Albanian Language Media:

• Osmani: Kosovo, a champion of the Women, Peace and Security Agenda (media)
• Terras condemns terrorist attack on Iber Lepenci water canal (Koha)
• Kurti meets Terras, calls for removal of EU measures against Kosovo (media)
• COMKFOR Barduani meets Terras (media)
• Interethnic relations in Kosovo, prey to disinformation (RFE)
• Kurti: Fight against corruption among key priorities of our government (media)
• Unfounded asylum requests from Kosovo increased by over 100 percent (RFE)
• Kurti: Proud that Kosovo will organize the Mediterranean Games (RTK)

Serbian Language Media

• Serbian Labor Minister: “Kurti brags about result of expulsion of more than 200.000 Serbs from Kosovo after 1999” (Kosovo Online, social media)

• Development Fund for North suffers losses: Who benefits? (Kosovo Online)
• Turkish KFOR soldiers patrol in Zubin Potok (media, social media)
• Minister Popovic: No to EU membership if Kosovo is the price (N1, BETA)
• EC: Serbia implementing visa-liberalization recommendations (N1)
• Montenegro Defense Minister on detained soldiers: Draconian punishment, I am calling for their release (Radio KIM)
• Berliner Zeitung from Zurich: Vucic’s "Insights without illusions" (Tanjug, Kosovo Online)

Albanian Language Media 

Osmani: Kosovo, a champion of the Women, Peace and Security Agenda (media)

Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani said in a Facebook post on Monday that Kosovo is a champion of the Women, Peace and Security Agenda not only in the region and Europe but beyond. “Women in uniform, professionals and committed, are the image of Kosovo and the Kosovo Security Force that we want to see always and continuously develop. Kosovo is a champion of the Women, Peace and Security Agenda not only in the region and Europe but beyond. The more women are involved in security and decision-making processes, the safer and stronger we are as a society and a state,” Osmani said. She made these remarks during her address at the Regional Center of Excellence for Women, Peace and Security event on advancing the representation and role of women in military structures and in the field of defense. 

Terras condemns terrorist attack on Iber Lepenci water canal (Koha)

European Parliament’s Rapporteur for Kosovo, Riho Terras, in his first visit to Kosovo on Monday, condemned the recent terrorist attack on the Iber Lepenci water canal. “I plan to visit the north of Kosovo tomorrow. I will hold several meetings there and I will visit the site where the attack on the Iber Lepenci water canal took place. We encourage the authorities to work on resolving the case. All perpetrators must be brought to justice,” he said.

Terras was reserved to talk about the stalemate in the EU-facilitated dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia, but said tat Kosovo has successfully undertaken a series of reforms. “We are here to help Kosovo on its path toward EU integration. Kosovo has successfully undertaken a series of reforms in its progress. This was reflected in the 2024 Progress Report. In my capacity as European Parliament Rapporteur, I am here to include all these achievements in the report,” he said. 

Kurti meets Terras, calls for removal of EU measures against Kosovo (media)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti met on Monday with the European Parliament’s Rapporteur for Kosovo, Riho Terras, and offered to closely cooperate on joint efforts to move forward with Kosovo’s reform agenda and European integration. “We discussed Kosova–EU relations and latest developments. I shared details on the November 29 terrorist attack on our critical infrastructure in Zubin Potok and evidence seized by the Kosova Police following the attack. These included 74 military patches, among which 20 with Russian insignia, as well as a large cache of weapons and other materials of concern. In today's meeting I also noted the unjust, asymmetrical treatment towards Kosova, which, despite being the target of a two major terrorist attacks in consecutive years, is still under EU measures. Meanwhile Serbia, which orchestrated and sponsored the Banjska attack of 24 September 2023, and continues to provide shelter for lead terrorist Milan Radoicic, remains unsanctioned and unaccountable,” Kurti wrote in a post on X after the meeting.

COMKFOR Barduani meets Terras (media)

COMKFOR Major General Enrico Barduani met on Monday with Riho Terras, member of the European Parliament and Standing Rapporteur for Kosovo. “They discussed views on various topics, including KFOR’s steadfast commitment to support all efforts by the International Community, for the benefit of lasting security across Kosovo and regional stability. Today’s visit was part of the KFOR Commander’s regular exchanges with his main counterparts, in Kosovo and across the region,” KFOR said in a Facebook post.

Interethnic relations in Kosovo, prey to disinformation (RFE)

On social networks, media and coffee tables, disinformation about developments in Kosovo are said to be creating tensions in interethnic relations, especially among Albanians and Serbs, the news website reported on Monday. 

Ramadan Ilazi, research director at the Kosovo Center for Security Studies, said that disinformation campaigns in Kosovo are disseminated intentionally to create tensions in interethnic relations. “We have seen campaigns that aim to create distrust – especially in the Serb community – toward the public institutions of Kosovo, and aim to create to a perception that in the north [of Kosovo] there is a situation of continuous repression against the people there,” he argued.

