UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, July 17, 2025

Albanian Language Media:

MPs fail again, Assembly not constituted after 48 attempts (media)
IMF also removes Kosovo from list of conflict-affected states (media)
Kosovo to benefit from EU financial framework (RTK)
Osmani meets Prattipati, discuss security developments (media)
Slavisa Filic sentenced to 15 years in prison for war crimes in Kosovo (media)
Anti-espionage operation in Kosovo (media)
Kusari-Lila: Unblocking would have been easy if MPs commenced constitutional obligation, vote (media)
Uran Ismajli announces candidacy for Mayor of Pristina (media)

Serbian Language Media:

Petkovic meets Cypriot Ambassador, says Pristina wishes no peace or solution, but tensions (Tanjug)
Serb sentenced in absentia to 15 years in prison, lawyer says proceeding staged (KoSSev, Kosovo Online)
Media: Serb, lieutenant in Kosovo police arrested at Bella Zemlja crossing, under espionage allegations (Kosovo Online)
Poll shows students see fight against repression and for justice as top priorities (N1, BETA)
Djedovic Handanovic: Serbia meets preconditions for electricity market integration (Tanjug)

International:

Kosovo languishes as a day-trip destination (Balkan Insight)
Burning question: Balkan countries scramble to confront rising wildfire threat (Balkan Insight)

Albanian Language Media

MPs fail again, Assembly not constituted after 48 attempts (media)

Kosovo’s Parliament has once again failed to constitute itself, marking the 48th unsuccessful attempt to do so. During Thursday’s session, MPs did not manage to form the commission responsible for conducting the secret vote for the Speaker of the Assembly. There were 100 MPs present, but only 51 voted in favor, with no votes against or abstentions—not enough to proceed.

The session was marked by tensions. PDK MP Rashit Qalaj attempted to speak despite being asked to leave the podium by presiding member Avni Dehari. Qalaj continued his speech with the microphone turned off. The same happened to LDK’s Alban Zogaj and AAK’s Time Kadrijaj, whose microphones were also cut off during their speeches. The next session is scheduled for Saturday at 11:00 AM.

IMF also removes Kosovo from list of conflict-affected states (media)

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has officially removed Kosovo from its list of Fragile and Conflict-Affected States, following a similar move by the World Bank earlier this month. The news was announced by the Central Bank of Kosovo (CBK) through a statement on Facebook, expressing deep gratitude to the IMF for recognizing Kosovo’s institutional progress and macro-financial stability.

The CBK described the decision as a significant milestone, reflecting Kosovo’s ongoing progress in strengthening institutional resilience, macroeconomic stability, financial governance, and the rule of law.

Key Benefits Expected for Kosovo after this decision are :Improved international perception of Kosovo’s institutional and economic stability; increased investor confidence and lower financial risk ratings; better access to development financing and private capital; support for Kosovo’s first sovereign credit rating, confirming positive trends in governance and economic foundations.

Kosovo to benefit from EU financial framework (RTK)

Kosovo will be included in the EU’s upcoming financial framework (2028-2034) despite not having official candidate status. EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos confirmed that Kosovo will continue to benefit from EU financial instruments and is already part of the Growth Plan. The European Commission has proposed a €2 trillion budget for the period, aimed at supporting countries in the enlargement process. The framework may be revised if new countries join the EU before 2034. Albania and Montenegro are currently seen as the most likely to complete accession negotiations within this decade.

Osmani meets Prattipati, discuss security developments (media)

Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani met today with the Charge d’Affaires of the United States in Kosovo, Any Prattipati. They discussed Osmani’s recent visit to the United States, her meetings with senior officials from the Trump Administration, and other topics of mutual interest. “On this occasion, President Osmani reaffirmed Kosovo’s commitment to further advancing bilateral relations, including opening new chapters of cooperation with the U.S., particularly in the areas of economy and defense,” the Presidency’s press communique announced.

They also discussed recent developments in Kosovo, focusing on next steps toward the constitution of the Assembly following the Constitutional Court’s recent ruling, as well as matters related to security.

Slavisa Filic sentenced to 15 years in prison for war crimes in Kosovo (media)

Slavisa Filic has been sentenced in absentia to 15 years in prison by the Basic Court in Pristina for war crimes against the civilian population during the Kosovo war.

He was found guilty of participating in the arbitrary arrest, torture, and enforced disappearance of Dr. Hafir Shala on April 10, 1998, while serving as a member of Serbia’s State Security.

The court based its verdict on eyewitness testimonies and evidence presented by the Special Prosecution of Kosovo, confirming Filic’s active involvement in the crime. Dr. Shala's fate remains unknown.

