UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, June 25, 2025

Albanian Language Media:

37th attempt to form new Kosovo Assembly fails (media)
CSOs call for political agreement to break the Assembly deadlock (media)
Haradinaj welcomes action by civil society representatives (Nacionale)
Kurti: Winning party alone doesn’t constitute Assembly, form it together (Sinjali)
Abdixhiku: Kurti is saying things without an ounce of intelligence (media)
Pacolli says Vetevendosje has enough votes to form the new government (media)
Svecla: Arsenijevic should answer before the law as soon as possible (media)
Chamber asks Kurti to postpone move to free energy market (Sinjali)
Chamber notifies about another decision cancelling ERO notification (media)
AmCham calls on ERO to suspend free energy market measures (media)
Rafuna: There are hundreds of lawsuits by businesses (AP)
Durmishi says construction of two new bridges over Iber will start soon (RTV21)
Sadiku: I support construction of bridges, but now is not the time (RFE)
AJK condemns obstruction of the work of Radio Gorazdevac team (media)

Serbian Language Media:

Office for “KiM: One more Serb a member of Serbian MIA, expelled from Kosovo on the Kurti's order” (Radio Mitrovica sever)
Andric Rakic: Serbs suppressed, events in world create blank space for Self-determination to do what they want (Kosovo Online)
Serbian Democracy: Pressures and threats against a Serbian woman who they want to evict from Leposavic (Danas)
For 26 years Verica Tomanovic is searching for her husband, renowned surgeon kidnapped in Pristina from his working place (Kosovo Online)
Deportation of Serbian police officers: Arbitrary decisions, fear of ethnic motives, and silence of international representatives (Alternativna)
Svecla terms Arsenijevic’s accusations ‘science fiction’ (KoSSev)
Pec municipal workers assisted by Kosovo police remove graffiti in Gorazdevac, journalist told to go away (Radio Gorazdevac, Alternativna, media)
NUNS: Verbal assault and identification of journalist in Gorazdevac concerning pressure on freedom of media (Kosovo Online)

International:

Kosovo to cap fuel profit margins (SeeNews)
Eastern Kosovo town’s mountain resort becomes hotspot for illegal construction (PI)
Donald Trump with Nato ‘all the way’ after questioning mutual defence pact (Financial Times)

Albanian Language Media

37th attempt to form new Kosovo Assembly fails (media)

All media reported another failure by MPs to form the new Kosovo Assembly today. Session chair Avni Dehari asked political parties to propose their representatives for a committee that would hold a secret vote on the new Speaker of the Assembly, but the proposal did not pass. The next session will be held on Friday.

CSOs call for political agreement to break the Assembly deadlock (media)

Several news websites report that representatives of civil society organizations held a symbolic action in front of the Kosovo Assembly today moments before the start of the constitutive session where MPs will try for the 37th time to constitute the new legislative. “MPs, your name is blockade”, “wow much longer” and “political agreement” were some of the banners held by civil society representatives in protest of the deadlock in the Assembly.

Haradinaj welcomes action by civil society representatives (Nacionale)

Nacionale reports that leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) Ramush Haradinaj welcomed today’s action by civil society representatives. Commenting on the failure to elect a new legislative, Haradinaj said “this is a concern that exists in our society, it is a real concern, and everyone has their rights and possibilities [to react]. I welcome civil society for reminding us of our duties”.

Kurti: Winning party alone doesn’t constitute Assembly, form it together (Sinjali)

Kosovo’s caretaker Prime Minister, Albin Kurti, said that the constitution of the new Assembly of Kosovo should be a joint engagement regardless of who won the elections. “When the time comes to form the government, which is an exclusive responsibility of the winning party, then we will prove ourselves. Now, the Assembly must be formed by all of us together, namely, the winning party alone does not constitute the Assembly,” Kurti said.

Abdixhiku: Kurti is saying things without an ounce of intelligence (media)

Leader of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) Lumir Abdixhiku reacted to a statement by caretaker Prime Minister Albin Kurti who said on Tuesday that the opposition is extending the mandate of his government by blocking the Assembly. “Do not listen to people who say things without an ounce of intelligence, that we are ‘extending Kurti’s mandate’. He is illegitimate, without a mandate, he has usurped the duty of the Prime Minister and that of an MP. There is no logic in that,” Abdixhiku told reporters today.

