Albanian Language Media:

• 27th attempt to constitute Assembly fails, VV drops to 50 votes (media)
• Kryeziu: Opposition is violating the Constitution by refusing to vote (media)
• LDK against idea of ​​holding local and parliamentary elections together (media)
• Haziri on govt decisions today: Motive is known, smells like campaign (Express)
• Osmani: Alliance with U.S. strengthens sovereignty of Kosovo (AP)
• Beke Berisha, AAK’s candidate for Pristina mayor in upcoming elections (media)
• BIA agent pleads guilty to espionage (Koha)

Serbian Language Media:

• Djuric, US philanthropist Elaine Beck discuss Serbian cultural heritage in Kosovo (Tanjug)
• 21 years since murder of 17-year old Dimitrije Popovic in Gracanica (Radio KIM, media)
• Serbian Democracy Vice President Radosavljevic on contradicting numbers of inhabitants in northern Kosovo (social media)
• Eugen Cakolli calls idea of holding parliamentary and local elections at same time ‘irresponsible’ (social media)
• The fixing agency initiative presented in Kosovo - "Fixing Kosovo" (KiM radio, Kontakt plus radio)
• Education minister, Belgrade University chief clash over enrollment (N1, Nedeljnik)

International:

• SKY ECC raids: Exclusive footage from the Kosovo Police operation (PI)
• Trump has asked Balkan states to accept deportees, Bloomberg reports (Reuters, Bloomberg)

Albanian Language Media 

27th attempt to constitute Assembly fails, VV drops to 50 votes (media)

The 27th attempt to constitute the Assembly has failed. Once again, Vetevendosje did not have the required numbers. Vetevendosje continued its effort to change the voting procedure for electing the Speaker of the Assembly to a secret ballot, but the proposal did not receive support.

Other parties — PDK, LDK, AAK, and the Serb List — did not propose any members for the Commission on secret voting. When the composition of the Commission was put to a vote, they did not participate in the process at all. 

“50 MPs in favor, one against, no abstentions. The session is adjourned. We will reconvene on May 7 at 11:00,” said Avni Dehari who presided over the session. LVV’s nominee for the position remains Albulena Haxhiu.

Kryeziu: Opposition is violating the Constitution by refusing to vote (media)

MP from the Vetevendosje Movement, Arbereshe Kryeziu-Hyseni, accused today parties that were in the opposition in the previous legislative, for blocking the formation of the new assembly by refusing to vote. “The opposition parties are refusing to take part in the vote, by violating the Constitution … Meanwhile, the Vetevendosje Movement and all its MPs and several MPs from the communities have been present in 19 sessions and ready to vote,” she argued.

LDK against idea of ​​holding local and parliamentary elections together (media)

The deputy leader and MP of the Democratic League of Kosovo, Hykmete Bajrami, has come out against the idea of ​​holding local and parliamentary elections at the same time. “We do not need to repeat an electoral process. We know the entire complicated process and the time it took for the CEC to count the votes. Combining two elections in the same period would cause big problems. There is a high possibility that such elections would not be accepted by some entity”, declared Bajrami.

Democratic League of Kosovo MP Arben Gashi has left the possibility of early elections open, stressing that they represent the most natural solution in a democratic system. However, he expressed serious concern about the ability of the Central Election Commission to manage them efficiently.

Haziri on govt decisions today: Motive is known, smells like campaign (Express)

Deputy leader of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) Lutfi Haziri commented on today’s decisions by the caretaker government on the increase of wages and allowances, saying that “their motive is known” and that “it smells like [an election] campaign”.

Haziri also argued that it is irritating that the increase is being done as a campaign for the upcoming local elections, while at the same time the biggest party is failing to form the new institutions after the February parliamentary elections.

“Entering the campaign for local elections and at the same time failing to successfully form the new assembly and government is being seen as irritating by the people. People are not only numbers and mechanisms that go out to vote whenever the politicians feel like it,” he said.

According to Haziri, the MPs should stay in the assembly until the new legislative is formed. “A political agreement is definitely needed. The current procedure is not solving the problem,” he added.

