UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, May 28, 2025

Albanian Language Media:

EU calls for formation of government: We need a partner (Koha)
Guerot: Association would change the mood in Paris (Klan)
Rohde: Institutions should form urgently, politicians should put the state before the parties (Koha)
Boven calls for swift formation of new government (media)
PDK demands investigation into allegations of abuse in energy sector (media)
Peci: The Epilogue of this process will be revealed (media)
Trendafilova criticizes protest of war veterans (Nacionale)

Serbian Language Media:

Protest in Leposavic over takeover of Sports Hall (KoSSev, media)
Office for KiM, Serbian Democracy on protest in Leposavic (social media)
Ombudsperson opens proceeding into case at Mitrovica North promenade (Alternativna)
Trendafilova: No one can pressure Court; demonstrations showed why proceedings are held outside Kosovo (Kosovo Online)
Kosovo authorities call on women to report any form of sexual harassment - Pristina acknowledged problem, Serbs still reserved (Danas)
Vucic awards Order of Serbian Flag, 1st class to US Congresswoman Tenney (Tanjug)
Vucic met Botsan - Kharchenko on bilateral cooperation, including energy arrangements (Blic, Tanjug, media)
Brnabic: Serbia must make up for losses from blockades, elections unnecessary (N1)

International:

Prosecution raids Ministry of Agriculture following BIRN’s investigation of dubious animal by-product processing factory (PI)

Humanitarian:

Meliza Krasniqi: An answer to the question “Don’t women write?” (Kosovo 2.0)

Albanian Language Media

EU calls for formation of government: We need a partner (Koha)

EU Ambassador to Kosovo, Aivo Orav, called today for the formation of the new government saying that the EU needs a partner in Kosovo. “What we expect more from Kosovo is, first, to have a partner. Yes, we have a partner – the President – but we need the executive government too. We need a partner with whom we can discuss the next steps and how to move closer to the European Union. We hope that the new government will be formed as soon as possible,” he said.

Orav said that the position of the EU about developments in the north of Kosovo is clear. He said that the lifting of measures against Kosovo has begun but also that close cooperation is needed to move forward. “The closing of institutions in the north. Again, the European Union has made clear its position – privately, officially and publicly. The measures against Kosovo. EU High Representative Kaja Kallas was here only several days ago, and she said that the gradual lifting of measures against Kosovo has begun. But to move forward, we clearly need much better and closer cooperation with the authorities here,” he said.

Orav also talked about the Association of Serb-majority municipalities saying that it is a topic that needs to be treated seriously and without delay. “A topic that everyone talks but which is not so preferred to be mentioned by the politicians here in Kosovo, is the Association of Serb-majority municipalities. But the position of the EU is again clear: it needs to be done. It needs to be done, and it is better to do it sooner or later, in order to move forward. My message is that we in the EU are ready to move forward and we very much hope that Kosovo will do the same,” he said.

Guerot: Association would change the mood in Paris (Klan)

French Ambassador to Kosovo, Olivier Guerot, said today that the Association of Serb-majority municipalities would not be another Republika Srpska and that it would be under the Constitution of Kosovo. “It is not another Republika Srpska, not at all. Read the Dayton Agreement again. We are marking the 30th anniversary of Dayton. You can read what Republika Srpska is and compare it with the statute [of the Association of Serb-majority municipalities]. There are no similarities. There is no police for the Association. There is no legislative function for the Association. The Association will be under the Constitution, not part of the Constitution as is the case with Republika Srpska,” he argued.

Guerot also said that forming the Association would change the mood in Paris. “Another point: ok, let’s say that Kosovo deals with this seriously and sends the statute [of the Association] to the [Constitutional] Court and the implementation begins. Will this change anything? Yes, I am taking a personal risk here, but yes: it would very much change the mood in my capital city. And in doing so Kosovo can return to a much better situation in terms of its reputation,” he said.

Rohde: Institutions should form urgently, politicians should put state before the parties (Koha)

The German Ambassador to Kosovo Jorn Rohde said that Kosovo should urgently form the institutions and that “politicians should put the state first”. After the failure to constitute the Assembly for the 22^nd time, Rohde said that the stalemate is having a negative impact on Kosovo’s perception from abroad. "But it is not my job to do the work of politicians, I can only observe, but I can tell you for sure that it does not have a positive impact on the image of Kosovo abroad. If you do not have a functional institution, it is difficult to do your homework, because you do not have the power of attorney to make difficult decisions, which are needed now. Regardless of whether it is the money from the EU Growth Plan, which is pending because the Kosovo Assembly is not functional, so you cannot ratify the agreement," said Rohde.