Pacolli says Vetevendosje has enough votes to form the new government (media)

MP from the Vetevendosje Movement, Fitore Pacolli, said in an interview with TeVe1, that this party has secured the required votes to form the new government but refused to say with which opposition they might have an agreement. “If we would not have the numbers [votes] for the new government, would we have insisted on moving to the next phase and with only 15 days to form the government? I cannot disclose the names with whom we have the votes,” Pacolli said.

Svecla: Arsenijevic should answer before the law as soon as possible (media)

Kosovo’s caretaker Minister of Interior Affairs, Xhelal Svecla, told reporters today that Serbian Democracy leader Aleksandar Arsenijevic is a suspect about the weapons found recently in a property in Zvecan. “He is part of comprehensive investigations. It is clear that there are different groups that dealt with crime and terrorism at some points. He tried to create the image of an opposition. In reality the facts show that he is involved in criminal and terrorist activities and he needs to answer before the law as soon as possible by handing himself over. I am not talking only about this, but even wider. He is a suspect. At his property were found weapons that belong to a terrorist unit,” Svecla said.

Chamber asks Kurti to postpone move to free energy market (Sinjali)

The Chamber of Commerce of Kosovo, together with representatives of the private sector, sent a letter to caretaker Prime Minister Albin Kurti in light of recent global developments that are expected to lead to increased energy prices. Being that many European governments have taken immediate measures to protect their economies through subsidies and direct support for businesses, the Chamber of Commerce calls on the government to follow this example and take concrete actions in support of the private sector. “In this context, the Chamber of Commerce of Kosovo calls on the Government of the Republic of Kosovo to subsidize the private sector and to ask the Energy Regulatory Office to annul the decision on the move to the free energy market, with the aim of protecting local production, businesses, citizens and the country’s economy,” the letter notes.

Chamber notifies about another decision cancelling ERO notification (media)

Kosovo’s Chamber of Commerce said today that there has been another court decision within two days cancelling the notification of the Energy Regulatory Office (ERO) to move to the free energy market. “This development shows clearly that businesses were right when they raised their voice against injustices by the ERO. The Chamber of Commerce of Kosovo encourages all businesses that feel threatened by this decision [to move to the free energy market] to follow legal paths to defend their interests. Anyone who needs assistance, a team of legal experts has been formed within the Chamber that will help draft acts against the ERO notification. We call on the ERO to suspend the notification to move to the free market before it creates further consequences for businesses, the economy and the citizens of the Republic of Kosovo,” the Chamber of Commerce said in a Facebook post.

AmCham calls on ERO to suspend free energy market measures (media)

Several news websites report that the American Chamber of Commerce in Kosovo called on the Energy Regulator Office today to immediately suspend its notification on the free energy market, until the judiciary provides clarity through final decisions on all relevant complaints. The AmCham said it is deeply concerned over the implementation of energy market liberalization, in light of recent court proceedings suspending the execution of decisions issued by the ERO. “In at least two separate cases, the Commercial Court of Kosovo has ruled in favor of individual companies challenging the ERO decisions, thereby suspending their implementation until a final decision is given. What is particularly important is that two different judges, in separate judicial cases, have reached the same conclusion, suspending ERO’s decisions pending final hearings. This sound judicial approach reflects concerns about the potential impact of these decisions on the market, and as such cannot be ignored as casual or specific to one or two cases. Although these actions currently only apply to a limited number of companies, their implications extend much further. The continued implementation of liberalization measures by the ERO, while two companies currently benefit from court-ordered suspensions and others remain pending legal action or the initiation of legal proceedings, creates an environment of legal uncertainty and economic discrimination. The American Chamber firmly believes that reforms, including those in the energy sector, should be directed by the principles of justice, predictability and equal treatment before the law. Under these circumstances, the American Chamber of Commerce in Kosovo called on the Office of the Energy Regulator to immediately suspend the implementation of contested liberalization measures until the judiciary provides clarity through final decisions on all relevant complaints. Only a fair, transparent and fully functional market can provide a stable way forward, where all companies, regardless of legal size or capacity, act on equal terms,” the statement notes.

