UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, May 6, 2025

Albanian Language Media:

Kurti: It is not easy to analyze the fear of the opposition (media)
Haziri: LDK will respond to Kurti tonight (Albanian Post)
29 threats and attacks against journalists and media in first four months (media)
Kosovo commemorates Agani on anniversary of murder by Serbian forces (media)
Kosovo’s Chamber of Commerce rings alarm over increased energy tariffs (EO)
Shala: Kurti govt is guaranteeing millions to power companies (Nacionale)
OSCE mission congratulates Kosovo Gorani community on their day (media)

Serbian Language Media:

Report of Terras before members of the EP: Dialogue has not yielded results; Kosovo should establish the A/CSM (Kosovo Online)
Insecurity, fear, trust: What do surveyed Serbs say about their life in Kosovo (RFE)
After Arsenijevic published video on incident in front of police station, PIK launched ex-officio investigation (Radio KIM)
Company "SrbijaSume" in Leposavic closed (KoSSev)
Brnabic, Dacic on students’ demand for snap parliamentary elections (Tanjug)
Serbian opposition parties, movement support students’ call for snap parliamentary elections (N1)

Opinion:

Bieber: Vucic called for extraordinary elections when they were not needed, now they are - more than ever (N1)

International:

Kosovo premier seeks to end deadlock with bid to form coalition (Bloomberg)
Trump chief of staff did not bar Vucic from Mar-a-Lago, Karoline Leavitt confirms (The Pavlovic Today)

Albanian Language Media

Kurti: It is not easy to analyze the fear of the opposition (media)

Kosovo’s acting Prime Minister and Vetevendosje leader, Albin Kurti, was asked by reporters in Gjilan today if he expects a positive response from the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) to his offer for a coalition government. “Those matters are in Pristina, we are here for housing,” he said after he laid the cornerstone of affordable and social housing in Gjilan.

When asked if the opposition fears that if the new Assembly is constituted then the new government too will be formed, Kurti said: “it is not easy to analyze the fear of the opposition, this is a job for the analysts. I am Prime Minister, let us move forward”.

Haziri: LDK will respond to Kurti tonight (Albanian Post)

Deputy leader of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) Lutfi Haziri told the news website that his party will respond to the letter of the leader of the Vetevendosje Movement Albin Kurti on coalition tonight. “Tonight, LDK should be ready to react wisely, as it always did. We neither rush nor delay. We have treated this matter seriously, and I assure you that LDK will not be late tonight,” Haziri said.

29 threats and attacks against journalists and media in first four months (media)

The Association of Journalists of Kosovo (AJK) said in a statement on Monday that in the first four months of this year they registered 29 cases of threats and attacks against journalists and media. “Statistics show that journalists continue to face serious challenges in doing their work. Journalists should be allowed to do their work in the public interest, unhindered and free. AJK remains committed to monitoring the situation and advocating for the safety of journalists,” the post notes.

Kosovo commemorates Agani on anniversary of murder by Serbian forces (media)

Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani commemorated today former academic political leader Fehmi Agani on the anniversary of his murder by Serbian forces in 1999. “He believed in the power of human values even at a time when the world kept silent about Serbia’s crimes in Kosovo. He was killed by the same Serbian genocidal machine which was afraid of his wisdom that encouraged hope. His memory and vision will remain a guideline for generations that believe that freedom and dignity must be protected at all costs,” Osmani said.

Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) leader Lumir Abdixhiku said Agani remains one the key figures of Kosovo’s peaceful resistance strategy “by becoming a voice of reason and wisdom even in the darkest days of our country”. “His murder was an attempt to strike against Kosovo’s political and intellectual nucleus … The legacy he left behind is an eternal roadmap to build a Kosovo with a better future, fair and dignified for the sacrifices of its best people,” he said.

Kosovo’s Chamber of Commerce rings alarm over increased energy tariffs (EO)

Chairman of Kosovo’s Chamber of Commerce, Lulzim Rafuna, expressed concern today about the impact that entering the free energy market and increased energy tariffs will have on local businesses. During a press conference held in Pristina, he suggested that the decision on both issues should be postponed for one year because, he argued, many businesses are going towards bankruptcy.

