• Kurti goes to World Economic Forum in Davos (media)
• Rexhepi: Deviation in votes for MPs, a hit against democracy (RTK2)
• “Vote recount a matter of respecting legal procedure, results clear” (Kosovo Online)
• GLPS receives response from EU on lifting of measures toward Kosovo (media)
• German embassy: A stronger start for the Berlin Process 2026! (media)
• Ulutas hosts Belgian Minister of Defence at KFOR HQ in Pristina (media)
• Q&A with KSF Commander, Lt. Gen. Bashkim Jashari (Times Republican)
• Rama accepts Trump’s invitation to join the Board of Peace (media)
• Breaking sound barriers: North Kosovo ban rocks local stereotypes (BIRN)

Kurti goes to World Economic Forum in Davos (media)

Kosovo’s caretaker Prime Minister Albin Kurti said in a post on X on Monday that upon arriving at the World Economic Forum in Davos he met with Canada’s Minister of International Trade, Maninder Sidhu at the House of Kosova. “We discussed ways to strengthen trade relations across several fields, including the ICT sector and the mining industry. Canada has been a long-time ally of Kosova, and we are grateful for its contributions to our country and look forward to even stronger ties,” Kurti said.

In another post on X, Kurti said he was honored to be invited at the USA House for an enlightening discussion on faith and leadership in the context of the 250th anniversary of American independence. “I spoke of faith as the backbone of service, struggle, and social unity, from my time as a political prisoner and prisoner of war in Serbia to my current role as Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosova,” he said.

Rexhepi: Deviation in votes for MPs, a hit against democracy (RTK2)

Leader of the New Democratic Party, Emilija Rexhepi, in an interview with RTK2, said that major discrepancies in the votes for MPs, especially in the municipality of Prizren, are the result of an intentional action and a hit against the rule of law and democracy. “It is positive that [Prizren chief] prosecutor Petrit Kryeziu has reacted because these manipulations need to stop from happening in the future. Everyone must be held accountable for their actions, it is simply impossible for some candidates to have such a large number of votes,” she argued.

Rexhepi also said that the situation with the vote recount does not affect the overall results of parties in the December 28 parliamentary elections, but is about deviations in the votes for candidates of MPs, and that this is why it is very important to investigate the process.

“Vote recount a matter of respecting legal procedure, results clear” (Kosovo Online)

Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Political Sciences in Belgrade, Stefan Surlic, assessed that the repeat counting of votes for parliamentary candidates after the parliamentary elections held in Kosovo on December 28 is more a matter of respecting legal and technical procedure, while it is essentially clear who the winner of these elections is.

“In this case, it is an absolute victory for Self-Determination. The election results are clear, and I assume that Self-Determination will very easily form a new government. After the final voting results are announced, I expect the government to be formed very quickly,” Surlic told Kosovo Online.

He believes that voters will not lose confidence in the electoral process due to the fact that certain irregularities were observed and that votes for parliamentary candidates are being recounted. “Of course, there are certain suspicions, but even if there were a repeat of the voting, it would not lead to a significant change in the results,” Surlic said.

GLPS receives response from EU on lifting of measures toward Kosovo (media)

The Pristina-based Group for Local and Political Studies (GLPS) said on Monday that it received an official response from the European Union about a letter that a group of civil society organizations from Kosovo sent to the EU on October 20 last year calling for the full removal of measures against Kosovo. “In the open letter sent to the heads of key EU institutions, a group of civil society organizations have reiterated that the measures imposed on Kosovo had a negative impact on democratic reforms, the rule of law and support for the people, calling for their removal as soon as possible. In the response we received today, the Commission reiterated that the first steps to remove the measures have started, that €216 million have been released and that another €205 million are expected to be released soon. Also, in terms of political measures, it said that meetings of the subcommittees of Stabilization/Association have resumed. These actions were mentioned in the conclusions of the EU Council dated December 16, 2025. In its response, the European Union also said it appreciates direct communication with civil society organizations in Kosovo. In this case, we express our gratitude to the European Union for responding to our letter, and for the steps taken toward the gradual removal of measures on Kosovo,” the GLPS said.

German embassy: A stronger start for the Berlin Process 2026! (media)

The German Embassy in Pristina said in a Facebook post today that at the Berlin Process Agriculture Ministers' Meeting in Berlin, the Western Balkan states, Moldova, and the Berlin Process partners agreed on concrete steps for further cooperation and EU integration in the region. Kosovo was represented by outgoing Minister Imri Delemezi and met with the German Federal Minister of Agriculture, Food and Community, Alois Rainer. The meeting focused on: alignment with the EU – Acquis, concrete action plans for sustainable agriculture and forestry, and expanding trade and economic cooperation. The clear message: Regional cooperation strengthens food security, stability, and the European perspective of the Western Balkans”.