He noted that the stalemate at the Assembly comes due to the lack of compromise among the political parties, mentioning further his own country and recent difficult elections there, “but the people compromised because they put the state first.”

Boven calls for swift formation of new government (media)

Dutch Ambassador to Kosovo, Karin Boven, called today for the swift formation of the new government of Kosovo, saying that commitment to European integration cannot be materialized without an executive government. “High Representative Kallas brought good news last week about the start of the gradual lifting of EU measures as has been requested by all institutions and political parties in Kosovo. And as the EU we now need to see more actions that contribute to further approximation with European values and standards. Allow me to also mention the European Growth Plan, which is a major opportunity for Kosovo’s gradual integration in the EU, an opportunity that awaits concrete actions from Kosovo. Kosovo has no time to lose. On this point, the main advantage is the formation of the government and the immediate start of its work,” Boven said.

PDK demands investigation into allegations of abuse in energy sector (media)

The Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) has demanded an investigation by the prosecution into the electricity issue. In a press conference on Wednesday, the party’s MP Abelard Tahiri said that abuses are being committed in this area. He said that in Kosovo, the cost of transmission per megawatt alone has increased from two euros to 798 euros. According to him, this has been confirmed by the publication of official reports on the sale and purchase during the past year. According to him, this has caused the budget damage of over one million euros in just six hours.

"This is a clear example of unprecedented abuse. Millions of euros have ended up in the pockets of companies linked to this government," he said. "Faced with these facts, the relevant institutions... have been unjustifiably silent. In the end, the citizens of the Republic of Kosovo are paying the consequences," Tahiri said at the press conference.

Peci: The Epilogue of this process will be revealed (media)

Acting Minister of Agriculture Faton Peci has addressed the people of Kosovo after being interviewed regarding a tender on functionalizing facilities for the destruction of animal products. “I am grateful for the expression of concern and for the solidarity shown yesterday, during my interview by law enforcement and justice authorities. I especially address the 133,987 citizens who gave me the most precious thing: trust! I am convinced that the epilogue of this process will be made to you, as it is for around 30 thousand farmers, who benefit from subsidies and grants annually and who are at the same time the most focused witnesses in each corner of Kosovo. They know the best in function of whom I have commenced my official duty. Each letter, each word, both in writing and said, is approachable for anyone interested. Kosovo, as a blessed country, has a remarkable population, and above the sky of this land and these people, there is a God,” Peci wrote.

Trendafilova criticizes protest of war veterans (Nacionale)

The President of the Specialist Chambers, Ekaterina Trendafilova, commented on the recent visit to Kosovo and the protest by KLA war veterans. “The protests organized by war veterans in Kosovo showed how difficult it would be to guarantee safe and stable trials, the peaceful and undisturbed development of judicial proceedings, if the proceedings were to take place in Kosovo. Likewise, it is extremely important to know how much importance the Court attaches to the protection of witnesses and victims,” Trendafilova is quoted as saying.

Serbian Language Media

Protest in Leposavic over takeover of Sports Hall (KoSSev, media)

A protest started today at 10.00 in front of the Sports Hall in Leposavic, taken over by municipal authorities who also changed the locks on the entrance, KoSSev portal reported.

Representatives of the local sports clubs who used this facility for training with the children gathered in front of it. They were joined by local residents supporting the protest, aiming to express dissatisfaction over the closure of the sports hall thus depriving Serbian children of the right to do sports. Children, including junior categories, their coaches and parents were also present. They blew the whistles and booed expressing their discontent. After the protest ended, those who used to work in this sports facility remained in front of it.

The director of the Sports Hall, Marko Radosavljevic asked a police officer whether appointments are made at the Municipality or with the officers currently in the hall and noted that children do not have answers today. “Appointments are confirmed on a daily basis. Children do not have answers today, they are asking us for them”, Radosavljevic noted.

Vladimir Lešević, an employee of the Sports Hall, told TV Most police did not allow them to come to their workplaces today, without any decision or signed document. He noted they will continue coming to their workplaces every day, however, they do not know whether they will be able to enter the hall, because police, as he noted, should protect all people, and not prohibit them from entering the building without any signed documents.

