Albanian Language Media:

• Osmani: NATO membership more urgent than European integration (media)
• Osmani: I’m not responsible for the 9-month delay (media)
• Osmani’s office explains her remarks about destruction of gangs (media)
• Kurti: Improving lives of non-majority communities has been our priority (media)
• Wesley Clark’s testimony begins in The Hague (media)
• Kosovo Police react to reports in some Serbian media: Misinformation (media)
• Four Serbian hunters arrested in Kosovo’s territory (media)
• PDK to hold its electoral Convention today (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• The head of German diplomacy in Belgrade today (Danas)
• The trial of Lazovic closed to the public today (KiM radio)
• Gogic: Institutions and the will to end the vacuum in the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue are essential (RTS)
• New bridges on the Ibar: Three million euros and environmental risks that went under the radar (Alternativna)

Opinion:

• When representation becomes a trophy (Kosovo 2.0)

Albanian Language Media 

Osmani: NATO membership more urgent than European integration (media)

Most news websites report that Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani, in an interview with Politico, said that membership in NATO is more urgent for Kosovo than membership in the European Union. She said that it would be in NATO’s strategic interest to expand in the Western Balkans, especially in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo. “I see membership in NATO as more urgent than European integration. Membership in the European Union takes time … but I believe that NATO is more than necessary for the region. Membership in NATO for us would mean to be safe, certainly because of Serbia and Russia. I believe that Russia has an interest in destabilizing the Western Balkans and the European continent. It has not given up on this. The more territory NATO would have in the Western Balkans, the more Russia would hesitate. I believe it is in the strategic interest of NATO to expand in the Western Balkans, especially in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo,” she said.

Osmani said that Kosovo meets the criteria for NATO membership and that it has spent over 2 percent of its GDP in defense and that it would double its investments in defense in the next four years. “We already meet the criteria. Our army is built and trained in full compliance with NATO standards. We already spend more than 2 percent of the GDP in defense, and we plan to double this in the next four years. We will reach the 4 percent quota much faster than many member states,” she said. 

Osmani also argued that if Kosovo were a member of NATO, Serbia would never dare commit acts of aggression against it.

Osmani: I’m not responsible for the 9-month delay (media)

Kosovo President, Vjosa Osmani, has spoken about the nine-month delay in the process of forming the new government, emphasizing that the responsibility for this does not lie with her. Speaking today to reporters in Prishtina, Osmani stressed that she is confident the session of the Assembly of Kosovo will be held within constitutional deadlines. “Let us not forget that these nine-month delays were neither requested, supported, nor caused by me. For nine months we waited for the political parties, the MPs. I hoped they would show patience during these two weeks. At no moment was it my intention to cause delays; they were caused by others,” Osmani argued, among other things.

The deputy leader of Vetevendosje Movement, Glauk Konjufca, who is the second nominee for forming the government after the failure of the first attempt by the caretaker prime minister Albin Kurti, has a deadline until November 19 to present the new government cabinet before the MPs of the Assembly of Kosovo.

Osmani’s office explains her remarks about destruction of gangs (media)

Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani said in an interview with Politico that in the last five years over 900 criminal gangs were destroyed and that there are no more such gangs in Kosovo. After her remarks triggered many reactions, Osmani’s office issued a statement saying that she was referring to the number of cases treated by Kosovo’s institutions and not the number of criminal gangs. “In fact, she was referring to cases and not the number of gangs. As you know, some Serb gangs in the north were involved in hundreds of cases of criminal offences … The President never presented Kosovo as a place of crime, but as a place of law and order and as a country that respects European values of human rights and the rule of law,” the reaction notes.

Kurti: Improving lives of non-majority communities has been our priority (media)

Kosovo’s caretaker Prime Minister Albin Kurti stated that improving the lives of non-majority communities has been a key priority of his government. Speaking at a roundtable on the functioning of municipal offices for communities and return, organized by the Association of Kosovo Municipalities with OSCE support, Kurti highlighted achievements during his mandate.

He noted that nine meetings were held with municipal officials for Communities and Return and praised the work of Minister Nenad Rasic. The government allocated €1.4 million in grants to farmers, young entrepreneurs, and NGOs, funded over 400 projects in education, culture, sports, and health, and built or renovated more than 170 houses along with 34 apartments for families formerly living in collective centers.

Kurti also cited 14 infrastructure projects carried out with municipalities, increased subsidies for efficient equipment, and employment initiatives supporting up to 2,000 residents in northern municipalities. Additionally, 3,000 youth from non-majority communities benefited from the “Municipalities for Youth” project, 819 new businesses were registered in the north, and €3.9 million was invested in road infrastructure in non-majority areas.