The embassy also said that the meeting of agriculture ministers took place on January 16th as part of the Global Forum for Food and Agriculture (GFFA) in Berlin – with a strong political commitment to sustainable water use as the foundation for our shared future. Federal Minister Alois Rainer emphasized: “Water determines harvests [...] and our future. We are committed to more efficient water use in agriculture.”

Ulutas hosts Belgian Minister of Defence at KFOR HQ in Pristina (media)

Commander of the NATO-led KFOR mission, Major General Ozkan Ulutas, hosted the Belgian Minister of Defence, Theo Francken, at KFOR Headquarters in Pristina. “The meeting focused on the security situation in the region and on KFOR’s continued commitment to maintaining a safe and secure environment for all people in Kosovo. General Ulutas also expressed his sincere appreciation for Belgium’s valuable contribution to the KFOR mission,” KFOR said in a Facebook post.

Q&A with KSF Commander, Lt. Gen. Bashkim Jashari (Times Republican)

Last Tuesday, a delegation of members of the Kosovo Security Force led by Lt. Gen. Bashkim Jashari visited the Iowa Veterans Home to meet with IVH leadership including Commandant Todd Jacobus, a veteran of the U.S. Army and Iowa Army National Guard who served in Kosovo himself, and toured the facility that houses approximately 400 Iowa veterans and their spouses. Jacobus was granted honorary citizenship in the Kosovan city of Decan last summer, according to the Kosova Press.

“What a tremendous honor (it was) for us to host the commanding general of the Kosovo Security Forces here in Marshalltown at the Iowa Veterans Home. This year we celebrate 250 years of independence. Next month, Kosovo will celebrate 18 years of independence,” he said. “Freedom in both of our countries was not given to us – it was secured through sweat, blood, and lives. No family understands that sacrifice more than the family of Lieutenant General Bashkim Jashari, who lost 58 members in Prekaz, Kosovo, on March 5-7, 1998. It was truly an honor to have this delegation see how our nation serves and supports veterans of the United States Armed Forces.”

Through a translator, Jashari answered a series of emailed questions from the T-R about his military experience, the relatively young country’s alliance with the United States and the state of Iowa specifically, his impressions of IVH and his hopes and dreams for the future of Kosovo.

Read more at: https://shorturl.at/22dyf

Rama accepts Trump’s invitation to join the Board of Peace (media)

Most news websites report that Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama said today that he has sent a letter to US President Donald Trump expressing deep appreciation for his “strong commitment and visionary leadership in launching the Board of Peace, and to thank You sincerely for inviting me personally to take part in it, as well as my country, the Republic of Albania, to serve as a founding member”. “At a moment when conflict and division too often dominate the international landscape, peace must be actively shaped not passively awaited or endlessly discussed in political forums while innocent lives are lost in vain every minute across the globe. The Board of Peace appears as the embodiment of this urgent necessity,” Rama wrote in his letter to Trump.

See more at: https://shorten.ly/9aeey

Breaking sound barriers: North Kosovo ban rocks local stereotypes (BIRN)

Something Went Wrong are winning audiences in a tough environment where there are few entertainment options, but their refusal to be defined by ethnicity has come at a cost.

It’s a colourful scene: bathed in purple light, the multi-ethnic alternative rock band Something Went Wrong play live in a crowded pub in North Mitrovica. The lead singer enhances the impact with her purple wig as the audience sing along and groove to the beat.

Something Went Wrong come from North Mitrovica, the Serb-majority part of the divided northern Kosovo city. They formed in 2023, in the tense period just after the attack on Kosovo police by a gang of armed Serbs in the village of Banjska. It was a time when fears of more violence were widespread. 

“We needed a safe space,” says lead singer and songwriter Ilda Krama. The fear, stress and uncertainty in mainly Serb northern Kosovo after the attack made it a difficult time for everyone there. For the band, their plunge into music seriously helped them deal with the aftermath of the attack. The safe space they found was their rehearsal room at the Mitrovica School of Rock, where all five met in 2016 as friends.

The band say they don’t want their ethnicities to define their music; their diverse influences range from My Bloody Valentine to Billie Eilish, Lana del Ray and Amy Winehouse. The lyrics are introspective and personal and speak to a young person’s inner life. 

“While we understand the broader context, our intention has always been to be recognised primarily for our sound artistic work, not reduced to a political narrative,” said Krama.

Originally, they played cover versions until they began writing and playing their own music. Now, the band is rising not only in the north of Kosovo but across the region, where they will be embarking on their first tour soon in support of their first EP Daleko and single, Demoni, released last September.

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