“Businesses have started getting the first offers [on the free energy market] and they are 200 percent higher than the energy prices they have received until now. Businesses will head toward bankruptcy as a result of energy tariffs, because they cannot function with the prices that are being offered by the licensed suppliers. We have raised our concerns with both the government and the Energy Regulatory Office, and we have asked to postpone the entering into the free energy market and to suspend the decision for a 16 percent increase of energy tariffs,” Rafuna said.

Shala: Kurti govt is guaranteeing millions to power companies (media)

MP from the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) Ferat Shala said in a press conference today that this party is concerned that energy tariffs have been increased for the third time during the Kurti-led government. He argued that the energy tariffs increase is selective and discriminatory. “We have a damaging reality, where instead of public control, there are guaranteed benefits for private companies KEDS, KESCO, NOA and GEN, while the ordinary citizens pay more and more every time. Instead of protecting the public interest, the government has become a lobbyist and supporter of corruption affairs. Today there are energy markets with ethnic bases in the territory of the Republic. Over 90 percent of the import of energy has been monopolized by GEN and NOA. Today we import energy at a price that is 100 percent higher than in international stock markets. Today, businesses that are expected to join the free market have received offers that are 225 percent higher than the current price of the stock market. Many businesses are closing and leaving Kosovo. Today we have a drastic decline of production in KEK [the Kosovo Power Corporation] as the entire policy of this corporation is to favor private companies that import energy,” Shala said.

Shala also called on the judiciary to thoroughly investigate every segment of the energy sector. “As soon as the new Assembly is constituted, we will use all mechanisms there to look into all actions and inactions in the management of the energy sector. The PDK will be a powerful voice in the defense of public interest,” he added.

OSCE mission congratulates Kosovo Gorani community on their day (media)

The OSCE Mission in Kosovo today congratulated the Kosovo Gorani community on their Day. “The Gorani community is a vital part of the cultural mosaic in Kosovo, enriching it with their unique language, customs, history, and traditions. Actively engaged in public life, the Gorani exercise their political rights and strive for a better future. Whether through representation in the Assembly of Kosovo, municipal governance, Government institutions, or other public platforms, Gorani leaders work to protect the interests and well-being of their community. We encourage Kosovo institutions to further support the Gorani community by promoting greater inclusion in decision-making processes and increasing representation in civil service, while also making additional efforts to improve economic opportunities and place particular emphasis on empowering Gorani women. Ensuring sustained access to quality education is also essential. In the Dragash/Dragaš municipality, many Gorani students encounter challenges due to inadequate school infrastructure and physical barriers that hinder their education. Furthermore, while most areas benefit from stable infrastructure, the mountainous rural regions of Dragash/Dragaš still face challenges regarding water and electricity distribution that need addressing. On this important day, the Mission recognizes the valuable contributions of the Gorani community and reaffirms its commitment to supporting their rights, development, and full inclusion in Kosovo society,” the OSCE mission said in a Facebook post.

Serbian Language Media

Report of Terras before members of the EP: Dialogue has not yielded results; Kosovo should establish the A/CSM (Kosovo Online)

The dialogue between Pristina and Belgrade, initiated to find a mutually acceptable compromise, has unfortunately not produced the expected results, notes the European Parliament’s rapporteur for Kosovo, Riho Terras, in the report that will be presented to Members of the European Parliament today, reported Kosovo Online in English last night. According to the portal, the document emphasized that the new European Commission, as well as the European Parliament and Member States, must do everything in their power to ensure the dialogue between Pristina and Belgrade continues with renewed energy. The appointment of a new EU Special Representative, Peter Sorensen, was described as a welcome development.

The report reiterates “the importance of constructive engagement by both Kosovo and Serbia to reach a comprehensive, legally binding agreement on normalization, based on mutual recognition and in accordance with international law”.

It calls on Kosovo and Serbia to implement the Brussels and Ohrid Agreements, including the establishment of the Community of Serb-Majority Municipalities (CSM), and for Serbia to cease opposing Kosovo’s membership in regional and international organizations. Both parties are urged to refrain from unilateral actions that could undermine the dialogue process.

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

Insecurity, fear, trust: What do surveyed Serbs say about their life in Kosovo (RFE)

Every year, NGO Aktiv publishes results of research on stances of the Serbian community in Kosovo, respectively their take on questions about living conditions, fears and expectations, Radio Free Europe (RFE) in Serbian reported.

