UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, December 14, 2025

Albanian Language Media:

Kos: We expect movement in Kosovo after elections (media)
Kallas to choose Sorensen as envoy for Kosovo-Serbia dialogue (RFE)
Maqedonci meets Buland, discuss furthering cooperation (media)
Barduani: KFOR will maintain its permanent presence on Iber Bridge until political solution is reached (media)
CoE Parliamentary delegation to visit Kosovo to assess election campaign (media)
YIHR to open Children of War Museum in Pristina on January 22 (Klan)
EULEX Strengthens with Reserve Formed Police Unit to support stability (media)
Kadiu: Kosovo was equal party at dialogue table during this mandate (media)
Symbolic action against Serbian discrimination by Albanians in the Valley (media)

Serbian Language Media:

Vucic requested an advisory referendum on his dismissal (Beta, N1, media)
Vucic meets with Botsan-Kharchenko, requests start of consultations on NIS (Tanjug, media)
Lavrov: Russia requested urgent consultations with Serbia over sanctions on NIS (N1)
Hill: I am satisfied with the level of development in the relations between Serbia and Ukraine (Kosovo Online, Blic TV)
Ignoring Special Prosecutor's Office summons by Kurti: Is law in Kosovo equal for everyone? (Kosovo Online)
Simic: Serbian List's appeal approved; CEC meeting expected today to form new polling committees (Kosovo Online)
Removal of waste from house used by socially vulnerable families started (Radio KIM)
“Long barrels” barred from entering two restaurants in Leposavic (Alternativna.com)

Opinion:

Rakocevic: Not even the Orthodox New Year without incidents; people got used to fear in Kosovo (N1, nova.rs)
Serbs in Kosovo: One week until Trump and one month until the elections (KoSSev)

International Media:

Grieving parents seek justice for Serbian media coverage of school shooting (Balkan Insight)
Switzerland and Serbia both offer to host Putin-Trump meeting (euronews.com)

Albanian Language Media

Kos: We expect movement in Kosovo after elections (Reporteri)

European Union Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos briefly mentioned Kosovo while speaking to MEPs in the European Parliament’s Foreign Policy Committee in Brussels on Tuesday. She said that EU enlargement today is different from the way it was four or five years ago and that now “we have a new positive moment in the EU”. “For the fist time in the last ten years, we have the opportunity to welcome one, two or three new member states to the EU during our mandate. But I have told our partners in recent weeks that there will be no concessions when it comes to the fundamental criteria and values of the EU,” Kos said. She spoke about Kosovo at the very end when asked by a member of the European Parliament what she expects from the elections in Kosovo.

"Kosovo, I did not mention Kosovo. There will be elections there. I do not expect that we will be able to move before the elections, but we must move soon after the elections. Because we cannot talk about the Western Balkans region if we do not talk about the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina or separately about what Kosovo is doing and what Serbia is doing", said Kos.

Kos also announced that she would soon visit Montenegro and Albania, countries that she sees as the most advanced in the enlargement process.

Kallas to choose Sorensen as envoy for Kosovo-Serbia dialogue (RFE)

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reported that the European Union's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, will choose Danish diplomat Peter Sorensen as the EU's special envoy for the Kosovo-Serbia normalization dialogue.

Sorensen, a former EU special representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina, is likely to soon take on the role of the mediator. He served as the EU High Representative's special envoy to Serbia. In addition, the Danish diplomat has also been involved in the OSCE mission in Croatia. He has also been head of the EU delegation in North Macedonia. Sorensen is currently an advisor to the EU External Action Service for digital diplomacy.

The RFE article mentions the efforts to “revive negotiations” at the highest level after the parliamentary elections in Kosovo, which are scheduled for February 9, 2025. And after the new election cycle, the new head of European diplomacy is also expected to make her first tour of the Western Balkans region.

