UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, April 29, 2025

Albanian Language Media:

Kos: Normalization with Serbia, precondition for Kosovo’s EU process (RFE)
Hoti: Arrest warrant against Radoicic welcome but late (KTV)
Haxhiu: Not optimistic that the situation will change in next session (Telegrafi)
Ramadani: Konjufca mentioned as candidate for Assembly Speaker (media)
“Decision on new energy prices doesn’t include northern municipalities” (media)
Haziri says he will run for Gjilan mayor in the municipal elections (Klan Kosova)
KFOR MSU conduct live fire training exercises in Pristina (media)

Serbian Language Media:

Djuric meets Li Ming, thanks China for support on Kosovo issue (Kosovo Online, media)
Macut receives Chinese Ambassador (Tanjug, media)
Macut, Botsan-Kharchenko discuss overall Serbia-Russia cooperation (Tanjug, media)
Marta Kos to visit Serbia, meet top officials in Belgrade (Kosovo Online, media)
Students in Mitrovica North to hold another 16 Minutes of Silence vigil for Novi Sad victims (KoSSev)
Dacic: Police were attacked in Novi Sad, ambulance carrying injured dean was blocked (Tanjug, media)
Police, gendarmerie use batons, pepper spray on protestors in Novi Sad (N1)
Students call end to RTS blockade (N1, social media)
Student runners reach Austria (N1)

International Media:

The costly precedent that continues to haunt Kosovo (PI)
Kosovo issues arrest warrant for fugitive Serb kingpin Radoicic (BIRN)
South-East Europe’s politicians spy PR chance as Trump Jnr touts for business (Balkan Insight)

Albanian Language Media

Kos: Normalization with Serbia, precondition for Kosovo’s EU process (RFE)

EU Commissioner for Enlargement, Marta Kos, said in an interview with Radio Free Europe on Monday that the normalization of relations with Serbia is a precondition for Kosovo to be able to get the candidate status and start the membership process in the European Union. Kosovo applied for EU membership in December 2022 and is the only one in the region without a candidate status. “We are waiting for the formation of the new government. I am in contact with the politicians there and they say they are very much in favor of the normalization of relations with Serbia, which is a precondition for the start of the process of negotiations or for getting the candidate status,” Kos said.

Kos said it is very important for the next government of Kosovo to meet certain conditions, without specifying more. “I haven’t received any signal from the member states or from the Danish presidency of the EU Council that this [getting the candidate status during the Danish presidency] could happen. But I think it is very good to start,” she argued.

Despite calls from Kosovo’s leaders for the EU to lift its penalty measures against Kosovo, Kos said that currently not all EU member states are willing to lift the measures now. “We still don’t know. We are discussing this. If the member states support the lifting of the measures, we will certainly do that. But for now, not all member states are in favor of this,” she said.

Hoti: Arrest warrant against Radoicic welcome but late (KTV)

Head of the Kosovo Government’s Committee for Missing Persons, Andin Hoti, said the news that the Basic Court in Pristina has issued an arrest warrant against Milan Radoicic is welcome but late. Radoicic, along with 20 other Serbs, are suspected of killing 106 Albanian civilians in Gjakova in May 1999. Radoicic is also the main defendant for the terrorist attack against Kosovo Police in Banjska in September 2023. “I think we are late. It is certainly a good initiative. But there are hundreds and thousands of criminals like Radoicic and others, who are accused, and who committed the biggest atrocities, and they are still at large. There are specific individuals whose names are known that hid the bodies of people. We have the names of people that took my father from the high security prison, and they are still free in Belgrade,” Hoti said.

Hoti said that there are currently 1,588 forcibly disappeared from the war in Kosovo. He said the Kosovo side insists for excavations to resume in Batajnica, Serbia, but that the Serbian side is continuing to block the process.

Hoti said he hopes the new EU envoy for the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia, Peter Sorensen, will treat the issue of missing persons with higher priority.

Haxhiu: Not optimistic that the situation will change in next session (Telegrafi)

MP from Vetevendosje and candidate for Kosovo Assembly Speaker, Albulena Haxhiu, in an interview with the news website on Monday, commented on the current situation in the Assembly after the latest failure to be elected to the post. She said that since April 15 the new Assembly has not been constituted following the opposition’s refusal to verify the mandates of MPs and now because of their refusal to vote in favor of her candidacy. “I am not very optimistic that the situation will change in tomorrow’s session [today] because the opposition parties have made their positions publicly clear. In my opinion, there is lack of readiness to constitute the Assembly and to move on with the procedures to form a new government,” she argued.

Haxhiu said that the responsibility for constituting the new Assembly falls on all political parties and not only to the majority or to the Vetevendosje Movement. She recalled that the Constitution of Kosovo and the ruling of the Constitutional Court give the right only to the winning party in the elections to propose a candidate for Assembly Speaker. According to her, the opposition is not refusing only her candidacy but in some cases every possible candidate from the Vetevendosje Movement.

