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UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, January 23, 2025

Albanian Language Media:
  • Kurti on signing of free trade agreement with EFTA countries (media)
  • Activities of Kosovo House in Davos conclude (RTK)
  • US Deputy Ambassador meets with Osmani (media)
  • Media, social networks and disinformation, priority of EU Mission’s observation (Telegrafi)
  • Kosovo sends new KSF contingent to train Ukrainian soldiers in UK (media)
  • Special Prosecution is investigating 1,600 single-source contracts (media)
  • Weapons and equipment for cryptocurrencies seized in Mitrovica North (EO)
  • ECAP fines Coalition for Family for using hate speech (RTK)
Serbian Language Media: 
  • Elek: I expect Serbian List to win all ten seats, it is only way for Serbs’ survival in Kosovo (Tanjug)
  • Buildings constructed with Serbian funds guarded by police in Zubin Potok, municipality announces new competition (KoSSev)
  • Deda on Maqedonci’s letter on KSF and north: Facts speak more than propaganda (KoSSev)
  • Expropriation of real estate for needs of Merdare customs terminal (N1, NMagazin)
  • From rocket launchers to whistles: Albin Kurti’s campaign with a twist of humor (KoSSev)
  • North Mitrovica to join tribute to victims of Novi Sad tragedy (KoSSev, KiM radio, Danas)
  • Student protesters launch countdown to January 27: “See You Then” (N1, Beta)
  • N1 joins general strike (N1)
Opinion:
  • Waiting for our policy (KoSSev)
  • From Belgrade to Prizren: Exploring Kosovo beyond politics and divisions (Sbunker)
International Media:
  • In a Kosovo museum, childhood memories of war (BIRN)

 

Albanian Language Media 

 

 

Kurti on signing of free trade agreement with EFTA countries (media)

 

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti said in a post on X on Wednesday that “we signed an agreement with the EFTA countries in Davos, marking a key step for our economy by enabling greater trade in goods and services and fostering better integration into the European economic framework. This agreement opens new export opportunities and empowers our businesses to compete on a broader scale. Notably, Kosova is the only country in the WB6 to include services in a free trade agreement. Signed at the House of Switzerland and celebrated afterward at the House of Kosova, this agreement reflects our shared values of democracy, human rights, good corporate governance, and corporate social responsibility”.

 

Activities of Kosovo House in Davos conclude (RTK)

 

The activities of the Kosovo House in Davos within the framework of the World Economic Forum concluded on Wednesday night with the ‘Kosovo Night’. Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti addressed the attendees. “These days we have welcomed hundreds of visitors, among them politicians, diplomats and executive directors and business officials, activists from civil society and citizens and entrepreneurs of our diaspora. This great effort was made possible through teamwork that has worked tirelessly to achieve this. This would not have been possible without your support, contribution and help and this is a great thank you and a sign of appreciation for your tireless work that you have done for many months”, said Kurti, the Prime Minister’s Office announced.

 

He added that ‘this was the first time we have our own space here in Davos, but we have also made history by having the largest house’.

 

“We look forward to welcoming you to Kosovo to explore business, economic investments, trade opportunities and be sure that in the Republic of Kosovo you will find not only a market but also a government as a partner”, Kurti said. He added that this initiative goes beyond reflecting Kosovo – it is about uniting diaspora, building connections and demonstrating that Kosovo does not just join global conversations but creates platforms to lead them.

 

US Deputy Ambassador meets with Osmani (media)

 

Kosovo President, Vjosa Osmani, met today with the Charge d'Affaires at the U.S. Embassy, ​​and Deputy Ambassador, Anu Prattipati.

 

Media, social networks and disinformation, priority of EU Mission’s observation (Telegrafi)

 

The Head of the EU Election Observation Mission (EU EOM), Nathalie Loiseau, in an interview with Telegrafi, spoke about the parliamentary election process in Kosovo.  “Our focus is on assessing whether the media provide the electorate with adequate information and fair coverage of all election actors, including political parties, candidates and the government,” Loiseau stated.

 

Loiseau added that to achieve this assessment, they will analyze a representative sample of broadcast and online media, including Serbian-language television channels. “Our analysis is quantitative and qualitative, assessing the time and tone of programs allocated to political actors. This helps us assess whether the media aims for balanced coverage and provides the electorate with sufficient information to make informed choices. The findings will be an integral part of our final assessment, as media coverage of the campaign plays a key role in the transparency and fairness of the electoral process,” Loiseau said.

