Albanian Language Media: 

• MPs fail to constitute Assembly for 21st time in row, call for reflection (media)
• Citaku: Citizens did not vote for a blockade (media)
• “Defender Europe 25” starts today, Kosovo welcomes U.S. command (media)
• Police Director: Color, not blood, on the neck of high school graduate (media)
• Osmani: Kosovo strengthening its position as a Euro-Atlantic partner (media)
• Osmani meets U.S. Congressional delegation in Dayton (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• ‘Determined to serve with honor’: Officer speaks out after Mitrovica incident, Online support highlights ‘only Albanian language’ (KoSSev)
• KCA: PIK to launch an investigation against the police officer, trust in institutions is fragile, especially among Serbs (KoSSev)
• Rasic condemned the incident in N. Mitrovica, demands an investigation into the behavior of the police towards the high school graduate (KoSSev)
• Serb NGOs condemn police conduct during graduation celebration (KoSSev)
• Diocese condemned the use of force against high school graduate: Continuation of systematic pressure on Serbs (KoSSev, Kosovo Online)
• Dacic: Attack on Serbian graduate a brutal and unacceptable act by a KP officer (Tanjug, RTV, TV Prva, Kosovo Online)
• Ministry of Justice of Serbia demand an urgent international investigation into the attack on Serbian high school graduate (Kosovo Online, KoSSev, media)
• Outgoing Kosovo’s Justice Minister visits North Mitrovica to address sexual harassment (KoSSev)
• Elshani an honorary citizen of North Mitrovica (KoSSev)

Albanian Language Media 

MPs fail to constitute Assembly for 21st time in row, call for reflection (media)

On Sunday, for the 21st time in a row, the ninth legislature of the Kosovo Assembly failed to be constituted. As usual, the first party to emerge from the February 9 elections and the other parties blamed each other for the blockade and called for reflection. The scenario of the meeting was the same: ascertaining the number of participating MPs, requesting a proposal for members of the electoral commission, putting it to a vote, and closing the session due to the lack of a quorum for decision-making. 

“53 MPs voted for, one against, no abstentions. The session is adjourned, see you on May 27 at 11 a.m.,” said Avni Dehari, chairman of the constitutive session.

After the session was adjourned, the two political camps called on each other for reflection.

Citaku: Citizens did not vote for a blockade (media)

PDK MP, Vlora Citaku, after the 21st failure to constitute the Kosovo Assembly, said that Kosovo and institutions continue to remain hostage. "The institutions continue to remain hostage to the stubbornness of the acting prime minister, MP, Albin Kurti and from this conference we call on him, we invite him to respect the citizens of Kosovo. They did not vote for a blockade, they voted to build new institutions that should face the challenges of our citizens. Unfortunately, nothing is happening. We appeal to them to reflect,” Citaku told journalists.

“Defender Europe 25” starts today, Kosovo welcomes U.S. command (media)

Kosovo will host the command of a U.S. army division for the first time, as part of the largest international exercise of the year “Defender Europe 25”. The exercise starts today in Babaj i Boka, Gjakove, with the participation of 25 thousand soldiers from 29 countries. Kosovo’s acting Minister of Defense, Ejup Maqedonci, told RTK that this shows the U.S.’s confidence in the capacities of the KSF.

Police Director: Color, not blood, on the neck of high school graduate (media)

Kosovo Police Director Gazmend Hoxha at the press conference held regarding the case in the north, where a policeman is being persecuted by Serbia under allegations that he physically abused a high school student from the Serb community, stated that this situation is related to the persecution that Serbia is doing to police officers in Kosovo. 

“In the media, a person has appeared who is claimed to have been subjected to excessive force by a police officer. In the part where it was alleged there was blood, there were colored drawings. Even the individual himself, in his statement to the police and in the presence of his parent, said that they were drawings made with markers and mentioned that it is a tradition among graduating students to color themselves like that. The student does not have any signs of violence on his neck. Based on facts and evidence, the claims that the student was bloodied by the police are unfounded,” he said.

At this conference, Hoxha showed photographs that he said were analyzed by Police Forensic experts, based on videos and photographs taken during the graduation parade that day. “And it can be seen that the color on the graduate’s neck was before the police officer’s action, which proves that it is not blood, but marker color. And no bleeding was caused during the action of our police officers during this incident,” he said.

