UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, February 10, 2025

Albanian Language Media:

Osmani travels to Paris at invitation of President Macron (media)
EU welcomes smooth course of election process in Kosovo (media)
Abdixhiku: We’ll announce our political positions after final vote count (media)
Haradinaj: We would cooperate with opposition, without any conditions (media)
Coalition for Family doesn’t pass threshold, “we’re happy with results” (media)
AmCham condemns “Kurti’s verbal attacks” against Klan Kosova (media)
Damka detained for 48 hours; incident not related to elections (media)
Schieder congratulates Kurti on election win, “hope for dialogue revival” (media)

Serbian Language Media:

Serbian officials on Serbian List electoral victory, elections in Kosovo (Tanjug, RTS, media)
Vote counting in Mitrovica North postponed for afternoon (Kosovo Online)
Milicevic: Expected results, CEC technical problems ‘scandalous’ (Radio KIM)
Selimi, Buzhala on Kurti’s electoral victory celebration (KoSSev, N1, RTS social media)
Home of Djoric family in Lipljan stoned, windows broken (TV Most, RTS)
Students complete run from Kragujevac to Belgrade (N1)
Consumer organization calls for 5-day boycott in Serbia (N1)

International Media:

Kosovo’s ruling Vetevendosje party claims victory in parliamentary elections (BIRN)
Ruling Vetevendosje party loses majority, initial results show (The Guardian)
Kosovo’s governing party wins parliamentary election but without majority, preliminary results show (AP)
EBRD invests 113 million euro in Kosovo in 2024 (SeeNews)
Britain considers arms exports to Kosovo (UKdefencejournal)
Serbia’s student protests and Kosovo: Between hope and concerns (PI)

Albanian Language Media

Osmani travels to Paris at invitation of President Macron (media)

The Kosovo Presidency announced through a press release that Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani has traveled to Paris at the invitation of the President of the French Republic, Emmanuel Macron. During her visit in France, Osmani will participate in the Artificial Intelligence Summit, alongside President Macron, Vice President of the United States, JD Vance, Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, and other world leaders. “As part of the visit, Osmani will be present at the official dinner at the Élysée Palace, at the official reception organized by the American delegation, as well as at the plenary session co-chaired by President Macron and Prime Minister Modi,” the release states.

EU welcomes smooth course of election process in Kosovo (media)

Several news websites report that the European Union has welcomed the smooth course of the February 9 parliamentary elections in Kosovo. “The EU welcomes the fact that the elections in Kosovo were held in a peaceful atmosphere, in which the people of Kosovo were able to express their will,” Anitta Hipper, a spokesperson for the EU said. She also recalled that the EU had deployed its monitoring mission for the parliamentary elections and that this is proof about the importance that the EU pays to relations with Kosovo.

Abdixhiku: We’ll announce our political positions after final vote count (media)

Leader of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), Lumir Abdixhiku, said in a Facebook post that the party’s results in the parliamentary elections will serve for better internal organization. “I see with full pride our journey so far. We don’t know differently, we don’t want differently, and there should not be differently. Our growth gives space and calmness to better internal party organization – and for this I will always be proud; but this growth is not enough for changes in the Republic in this phase. Regardless of everything, there will be light! In this phase, we are counting to count the remaining votes, especially those in the diaspora. After the final count, the LDK will announce its political positions,” he said.

Haradinaj: We would cooperate with opposition, without any conditions (media)

Ramush Haradinaj, leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK), who together with Nisma managed to get over 7% in the February 9 elections, has stated that he is ready for cooperation, but not with Vetevendosje. In a press conference, Haradinaj said that he will not form a coalition with VV, but without any conditions, as he said, he can help an opposition government. “It is in my honor to help an opposition government, certainly not with Vetevendosje, with Mr. Kurti. We would be happy to cooperate with the Albanian opposition political entities. We are ready, without any conditions. I hope that we will form a government as an opposition.”

Based on the latest update of the CEC website, AAK has received 7.56%.

