Albanian Language Media:

• Another failed attempt to constitute new Assembly (media)
• Krasniqi to Kurti: Change candidate, she will never get 61 votes (media)
• Osmani meets Prattipati, discuss importance of constituting institutions (media)
• Kurti: Journalists did not verify extent to which campaign promises could be fulfilled (Koha)
• Police arrest former Serb police commander suspected of war crimes (media)
• Nikaj: PDK won't send current Association draft statute to Court (media)
• Hargreaves: Truth and justice must prevail (media)
• KFOR welcomes Slovak Republic as a troop contributing country (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic in Tirana on May 15 and 16 at the 6th Summit of the European Political Community (Tanjug)
• Petkovic to meet Quint representatives today (media)
• Djuric: “Kurti consciously and brazenly defying EU and its efforts to stabilize WB” (media, social media)
• Kosovo police raided Regional Water Supply facility in Zubin Potok (Blic)
• US Embassy: Sudden and abrupt changes in status of institutions threaten  provision of vital services to citizens (Kosovo Online)
• German Embassy: KP actions further increase tensions, do not contribute to lifting of measures (Kosovo Online)
• Workers of Ibar Vodovod company gather in front of premise they worked in (Radio KIM, Kosovo Online)
• Mitrovica North municipality allocates previously taken premises to Kosovo MIA and one more to Post Office (KoSSev)
• Serbian Democracy Vice President on sexual harassment in Leposavic (social media)
• Students will visit Kosovo (KoSSev, Danas)
• Six major student protests planned across Serbia from May 17 to June 6 (N1)

International:

• On Balkan tour, European Council chief praises reformers, scolds backsliders (BIRN)
• ‘A lot to work on: Kosovo parents say kindergartens falling short (BIRN)

Albanian Language Media 

Another failed attempt to constitute new Assembly (media)

One of the leading stories in the media today is another failed attempt to constitute the new Assembly of Kosovo. For the eight time in a row, MPs refused to form a committee that would supervise a secret vote for the new Assembly Speaker. Radio Free Europe reports that the secret vote was proposed by the Vetevendosje Movement after their candidate for Assembly Speaker Albulena Haxhiu failed to get the required number of votes. Meanwhile, parties that were in opposition in the previous mandate, have asked the Constitutional Court to interpret the request for a secret vote and claimed that the request is anti-constitutional.

Krasniqi to Kurti: Change candidate, she will never get 61 votes (media)

Memli Krasniqi, leader of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), repeated his call for the Vetevendosje Movement to change its candidate for the speaker of the Assembly in order to resolve the political impasse. “This is a shameful series of institutional hostage-taking that the VV is carrying out, with the blocking not only of the constitution, but also of the creation of institutions according to the citizens' verdict. Exactly one month ago, we gathered here, and we are a month later, and many months after the elections, we are in the blockade that the party in power is keeping. This is excessive. Once again, I call on VV and MP Kurti to change the candidate who sometimes gets 55, sometimes 56, sometimes 53 votes, because she will not get 61. It is incomprehensible how a candidate can be more important than almost one million citizens who voted,” Krasniqi said after the 16^th failure to constitute the new Assembly.

Osmani meets Prattipati, discuss importance of constituting institutions (media)

Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani met today with the U.S. Embassy Charge d’Affaires Anu Prattipati and discussed the importance of constituting the institutions as soon as possible and the consequences that Kosovo is faced with as a result of the delay. “They also discussed concrete topics of bilateral cooperation between the Republic of Kosovo and the United States of America which among other topics include diplomacy and defense,” a press release issued by Osmani’s office notes.

Kurti: Journalists did not verify extent to which campaign promises could be fulfilled (Koha)

Kosovo’s Acting Prime Minister Albin Kurti met with the head of the European Union Election Observation Mission in Kosovo 2025, Nathalie Loiseau. He raised several issues related to the electoral process. “During the discussion, he raised several important issues related to the electoral process, including: the lack of verification by professional investigative journalists of the feasibility of the promises made during the election campaign by representatives of political parties, especially by candidates for prime minister, which risk undermining citizens’ trust and harming democracy; the financing of political parties’ election campaigns, stressing the need for full transparency of funding sources and contributions received during the campaign; and the prolonging of the vote count,” the statement of the Office of the Prime Minister reads.

Loiseau, on the other hand, handed Kurti the final report of the mission on the elections held on February 9, 2025.