To test this impression, the Center has conducted a study, and in addition to analysis and polls, it brought together several Albanian and Serb youths to discuss about disinformation campaigns. The study showed that the majority of Kosovars, regardless of their ethnicity, believe that disinformation is affecting interethnic relations. Most of them said that they personally came across disinformation. 

Ilazi said the disinformation is intentionally disseminated more when there are tensions in the Serb-majority north of Kosovo, as was the case of last year’s attack in Banjska or the attack against the Iber Lepenci water canal. He believes that Russian media services, RT and Sputnik, in Serbia, which operate regardless of sanctions by the U.S. and EU, have a role in the spreading disinformation. “These media, in Serbia, spread a narrative about Kosovo that is exceptionally unconstructive and detrimental to interethnic coexistence. They also aim to damage the process for the normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia,” he added.

Adea Beqaj, program manager at the National Democratic Institute (NDI) in Pristina, said that large presence of Kosovars on digital platforms increases the vulnerability to the disinformation campaigns. She also highlighted the lack of media education. 

Beqaj argued that Kosovo’s institutions need to draft a strategy that equips the people “with the abilities to navigate in an increasingly complex information environment, to fight disinformation and to make well-informed decisions”. “A key component in this effort should be integrating media education in the educational curricula at all levels, starting from elementary education,” she said.

The lack of media education in educational curricula in Kosovo is seen as one of the factors that are leaving Kosovars vulnerable to disinformation campaigns. Online media are seen as one of the platforms that spread disinformation the most. Nevertheless, the majority of Kosovars believe they know to identify disinformation. 

Ilazi argued that the language barrier between the Albanian and Serb communities is still a problem. He said that the lack of bilingualism in the media in Kosovo results in the lack of complete context. “We don’t have Albanian-speaking professional media with reporters from the Serb community and vice versa. So oftentimes the reporting from the north lacks the context to address information that may be not completely accurate,” he said.

Ilazi also said the normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia would make the fight against disinformation easier. “As long as there are tensions between Kosovo and Serbia, society will remain vulnerable to disinformation campaigns. Every time there are tensions, disinformation campaigns increase and aim to create impressions of fear,” he said.

Kurti: Fight against corruption among key priorities of our government (media)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti said in a video message on Facebook on Monday that the fight against corruption has been one of the key priorities of the Kosovo government since the start of its mandate. “Through firm engagement, concrete measures, cooperation with specialized international agencies, we have managed to destroy 124 criminal groups, we confiscated over 4.5 tons of narcotics and seized goods and assets worth around €37 million. At the same time, we have saved over €145 million through wins at international arbitrations, by preventing financial abuses by damaging contracts of previous government. This is why today we are 21 points higher on Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index,” he said.

Unfounded asylum requests from Kosovo increased by over 100 percent (RFE)

The European Commission warned on Monday that in some countries of the European Union there is a major increase of unfounded asylum requests from Kosovo citizens, in the first year of visa liberalization. The commission said in its latest report that Kosovo continues to meet the visa liberalization criteria. 

From January to July this year, an average of over 550 Kosovars have requested asylum in EU countries every month. This figure is visibly higher than the average of the last six years. But the report notes that in Kosovo’s case it is still too early to make accurate conclusions about the effects of visa liberalization because there is no data available for the whole year. 

The Commission called on Kosovo authorities to establish mechanisms to exchange information with member states in order to monitor the flow of illegal migration and asylum requests trends. Kosovo is also asked to restart the internal information campaign for the rights and obligations during travel in the Schengen Zone and to cooperate with countries that have been most affected by the unfounded asylum requests. 

Kurti: Proud that Kosovo will organize the Mediterranean Games (RTK)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti said on Monday that he is proud that Kosovo will organize the Prishtina 2030 Mediterranean Games, saying that it will be the biggest sports project Kosovo has ever organized. In his address to an event marking the 10th anniversary of Kosovo’s membership in the International Olympic Committee, he said that “this historical event reflects our commitment to advance sports and to strengthen international cooperation. These results represent the power of a small country through hard work, discipline and commitment. Sports in Kosovo is the symbol of the unyielding will and spirit of a people who with dignity and courage continues to write history on the international arena”.

Serbian Language Media 

Serbian Labor Minister: “Kurti brags about result of expulsion of more than 200.000 Serbs from Kosovo after 1999” (Kosovo Online, social media)

Serbian Minister of Labor, Social and Veterans’ Affairs Nemanja Starovic took to X social platform to react to statements of Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti who said during his visit in Sarajevo that “Serbs make up only four percent of population in Kosovo”, Kosovo Online portal reported.

