UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, February 14, 2025

Albanian Language Media:

Vote counting process could take up to two weeks (RTK)
AVONET: CEC's failure in vote counting continues (RTK)
Hargreaves: Important for Kosovo govt, assembly to be formed ASAP (Klan)
Kurti, Osmani to take part in Munich Security Conference (media)
Kallas: We will try to make the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue functional (RFE)
Sorensen discusses Kosovo-Serbia dialogue in Paris and Berlin (Koha)
Haradinaj: Motivated, we start preparations for local elections (Reporteri)

Serbian Language Media:

Vucic: For everyone UN Charter is a sacred principle, except in case of Serbia (Kosovo Online)
Vucic, Rosatom Director General discuss Serbia-Russia cooperation in energy sector (Tanjug)
Energy Minister: Hungary supported Serbia on NIS issue (Tanjug, media)
Szijjarto: Hungary to continue to support accelerated EU integration of Serbia (media)
Djuric: I briefed Szijjarto on situation in Kosovo (media)
Vote counting for MPs underway in 27 municipalities, results on CEC website without update since Wednesday evening (KoSSev)
Drazevic on Women’s Fair of Multiculturalism at Mitrovica North promenade: It was deliberately done so Serbian women do not participate (KoSSev)
Picula to include protests in report on Serbia (N1)

Opinion:

Trump’s ‘America First’ agenda risks leaving Kosovo isolated (Balkan Insight)

International Media:

Former Kosovo commander tells Thaci trial: General Staff was ‘non-functional’ (Balkan Insight)
Kosovo Serb convicted of attacking journalist during unrest in 2023 (Balkan Insight)
Serbia arrests inspectors for negligence over deadly fire at retirement home (Balkan Insight)

Albanian Language Media

Vote counting process could take up to two weeks (RTK)

Head of Kosovo’s Central Election Commission, Kreshnik Radoniqi, said on Thursday that it could take up to two weeks to complete the vote counting process from the February 9 parliamentary elections. “Since we have not started in all Municipal Counting Centers and see how the process is going there, we have not made an assessment of how long the entire process will take until the count is completed, but it could be two weeks,” he said.

According to him, this is if ‘plan A’ works, which is currently being implemented through the processing of data in the system; otherwise, he explained, if they see that problems with the system continue, they will return to ‘plan B’, which is counting votes through forms.

This would take five days for the CEC, since there should be a tendering procedure for this. “Today, with the director and some of the administrative staff, we discussed that we should wait today and tomorrow and see how the counting procedure is going through the system. If everything goes well, we will continue, if there are problems, we will immediately start a tendering procedure for printing some forms that are necessary for the recount of votes. It will take a maximum of four to 5 days and we will have the forms and we will continue with the old method. But, I am convinced that the system will function”, Radoniqi said.

Asked if there was a cyber attack or interference in the system on the Sunday after the elections, Radoniqi did not want to make too many statements, although he said that they have their suspicions.

He said that this matter has already been passed into the hands of the Kosovo Police and the State Prosecution.

AVONET: CEC's failure in vote counting continues (RTK)

The AVONET NGO Network has expressed deep concern over the failure of the Central Election Commission (CEC) in the vote counting process. AVONET has requested urgent action from the CEC to resolve the problems and guarantee the legality of the process. In a statement to the media, AVONET emphasized that the delays in the counting process were caused by the failure of the CEC's software.

"Today, on the afternoon of 13.02.2025, starting at 14:00, during the observation of the vote counting process, AVONET observers at the Municipal Counting Center in Ferizaj, noted that the process of counting the votes of the candidates was not carried out successfully, as a result of the failure or malfunction of the CEC software," the statement said.

AVONET expressed dissatisfaction with the "irresponsibility and mismanagement of the process by the CEC." "This behavior is dangerous and may have negative impacts on the democratic election process," the organization said. AVONET called for urgent action by the CEC, demanding that the problems with the software system be improved to guarantee the legality and constitutionality of the electoral process.

