UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, April 8, 2025

Albanian Language Media:

Kurti calls for progress on Kosovo's EU membership application (media)
Sekerinska: Path to NATO requires costly political compromises (Koha)
LDK deputy leader on Kurti: He has served inter-Albanian political division (Koha)
Meeting on missing persons expected to be held in Brussels in 10 days (RTK)
Two Arrested Serbs: We Work for Serbian Security Institutions (RTK)
Court orders 30-day detention for four Serbs arrested in Gjakova (Klan)

Serbian Language Media:

Vucic: All important matters discussed with Tokayev, I accepted invitation to Astana (Tanjug)
Djuric to represent Serbia at UNSC session on UNMIK report (Tanjug, media)
Petkovic meets with Krois ahead of UNSC report on Kosovo (Kosovo Online, Tanjug, media)
Prosecution did not confirm claims of government that arrested Serbs were “collecting intelligence information” (Radio KIM)
Gracanica MA councillors request Kosovo Government to annul decision on land appropriation (KoSSev, Radio KIM)
Djedovic Handanovic: Sanctions on NIS a retaliation against Russia (Tanjug, media)
Opposition leaders: Macut appointed to buy time (N1)
Students’ sixth demand: Determine who is responsible for president, media presence in Intensive Care Unit (N1)

International Media:

General auditor criticises poor management and slow investigations in public investments (Prishtina Insight)

Albanian Language Media

Kurti calls for progress on Kosovo's EU membership application (media)

The Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, has called on the European Union to address Kosovo's application for EU membership, stating that Kosovo has "no Plan B" and is fully committed to integration into the European bloc.

"It is time for Kosovo and the EU to intensify joint efforts to overcome the obstacles that hinder Kosovo's EU membership process," Kurti said during a discussion in Brussels organized by the Center for European Policy Studies (CEPS).

"This means: initiating the Questionnaire for Kosovo to assess our institutional and legal capacities for EU membership; and preparing a merit-based opinion on Kosovo's candidate status," he added.

Kosovo applied for EU membership on December 15, 2022, and remains the only country in the region that has not yet been granted candidate status.

It may take Kosovo several years to obtain this status, as other regional countries have waited similarly—Albania waited five years, and Bosnia and Herzegovina six. However, some countries like Ukraine and Moldova gained candidate status within just a few months.

Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/4bjdane5

Sekerinska: Path to NATO requires costly political compromises (Koha)

NATO Deputy Secretary General Radmila Sekerinska told the news website that difficult compromises are required on the path to inclusion in the Partnership for Peace Program. She reiterated that security in Kosovo and the Western Balkans region carries great weight and importance for the North Atlantic Alliance. She also spoke about the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue.

“We have called on both Belgrade and Pristina to take a constructive approach to the dialogue, which is why we fully support the new Special Representative for this EU-led dialogue, Mr. Sorensen, and why I met him just a short while ago. This is perhaps the issue where NATO and EU cooperation is most visible and most needed. So ultimately, it will be up to leaders to give this political dialogue a chance to succeed, to implement whatever has been agreed earlier and to move the region out of the impasse that we have seen recently. But there is no magic solution, no breakthrough that NATO or the EU can offer. There needs to be political will in both Belgrade and Pristina to make progress,” Sekerinska said among other things.

See the interview here: https://tinyurl.com/3wazkj7w

LDK deputy leader on Kurti: He has served inter-Albanian political division (Koha)

LDK deputy leader Doarsa Kica-Xhelili said that the acting Prime Minister Albin Kurti has served the inter-Albanian political division for four years. In a Facebook post, she said that “he who aims to divide Albanians cannot unite and unify them, neither in peace nor in crisis.”

"For four years, the incumbent prime minister has served the inter-Albanian political division. VV is a typical case of a party that rises only on divisions, and therefore cannot survive without finding external culprits. For four years, Kurti has not been able to accommodate any Albanian opposition politician. And now, when the door was closed to him by the largest Albanian political forces, he is trying to hide his political isolation behind the smoke of accusations of external influences. Sometimes we get in the way, sometimes the CEC, sometimes the ECAP... and even more often the constitutional order itself. After insulting, slandering and isolating inter-Albanian political cooperation, he created a position where the short-lived government he aims for was reduced to bargaining talks. Post-war Kosovo does not remember such a divisive discourse. And whoever has a political goal to divide Albanians, cannot unite and unify them, neither in peace nor in crisis," Kica-Xhelili wrote.

