Albanian Language Media: 

• Businesses to block three main entrances to Pristina today (media)
• Rizvanolli: We will stand alongside local businesses in every challenge (media)
• Kurti: Government will support producers in liberalization of energy market (RTK)
• Barduani and German Defense Chief discuss security in Kosovo (RTK) 
• Veterans react to Trendafilova’s statement on Specialist Chambers (media)
• Maqedonci: Positioning of Serbian military near Kosovo is now news (Telegrafi)
• Osmani greets KSF contingent that will be trained in USA (media)
• Gender Equality Group wants immediate action to threats against Osmani (media) 
• Kurti meets Walker, thanks him “for historic role” for people of Kosovo (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Mojsilovic: Serbia committed to regional military cooperation (Tanjug)
• Elezi: Kosovo not threatened in the way Maqedonci presented it to the media (KoSSev, Danas)
• The north municipalities each to have 15 councilors after the 2025 local elections (Kosovo Online)
• Leposavic Sports Facility under new management amid community concerns (KoSSev)
• Systematic (non)compliance with the Law on the Use of Language: Assembly of Kosovo (KiM radio)
• A memorial service held for the Serbs who died in Cernica from 1999 to 2003 (Kosovo Online, RTV Puls)

International:

• Trust in the EU in the Western Balkans: Highest in Montenegro, lowest in Serbia (EWB)

Albanian Language Media 

Businesses to block three main entrances to Pristina today (media)

All media report that the three main entrances to Pristina – from Veternik, Fushe Kosove and Podujeva – will be blocked for two hours on Thursday with vehicles of different businesses as part of the protest against the liberalization of the open energy market. The protest is organized by the Kosovo Chamber of Commerce as a sign of dissatisfaction against a decision by the Energy Regulatory Office which is expected to enter into force on June 1. The decision says that businesses with over 50 workers and with an annual turnover exceeding €100 million will have to choose electricity suppliers with unregulated prices out of the control of the ERO.

The Chamber of Commerce called on “all businesses affected by this decision to join the protest by deploying as many motor vehicles as possible in order to block Pristina’s main entrances, until our demands are met. The aim of the protest: we want the postponement of ERO’s recent decision on liberalisation of the energy market, and to start a direct dialogue with business representatives in order to find an acceptable solution, allowing this transition period to pass with minimal negative impact on the private sector”.

The Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) too called for the decision to be suspended. PDK MP Abelard Tahiri said on Wednesday that this party is waiting for an official document from the ERO and is considering the possibility of requesting a suspension order from the court. 

Rizvanolli: We will stand alongside local businesses in every challenge (media)

Kosovo’s caretaker Minister of Economy, Artane Rizvanolli, in a reaction to the announced protest by businesses today, said that the government “will stand alongside local businesses in every challenge brought by the market liberalization, as we have always done”.

Rizvanolli criticized the Kosovo Chamber of Commerce “and some others, since the announcement by the Energy Regulatory Office for the market liberalization in March, for spreading panic among businesses and the citizens with apocalyptic predictions for inflation and loss of jobs, in order to make the citizens unwillingly lobby for 1 percent of the companies that are affected by the liberalization”.

Rizvanolli called on the Chamber of Commerce to join “our efforts to help the businesses, especially the manufacturers, to lower the energy cost … instead of insisting to shift the burden upon others”.

Kurti: Government will support producers in liberalization of energy market (RTK)

Kosovo’s acting Prime Minister Albin Kurti said on Wednesday that the government will stand alongside local producers in every challenge stemming from the liberalization of the energy market. He made these remarks after a meeting between the National Council for Economy and Investments and chambers of commerce and local producers. A press release issued by the government notes that a joint meeting will be held between energy suppliers and companies that will enter the open market soon. 