Osmani: Alliance with U.S. strengthens sovereignty of Kosovo (AP)

Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani said on Wednesday that “the alliance with the United States of America in defense strengthens the sovereignty” of Kosovo. She made these remarks after meeting the commander of the Iowa National Guard, Major General Stephen Osborn. 

Osmani expressed her gratitude and utmost appreciation for the continuous support that the Iowa Guard has provided to the KSF in the development and advancement of its operational capacities, which were successfully demonstrated during the joint international exercise “Defender Europe 2025”. She highlighted the fact that this year, within the framework of this exercise, Kosovo had the honour of welcoming the Tactical Command of the 28th Infantry Division of the US Army, and that members of the Iowa National Guard were an active part of the joint force that operated in the territory of Kosovo. Osmani also expressed sincere gratitude and appreciation for the opportunity given to a KSF contingent to conduct joint exercises at the Joint Readiness Training Centre in Louisiana, together with members of the Iowa Guard and other US allied forces.

Beke Berisha, AAK’s candidate for Pristina mayor in upcoming elections (media)

Several news websites report that Beke Berisha, MP from the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK), will run for Pristina mayor in the upcoming municipal elections this autumn. 

BIA agent pleads guilty to espionage (Koha)

Aleksandar Vlajic has pleaded guilty to the criminal offenses of “espionage” and “unlicensed possession of weapons.” At Thursday’s hearing, it was said that Vlajic, a Serbian BIA agent, has reached a plea agreement with the Special Prosecution Office. He was arrested in June 2024 on suspicion of collecting and sending information to the Intelligence and Security Agency of the Republic of Serbia.

According to the Prosecution, Vlajic had created a network of employees of Serb nationality, from whom he had received information and reports on the work of international organizations in Kosovo that, according to the indictment, were related to political and security aspects within the territory of Kosovo.

Vlajic is also accused of the November 2022 attack on the office of the Municipal Election Commission in North Mitrovica.

Special Prosecutor Bekim Kodaliu and the defendant’s lawyer, Lubomir Pantovic, said that the plea agreement meets all legal requirements, that the defendant has admitted his guilt of his own free will and without pressure, and asked the court to approve the agreement.

Prosecutor Bekim Kodaliu said that the sentence recommended by the prosecution is four years and six months of imprisonment up to five years of effective imprisonment.

Serbian Language Media

Djuric, US philanthropist Elaine Beck discuss Serbian cultural heritage in Kosovo (Tanjug)

Serbian Foreign Minister Marko Djuric said on Wednesday he had an inspiring and meaningful conversation with prominent Arizona, US-based philanthropist Elaine Beck about the enduring significance of the rich Serbian cultural and Orthodox Christian heritage in Kosovo, Tanjug news agency reported.

"Regrettably, over the past decades, we have been witnessing the continued endangerment of these unique spiritual and historical landmarks - a reality underscored by the fact that the UNESCO World Heritage Committee placed three Serbian Orthodox monasteries - the Patriarchate of Pec, the Decani Monastery and Gracanica - as well as the Church of the Holy Virgin of Ljevis, on its list of world heritage in danger", Djuric posted on X.

"Raising global awareness about the urgency of preserving these sacred sites - treasures not only of Serbian heritage but of universal human value - is of vital importance. Their protection is a shared responsibility and a moral imperative for all who cherish civilisation and peace", he added.

Elaine Beck is known for her selfless support for communities through donations, humanitarian work and advocacy of Christian values.

21 years since murder of 17-year old Dimitrije Popovic in Gracanica (Radio KIM, media)

Today marks 21 years since the murder of 17-year-old Dimitrije Popovic in Gracanica, with firearms, Radio KIM reported. In a statement on the anniversary of the murder, the Office for Kosovo and Metohija said Popovic was killed without any reason or fault, by an underage Albanian.

"His death remained a symbol of the sufferings of Serbian people in Kosovo and Metohija following the arrival of international forces", the statement added.