Rafuna: There are hundreds of lawsuits by businesses (AP)

Chairman of the Kosovo Chamber of Commerce, Lulzim Rafuna, reacted to a statement by the Energy Regulatory Office (ERO) on Tuesday which confirmed that the decision to liberalize the energy market in Kosovo has not been suspended. Rafuna said that there are hundreds of lawsuits by businesses to the ERO notification to move businesses with over 50 workers and an annual turnover of over €10 million to the free energy market. He said that the Chamber of Commerce cannot file lawsuits on behalf of 1,300 businesses. “This is the only legal possibility. As it was not a decision or an administrative act, but only a notification, every business can attack the ERO notification. There are hundreds of lawsuits by businesses against the ERO notification. The Commercial Court will make other decisions too. This is very good news for the businesses,” Rafuna told reporters.

Durmishi says construction of two new bridges over Iber will start soon (RTV21)

Kosovo’s caretaker Deputy Minister of Infrastructure, Hysen Durmishi, told the TV station today that the construction of two new bridges that connect Mitrovica South and Mitrovica North will start soon. “We are in the procedure. It is not known when the construction of bridges will start, but it will happen very soon,” he said.

The TV station notes that the construction of two new bridges over Iber River was planned as part of a memorandum of cooperation between the Ministry of Infrastructure and the municipalities of Mitrovica North and Mitrovica South.

Sadiku: I support construction of bridges, but now is not the time (RFE)

Deputy chair of the Municipal Assembly of Mitrovica North, Skender Sadiku, said on Tuesday that he supports any initiative to build bridges because they are a symbol of connecting people, cultures and differences, but that for the time being there are issues of greater priority to address. Asked to comment on a plan to build two bridges in Mitrovica, Sadiku said: “now is not the right time to start [building the bridges]. Let us not forget that local elections are near – these bridges serve more politicians than the ordinary people. Every citizen of Mitrovica needs bridges, but we don’t have a cultural center, our school is operating in a container, and we have many displaced people not only from the Albanian community. There are greater priorities; bridges must be built, but we need to move on priorities,” he said in an interview with Radio Free Europe.

Sadiku further argued that the central and local authorities should have consulted with the people before deciding to build two bridges over the Iber River, “because this is a decision of great importance”. He also said that the construction of new bridges should be planned after the main bridge is opened for vehicle traffic.

AJK condemns obstruction of the work of Radio Gorazdevac team (media)

The Association of Journalists of Kosovo said in a statement today that a reporter of Radio Gorazdevac – Damjan Portic – informed them he was obstructed in his work on Tuesday as he was reporting about the removal of some graffiti in the village. The AJK said that Portic was asked by Kosovo Police not to film the removal of graffiti and asked him to leave although he was identified as a journalist. “The Association of Journalists of Kosovo finds this behavior unacceptable and calls on the Kosovo Police not to obstruct journalists from doing their work to inform the public,” the AJK statement notes.

Serbian Language Media

Office for KiM: “One more Serb a member of Serbian MIA, expelled from Kosovo on the Kurti's order” (Radio Mitrovica sever)

The Office for Kosovo and Metohija said today that "on the order of Albin Kurti, another Serb, a member of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Serbia, was expelled from Kosovo and Metohija tonight."

It is about Aleksandar S. (34) from Brezovica near Strpce, who is employed by the Ministry of Internal Affairs in Niska Banja, a family person, who has a son who is only 15 months old.

"He was detained yesterday afternoon at the Djeneral Jankovic crossing, when he was returning from North Macedonia to Kosovo. During the night, using the same mechanism that Pristina has been applying for the last two weeks he was expelled from Kosovo and Metohija and is currently in central Serbia. Aleksandar is the eleventh Serbian police officer, expelled from his doorstep by the unilateral, illegal and illegitimate decision of Albin Kurti," the statement read.

''The policy of persecution of Serbian policemen from the territory of Kosovo and Metohija continues, by which their basic human rights are being violated, guaranteed by numerous international conventions, while international missions, which should guarantee respect for the rights of Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija, do not have any protection''.

''The policy of terror, persecution and retaliation against the Serbian people in Kosovo and Metohija is the axis of the anti-Serb policy of Albin Kurti, who in full view of the whole world is implementing a policy of ethnic cleansing and reaching for new escalating moves, instead of advocating for dialogue and normalization of relations,'' concludes the statement of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija.