Barduani and German Defense Chief discuss security in Kosovo (RTK)

The Commander of the KFOR Mission, Major General Enrico Barduani, hosted on Wednesday the visit of the German Defense Chief, General Carsten Breuer, at the KFOR headquarters in Camp Film City, Pristina. "During the visit, General Barduani presented the current security situation in the region, emphasizing KFOR's efforts for a stable Kosovo and towards the resumption of the EU-facilitated dialogue between Pristina and Belgrade," the announcement said.

The NATO Mission in Kosovo announced that General Breuer appreciated the long-standing contribution and dedicated commitment of German forces (DEU) to KFOR and regional stability.

Veterans react to Trendafilova’s statement on Specialist Chambers (media)

The KLA War Veterans Organization has reacted to the statement of the president of the Specialist Chambers, Ekaterina Trendafilova, who said that the headquarters of this court could not be in Kosovo due to the danger to witnesses. This organization describes Trendafilova’s statement as untrue and unfounded. “Since 1999, dozens of trials have been held in Kosovo against former members of the Kosovo Liberation Army for war crimes, initially by UNMIK, then by EULEX and later by local courts. These processes have included investigations, arrests, trials and concrete sentences. In none of them has there been any proven systematic case of intimidation of witnesses, much less that there was a risk to their lives. This reality clearly proves that there was an atmosphere for trials in Kosovo, even in much more sensitive times than today, immediately after the war, when emotions and consequences were still fresh. As a result, the claim that justice for the KLA could only be imposed outside Kosovo contradicts the factual truth and the experience since the end of the war of the processes that have been developed in our country,” the organization said in its response.

Maqedonci: Positioning of Serbian military near Kosovo is now news (Telegrafi)

Kosovo’s caretaker Minister of Defense, Ejup Maqedonci, further commented on Wednesday on his earlier remarks about the positioning of Serbian military troops near Kosovo. He said in a Facebook post that his one-minute remark on the topic was taken from a 30-minute interview with a TV station in Albania and that it was focused on the international military exercise “Defender Europe 2025”. “In an attempt to shift away the attention of the public from one of the biggest events being held in Kosovo, the Defender Europe 25 exercise, different actors in Kosovo started a wide campaign in different news website and social networks about my one-minute remark about the positioning of Serbian military units taken from a 30-minute interview for A2CNN, which mainly focused on the Defender Europe 25 exercise. There was an attempt to turn a small one-minute part of my interview into the news of the day and to present it as propaganda with the goal of getting attention,” Maqedonci said.

Osmani greets KSF contingent that will be trained in USA (media)

Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani has published a video of the Kosovo Security Force soldiers, who will be trained in the United States of America. Osmani is seen in the published video greeting some of the 152 soldiers who will attend the training program. “This morning, upon arriving from the USA, I wished the contingent of 152 KSF soldiers who were traveling to the USA for the JRTC (Joint Readiness Training Center) training program a safe journey and success,” she wrote.

Gender Equality Group wants immediate action to threats against Osmani (media) 

The Group for Security and Gender Equality, through a media release, has strongly condemned the recent death threats made against Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani. “Such acts of intimidation and threats of this nature are not only an attack on President Osmani as a person, but also an attack on democracy, the rule of law and the principle of peace and stability. We call on state institutions, political parties, civil society and the media to take immediate and coordinated action to protect women in politics and to ensure that they can lead without fear,” their statement reads. 

The group has further expressed full solidarity with President Osmani and reconfirmed their unwavering support for the security, protection and dignity of all public officials, regardless of gender, who serve with integrity and dedication. “There is no place for violence or intimidation in democratic societies,” the reaction reads.

Kurti meets Walker, thanks him “for historic role” for people of Kosovo (media)

Kosovo’s caretaker Prime Minister Albin Kurti said on Wednesday that Ambassador William Walker, former head of the OSCE Verification Mission, had a historic role for the people of Kosovo and was committed to supporting truth and justice. Kurti made the remarks after meeting Walker in Pristina. They discussed the latest developments, the election results, the work of the institutions and the challenges of Kosovo and the region. 