Five years ago, almost half of the respondents from the Serbian community in Kosovo said they expected their lives to get worse in the coming years. The latest research showed this number has now increased even more. Also, almost a third of respondents - out of a total of 503, who were included in the last survey – noted they would leave Kosovo if they had a chance, while a fifth said they do not see their future in Kosovo at all.

“The data is devastating”, Miodrag Milicevic, executive director of the non-governmental organization Aktiv said during a presentation of the research in Pristina on April 30. More scepticism is observed among respondents from municipalities with a Serbian majority in the north, compared to those living in municipalities south of the Ibar River.

Aktiv, in its research on views of the Serbian community said great pressure from Kosovo Government has long-term “negative consequences on inter-ethnic relations and cooperation between communities”. “Instead of communication and cooperation, we have and will have insecurity and mistrust”, it added.

Serbs in Serb-majority municipalities in the north, but also in the south, voiced concerns about their financial situation. Ban on the use of Serbian dinar for payments in Kosovo, which came into force on February 1 last year, had a negative impact on their financial situation. Some of the findings of the annual report for 2024 is that members of the Serbian community see political instability as one of the main problems. Although over 50 percent of respondents say security is a problem for them, only 18 percent said their security was at risk last year. Negative trends vis-à-vis stances of Serb community in Kosovo continue, the fear of an open conflict after the armed attack in Banjska in 2023 is diminished, however, the feeling of insecurity is omnipresent.

When it comes to politics, only about 11 percent responded that they do not follow political events in Kosovo. However, about 90 percent of respondents refused to comment on how much they trust politicians and political parties - whether Serbian or Albanian. Trust in the government of Kosovo and Serbia is not high either.

Commenting on the findings of the research, Jovana Radosavljevic from the non-governmental organization New Social Initiative, said there is a “state of disillusionment” among the Serbian community in Kosovo, and that “trust in institutions is drastically decreasing”.

RFE noted that the members of the Serb community in Kosovo still have the most trust in Russia, but it has decreased compared to previous years. The organization Aktiv said this decline indicates the weakening of the dominantly emotional and traditional reliance on Russia, in favour of a more rational view of its real capacities to influence the situation in Kosovo. Although trust in the European Union has increased in recent years due to investments in various projects, it is still low because “citizens think that Brussels favours Kosovo” and not Serbia. According to data published by Aktiv, about 42 percent of respondents have no opinion about the dialogue between Pristina and Belgrade, mediated by the EU. Almost half believe that the Association of Serb-majority Municipalities - although they say it would have a positive impact on their lives - will not be formed at all.

After Arsenijevic published video on incident in front of police station, PIK launched ex-officio investigation (Radio KIM)

Kosovo Police Inspectorate (PIK) has launched ex-officio preliminary investigation after Serbian Democracy leader Aleksandar Arsenijevic published a video recording of the incident in front of police station in Mitrovica North, saying that Kosovo police officer attacked and threatened him, Radio KIM reports citing Alternativna.com portal.

Two days ago Arsenijevic published the video footage showing him recording two vehicles with young men of Albanian ethnicity in front of the police station in Mitrovica North, after reports on sexist comments and verbal harassment of the two Serbian women surfaced.

During recording, Arsenijevic also recorded the acts of one of the Kosovo police officers towards him. The video is available at: https://shorturl.at/SRJJM. Arsenijevic also claimed that police did not react appropriately in relation to the reports of sexual harassment.

Following the publication of the video, Alternativna.com sent a media inquiry to PIK asking if the case has been opened, was there an investigation launched and what is further procedure in this regard?

"Referring to your request, the PIK confirms that a preliminary investigation in connection with this case has been initiated ex officio. Other investigative actions will be undertaken in accordance with the legal powers of the Police Inspectorate”, reads a brief replay PIK sent to the portal.

Company "SrbijaSume" in Leposavic closed (KoSSev)

KoSSev reported that today with the assistance of the police, officers of the Kosovo Agency for Agriculture and Forestry entered the premises of the Serbian company "SrbijaŠume" (SerbiaForests) in Leposavic.

