic Bratic: What will the Council of Europe do to protect Serbian pilgrims? (Kosovo Online, media)

A member of the Serbian delegation in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), Dunja Simonovic Bratic in a session yesterday spoke of the arrest of Serbian pilgrims in Kosovo, emphasizing that “the regime in Pristina is attempting to revise history, take over Serbian monasteries, and ultimately create its own Orthodox Church”, Kosovo Online portal reported.

Simonovic Bratic, while addressing a question to the Council of Europe’s Commissioner for Human Rights, Michael O'Flaherty, said 16 pilgrims were arrested in Prizren and Djakovica over the weekend, who came to visit Serbian Orthodox monasteries and holy sites. She argued this was about the worst violation of religious rights and an abuse of law. She also asked the Human Rights Commissioner what he will do to protect these people.

The Council of Europe’s Human Rights Commissioner noted that he intends to visit Kosovo soon. He stressed that he would advocate for the rights of all people, regardless of religion or origin, with full respect for their faith and background.

"I am not familiar with the case you mentioned, which occurred yesterday. I am convinced that the protection of holy sites, whether churches, mosques, or synagogues, is key to safeguarding human rights and democracy on our continent", O'Flaherty said.

A petition with demands submitted by dissatisfied people to health institutions (KiM radio)

The petition with demands, which was signed by about 130 disgruntled citizens, was today handed over to the pharmacy in Pristina, the health centers in Donja Gusterica and Ugljare, and they also announce that they will hand over the petitions to the health center in Gracanica, reported KiM radio. 

They announced that they will submit the petition to other competent institutions, namely the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Serbia and the Office for Kosovo and Metohija.

"They caused a bit of a problem at the Health Center in Donja Gusterica. We entered their administration section and asked where we could take it. Although the website of the Ministry of Health says that the pharmacy facility is located on the premises of the Health Center in Donja Gusterica, we were told that it does not exist. Later, a lawyer came out and told us that we have no right to enter inside, but to wait in front. Documentation is not accepted in the corridor. Then they admitted us afterwards. I asked if the administration is the same for the pharmacy, they told me no. We found out that the administration for the Pristina pharmacy is across the street," explained Dusica Nikolic.

Katarina Galic read the petition of the 'People's Meeting of Dissatisfied with Employment Irregularities in Public Institutions in Kosovo'.

"After the signing of this petition began, and due to public pressure and protests in front of the health centers in Gracanica, Kosovo Polje and Donja Gusterica, these three institutions made a decision to cancel the competition on Saturday 04/05/2025, even though on weekends we often do not even have doctors at work," she stated.

They also recalled their demands.

'The first is to submit data on accepted candidates, with their qualifications, education, work experience and social status, as well as the report of the committee that decided to select those candidates. The second request is that this competition be canceled and re-announced, with independent members of the commission, and that people from this group be observers of the process. The third request is the resignation of the authorities who are responsible for this situation and who did not give us the answers as to why some of us are not eligible, reported KiM radio. 

Was the social card considered when hiring?

The Bogdanovic family of four from Dobrotin has a monthly income of 20,000 dinars (approx. 170 euro). Ivica Bogdanovic is interested if, as was announced, the social card was looked at, how is it possible that his son is not employed.

"I am here because of the competition, my son applied. Did they look at who is socially vulnerable and how much income they have? I would just like to ask them if a family of four can live on 20,000 dinars. I have been rejected by the state of Serbia for 26 years; I have no income. They ignore my whole family, I don't know what the problem is," he added.

Those gathered invited all citizens to support the fight for justice and equality in employment with their signatures.

Let us remind you that the tenders announced by the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Serbia for the admission of temporary workers in health centers in Kosovo have been cancelled. However, the protestors emphasized that only part of the demands have been fulfilled, and therefore they announce gatherings in the future until all demands are met.

Mitrovica resident announce a protest tomorrow in front of the Administration of Clinical Hospital Centre (KiM radio, alternativna.com)

A resident of Mitrovica North and one of the first organizers of 15 minutes of silence in North Mitrovica, Srdjan Djordjevic announced a protest in front of the administration of the Clinical Hospital Centre in North Mitrovica. According to Djordjevic, he recently lost his job due to support for students.

The reason for the protest, as he stated, is the failure to renew his employment contract, but also, as he added, to many other people:

“And because of the disagreement with the ruinous policy of this regime. By not extending the employment contract, our existence is threatened, while that regime camarilla is getting enormously rich with two or more salaries,” he stated.

The protest was announced to start at 11:45 in front of the Clinical Hospital administration, where Djordjevic will, as he stated, pay a sixteen-minute tribute to the victims of the fall of the canopy in Novi Sad, but also, as he stated, “to all other victims who are a consequence of this regime”.

“If Donja Gusterica, Ugljare and Gracanica could rebel against the injustice of the regime and fight for the general existence, so can we from the north of Kosovo,” Djordjevic noted.

Ramadani: After constitution of Assembly “Kurti’s propaganda offensive” expected (Kosovo Online)

Burim Ramadani, an analyst and former chief inspector of Kosovo Intelligence Agency said he does not expect parliamentary majority in Kosovo Assembly on April 15, adding after this day  “propaganda of Kosovo PM Albin Kurti” on how Serbia “does not allow formation of Kosovo Government” is to follow, Kosovo Online portal reported citing Pristina-based Gazeta Express.