Coalition for the Family doesn’t pass threshold, “we’re happy with results” (media)

Eman Rrahmani from the Coalition for the Family took to Facebook today after this coalition failed to win the necessary number of votes to cross the election threshold and win seats in the new parliament. “For two months of activism and one month of intensive campaigning, we reached an outstanding success for our cause to protect the Family! We are exceptionally happy with the results of these elections and for this we thank every citizen that believed in these values, every family that turned into activists during the campaign and all those that did not stop working for their protection … This success motivates and obliges us and raises the responsibility to continue this political project even more powerfully, without stopping, in protecting the Family, the state and the future of our country. Our political journey will continue with determination, because it was born from the people and will continue to serve them,” he said.

AmCham condemns “Kurti’s verbal attacks” against Klan Kosova (media)

The American Chamber of Commerce in Kosovo, in a statement today, expressed “deep concern over the verbal attacks of Prime Minister Albin Kurti against the journalists and TV station Klan Kosova, one of the biggest media in the country”.

AmCham argued that “on the day when the citizens of the Republic of Kosovo demonstrated democracy in action, such attacks constitute not only an attack against the freedom of expression, but also a direct incitement of violence against this media, by jeopardizing the lives of dozens of journalists and hundreds of staff members of this organization”.

Damka detained for 48 hours; incident not related to elections (media)

Most news websites report that Kosovo’s Minister for Regional Development, Fikrim Damka, has been detained 48 hours after he was suspected of assaulting two people in the city of Prizren. A chief prosecutor in Prizren confirmed the incident and said that it was not related to the parliamentary elections held on Sunday.

Schieder congratulates Kurti on election win, “hope for dialogue revival” (media)

The head of the delegation of the Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPO), Andreas Schieder, has congratulated Vetevendosje’s prime ministerial candidate Albin Kurti on his victory in the parliamentary elections, stressing that he “hopes for the revival of the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia.”

“I am pleased that Albin Kurti will continue to lead the Kosovo government and be responsible for leading the country towards a European future. Elections are always an opportunity – an opportunity to continue on the path of reforms and to give them new momentum. These reforms are essential if the country wants to become part of the European Union, but also to create future prospects for the country’s large young population in a functional social constitutional state,” Schieder said in a statement.

He added that at the same time, the issue of Kosovo’s status is one of the dominant topics. “I hope for a fruitful exchange of ideas between the new government and Serbia and the revival of the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, in which the EU plays a central role. Under the new EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas and Enlargement Commissioner Kos, as well as the recently appointed new EU envoy for the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue, Peter Sorensen, the European Union also needs the return of a more decisive EU enlargement policy that will finally take the normalisation dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia to a new and conclusive level,” Scheder said.

Serbian Language Media

Serbian officials on Serbian List electoral victory, elections in Kosovo (Tanjug, RTS, media)

Serbian List by massive support to the Serbian List showed that “years-long terror of Albin Kurti’s regime did not break them” and that our people in Kosovo are ready and willing to continue their pursuit for dignified life, Serbian Foreign Minister Marko Djuric said in a post on X social platform.

“Excellent results of the Serbian List will enable Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija to politically articulate their will and fight for their human rights by using all democratic means available. I am certain that strong efforts will be invested to politically divide and intimidate Serbian people in Kosovo and Metohija, however the Serbian List will be a resolute and steadfast fighter for dialogue and peaceful co-existence, and in doing so they will have firm support from Belgrade”, Djuric said in a post.

Chairwoman of the Serbian Assembly Committee for Kosovo and Metohija, Danijela Nikolic told RTS Serbian List was an absolute winner of parliamentary elections, adding that “a pen defeated long-barrels of Albin Kurti”.

Chairman of the Serbian Government Missing Persons Commission Veljko Odalovic said Serbian List has achieved a large victory in uneven struggle.

According to Odalovic, Kurti is the loser of these elections despite Self-determination victory, because, as he said, his party won 100.000 less votes compared to previous elections and as things stand now he won’t be able to form the government on its own and without a coalition.