Meeting on missing persons expected to be held in Brussels in 10 days (RTK)

Delegations from Kosovo and Serbia are expected to meet in Brussels in April as part of the Joint Commission on Missing Persons. This was announced to RTK by the head of the Government Commission on Missing Persons, Andin Hoti. Based on the terms of reference, the Joint Commissions on Missing Persons should meet once a month within the first six months. But such a meeting has not yet been held, although this is the fourth month.

"In recent days, there has been a communication between the government and Sorensen, and in that communication it was discussed that the next meeting should be held very soon and I believe that no more than 10 days will pass until the meeting called by Sorensen is held," Hoti said. RTK has requested information from the European Union on this, but they have not responded.

Hoti said that at this meeting they will request access for excavations at suspected mass grave sites in Serbia. "At the moment, it is completely blocked and there is no access to the territory of Serbia for excavations or information about mass graves, so we are hoping that the Joint Commission meeting will find a solution to this issue," he said.

Two Arrested Serbs: We Work for Serbian Security Institutions (RTK)

Two of the four Serbs arrested on Sunday by the Kosovo Police in Gjakova have confirmed that they work for Serbian security institutions. Pavle Kragovic stated at the Basic Court in Gjakova that he works as a police inspector in Kragujevac, while Milovan Stevic said that he is a dentist at the Military Medical Academy in Belgrade.

The other two arrested, Branko Rakic and Nemanja Vamovic, did not declare that they have any connection to the security institutions of Serbia. Rakic said that he is a traffic technician, while Vamovic is a forestry engineer.

Prosecutor Venera Shala, while reading the request for detention, said that they carried the sharp tools during a visit to Orthodox monasteries in Kosovo. She requested pre-trial detention because the risk of escape for the defendants, according to her, is related to the fact that they are all citizens of Serbia and this could make them unreachable if they flee to the territory of Serbia.

Court orders 30-day detention for four Serbs arrested in Gjakova (Klan)

The Basic Court has ordered 30-day detention for four Serbs arrested on Saturday in Gjakova. There is a reasonable suspicion that B.R., N.V., P.K. and M.S., in co-perpetration, committed the criminal offense, “Unauthorized ownership, control or possession of weapons”.

Pre-trial judge Samedin Cena assessed that the legal conditions for imposing pre-trial detention on the defendants in question have been met, so that with the possible finding of the defendants at large, there is a risk of repetition of the criminal offense and the risk of flight.

Serbian Language Media

Vucic: All important matters discussed with Tokayev, I accepted invitation to Astana (Tanjug)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic spoke with Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev by phone on Monday to discuss all important matters connecting the two peoples, from economic to political cooperation, and accepted an invitation by Tokayev to visit Astana, Tanjug news agency reported.

Vucic noted that Tokayev had told him he expected to meet with him in Astana this year, and that he had been pleased to accept the invitation. "As always, a friendly and cordial discussion with the president of Kazakhstan. We exchanged views on all important matters connecting our countries - from advancement of political and economic cooperation to new potentials for joint projects in numerous areas", Vucic wrote in a post on his official Instagram account.

Vucic added that they had recapped the results of agreements signed during Tokayev's visit to Serbia last year, agreeing that holding a session of a joint committee on Serbia-Kazakhstan cooperation as soon as possible was of great importance.

Djuric to represent Serbia at UNSC session on UNMIK report (Tanjug, media)

Foreign Minister Marko Djuric will be representing Serbia at Tuesday's UN Security Council session on the report on the work of UNMIK, in the period from September 2024 to March 2025. The session at the UN headquarters in New York will begin at 9 pm CET, Tanjug news agency reported.

It was called by the French Mission to the UN, which took over the UNSC Presidency on April 1. At the previous session on October 30, Djuric called for a swift UNSC reaction following a series of unilateral and dangerous moves by Pristina.

