UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, March 25, 2025

Albanian Language Media:

Osmani recalls massacres of Celina, Fortesa and Brestoc (media)
Kurti pays homage to victims of massacre in Trnje (media)
Clark: Kosovo’s sustainability and economic future must go hand in hand (media)
VV releases a 4 and a half minute video “Kurti Government 3 is coming” (media)
Opposition political parties react to LVV’s video (media)
Car with Serbian license plates stopped in Jarinje, over 32 kg drugs found (media)

Serbian Language Media:

Vucic, Dodik, SOC Patriarch commemorate NATO bombing anniversary (N1, media)
Vucic meets Sorensen, informs him of problems faced by Serbian people in Kosovo (Tanjug, media)
Sustainability of local media in Kosovo in dare state (Radio Gorazdevac, Radio Mitrovica sever, KiM radio)
Thousands attend “Protest for Generalstab” (N1)
Dragan Sutanovac officially new ambassador to the US (RTS)

International Media:

Digital playground: Online parental guidance still not the norm in Kosovo (Balkan Insight)
What is the aim of the Declaration on military cooperation between Croatia, Albania and Kosovo? (EWB)
US report: Corruption and weak rule of law fuel drug trafficking in Albania (can.al)

Humanitarian:

Bridging divides: The women leading humanitarian efforts in Kosovo (KoSSev)

Albanian Language Media

Osmani recalls massacres of Celina, Fortesa and Brestoc (media)

Kosovo President, Vjosa Osmani, has recalled the massacres of Celina, Fortesa and Brestoc. Osmani said that on March 25, 1999, “the forces of the genocidal regime of Serbia committed bloody massacres in the villages of Rahovec, in which they killed 75 civilians in Celina, 69 in Fortesa, 49 in Brestoc. “In defense of the population, five KLA fighters also fell heroically. They were killed only because they were Albanians, only because they wanted freedom,” Osmani said. She further added that “The pain remains, justice is missing, but the truth is not undone. We remember the martyrs, we honor the heroes of the KLA and we will never stop in our search for justice"

Kurti pays homage to victims of massacre in Trnje (media)

On the 26th anniversary of the massacre in Trnje of Theranda [Suhareke/Suva Reka], Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti paid homage and laid wreaths of fresh flowers near the graves of the fallen, who were cruelly killed by the Serbian armed forces. "The blood of martyrs is in the foundations of the Republic," said Kurti during the tributes, as he emphasized that a smaller, but important part of the work is left to strengthen Kosovo, so that future generations never have to suffer, experience the pain or loss that people in Kosovo went through.

Clark: Kosovo’s sustainability and economic future must go hand in hand (media)

The American Chamber of Commerce in Kosovo hosted a virtual discussion with General Wesley Clark, former Supreme Allied Commander Europe and honorary member of the American Chamber of Commerce in Kosovo. The event was organized to mark the 26th anniversary of NATO’s intervention in Kosovo and the 21st anniversary of the founding of the American Chamber of Commerce in Kosovo. Clark said that Kosovo has a very important strategic position, providing early warnings about threats to regional stability in the Western Balkans. “The world is watching Kosovo, and the best way to strengthen its security is through economic development and investment, especially from the United States,” said the U.S. General.

Addressing Kosovo’s role in regional and global affairs, General Clark stressed the fundamental importance of the rule of law, urging Kosovo to “be proud of it, strengthen it, and use it to build investor confidence.” He called for investment in infrastructure and energy, noting Kosovo’s abundant lignite reserves, as well as advocating for Kosovo’s digital transformation, improved tax systems, broadband connectivity, and cybersecurity to combat disinformation and external subversion.

Speaking about improving the business climate, General Clark encouraged Kosovo to embrace regional cooperation with neighbors such as Albania, North Macedonia, and even Serbia, noting that, “Ultimately, Serbia will have to accept your independence, and economic cooperation will be inevitable.”

VV releases a 4 and a half minute video “Kurti Government 3 is coming” (media)

The Vetevendosje Movement has announced through a video, the arrival of the Kurti government 3. “Order, law and hope, corner to corner of the country. Four years for the Republic, four years that we gave the state a foundation and citizens dignity. The February 9 elections proved our good work in this mandate. We expect a lot of good work in the mandate that lies ahead. We are living in difficult global circumstances. Only with good governance will we triumph. Justice, work, sovereignty, dignity, security, development, roads, education, health. The Kurti Government 3 is coming,” the video published by the LVV states among others.

They also stressed that the Kurti Government is the first government in our political history to complete a full mandate.

Opposition political parties react to LVV’s video (media)

The Secretary General of the PDK, Vlora Citaku, has reacted to a video published on social networks by the Vetevendosje Movement. “When you have nothing to show for your work, you turn to propaganda – where LVV is the undisputed champion. This government has brought neither development, nor welfare, nor hope. It has only brought growth – rising prices, rising bills. Basic products are a luxury. Electricity is a luxury too. In every other field: stagnation, failure and degradation. But to them, it is enough to talk. That speech is free, while responsibility, it seems, is foreign to them,” Citaku wrote.