Ramadani: Konjufca mentioned as candidate for Assembly Speaker (media)

Political commentator Burim Ramadani said in a debate on T7 on Monday evening that there are strong indications that Glauk Konjufca is being considered as a candidate for the post of Kosovo Assembly Speaker. “Based on credible indications, there are discussions for Glauk Konjufca to be proposed as a candidate for Assembly Speaker, and then as Acting President for a certain period of time, and it is believed that other MPs would support his election, and this could happen very soon. I believe it could happen around mid-next week,” Ramadani said.

“Decision on new energy prices doesn’t include northern municipalities” (media)

The Energy Regulator Office (ERO) said in a press release on Monday that Elektrosever, a Serbian company which covers the four northern municipalities, will decide independently whether to increase energy tariffs in the four Serb-majority municipalities in the north of Kosovo. ERO said that only KESCO, as a universal supplier covering all municipalities in Kosovo except those in the north, is obliged to apply the 16.1 percent increase. ERO also noted that Elektrosever operates outside the universal service supplier system and that it has different tariffs.

Haziri says he will run for Gjilan mayor in the municipal elections (Klan Kosova)

Leader of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) in Gjilan and MP, Lutfi Haziri, said on Monday that he will run for mayor of Gjilan in this year’s municipal elections. “In my capacity as chairman of the LDK branch in Gjilan, as head of political processes in the municipality, in today’s meeting of the chairmanship, I presented the final draft of the Branch Council for the February 9 election results. Despite the positive trend and my confirmation as a member of the Assembly of the Republic, the LDK in Gjilan is now continuing preparations for the municipal elections … As leader of the branch, I am the only candidate for Mayor and today we have started the process for this … Together and with love, we will restore Gjilan as a center of economy, education, security, culture and sports,” Haziri said in a Facebook post.

KFOR MSU conduct live fire training exercises in Pristina (media)

Several news websites cover a Facebook post by NATO’s peacekeeping mission in Kosovo, KFOR, which notes that its Multinational Specialized Unit conducted live fire training exercises in Pristina to maintain their high operational readiness. “These efforts are part of KFOR's daily mission to guarantee a safe and secure environment for all people living in Kosovo. KFOR continues to implement its mandate - based on UN Security Council Resolution 1244 of 1999 - to contribute to a safe and secure environment for all people and communities living in Kosovo and freedom of movement, at all times and impartially. KFOR works in close coordination with the Kosovo Police and the European Union Mission on Rule of Law in Kosovo (EULEX) in their respective roles as security responders,” the post notes.

Serbian Language Media

Djuric meets Li Ming, thanks China for support on Kosovo issue (Kosovo Online, media)

Serbian Foreign Minister Marko Djuric met with China Ambassador to Belgrade, Li Ming and thanked him on this occasion for the principled stance China has regarding Kosovo issue, Kosovo Online portal reported.

Djuric also thanked Ambassador Li for consistent support of China to Serbia’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, stressing that such support was equality important both bilaterally and in international organizations.

During the meeting Ambassador Li handed over the congratulatory message of Chinese chief of diplomacy Wang Yi to Djuric over his re-appointment as foreign minister.

Macut receives Chinese Ambassador (Tanjug, media)

Serbian Prime Minister Djuro Macut received Chinese Ambassador to Belgrade Li Ming on Friday to discuss comprehensive bilateral cooperation and ways to advance it. Macut noted that Serbia-China cooperation was based on a shared future, a strategic partnership and long-standing steely friendship, the Serbian Government said in a statement, Tanjug news agency reported. .

"Such friendship between the two countries is being deepened further through political and cultural cooperation, creating solid foundations for future growth and stability across the Western Balkans", Macut said. He also said economic cooperation was a key aspect of the partnership and that China was one of Serbia's most important trading partners.

Ambassador Li said the bilateral economic cooperation had the potential to become even more intensive. "That is in the mutual interest of both China and Serbia", he added.

Macut, Botsan-Kharchenko discuss overall Serbia-Russia cooperation (Tanjug, media)

Serbian Prime Minister Djuro Macut met with Russian Ambassador to Belgrade Alexander Botsan-Kharchenko on Monday to discuss overall bilateral cooperation, Tanjug news agency reported.

Macut thanked the Russian Federation for supporting Serbia and bilateral partnership, adding that support had great significance on the path of Serbia's further development, economic strengthening, energy stability and security, the government said in a statement. Macut also noted that Serbia continued a policy of friendship and building partnerships with all of the world's most significant countries.

"Serbia is extending a hand of cooperation to all and building partnerships for the present and the future", Macut said. Commenting on the 80th anniversary of the victory in WWII, Macut said Russia and Serbia had written a glorious page of history by fighting together against the occupiers and for freedom.

Marta Kos to visit Serbia, meet top officials in Belgrade (Kosovo Online, media)

European Union Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos will visit Serbia on April 29 and 30 to meet top officials in Belgrade, Kosovo Online portal reported.

The visit will start on April 29 with her meeting with the Prime Minister Djuro Macut, Minister of European Integration Nemanja Starovic and Foreign Minister Marko Djuric. On the same day Kos will have a bilateral meeting with the Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic in the presidency building.

On the next day, the EU Commissioner will visit one of the EU funded projects in Serbia. This visit comes one month after Vucic and Kos met in Brussels, the portal recalled.

