Albanian Language Media:

• EU calls for no repeat of external influence in Kosovo local elections (Koha)
• Kosovo Police arrest Fatmir Sheholli on espionage charges (media)
• Kosovo Assembly constitutive session to resume tomorrow (media)
• Wadephul: The Western Balkans is also part of the European family (AP)
• Haradinaj to Djuric: Drones don’t threaten peace, your revisionism does (media)
• Osmani awards Kosovo Presidential Medal to FIFA President Infantino (media)
• 15-year-old fined for wearing shirt with ‘Serbian Gendarmerie’ logo (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• The Summit of the Western Balkans started in Great Britain, Djuric participating (Tanjug)
• Petkovic: “Osmani’s absurd sophistry - Kurti acquires armed systems to intimidate and threaten” (media, social media)
• Radulovic: Turkey at forefront of arming KSF; drones a boost for Kurti ahead of elections (Kosovo Online)
• 15-year-old boy apprehended in North Mitrovica over sweatshirt with Serbian emblem and “Gendarmerie” inscription (KoSSev)
• Serb-returnee villages in Istok municipality without electricity since last night (Radio KIM)
• CoE sending observers to Kosovo local elections (N1)
• NIS says US Treasury did not extend license (N1)

International:

• Kosovo drone delivery sparks tirade against Turkey from Serbia’s Vucic (BIRN)
• Turkish drones test Ankara's 'golden age' of relations with Belgrade (Turkiye Today)
• Kosovo media organisations launch initiative to fight spread of disinformation (PI)
• What are the candidates for Prishtina promising? (Kosovo 2.0)
• UK eyes migrant returns deal with Kosovo (Politico)
• FIFA President Gianni Infantino receives Kosovo’s Presidential Medal (FIFA/media)

Albanian Language Media

EU calls for no repeat of external influence in Kosovo local elections (Koha)

The European Union has called for a peaceful course of local elections in Kosovo on Sunday, stressing that there should be no external interference so that every citizen can exercise their right for free voting. An EU spokesperson was asked to comment on remarks by Kosovo’s caretaker Prime Minister Albin Kurti who accused Serbia of interfering in the election process in Kosovo and called on the EU to react. “We call on all political parties to ensure a peaceful and comprehensive process of local elections in Kosovo on Sunday. The 2013 Brussels Agreement foresees that local elections need to be held in line with Kosovo laws and European standards,” the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson added that “the May 2025 report of the EU Election Observation Mission (EOM) in Kosovo highlighted certain levels of interference during the electoral process held in February 2025. We expect all parties to refrain from such actions”. He also said that following an invitation by Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani, the EU deployed an election expert mission to Kosovo, and this mission is already on the ground, observing the ongoing electoral process.

Kosovo Police arrest Fatmir Sheholli on espionage charges (media)

All news websites report that Kosovo Police arrested today Fatmir Sheholli on charges of espionage. The Special Prosecution of Kosovo said in a statement that Sheholli was arrested after several months of investigations. The prosecution also said that Sheholli has been sent to 48-hour detention and that relevant police units are controlling the residence of the suspect for securing additional material evidence.

Kosovo’s caretaker Minister of Interior Affairs, Xhelal Svecla, said Sheholli was arrested by the police, in close cooperation with the Kosovo Intelligence Agency and the prosecution, on grounded suspicion of being involved in espionage. “I expect the institutional treatment with high seriousness about the case, which is one of the gravest acts against the security and constitutional order of the Republic of Kosovo. Individuals like him, which have had unlimited media space in our country, has cooperated with actors every day that work and operate to undermine our Republic and its progress. We remain committed to protecting our country from all circles that don’t hesitate to threaten it for any kind of profit they might have. The time of Serbia’s spies in Kosovo is over. Anyone who works for Serbia and against Kosovo will be prosecuted without compromise and without stop. The Republic must be protected with the highest institutional and moral responsibility,” Svecla said.

Kosovo Assembly constitutive session to resume tomorrow (media)

Most news websites report that the Kosovo Assembly will continue the constitutive session tomorrow at 10:00, with only one point in the agenda, the election of a deputy speaker from the Kosovo Serb community. The 12-day deadline to constitute the new Assembly began on Thursday after the Constitutional Court announced its full decision on the matter.