Kurti also spoke about external interference in the electoral process. He mentioned “the spread of disinformation by Russian media outlets based in Serbia, such as "RT Balkans" and "Sputnik Srbija", which, he said, have distributed over 60 articles aimed at manipulating the Serbian community in Kosovo,” informed the communique. "These disinformation efforts pose a serious threat to the integrity of the elections and the democratic stability of the country," Kurti said.

Police arrest former Serb police commander suspected of war crimes (media)

Most news websites report that the Kosovo Police today arrested a Serb suspected of committing war crimes against civilians in the municipality of Zvecan in 1998/99. 

The Special Prosecution of Kosovo said the suspect was arrested on Wednesday morning after several months of investigations between the prosecution and war crimes investigators. The prosecution said that the person is suspected in the capacity of commander of the police unit in the region of Zvecan, to have taken part in the expulsion, robbing, torture, and beating of Albanian civilians in the region of Zvecan. “It is suspected that during April 1999, the suspect, M.D, together with Serbian forces organized in structured formations, including the Yugoslav Army and Serbian Police, took part in an operation in the village of Zhazhe, where seven civilians were killed. The bodies of the Albanian victims were found after the war in the cemetery of the village of Suhodoll,” the statement notes.

Nikaj: PDK wont send current Association draft statute to Court (media)

Secretary for foreign relations of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), Bernard Nikaj, said that if this party leads the new government, it will not send the current draft statute of the Association of Serb-majority municipalities for interpretation to the Constitutional Court of Kosovo. In an interview with KTV, he said that the PDK, with the help of Kosovo’s allies, will prepare another draft that will be in compliance with the Constitution of Kosovo. “We will not send the current draft to the Constitutional Court, and there are ways to turn this draft into a draft which in our opinion does not violate the Constitution,” he argued.

Hargreaves: Truth and justice must prevail (media)

UK Ambassador to Kosovo, Jonathan Hargreaves, said in a Facebook post on Wednesday that he was pleased to welcome Ekaterina Trendafilova, President of the Kosovo Specialist Chambers, to the British Embassy. “In establishing this court in 2016, Kosovo demonstrated its commitment to determine the truth and provide justice for all victims. Just as the UK supported Kosovo in 1999, we continue to support the rule of law in Kosovo and the independence of the Specialist Chambers as an integral part of its legal system. We recognise the sensitivity of the court’s mandate, but its ability to communicate with the people of Kosovo should not be impeded. Truth and justice must prevail,” Hargreaves said.

KFOR welcomes Slovak Republic as a troop contributing country (media)

A flag raising ceremony was held on Wednesday at the Headquarters of the NATO-led KFOR mission, in Camp Film City, Pristina, to welcome the Slovak Republic as a troop contributing country, KFOR said in a Facebook post. 

“KFOR consists now of over 4700 troops from 33 troop contributing countries, six of which joined KFOR in the last year and a half, including France and Portugal - in January and September 2024 respectively - and Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands last month. KFOR’s Commander, Major General Enrico Barduani, presided over the ceremony. He welcomed Slovakia’s personnel and highlighted that this new addition is another, tangible demonstration of the Atlantic Alliance’s steadfast commitment to lasting security in Kosovo and regional stability,” the post notes.

Serbian Language Media

Vucic in Tirana on May 15 and 16 at the 6th Summit of the European Political Community (Tanjug)

The President of the Republic of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, will be in Tirana today and tomorrow, May 15 and 16, where he will participate in the 6th summit of the European Political Community, where they will discuss the improvement of political dialogue and cooperation with the aim of strengthening security and stability on the European continent, announced the Service for Cooperation with the Media of the President of the Republic.

During the Summit in the capital of the Republic of Albania, President Vucic will participate in a round table on the topic of preserving European security and strengthening democratic stability.

A series of bilateral meetings between President Vucic and European officials are planned, including Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Keir Starmer, Federal Chancellor of the Republic of Austria Christian Stocker and Secretary General of the Council of Europe Alain Berset.

Petkovic to meet Quint representatives today (media)

Office for Kosovo and Metohija Director Petar Petkovic will meet today with ambassadors of Quint states at the Palace of Serbia in Belgrade, his office said in a statement, Kosovo Online portal reported. The latest unilateral actions of Pristina will be the topic of the meeting. 

The portal recalled that today Kosovo police raided Regional Water Supply facility in Zubin Potok, while over the previous days Kosovo police raided Ibar Vodovod Company in Mitrovica North, same as Youth, Sports and Specialized Services facility, hosting also Cultural Artistic Association Kosovski Bozur and Kosovo and Metohija Sports Association, all functioning within the Serbian system.