Hoxha added that assessment by Serbia, which has issued an arrest warrant for the police officer, is related to the persecution of Kosovo police officers. He added that the police officer in question has received death threats on social networks. “He has been transferred to South Mitrovica to avoid any possible incident,” he added.

Kosovo’s caretaker Minister of Interior Affairs Xhelal Svecla called the allegations of violence against the high school graduate Serbian propaganda.

Osmani: Kosovo strengthening position as a Euro-Atlantic partner (media)

Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani took part in the conference of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly in the United States, NATO Dayton 2025. “Our reforms and investments in the area of defense and security are positioning Kosovo as a partner among countries that share the same values of freedom and security,” Osmani said in a Facebook post. 

Osmani also said that “with the support of our strategic ally, the United States of America, and other allies, we are strengthening the foundations of a safer and more sustainable region that is committed to democratic values”. 

Osmani meets U.S. Congressional delegation in Dayton (media)

Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani, during her stay in Dayton, met with the U.S. Congressional Delegation led by Mike Turner, head of the U.S. Delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly. “Together with Congressmembers Guthrie, Sanchez and Wilson, we discussed concrete ways to further deepen our cooperation with the United States - Kosovo’s most trusted and steadfast ally. Kosovo is profoundly grateful for the United States’ unwavering support for our security, for our democracy, and for our path toward full Euro-Atlantic integration,” Osmani wrote in a post on X.

Serbian Language Media

‘Determined to serve with honor’: Officer speaks out after Mitrovica incident, Online support highlights ‘only Albanian language’ (KoSSev)

The incident that occurred on Friday at the main promenade in North Mitrovica has sharply divided public opinion. While officials in Pristina praised the “professionalism of the police,” emphasizing that their actions aimed to de-escalate tensions, authorities in Belgrade, local politicians and NGOs from the north, as well as the head of EULEX, strongly condemned the conduct of one police officer, accusing him of using excessive force against a high school graduate.

Following these reactions—and Serbia’s Interior Ministry issuing a warrant for the officer’s arrest—Albanian social media users launched a wave of coordinated support posts, sharing the officer’s photo accompanied by the message: “Only Albanian Language.” The officer himself addressed the public today, stating: “Now more than ever, I am determined to continue serving with integrity, dedication, and honor.”

Read more at:https://tinyurl.com/mr2v5kfa

KCA: PIK to launch an investigation against the police officer, trust in institutions is fragile, especially among Serbs (KoSSev)

"We were deeply shaken by the video from North Mitrovica, which shows how an officer of the Kosovo Police grabs a high school student by the neck during the graduation parade," announced the Kosovo Civic Alternative in a post on X.  

This multi-ethnic group dedicated to dialogue, normalization and building good inter-ethnic relations, made up of leading representatives of civil society in Kosovo, says that no young person should be subjected to such treatment, especially at a time when they are celebrating their achievements.

They called on the Police Inspectorate of Kosovo to urgently and transparently investigate this incident.

Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/symrrcjw

Rasic condemned the incident in N. Mitrovica, demands an investigation into the behavior of the police towards the high school graduate (KoSSev)

The party "For Freedom, Justice and Survival" strongly condemned the incident that, according to the party, took place on Friday in North Mitrovica, during which, as is suspected, there was inappropriate use of force by members of the Kosovo Police against a high school graduate.

"The potential use of force against young people, especially in symbolic moments like graduation celebrations, represents a serious blow to basic democratic values and further worsens the already fragile relations in the north of Kosovo," said the party leader and Kosovo's outgoing Minister for Communities and Return, Nenad Rasic. 

Rasic confirmed that he had already discussed the case with the Minister of Internal Affairs of Kosovo, Xhelal Svecla, from whom he asked to take all possible measures to prevent the recurrence of similar situations. Rasic also announced that on Monday he will submit an official request to PIK for an urgent and comprehensive examination of all the circumstances of the event and determination of responsibility.

The party "For Freedom, Justice and Survival" called on relevant institutions, as well as international partners, to monitor the case and contribute to the preservation of basic human rights, peace, and stability in Kosovo.