Serbian Language Media

Mojsilovic: Serbia committed to regional military cooperation (Tanjug)

Addressing a meeting of the Balkan Countries Chiefs of Defence Conference in Istanbul, Serbian Armed Forces Chief of General Staff Gen Milan Mojsilovic said on Wednesday Serbia was committed to further strengthening of regional military cooperation and to conducting joint activities as part of the initiative.

This year's event addressed the use of crewless systems in the operational environment of the future and was also an opportunity to discuss other topics and activities aimed at bolstering military-to-military relations and regional security, the Serbian MoD said in a statement. Speaking about the topic of the meeting, Mojsilovic said crewless systems had drastically changed the operational environment, imposing a need to adapt the tactics of using troops and to modify crucial combat systems. It seems that it is a matter of time when human crews on the battlefield will be completely replaced by crewless military systems, he said.

While in Istanbul, Mojsilovic held separate bilateral meetings with his Turkish counterpart, Gen Metin Gurak, and the chair of the NATO Military Committee, Adm Giuseppe Cavo Dragone.

Established in 2006, the conference brings together the army chiefs of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Greece, Romania, Serbia, North Macedonia, Türkiye, and Montenegro. Belgrade hosted its meetings in 2009 and 2018.

Elezi: Kosovo not threatened in the way Maqedonci presented it to the media (KoSSev, Danas)

The Kosovo Defense Minister in resignation, Ejup Maqedonci, claimed yesterday that the security of Kosovo was threatened, and he presented the information that allegedly about 70 percent of all the capacities of the Serbian Armed Forces are in the south, reported KoSSev, citing Klan Kosova.

Security expert, Bedri Elezi, however, said that, although Kosovo was "exposed to a serious security situation", it was not threatened in the way Maqedonci had presented it in the media, reported KoSSev, citing Klan Kosova. 

"We have an increased presence of KFOR, which implements the NATO program and is based on Resolution 1244, within which it has responsibility for preserving the sovereignty of the Republic of Kosovo. Then we have well-trained troops of the Kosovo Security Forces, as well as the Kosovo Police, who have concretely shown how ready they are to face situations that can be complex or serious in terms of security," Elezi told Klan Kosova. 

And while Maqedonci talked about threatened security, Elezi said that there was no standard security plan of the Kosovo Police within the framework of emergency operational plans, which would imply the extraordinary and urgent engagement of security forces, that is, the police and the KSF.

He claimed that the Kosovo Ministry of Defense and the government should take concrete measures to prevent possible threats.

"We have not even seen that the KFS raised the level of security, such as the mobilization of members to the barracks. Therefore, the KFS are not in a state of readiness either, although there is a protocol that is activated in case of danger to Kosovo," he said.

The north municipalities each to have 15 councilors after the 2025 local elections (Kosovo Online)

The Central Election Commission (CEC) announced that, as part of the preparations for holding local elections for municipal presidents and municipal assemblies this year, it received a notification from the Ministry of Local Self-Government Management on the number of councilors, which will be determined based on data from the 2024 population census. 

Based on that, the assemblies of the municipalities of North Mitrovica, Leposavic, Zvecan and Zubin Potok will have 15 councilors each.

The CEC announced that based on Article 36, paragraph 1, of Law no. 03/L-040 on local self-government, the number of members in the municipal assembly should be proportional to the number of citizens in the municipality, except for the Pristina Municipal Assembly, which according to paragraph 2 of that article has 51 members.

According to the population census, apart from the municipalities in the north, there will be 15 councilors each in four more municipalities in Kosovo where the Serbs are the majority: Novo Brdo, Ranilug, Partes and Klokot.

The municipal assemblies of Strpce and Gracanica will each have 19 councilors.

Leposavic Sports Facility under new management amid community concerns (KoSSev)

The recent municipal takeover of the sports hall in Leposavic, which previously operated under Serbia’s institutional framework, has sparked protests from former employees, local sports organisations, and parents of children who trained at the facility. Protesters claim that children have been denied access to regular training sessions following the administrative handover, reported KoSSev last night. 