Worker Julijana Simic also emphasized she will come to the hall every day until they are allowed to come to their workplaces. “We provide for our children with this job. Yesterday we were told to continue coming to work, and today we are forbidden. We do not know what to do. Many children train here. We have always met with clubs and coaches. Many of us have been working here for 20 years. They allowed me to take my personal belongings. I will come here every morning, as if I was coming to work, if necessary for the next three months”, she said.

Office for KiM, Serbian Democracy on protest in Leposavic (social media)

Office for Kosovo and Metohija Director Petar Petkovic in a post on X social platform shared the photos from today’s protest in Leposavic over the takeover of the Sports Hall along with the following message:

“Are Serbian children in Kosovo and Metohija asking for too much? Just to train, to have a childhood like all other children… Because of Albin Kurti’s actions, they are growing up under the long-barrelled guns and threats of the Kosovo police! Today’s scene in Leposavic should be seen by the entire international community!”, Petkovic wrote in a post.

Vladimir Radosavljevic, Serbian Democracy head of the municipal board in Leposavic in a post on his Facebook account said that “today, the police banned children and workers from entering the sports hall in Leposavic. Without any decision and without explanation. They are preventing children from playing sports! Over 20 sports schools, numerous clubs, recreational facilities and one faculty - all were denied access today. This is a direct attack on the right of our children to play sports, train and live like all normal children around the world.

Our children deserve better - we will fight for them until the end!”, Radosavljevic said in a post.

Ombudsperson opens proceeding into case at Mitrovica North promenade (Alternativna)

The Ombudsperson Institution has opened the case into the conduct of Kosovo police against a secondary school graduate during prom celebration at Mitrovica North promenade, the Ombudsman Office confirmed to Alternativna portal.

The portal also referred to Kosovo police's comment that reaction against the high school graduate came because, as they said, provocations directed by the young man to Albanians sitting in nearby cafes. The portal asked if, in line with this police explanation, there should have been the same reaction against the Albanian man showing with his hands the symbol of the double-headed eagle? Or do they think it was enough to prevent major incidents from happening in some other way?

"At this stage, we will not engage in police comments. Any use of force must be in accordance with the law. When no act poses a threat to the lives of citizens, there can be no reason for the use of force", - the Ombudsman Institution said.

The portal also touched upon a press conference held by Kosovo police director general Gazmend Hoxha during which photos of a young graduate were shown, including those where he was partially undressed, with blurred eyes and part of the body. The portal asked if it is in line with the law and human rights conventions that police display in a press conference such photos of a young man, who are now widely circulated in the media?

“Each publication of personal data or identity without prior permission of the person involved represents violation of the rights and privacy of each citizen”, the response from Ombudsperson read.

Trendafilova: No one can pressure Court; demonstrations showed why proceedings are held outside Kosovo (Kosovo Online)

The last time she was in Pristina, Ekaterina Trendafilova was met by former KLA members, which led to her scheduled address being cancelled for security reasons, following recommendation of Kosovo police. Trendafilova who is the President Kosovo Specialist Chambers in The Hague told the interview with Kosovo Online she will certainly return to Kosovo, adding demonstrations in question clearly showed why Pristina and Brussels agreed that proceedings should be conducted outside Kosovo.

Trendafilova also emphasized that no one can exert pressure on the Court. As for the letters that former KLA members sent to Richard Grenell and the EU Commissioner demanding the Court's dissolution, she said:

"I have no comment on the correspondence of the KLA War Veterans. The Specialist Chambers is fully focused on implementing its mandate of ensuring fair, impartial, and secure trials, independently of any political commentary or development", she said.

Read the full interview at: https://shorturl.at/omNcq

Kosovo authorities call on women to report any form of sexual harassment - Pristina acknowledged problem, Serbs still reserved (Danas)

Danas interlocutors agree that Pristina, which previously denied, has now acknowledged the problem of sexual harassment of Serbian women in northern Kosovo with the visit of Kosovo Justice Minister in technical mandate Albulena Haxhia to North Mitrovica and introduction of special patrols by Kosovo police. They noted it was crucial that potential predators know that they would face legal consequences for their actions, which has not been the case so far.

Haxhiu during her visit to North Mitrovica at the headquarters of the Kosovo police for the region North, held a meeting with the leaders of this institution, as well as with court and the prosecution representatives on the issue of sexual harassment. This problem was pointed out to the public by five relevant Serbian NGOs from north of Kosovo months ago.