Serb NGOs condemn police conduct during graduation celebration (KoSSev)

A traditional high school graduation celebration in North Mitrovica ended in controversy on Friday, following a police intervention that five local NGOs have denounced as an ethnically biased response involving excessive force.

The incident occurred as students from the Serb community marked the end of their secondary education by parading through the city center with brass band music, a long-standing local tradition. The festive atmosphere turned tense when a video surfaced showing a confrontation at the lower end of the city promenade.

The video, which quickly spread across social media platforms, shows the students passing a café owned by an ethnic Albanian, when a guest made a provocative gesture—raising his hands in the shape of a double-headed eagle, a symbol often associated with Albanian nationalism. Students claim they responded by showing their middle fingers but insisted they did not initiate the exchange.

In the video, a young police officer is then seen grabbing one of the students by the neck. The officer reportedly accused the student, in Albanian, of provoking the incident. A brief physical altercation between the student and several officers ensued.

In statements to KoSSev, the students involved testified that the altercation stemmed from provocations by guests at the café, including the display of vulgar and nationalist symbols.

However, Veton Elshani, Deputy Commander of the Kosovo Police for the North Region, offered a different account. He stated that the students were the ones provoking café guests and that officers merely asked them to stop. Elshani claimed police acted appropriately to de-escalate the situation and did not exceed their authority. He argued there is no basis to open a case.

NGOs: Statements by the Deputy Commander of the Kosovo Police Are Concerning

This interpretation was firmly rejected by five NGOs from northern Kosovo, which issued a joint statement expressing “serious concern” over what they described as a “physical assault” on a graduating student.

Read more at:https://tinyurl.com/3sapuf7u

Diocese condemned the use of force against high school graduate: Continuation of systematic pressure on Serbs (KoSSev, Kosovo Online)

This, as well as a whole series of other incidents of the previous days, is perceived by the Serbian people as a continuation of systematic pressure on Serbs in Kosovo - the Eparchy of Raska-Prizren announced about the incident in North Mitrovica.

They expressed concern and condemned, as they stated, the selective and excessive use of force by the Kosovo Police against an underage young man from a group of Serbian high school graduates who were celebrating the end of the school year and graduation on the main promenade.

"At the same time, the police did not react to the provocations by the Kosovo Albanians on the promenade. In the video that was published on social networks, three Kosovo policemen can be seen attacking a minor, while one policeman is squeezing him by the neck," said the Diocese.

They called on the international representatives in Kosovo to stop the escalation of provocations and the use of force against the Serbs, especially in the North of Kosovo:

"This can lead to a serious deterioration of the security situation," the Diocese concluded.

Dacic: Attack on Serbian graduate a brutal and unacceptable act by a KP officer (Tanjug, RTV, TV Prva, Kosovo Online)

Minister of Internal Affairs Ivica Dacic stated today that the arrest warrant issued by the Serbian Ministry of Internal Affairs for the Kosovo police officer who attacked a Serbian high school graduate in North Mitrovica is important from the standpoint of the state's institutional response. He emphasized that the officer will be arrested when and if he becomes accessible to Serbian authorities, stressing that an arrest warrant does not expire, reported RTV.

“Given that in some cases individuals are not accessible to our authorities, it is important to know that whenever they become accessible in the future, they will be arrested,” Dacic told TV Prva on Sunday. He highlighted the importance of issuing the warrant:

“At the moment when he becomes accessible to Serbia’s state institutions, he will be arrested,” said Dacic, adding that investigative authorities, prosecutors, and others should determine the severity and legal classification of the offense.

Dacic reminded the public that the physical assault was directed at a Serbian high school student celebrating graduation and noted that there can be no justification for the act, even if the student was displaying the three-finger salute. He pointed out that when symbols of "Greater Albania" are shown by others, there is no reaction.

“This was a brutal attack in and of itself because it was committed against a child. When the police act toward children, that is already brutal — especially when done in this manner,” Dacic emphasized.

He criticized Kosovo’s Minister of Interior, who claimed the officer did not attack the student but merely restrained him. Dacic responded that if Serbian police treated a student or high schooler in central Serbia in the same way, they would be accused of strangling them.

He added that Belgrade is waiting to see whether authorities who do have access to the Kosovo officer will take any action.