Hargreaves: Important for Kosovo government, assembly to be formed ASAP (Klan)

UK Ambassador to Kosovo, Jonathan Hargreaves, said in an interview with Klan Kosova on Thursday, that it is important for Kosovo for the government and the assembly to be formed as soon as possible. “In order for Kosovo to serve all its citizens and to fully engage in making progress in the EU-facilitated dialogue. Kosovo is our close and precious partner and we are looking forward to cooperating with the new government,” he said.

Kurti, Osmani to take part in Munich Security Conference (media)

Most news websites reported on Thursday that Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti and President Vjosa Osmani will take part in the Munich Security Conference. Osmani is also scheduled to meet world leaders, representatives of international organizations and important actors from global politics, with the aim of strengthening strategic partnership and advancing Kosovo’s interests on the international arena.

Kallas: We will try to make the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue functional (RFE)

EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, said on Thursday that she is hearing criticism about the current format of the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia. She warned that she will examine the possibility, together with the new envoy for the dialogue, Peter Sorensen, to make the dialogue between the two neighboring countries functional. “We have just appointed a special representative for the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina. And I will sit down with him in March, to see how we will continue with this,” Kallas said in a joint conversation with the “European Editorial Team,” a group of about 20 European news agencies.

“I really want to see how we can make this functional. I have also addressed this with the Serbian Foreign Minister. And he has told me that he is really willing to invest time in normalization,” Kallas said.

She said he is waiting until Kosovo forms a new government to “see how to proceed.”

Kallas reiterated on Thursday that normalizing neighborly relations is necessary for Kosovo and Serbia to move forward.

"If they think they can move on the European path without normalizing relations, then I think that is not possible," she said.

Sorensen discusses Kosovo-Serbia dialogue in Paris and Berlin (Koha)

The European Union's envoy for the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue, Peter Sorensen, has stated that over the past two days he has been discussing in Paris and Berlin ways to advance the dialogue process. Through a post on the "X" platform, Sorensen said that he had held essential conversations on how to move forward with the dialogue. "Grateful for their full support for my efforts," said Sorensen, as he published photos with officials from both countries.

His statement came shortly after the EU's foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, said that she had heard criticism about the current format of the dialogue, and warned that together with Sorensen they would analyze possibilities on how to make the process functional.

Haradinaj: Motivated, we start preparations for local elections (Reporteri)

After the conclusion of the parliamentary elections, Ramush Haradinaj convened the Presidency of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo, on which occasion, in addition to analyzing the party's journey in the national elections, they said that they have also started preparations for the local ones that will come in the fall of this year.

Haradinaj said that these elections have made AAK even more motivated "to strengthen the connection with the citizens".

In a meeting with the Presidency of the Alliance, we analyzed our journey in the February 9 elections. These elections motivate us even more to strengthen the connection with the citizens and to advance our vision for Kosovo.

With full determination, we started preparations for the local elections that await us. The Alliance will mobilize in every municipality, with the best programs and candidates that will serve the citizens.

More organized and more determined than ever to bring about the change that citizens expect.

Serbian Language Media

Vucic: For everyone UN Charter is a sacred principle, except in case of Serbia (Kosovo Online)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said last night everyone in the world talks about territorial integrity as the most important principle, but this rule does not apply when it comes to Serbia, Kosovo Online portal reported.

"It applies to everyone in the world. But there is only one point on the globe where it does not apply, and that is Serbia. For everyone else in the world, it is a sacred principle, the UN Charter. Only for Serbia, it does not apply. And where are your principles? Do they exist? Or is there one rule for Serbs and another for everyone else?", Vucic said, speaking at a formal academy to mark Sretenje - Serbia's Statehood Day and the Statehood Day of the Republic of Srpska in Banja Luka.

Read more at: https://shorturl.at/S4i3P

Vucic, Rosatom Director General discuss Serbia-Russia cooperation in energy sector (Tanjug)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic spoke with the Director General of Russia's State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom Alexey Likhachev on Thursday about continued close cooperation between Serbia and Russia, especially in the energy sector, Tanjug news agency reported.