Haxhiu called on women to report any form of sexual harassment. "Any form of sexual harassment is unacceptable, whether it happens on the street, at work or at school. Sexual harassment is a criminal offense and is punishable", Haxhiu said in an interview with KoSSev in front of the North Region KP headquarters after the meeting. Among other things, she said that all initiatives related to this topic were undertaken by the Ministry of Justice in cooperation with civil society organizations from the north of Kosovo.

However, this was followed by the denial of five relevant NGOs from the north of Kosovo that they were part of the meetings with the ministry.

After the meeting with Haxhiu, the deputy commander of the North Kosovo police, Veton Elshani, told KoSSev in the presence of the minister that a new operational plan regarding cases of sexual harassment had come into force.

Andric Rakic: I am reserved towards the plan of the ministry

Milica Andric Rakic, program director of the New Social Initiative, told Danas that Haxhiu’s visit and recognition of the problem was the result of a large number of reports, recordings, but also of self-organization within the community. Perhaps, above all, the latter because the joint announcement of the minister and the head of the police emphasized that with the introduction of patrols there was no longer a need for neighborhood watches.

Neighborhood Watch, an initiative of self-organization of the Serbian community in the north, was launched by the Serbian Democracy party.

This initiative, although at first met with a kind of approval from the local Kosovo police, has now come to the condemnation of the Kosovo police deputy commander for the region North, Veton Elshani.

Neighborhood watches were launched, as previously stated by Serbian Democracy, due to the non-reaction of the police, and the "watches" in question involve concerned citizens who film potential sexual predators and then alert the public about new cases.

"At the same time, with the help of the media and brave girls who started to report more such events, the topic persisted in public for almost a year, from August last year, and ended up in the regular report of UNMIK at the session of the UN Security Council, which created political, not only public pressure to solve the problem. As far as cooperation with the civil sector is concerned, I can only say that there were no meetings with organizations, which pointed this problem to international organizations, with the officials. So, meetings that the Minister Haxhiu spoke about were probably organized with some other organizations", noted Andric Rakic.

She recalled that the New Social Initiative previously cooperated with the Ministry of Justice, but in the process of drafting the National Strategy for Transitional Justice. She noted that the experience was very negative.

"I personally have no reason to criticize Haxhiu's statement in Mitrovica because she left no room for relativizing and denying this topic, but I have reservations about that plan precisely because it took a lot of time and external pressure for the problem to be accepted", she said.

When asked what she sees as a solution for preventing further sexual harassment, Andric Rakic replied it was very simple - correct treatment of girls who want to report the case, identification of suspects, initiation of the case and informing the public about the initiation of investigations, either by the police or by the prosecutor's office.

"It is necessary for the public to know that there will be consequences, victims and potential perpetrators must also be aware of it,” said the program director of the New Social Initiative.

Arsenijevic: The Neighborhood Watch hurt them, now they are repairing the damage

Aleksandar Arsenijevic, the president of the Serbian Democracy who initiated "Neighborhood Watch", told Danas that Haxhiu's visit happened because "many things pained them'', and they failed to mask this problem.

"In a short time, we raised this problem in the public eye, submitted a lot of evidence for sexual harassment that has been happening for a year and a while, but I look at it as repairing the damage. The problem is not only the police, but also the prosecutor's office, which did not want to initiate the cases. In two or three cases, they initiated only disturbance of public order and peace, and there is article 183 that threatens up to five years in prison for sexual harassment. It is not the same to play loud music in cars or blow the horn, and catcall women," he pointed out.

Arsenijevic noted that Pristina and part of the international community were constantly trying to show that sexual harassment was not ethnically motivated, which was not true.

As he said, they have ample evidence that the majority of Albanians who do this are not from North Mitrovica, but that they come to this municipality from distant majority-Albanian places, such as Srbica and Djakovica.

"I don't know with whom they have closed meetings, the relevant NGOs denied that they were at the meeting. As for the plan, the Neighborhood Watch, the whole system, pained them the most. We warned a lot, but nothing changed. We had cases of pressure on women in the police station not to report, they accused them of lying. In less than two weeks, as Neighborhood Watch, we have results, and we will continue until we see that the operational plan of the police produces results. Only then we will withdraw the Watch and to welcome the work of the police. That was to some extent the goal - to improve the work of the police," explained Arsenijevic.

Commenting on the change of opinion of the deputy commander of the KP for the North region, Elshani, about the Watch, Arsenijevic noted that this initiative was in accordance with the law, which Elshani himself did not hide before, but said probably the great pressure of the Albanian public influenced the change of opinion.