This was confirmed for KoSSev by the deputy commander for the North region, Veton Elshani.

Apart from the information that the officials of this agency entered these premises, considering them as their own, he also confirmed that the Serbian company will now be closed.

He also said that the Kosovo public forest maintenance company will most likely move in there.

He could not provide other details, stressing that the police of the North region are only assisting officers from Pristina in this operation.

Brnabic, Dacic on students’ demand for snap parliamentary elections (Tanjug)

Serbian Assembly Speaker Ana Brnabic reacting to the students’ demand for snap parliamentary elections said “requests put forward by blockers were a cover up from the beginning and that since the start everything was politics”.

"The blockers have no idea what their demands are or who, in accordance with the Constitution and laws, is responsible for those demands, otherwise they would not be able to make a nonsense of asking for elections in order to fulfil their demands", Brnabic said in a post on X media platform. She added demands of students in the blockade relate to the prosecution and the judiciary, not to the executive and legislative powers, and that neither of them will change in the parliamentary elections.

Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Ivica Dacic said today there are no reasons for snap parliamentary elections in Serbia, adding that those requesting them do not understand that these elections “would be an end to their dream”.

“Serbia needs political stability and continuation of economic progress. In my opinion there is no need for any extraordinary parliamentary elections. The Government has a stable majority”, Dacic told TV Pink.

Serbian opposition parties, movement support students’ call for snap parliamentary elections (N1)

Go-Change Movement leader Savo Manojlovic expressed support for Serbian students’ announced participation in the upcoming elections, N1 reported. In a statement, he emphasized that students have become key drivers of social change, establishing a unique organizational mass movement that opposition party structures have failed to achieve thus far. He rejected the idea of denying students their right to political engagement, stating that the right to run for office is guaranteed and inalienable. He added that political movements should serve as bridges between citizens and government, not as tools for preserving power.

The opposition Ecological Uprising has endorsed the students’ call for early parliamentary elections. In a statement, it urged all environmental organizations and citizens to support them in this endeavour.

Opposition Democratic Party supported today students’ demand for calling snap parliamentary elections and noted they respect the fact that “protesting students are currently supported by two thirds of Serbian citizens”, although they emphasised on several occasions that conditions for fair elections are not in place. The party said they are ready to extend all necessary support to the university-students list, but will not put forward candidacy of their own, or coalition list.

Opinion

Bieber: Vucic called for extraordinary elections when they were not needed, now they are - more than ever (N1)

"The students’ request for calling extraordinary parliamentary elections is an expected step in the attempt to resolve the political crisis in Serbia", Florian Bieber, professor of the University of Graz and political scientist, told N1. The EU now, as he said, can and must insist on the conditions for fair and regular elections that will meet European standards.

Six months after the fall of the canopy in which 16 people died, citizens' demonstration, blockade of the universities, students are demanding the calling of extraordinary parliamentary elections. In their announcement, they use the word "immediately" as the time frame for the dissolution of the Assembly. They believe that democracy is the only way out of the crisis and call on citizens to support the list that all students of all higher education institutions will convey their trust to.

Does this students' step forward change perspective, whether this is the way out of the crisis or getting deeper into it, bearing in mind the mood of President Vucic and SNS regarding the early elections? What about the election conditions and meeting the criteria, which is the content of the request of the European Commission, but also of the report of Tonino Picula, the rapporteur of the European Parliament for Serbia, which is on the agenda of the plenary session today?- N1 asked.

"Before the student demand for extraordinary parliamentary elections, we didn't know what the way out of the crisis that has been going on for six months was. It was clear Vucic did not want to meet the requirements of students and citizens, and it was obvious that with this government it was impossible to make those reforms," Bieber told N1's "Iza Vesti" (Behind the news) broadcast.

That's why, he added, it was logical for students to demand extraordinary elections now.

"And it gives some political perspective. After all, we know that every crisis needs some political solution. The students have now offered that", he said.

Whether Vucic will agree, Bieber continued, we will have to wait and see. The previous position of the SNS was that at this moment the elections would lead to, as the president of the party Milos Vucevic said, a disaster.