Andric Rakic: Serbs suppressed, events in world create blank space for Self-determination to do what they want (RTS, Kosovo Online)

New Social Initiative (NSI) Program Manager Milica Andric Rakic said currently “a wider attempt to suppress political actions of some Serbian options in Kosovo is underway”, adding that the room in which Serbs may take actions gets narrowed down day by day. She also said because of events in the world, attention is directed at other issues, while the Self-determination Movement received a blank space to do whatever they want.

Commenting on the main Ibar River Bridge testing yesterday, Andric Rakic said it may not necessarily mean this bridge will be open to traffic, given that international community still opines tensions are too high and impact social and economic development.

Commenting on the announcement of the municipality and respective ministry to build two new bridges connecting southern and northern parts of Mitrovica, she said it does not seem to be a logistically justified act. “(…) here we speak about a parameter of around three kilometers, where three bridges for traffic and pedestrians already exist, plus one more bridge for pedestrians only”, she asserted.

According to her, there are two reasons for two new bridges across the Ibar River. One is to compensate for the unfulfilled promise of the ruling party about the main Ibar River bridge opening for traffic and this comes ahead of local and most probably parliamentary elections. The second reason is to keep tensions running high, because for Self-determination what matters is symbolic policy to demonstrate ethnic domination of the Albanian majority against Serbian minority.

She also said political processes are carried out against Serbian List officials and members of the Serbian opposition in Kosovo. She opined if pressure is not exerted on the international community to put an end to these political processes, the pressure on Serbian parties will continue. Andric Rakic explained that closure and taking over Serbian institutions is an even more serious sort of pressure against the Serbian community, adding the need to establish ethnic domination against the Serbs is very much visible on the side of Pristina authorities.

Serbian Democracy: Pressures and threats against a Serbian woman who they want to evict from Leposavic (Danas)

"Eva Adzic is only one of the four recipients of apartments that the Commissariat for Refugees of the Republic of Serbia and the Danish Refugee Council officially allocated on November 1, 2024, in a building built exclusively for the accommodation of people from collective centers - and which the representatives of the municipality of Leposavic are now trying to evict from their apartments under the threat of the police," read the Serbian Democracy announcement, reported Danas.

Serbian Democracy adds that in addition to Eva Adzic, her daughter, who lives there with three minor children, also got an apartment in the same building.

"Despite this, the representatives of the municipality of Leposavic (specifically the illegitimate mayor Lulzim Hetemi and his deputy Marina Bogojevic), with the assistance of the KP, took control of these facilities and now demand that the four families, who were legally assigned apartments in November 2024, return the keys and leave the apartments. In this process, various forms of pressure and threats are used, including open blackmail that, if Eva Adzic does not leave the apartment, her daughter with young children will also be thrown out to the street", this party pointed out today.

This party adds that the buildings in question contain a total of 40 apartments, and that 36 apartments were awarded in the first competition, so that, after pressure from the public, Serbian Democracy and the media, a new list with 38 beneficiaries would be published.

"The question remains open: what happens to the remaining apartments and is it really necessary to forcefully evict families who have already been given apartments by the institutions that built and financed those buildings? Tenants are faced with direct threats of forced eviction - without a legal act, court decision or provided alternative solution. This is a serious violation of human rights and an attempt at institutional violence against the most vulnerable layers of society - refugee and socially vulnerable families."

We call on international organizations, including UNHCR, OSCE, EULEX and relevant embassies, to respond urgently, monitor and protect the basic rights of these people. Their staying in these apartments is not only a question of humanity, but also of respect for international standards, procedures and obligations arising from international donor programs", the SD concluded.

For 26 years Verica Tomanovic is searching for her husband, renowned surgeon kidnapped in Pristina from his working place (Kosovo Online)

"Every June 24 is a day of immense sorrow for our family", begins Verica Tomanovic, President of the Association of Families of the Kidnapped and Missing Persons from Kosovo. Her husband, Andrija Tomanovic, was kidnapped on this very day 26 years ago, in front of the main gate of the Clinical Hospital Center (KBC) in Pristina, and since then — not a single trace or piece of information has surfaced.

Andrija Tomanovic was one of the most prominent surgeons in Pristina - head of surgery at Clinical Hospital Centre (KBC) Pristina, a full professor at the Faculty of Medicine, and a member of several international surgical associations.

According to the information gathered so far, he was abducted around 1 p.m. on June 24, 1999, at the hospital gate, which at the time was heavily guarded by KFOR forces. And that’s all that is known. Since then, Verica Tomanovic has been tirelessly reaching out - without success - to every international organization and domestic institution imaginable, including KFOR and UNMIK.

