UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, June 25, 2025

Albanian Language Media:

Kosovo MPs will meet for the 37th attempt to form new legislative (media)
Osmani, Rohde talk non-constitution of institutions and other processes (media)
ERO says it will appeal court’s decision in favor of a company (media)
PDK files lawsuit calling for annulment of energy market liberalization (Koha)
Bajrami: ERO failed to secure a free energy market (Koha)
The government was not informed about testing on Iber Bridge (Koha)

Serbian Language Media:

Trump extended instruction on national emergency with respect to Western Balkans (Kosovo Online)
Vucic: Halting arms and ammo exports has resulted in internal, external pressure (Tanjug)
Arsenijevic accuses Svecla of ‘political persecution’ (KoSSev, media)
Witnesses in a trial to Milorad Djokovic: He was not in Kosovo when crime he is accused of occurred (KoSSev, RTS, media)
New political party Kosovo Alliance formed by Serbs, announced participation in upcoming elections (KoSSev, media)
Criminal case against former north Kosovo police chief Zeljko Bojic dismissed due to statute of limitations (media)
Minister: Government wrote to US OFAC requesting new delay of NIS sanctions (N1)

Albanian Language Media

Kosovo MPs will meet for the 37th attempt to form new legislative (media)

Most news websites report that members of the Kosovo Assembly will meet today in what will be the 37th attempt to form the new legislative. Parties that were in the opposition in the previous mandate have refused so far to appoint representatives to a committee that would oversee a secret vote for Vetevendosje’s candidate for Assembly Speaker, Albulena Haxhiu.

Osmani, Rohde talk non-constitution of institutions and other processes (media)

Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani hosted on Tuesday the German Ambassador to Kosovo Jorn Rohde and discussed political developments especially the implications from the non-constitution of new institutions. “During the meeting they also discussed opportunities to further develop bilateral relations between Kosovo and Germany, in light of the new government in Germany, as well as joint engagements in different areas of mutual interest,” a press release issued by Osmani’s office notes.

ERO says it will appeal court’s decision in favor of a company (media)

Several news websites reported on Tuesday that the Energy Regulatory Office (ERO) said it will appeal to a decision by the Commercial Court of Kosovo which suspended the moving of a company to the free energy market. ERO said that the court’s decision does not imply the suspension of the process of the free energy market, and that it would appeal the decision at the highest judicial instances in line with obligations deriving from the law on energy.

PDK files lawsuit calling for annulment of energy market liberalization (Koha)

The Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) said on Wednesday that it has submitted to the Basic Court in Pristina a lawsuit calling for the annulment of the decision for the liberalization of the energy market in Kosovo. The PDK said in a statement that their decision “was made in the absence of a fair, legally-based and comprehensive process which is already resulting in major and irreversible consequences for over 1,300 local businesses and over 140,000 workers of these enterprises”. The PDK also said that the decision is seriously threatening Kosovo’s economic stability through increased prices, inciting inflation and threatening to bankrupt a large number of businesses.

Bajrami: ERO failed to secure a free energy market (Koha)

MP from the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) Hykmete Bajrami said on Tuesday that the Energy Regulatory Office (ERO) has failed to create an open and competitive energy market in Kosovo. “The ERO should have come out publicly and admit that there is no free competition on the market. The companies are not refusing the open market, but the problem is that the market is not free,” she argued in an interview.

Bajrami said that the decision to move businesses with over 50 workers and an annual turnover of over €10 million to the free energy market is causing major injustice to over 1,300 businesses in Kosovo, “and this will reflect with major damages to the economy and the people – through increased prices and loss of jobs”.

Bajrami called on the prosecution to investigate possible ties between companies, which she claimed, deceived in the energy market, and government officials. She also accused the ERO, KOSTT and the Ministry of Economy of failing to monitor the situation.

The government was not informed about testing on Iber Bridge (Koha)

Testing on the main bridge over the Iber River in Mitrovica was done since Tuesday morning with many workers and heavy trucks, but the caretaker government said it is not informed who is behind the testing. Koha learned from its sources that the request for the testing was done by the European Union, but the latter did not respond to requests for comment.

Caretaker Deputy Minister for Infrastructure, Hysen Durmishi, said that the ministry completed the testing on the bridge last year. “We as the ministry completed the testing last year and we received a final report that the bridge is stable for the crossing of all cargo. We are not doing any testing and we are not informed who is doing the testing on the bridge,” he said.

Several people that were crossing the bridge on Tuesday told the TV station that they believe the bridge should be opened for vehicle traffic as soon as possible.

Serbian Language Media

Trump extended instruction on national emergency with respect to Western Balkans (Kosovo Online)

US President Donald Trump has extended an instruciton on national emergency with respect to the Western Balkans by one more year, Kosovo Online portal reported.

In an official document published in the Federal Register it is said that the situation in the Balkans region still represents an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States. It was also said that acts of individuals which jeopardize peace and efforts for stabilization in the Western Balkans still stymies democratic progress and integration of the region in Euro-Atlantic structures.

The notice is available at: https://shorturl.at/yCDOf

Vucic: Halting arms and ammo exports has resulted in internal, external pressure (Tanjug)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Tuesday that, following a decision to halt exports of Serbian-made arms and ammunition, he was under major pressure to allow already agreed shipments to go through, but noted that Serbia would not deliver the shipments in spite of the pressure, Tanjug news agency reported.