Students in Mitrovica North to hold another 16 Minutes of Silence vigil for Novi Sad victims (KoSSev)

Students from University of Pristina, temporarily based in Mitrovica North will organize another 16 Minutes of Silence vigil today to honour the victims of Novi Sad railway station tragedy, KoSSev portal reported.

The gathering will take place at its original location - in front of the Faculty of Philosophy in Mitrovica North - where the first such vigil was organized. It is scheduled for 11:52 a.m., the exact time when the roof of the Novi Sad railway station collapsed, killing 15 persons on the spot, while the 16th victim, a young man, died later from injuries sustained during the collapse.

The vigil will mark the fourteenth gathering in Mitrovica North to pay tribute to the victims and show support for students who have been maintaining blockades at nearly all public universities across central Serbia for several months. The previous vigil was held on April 15, with students from the University of Belgrade also joining their peers in Mitrovica North in solidarity.

Dacic: Police were attacked in Novi Sad, ambulance carrying injured dean was blocked (Tanjug, media)

Serbian Interior Minister Ivica Dacic on Monday strongly condemned violent scenes outside the Novi Sad Faculty of Sport and Physical Education earlier in the day and noted that police had been attacked in the incident, Tanjug news agency reported.

Addressing a press conference, Dacic announced all perpetrators of the violence would face criminal and misdemeanour complaints. The police reacted to the least extent possible, in an attempt to deter attacks on police officers, Dacic said, adding that the police had been attacked as soon as they had arrived on the scene.

"They were pelted with things, insulted and pushed together with the dean. It was evident that a rampage had taken place inside the building itself, that certain barricades had been put up, they (the perpetrators) were going in through windows", Dacic said. He noted that a crowd which had gathered outside the building had refused to let an ambulance carrying dean Patrik Drid - who was injured in the incident - drive away from the area.

"When the ambulance came, it was blocked, its tyres were slashed and its windows smashed. It has really never happened - that a professor, a dean, should be attacked like this", Dacic said, adding that the dean had identified a small number of the faculty's students in the crowd and that opposition activists had been present as well.

Police, gendarmerie use batons, pepper spray on protestors in Novi Sad (N1)

Outside the Faculty of Sport and Physical Education in Novi Sad, where students and people have been blocking the entrance since Monday morning, a violent incident broke out after police received orders to attack the gathered crowd, N1 reported, adding that officers charged the protesters with batons.

The confrontation began when police attempted to approach the building’s entrance but were stopped by a human chain formed by students and citizens. Gendarmerie troopers managed to break through using pepper spray to push the crowd back. According to N1’s reporter on the scene, no one was seen entering the building. The dean attempted to enter the faculty through a rear entrance accompanied by riot police but was later brought to the front of the building, where protesters threw water at him and pelted police officers with eggs.

Several people were injured during the use of pepper spray, including a journalist and Katarina, a student who previously took part in the cycling protest to Strasbourg. She lost consciousness and was taken away by emergency services. In response, students inside the faculty building poured water on the police from the windows.

The Parliamentary Culture and Information Committee met on Monday afternoon and voted 15 to 1 to annul the previous competition for membership in the Council of the Regulatory Body for Electronic Media (REM), a body which has the power to allocate broadcasting licenses and impose fines on electronic media.

“A new competition for the REM Council has been called and that means the blockade of the RTS is over after 14 days”, the students of the Belgrade Arts University School of Drama Arts (FDU) said in an X post.

The students set up a blockade of the RTS headquarters in central Belgrade and studios in a suburb demanding either the shutting down of the RTS or a new competition for the REM Council.

Student runners reach Austria (N1)

Serbian students running a relay marathon from Novi Sad to Brussels were met by a large crowd in the centre of the Austrian city of Graz on Monday evening, N1 reported.

The 4th day of their run took them from Varazdin in Croatia to Maribor in Slovenia and on to Graz. The run titled From My Village to Brussels has covered 474 kilometres so far. The student runners told reporters that they support their fellow students who were beaten by police in Novi Sad on Monday. Earlier in Maribor, one of the students told N1 that “they (the police) don’t have enough batons for all of us”.

The mixed crowd of Serbians and Austrians set up candles to form the number 16, commemorating the number of people who lost their lives in the collapse of a concrete awning at Novi Sad railway station which was the cause for the months of protests, N1 added.

International

The costly precedent that continues to haunt Kosovo (PI)

More than two months after February’s parliamentary elections, Kosovo is trapped in an institutional crisis as parties cannot find a solution to unblock the election of parliament’s speaker.

The constitutive session of the Kosovo Parliament, which opened on April 15, 2025, has now been interrupted for the seventh time, reminiscent of political deadlocks from 2014 and 2017. Once again, a flawed constitutional precedent - prioritising the largest party to propose the Parliament Speaker even without securing a majority - has caused political chaos.

Albulena Haxhiu, acting Minister of Justice and Vetëvendosje’s nominee for Speaker, has failed five times to secure the minimum of 61 votes, as opposition parties refuse to support her candidacy. Vetëvendosje remains determined that Haxhiu is a qualified and rightful choice, forcing the parliament to reconvene every 48 hours without progress.