She keeps all the relevant documents carefully - letters, requests, and pleas to help her find her husband. She has never received a response.

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

Deportation of Serbian police officers: Arbitrary decisions, fear of ethnic motives, and silence of international representatives (Alternativna)

Five members of the Serbian Ministry of Internal Affairs have been deported from Kosovo in the past ten days. Their Kosovo citizenships have been revoked, and they were issued a five-year ban from entering Kosovo. These cases have raised several questions: What do these deportations mean? Why did they happen suddenly? What does the international community say? And finally, is Belgrade also responsible in some way?

Alternativna’s interviewees assess that the decision was made arbitrarily, without concrete evidence, these cases deeply infringe on human rights. They also express concern that these processes may be aimed at altering the ethnic structure. We also forwarded questions regarding these cases to international representatives in Kosovo, yet no answer had arrived from the majority of them.

What happened?

Pristina authorities cited the Law on Citizenship, Article 24, which allows for revocation of citizenship for individuals who, without prior approval from Kosovo, serve in foreign security structures.

The lawyer representing two of the deported individuals (J.A. and M.Z.), Miloš Nikolić, told Alternativna that the Law on Citizenship is designed to give institutions the power to revoke citizenship in certain cases, namely in cases when a citizen holds dual citizenship and engages in activities that threaten Kosovo’s national security.

“Usually, in practice, states revoke citizenship when someone is a member of a terrorist organization. My clients are honorable and honest people, employed before the declaration of independence, and there are no criminal proceedings against them for any offense,” the lawyer explained.

However, in this case, Nikolić adds, the decision was made arbitrarily, without any legal process,

and although there is no concrete evidence that the individuals committed any crimes or acted in any way against Kosovo’s security.

“Such generalization, without specific facts or individualized responsibility, represents an arbitrary decision with no legal basis, thereby violating Article 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which guarantees the right to a fair trial,” he added.

Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/k486zy79

Svecla terms Arsenijevic’s accusations ‘science fiction’ (KoSSev)

“It is absolutely not true; it is science fiction. He is looking for a way to get out if it politically, because legally he cannot – all evidences are there”, this is how Kosovo acting Interior Minister, Xhelal Svecla responded to the accusations of the Serbian Democracy leader Aleksandar Arsenijevic that he was involved in “setting up the weapons” found in a horse barn at Arsenijevic’s property, KoSSev portal reported today.

The portal recalled that since Sunday, Arsenijevic, who was out of Kosovo for a family trip, is a wanted person in Kosovo when police discovered a large cache of weapons in a property in the village of Valac, in Zvecan municipality. Svecla was the first one to say publicly that property in question belongs to Arsenijevic. Svecla listed all the weapons and ammunition found there, along with a video clip saying that “crime can never be concealed, regardless the veil it wears”, and reiterated readiness of Kosovo institutions “to uproot criminal and terrorist remains of Serbia in Kosovo”.

Arsenijevic told KoSSev portal yesterday he planned to return to Kosovo on a day when the weapons were found and was ready to cooperate with police, however, he changed his mind after seeing Svecla’s announcement about his case, claiming it was about political persecution against him and he would face no prospect of fair trial.

In reaction to Arsenijevic’s accusations, Svecla said that “all evidence suggests Arsenijevic is not innocent”. As Svecla said “when a cache of weapons is found on someone’s property, it is normal that this person will be arrested. However, if he provides evidence he is not responsible for it, then it is up to the court to decide (…)”.

Svecla said it would be best for Arsenijevic and the entire situation that he “hands himself over to authorities and that all goes in line with the rule of law”. Asked to comment on Arsenijevic’s suspicion that he will have a fair proceeding, Svecla claimed there will be a fair trial, and “all standards and laws will be in line with European rules, and there will be monitoring by embassies and foreign missions”.

Asked by the portal about his practice, which has become almost regular when it comes to the arrests of Serbs in northern Kosovo, that he immediately comments on the arrests on the social media, with allegations they are criminals, although the investigation has only began, and the judicial proceedings have not even started yet, Svecla used a practical example to respond.

