UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, December 4, 2025

Hamza: I will do the impossible for Kosovo to have new institutions (media)
Haxhiu reacts to Ombudsperson’s remarks about non-certification of SL (media)
EU in Kosovo deplores Kurteshi’s remarks against AJK (media)
AJK calls on Kurti and Osmani to consider removing Kurteshi from CEC (media)
Kurti: Serbia’s influence in Kosovo will not return (media)
Hoxhaj: Kosovo needs political sobriety in 2026; risks losing 10 yrs (media)
Fake videos with AI swarm networks before elections (RTV21)
Serwer: Stability is the problem in the Balkans (media)
Miljkovic sentenced to 2 years in prison for attack against KFOR and police (media)
Kosovo's budget surplus spikes y/y in Q3 (SeeNews)
Kosovo’s expanding surveillance state exposes alarming gaps in oversight (BIRN)
Osmani visits Down Syndrome Association in Ferizaj (media)
Raska-Prizren Diocese condemns call to demolish cathedral in Pristina (Kossev)
Terzici family continues search for ancestors’ burial sites on their property (Kossev)

Hamza: I will do the impossible for Kosovo to have new institutions (media)

Leader of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) Bedri Hamza, in an interview with TV Dukagjini on Wednesday, said that he is determined for Kosovo not to enter into another institutional crisis. “I will do the impossible and I have the full support of the party to give the country new institutions. I will respect the Constitution, laws, and procedures. Some people are linking the situation with forming a new government with the election of the President, but I think these are two separate issues. The Assembly must be formed, a government must be elected, in order for the budget to be adopted, and to be able to make all payments. The time of the President will come, and then candidates will be proposed, and the political parties should know what is the role of the President,” he said.

Asked if the PDK is ready to send Kosovo to new elections over the President, Hamza said this party would act in constructive fashion. “The PDK will be very constructive and will undertake all necessary actions to avoid a situation where the country would have to go to elections again,” he argued.

Haxhiu reacts to Ombudsperson’s remarks about non-certification of SL (media)

Kosovo’s caretaker Minister of Justice, Albulena Haxhiu, reacted to Kosovo Ombudsperson’s remarks about the non-certification of the Serbian List for the December 29 parliamentary elections, calling them “both weird and unfair”. She asked how it is possible that the Ombudsperson was so easily concerned “for a party like the Serbian List which fights the constitutional order of the Republic of Kosovo, does not recognize Kosovo, had as deputy leader the chief criminal Radoicic and not only did not distance itself from the terrorist act in Banjska, but also held three days of mourning for the killed terrorists”.

Haxhiu said that to make matters worse, the Ombudsperson expressed no concern “over the continuous tendencies and decisions that are making the voting of the diaspora difficult”.

Haxhiu further argued that the Ombudsperson should not function with double standards and that “the CEC’s decision is not against Serb entities or Serb citizens because the CEC has already certified several Serb entities. The reasons for not certifying the SL are known and justified”.

EU in Kosovo deplores Kurteshi’s remarks against AJK (media)

The European Union Office in Kosovo said in a statement today that it “deplores the attack and language used by LVV's Central Election Commission member Sami Kurteshi, who labelled the Association of Journalists of Kosovo an ‘alliance of criminal groups’ & urges for such practices to end. Media freedom must be protected in any democratic society – EU will keep supporting Kosovo in its development”.

French Ambassador to Kosovo, Olivier Guerot, shared the EU Office’s statement in a post on X. “Fully supporting the EU statement. The media are part of a functional democracy”.