“As far as the Kosovo police are concerned, we’ve seen nothing come from them. Regarding some international actors in Kosovo and Metohija, there were a few condemnatory statements. But overall, we always face a wall of silence or justification, and that sends a very bad message to the Serbian people living in Kosovo and Metohija,” Dacic said, pointing that the attack happened in a part of Kosovo inhabited by Serbs and recalled that, according to the Brussels Agreement, the police composition in that area should reflect the ethnic makeup of the local population.

“But instead, we have a completely degenerated situation in Kosovo and Metohija, and that’s why incidents like this occur and why they deserve condemnation. What’s important to us is that our state institutions have clearly declared this act unacceptable and that it will be punished,” Dacic stated.

Ministry of Justice of Serbia demand an urgent international investigation into the attack on Serbian high school graduate (Kosovo Online, KoSSev, media)

The Serbian Ministry of Justice and Minister Nenad Vujic strongly condemned what they called a "shameful and unprovoked attack" by members of the Kosovo police on a Serbian high school graduate in North Mitrovica and called for an urgent and impartial international investigation.

In a statement, the Ministry stressed that what happened yesterday was not an isolated incident but part of a broader pattern of systemic repression and intimidation of the Serbian population in Kosovo.

“There can no longer be — nor must there be — any excuse for this, neither from the provisional institutions in Pristina nor from those who support and oversee them. The international community — primarily the EU, KFOR, EULEX, and UNMIK — bears responsibility for the security and political environment in which Serbian children are physically abused in front of the international public. Their passivity, double standards, and selective justice render meaningless every principle that Europe and international missions claim to uphold,” the statement read.

Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/3ztwnz5j

Outgoing Kosovo’s Justice Minister visits North Mitrovica to address sexual harassment (KoSSev)

Outgoing Kosovo Justice Minister Albulena Haxhiu visited North Mitrovica on Friday, holding a series of meetings focused on tackling sexual harassment. The visit included discussions with local police officials, prosecutors, and judicial representatives at the Kosovo Police regional headquarters, where Haxhiu emphasized the government’s commitment to addressing gender-based violence.

In a brief interview with KoSSev following the meetings, Haxhiu underscored that “every form of sexual harassment is unacceptable, whether it happens on the street, at work, or in schools.“ She reminded the public that sexual harassment is a criminal offense under Kosovo law and punishable accordingly.

Read more at:https://tinyurl.com/t94snscc

Elshani an honorary citizen of North Mitrovica (KoSSev)

On Friday, for the first time, a formal session was held in North Mitrovica, where certificates of appreciation were presented to the citizens who, as it was announced, contributed to the municipality of North Mitrovica. Apart from the members of the fire station among the winners, there are no other Serbs on the list of those who received certificates of appreciation. An honorary citizen of North Mitrovica was presented to the Deputy Commander of the Kosovo Police of the North Region, Veton Elshani, reported KoSSev. 

The ceremony began with the singing of the Kosovo national anthem, after which the president of the North Mitrovica Municipal Council, Nexhad Ugljanin, opened the ceremonial session.

The councilors awarded the citizens recognition and certificates of appreciation.

Citizens who received certificates of appreciation for their contribution to the municipality of North Mitrovica were Flamur Gacaferi, Lajde Dishpalli, Ergin Rexhepi, Kadri Jukovic, Ali Kadrija, Hasan Vitaka, Fatlume Delija, Avni Peci, Resmije Vokrin, Lorik Hysenaj.

A person who is not from this city received a certificate of appreciation for the media contribution of the municipality of North Mitrovica. It was Teve1 journalist Venhar Isufi, who has been reporting daily from the North of Kosovo for years.

He addressed the audience at the session and expressed special gratitude to the media reporting in the Serbian language.

"Thank you for this recognition. I would like to mention that I would not be here if it were not for media reporting in the Serbian language, such as KoSSev, Kosovo Online and others, with whom I have excellent cooperation. Thanks to their help and cooperation, I am here today," said Isufi.

Another letter of thanks went to the North Mitrovica Fire Department, whose representative, as Ugljanin said, could not receive the award on Friday. 

The deputy commander of the Kosovo Police Region North, Veton Elshani, was declared an honorary citizen.

The deputy mayor of Erden Atic, Katarina Adjancic, presented him with a certificate of appreciation and recognition, who thanked him for, as she said, "dedication to preserving security in North Mitrovica".