Maqedonci meets Buland, discuss furthering cooperation (media)

Kosovo’s Minister of Defense, Ejup Maqedonci, said in a Facebook post today that he met the U.S. Assistant Secretary of Defense for NATO and Europe, Alton Buland, and discussed furthering the cooperation between Kosovo and the United States. “We discussed in particular the objectives achieved in the Comprehensive Transition Plan for the Kosovo Security, the road ahead in the third and final phase of this plan and the implementation of the framework agreement between our countries in the area of defense. Together with General Jashari we discussed with Mr. Buland the future plans for the joint deployment of the KSF with American troops in international missions which will be implemented this year and also other plans and ideas,” he wrote in a Facebook post.

Barduani: KFOR will maintain its permanent presence on Iber Bridge until political solution is reached (media)

KFOR Commander Enrico Barduani has said that any presence of the KSF in northern Kosovo requires prior approval from KFOR. Based on the security assessment, the KFOR commander says he has not given such approval, neither in the case of the attack in Iber-Lepenc, nor in that of Banjska. KFOR will maintain its permanent presence on the main Iber bridge and will continue to conduct regular patrols in the surrounding areas, Barduani said. This, as he emphasized, is until a political solution is reached between Kosovo and Serbia. The situation in Kosovo remains calm, but sensitive, with constant exposure to possible escalation, he assessed. “Isolated incidents can still occur. “Complete prevention of such incidents is complex, because they often involve criminal or terrorist elements that operate in a secretive and unpredictable manner,” Barduani Said.

But KFOR continues to closely monitor the situation in northern Kosovo, ensuring, as he emphasized, a safe and stable environment. “Supporting local institutions and maintaining impartiality, while being fully prepared to respond to any security development,” he said.

Barduani, said that it is of key importance to avoid rhetoric and actions that could increase tensions, as this would threaten security and stability in the region and would negatively affect all communities.

CoE Parliamentary delegation to visit Kosovo to assess election campaign (media)

A three-member delegation of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), led by Petra Bayr (Austria) will visit Kosovo on 16-17 January to assess the electoral and political campaign and the climate ahead of the elections for the Assembly of Kosovo on 9 February. In Pristina, the delegation will meet with the President of Kosovo, the Prime Minister and the Speaker of the Assembly, as well as with the heads and representatives of the main political groups of the Assembly.

“Meetings are also planned with the delegation of the Assembly of Kosovo to (PACE), with the Chair and members of the Central Election Commission, with the Head of the EU Election Observation Mission, with members of the international community, as well as with representatives of the diplomatic community, civil society and the media. The delegation is expected to issue a statement at the end of the visit. A full delegation of 20 members will travel to Kosovo to observe the February 9 elections," the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) said in a statement.

YIHR to open Children of War Museum in Pristina on January 22 (Klan)

The Pristina-based Youth Initiative for Human Rights (YIHR) is to open the Children of War Museum in Pristina on January 22. The YIHR said the initiative is dedicated to preserving the childhood memories of the war in Kosovo, ensuring that the personal war experiences are not forgotten. “The museum will feature personal items, video testimonies, and curated exhibits highlighting children's experiences. The museum offers a shared space of collective memory where forgotten stories of the past are recognized and centered. We believe the future begins by knowing the past. We acknowledge the multiple nuances of war experiences and understand the importance of resurfacing stories from the margins. The Children of War Museum serves as an alternative space to be informed and come closer to the real experiences of children of war. The museum will make us question what we know and how we know in relation to the past, and push us to reflect on the consequences of war. We hope it will serve as a place of memorialization that will spark critical curiosity, empathy, and desire for freedom and peaceful living in the future,” the statement notes.

EULEX Strengthens with Reserve Formed Police Unit to support stability (media)

The European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX) is reinforcing its existing Formed Police Unit (FPU) through the temporary deployment of members of the European Gendarmerie Force (EUROGENDFOR) from France, Italy, Lithuania, and Portugal. These Officers will work shoulder to shoulder with the FPU provided by the Polish Police to fulfill the Mission's mandate of supporting stability throughout Kosovo and ensuring safety for all communities.

The RFPU will be composed of EUROGENDFOR assets provided by the French Gendarmerie nationale, Italian Carabinieri, Lithuanian Public Security Service, and Portuguese GNR - Guarda Nacional Republicana.