He noted “that human rights violations and unilateral moves by the Albin Kurti regime were creating a climate of fear and instability and that violence against Kosovo and Metohija Serbs had escalated to an alarming level”.

Petkovic meets with Krois ahead of UNSC report on Kosovo (Kosovo Online, Tanjug, media)

Office for Kosovo and Metohija Director Petar Petkovic met with the representative of the UN Secretary-General and Head of the UN Office in Belgrade, Dominique Krois, ahead of today’s regular UN Security Council session on UNMIK's work. Petkovic emphasized that “Pristina's latest escalatory moves are putting the survival of the Serbian people in Kosovo at risk and seriously endangering peace on the ground”, Kosovo Online portal reported.

During the conversation, the two discussed the upcoming UNMIK report, which is set to present the situation in Kosovo over the past six months. Petkovic expressed expectations that the new report would include numerous incidents caused by Pristina through what he described as unilateral and unlawful actions, "carrying out terror and daily harassment of the Serbian population”.

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

Prosecution did not confirm claims of government that arrested Serbs were “collecting intelligence information” (Radio KIM)

Prosecution in Djakovica requested one-month detention for the four Serbs arrested on Saturday in this town under suspicion of possessing “cold weapons”, adding that as Serbian citizens they would not be available for further proceedings, Radio KIM reported.

The prosecution, however, did not confirm claims of the Kosovo Government officials that arrested Serbs were engaged in “collecting intelligence information”.

One of the four arrested Serbs lives with his family in Leposavic, two in Kragujevac city in central Serbia and one of them is a police inspector, while the fourth one is a dentist at Military Medical Academy (VMA) in Belgrade.

They were stopped in Djakovica over the speed issue. Then Kosovo police searched their vehicle and brought them to the police station. They are accused of possessing “cold weapons".

Defense lawyer of one of them, Predrag Miljkovic said the law on weapons classifies cold weapons as any type of tool that is conducive to inflict certain injuries by use of force. “Therefore, there must be an attacker, there must be an attack, there must be use of that tool, while the mere possession of a small saw and a small axe, in my opinion, does not constitute any criminal offense. I have asked the prosecutor, given that I have many knives in my kitchen, is there any authority issuing permits for possession of tools and kitchen knives, so that I would know how to get such a licence, because this is an absurdity”, Miljkovic said.

Defence lawyers of other arrested Serbs also pointed out that it was a matter of confiscation of work tools for household purposes and it was not about dangerous tools, as prosecution claims. In the request of prosecution, lawyer Hasan Hoti said, there are no grounds to initiate criminal proceedings, not to order detention measures.

Prior to their arrest, the four Serbs were visiting the Serbian Orthodox Church monasteries in Kosovo, Radio KIM added. The day after, on Sunday, Kosovo police arrested 12 more Serbs in Prizren. They were also visiting Serbian Orthodox Church monasteries. Ten of them were released, while two were sent to 48-hour detention. Decision on their further measure will be taken on Tuesday in Prizren, as their 48-hour detention expires on midday that day.

Radio kontakt plus reported late last evening that four Serbs, arrested in Djakovica, were sent to one-month detention. This decision can be appealed at the Court of Appeals.

Gracanica MA councillors request Kosovo Government to annul decision on land appropriation (KoSSev, Radio KIM)

During an extraordinary session held yesterday Gracanica Municipal Assembly councillors requested Kosovo Government to annul its decision on appropriation of 13.5 hectares of municipal land for the purpose of reconstructing Kosovo Residential Centre for Autism, Down Syndrome and Disability of Children and Elderly, project of the “Balkan Orphans” organisation, KoSSev portal reported citing KIM Radio.

The municipality already filed a lawsuit against the government’s decision to the Basic Court in Pristina, and on a day when foundation stone for this centre was laid, April 2, despite disapproval from the municipality, a complaint to the Constitutional Court has also been submitted. The lawyer Negovan Sarovic said the Basic Court took no action in terms of lawsuit, and then the municipality decided to address the Constitutional Court as well.