Wadephul: The Western Balkans is also part of the European family (AP)

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, said today before the start of the summit of the Berlin Process summit in Belfast, that the Western Balkans is part of the European family. “The Berlin Process is a catalyst for the membership of countries of the Western Balkans in the European Union. This function is more important than ever because people have started losing faith in a future in the European Union soon. This is why we have to act, because otherwise we risk returning to the old times of animosities and also a greater role by Russia and China,” he said.

Haradinaj to Djuric: Drones don’t threaten peace, your revisionism does (media)

Several news websites report that former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kosovo, Meliza Haradinaj, reacted to a statement by Serbia’s Foreign Minister Marko Djuric about Kosovo receiving drones from Turkey. Haradinaj said in her reaction on X: “When Serbia shamelessly glorifies a convicted war criminal like Nebojsha Pavkovic responsible for genocide and mass killings, it confirms one thing: Serbia still belongs to the past, governed by Milosevic’s remnants. Kosovo, in contrast, is defending peace from threats fueled by Russia, Iran, and China who have approached the Kosovo border (read: West’s border) enabled and emboldened by Belgrade. Drones don’t threaten peace, but your revisionism does”.

Osmani awards Kosovo Presidential Medal to FIFA President Infantino (media)

All news websites report that FIFA President Gianni Infantino visited Kosovo on Wednesday and was awarded with Kosovo’s Presidential Medal by President Vjosa Osmani for his contribution to the development of football worldwide and for his strong support for Kosovo’s football community. 

Infantino said in an Instagram post that he was deeply honoured to be receiving the Kosovo Presidential Medal of Merit from Kosovo President Dr Vjosa Osmani. “I dedicate this award to a great leader and legend, the late Fadil Vokrri, and to all the people of this beautiful country who continue to display incredible courage and resilience. I have a special place in my heart for Kosovo as our journey at FIFA started together when the Kosovo Football Federation was declared a FIFA Member Association during the 2016 FIFA Congress. Football has since made considerable progress here. These foundations were laid by Fadil Vokrri, and his legacy has been taken forward by current Football Federation of Kosovo President, Agim Ademi, with the constant support of Vjosa Osmani,” he said.

Osmani said in a Facebook post: “President Gianni Infantino, Kosovo will always remember that you stood by us in crucial times. You believed in our potential and in the unifying power of sport, at a time when belief itself required courage! A true friend of football. A true friend of Kosovo”.

15-year-old fined for wearing shirt with ‘Serbian Gendarmerie’ logo (media)

Several news websites report that Kosovo Police in the north accompanied a 15-year-old to the police station for wearing a shirt with ‘Serbian Gendarmerie’ logo. Head of planning operations, Erduan Baliqi, told Kallxo news website that the minor was fined €300 for breaking public order and quiet and was then released. 

Serbian Language Media 

The Summit of the Western Balkans started in Great Britain, Djuric participating (Tanjug)

The Western Balkans Summit organized by the Government of Great Britain started today in Hillsborough Castle near Belfast, Tanjug agency reported today. 

It is a meeting of foreign ministers in which the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Serbia, Marko Djuric is participating. More discussions are planned, and according to Tanjug, Djuric also expected to have bilateral meetings.

The meeting will be hosted by the British Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy, who will discuss the promotion of peace, stability and cooperation in the Western Balkans with more than 15 European ministers.

Petkovic: “Osmani’s absurd sophistry - Kurti acquires armed systems to intimidate and threaten” (media, social media)

Office for Kosovo and Metohija Director, Petar Petkovic, said last evening in response to accusations Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani made against Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic that “behind her absurd sophistry regarding the reasons for Turkey’s armament of Pristina lies a simple truth: Albin Kurti is not procuring weapons systems for the sake of democracy and security, but to intimidate and threaten”.

As Petkovic said in a post on X social platform aggression remains the only consistent policy of the “separatists in Kosovo”.

“Behind Vjosa Osmani’s senseless sophistry about the reasons for Turkey arming Pristina lies a simple truth. Kurti is not acquiring armed systems for democracy and security, but to intimidate and threaten”, Petkovic emphasized.

After President Vucic expressed concern over the delivery of 1,000 Turkish drones to Pristina saying he was appalled by Turkey’s conduct, describing it as a blatant violation of the UN Charter and UN Security Council Resolution 1244 - Osmani accused Vucic of “shamelessly attacking Turkey”, a NATO member that, as she said, helps Kosovo defend peace.