He emphasized the importance of integration and pledged continued government support. The roundtable gathered local, central, and international representatives to enhance cooperation and improve municipal services for communities and return.

Wesley Clark’s testimony begins in The Hague (media)

The former Supreme Allied Commander Europe, Wesley Clark, took the stand on Monday as a defense witness at the Hague trial of Hashim Thaci, Kadri Veseli, Rexhep Selimi, and Jakup Krasniqi. Wesley Clark, who in 1999 led NATO’s air campaign against Serbian military targets, appeared in the courtroom accompanied by a representative of the United States of America. According to Luka Misetic from Hashim Thaci’s Defense, the decorated U.S. Army general will testify about NATO’s efforts to implement the Holbrooke–Milosevic agreement from October 1998 and United Nations Resolution 119.

He will also speak about the air campaign against Yugoslav forces following Milosevic’s refusal to sign the Rambouillet Agreement, the deployment of forces in Kosovo in accordance with the military-technical agreement and UN Resolution 1244, as well as the process of demilitarization and transformation of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA).

“He will also describe that he was aware of the wave of violence in the summer of 1999, after the return of Kosovo refugees to their country, and he attributes the violence to various factors, including hatred, revenge, blood feuds, and criminal gangs,” Misetic said, explaining what Clark is expected to cover during his two days of testimony as a defense witness in The Hague.

Furthermore, according to him, General Clark did not believe that the KLA leadership was involved in acts of violence against Serbs or other minorities, nor that Thaci had any motive to be engaged in such activities. “Clark will describe the various communications he had with the KLA, the Kosovo Albanian delegation at Rambouillet, and specifically with Thaci. He states that he did not consider the KLA to be a well-structured organization operating top-down or to have a clear command-and-control structure. He also observed a lack of actual control and that Thaci did not have control over the KLA; he was simply a political figure without military experience and with limited influence over KLA fighters. Based on Clark’s overall responsibility and his direct observations, he believes it is unfair to attribute the mistakes of others to Thaci,” Misetic added, describing what Clark will testify as a defense witness in The Hague.

Kosovo Police react to reports in some Serbian media: Misinformation (media)

Kosovo Police said in a statement today that reports published in some Serbian media according to which “an armed group of Albanians fired shots at members of the Serbian Army near the base called ‘Debela Glava’” are misinformation, unbased and that they don’t correspond to any official information or events verified by authorities in Kosovo.

“Based on all operational data, reports by police units on the field and coordination with other competent institutions, no incident of such an alleged character has been registered. Publishing such inaccurate information contributes to creating false perceptions and inciting unnecessary tensions along border zones. The Kosovo Police assure the citizens and the public that the situation along the border zone has been and remains quiet and under the full control of the authorities. While performing regular operational duties yesterday [Sunday], it is worth noting that police units have arrested four suspects (hunters) nationals of Serbia for illegally crossing the border line and for illegal possession of arms, who entered from the territory of Serbia into the Republic of Kosovo. The weapons and ammunition found were confiscated, while the suspects, after a decision of competent judicial bodies, will be held in line with legal procedures. The Police of the Republic of Kosovo call on the media to refer only to verified sources and to avoid publishing unconfirmed information which can have a negative impact on public order and security. The Kosovo Police remain committed to guaranteeing overall security, the enforcement of law and maintaining public order for all citizens of the Republic of Kosovo,” the police statement notes.

Four Serbian hunters arrested in Kosovo’s territory (media)

Several news websites report that four Serb hunters were arrested on Sunday in the village of Sfirce, in the territory of Kosovo. Citing unnamed sources, the Radio Television of Kosovo reports that KFOR troops first stopped the hunters and informed the Kosovo Police who then made the arrests. The weapons of the hunters were confiscated. They are currently held at a police station, while the authorities are investigating the circumstances of how they entered Kosovo’s territory and the activities they were doing in the area.

PDK to hold its electoral Convention today (media)

The Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) will be holding its twelfth Electoral Convention today in Prishtina, starting at 16:30. The leader of the PDK, Memli Krasniqi, recently officially resigned from this position, and announced in a press conference that the PDK Convention for election of the new party leader will be held on 17 November.

Bedri Hamza has officially announced his candidacy for the position of leader of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK). “With responsibility and confidence in the future of our party, I announce my candidacy for leader of the PDK. I believe that the PDK has the strength to unify, reform, and return as the leading party in the country,” Hamza wrote on Facebook. He emphasized that now is the moment for a united PDK focused on Kosovo’s development.

Meanwhile, PDK member of the leadership, Enver Hoxhaj, has said that the party’s convention to elect the leader should be postponed.