 

The Head of the EU Election Observation Mission also expressed her concern about the situation created in the Independent Media Commission. “As part of this, we are also closely following the situation of the IMC, which is currently unclear. We are assessing the situation and whether it has implications on the electoral process,” she said.

 

She also announced that in addition to monitoring the media in terms of reporting on the election campaign, the EU Mission will also monitor the issue of misinformation, propaganda and disinformation. “Of course, we are aware of the potential misuse of social media, especially around elections. This is an issue that affects societies everywhere, not just in Europe or Kosovo. The EU Mission (EU EOM) has a dedicated team on social media that monitors content coming from different sources, both from majority and non-majority communities,” Loiseau stated.

 

She added that in addition to disinformation and misinformation, they are also monitoring inflammatory and derogatory language and hate speech, as well as the portrayal on social networks of women, people with disabilities and LGBTQ communities in the context of the elections.

 

Kosovo sends new KSF contingent to train Ukrainian soldiers in UK (media)

 

Kosovo’s Minister of Defence Ejup Maqedonci received today in a meeting the next contingent of the Kosovo Security Force that will land in the United Kingdom for the training mission of military personnel within the framework of Operation Interflex.

 

“The performance and professionalism of our soldiers in this mission is being extremely highly appreciated by the British hosts and other participants,” Maqedonci wrote, among other things, in a post made on Facebook.

 

Special Prosecution is investigating 1,600 single-source contracts (media)

 

The Special Prosecution of Kosovo is investigating 1,600 single-source contracts, announced the Deputy Chief Prosecutor of this Prosecution, Valdet Gashi, while presenting the annual work report of the Special Prosecution, at the 261st meeting of the Kosovo Prosecutorial Council (KPK).

 

Gashi said that the Special Prosecution, in 2024, carried over 1,757 cases from 2023, and 489 new cases were received. He said that in 2024, 288 cases were resolved, or 58.9% of the cases received.

 

He added that in 2023 the amount of work completed was higher, but in 2024 they faced challenges, such as the amendment of the law on the SP, which has also established several positions for officials who were previously in the Basic Court.

 

Weapons and equipment for production of cryptocurrencies seized in Mitrovica North (EO)

 

Kosovo Police have raided a house in the north of Mitrovica, where illegal weapons were found and seized. In consultation with the prosecutor, a case has been initiated and remains under investigation “By order of the prosecutor, a house was raided where the following were found and seized: a sniper with 14 bullets, some equipment for the production of cryptocurrencies, a radio, a surveillance camera, etc. During the raid in the house, no one was there. In consultation with the prosecutor, a case has been initiated and remains under investigation”, the announcement says.

 

ECAP fines Coalition for Family for using hate speech (RTK)

 

Following the complaint filed by NGO CEL Kosova and Dylberizm against the Coalition for Family, this Coalition has received the first fine from the Electoral Complaints and Appeals Panel (ECAP) for using hate speech against LGBTI+. On Wednesday, the ECAP imposed a fine of 4,500 euros on this political entity. According to the Electoral Complaints and Appeals Panel (ECAP), the Coalition’s behavior violates the Law on General Elections.

 

"The language used by the political entity Coalition for the Family towards LGBTI+ in election rallies is contrary to the Code of Conduct for Political Entities, their Supporters and Candidates, namely the provisions of Article 34 of the LZP (Law on General Elections) which defines the prohibited actions of political entities and these actions have violated the provisions of Article 34 paragraph 1 sub-paragraph 1.11 of the LZP," the ECAP decision states, among other things.

 

Serbian Language Media 

 

Elek: I expect Serbian List to win all ten seats, it is only way for Serbs’ survival in Kosovo (Tanjug)

The Serbian List delegation headed by president of the party, Zlatan Elek, as part of a pre-electoral campaign for upcoming parliamentary elections, visited today a 13-member Ostojic family in the village of Osojane, near Istok, Tanjug news agency reported.

Elek said he expects the Serbian List to win all ten seats in the Assembly, because, as he said, it is the only way for the Serbian people to survive in Kosovo.

“This is not our first or the last visit here. We will always come, and you should know we are at your disposal. What is the most important and what I have to say to all of you and what I have been saying at all gatherings is that the Serbian List is the only one having support from the state of Serbia. Here, we have nothing to do without the state of Serbia. The state is paying (salaries) to people who are not going to work and those going to work. The state of Serbia is paying salaries to over 32.000 people and more than 28.000 pensions. This number does not include social assistance and assistance for children”, Elek said. 