Deputy Mayor of Leposavic, Marina Bogojevic, rejected these claims, stating that all previously allocated time slots for sports activities remain valid and that the hall will now be available free of charge.

Although Bogojevic had previously announced that former employees would be allowed to continue working, she confirmed yesterday that new staff members have already been appointed, and a new director installed. Former employees expressed disappointment over what they described as a unilateral takeover, insisting that a dialogue should have been held to reach a mutual solution. Bogojevic agreed that communication had taken place, explaining that the hall’s leadership had been aware for months of an open call for new positions to replace staff who had left the Kosovo system more than three years ago. She added that reintegration was encouraged but ultimately unsuccessful.

Read more at:https://tinyurl.com/yc2fr6wb

Systematic (non)compliance with the Law on the Use of Language: Assembly of Kosovo (KiM radio)

The lack of certain documents, categories and subcategories, strategic plans, as well as information about certain competitions, is the conclusion after analyzing the official website and social networks of the Assembly of Kosovo. The problem of mismatched content is not limited to the written form, but also certain video materials are in most cases only available in the Albanian language, without accompanying audio or written translation into the Serbian language.

The problem of systematic violation of the Law on the Use of Languages in Kosovo has been pointed out for years, but it still persists despite the legal framework that guarantees the equal use of the Serbian and Albanian languages. In this regard, non-majority communities, in this case those who communicate in the Serbian language, remain deprived of key information. Moreover, this was stated in the Report of the European Commission for Kosovo for the year 2023, where this problem is pointed out in several points.

Therefore, NGO Aktiv, Radio Kim, NSI, Radio Gorazdevac and the ACDC are continuing a public advocacy campaign with the aim of encouraging institutions to solve this perennial problem. This week, the focus was on the Assembly of Kosovo.

Detailed analysis available at:https://tinyurl.com/3wmzpxaz

A memorial service held for the Serbs who died in Cernica from 1999 to 2003 (Kosovo Online, RTV Puls)

In the church of St. Ilija in Cernica, near Gnjilane, a memorial service was held yesterday for those who died from 1999 to 2003. The local priest Dragan Kojic served the memorial service in the presence of faithful people from Cernica and the surrounding area, reported Kosovo Online, citing RTV Puls.

Milivoje Nisic told RTV Puls that even 25 years after the suffering of the Serbs, there was no justice in sight. 

"It has been 25 years since the greatest tragedy, perhaps in the entire Kosovo Pomoravlje, when three of our innocents were killed, including Milos. From 1999 to 2003, seven were killed, the last one was the teacher Miomir Savic. Unfortunately, even today, after 20 years, no one has been held accountable for the crimes committed against our people. Today we gathered to honor them," Nisic said.

In the period from 1999 to 2003, seven residents of Cernica were brutally murdered - Boziidar Stojanovic, Blagica Vasic, Vojin Vasic, Milos Petrovic, Tihomir Simijonovic, Trajan Trifunovic and Miomir Savic. The youngest victim, Milos Petrovic, was only four years old. 

Around 40 people were wounded in that period, and a dozen houses were damaged.

In Cernica, a multi-ethnic village near Gnjilane, 700 Serbs once lived, today there are about 110 of them, in forty families, reported Kosovo Online.

International 

Trust in the EU in the Western Balkans: Highest in Montenegro, lowest in Serbia (EWB)

The Standard Eurobarometer for Spring 2025 was released today, showing the highest level of trust in the European Union among its citizens since 2007. In the Western Balkan countries, which were also included in the survey, the trust in the EU is highest in Montenegro and Albania, and lowest in Serbia.

The surveys were carried out in each country in March and April 2025. According to the results, 52% of EU citizens tend to trust the EU, the highest result since 2007.

In the meantime, 43% of EU citizens continue to have a positive image of the EU, while 38% have a neutral image and 18% have a negative image of the EU and 62% of EU citizens are also optimistic about the future of the EU.

Read more at:https://tinyurl.com/ymm43v8e