The RFPU is expected to arrive in Kosovo in the coming days to address the Mission's need for additional forces on the ground to better support Kosovo counterparts - including acting as Kosovo's second security responder, if requested and necessary. The RFPU will conduct visible patrolling and contribute to the Mission's situational awareness.

Kadiu: Kosovo was equal party at dialogue table during this mandate (media)

Klisman Kadiu, adviser to the Deputy Prime Minister of Kosovo Besnik Bislimi, has said that Kosovo has shown that it is an equal party at the dialogue table during the LVV leadership.

“During this mandate, the Republic of Kosovo was an equal party at the dialogue table. There are no more agreements where statehood is violated and the present and future of the country are endangered. Equality between the partiers was a principle, not simply dialogue for the sake of dialogue. As a constructive party, Kosovo showed that it is ready to move forward with normalization of relations, mutual recognition and good neighborliness. For the state and the region, for pace and security,” Kadiu wrote on Facebook.

Symbolic action against Serbian discrimination by Albanians in the Valley (media)

Albanians in the Presevo Valley held a symbolic action on Tuesday in front of the police station in Bujanovac and in front of the Basic Court. The Chairman of the Albanian National Council, Nevzad Lutfiu, announced that the action was held against discrimination of Albanians.

“You look at Albanians with a magnifying glass, while you close your eyes to Serbs! Today we held symbolic actions in front of the police station in Bujanovac and in front of the Basic Court in Bujanovac. For a comment on Facebook, an Albanian from Bujanovac was sentenced to hundreds of thousands of dinars and a month in detention, while this standard did not apply when a Serb asked for permission to bomb the building of the National Council. The Albanian was convicted on the pretext of national intolerance, while this standard did not apply to the police officer from Medvedja who called us rats. Therefore, Hello Police, Hello Prosecution was our call today!”, Lutfiu wrote.

Serbian Language Media

Vucic requested an advisory referendum on his dismissal (Beta, N1, media)

President Aleksandar Vucic asked the opposition to request holding an advisory referendum on the president; in order to determine the support he has among the citizens.

In a post on Instagram, Vucic said CRTA announced that the vast majority of citizens were in favor of his removal.

"There is no more credible source, neither for the international community, nor for political parties in Serbia, than that non-governmental organization. I fought for the people and the people are my strength. If these statements by CRTA are true, it is impossible for me to remain in the position of the President of Serbia, and therefore, it is necessary for the opposition parties to submit only 67 signatures, and they have over 80, to hold an advisory referendum on the President of Serbia," states the buducnostsrbijeav Instagram account.

He added that legitimacy is the most important thing in politics, and that sovereignty stems from the will of the people.

"I think the offer is more than fair, and it's also good that everyone in this country stops pretending that they care about some construction books and that we finally put things in their place," said Vucic.

The president pointed out that, contrary to popular opinion, he was never interested in power, but that he was only interested in the progress of Serbia.

Tomorrow, the President of the National Assembly of Serbia, Ana Brnabic, will submit 100 signatures of the members of the ruling majority for the holding of the advisory referendum on confidence in President Aleksandar Vucic, reported Kosovo Online, citing Euronews.

Brnabic will hold a press conference tomorrow on this occasion together with the head of the SNS parliamentary group, Milenko Jovanov.

Vucic meets with Botsan-Kharchenko, requests start of consultations on NIS (Tanjug, media)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic met with Russian Ambassador to Belgrade Alexander Botsan-Kharchenko on Tuesday and requested a start of consultations and meetings on NIS operations after the US imposed sanctions on the Russian majority-owned oil company, Tanjug news agency reported.

In a post on his official Instagram account, Vucic wrote he had a good and open meeting with Botsan-Kharchenko and that they discussed consequences of US sanctions against Russian companies for NIS.

"In line with an intergovernmental agreement between Serbia and the Russian Federation, I requested from our Russian friends a start of consultations and the holding of numerous meetings about the functioning of NIS in the future and finding the best solution in mutual interest and the needs to preserve the partnership and friendly relations between Serbia and the Russian Federation", Vucic wrote in the post.

Vucic and Botsan-Kharchenko also discussed all other bilateral issues of interest to Belgrade and Moscow.