Buildings constructed with Serbian funds guarded by police in Zubin Potok, municipality announces new competition (KoSSev)

Six buildings reconstructed with the funds of the Serbian Government, in Zubin Potok, are now being guarded by Kosovo police, after keys were allocated to beneficiaries, as media reported, without competition. Current Zubin Potok municipal leadership and Kosovo police claim “this process was illegal” as there was no competition, KoSSev portal reported.

The six buildings host 130 apartments, which were, as municipal leadership and Kosovo police claim, allocated by the now closed Zubin Potok Provisional Municipal Authority working in the Serbian system. Kosovo prosecution opened the investigation, and police interviewed three persons.

According to Albanian mayor of Zubin Potok, the land where buildings are located is mostly municipal owned. He also claimed the keys were allocated in “secrecy and without any competition”.

The Serbian Government invested several million euros in construction of those buildings for socially vulnerable residents of Zubin Potok municipality. Upon closure of the Provisional Zubin Potok Municipal Authority by Pristina, the municipality “took over authority” over these buildings.

“The land is mostly municipality-owned, and (the buildings) were financed by Serbia, still they are, so to say, under control of the municipality, and it is not a problem that someone invested, but the problem is that those apartments were not allocated appropriately. We called on all those who took the keys, to come to the municipal offices within one week's deadline, to see who those people are and if they deserve the apartments or not”, Zeqiri said.

After the investigation was opened by Kosovo police, most of the apartments had been vacated, and ordinary people from Zubin Potok did not wish to talk to the media about this problem.

Politician Milija Bisevac from Serbian People’s Movement told the portal additional problem is that these buildings were not completed, and no conditions for normal life were enabled in them. He also said Kosovo police and municipality evicted some of the people who entered the buildings.

He also claimed the plan was for these apartments to be allocated to socially vulnerable families, because there are people living under difficult conditions, but that some people from Zubin Potok Provisional Municipal Authority allocated apartments to some beneficiaries “without any competition and legal procedure”. He announced filing a lawsuit against Milos Peric from the Provisional Municipal Authority before Serbian judicial bodies.

“These are the property of the Republic of Serbia and there is violation of the law, and that was trade in influence”, Bisevac said.

He also said the question remains based on what grounds mayor Zeqiri and municipality will now allocate those apartments.

“{…} if those apartments were allocated equally and to the people who really needed them, then I am sure there would be no problem and people would not complain……I am sure those people will be evicted, and the new competition would open, and that new municipality, Kosovo one, will administer those apartments, which is not realistic, because those apartments were constructed by Republic of Serbia”, Bisevac said.

Deda on Maqedonci’s letter on KSF and north: Facts speak more than propaganda (KoSSev)

Ilir Deda, analyst and former politician spoke in a Rubikon broadcast on Klan Kosova about the letter defense minister Ejup Maqedonci sent to KFOR Commander Major General Enrico Baurdani confirming commitment that KSF will not be sent to the north, without permit from KFOR, KoSSev portal reported.

Deda said it was good this letter was published, because, as he said, facts speak more than propaganda.

“It seems to me that few days after minister Maqedonci, on behalf of Kosovo Government, sent the letter, Prime Minister told the media it is the worst agreement he inherited from Mr. Thaci. If you, as a leader of the country, say that something you inherited was bad, why have you approved (the letter) two days earlier, why are you saying the opposite of what you are doing. And it is good that the letter was published, because the facts speak more than propaganda, and propaganda of Kosovo Government leadership is being exposed”, Deda said. 

Expropriation of real estate for needs of Merdare customs terminal (N1, NMagazin)

Last night, the Government in Pristina held the 246th electronic session where only one decision was made - on the expropriation of real estate in the municipality of Podujevo, reported NMagazin, citing N1. 

According to the official announcement, it is a decision on expropriation in the public interest, i.e. for the needs of Merdare crossing Customs Terminal.

The terse announcement did not provide details which immovable property is subject to expropriation but only specified it was a final decision.

Also, further steps, as well as deadlines for the implementation of this decision, were not presented.

The media recalled that in the immediate vicinity of the Merdare ABL, there has been a customs terminal for years. It is one of the busiest in Kosovo, especially since October last year, when the government lifted the ban on the entry of Serbian goods, and only at this crossing. Since then, detailed manual controls of trucks have been carried out precisely at this customs terminal.