In a post on his official Instagram account, Vucic wrote that discussion with Likhachev had addressed topics of strategic importance, including cooperation on energy security and nuclear energy security, and that they had also touched upon key geopolitical issues, highlighting the significance of stability, peace and dialogue in international relations.

"I noted that Serbia, as a militarily neutral country, is striving to build relations based on mutual respect and economic progress and noted a readiness to strengthen cooperation in the field of innovation and new technologies", Vucic also said in the post. He added they confirmed a continued close cooperation between Serbia and Russia, especially in the energy sector, with mutual understanding of the significance of strategic projects contributing to long-term development and stability.

Energy Minister: Hungary supported Serbia on NIS issue (Tanjug, media)

Speaking to reporters after a meeting with Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto in Belgrade, Serbian Minister of Mining and Energy Dubravka Djedovic Handanovic said they had discussed the announced US sanctions on Serbia's majority Russian-owned oil company NIS, adding Hungary had supported Serbia on that issue, as well as that the Hungarian oil company MOL had offered to double its capacities to help Serbia in case the sanctions took effect, Tanjug news agency reported.

"We discussed NIS, the announced introduction of sanctions by the US administration and decisions made during the tenure of President Biden's administration", she said, thanking Hungary for supporting a Serbia-backed NIS request for permission to continue operating while a sustainable solution is being sought to lift the sanctions. "We are in a situation that is not simple and we will continue dialogue with the US side as early as today", Djedovic Handanovic said on Thursday.

"We are also waiting for the Russian side to take certain steps because it is their company that is facing sanctions", she said. Szijjarto said US sanctions in the energy sector, including the announced sanctions against NIS, were a result of the Biden administration's "political revenge" against the central European region.

Szijjarto: Hungary to continue to support accelerated EU integration of Serbia (media)

Hungary will continue to provide full support to Serbia to accelerate its EU integration process, Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto said after a meeting with Serbian counterpart Marko Djuric in Belgrade on Thursday. The Governments of Hungary and Serbia attach strategic importance to development of bilateral relations, Szijjarto said.

He added that Hungary was watching developments in Serbia and that it saw attempts to destabilise the country. "I want to say completely clearly that stability and peace in Serbia are in the interest of us Hungarians. We highly appreciate and value the efforts of the President and the Government of Serbia, efforts that are also important for development of Hungarian-Serbian relations", Szijjarto told a press conference with Djuric.

He said development of bilateral relations was very important as a new world order and a new global political reality were emerging, adding this was good news. "It is good news because that new political reality is emerging thanks to the new US President, who is conducting a patriotic policy and going against the ideology that was in place until now - the one of the US administration interfering in the internal affairs of other countries", he said. Donald Trump has started a war against the international liberal mainstream, he added.

Djuric: I briefed Szijjarto on situation in Kosovo (media)

Following the meeting with his Hungarian counterpart Peter Szijjarto, Foreign Minister Marko Djuric said it was an honour to host in Belgrade a sincere and dear friend of Serbia and the Serbian people.

Djuric added he and Szijjarto discussed various global issues, the situation in Europe after the arrival of the new US administration, and that he briefed his Hungarian colleague on the situation in Kosovo, where parliamentary elections were recently held.

"In Kosovo and Metohija, the vote counting is underway, and unfortunately, there are attempts to influence the outcome of how citizens voted. We are closely monitoring and watching how this situation will unfold and expect that the will of the citizens will be respected and not altered in any political way. Serbia is committed to stability, peace, good relations within the country, and also in the region", Djuric pointed out.

Vote counting for MPs underway in 27 municipalities, results on CEC website without update since Wednesday evening (KoSSev)

The vote counting process for candidates for the Kosovo Assembly had started yesterday afternoon in eight more municipalities, the Central Election Commission said.