Djuric: “Kurti consciously and brazenly defying EU and its efforts to stabilize WB” (media, social media)

Serbian Foreign Minister Marko Djuric in his reaction to latest raid of Kosovo police at the Regional Water Supply premises in Zubin Potok, functioning within Serbian system, said Albin Kurti’s response to the invitation of CoE President Antonio Costa for de-escalation is in fact a continuation of escalation.

“Just one day after the @EUCouncil President, António Costa @eucopresident, expressed his expectation that Pristina would engage in the normalization of relations with Belgrade through constructive dialogue and voiced hope that the unilateral actions of Kurti’s regime in the north of #KosovoandMetohija would not become a pattern, we are witnessing yet another troubling attack on regional stability.

Today, representatives of the Provisional Institutions in Pristina entered the premises of the Regional Waterworks in the predominantly #Serb municipality of #ZubinPotok, thereby jeopardizing the functioning of a vital communal system upon which the lives of #Serbs in northern Kosovo and Metohija literally depend.

Kurti’s response to President Costa’s call for de-escalation is, therefore, a continued escalation. It is now entirely clear that this represents a deliberate and brazen act of defiance toward the #EuropeanUnion and its efforts to stabilize the situation in the #WesternBalkans.

I once again emphasize that the only way to prevent the systematic violation of the basic human rights of Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija is the urgent establishment of the Community of Serb Municipalities — an obligation Pristina committed to twelve years ago.

Instead of fulfilling the obligations, Kurti is attacking Serbian communal infrastructure in northern Kosovo and Metohija, even though it was agreed that these systems would fall under the direct jurisdiction of the Community of Serb Municipalities”, Djuric said in a post on X social platform.

Kosovo police raided Regional Water Supply facility in Zubin Potok (Blic)

Several members of Kosovo police raided the Regional Waterworks facility in Zubin Potok this morning, reported Blic. 

The search of the building was underway, and members of the Kosovo police were both in the building and in front of it. The workers and the director are in the facility. 

The water supply of the residents of Zubin Potok, North Mitrovica and Zvecan depends on the operation of this regional water supply system.

US Embassy: Sudden and abrupt changes in status of institutions threaten provision of vital services to citizens (Kosovo Online)

Sudden and abrupt changes in the status of institutions threaten the provision of vital services to the citizens of Kosovo, stated the spokesperson of the US Embassy in Pristina for Kosovo Online regarding the actions of the KP during the previous two days in North Mitrovica and Zubin Potok.

According to Kosovo Online, the written response of the spokesperson of the US Embassy in Pristina states the following.

"Security and stability in Kosovo are crucial for the country and the region. It is the responsibility of the Government of Kosovo to ensure that all its citizens can live peacefully and that their needs are met. Sudden and abrupt changes in the status of institutions threaten the provision of vital services to the citizens of Kosovo. The Government of Kosovo should discuss how the status of these institutions will be resolved in a coordinated manner through established channels, such as the dialogue led by the EU," the response stated.

German Embassy: KP actions further increase tensions, do not contribute to lifting of measures (Kosovo Online)

In a response to Kosovo Online, the German Embassy in Pristina said they are concerned about the recent actions of the Kosovo police in North Mitrovica. The Embassy emphasized that such police operations risk further deepening local tensions and undermine efforts to build trust among affected citizens.

“As emphasized yesterday by Antonio Costa, President of the European Council, the lifting of measures is linked to de-escalation in the north. At this crucial moment, actions that further raise tensions are counterproductive and do not contribute to the lifting of measures”, the German Embassy wrote in its response to the portal.

The Embassy further said it has taken note of recent Kosovo police operations targeting institutions supported by Serbia in North Mitrovica. They noted that they are closely monitoring the situation and gathering additional information, while reiterating they have repeatedly emphasized that the sudden closure of these institutions negatively impacts the daily lives of Kosovo Serbs and other non-majority communities.

In its response to Kosovo Online, the German Embassy highlighted that while official statements claim the operations were carried out without incidents, other reports point to a tense situation on the ground. “In coordination with our partners, we have repeatedly emphasized that the sudden closure of these institutions negatively affects the daily life of Kosovo Serbs and other non-majority communities. We believe it is necessary to adopt an inclusive approach that not only involves all affected communities but also ensures the establishment of sustainable alternative structures that serve the interests of all”, the response said, according to the portal.