The spokesperson for the Democratic League of Kosovo, Besian Mustafa, said “now that the price of electricity is increasing for the third time during this government and the prices of food products have exploded, VV comes out with a video telling tales of its ‘successes’. ‘Throw a handful of ash in your eyes, these people swallow lies, oh my!’”, he wrote.

LDK MP Hykmete Bajrami said that the VV government “is the most failed government since the war”. She mentioned that Kosovo is under sanctions and that for four years it has not had any recognition or membership in international organizations. Bajrami added that Kosovo “has never been more isolated”. “During this time, Kurti has left Kosovo with the Brussels Agreement, the Ohrid Annex and has accepted the draft association of municipalities with a Serbian majority that leads towards the federalization of the country, or better said towards the dysfunctionalization of the state of Kosovo.” She said that the socio-economic situation has never been more difficult.

Car with Serbian license plates stopped in Jarinje, over 32 kg drugs found (media)

Kosovo Police stopped a car with Serbian license plates in Jarinje, and during the search 32 kilograms of drugs were found and seized. The police announced that after receiving information, they carried out an operation at the border crossing in Jarinje. In a Mercedes A-Class car with Serbian license plates, 30 packages of a substance, suspected to be marijuana, were found. The total weight was 32.4 kg of drugs. The suspect was detained for 48 hours.

Serbian Language Media

Vucic, Dodik, SOC Patriarch commemorate NATO bombing anniversary (N1, media)

An official state commemorative gathering was held Monday to honor the victims of the 1999 NATO bombing of the-then Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SRJ) at the Colonel Pilot Milenko Pavlovic airport in Belgrade’s Batajnica neighbourhood, N1 reported.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said that the events of 1999 were not a defeat, despite the heavy losses suffered. We have nothing to be ashamed of, he said during the state ceremony marking the Day of Remembrance and the 26th anniversary of the NATO campaign against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

In the presence of Serbia’s state leadership and officials from Republika Srpska, Vucic said that “after all the bombs and the puppets who later seized power to loot and serve someone else”, Serbia has become a country “strengthened even by those misfortunes”. He emphasized that “as a Serbian and as the President of Serbia”, he feels nothing but boundless pride. Despite the sorrow and grief for those lost, for everything we have endured, and regardless of all we’ve lost – they did not defeat us, Vucic said. He noted that today he stands as “the President of a free country that makes its own decisions, a sovereign and independent nation, one that has dignity and can assert that it is not governed by anyone else but its own people”.

The head of the Serbian Orthodox Church (SOC), Patriarch Porfirije, addressed Serbia’s “painful history of suffering.” He remarked that anyone could have been in the place of the innocent victims who sacrificed themselves for the freedom and peace of the Serbian people. “The criminal act of NATO aggression has brought us back to ourselves, and to the values that must not be called into question, namely Christ’s commandment to ‘love your neighbour as yourself,’ even your enemy. We know, unfortunately, that few among us are capable of loving their enemy, but I urge all of us to keep Christ’s words in mind and to act accordingly, rather than succumb to hatred, for hatred breeds hatred and creates a spiral of evil”, the Patriarch said.

Following the Patriarch’s address, the sound of a siren – used as an air raid warning during the 78 days of bombing – was played, following which a minute of silence was held in honour of the victims of the bombing.

The president of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Republika Srpska (RS) entity, Milorad Dodik, told those present that Serbia needs to reclaim its strength after it was stripped away through aimless protests, emphasizing that President Vucic is the only one capable of ensuring that.

Also present at the gathering were family members of the deceased, ministers from the Serbian caretaker government, Serbian Parliament Speaker Ana Brnabic and representatives from the Serbian military and police.

Vucic meets Sorensen, informs him of problems faced by Serbian people in Kosovo (Tanjug, media)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic met with EU Special Representative for Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue Peter Sorensen in Belgrade today and informed him of the problems faced by Serbian people in Kosovo, Tanjug news agency reported.

"An open and correct first meeting with Mr. Sorensen, whom I informed of the problems faced by our people in Kosovo and Metohija. I expressed particular concern about the difficult position in which the Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija find themselves due to numerous escalating, unilateral and violent moves by Pristina", Vucic said in a post on his official Instagram account.

He also pointed to the constant obstructions Pristina makes in the dialogue process and reiterated that formation of the Community of Serbian Municipalities, after 12 years of Pristina's refusal to fulfil that obligation, is a prerequisite for the start of essential normalization of relations.

During the talks Vucic emphasized the expectation that the EU will strengthen its engagement and maintain an impartial role in this process.

Sustainability of local media in Kosovo in dare state (Radio Gorazdevac, Radio Mitrovica sever, KiM radio)

Local media in Kosovo are facing serious financial problems that threaten their survival. Independent media that report in the Serbian language are particularly affected, since they do not have a developed market for advertising, unlike those that work in the Albanian language. The withdrawal of donor funds, including USAID funds, further worsened the situation, leaving many newsrooms in limbo, reported Radio Mitrovica sever.