However, the preliminary results on the website of the Central Election Commission on rating on the political parties at Kosovo parliamentary elections have not been updated since Wednesday evening, KoSSev portal wrote last night. The last update was made on Wednesday evening at 22.12 hrs, and there are 7 more polling stations out of 2.533 whose votes still need to be calculated.

The portal recalled that in line with applicable legislation the vote counting for candidates for Kosovo Assembly should have started a day after elections in all 38 municipalities. However, this process started on Tuesday in four municipalities only. Only the day after, respectively on Wednesday the vote counting started in Mitrovica North and 13 more municipalities. On Thursday the vote counting started in 8 more municipalities. Currently the vote counting takes place in 27 municipalities.

Drazevic on Women’s Fair of Multiculturalism at Mitrovica North promenade: It was deliberately done so Serbian women do not participate (KoSSev)

Yesterday morning a fair was organized by Business Women Mitrovica, an association from the south, at Mitrovica North promenade, KoSSev portal reported. As participants told the portal the fair gathered Albanian women mainly, with one organization of Bosniak Women Club from the north, however no Serbian women took part in a fair. The organizer told KoSSev they have invited one Serbian woman to take part, but she did not respond to their invitation.

Meanwhile, a famous Mitrovica North artist, Ljiljana Drazevic told the portal that neither she personally nor other Serbian women have been invited to this fair. She added it was deliberately done so that women from the Serbian community do not participate.

Organizers of the fair previously announced that the aim of the fair was to promote “rich cultural heritage of all communities”, with Mitrovica North, a Serb-majority municipality also bragging about this event the day before. Chairwoman of the Business Women Mitrovica, Melihat Beshiri told the portal that they invited Ljiljana Drazevic to attend.

Drazevic, however, did not take part in the event, and upon seeing the media reports decided to react. “No one has officially invited women from the Serbian community to take part in this fair, or me personally. When such a manifestation is organized, the organizer is obliged to officially invite all potential participants. It should not be done with a post on Facebook. If they wanted Serbian women to take part, they would notify us on time and we would make a decision on our own whether to take part or not. Until now we have always responded to such manifestations regardless of who the organizer was”, Drazevic said.

She received a message via social media to join the participants exhibiting their products at Mitrovica North promenade “if she has time” on the day of the event, around 9.00 hrs in the morning, the portal added.

Picula to include protests in report on Serbia (N1)

The European Parliament’s (EP) draft annual report on Serbia will be presented to the public on February 20, at a meeting of the EP Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET) in Brussels, said this institution without providing any additional details, N1 reported.

In addition to the regular analysis of the state and progress of Serbia’s EU accession negotiations, EP rapporteur for Serbia Tonino Picula will also include in the report information on student protests and the government’s response to them, as well as information on the expulsion of EU member states’ and Croatia’s citizens from Serbia over their support for the ongoing student protests.

Following the presentation of the draft report and a debate, shadow rapporteurs for Serbia from other political groups will draft amendments, which will be discussed and put to vote at one of the next AFET meetings. The report will then officially become a draft Resolution, which will be tabled in the EP for debate and vote at its plenary session in May or June, N1 added.

Opinon

Trump’s ‘America First’ agenda risks leaving Kosovo isolated (Balkan Insight)

Opinion piece by Fron Nahzi

Whoever forms Kosovo’s next government after the recent elections, they will have to deal with a more transactional US foreign policy in the Balkans that is likely to favour Serbia.

Donald Trump’s recent move to push for immediate negotiations with Vladimir Putin to end the war in Ukraine - conditioned on Ukraine relinquishing its claims to Russian-occupied territory and NATO membership - foreshadows what the next government of Kosovo may also face.

The “America First” foreign policy challenges traditional alliances and international norms, favoring transactional deals and renegotiations that align with US strategic interests. As with Ukraine, the Trump administration is expected to push swiftly for a final resolution on Kosovo that serves its geopolitical agenda, putting Prime Minister Albin Kurti, or any government that resists its terms, directly in its political crosshairs.