In the future, sales of arms and ammunition will be possible only with the consent of the National Security Council, Vucic told reporters. "As far as arms are concerned, the Ministry of Defense understood my order, but there are five institutions whose signatures are required. What follows now is an order from the National Security Council to the Ministry of Trade, which is the final (institution), that there is no ammunition going out anymore. That poses a serious problem to us because I have been under serious pressure since last evening, both externally and internally", Vucic said when asked to comment on an upsurge of verbal attacks against him following the decision to halt arms exports, as well as on reports that an Israeli Boeing 747 jet used for transporting ammunition had landed in Belgrade.

He added that no one was looking after Serbia and that, instead, everyone was looking to break his back because he did not have "two sides, but only the Serbian side".

Arsenijevic accuses Svecla of ‘political persecution’ (KoSSev, media)

Serbian Democracy leader Aleksandar Arsenijevic is a wanted person in Kosovo over an alleged discovery of a cache of weapons and ammunition in a barn at his property. He, however, claims this was a setup, in which in a way Kosovo acting Interior Minister Xhelal Svecla has been allegedly involved, adding that is the reason why he gave up on intent, at least for now, to return to Kosovo, KoSSev portal reported. Asked if he will return, Arsenijevic said he is seeking guarantees for a fair trial and not political persecution.

Arsenijevic: “Svecla made a clear signature”

Arsenijevic, who is still outside of Kosovo, told KoSSev portal on Tuesday he planned to come back on Sunday already and was ready to cooperate with Kosovo authorities.

“I had the intention of coming back on the first day and giving a statement. I cooperated with police via the phone, and told them I will come back. They offered that the inspector waits for me at the crossing, I told them he may or I can come directly to the station”, Arsenijevic added. However, he changed his mind to come back upon seeing the first public address by Kosovo acting Interior Minister Xhelal Svecla following the search and discovery of weapons at his property.

“I was literally on my way back and told the police I needed 3 to 4 hours to arrive. I have nothing to hide. And then Svecla prepared a bonfire for my removal, along with that Russian flag, which does not go with me. This is a political persecution, absolutely”, he said. Arsenijevic also claimed that Svecla in a way allegedly took part in the setup. “By going out to the public before the end of the investigation and all other claims, he automatically signed himself. This is a political persecution and the end of the story. It is a clear signature, there is nothing else there”, he claimed.

Arsenijevic also claims the timing for search was chosen when he was out of Kosovo, that he was on the spot on Friday, checking on his horse before going on a trip, cutting the grass. He added the barn is open all the time. He noted that because of a campaign against him now pressure is exerted upon prosecution and judges, arguing that no judge and prosecutor would agree for him to be free pending trial in a regular proceeding.

KoSSev portal also said it addressed Kosovo acting Interior Minister Xhelal Svecla to comment on Arsenijevic’s accusations but received no reply by the time the article was published.

Witnesses in a trial to Milorad Djokovic: He was not in Kosovo when crime he is accused of occurred (KoSSev, RTS, media)

Two witnesses of defense testified yesterday in a trial to Milorad Djokovic from Vitomirica accused of allegedly committing war crimes in the Pec region, KoSSev portal reported. The two witnesses L.Dj., and B.Dj., said the defendant is not responsible for the murders of Albanians he is accused of.

L.Dj. said in the days when the crime occurred, Djokovic was not in Kosovo, but in Montenegro where he was engaged in repairing his own house. Another witness, B.Dj., said on May 6 and May 7, Djokovic was in Golubovac village in Montenegro where he worked on his house.

Djokovic’s defense lawyer Vasilije Arsic said the witnesses confirmed the alibi of his client, therefore, he adds, the indictment is ungrounded. "At today's hearing, the prosecutor was nervous, because their whole story, which they thought was founded regarding the charges that Djokovic participated in a war crime on May 7, 1999, today's witnesses confirmed he was in Montenegro and has nothing to do with the indictment. The witnesses were clear and specific in their testimony, and we will see how the court will value their testimony at the next hearing", lawyer Arsic said.

He added defense has few more witnesses, but also there are those who do not dare come to Pristina, so their statements will be taken via video link.

He recalled that the lawsuit against Djokovic is based on the statements of two witnesses, adding they are considered to be not credible as they have personal, property related disputes with Djokovic, and since then everything started. He also said Djokovic lived in Vitomirica village until 2021 and no one ever reported him, and then the investigation against him started in 2022, noting that his client is in detention for three years already.

New political party Kosovo Alliance formed by Serbs, announced participation in upcoming elections (KoSSev, media)

A new political party representing Kosovo Serbs, named the Kosovo Alliance (Kosovski savez), has officially been formed and announced its intention to run in the upcoming local elections scheduled for October 12. The party is led by Goran Marinković, a resident of the village of Dobrotin in the municipality of Lipljan, while its coordinator and founding ideologue is Zarko Ristic, a current member of the Serbian Parliament, KoSSev portal reported.

The Kosovo Alliance held its first executive board meeting on Tuesday, where the leadership set out initial plans and directions for the party’s political activity. “The foundation has been laid for participation in the upcoming local elections, and likely also in the anticipated repeat elections for the Kosovo Assembly”, the party said. The party leader Marinkovic criticized the dominant Kosovo Serb political force, Serbian List, accusing it of acting against the interests of the Serbian community in Kosovo and of being backed by political forces in Belgrade.