The Office for KiM also said this tragic event is an eternal reminder of the vulnerability of peace in Kosovo and vulnerability of the Serbian people as well as other non-Albanian communities’ members. The statement recalled that the year 2004 was marked by a wave of chauvinistic violence in which many Serbs lost their lives, homes and everything they had.

"Today, our hearts and thoughts are with the family and friends of the late Dimitrije, in the hope that none of our compatriots in Kosovo and Metohija will ever become victims of hate crimes again", the Office for KiM said. It warned that in recent times, violence against Serbs in Kosovo has been institutionalized, with increasingly frequent attacks on Serbian institutions and violations of human and political rights.

Serbian media further reported that two Albanians from Pristina, Albert Krasniqi and Labinot Gashi were accused of Popovic’s murder. Popovic was killed with a single bullet in his head, while standing in front of a fast-food kiosk in Gracanica, next to the main road. Krasniqi, who was a juvenile at that time was sentenced to nine and a half years in prison for the murder, while Gashi was acquitted. In 2021, Krasniqi was killed by his own father, following a family dispute. 

Serbian Democracy Vice President Radosavljevic on contradicting numbers of inhabitants in northern Kosovo (social media)

Serbian Democracy Municipal Board in Leposavic Head Vladimir Radosavljevic commented in a post on social media contradicting estimations of the number of people living in northern Kosovo, arguing those contradicting numbers aim to administratively erase Serbs from this area.  

“While in Lešak they are announcing the eviction of Serbian families and planning to demolish houses, now we see that even this is not enough for them, they have started to simply erase us from the statistics.

For the purposes of the referendum on the removal of the illegitimate mayor, the Kosovo authorities showed that the municipality of Leposavic has 13,674 voters. In the previous Kosovo elections, that number was 13,886. And now they claim that only 9,485 residents live in Leposavić!? Not voters - but the total number of residents!

The census officially recorded only 3,207 people in Leposavić. Although the Serbian community initially announced a boycott, the census was still partially conducted, but in a manner that was completely frivolous, sloppy and selective. Census takers/enumerators did not even come to many parts of Leposavić at all. If the census was not conducted properly, on what basis is it now claimed that Leposavić has 9,485 inhabitants?

According to estimates by international organizations and previous analyses, around 18,600 people live in Leposavić, of which 96% are Serbs. So how did it go from 18,600 to 9,485? How is it possible that there are now more voters (13,886) than residents (9,485)?

And finally, the municipality of North Mitrovica has 7,920 inhabitants? Really? This is not a mistake - this is a conscious manipulation, an attempt to administratively erase Serbs from Kosovo!

We call on international organizations, missions and all relevant stakeholders to urgently reconsider this attempt to erase Serbs from official statistics. Serbs will not disappear because someone is erasing the numbers! Despite everything - we remain on our land!”, Radosavljevic wrote in a post tagging Council of Europe, UNMIK, KFOR and EULEX missions.

Eugen Cakolli calls idea of holding parliamentary and local elections at same time ‘irresponsible’ (social media)

Eugen Cakolli, program manager of KDI/Transparency International Kosovo in a post on his Facebook account said that “the idea of holding parliamentary and local elections on the same day is irresponsible and risks seriously undermining the quality of the electoral process and democratic representation.

Three ballots for each citizen, three levels of candidates, complicated procedures, unprepared members of commissions, a burden on the election management bodies, two types of campaigns – and above all, great uncertainty for the voter. Moreover, the likelihood of “technical” errors, invalid ballots, contestations and lengthy recounts increases.

This scenario is not being pushed forward because it is reasonable, but because the political parties, especially the first party, are seeking a “solution” to the crisis they themselves created. Instead of coming to an agreement on the basis of the mandates won on February 9, they are moving towards a formula that mixes two separate processes, only to create an artificial restart.

And if the outcome of the parliamentary elections is expected to be roughly the same, then this is simply a manoeuvre to ease tensions and rhetoric, to erase red lines, and to justify a cooperation that is being rejected today. Elections are a tool of democracy – but they cannot and should not be used to replace political accountability.”