Radulovic: Turkey at forefront of arming KSF; drones a boost for Kurti ahead of elections (Kosovo Online)

Turkey is at the forefront of arming the KSF and that is nothing new, however this delivery of drones was clearly accelerated, although I personally expected it only at the beginning of December, military analyst Vlade Radulovic told Kosovo Online.

Radulovic emphasizes that Turkey works with the KSF not only on weapons deliveries but also on training, logistics and drills… and stressed that two things primarily influenced yesterday’s delivery of the “Sky Dagger 15” drones.

“First, this is above all a message in response to the military parade held in Belgrade and what was shown there. And secondly, it is obvious they were delivered ahead of the elections because Kurti always skillfully uses the issue of the so-called army, i.e. the KSF, and stresses the alleged threat from Belgrade and hybrid warfare”, he noted.

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

15-year-old boy apprehended in North Mitrovica over sweatshirt with Serbian emblem and “Gendarmerie” inscription (KoSSev)

A 15-year-old boy was apprehended yesterday in Mitrovica North after he was noticed wearing a sweatshirt with inscription “Gendarmerie” with Serbian emblem on the back of it, KoSSev portal reported.

Erduan Balici from Kosovo police confirmed the case to KoSSev portal. According to him, a juvenile V.M. born in 2010 was apprehended yesterday around 15.00.

As he added the boy was taken to Kosovo police station where a fine in the amount of 300 euros was rendered to him “for obstructing public peace and order”. He was then released.

Serb-returnee villages in Istok municipality without electricity since last night (Radio KIM)

Serb-returnee villages in Istok municipality, Osojane, Kos, Saljinovica, Suvi Lukavac and Tucep are without electricity since last night. Although there was no major storm or bad weather, the electricity went missing, Radio KIM reported.

Residents reported the problem to Kosovo Energy Corporation company (KEK) who said the malfunction occurred in neighbouring Zac village, and that problem will be solved.

This is not the first time that residents of those Serb-returnee villages face problems with electricity provision. A fire broke out in July in Osojane village because of poor electric installations, burning two returnee houses.

Although KEK has been warned for years already of poor infrastructure and outdated electric poles, no one is undertaking any step to resolve the issue permanently.

CoE sending observers to Kosovo local elections (N1)

The Council of Europe (CoE) said that its Congress of Local and Regional Authorities is sending observers to the local elections in Kosovo on October 12, N1 reported.

“A six-member delegation of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of CoE, led by Dominique Leveque (France, SOC/G/PD), will carry out a mission from 9 to 13 October 2025 to observe the local elections planned on 12 October in Kosovo*”, a press release said, adding that four teams will be deployed randomly to observe electoral procedures at polling stations.

It said the observers will have meetings with officials of the European Union Office in Pristina, diplomatic corps and other international community representatives, the Central Election Commission, as well as the Executive Director of the Association of Kosovo Municipalities and the mayor of Pristina. It will also hold panel discussions with media and NGO representatives and attend briefings with candidates and representatives of political parties, the press release said.

NIS says US Treasury did not extend license (N1)

The Serbian Oil Industry (NIS) said on Wednesday that the US Treasury did not extend the special license which allowed it to operate normally, N1 reported.

The NIS is majority Russian-owned and came under US Treasury sanctions imposed on Moscow’s energy industry. Extensions were granted to the Croatian JANAF oil pipeline company which has a contract to supply NIS to the end of 2026.

NIS said it has been carefully monitoring the situation since the company was placed on the SDN (Specially Designated Nationals) list in January to adapt to the new circumstances. “The priorities remain regular supplies of oil derivatives to the domestic market and maintaining the social stability of employees. NIS has secured sufficient supplies of oil for processing at this time and petrol stations have been properly supplied with all types of oil derivatives”, a press release said.

It added that domestic Dina debit cards will be accepted at petrol stations if foreign cards (Mastercard and Visa) stop functioning. According to the NIS press release all other forms of payment in Dinars both retail and wholesale, will remain in place. “NIS is working with its partners, the Serbian government and shareholders to resolve the situation. NIS continues cooperating with the US Treasury in terms of its request to be removed from the SDN list which the company submitted on March 14 and September 28… which is a long and complex process”, it said.