"It's quite funny when SNS and its politicians are now against extraordinary elections. Well, they are the ones who regularly initiated extraordinary elections when they were not necessary, then when they knew they would win. And now it will be funny if they refuse because the only reason why they are against it is that they saw public opinion surveys showing the majority of citizens support the students and will vote for some political option that the students support," Biber emphasized.

According to him, the government did not offer another choice. "That's why I don't see that SNS has any good arguments on its side," he added.

The justification for the extraordinary elections in 2014 was that Vucic wanted to get a full mandate, and in 2016 the elections were called with the intention of "resolving the social conflict that is blocking reforms". When asked if the same argument could be made now, Bieber says:

"That's right. With the fact that then there was no such conflict that Vucic mentioned, but it exists today. The only solution is elections, because according to all indicators, this party no longer has the support of the majority of citizens. That's why elections are now more logical than ever before. And the SNS has no other offer to solve this problem," he opined.

The only thing he adds is that SNS can wait to see if the protests will lose their strength by the summer so that they can continue their actions. But, according to him, there is every chance this will not happen.

Referendum atmosphere

Asked whether, if there is a single list against SNS, this would mean that there is some kind of referendum atmosphere in those potential elections, Bieber responded "if there is a single list, it would show the citizens it is an alternative to the government and it would then be a referendum alternative. And the opposition parties have no choice but to support that single list. And it will be, of course, temporary, and then we will see what the political spectrum will look like, because there are various political options both among students and among parties. Now is the time for a unified position."

In the last month of students’ protests the sentence from the EU that "student demands are what the European Commission is looking for, what the EU values are" was heard. And it seems that the EU is ready to "give up on Vucic". Bieber does not fully agree with this assessment. "I don't think the EU speaks with one voice on that issue. Of course, there is a part of the EU which supports the students and they used that sentence... There are a lot of forces in the EU which do not support those students’ demands to that extent. The new government in Germany, for example, quite openly supported Vucic and the SNS, and we have to see what their reactions will be when they take office," Bieber said.

Bieber believes that the EU "can and must insist on the conditions for fair and regular elections that meet European standards." "It would not be good for the EU to say, 'Serbia must not hold extraordinary elections', but it can say: we support the process and seek preconditions for fair elections. It is not clear whether the government will agree to that, especially if it is afraid of losing the elections. Then the chances of meeting fair conditions are even less," says Bieber.

The European Commissioner for Enlargement, Marta Kos, requested earlier fulfillment of items from the reform agenda, and Vucic promised that "in a few weeks" he would fulfill those related to REM, voter lists and the media, but nothing happened.

Vucic on May 9 in Moscow - yes or no?

Bieber interprets the announced possible visit of Vucic to Moscow on May 9 as his "classic move", saying that "he's going to Moscow or threatening to go to Moscow and through that he's telling the EU: 'if you don't support us, I'm going to move closer to relations with Moscow'. But I don't know if that works any more. It's obviously more pressure on the EU in that process if he does it," Biber assesses. When asked by a journalist whether Serbia could bear the consequences if Vucic goes to Moscow, the spokesperson of the European Commission said that "he cannot guarantee that there will be no consequences".

"I would say that the tone in the EU is a little different, Kallas is very sensitive to the issue of relations with Russia. That is the biggest indicator for her of whether that government is ready to get closer to the EU or not. I think that is why Vucic may now have to think about whether it is wise for him to go to Moscow, we have to see what will happen," Bieber added.

The support provided by the Austrian Minister of Foreign Affairs to the Serbian students on their way to Strasbourg is a political move and a clear message to the authorities in Serbia, Bieber said.

"She was in Belgrade the day before, but that attitude was obviously a political matter, not a good opportunity to take photos with students. Besides being a minister, she is also the head of the Liberal Party in Austria, and through her move, Austria has shown more courage than usual, when they just support the enlargement, without any critical attitudes," said the interviewee of N1.

International

Kosovo premier seeks to end deadlock with bid to form coalition (Bloomberg)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti reached out to an opposition party with a proposal to form a ruling coalition, seeking to break nearly three months of post-election deadlock.

Kurti proposed to form the coalition with the Democratic League of Kosovo, the nation’s third biggest party, as lawmakers have been unable to elect the parliament speaker at 11 consecutive sessions. That has left Kosovo in a state of political limbo and raised a risk of a snap vote.