Workers of Ibar Vodovod company gather in front of premise they worked in (Radio KIM, Kosovo Online)

Workers of the public utility company Ibar Vodovod, functioning in the Serbian system and closed yesterday by Kosovo police gathered this morning in front of the building in Mitrovica North, where they worked until yesterday, Radio KIM reported. The building was taken over by the Kosovo Regional Water Directorate from Mitrovica South.

Workers of Ibar Vodovod were ordered yesterday to vacate the premises and take their personal belongings with them. Serbian List, Serbian Democracy and Office for Kosovo and Metohija condemned this act by Pristina authorities and demanded reaction from the international community. Today, Kosovo police also closed the Regional Water Supply facility in Zubin Potok.

Ibar Vodovod Director Zoran Vucinic told Kosovo Online all the workers wish to return to their working places. He added they gathered in front of the building where they worked aiming to send a message that they only want to work there. He explained that yesterday Kosovo police gave only three minutes to the staff to collect personal belongings and vacate the building. He said the Serbian state will continue providing salaries for all those affected, but that they want to work. He expressed doubts that Mitrovica South Water company has capabilities to carry out necessary works in the north, underlining that the company he was heading was providing services to all those needing them, without any distinction.  

Mitrovica North municipality allocates previously taken premises to Kosovo MIA and one more to Post Office (KoSSev)

Mitrovica North Municipal Assembly has decided to allocate to the Kosovo Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) facilities previously used by two directorates functioning in the Serbian system. These two directorates were closed last year. 

Decision to allocate those facilities was made during yesterday’s extraordinary municipal assembly session.

Facilities allocated to the Ministry of Interior are located in Kolasinska Street and were used by the Directorate for Construction and Roads, and Public Utility Company.

MIA filed a request for this facility last Thursday, and this request was handed over to the councilors ahead of the municipal assembly session by mayor Erden Atiq. He was not present during the session yesterday and it was not explained what purposes the Kosovo Ministry of Internal Affairs will use this premise for.

In a session yesterday, the councilors also discussed an agenda item to allocate premises to the Kosovo Post Office. As it was said Kosovo Post Office is currently leasing the premises at Mitrovica North promenade. And that is why councillors decided to allocate the new facility to the Post office.

Details about this decision were lacking too. It was not clearly said where the Post Office will be relocated to, while the officials of the municipal assembly said the facility is located in Ivo Lola Ribar Street.

In a follow-up clarification to KoSSev, chair of the municipal assembly Nedzad Ugljanin said a mistake was made in a session, and the premise is not located in Ivo Lola Ribar Street. He however, did not disclose the exact location, only saying that the premise will be located not far from the Medical School in this city. Ugljanin also told the portal he will inform them at a later stage what concrete building it will be. 

Serbian Democracy Vice President on sexual harassment in Leposavic (social media)

Serbian Democracy Vice President Vladimir Radosavljevic in a post on his Facebook account spoke about latest cases of sexual harassment in Leposavic.  

“After frequent cases in North Mitrovica, last night the first incidents were recorded in Leposavic. The girls reported that unknown men in two vehicles followed them, honked their horns and behaved in a disturbing manner. Several men in two vehicles (a green Punto and a black Golf) with Kosovo 02 plates circled around them and the situation was very unpleasant and frightening.

Later, one of the girls’ friends stated that a similar situation had happened to her a few days ago, around 2 pm - two men were sitting in a parked vehicle and gesturing for her to get in the car. In both cases, the girls stated that the individuals spoke a language that was “certainly not Serbian”. We strongly condemn this behaviour towards our girls and ask the police to arrest the perpetrators!

We call on all girls and women to try to remember or take pictures of the license plates, immediately inform family or friends, and be sure to report the case to the police. You can call me and the neighborhood watch at any time of the day or night if you need help. We also ask everyone who has had similar experiences to contact us - we will work to ensure that every case is recorded and forwarded to the competent institutions. The safety of our daughters, sisters, mothers and all women and girls must be an absolute priority!”, Radosavljevic wrote in a post. 

Students will visit Kosovo (KoSSev, Danas)  

Students of the University of Pristina, relocated in North Mitrovica, who are organizing the 16 minutes of silence, announced the new arrival of their colleagues from central Serbia, reported KoSSev. 

"From May 28 to June 1, students from other parts of Serbia will visit Kosovo and Metohija," they announced on their Instagram account.

They emphasize that they need donations in the form of food, money and accommodation in North Mitrovica.

The students of the University of Pristina, who support their colleagues in the blockade of the University throughout Serbia, did not provide any other details about the visit itself and the planned activities.