Serbian Language Media 

The head of German diplomacy in Belgrade today (Danas)

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Germany, Johann Wadephul, is arriving in Belgrade today as part of a three-day tour during which he will visit all members of the Western Balkans Six, reported Danas.

Wadephul will talk tonight in Belgrade with President Aleksandar Vucic, and tomorrow morning with Minister of Foreign Affairs Marko Djuric and representatives of civil society, announced the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Germany.

''The countries of the Western Balkans, in light of the constant attempts of Russia and China to influence them, as a condition for joining the European Union, must continue with reforms and show commitment to common European values,'' Wadephul said on Sunday, DPA reported.

Wadephul started his tour with a visit to Sarajevo on Sunday, today before noon he will visit Montenegro, where he will talk with Prime Minister Milojko Spajic and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ervin Ibrahimovic. In the afternoon in Albania, he will meet with the Minister of Foreign Affairs Elisa Spiropalj and the head of the Special State Prosecutor's Office for the fight against corruption, organized crime and terrorism.

Tomorrow around noon, Wadephul will travel from Belgrade to Pristina, where he will talk with the President of Kosovo Vjosa Osmani, Prime Minister in technical mandate Albin Kurti and with German soldiers in the KFOR mission.

The tour will end tomorrow evening in North Macedonia, with meetings with Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski and Minister of Foreign Affairs Timco Mucunski.

The German MFA stated that Berlin remains fully committed to the European perspective of the Western Balkans and that the Wadephul tour confirms this.

The trial of Lazovic closed to the public today (KiM radio) 

The trial of Srdjan Lazovic from Leposavic, accused of war crimes against the civilian population in Malisevo, continued before the special department of the Basic Court in Pristina, with the examination of a protected prosecution witness. The trial is closed to the public.

An anonymous witness testified today in the trial against Lazovic. At the request of prosecutor Armend Zenelaj, it was decided to close the trial to the public, so the media crews were forced to leave the courtroom.

Lazovic's defense attorney, Predrag Miljkovic, asked the court panel to reject the prosecutor's proposal to close the trial to the public, stressing that there is no reason to worry that anyone present could threaten him. However, Judge Vesli Ismaili still decided to close this hearing.

Srdjan Lazovic was arrested on June 27, 2024 in Leposavic and has been in custody since then. The indictment states that Lazovic together with unidentified members of the Serbian forces during 1998-99 allegedly committed war crimes in the village of Panorce in the municipality of Malisevo. December last year, Lazovic pleaded not guilty at the first hearing. He repeated the same at the hearing held on October 22 of this year.

Gogic: Institutions and the will to end the vacuum in the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue are essential (RTS)

Political scientist Ognjen Gogic told RTS this morning that the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue is inactive, and that all meetings between the two sides are formal, without any progress. A necessary condition for initiating a dialogue is that institutions exist in Pristina, but also the will, says Gogic, noting that a vacuum in the dialogue plays into Pristina's hands because then no one asks for any concessions.

The political crisis in Kosovo, during which no government was formed nine months after the parliamentary elections, has also been reflected in the dialogue process between Belgrade and Pristina. Serious talks and implementation of the agreements reached have been lacking, and if new elections are called for December, there will be no progress in the dialogue before February, Gogic believes. This primarily harms the Serbs in Kosovo but also the region.

RTS recalls that an armed group of Albanians at the foot of the Šop hill fired 15 shots at members of the Serbian Army, hitting a dog that was in the immediate vicinity of the patrol. The armed group fled in six jeeps towards Kosovo.  

Political scientist Ognjen Gogic said that only Serbian media in Kosovo reported on the incident, that there were no statements from Albanian officials, and that the Albanian media did not even report the shooting. Gogic assessed the incident as surprising.

The European Union Special Representative for Dialogue, Peter Sorensen, visited Pristina last month, and the chief negotiators of Belgrade and Pristina, Petar Petkovic and Besnik Bislimi, met in Brussels in September. Gogic says, regardless, the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina is inactive, and all meetings are formal meetings without progress. He recalled that an agreement was reached in Ohrid three years ago, but that it immediately collapsed. Gogic said that one of the reasons for the lack of dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina is the political crisis in Pristina.

"The problem is that there is no vacuum in politics - things are either improving or collapsing. There is no agreement, and previous events are being ignored. Part of the problem is that there is also a political crisis in Pristina and that crisis will continue next year. In the best-case scenario, elections can be expected at the end of the year and a new government formed at the beginning of the year," said Gogic, but he does not expect this to be resolved so quickly.

Given that, as he said, everyone knows that Kurti does not have a majority, and the opposition can form a government but does not want to do so at this time. However, he added that although Kurti does not have a government, he is still powerful enough to continue blocking the processes.