AJK calls on Kurti and Osmani to consider removing Kurteshi from CEC (media)

The Association of Journalists of Kosovo (AJK), in a statement today, strongly condemned “the irresponsible, offensive, and highly dangerous language used by Central Election Commission member Sami Kurteshi, representing the Vetevendosje political party”. “In a public statement, Kurteshi labeled the AJK an ‘Alliance of Criminal Groups’ and listed several media outlets which, according to him, operate as ‘hitmen for hire’. These accusations are not only baseless but also create a real risk of potential attacks against journalists and media workers carrying out their professional duties in the field. Mr. Kurteshi’s inflammatory and hateful remarks are part of an ongoing smear campaign against journalists, intended to intimidate them and undermine media freedom in the country. The AJK calls on Vetevendosje, its leader Albin Kurti, and the President of the Republic, Vjosa Osmani, to consider removing Kurteshi from his position on the Central Election Commission,” the AJK statement notes.

Kurti: Serbia’s influence in Kosovo will not return (media)

Kosovo caretaker Prime Minister Albin Kurti shared on Facebook a video from a press conference held by senior Vetevendosje member Armend Muja about the figures of Kosovo’s energy import throughout the years. Kurti wrote in the caption: “with our arrival in power, Serbia has lost both its political and economic influence. And that influence in our Republic will not return”.

Hoxhaj: Kosovo needs political sobriety in 2026; risks losing 10 yrs (media)

Kosovo’s former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Enver Hoxhaj, in an interview with RTV21, said that the EU cannot have an effective role in the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia. “I don’t think that a European Union which is still blocked by the five non-recognizing member states, which in essence have a pro-Russian stance, like Fico’s Slovakia, can have a role in the dialogue,” he said.

Hoxhaj criticized the approach of caretaker Prime Minister Albin Kurti saying that this year he proved that either he creates the institutions according to his conditions and parameters, or he excludes everyone else. “What happened in 2025 can happen again and in a darker version in 2026,” he argued.

Hoxhaj also said that Kosovo needs political sobriety in 2026 otherwise it risks losing ten more years, and that it is now in the hands of the people to give Kosovo the clarity it needs.

Fake videos with AI swarm networks before elections (RTV21)

Pristina-based fact-checking platform Hibrid.info warned people on Wednesday to be careful about fake videos created with artificial intelligence and which are appearing on social networks on the eve of December 28 parliamentary organizations. The platform said that in the last couple of days manipulated videos have been published on Tik Tok allegedly showing journalists asking questions to diaspora members at the airport who they will vote for. In an informative meeting with journalists, senior researcher at Hibrid.info Festim Rizanaj said that the main concern is the great influence that these videos are having due to their wide distribution. “The problem is that these videos are being watched a lot, but there is no verification if they are true. Many people are being deceived by AI generated content,” he said. Hyrije Mehmeti, a researcher with the platform, said that this is the first time that the publication of technologically manipulated videos are being distributed on the eve of elections.

Serwer: Stability is the problem in the Balkans (media)

Several news websites cover an opinion by Daniel Serwer which was originally published on peacefare.net.

The House Europe Subcommittee held a hearing yesterday on “Flashpoint: A Path Toward Stability in the Western Balkans.” I doubt the region is really a flashpoint, though it could become one. I also doubt that its primary need is stability. But the testimony and questioning were more sensible than not.

What they got right

The witnesses and Congress members agreed that Serbia is the source of many issues in the Balkans. Its corruption, increasingly autocratic government, commercial and military ties with China, and political and economic ties to Russia are big problems. They wanted to see strong support for Kosovo and for Albanians in southern Serbia, despite the State Department bureaucracy’s distaste for Kosovo Prime Minister Kurti.

The witnesses and House members questioned the Trump Administration’s wisdom in relieving sanctions on Milorad Dodik, the former president of the Serb entity (Republika Srpska) in Bosnia, and his cronies. None could identify a clear benefit to the US. All wondered about whether it was done at the behest of well-known Washington lobbyists close to the Trump Administration. And perhaps in pursuit of private interests of the Trump family. Some advocated reimposition of the sanctions.