Vote counting in Mitrovica North postponed for afternoon (Kosovo Online)

The process of vote counting at Municipal Counting Centre in Mitrovica North was delayed for longer than an hour due to technical problems, interrupted 15 minutes after it started and then postponed for this afternoon, Kosovo Online portal reported.

It is expected the vote counting to continue around 16.00 hrs today, the portal added.

It was planned today to verify information about last night’s results of the parties and to also count the votes of political candidates.

Milicevic: Expected results, CEC technical problems ‘scandalous’ (Radio KIM)

Executive Director of Mitrovica North-based civil society organization Aktiv Miodrag Milicevic said elections in Kosovo went in a relatively calm environment, adding that as far as results are concerned one should wait for the final results, Radio KIM reported.

Milicevic harshly criticized the Central Election Commission (CEC) over technical problems this body faced during election day. As far as outcomes of elections are concerned Milicevic said it was expected with a small distancing when it comes to results of the Serbian political parties. “To tell the truth, some indicators preceding the electoral day pointed out that it is possible the Serbian List would not be as dominant as preliminary results are showing”, he said.

The Central Election Commission said during the day it was facing technical problems on a platform at which preliminary results are published. According to Milicevic it was “scandalous at several levels”.

"To say the least, the collapse of the system is scandalous. For one to allow such a failure of the system that can greatly damage the integrity of the electoral process and, most certainly, leaves plenty of room for doubt and huge criticism coming from all sides", he said.

He also said it was inadmissible for polling committees to be informed on election day that a decision has been made to accept voters with expired ID cards.

"All that together makes this situation unprecedented. It will be resolved after the elections are over by conducting an in-depth review of the existing structure of the CEC and the secretariat, and after that, detailed training should be conducted", he said.

Selimi, Buzhala on Kurti’s electoral victory celebration (KoSSev, N1, RTS, social media)

“Indecent, inciting, hateful Kurti’s show”, this is how former Kosovo foreign minister Petrit Selimi described the Self-determination celebration last night at main Pristina’s city square, at which leader of Self-determination Albin Kurti spoke about opposition using insulting vocabulary. Belgrade-based N1 in an article on Self-determination celebration last night said Kurti used the phrases such as “what animals” and “the time of animals has gone” referencing opposition. On this occasion Kurti used the Turkish word “hayvans” which the media in Pristina interpreted as “animals” and “monsters”.

"You have seen the lies and promises they made. They said the state budget would become larger than the gross domestic product. What animals! Or they promised a coefficient higher than their own program. What animals! But the era of animalism is over… There has never been a greater struggle than against this government. With oligarchs who throw money around recklessly and an opposition that makes deals even with the devil against our government. Although they have lost again, they will remain the opposition because they wish neither the state nor the people well”, RTS quoted Kurti as saying.

As KoSSev portal reported Self-determination declared electoral victory last night, calling its supporters to a midnight celebration at Pristina’s main city square. Despite fireworks, and obvious first place in terms of electoral results, the assessments are that Self-determination is also among the losers of these elections. Kurti promised to lead a third government last night. However, the portal continues, as results stand now, he would need a coalition to be able to do so.

“Kosovo PM organizes a rally of his supporters at midnight, screams, calls opposition (who by the way scored circa 60% of overall vote) ‘animals’, says ‘time of animal kingdom is gone’, accuses opposition of ‘making pact with devil’. Indecent, inciting, hateful show by Kurti”, Selimi wrote in a post on X social platform.

Buzhala: Kurti has lost majority

Journalist and owner of Nacionale portal Berat Buzhala in his reaction said that Kurti has lost the majority he had previously.

“In today's elections held in Kosovo, Prime Minister Kurti's party lost its majority. Kurti went into the elections seeking 500,000 votes and an absolute majority, but based on the counted votes, he has won 39.8%, while the other Albanian opposition parties have won 48%”, Buzhala wrote in a post on X social platform.

“In 2021, Kurti had won 50.2%.

Numerous corruption scandals, as well as tense relations with international allies, have led to his support shrinking by more than 10%, or over 100,000 votes. Kurti is nowhere near his projection of 500,000 votes, nor is he close to the votes he had in 2021”, he added.