"We do not want to take over the work of the police, but there is a clear legal framework that we have presented to the police. The Neighborhood Watch have brought to light many other things, from a political point of view, they are certainly not comfortable with citizens doing their part of the job instead of the institutions," he believes.

As a solution to this problem, Arsenijevic believed that Pristina and the international community could solve it in a week - only if they wanted to.

"Belgrade does not have any influence on that. The solution is that those sexual predators, provocateurs, some of whom even curse young men's mothers and sisters, do not feel so comfortable that the police will physically jump for them, to defend them, as was the case with the high school graduation boy on the promenade," he stated, recalling the incident last week when a Kosovo policeman grabbed a Serbian high school graduate by the neck during the graduation celebration on the Mitrovica promenade because, as it was said, of his gesticulation towards a group of Albanians provocateurs.

Arsenijevic explained that this problem was raised last year, and then an informal women's association got involved.

"We didn't want to politicize it and then get hold of it by obscure tabloids that would exploit this sensitive topic in the wrong way. The main thing then was that it was a problem in such a small environment, because there was no time to publicly throw out the topic because it was not the situation like now - there is no house that has a female who had experienced it. Now the understanding of the community is much greater. The women's association did an excellent job, it even reached the UN," he concluded.

Vucic awards Order of Serbian Flag, 1st class to US Congresswoman Tenney (Tanjug)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic awarded the Order of the Serbian Flag, 1st class to US Congresswoman Claudia Tenney for notable merit in development and strengthening of cooperation and international relations between Serbia and the US, Tanjug news agency reported.

Earlier, Vucic held a meeting with Tenney, who co-chairs a Serbian caucus in the US Congress House of Representatives. The meeting took place at the Presidency of Serbia.

Vucic met Botsan - Kharchenko on bilateral cooperation, including energy arrangements (Blic, Tanjug, media)

The President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, met today with the Ambassador of Russia to Serbia, Aleksandr Botsan-Kharchenko, and the topic of the conversation was bilateral cooperation, including arrangements in the field of energy, reported Blic.

In a post on Instagram, Vucic stated that he had a very good meeting with Ambassador Botsan- Kharchenko.

- We discussed all the key issues of our bilateral cooperation, including extremely significant arrangements in the field of energy - Vucic pointed out.

The President stated that he is convinced that the cooperation between Serbia and the Russian Federation, regardless of numerous obstacles, will go on an upward trajectory.

Brnabic: Serbia must make up for losses from blockades, elections unnecessary (N1)

Serbian Parliament Speaker Ana Brnabic said Wednesday at this point Serbia has far more important things to focus on than elections, and that is economic development to make up for all the losses caused by blockades, Tanjug news agency reported.

“The majority in Serbia’s Parliament is absolutely stable, I would say more stable than ever since the elections. We have MP caucuses in the Parliament that are shrinking and falling apart, while our majority is completely stable”, Brnabic told Serbian public broadcaster RTS, noting that she is not involved with elections since everyone knows which institution is responsible for calling them, and that would be the president.

Protests and blockades of university faculties by students across the country have continued since the November 1 collapse of a concrete canopy at Novi Sad train station, which killed 16 people. The students are demanding accountability for the tragedy and early parliamentary elections.

International

Prosecution raids Ministry of Agriculture following BIRN’s investigation of dubious animal by-product processing factory (PI)

Police and prosecutors raided Kosovo’s Ministry of Agriculture and three other locations on Tuesday following a BIRN investigation on the construction of an animal by-product processing facility.

At the request of the Special Prosecutor’s Office and under a warrant issued by the competent court, Police conducted raids at the Ministry of Agriculture on Tuesday related to a Kallxo.com investigation about a questionable contract awarded by the Ministry for the construction of an animal by-product processing facility.

In a media statement, Prosecutor Admir Shala declared that the investigation is still in the information gathering stage.

“The Special Prosecutor’s Office has initiated an investigation regarding the leasing of the animal by-products processing factory. Raids are being conducted under a judge’s order and with the prosecutor’s authorisation, in cooperation with the Kosovo Police, to gather necessary information and clarify the case. The investigation is ongoing,” Shala said.

Prishtina Insight learned that acting Minister of Agriculture, Faton Peci, was questioned on Tuesday afternoon by police investigators as a suspect in the case.

A Kallxo.com investigation, aired on May 16, 2025, by Kallxo Përnime TV Programme, uncovered a web of irregularities linking government officials in Kosovo to questionable contracts and allegations of public funds misuse within the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Rural Development.