What they got wrong

I do not share the witnesses’ optimism about turning Serbia in the Western direction. President Biden tried that for four years and failed. President Vucic has no interest in putting his own hold on power at risk by restraining corruption, cutting ties with China and Russia, or ending his restrictions on the press and the justice system. He has no interest in Serbia or Bosnia joining NATO. Vucic is far more interested in helping Trump build a hotel project in Belgrade. He figures, with good reason, that will suffice to buy him credit in Washington.

Max Primorac of the Heritage Foundation advocated eliminating the international community “High Representative” in Bosnia. He also wanted a “third entity” for the Croats. Those two moves would collapse the Dayton accords and lead to secession of both the Serb and Croat entities, initiating war with an ill-defined Bosniak entity in central Bosnia. That is manifestly a bad idea. Wisely, Luke Coffey and Ed Joseph advocated sustaining the Dayton accords for Bosnia.

Max also emphasized the opportunities for export of US energy commodities to, and import of critical minerals from, the Balkans. I do not oppose that in principle, but those business propositions depend on economic factors that do not appear for now favorable to private investment. The world offers a lot better bets elsewhere. So long as corruption, autocracy, and ethnic tensions prevail in the Balkans, a wise investor would hesitate to risk much.

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

Osmani visits Down Syndrome Association in Ferizaj (media)

Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani said on Wednesday that on the International Day of People with Disabilities “we honor the strength and limitless potential of persons with disabilities and the joy they bring to our lives”. “Throughout the years, the Office of the President has stood by them every step of the way across our country, together with their families and the organizations that support them, and we remain steadfast in that commitment. Today at Handikos, I met individuals whose courage, will and spirit remind us of what true resilience looks like. I also visited the Down Syndrome Association in Ferizaj, where the children’s extraordinary warmth and sincerity show us that love and humanity are the greatest forces we have,” Osmani said in a post on X.

Raska-Prizren Diocese condemns call to demolish cathedral in Pristina (Kossev)

The Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Raska–Prizren has voiced deep concern and strongly condemned remarks by Kosovo Albanian lawyer Tome V. Gashi, who publicly called for the demolition of the Christ the Saviour Cathedral in central Pristina. Gashi stated that the unfinished church “must be demolished,” claiming it stands on “someone else’s land,” was constructed during “occupation,” and has remained in place “26 years after the war and 17 years after independence”. The Diocese described Gashi’s comments as “a further radicalization of a long-standing narrative that denies the legitimacy of the Serbian Orthodox religious presence in the very center of Pristina”. Gashi posted his statement on Facebook alongside a photograph of the cathedral, writing: “Enough is enough! This building must be demolished! It stands on someone else’s land! It was built during the time of occupation! Unfortunately, we have tolerated this building for 26 years after liberation and 17 years after independence!”

Terzici family continues search for ancestors’ burial sites on their property (Kossev)

The Terzici family, followers of Islam, has begun clearing land on their property near the “Three Towers” complex in North Mitrovica in an effort to locate what they believe are family burial sites dating back generations. The parcel has been in their ownership since the 19th century.

According to the chair of the North Mitrovica Municipal Assembly, Nexhat Ugljanin, the family initially intended to have the plot designated as a cultural heritage site. However, the proposal was not approved by the assembly.

Ugljanin explained that the family subsequently submitted a formal request for access to the parcel, despite the land being privately owned and backed by documented proof of ownership. The assembly approved the request—though, as he noted, this was technically unnecessary given the longstanding ownership of the property.

He confirmed that the family hired a construction crew from North Mitrovica to clear overgrowth and begin excavations aimed at locating the graves of their ancestors. That work has already yielded results.

Two Islamic-style gravestones—turbet (nisan)—have been uncovered on the site. One of them bears the deceased’s name and date of death written in Arabic script. A well is located next to one of the gravestones.

Family descendants are overseeing the work on the ground.

Ugljanin stated that excavations will continue in the coming days, as the family believes that the remains of five more ancestors may be located on the same parcel.