Lavrov: Russia requested urgent consultations with Serbia over sanctions on NIS (N1)

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said the administration of outgoing US President Joseph Biden wishes to do malice to Serbia by introducing new sanctions on Russia, adding that Moscow requested urgent consultations with Belgrade over sanctions to the Oil Industry of Serbia (NIS), N1 reported.

"Therefore, when now Americans, not even Americans in general, but the Biden administration, the Democrats, have such manners in American politics, that they finally do malice to the next administration... Now they want to do malice to Serbia and the Trump administration at the same time", Lavrov said at a press conference on the results of Russian diplomacy in 2024, in reference to Washington's anti-Russian sanctions in the energy sector.

Lavrov pointed out Russia is in permanent contact with Serbia and that it requested urgent consultations regarding the situation with sanctions against the Serbian Oil Industry. According to him, the USA and the EU are twisting Serbia's hands by asking it to betray Russia.

“The US and the European Union are twisting Serbia’s arm, demanding it betray Moscow by joining the anti-Russian sanctions crusade in exchange for EU membership”, Lavrov said. He added that Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic won’t divert the country from its EU accession path. “In response they say we are waiting for you here but first you have to recognize the independence of Kosovo. They are encouraging Serbia to commit an act of self-humiliation and join the sanctions against Russia. They want them to betray their ally”, he said.

The US imposed sanctions on NIS because of Russian ownership in that oil company. The US demand is for Russia to get out of ownership. Lavrov also accused the US of “wanting to destroy the Turkish Stream”, adding that the US does not wish to have competitors in any field, starting from energy.

Hill: I am satisfied with the level of development in the relations between Serbia and Ukraine (Kosovo Online, Blic TV)

U.S. Ambassador to Serbia Christopher Hill stated that he is satisfied with the level of development in relations between Serbia and Ukraine, which has been supported by Serbia in various ways, especially through humanitarian aid.

"Serbia has long maintained an independent, and some would say uneven, foreign policy, which has been confusing for some. I am very pleased to see the extent to which Serbia has developed its relationship with Ukraine. This is probably a central issue we are facing in European security. It will be discussed next year, in 10 years, and in 100 years, and one of the big questions will be how countries have handled it, how they have positioned themselves. I think Serbia has been an important part of helping Ukraine," Hill told Blic TV. He expressed great satisfaction that Serbia has sent an ambassador and opened an embassy in Ukraine.

He emphasized that Serbia has tried to help Ukraine in various ways, most importantly, humanitarian.

Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/yznvada8

Ignoring Special Prosecutor's Office summons by Kurti: Is law in Kosovo equal for everyone? (Kosovo Online)

The Special Prosecutor's Office of Kosovo has sent three summonses within a month to Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti to testify in a case involving abuse of office by certain ministers in the Kosovo government. Kurti has yet to respond to these summonses, and commentators for Kosovo Online argue that the law in Kosovo should apply equally to everyone, and Kurti must face consequences for disregarding the judicial institution's summons.

In December last year, Kurti received the first summons to appear as a witness at the Special Prosecutor’s Office. Later that month, another summons followed, and according to Pristina-based media, the Prosecutor’s Office issued a third summons on January 9th to the Kosovo Government. Kurti has not responded to any of these summonses, citing a lack of time, but invited the Prosecutor’s Office to visit him in his office if his testimony was urgent and important.

Read more at: https://shorturl.at/Ql0bp

Removal of waste from house used by socially vulnerable families started (Radio KIM)

Removal of waste from a house used by a socially vulnerable family that was turned into a landfill has started, Radio KIM reported.

Workers of the Serbian public utility company Standard started removing the waste from the house, shared by the Kostic family and a person collecting the waste (name known to Radio KIM) who stored it in his room.

Petar Subotic who lives near the landfill told Radio KIM the workers of Standard had to break the window in order to enter the room, as they could not open the door. “The waste is stored up to the ceiling, they were removing it with a tractor, and are not done yet”, Subotic said.

The action to clear the waste occurred after Radio KIM published a story about an illegal landfill near the houses and residential buildings in Mitrovica North in the vicinity of Mitrovica North municipality. The illegal landfill is still there.