The fixing agency initiative presented in Kosovo - "Fixing Kosovo" (KiM radio, Kontakt plus radio)

The initiative to establish the first professional fixing agency in Kosovo - "Fixing Kosovo" was officially presented in Pristina, which is also the first such initiative in the Balkans, reported KiM radio yesterday. The goal of the agency is to professionally help foreign journalists and media in reporting from Kosovo, but also to strengthen the role of the fixer, which is often underestimated and even invisible.

A team of experienced journalists and fixers from different communities in Kosovo gathered around this idea, who, with their knowledge, identities, and professional competences, strive to contribute so that stories about Kosovo are told from within, accurately, carefully and without prejudice.

Fixer - more than a translator and logistician

The fixer, as the person who helps visitors on the field is often called, is often underestimated. However, the role they play is far greater than mere logistics and translation. Serbeze Haxhijaj confirmed this, who is part of the "Fixing Kosovo" team.

"We don't have an adequate word for 'fixer' in the Albanian language, and it's limited in English as well. It's more than translation, more than driving, arranging an interview - it's knowledge, context, understanding the environment," she said yesterday at the Barabar Center, where the project was presented.

She pointed out it was local fixers who really knew the real situation and could provide quality support to journalists on the ground. She pointed out the frequent phenomenon that due to the unprofessionalism of the fixer, the reports were inaccurate or one-sided.

"Media reporting from Kosovo, Serbia and the Balkans often suffers due to the wrong choice of fixers, who often do not have sufficient professional and ethical capacities."

On the other hand, she cited examples from her practice, including cooperation with world-famous newsrooms such as the New York Times, which sometimes, despite their reputation, did not show the expected level of professionalism on the ground. She gave an example with another international media. 

"I remember a few years ago, I was working for a Japanese newspaper and a journalist told me: 'We cannot take responsibility if you get killed in the north'. It was also very shocking for me because no one will kill me in the north. I go there every day and there are people, citizens, like all other citizens in Kosovo. No journalist was killed in the north."

She stated that such prejudices often occur due to inaccurate and unreliable sources of information used by foreign newsrooms. She also indicated that the fixers work far more than what was formally in their contract, without receiving adequate compensation for it.

The same problems were pointed out by Ana Marija Ivkovic, editor of the Alternativna portal and manager of the "Fixing Kosovo" project.

"The fixer's work begins with the very communication with the team of journalists who come to Kosovo and the north of Kosovo. So, before going to the field, during the field itself, but also after. Very often, just during the conversations I had with my colleagues, we realized that actually a lot remains unpaid, unfinished, and floating in the air. We do this work without actually realizing that we have given much more to the work than we are paid."

She added it was not only a question of that, but also that the fixers gave much more than their colleagues coming to Kosovo would admit.

"So, it happened many times that you, as a fixer, were actually responsible for some exclusive, that you were the one who brought objective information, did your job in a professional manner, but you are nowhere in that text, in that coverage," she explained. 

She said that even though the fixers put in a lot of effort and do their work professionally, the final media content can be distorted to the extent that it can threaten their safety in the local community.

The "Fixing Kosovo" project therefore has a double goal - to protect the fixers, but also to introduce clear rules and responsibilities for all parties.

Media expert and owner of the GIGACAT Solutions agency, Ilir Gashi, pointed out that the name of the project "Fixing Kosovo" was, on the one hand, a kind of joke at the expense of those who come with the intention of "fixing" Kosovo, while on the other hand, it carried a message about equality and the right of the local population to speak only about themselves and their reality.

"I have been working in the civil sector for almost 25 years, and during that time I noticed that there is often an attitude that we lack something and that we should learn from another, better world. Although this is not entirely wrong, it is often an expression of power relations where some have a superior and others an inferior position," explained Gashi, who is the creator of this project.

He pointed out that one of the key goals of the project was to make the voice of the people of Kosovo, especially those from the margins of society, heard and respected.

Gashi says that multiperspectivity in journalism, which, although it is understood in theory, was often neglected in practice.

"We have a situation where we have dominant narratives, we have interlocutors who are always given more space and the image of reality they represent becomes dominant."

According to him, it is necessary to think about the angles that are not represented.