“Horrendous and repulsive statement by the provisional #Kosovo* PM Kurti, saying that Serbs make up only 4% of the population in the province. Beyond questionable statistics, such a narrative represents deplorable bragging about the results of the expulsion of 200,000+ Serbs from Kosovo* after 1999. Less than 2% of Serbian IDPs have returned to their homes since, and his provisional government did nothing to enable them to exercise that right. On the contrary, the campaign of systemic discrimination he has been running against the Serbian community since coming to power borders silent ethnic cleansing”, Starovic said in a post. 

Development Fund for North suffers losses: Who benefits? (Kosovo Online)

The Development Fund for the four municipalities in northern Kosovo, which generates its revenue from customs duties and excise taxes on goods entering Kosovo through Jarinje and Brnjak crossings, has been deprived of funds due to Kosovo Government's decision to allow Serbian goods to enter only through Merdare following the partial lifting of the ban on Serbian imports, according to interlocutors of Kosovo Online. It is estimated that the fund has suffered a loss of nearly four million euros due to this regime and the prior complete ban on importing ready made goods from central Serbia.

Read more at: https://shorturl.at/DJmQ1

Turkish KFOR soldiers patrol in Zubin Potok (media, social media)

“Turkish soldiers assigned to Regional Command East of the #NATO-led #KFOR Mission conducted a routine patrol in Zubin Potok, Kosovo”, KFOR said in a post on Facebook.

“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 statement added. 

Minister Popovic: No to EU membership if Kosovo is the price (N1, BETA)

Nenad Popovic, Serbian minister without portfolio responsible for international economic cooperation, said it would be unacceptable for Serbia to give up Kosovo as a condition for its membership in the European Union (EU), N1 reported.

“Serbia should strengthen its cooperation with BRICS as an organization, as well as each of its member countries individually. These are, without a doubt, friendly countries that understand our policy of remaining sovereign and independent and that are simultaneously rapidly developing and creating a distinct power hub in the international arena”, Popovic told an interview with Belgrade-based Vecernje Novosti daily. 

According to him, “amidst a Euro-integration process which is very complicated and has an undefined end date, Serbia must not deny itself the possibility of building international partnerships that may help its national interests”, BETA news agency reported.

EC: Serbia implementing visa-liberalization recommendations (N1)

A European Commission report said that Serbia and other Western Balkan countries have implemented recommendations made under the Visa Suspension Mechanism but need to take more action, N1 reported.

“The Commission considers that Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia have taken action to address several recommendations made in the sixth report under the Visa Suspension Mechanism. However, they still need to take further action, specifically to align their visa policies with the visa policy of the EU”, the 7th report under the Visa Suspension Mechanism said.

The Mechanism monitors the EU’s visa-free regimes with its Western Balkan and Eastern Partnership partners, the Eastern Caribbean countries operating investor citizenship schemes, and Latin American countries. The report said that the follow-up to the visa liberalization process continues to be a powerful tool to support reforms and boost cooperation with the EU on migration, border management and security. It also said that Ukraine and Kosovo met the visa liberalization requirements.

Montenegro Defense Minister on detained soldiers: Draconian punishment, I am calling for their release (Radio KIM)

It has been 15 days since the arrest and subsequent 30-day detention of three young Montenegrin men, two of whom are members of the Army, over the inscription “Kosovo is Serbia” on their vehicle. They were arrested after attending the ceremony at Visoki Decani Monastery. “This detention looks like draconian punishment to me”, Montenegrin Minister of Defense Dragan Krapovic said yesterday. At the same time he called for their release, Radio KIM reported.  

“The campaign is over, I did not want to heat things up during the campaign. I think 30 days is too much. It is possible that they committed some misdemeanor, but this detention looks like draconian punishment to me”, he said.

“I would call for their release and that they come back home to their families. The proceedings can also be held under such circumstances”, he added. 

Berliner Zeitung from Zurich: Vucic’s "Insights without illusions" (Tanjug, Kosovo Online)

The publisher of the newspaper Berliner Zeitung, Holger Friedrich, who attended last week's panel "Zurich Speech," organized by the local magazine Weltwoche, described Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic as a man who speaks freely and provides an opportunity to better understand the connections between geopolitical blocs, the countries operating within them, and the responsible individuals, reports Deutsche Welle.

According to Friedrich, Vucic is accessible as a witness and attempts to mediate between positions, reports RTCG. “It is a friendly, sometimes unusually open conversation. Without sharpness, without the cynical remarks that Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban likes to interject”, he emphasized.

In a very extensive article titled "Insights Without Illusions," the author evaluates the Zurich gathering as a “memorable meeting” and notes that it was marked “on several occasions by silence due to shock, and sometimes confusion”, which Vucic "took note of".

Read more at: https://shorturl.at/t2cc9