A day earlier, the Croatian JANAF oil pipeline company said it was issued a license to supply NIS for another 7 days.

International

Kosovo drone delivery sparks tirade against Turkey from Serbia’s Vucic (BIRN)

The delivery of a shipment of “thousands” of military drones to Kosovo triggered a harsh reaction from Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic against the supplier, Turkey, which he accused of harbouring imperial ambitions in the Balkans.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic issued an angry statement criticising Turkey on Wednesday evening after Kosovo received a shipment of fighter drones purchased from Turkey’s Baykar Company.

Vucic wrote on X that he was “appalled” by Turkey’s behaviour and what he labelled as “and brutal violation of the UN Charter and UN Security Council Resolution 1244”, which ended the NATO intervention and marked Serbian withdrawal from its former province Kosovo after the war ended in 1999. 

“It is now completely clear that Turkiye does not want stability in the Western Balkans and is once again dreaming of restoring the Ottoman Empire. Serbia is a small country, but we understand their real intentions,” Vucic wrote.

Turkey, a major international vendor of drones, did not officially react to these claims. However it has previously had warm relations with Serbia and with Vucic himself.

Vucic’s vociferous reaction to the drones’ delivery came amid the biggest political and societal crisis that his ruling Serbian Progressive Party has faced since coming to power in 2012, with mass student-led anti-government protests continuing for 11 months. He also faces economic challenges; United States sanctions against the Serbian Oil Industry company, owned by the state and Russian companies, came into force on Wednesday morning. 

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti personally welcomed the containers with Skydagger kamikaze fighter drones in Pristina on Wednesday, saying that “the contract was signed in December last year with the well-known Turkish Baykar Company, which is the parent company of Skydagger manufacturer”.

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

Turkish drones test Ankara's 'golden age' of relations with Belgrade (Turkiye Today)

The arrival of a potent new defense system in the Balkans on Wednesday has done more than just strengthen the capabilities of the Kosovo Security Force (KSF); it has sent a sharp political tremor through Ankara's painstakingly cultivated regional diplomacy.

Containers carrying thousands of advanced, Turkish-made Skydagger kamikaze drones arrived on Wednesday, marking an early delivery under a contract with defense giant Baykar.

While Kosovar Prime Minister Albin Kurti celebrated the acquisition as a step toward building a "modern and contemporary force," the news drew an immediate and furious backlash from Belgrade, forcing Ankara to perform one of its most delicate high-wire acts yet.

Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008, and it is recognized by some 119 countries worldwide, including Türkiye.

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

What are the candidates for Prishtina promising? (Kosovo 2.0)

Reading the programs of the candidates for mayor.

In the campaign for local elections that will be held on October 12, each candidate has unveiled their vision for Prishtina, some with multi-year plans, others with quick solutions to chronic problems. The programs presented to citizens demonstrate the future the candidates imagine for the capital and its role as Kosovo’s metropolis.

These programs are closely tied to citizens’ daily lives: whether they attempt to solve the traffic chaos which wastes considerable amounts of their time; plans to free sidewalks of parked cars for pedestrians; ensure well-lit streets; bring order to construction; and offer concrete plans to address the high housing prices that consume much of residents’ monthly income.

Some of the candidates’ programs share common elements: freeing up public spaces by creating parking lots outside the city center, expanding green areas, extending public transport lines and bicycle lanes, and bringing urban planning under control.

Both the current mayor, Përparim Rama of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), Hajrulla Çeku of Vetëvendosje (VV) and Uran Ismaili of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) present their visions as solutions to Prishtina’s endless transition, promising governance that will end this phase and turn the capital into a functional city. In essence, however, their programs are proof of the opposite: that Prishtina remains in cyclical period that sees the same problems persist in every election — waste management, the number of buses and the issue of stray dogs.

Unlike the plans of her rivals, the program of Besa Shahini from the Social Democratic Party (PSD), avoids promising large scale projects that claim to address every problem of the capital; instead, it makes the neighborhood and the home the center of its plans, making housing affordability its key cause.

Although each candidate tries to present their program as the most complete one, the most feasible and the most visionary relative to challenges the capital has inherited for decades, their plans say more about their approach to Prishtina’s problems than the feasibility of their projects.