"That's exactly multiperspective. There is no one angle that is more accurate than another,” said Gashi, adding that you are entitled to that perspective, that we can talk about how it came about, what are its consequences and so on, but it is a perspective, and it must be respected.

Speaking about the potential challenges in the work of the agency, Gashi said that it was a market logic in which "the customer must always be right".

"Our premise is that the customer is not always right, but that journalism needs to be done in a certain way and that fixing needs to be done in a certain way," says Gashi.

He added that one of the goals of the agency was a different approach, not to base on meeting expectations at all costs, but on respecting the journalistic profession and ethical principles.

Despite the challenges, Gashi pointed out that there were newsrooms and individuals who approach their work seriously and responsibly, and that Fixing Kosovo wants to be a partner with them.

"We want - and we will find a way - to brand ourselves as an entity in Kosovo that is trying to do it in a different way," he said.

Although the market for such an approach may not be large, according to Gashi, it was not crucial.

"If we speak market language, that's what we sell. Is the market for selling it very big, we don't think so. But anyway, we think that what we do is more important here," concluded Gashi.

The official registration of the agency is expected in July, and behind the initiative are Alternativna portal from North Mitrovica and GIGACAT Solutions from Belgrade, i.e., six team members - Ana Marija Ivkovic, Ilir Gashi, Sanja Sovrlic, Serbeze Haxhijaj, Suncica Andrejevic and Dafina Halili.

As part of the event, the audience had the opportunity to view the photo exhibition "Image of the North", authored by Sunsica Andrejevic. Through her lens, Andrejevic recorded everyday scenes in the north of Kosovo - moments that are often not seen in official narratives, and which speak about the life of people in that part, reported Kontakt plus radio. 

Education minister, Belgrade University chief clash over enrollment (N1, Nedeljnik)

The Serbian Education Minister and the head of Belgrade University traded accusations over the enrollment of the next generation of students on Thursday.

Belgrade University Rector Vlada Djokic said the university has done everything that it can to prepare to enroll the next generation of students but can’t invite applications because the government has not set the number of students whose studies are covered by the budget while Education Minister Dejan Vuk Stankovic said that only those university schools that make up classes will get enrollment quotas.

Rector Djokic told Nedeljnik weekly that government officials are telling the media that a decision will be taken only after the 2nd semester is completed and exams held. “That condition runs counter to regulations. It is not logical and is ill-intentioned. Enrollment for a new generation of freshmen does not depend on the end of the previous year’s semester when they completed their high school education. Obviously, Belgrade University is being kept at a disadvantage compared to other state and private universities,” he said, adding that Belgrade University survived 2 world wars, states of emergency and occupation but was never under any similar systematic destruction by state officials.

Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/544eat87

International

SKY ECC raids: Exclusive footage from the Kosovo Police operation (PI)

The KALLXO.com team followed the entire operation and is producing a report on how the encrypted SKY ECC communication network was infiltrated, exposing two of the most powerful drug trafficking groups in Kosovo.

Footage secured by the KALLXO.com team shows how Kosovo authorities are destroying drug trafficking networks in raids that started on Tuesday—an operation made possible by evidence extracted from the encrypted SKY ECC communication platform.

The team followed on the ground operation and raids and will produce a report regarding the case in following weeks.

The evidence was obtained months earlier from law enforcement authorities in Belgium, France, the Netherlands, and EUROPOL.

The intercepted communications—audio and video recordings, photographs, and encrypted messages—uncovered the structure and activities of two well-organised criminal groups operating across Kosovo. 

See more at: https://shorturl.at/7DPG8

Trump has asked Balkan states to accept deportees, Bloomberg reports (Reuters, Bloomberg)

President Donald Trump's administration is pushing Serbia and other Balkan countries to take in migrants deported from the United States, Bloomberg News reported on Thursday.

The requests to countries in the region form part of a broader U.S. strategy to find foreign governments willing to receive deported migrants, Bloomberg reported, citing people familiar with the matter.

Reuters could not immediately verify the report.

See at: https://tinyurl.com/2s3muh62