As he said this will prolong establishment of Kosovo institutions for weeks.

"If the narrative used by the outgoing government is used, the least that will happen is that nothing will happen. After Tuesday comes Wednesday, and I do not expect there will be a parliamentary majority for the election of the government on Tuesday. After the swearing-in of the deputies, we will see a propaganda offensive about how Serbia does not allow Albin Kurti to form a government, so they will drag us on for weeks", Ramadani pointed out.

Petkovic sent a congratulatory message on World Roma Day (Radio Mitrovica sever) 

Director of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija, Petar Petkovic, on behalf of the Office and himself, sent a congratulatory message on the occasion of World Roma Day to the members of the Roma people, especially those who remained living in Kosovo, or are temporarily in central Serbia, as internally displaced persons from Kosovo, reported Radio Mitrovica sever. 

"Today, as many times in the past, Serbs and Roma are fighting together for the exercise of their human and political rights. A large number of Roma in Kosovo shared their fate with the Serbian people during the war in our southern province and after the end of the conflict and were the target of attacks and persecution, however the Roma remained loyal to the state of Serbia, and Serbia remained loyal to them," Petkovic said in a statement.

He pointed out that, unfortunately, even today, the Roma in Kosovo are socially and politically discriminated against by the irresponsible authorities in Pristina, but that "the state of Serbia is doing everything to ensure that the members of the Roma community living in majority Serbian areas in Kosovo are treated as equal citizens".

"Acknowledging all the challenges faced by the Roma community, we still have a lot of work ahead of us in creating a society of equal opportunities. I am sure that together we will contribute to the affirmation of the value of the Roma community, as an integral part of our society," said Petkovic.

Vucic: I invite all to gather on April 12, set our demands (Tanjug)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said today that “fear and terror regained over Serbia during the last couple of months”, but that regardless of circumstances “the state must not fall and shall not fall”. He called on citizens to gather on April 12, Saturday, in front of the Serbian Peoples’ Assembly in order to set demands together which are in line with the Constitution and will of majority, Tanjug news agency reported.

In a video posted on his official Instagram account, Vucic said he invites citizens to the gathering on behalf of the Movement for People and State, adding they will jointly decide about the name and prepare the program.

“I call on behalf of the Movement for the People and the State, whose name we will decide together and write the program jointly. I invite all people to come to a great national assembly, the great assembly of our people, of all citizens from 11 to 13 April in Belgrade, while the central gathering will take place on April 12 at 7 pm. I invite all political parties, all movements. I invite workers, peasants, householders, housewives. I am calling our pensioners. First of all, I invite the youth of Serbia. I invite all people who want to safeguard, protect and defend Serbia", he said.

Serbs from Kosovo continue walking on foot to Belgrade (media)

Serbs from Kosovo, who started a walk to Belgrade on Sunday to attend the gathering called by the Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic on April 12, continue their walk for the third day, Kosovo Online portal reported. Today they were close to approaching Preljina, a settlement in Cacak municipality.

The portal recalled that almost 200 Serbs from different parts of Kosovo started a walk on foot to Belgrade. Last night they reached Kraljevo and were met by numerous citizens who prepared food and drinks for them. The media also reported that the first two days of their walk were marred by bad weather, snow, rain and wind, but that today the weather was somewhat better. 

Meanwhile, Tanjug news agency reported that several hundred young people started walking on foot from Novi Sad to Belgrade, to extend support to the Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic at the gathering scheduled on April 12.

As Tanjug news agency said the young people from Novi Sad decided to do so inspired by Serbs from Kosovo, who are walking on foot to Belgrade, for a third day in a row.

One of the students, Djordje Radonic said they wanted to extend support to fellow students in their pursuit to return to the faculties as soon as possible and resort to regular education while there is still time for it. 

Student bike riders leave Vienna (N1)

Serbian students continued their bicycle ride to Strasbourg on Tuesday after spending the night in Vienna where hundreds of people welcomed them.

Organizers of the evening gathering for the students said that they had to turn away a lot of local Serbians who wanted to host the bike riders in their homes.

The students formed their groups in central Vienna on Tuesday morning for what they see as an easy day which will take them just under 90 kilometers to the small town of Emmersdorf an der Donau. Monday’s ride from Gyor in Hungary via Bratislava in Slovakia to Vienna covered 144 kilometers. The bike rider groups are headed by pacemakers who keep the speed at 20 kmh. Students told N1 in Vienna that it was a hard day because of the cold and headwinds.

The riders left Vienna just before 11 am instead of the planned 9 am in good spirits and were seen off by their hosts with chants of Pumpaj (pump it in Serbian) which has become one of the slogans of the student protests.

Lawyer Vladimir Beljanski, chairman of the Vojvodina Bar Association and one of the non-student bike riders, said that the mood of the group of 80 riders is good. He said that there was much more media interest in Vienna than at earlier stops.

“There was some attention in Hungary, but media interest grew significantly as we entered Austria. They want to know the causes of what is happening in Serbia… They know about the demonstrations, problems between the authorities, public and the students but this was a chance to see how important it is for European institutions to be informed,” he said.

The students also posed for family photos with their hosts just before leaving Vienna.