Journalist Zorica Vorgucic emphasized that problems in the financing of local media were not new, but that they managed to find ways to survive before. However, now the situation has changed drastically.

"This now, with the denial of funds by the USA, has really affected us, that we have become very worried about how we will continue to function and whether we will be able to continue working at all. Our collectives, i.e., newsrooms, are shrinking and finances are, I would say, the biggest problem," said Vorgucic.

The Director of the Association of Media and Publishers of Kosovo (AMPEK), Adrita Zejnullahu, confirms that the situation of local media in Kosovo was serious, both for Albanian and Serbian media.

"The financial situation is difficult - while the Albanian-language media have a certain market for advertising, the Serbian-language media do not. The situation is very critical, especially after the withdrawal of USAID funds and the changes in global politics that have occurred. This is an extremely difficult moment for the media in general, and especially for the media in Kosovo, especially for those in the Serbian language," Zejnullahu pointed out.

As a possible solution, media expert Ilir Gashi believes that it was necessary to group local media to jointly overcome the crisis.

"In the conditions of growing polarization and increasing economic and political pressures, professional media, and especially smaller media-local media, can survive only through stronger cooperation and connection. Together they have a much better chance of fighting for long-term sustainability and protection from those pressures. In the end, we should not lose sight of the fact that strengthening independent media is not only a matter of their survival, but also of preserving the citizens' right to relevant information. We are talking about the survival of the community and society as such," Gashi told Radio Gorazdevac.

Despite the challenges, local media in Kosovo continue to look for funding alternatives, including international projects and potential partnerships. However, without a long-term and sustainable solution, their survival remains uncertain, which could significantly weaken citizens' information and the democratization of society.

Thousands attend “Protest for Generalstab” (N1)

Thousands of students and citizens assembled outside the former General Staff building (Generalstab in Serbian) in downtown Belgrade on Monday to commemorate the anniversary of the NATO bombing of the former Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and protest the government’s treatment of the historic structure, reported N1.

The former General Staff building, which served as the headquarters of the Yugoslav People’s Army, was constructed between 1953 and 1964 and designed by renowned architect Nikola Dobrovic. Largely destroyed during the 1999 NATO bombing, the building was declared a cultural landmark in 2005. However, this status was revoked in November 2024, with plans to allow Jared Kushner, the current US President’s son-in-law, to build a hotel on the site.

On Monday, a group of citizens and students marched from the Ministry of Culture to the Constitutional Court, where they submitted a petition challenging the constitutionality of the decision to revoke the General Staff building’s protected cultural monument status.

“We expect a positive outcome. What happened to the General Staff building is a disgrace and a disrespect to the victims, our people, and everything we stand for. We are determined to fight for our history, and in doing so, for our future,” a student told N1.

Another group began their march from the Chamber of Engineers, and both groups converged in front of the General Staff building at 3 pm. At the gathering, attendees signed a public initiative to be presented to the Serbian Parliament, calling for the restoration of the building’s protected cultural monument status. Several speeches were delivered, emphasizing that the treatment of the General Staff building sets a dangerous precedent that could threaten other cultural heritage sites in the country.

“The General Staff building stands as the last bastion and symbol of the NATO bombing. Today, they want to take that away from us too, and we won’t allow it,” a student said, reminding all those present of the consequences of the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia. The participants observed a moment of silence to honor the victims of the 1999 NATO bombing.

Concluding the protest, participants marched to Tasmajdan Park, where they laid flowers and wreaths at a monument dedicated to the children’s victims of the NATO aggression. They held another minute of silence for those who lost their lives during the bombing of the Serbian state TV (RTS) building.

Dragan Sutanovac officially new ambassador to the US (RTS)

By decrees of President Aleksandar Vucic, published in the Official Gazette, Dragan Sutanovac was appointed as ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary of the Republic of Serbia to the United States of America, and Jelena Milic was recalled from the post of ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary to Croatia.

Also, by decrees of the President of the Republic, which were signed on March 20, Ivo Vojvodic was appointed as ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary of Serbia to Slovenia, Milan Ravic to Bulgaria, and Davor Trkulja to Ethiopia.

These decrees shall enter into force on the day following their publication in the Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia.

International

Digital playground: Online parental guidance still not the norm in Kosovo (Balkan Insight)

The use of parental control apps is not widespread in Kosovo, meaning children risk being exposed to harmful content on social media, a BIRN survey found.

In early December, a 13-year-old girl leapt into the outstretched arms of his schoolmates in Istog/Istok, western Kosovo, in a rendition of the so-called ‘Superman Challenge’ that has gone viral on TikTok. Her mates were supposed to catch her and fling her back up into the air.

Something went wrong, however, and the child ended up with “head injuries and abdominal pain”, said the headmistress of his school, Mimoza Osmanaj-Kabashi, adding that “awareness measures” had since been implemented.