In an article published last week, Radio KIM said that director of inspection department in Mitrovica North municipality, Fatir Berzati did not wish to respond to their questions why he is not acting upon complaints of residents, while Standard company said they were removing the illegal landfill several times, but the landfill would be created again and no permanent solution was found. Dusan Milunovic the only Serb municipal councilor in Mitrovica North said back then this illegal landfill is a shame for both systems, Serbian and Kosovo. Ana Marija Ivkovic, the journalist and editor of Alternativna.com portal said that Mitrovica North mayor Erden Atiq and municipal officials were more interested in pursuing party’s (Self-determination) policy, having coffees at the city's promenade and accompanying Kosovo ministers while visiting this location than dealing with the problems of ordinary residents. Skender Sadiku, deputy municipal assembly chair said solution could be registration of the Standard company in Kosovo system, same as it was done with phone and communication provider MTS.doo.

“Long barrels” barred from entering two restaurants in Leposavic (Alternativna.com)

A sign was placed at the entry doors of two restaurants in Leposavic pointing out that entrance “with long-barrelled weapons” is not allowed, Alternativna.com portal reports.

The sign was placed at café bar Bastion across from the municipal building in Lepovic and Hani restaurant at 24 November Street in the same town. The signs were placed after the number of Kosovo special police units increased in the north, whose members are armed with long-barrelled weapons, the portal added.

Opinion

Rakocevic: Not even the Orthodox New Year without incidents, people got used to fear in Kosovo (N1, nova.rs)

In Kosovo, the pre-election campaign for the parliamentary elections, which will be held on February 9, has officially begun. So far, no pre-election promises have been heard about easing tensions and a better life for Serbs. On the contrary - Serbs are arrested, detained, and even seriously injured by the Kosovo police. Journalist, writer, and president of the Association of Journalists of Serbia Zivojin Rakocevic spoke about what Serbs in Kosovo are facing and what Serbian List can offer them for the TV Nova morning program.

Yesterday, the Orthodox New Year was celebrated in Kosovo, and according to Rakocevic, it did not pass without incidents either.

"Even this night did not pass without incidents. Around 1:30 this morning, my colleague Aleksandra Rakic Aleksic called me. She was traveling with her husband and friends over the Bela Zemlja crossing towards Vranje. There was someone from the side who congratulated them on the New Year, and they replied. That was the reason for them to be badly mistreated and detained for 45 minutes at that crossing. In the meantime, a man appeared in an unmarked uniform, who took their companion outside very brutally, forcing him to recognize ‘the Republic of Kosovo’, etc. It's an incident that happened after midnight, that is, this morning, as far as I know," explained Rakocevic.

He confirmed he knows that the Serbian New Year was celebrated, that there were celebrations and fireworks specifically in Gracanica, and people gathered in temples and churches.

"There were also incidents, including this severe beating of a man from Leposavic, who could not open the window, so he opened the door. And with that, he probably drank some more beer... that caused the reaction of the special police of Kosovo to beat him severely. But it's a sea of incidents, you simply can't keep up with all those events, which completely coincide this area with one severe repression, in which because of a post on Facebook... If you read the post of Mr. Zlaticanin from Gorazdevac, you wouldn't understand anything. But those who follow it, they understand in their own way. That man was taken into custody yesterday and the day before yesterday, then he was released. All this creates a complete atmosphere of fear," he says.

In this regard, Rakocevic believes that people have got used to a contact that causes fear.

Rakocevic explains people often look at their own occupation in different ways, with irony and sneer.

"That's what really annoys this totalitarian system in Pristina, and they understand that all that force, all those armored vehicles can't force someone to kneel down and accept the ‘Republic of Kosovo’."

"The whole system is built on force and repression, and it has been working like that for 20 years. Now this wave of violence that swept over the north of Kosovo and Metohija, we south of the Ibar have already passed. It is a system where you have dozens of innocent people in prisons, who are mostly a type of political prisoners. They tried to return their apartments, they tried to do something with their properties and then they were declared war criminals," he said.

Rakocevic recalled the three Montenegrin citizens who have been in prison since November 4 because they had written something like "Kosovo is the heart of Serbia" on the frame of the license plates, and which was pasted over.