Read full Buzhala’s post at: https://shorturl.at/50Dng

Home of Djoric family in Lipljan stoned, windows broken (TV Most, RTS)

Unknown perpetrators pelted stones at the family home of Milan Djoric in Lipljan breaking a window, TV Most reported. Milan’s wife Ljiljana told RTS the attack took place at the moment when a group of Albanians, supporters of Self-determination, celebrated an electoral victory in this town.

“They shouted, cheered, threw firecrackers and at one moment something cracked loudly. It was a window on our house. I did not dare get out and check as it was dark outside, and my husband was at work”, Ljiljana said.

Milan Djoric reported the case to Kosovo police, but said he does not expect perpetrators to be found as this is not the first attack against his house and nobody was apprehended for the previous cases either.

“Our home is next to the road. In this part of Lipljan there are two more Serb families living. It is clear why the attack took place”, Milan said.

The family also recalled that ten years ago an Albanian attacked their son with a knife, because of which they had to send him to central Serbia. The family also said this latest incident and previous attacks on them are sort of pressure to sell their property and move away.

Students complete run from Kragujevac to Belgrade (N1)

A group of students completed their relay run from the central Serbian city of Kragujevac to Belgrade bringing invitations to a February 15 protest in their hometown.

The Kragujevac University students are organizing a protest on Sretenje (Candlemas), the day that the first Constitution of the Principality of Serbia came into force in 1835.

The students completed their 140 km relay run from Kragujevac University medical school at the plateau in front of Belgrade’s Saint Sava Temple where a crowd of students and supporters met them.

Students from the northern city of Novi Sad said that they would join the protest in Kragujevac with a relay run to Belgrade before they leave.

Consumer organization calls for 5-day boycott in Serbia (N1)

The Efektiva consumer organization called for a 5-day boycott of the country’s main retail chains on Monday. According to Efektiva the boycott starts on Monday and lasts through Friday, targeting Delhaize, Merkator, DIS, Lidl and Univerexport. It was called for a day earlier to protest the high prices of food.

Efektiva said that the boycott would succeed if the revenues of those 5 retailers dropped by a third compared to the 37 percent drop in the previous boycott. Efektiva’s Dejan Gavrilovic said that the organization called retailers and suppliers to do something about the high prices but added that the only reaction was higher prices. He said that bottled water from Serbia was cheaper in Malta and coffee packed in Serbia is cheaper in Sweden. “Things made in Serbia are cheaper in neighboring countries”, he said.

Gavrilovic said that the 5 chains targeted in the boycott control more than half the Serbian market. He believes that if they lower their prices, others will follow suit.

International

Kosovo’s ruling Vetevendosje party claims victory in parliamentary elections (BIRN)

Prime Minister Albin Kurti's Vetevendosje party came first in Sunday's parliamentary elections, but it will need to forge a coalition with one of the opposition parties in order to form a new government.

Kosovo’s Prime Minister Albin Kurti declares his Vetevendosje party’s victory on February 10, 2025. Photo: BIRN

Kosovo’s Prime Minister Albin Kurti declared victory for his party Vetevendosje (Self-Determination) late on Sunday, several hours after the polls closed in the country’s parliamentary elections.

“Our winning coalition will form the new government and we will continue the good work,” Kurti said.

But Vetevendosje will need partners to form a government as the party did not secure enough votes to govern alone as it did during its four years in power from 2021.

With 73 percent of votes counted, Vetevendosje won 42 per cent, ahead of the opposition Democratic Party of Kosovo, PDK, which won 22.7 percent and the Democratic League of Kosovo, LDK, with 17.9 per cent.

With more than 90 percent of ballot boxes processed, the Central Election Commission, CEC announced that the turnout was around 41 per cent.

Speaking to supporters at his party headquarters, Kurti sounded optimistic about getting the support of the necessary 61 MPs in the 120-seat parliament to secure a governing majority.

He downplayed the possibility of three opposition parties coming together against him to form a new cabinet.

“It is clear to anyone that they are in second and the third place and even if they get together, they cannot match Vetevendosje,” Kurti declared.