“It is 10.40 now. If I say it is a day, I am not saying anything which is not reality and there is no pressure against anyone. If some want to sleep at this time, one can not tell it is a nighttime. ‘Okay, sleep, but it is daytime’. What happened is a clear and crystal matter, and one can not be in charge of an arsenal of weapons of one terrorist unit and tell me ‘do not talk about that, before the court says so”, Svecla said.

Pec municipal workers assisted by Kosovo police remove graffiti in Gorazdevac, journalist told to go away (Radio Gorazdevac, Alternativna, media)

Not far from a church in the Serbian majority village of Gorazdevac, workers hired by Pec municipality, in presence of Kosovo police, have painted the wall containing various graffiti, Radio Gorazdevac reported. The premises where graffiti were inscribed is out of use for years, located in the main street in the village.

Graffiti including messages “Delije – Sever” (in reference to Serbian Football Club Red Star fans), “4S – Only Unity Saves the Serbs”, and inscription “Hak marja” (Revenge in Albanian) the residents suspect was inscribed 10 years ago, on the same night when monuments dedicated to the murdered children from this village at Bistrica river and NATO bombing victims was desecrated.

Radio Gorazdevac journalist Damjan Protic went to the field to photograph graffiti removal but faced, as the article said, inappropriate conduct by Kosovo police members. Two uniformed and two plainclothes officers asked for his identity card and then ordered him to go away using the words such as “run away from here”, “get lost” and “go away”. One Kosovo police member attempted to prevent him from photographing, referring to the specific law, although the event was taking place in a public area. Protic said they did not provide explanation as to why he could not record the event, adding it was an obstruction of the rights of journalists to do their work unimpeded.

Radio Gorazdevac recalled that over the previous months and years graffiti “KLA” appeared on several occasions in the village, causing fear and anxiety among the residents, but that, however, these graffiti were not removed by local services, nor was similar agility observed in their removal with some of them still being there.

NUNS: Verbal assault and identification of journalist in Gorazdevac concerning pressure on freedom of media (Kosovo Online)

Independent Association of Journalists of Serbia (NUNS) expressed concern over yesterday’s incident in Gorazdevac with members of Kosovo police verbally assaulting and asking for personal ID card documents from a Radio Gorazdevac journalist Damjan Protic while he reported from the spot on graffiti removal in this village.

NUNS said Kosovo police conduct represents direct violation of the right to free reporting and information, as well as obstructing journalists in carrying out professional assignments, which is banned by international standards.

“NUNS calls upon Kosovo institutions to undertake measures so incidents like this one do not happen again and that all journalists are enabled to work freely and safely, in line with international obligations”, NUNS said in a statement.

International

Kosovo to cap fuel profit margins (SeeNews)

Kosovo’s Ministry of Industry, Entrepreneurship, and Trade of Kosovo (MIET) said on Tuesday it has decided to regulate fuel profit margins after monitoring showed that declines in import prices were not passed on to wholesale and retail prices as promptly as increases were. “Under the new decision, maximum allowed trade margins are set at up to €2 cents per litre for wholesale and €12 cents per litre for retail,” the ministry said in a press release. “The monitoring was based on daily data from Kosovo Customs and reports by the Central Market Surveillance Inspectorate. The measure will take effect one day after its publication in the Official Gazette of the Republic of Kosovo.”

Eastern Kosovo town’s mountain resort becomes hotspot for illegal construction (PI)

A months-long investigation by KALLXO.com revealed how Novobërda municipality became a site of mass illegal construction, where hundreds of villas were built without permits. The investigation uncovers possible financial misconduct involving public officials, unlawful municipal decisions, and inaction by key institutions.

In 2020, Labinot Rexha and Bekim Hallaqi began constructing villas in the village of Makresh in Novobërda, in eastern Kosovo. Despite a formal order to halt construction from the municipal inspectorate, led by Xhevat Mehmeti, work continued.

“I issued the order to stop the work, but what they do after that is beyond my control,” Mehmeti told Kallxo Përnime. He also admitted he was uncertain about whether the order was officially delivered to Rexha or if inspectors made follow-up visits.

In an Interview for BIRN and Internews Kosova Kallxo Përnime TV Programme, Rexha claimed the municipal inspectors never attempted to stop his work, even though he admits he did not have the required permits.

“The inspectors never came. Nor did the forestry inspectors—never at all,” Rexha said.

Kosovo’s laws prohibit construction on forest land without an official change of land use. Rexha states he repeatedly applied to the municipality for this change but never received approval.