Anti-espionage operation in Kosovo (media)

The Special Prosecution Office has stated that under its leadership, an operation is being conducted in cooperation with the Kosovo Police Inspectorate and the Kosovo Intelligence Agency, regarding suspicions of committing the criminal offense of espionage.

“The operation is still in development, and due to the sensitivity of the investigations, more details will be made public after the operation is completed. The State Prosecutor will undertake all necessary investigative actions under the laws in force,” the announcement states.

According to sources within the police, Klan Kosova reports that the officer arrested in the anti-espionage operation is Bojan Jevtic, deputy commander of the Dheu i Bardhe border crossing point. He is suspected of leaking sensitive information to the Serbian state intelligence services.

Reliable security sources told KosovaPress news website that Jevtic allegedly passed classified police documents and operational plans to Serbian intelligence officials for years. Authorities also found documents from the International Police Association (IPA) in his possession — an organization Kosovo is not a member of, but Serbia and Russia are. According to the same sources, after the Banjska attack, Jevtic is believed to have shared sensitive operational plans related to border security.

Caretaker Minister of Internal Affairs, Xhelal Svecla, has confirmed that a police officer has been arrested during an anti-espionage operation. He stated that Jevtic was arrested on suspicion of unlawful espionage activities on behalf of Serbian security structures. “The same fate awaits anyone else who tries to undermine the trusted role and work within the Police. As always, we will remain uncompromising and vigilant against any attempt to use the space our country provides within the Police to turn it into an attack against our Republic,” Svecla wrote.

Kusari-Lila: Unblocking would have been easy if MPs commenced constitutional obligation, vote (media)

Kosovo Assembly MP has stated prior to the start of the 48^th Assembly constitutive session that the unblocking of the Assembly should have been easy, if, according to her, MPs commenced their constitutional obligation: vote. “The other part of the process of the Assembly of Kosovo should have been much easier to unblock,” she said. Kusari Lila added that NISMA’s votes would not have been sufficient as 61 votes are required, while with NISMA 60 are reached.

Uran Ismajli announces candidacy for Mayor of Pristina (media)

Uran Ismajli has officially announced his candidacy for Mayor of Pristina. Through a video posted on his social media platforms, Ismajli listed several reasons for running again, this time convinced that Pristina deserves better and more. “When people ask me why I am running again, my answer is simple: It’s my city. I grew up here. I live here. This is our future. It’s up to us, the citizens of Pristina, to come together for it,” said the PDK candidate, addressing directly the people of Pristina.

“We cannot wait while others run experiments that paralyze life in the city,” he added, stressing that serving Pristina remains the greatest honor of his life.

Serbian Language Media

Petkovic meets Cypriot Ambassador, says Pristina wishes no peace or solution, but tensions (Tanjug)

Office for Kosovo and Metohija Director Petar Petkovic spoke today with Cypriot Ambassador to Serbia, Andreas Photiou about situation in Kosovo and on this occasion conveyed Belgrade’s concerns over Pristina’s obstructions when it comes to EU-mediated dialogue in Brussels, as well as about Pristina’s attempts to change the situation on the ground to the detriment of the Serbian population with policy of imposed, unilateral and violent acts, Tanjug news agency reported citing the statement from the Office for KiM.

The statement quoted Petkovic as saying that all Belgrade’s efforts for normalization of relations and compromise with Pristina reached a dead-end, as the latter wishes neither peace nor solution, but tensions exclusively aiming at lasting destabilization of the situation in Kosovo, and expulsion of Serbian people from there.

"For more than 12 years, Serbian people have been waiting for (establishment) of the Community of Serbian Municipalities, an obligation Pristina committed to by the First Brussels Agreement, that would have solved numerous problems we have on the ground today, relating to the rights and security of the Serbian people. Instead, we have daily arrests of Serbs, institutional and physical violence that neither our children nor women have been spared from", Petkovic said.

Serb sentenced in absentia to 15 years in prison, lawyer says proceeding staged (KoSSev, Kosovo Online)

The Basic Court in Pristina has found Serb, S.F. guilty and sentenced him to 15 years in prison. The trial was held in absentia, KoSSev portal reported.

S.F. was accused that he as a member of Serbian State Security (DB) together with two other officials, who were not identified by Kosovo authorities, stopped the doctor H.Sh., who was travelling in a vehicle in Glogovac on April 10, 1998 together with H.S., and upon checking their ID cars, took the doctor to DB premises in Pristina, where he was subjected to beatings and torture, and his whereabouts still remain unknown, the indictment said. The presiding judge said the prison verdict will be executed once it becomes enforceable.

Defense lawyer of S.F. Milka Milosavljevic told Kosovo Online portal there is not a single material evidence suggesting her client committed the crime of torturing and taking away H.Sh., arguing it is about yet another staged proceeding. Milosavljevic added she will file an appeal to the verdict within the legal deadline.