Gogic said that there are no legitimate interlocutors in Pristina, and he did not rule out the possibility of two rounds of parliamentary elections, or going from one election to the next.

"As long as the situation is like this, there is no dialogue. The necessary condition for initiating a dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina is that there are institutions, but also the will," said Gogic, noting that the vacuum in the dialogue plays into Pristina's hands because no one is asking for any concessions.

About the election of the new head of UNMIK

In the meantime, the new head of UNMIK, Dane Peter Due, was appointed. He has already worked in Pristina and Belgrade during his career and has more than 30 years of experience in international missions.

Speaking about the election of the new head of UNMIK, Dane Peter Due, Gogic said that after 15 years, a European has taken the place of the head of UNMIK, which is unusual because Denmark recognized Kosovo, since the states that recognize Kosovo have withdrawn from UNMIK.

"It is a surprise, we do not know what is behind it. Maybe Denmark has taken measures to engage more. Pristina ignores the existence of UNMIK. UNMIK has a smaller budget and fewer employees. The new head of UNMIK will not have the resources to work and too much cannot be expected from Due," Gogic assessed.

According to the latest research by the non-governmental organization CASA, called the "Trust Index 2025", relations between Serbs and Albanians in Kosovo are still burdened by deep distrust and ethnic distance. The survey, conducted among 300 Serbs and 500 Albanians, shows that 51.7 percent of Serbs expect relations with Albanians to deteriorate, while 28.7 percent of Albanians share the same view.

Gogic, who worked on this survey, added that a quarter of Serbs and more than a third of Albanians refuse any contact with the other community, which shows that the gap between Serbs and Albanians in Kosovo is widening and that their relationship has deteriorated in recent years.

New bridges on the Ibar: Three million euros and environmental risks that went under the radar (Alternativna)

Alternativna portal reported that the decision of the Joint Committee of North and South Mitrovica to build two new bridges over the Ibar, made this summer, surprised many. While one bridge is open, and the other one under construction, the question arises as to what impact it will have on the environment. Ljubisa Mijacic from INTER warns that the new bridges — worth around three million euros — could have a negative impact on the river flow and even increase the risk of floods.

That Mitrovica gets two new bridges over the Ibar was the decision of the Joint Board of the two municipalities, North and South Mitrovica, which surprised many this summer, and which resulted from the Memorandum of Cooperation signed with the Ministry of Environment, Spatial Planning and Infrastructure.

The bank of the Ibar near the main bridge was one big construction site all summer. The bridge, which is located near the municipality of North Mitrovica and is open to traffic, was completed in less than two months, while work on the second, pedestrian bridge, is still ongoing.

The two new Ibar bridges cost almost three million euros, according to data published by the Pristina media.

200,000 euros have been set aside for the temporary diversion of the river alone, another 150,000 euros for cleaning the terrain, and an additional 75,000 euros for the preparation of project documentation.

While the public has been engaged for months with the political messages that the announcement of the opening of the bridges provoked, few paid attention to the impact that their construction could have on the environment.

Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/3s5scb7c

Opinion

When representation becomes a trophy (Kosovo 2.0)

Opinion by Isak Skenderi. 

How the nomination of the Roma minister exposes the limits of inclusion.

When caretaker Prime Minister Albin Kurti unveiled his proposed cabinet on October 26, one name stood out from the usual rotation of Kosovo’s politics: Sejnur Veshall, a Roma candidate nominated for a ministerial post, that of Regional Development. It was a quiet political milestone — the first time a member of Kosovo’s Roma community was poised to enter government at that level, and only the second time in the country’s history that someone from such a profoundly disadvantaged background had been nominated for minister.

Yet the symbolism was undercut by circumstance. Kurti’s proposed government failed to secure the votes needed for approval, raising an awkward question: how genuine was this gesture of diversity in a cabinet that was never likely to pass? Was Veshall’s inclusion a sign of future commitment, or a fleeting attempt to project inclusivity in a government unlikely to endure? Whether Kurti himself — or Glauk Konjufca, the former speaker whom Kurti later proposed as prime minister in a last bid to form the government — would return to that promise if given another chance remains uncertain. 

For now, Elbert Krasniqi, from the Egyptian community, continues to serve as the acting Minister of Local Government Administration — a position once seen as a milestone in Kosovo’s pursuit of inclusion, at least in terms of representation. His appointment was widely celebrated as proof that voices long excluded from power were finally visible within the country’s political hierarchy. 

Since his appointment back in 2021, when Vetëvendosje (VV) started its mandate, expectations were high but measured. No one believed that a single minister, or a single mandate, could undo generations of structural inequality — in housing, employment or access to public life. Those problems are deeply rooted, and no cabinet reshuffle could solve them overnight.

Read more at: https://shorturl.at/yt5gd