A month ago, the guests of these students were their colleagues from the Faculty of Philosophy, University of Belgrade. They came to get to know each other, established cooperation and provided support to the students of the University of Pristina.

They visited the shrines of the Serbian Orthodox Church throughout Kosovo but also participated in the then 13th "16 minutes of silence" rally for the victims of the fall of the concrete canopy in Novi Sad, which was held on April 15 in North Mitrovica. Right after this meeting, they described  their impressions to KoSSev as "phenomenal".

"We are definitely not coming back from here as the same people. Now we actually got to know our country, since this is the first time for most of us to be in Kosovo," said one of them.

In a subsequent post, the students of the Faculty of Philosophy in Belgrade stated that they see the visit itself as "one step on a long journey that we all must continue together - the journey towards the preservation of our roots, country and people".

Six major student protests planned across Serbia from May 17 to June 6 (N1)

Serbian student protesters have announced six major protests to take place across Serbia from May 17 to June 6, N1 reported.

A protest titled “Let the Tisza Bloom, Not Corruption” is set for May 17 in the northern city of Subotica, bringing together students and people. Organizers have invited people from other cities to join the protest march to Subotica. Students from the Faculty of Technical Sciences (FTN) in Cacak, along with the city’s high school seniors who have been blocking classes for the past six months, are calling on locals to join them for a protest called “Last Train to Cacak” on Tuesday, May 20.

In the city of Zajecar, an informal group of students and youths called “Zajecar in Blockade” is organizing a protest for Saturday, May 24. “Zajecar chooses freedom on May 24! Join the big protest and be part of the change”, the students declared. Students from the Novi Sad Faculty of Technical Sciences in Novi Sad have invited citizens to a protest in Sabac on May 31, with the rallying cry, “Come, let’s Make Some Noise Together”.

Marking seven months since the Novi Sad train station tragedy that claimed 16 lives, students from Pozarevac have scheduled a major protest in their city for June 1 “We are organizing this protest in Pozarevac as we reach seven months since the tragedy in Novi Sad - seven months since 16 people lost their lives, seven months since the system showed its true face.” It was also announced on social media that a protest of students and people will be held in the town of Lazarevac on June 6.

International

On Balkan tour, European Council chief praises reformers, scolds backsliders (BIRN)

Speaking in Montenegro’s capital Podgorica on Wednesday, European Council president Antonio Costa insisted that the EU remains committed to enlargement in the Western Balkans, but called for deeper reforms and closer alignment to the bloc’s policies among the region’s sometimes politically wayward states.

Costa said that “enlargement is the most important geopolitical investment in the stability, peace and prosperity in the Western Balkans, and the whole of Europe”.

He singled out Montenegro for praise, saying that the country is “one of the finest examples of the EU’s positive enlargement momentum”.

He added that Montenegro “isn’t only delivering reforms, but maintaining full alignment to the common foreign and security policy”.

The European Council chief was in the Serbian capital Belgrade on Tuesday, where he criticised President Aleksandar Vucic for travelling to Moscow to attend Vladimir Putin’s World War II Victory Day parade in Red Square. Vucic’s trip, praised by Putin, was condemned by several European leaders.

Costa said that “we cannot celebrate the [World War II] liberation 80 years ago and don’t condemn an invasion of another country today”, referring to Russia’s war against Ukraine, the Associated Press reported.

Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/4c598vbw

‘A lot to work on: Kosovo parents say kindergartens falling short (BIRN)

Kosovo has too few nurseries, while those that are operating struggle with space, resources, staffing and allegations of mistreatment.

In January 2025, a nursery teacher in Kosovo was fined 1,300 euros for slapping a six-year-old child across the face as punishment for banging on the windows of the nursery despite being told not to.

It was the latest case involving allegations of mistreatment in Kosovo’s nurseries.

In another, Meriton Bedra, from Gjakova/Djakovica in the west of Kosovo, said he was threatened when he complained about a nursery teacher hitting his son after he asked for more water.

“They threatened to expel my son,” Bedra told BIRN; he accused the staff at the public nursery of saying he wouldn’t be allowed to register his other child if he pursued the complaint against the teacher.

“It was eight years ago but I can’t forget it because the teacher wasn’t fired,” he said.

Bedra eventually transferred his son to a private nursery, but the child also never forgot the incident.

“Every time we had to pass the kindergarten to go home… my son would cry and scream, asking me not to send him back there,” Bedra said.

Read more at: https://shorturl.at/5Ia9U