“There are no DNA traces, no forensics, no audio recordings, not a single material evidence, even not only the name of Slavisa Filic is mentioned, but rather plural nouns were used, police in uniforms and Serbian security forces”, she said, noting the statements of the witnesses were based on “hearsay”.

“These are fabrications, staged proceedings, hearsay. Witnesses interviewed at the court knew nothing, apart from saying that they did not see, did not hear, they said they think he is that person, but I think this is an act of vengeance, a historic revanchism running through Albanian judiciary”, she said.

Media: Serb, lieutenant in Kosovo police arrested at Bella Zemlja crossing, under espionage allegations (Kosovo Online)

Kosovo police arrested a Serb B.J., a lieutenant within their ranks, under espionage allegations, Kosovo online portal reported citing Dukagjini media outlet.

According to reports, B.J., held a leadership position in Kosovo police, and is suspected that he allegedly shared confidential information with the Serbian Security Information Agency (BIA). He was a superior at the Bela Zemlja administrative crossing point.

The media reports further said his arrest was a part of a joint action by Kosovo Intelligence Agency (KIA), Special Prosecutor’s Office and Kosovo Police Inspectorate. The Special Prosecutor’s Office previously announced today’s action was the result of a year-long investigation conducted against the suspect. In previous years, members of the Serbian and Albanian communities in Kosovo were also arrested for alleged espionage for Serbian BIA service.

Poll shows students see fight against repression and for justice as top priorities (N1, BETA)

A poll by two Belgrade University professors showed that the protesting students believe they are fighting against violence and repression and for justice, N1 reported. Political sciences professors Slobodan G. Markovic and Milos Besic polled Belgrade University and Belgrade Arts University students who take part in the plenums at their schools. They said countering violence and repression and fighting for justice are more important than anything else to the polled students.

Two thirds said the fight for justice was the most important. The poll showed that 96 percent of the students believe that there is repression towards political rivals in Serbia. Some 19 percent of the students said that unity was the strength of the protest along with solidarity and persistence, Vreme weekly quoted Besic as saying. He added that the students see corruption and the concentration of power in the president’s hands as the country’s biggest problems.

He added that 40 percent of the polled said that they want changes in state institutions and the rule of law, 22 percent want a change of government. “Everything else, including economic development, is less important to them”, he said.

Markovic said that 19.5 percent of the polled students view national identity as very important, 46 think it is important which, according to him, means that the conservative potential is limited to some 20 percent. He added that support for European Union membership is higher among the students than at national level. “In short, I think that the people saying the students are too nationalist are deeply wrong”, he said.

Djedovic Handanovic: Serbia meets preconditions for electricity market integration (Tanjug)

Serbia meets the preconditions for integrating with the European electricity market and it is up to EU institutions to finish their part of the work to ensure that happens in Q1 2026, Serbian Minister of Energy and Mining Dubravka Djedovic Handanovic said on Thursday in Athens, where she is attending a ministerial meeting of the Energy Community, Tanjug news agency reported.

"Our objective is to connect with the Hungarian market. One of the topics is also the introduction of carbon emission taxes", the minister told the RTS, adding that the Serbian delegation would be insisting on all topics of importance to the country, as well as on benefits to be had from integrating with the European electricity market.

Djedovic Handanovic said the EU insisted on the introduction of carbon emission taxes. "But we are defending our position that it should not happen overnight and that the region should have time to prepare. We have conducted the necessary analyses to see to what extent it would affect our economy and businesses. We will be defending our position of a gradual introduction of taxes to protect our economy, our competitiveness and our businesses", Djedovic Handanovic said.

Energy ministers from the region and EU officials will discuss energy challenges, focusing on two key topics - accelerated integration of electricity markets and decarbonisation through introducing carbon emission taxes.

International

Kosovo languishes as a day-trip destination (Balkan Insight)

Kosovo is failing to exploit its tourist potential, with official data showing that the vast majority of visitors are from the diaspora and tourists spend only an average of two nights in the country. Last month, a group of students from various EU countries decided to stop for a few hours in Kosovo’s capital, Pristina, during a longer trip they had booked in neighbouring North Macedonia.

Giulia Marziale, a 24-year-old student of international relations in Naples, Italy, told BIRN that Pristina “was not our real destination – the vacation was booked for North Macedonia – but thanks to the stories of some of our Albanian friends we decided to visit it just for one day, since it’s very close to Skopje”.

Marziale told BIRN that on June 13 they arrived in the morning by bus from Skopje and left around 6pm, back to Skopje. She spent only a few hours in Kosovo’s capital with her friends but “would really like to come back and stay longer, especially because I’ve heard that the most important cultural sights are not in Pristina but in other cities”, adding that they did not find much information on what to visit online.