By majority votes the municipal assembly councillors adopted a request demanding Kosovo Government to annul its decision to appropriate 13.5 hectares of municipal land and allocate it to the Balkans Orphans organization for the period of 99 years to reconstruct the centre. The municipal assembly councillors argued that the land in question is located in the proximity of Kisnica mine wasteland, is not fully demined yet and it is also the only area owned by municipality that can be used for their purposes.

Chairman of the Gracanica Municipal Assembly Milan Dimitrijevic underlined that despite disapproval of the Gracancia municipality, the reconstruction of the Residential Centre has started.

He also said that Pristina municipality has offered several locations to the Kosovo Government for reconstruction of this centre, but that the Government had refused that offer.

Following the decision of the Kosovo Government on land appropriation without consultations and without consent from the municipality, the Gracanica Municipality on October 11, 2024 lodged a protest to the Kosovo Government. On October 25, 2025, the Gracanica Municipal Assembly adopted a conclusion in which it opposed a unilateral act of the Kosovo Government to appropriate 13.5 hectares of the municipal land.

Djedovic Handanovic: Sanctions on NIS a retaliation against Russia (Tanjug, media)

Serbian caretaker Minister of Energy and Mining Dubravka Djedovic Handanovic said on Monday sanctions on Serbia's Russian majority-owned oil company NIS represented “the previous US administration's retaliation against Russia”, Tanjug news agency reported.

In this situation, Serbia is not to blame for anything, Djedovic Handanovic told Prva TV. She said successful postponements of the sanctions were very important but not a lasting solution. "If anything, we have managed to secure a second postponement, but not for a long period of time", the minister explained.

She also said Serbia currently had good relations with the new US administration, as confirmed by Donald Trump Jr's visit to Serbia in March. "The changes in America have been political. We have good relations with the new US administration, and the visit to Serbia by Donald Trump Jr also confirmed that", she added.

Opposition leaders: Macut appointed to buy time (N1)

The leaders of two opposition parties said the appointment of “a politically inexperienced doctor to form a new government is an attempt to buy time by the Serbian authorities”, N1 reported.

Both, Party of Freedom and Justice (SSP) leader Dragan Djilas and New Democratic Party of Serbia (NDNS) leader Milos Jovanovic said the solution to the current political crisis lies in a transitional period to lay the groundwork for free and fair elections.

Djilas said in a written statement that the appointment of Dr Djuro Macut MD, an endocrinologist with no political or experience in managing systems, as Prime Minister Designate is an attempt by President Aleksandar Vucic to buy more time in power. “Vucic’s choice of Macut as PM Designate is not a demonstration of force but an evident sign of panic and complete inability to manage the crisis he created”, the statement said, adding that “Macut is another obedient executor of Vucic’s will”.

Jovanovic said that Macut’s appointment was like “replacing the crew on the Titanic”. “It’s clear that that government can’t avoid a shipwreck let alone resolve the deep political and social crisis Serbia is in”, he said.

Students’ sixth demand: Determine who is responsible for president, media in Intensive Care Unit (N1)

Serbia’s protesting university students demanded Monday that those responsible for the presence of Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and media crews in the intensive care unit (ICU) of the University Clinical Center of Serbia (UKCS) on March 17 be identified. Patients injured in the North Macedonia nightclub fire had been admitted to this unit, N1 reported.

“Our sixth demand is addressed to the relevant authorities, namely to UKCS Director Jelena Drulovic, UKCS Emergency Center Director Marko Ercegovac and the Head of the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Dusan Micic“, Medical Faculty student Jana Nedeljkovic told N1.

International Media

General auditor criticises poor management and slow investigations in public investments (Prishtina Insight)

Vlora Spanca, Kosovo’s General Auditor, highlighted persistent issues in the management of public funds and capital investments by government institutions. She voiced concerns over the slow pace of prosecution investigations and the minimal number of indictments regarding their findings.

In an interview for Kallxo Përnime TV Programme, the General Auditor of the National Audit Office in Kosovo, NAO, Vlora Spanca highlighted that local and central institutions often contract capital investments without proper planning and funds, leading to financial mismanagement and unfulfilled obligations.

Spanca explained that each year the National Audit Office issues a series of findings and recommendations regarding the performance of public institutions and the management of public money. One of the main sectors where significant shortcomings and poor management have been identified is public finances.