From rocket launchers to whistles: Albin Kurti’s campaign with a twist of humor (KoSSev)

As Kosovo’s Prime Minister Albin Kurti crisscrosses the region as part of the pre-election campaign, his unconventional approach has caught attention. Beyond the usual rallies and factory visits, Kurti has taken his message directly into citizens’ homes, where he mixed political discourse with jokes about his last visit to the North.

A recently surfaced video highlights one such moment from his campaign trail, where Kurti recounted his visit to North Mitrovica.

The video, shared on TikTok by user Fitim Beqiri, shows Kurti seated in a cozy living room alongside parliamentary deputy Halil Taçi, surrounded by an engaged audience.

From Whistles to Punchlines

In the video, Kurti reminisces about his trip to the northern town, specifically his stop at local establishments Missini and Heb’s.

His visit coincided with a protest, as a few activists from the Serbian Democracy party expressed their discontent by blowing whistles.

The party leader Aleksandar Arsenijević was prevented from traversing the promenade by KP, and subsequently detained.

Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/2vkd2bz2

North Mitrovica to join tribute to victims of Novi Sad tragedy (KoSSev, KiM radio, Danas)

North Mitrovica will join a nationwide tribute tomorrow to honor the 15 victims who tragically lost their lives in the Novi Sad railway station shelter collapse on November 1, 2024. For the first time, the city will hold a 15-minute silent vigil, led by local resident Srdjan Djordjevic, reported KoSSev in English. 

Djordjevic has invited fellow citizens to gather in front of the Faculty of Philosophy at 11:52 a.m., the exact time of the tragedy, to pay their respects and stand in solidarity with students advocating for justice.

“Dear citizens, I invite you to join me on Friday (January 24) in front of the Faculty of Philosophy in North Mitrovica. Let us support the students fighting for a fairer and better society. We plan to gather by 11:45 a.m. and observe a moment of silence from 11:52 to 12:07 to honor the victims in Novi Sad and show solidarity with all those seeking justice,” Djordjevic told KoSSev.

Student-Led Movement for Accountability

Since November, over 100 cities, towns, and villages across Serbia have participated in similar daily actions to demand accountability for the Novi Sad tragedy. Students and citizens are calling for criminal responsibility for the shelter collapse, prosecution of those behind the attacks on students, and an end to state repression and political intimidation.

Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/33jzmc9b

Student protesters launch countdown to January 27: “See You Then” (N1, Beta)

Student protesters have launched a website called “Demands Not Met” (zahtevinisuispunjeni.rs), featuring a countdown clock ticking to Monday, January 27, at 7 am.

Below the timer, a message reads “See You Then.”

While the students’ precise plans for January 27 are not yet public, media reports suggest a potential multi-hour blockade of a major Belgrade intersection.

Earlier, the students called for a complete halt of activities on Friday, January 24, urging a general strike, or “civil disobedience.” In response, various organizations, cafes, flower shops, galleries, and other businesses have expressed their willingness to participate.

N1 joins general strike (N1)

The news platform N1 will respond to the students’ call for a general strike by dedicating its coverage solely to this issue on Friday, January 24, across its website and television channel, reporting on actions taking place in cities throughout Serbia.

As a media outlet committed to the public interest, we believe it is our responsibility to provide citizens with timely and comprehensive information about events that affect their daily lives and society as a whole. Therefore, on Friday, we will report exclusively on events related to the general strike, ensuring that the public is fully informed about this protest.

Colleagues from departments not directly involved in reporting will remain home that day.

In this way, N1 expresses solidarity with students, professors, lawyers, and other professionals who will halt work on Friday.

A call for citizens to participate in the general strike on January 24 has been circulating on social media for several days, with various companies, organizations, and individuals responding by pledging to suspend work on that day.

Additionally, as a sign of protest, some events, including concerts, have been canceled.

 

Opinion

 

 

Waiting for our policy (KoSSev)

 

By Sasa Jankovic

 

Good day, dear Iljir (Ilir),

 

Donald Trump’s inauguration reminded me once again of the stark contrast between decisive leadership – whether or not we agree with it – and the compromises that dominated politics in the past, compromises that increasingly lacked honesty and created more problems than they solved. I believe you, like me, watched Trump’s speech, observed the body language of those present, analysed the first measures of his renewed presidency, and were struck by Elon Musk’s greeting – a notably awkward highlight in a sea of memorable moments.