Rama seeks a second mandate to continue the vision he launched in 2021; Çeku offers a detailed management plan through 2035; Ismaili proposes quick actions to solve decades-old problems; Shahini centers community needs; and Bekë Berisha of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) presents herself as the candidate of pragmatism.

K2.0 outlines the key points of the leading candidates’ election programs, as published on their websites. Meanwhile, the Alternative party’s candidate, Merkur Beqiri, and the independent candidate, Fatmir Selimi, have still not published their programs.

Read more at: https://shorturl.at/Wl8E3

Kosovo media organisations launch initiative to fight spread of disinformation (PI)

In an attempt to strengthen information integrity and counter the growing threat of disinformation, three media organisations in Kosovo have joined forces to launch MIDwatch.

On Wednesday, three media organisations in Kosovo—BIRN Kosova, Internews Kosova, and the Association of Journalists of Kosovo, AJK—launched a joint initiative aimed at strengthening media integrity and countering disinformation.

The “Media Integrity and Disinformation Tracking” (MIDwatch) project, supported by the British Embassy in Prishtina, was officially launched at the Reporting House, a venue for journalists and media professionals. The initiative will focus on research, policy recommendations, and capacity-building for journalists and institutions to combat the spread of false information.

Jeta Xharra, director of BIRN Kosovo, said that the Western Balkans continues to face severe challenges from disinformation networks.

“Our region is still flooded with false narratives—hundreds of channels keep producing disinformation daily. This trend endangers not just Kosovo’s security, but also the broader stability of the Western Balkans and beyond,” Xharra stated.

She noted that democratic processes are particularly vulnerable during election campaigns. “It’s undeniable that our democracies are most at risk during elections, when disinformation spikes,” she added.

According to Xharra, the project will offer grants and fellowships for investigative journalists to expose disinformation sources. “Fact-checkers are often targeted by smear campaigns, and with this initiative we aim to empower those who stand for truth,” she said.

She also emphasised the importance of institutional involvement: “Fighting disinformation cannot rely on journalists alone. We plan to train public officials and build capacities that promote credible information and create alliances against falsehoods.”

Read more at: https://shorturl.at/sNZB7

UK eyes migrant returns deal with Kosovo (Politico)

U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer is edging closer to a signature deal for a migrants’ return hub in the Western Balkans — and the price will be fresh confrontation with Russia.

Foreign ministers from Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia, Kosovo, North Macedonia and Montenegro will gather in Hillsborough Castle, Northern Ireland, on Thursday as the U.K. convenes a summit aimed at integrating those countries more closely with other European allies and institutions.

It’s no surprise that Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper will prioritize discussions about immigration as the British government tries desperately to tackle small boat crossings and bring down the number of illegal migrants.

This week’s summit is part of a diplomatic drive to secure an agreement for people trying to settle in the U.K. to be processed in another country.

Two government officials confirmed to POLITICO that migration hubs would be discussed informally at Hillsborough Castle, while stressing that nothing had been finalized. Any emerging plan could be signed off at a further meeting of regional leaders on Oct. 22.

Kosovo has many advantages in British eyes, as a country with a strong connection to the U.K. with leadership that wants to align more closely with Western nations. And — even more attractive to the cash-strapped U.K. — its primary motivation is not financial but strategic, as Pristina seeks to repel threats from both Serbia and Russia.

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

FIFA President Gianni Infantino receives Kosovo’s Presidential Medal (FIFA/media)

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has been awarded one of Kosovo’s highest honours, the Presidential Medal, in recognition of his contribution to the development of football globally and his strong support for Kosovo’s football community.

At the ceremony in the Kosovan capital, Pristina, President Vjosa Osmani received Mr Infantino and the FIFA delegation before bestowing the medal upon the FIFA President.

“What an honour, what a pleasure, what an emotion, what a happiness for me to be at home in Kosovo today, and to receive this incredible honour, this medal, from you, from the President, my dear friend Vjosa, on behalf of a wonderful country which is Kosovo,” said Mr Infantino, whose first FIFA Congress as FIFA President in Mexico City in May 2016 saw Kosovo welcomed as FIFA’s 210th Member Association.

“When I became President of FIFA on 26th February 2016, for me it was very clear that on the first occasion Kosovo should become a member of FIFA. And on 13 May 2016 – three months after my election as FIFA president – I was proud to be the FIFA president to welcome Kosovo in the FIFA family.”

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