"It is something completely meaningless, but it has become the content of the system. And they want to multiply the fear in which you will disappear and leak out. We had phases of ghettoization where we were hermetically sealed, so we had a phase of institutional repression all the time... and you have this last phase that says - everything has been taken, Belgrade has surrendered everything and there is nothing left to surrender from the rights. And, life remains, and when you are alive - there is always something to take from you. These are fears at their lowest level. But again, it is completely encouraging that the north of Kosovo and Metohija did not pack their bags but went to the resistance. Look at Aleksandar Arsenijevic, who makes more noise with one whistle, perhaps the most noise in the region, and he has no problem... when I see his face on the sidewalk in Kosovska Mitrovica, I think - that man has no problem fighting for his rights, and for the rights of his fellow citizens and the rights of his city."

Rakocevic reminded that January 16 is the anniversary of the murder of Oliver Ivanovic.

"It is one of the hardest blows we have experienced in the last 25 years. It is also a dark stain on our lives and on the life of these areas, and on politics."

Pre-election promises - fueling the fire

"When it comes to pre-election promises - they are just fueling the fire. When you see what Kurti says in Djakovica, what he plans... Well, that's something that goes beyond normal imagination, even for politicians. As for Serbian political entities, there is the Serbian List, there are these individuals who are seen more as political parties - Branimir Stojanovic, Bisevac, Arsenijevic, Jablanovic from Leposavic..."

When asked whether Serbs have someone to vote for and whether they have confidence in the political subjects he mentioned, Rakocevic believes that it is not a matter of who you will trust.

"There is trust. It's not a matter of who you can trust, when there is no system. In the last 25 years, faith in democracy, institutions and institutional life and any capacity has been so destroyed, that you only have this formality that you have to go out and vote," said Rakocevic and reminded that he has been following these processes since 1999:

"There was more hope for a more normal life in the moments when we had 10 deaths a week in the field, kidnappings, and complete imprisonment than today. The situation is in complete collapse, because Kurti and the political parties realize that their electorate is disappearing, that they are moving to Switzerland, that there are more of them in Germany than in Kosovo. And then they throw out those slogans - we need 500,000 votes, so you'll see what we'll do with them. But the essence of our survival and the survival of culture, spirituality, and our civilization in Kosovo and Metohija is that these weak, powerless, abandoned people are the biggest witnesses, the toughest defenders of normal life. An old woman who is isolated in Metohija knows that she is there next to Visoki Decani, she knows that this is her property, she knows the extent of her solitude... She knows that her life is there to defend the normality and sanctuaries that are 15 kilometers away,'' said Rakocevic, adding that it is a complex and dynamic process, one in which we must constantly learn what is happening to us.

Serbs in Kosovo: One week until Trump and one month until the elections (KoSSev)

By Dragutin Nenzic

Trump’s inauguration is scheduled for Sunday, January 19, while the Kosovo parliamentary elections are set for Sunday, February 9. This will mark the end of a period of political uncertainty and calculations on all sides – both Serbian and Albanian – and the beginning of active efforts toward a political resolution of the Kosovo situation. Although it’s too early to say exactly what this resolution will look like, some outlines can already be recognized. I’ll briefly outline them here, as expanding on each would require much more space, starting from their significance for the lives of Serbs in Kosovo, which is the reason for my writing for KoSSev.

In a potential new world order, it seems that Serbia will end up on the side of the political West, even if the current attempts to sever ties with Russia and China fail. Aligning with this side means continuing the Brussels process, possibly with a more active role from the U.S. At the end of Serbia’s European journey stands the acceptance of Kosovo’s independence, with every stop along the way – each new agreement or deal – strengthening that independence in certain aspects.

A potential partition of Kosovo cannot be ruled out but given the current state of military and police forces in Kosovo, it would be impossible without reducing the number of Kosovo forces in the north, or increasing other forces – realistically, only international ones.

Generally, the world is full of problems that are larger than Kosovo by all significant measures, even though their roots may be the same, so it is expected that the dynamics of resolving the Kosovo issue will align with that.