 

I wonder if you were as struck as I was by Trump’s directness in breaking away from previous policies, his decisiveness in political planning (even though I find many of his plans unappealing), and his willingness to call things by their true names. His readiness to make swift decisions – often questionable ones – stands in stark contrast to the endless search for compromises which, after much negotiation, end up devoid of any real essence, serving merely as hollow pamphlets while in reality other things are being done.

 

The night before Trump’s first inauguration in 2017, I had a conversation in Washington that could have had far-reaching consequences. I was there at the invitation of Trump’s private confidant for the Balkans, following his victory in the U.S. presidential elections and two months ahead of me finishing second in Serbia’s. The discussion ended without agreement due to my reservations about the plan on the table. So, I can’t say I’m a Trump supporter. Yet, I recognize that his approach to politics is authentic and determined, even if I frequently disagree with it.

 

Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/35xa334d

 

From Belgrade to Prizren: Exploring Kosovo beyond politics and divisions (Sbunker)

 

Opinion piece by Lazar Tripinovic

 

I was raised thinking that the Balkans are the same people. In Serbo-Croatian-speaking countries, we often use the vague “we” (mi) and “or” (naši ljudi) to refer to shared aspects of our culture—language, traditions, music, or cinematography.

 

The term “Balkan” has always been another synonym for our ambiguous cultural identity. Acts of solidarity, such as the recent 15 minutes of silence observed by students of Croatian universities in memory of the 15 people who died in Novi Sad after the collapse of the railway’s canopy, or an additional 16th minute of silence held in in Belgrade for the child who died from a knife attack in Zagreb, ishin norma për mua., were the norm for me.

 

It took me time to realize and accept that, for many others in the Balkans, this sense of shared solidarity is far less common.

 

Since then, I have been asking myself how I missed this divide. Was I living in my bubble? I would be willing to accept I have lived in an illusion, but that illusion is reinforced every day of my life, by friends who live across the former Yugoslavia and the news and entertainment I consume.

 

This question came up again in August 2024, during my first visit to Kosovo.

 

Growing up, I had little connection to Kosovo. I often heard it mentioned in heated discussions full of strong opinions. In high school, I didn’t pay much attention to it either since the news was mostly sensationalist and focused on disasters.

 

Still, events like DokuFest and Anibar caught my attention, offering a rare and positive perspective that stayed with me.

 

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

 

International

 

In a Kosovo museum, childhood memories of war (BIRN)

 

The initiators of the Children of War Museum in Pristina hope to provide insight into the 1998-99 Kosovo war “as it is remembered by an entire generation”.

 

Antigona Krasniqi was seven years old when war came to her village, Nepole/Nepolje near Kosovo’s western city of Peja/Pec, in the summer of 1998.

 

After the house where she lived was razed, Krasniqi and her family spent a year trying to escape Serb forces, spending most of the time in her grandparents’ house in nearby Gllogjan/Glodjane.

 

When the war ended and Serb forces were pulling out, Krasniqi received a gift.

 

“I have this pendant, which was given to me by a Serb soldier on the day they left Kosovo. Serb soldiers entered the courtyard all at once [on June 11, 1999]. One soldier knelt on one knee, opened his arms, and called me to hug him. Then he pulled a pendant from his side pocket. He showed it to me from a distance and said, ‘Come here, give me a hug, and I will give you the pendant. Come on, take it. It’s red and black.’”

 

Krasniqi grabbed the pendant from his hand and ran to her mother, without hugging the soldier.

 

The pendant now hangs in the Children of War Museum in Kosovo’s capital, Pristina, which opened its doors on January 21. Krasniqi’s recollections are written on a card that sits with it.

 

She wrote of wishing to give the pendant to the girl it originally belonged to, saying: “The pendant is hers.”

 

The work of the Youth Initiative for Human Rights, the museum features hundreds of items from Albanians and Serbs who survived the 1998-99 Kosovo war as children, from books to clothes, pencil, toys, notebooks, pictures, half-burned belongings, refugee tents and other objects that remind the lender of their wartime childhood.

 

Gathering them was a three-year effort.

 

“Across Kosovo, we have collected children’s personal items and listened to their stories, uncovering the meanings behind these artefacts,” said museum manager Bjeshke Guri.

 

Read more at: https://shorturl.at/2ISf1