Albanian Language Media: 

• Osmani: Grateful for warm hospitality from friendly state of Brunei (RTK)
• 11th attempt to constitute Assembly to continue on today’s session (media)
• Kica-Xhelili: Sessions every 48 hours, waste of time (media)
• Serbian List MPs sign oath to protect Kosovo’s sovereignty (media)
• Osmani on visit to Malaysia: Hospitality and respect for Kosovo (RTK)
• Kurti congratulates Prime Minister Albanese (RTK)
• LDK and PDK harshly criticize government on World Press Freedom Day (media)
• Germany and UK concerned about Kosovo's decline in media freedom (Nacionale)

Serbian Language Media: 

• Finance minister says Vucic discharged from hospital, feeling better (Beta, N1, RTS)
• Opposition politicians speculate about reasons behind Vucic’s sudden return from US (Beta, N1)
• Women harassed in North Mitrovica: They insulted us and made sexist comments (KoSSev)
• Possibility of Committee of Ministers discussing Kosovo’s CoE admission request not ruled out (N1)
• UNS: Media in Kosovo facing financial uncertainty after withdrawal of foreign donors (Kosovo Online)
• EFJ condemned Kosovo’s ruling party for attacks on journalists (KoSSev)

Albanian Language Media 

Osmani: Grateful for warm hospitality from friendly state of Brunei (RTK)

Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani has begun her visit to Brunei, invited by His Majesty Sultan Haxhi Hassanal Bolkiah, Sultan of Brunei. This marks the first ever visit of a Kosovo leader to this Southeast Asian state. "Grateful for the warm hospitality and respect shown to the Republic of Kosovo by the friendly state of Brunei. A good start to a visit of special importance, of the highest state level, at the invitation of the Sultan of Brunei, who is a great supporter of our state and people," Osmani wrote on Facebook.

11th attempt to constitute Assembly to continue on today’s session (media)

Today, the ninth legislature of the Assembly of Kosovo will make another attempt to constitute itself. On Saturday, the attempt to elect the committee through the secret ballot failed due to the lack of a quorum, forcing the chairman Avni Dehari to interrupt the session, announcing that it will continue on Monday, at 10:00 hours.

The chairman of the session, Avni Dehari, called on political parties to propose members for the committee for the secret ballot, as a key procedural step, according to him, for the continuation of the process.

However, the PDK leader, Memli Krasniqi, criticized the way the session was conducted, by not proposing candidates for the commission. Neither the LDK, AAK and the Serbian List proposed candidates for the commission, maintaining the same position as in previous sessions.

Meanwhile, out of 106 MPs present, only 54 voted in favor of the creation of the commission, one against, and no abstentions, a number that was not enough for a quorum. After the session ended, representatives of political parties continued to accuse each other of not electing the speaker of parliament. LVV MP Donika Gervalla called the refusal to vote on the possibility of a secret ballot meaningless.

However the opposition parties PDK, LDK and AAK assessed the way LVV is attempting to have the speaker of parliament voted through a secret ballot as unconstitutional. Representatives of the opposition parties have said that Albulena Haxhiu will not be voted for speaker of the parliament even in the continuation of the session on Monday morning.

Kica-Xhelili: Sessions every 48 hours, waste of time (media)

LDK deputy leader Doarsa Kica-Xhelili, has said that LDK understands the right of the winning party to propose its candidate for Speaker of the Assembly of Kosovo, but assesses that Vetevendosje has the obligation to create political consensus in relation to the candidate it brings to be voted on as Speaker of the Assembly.

"Now, if there is no such political agreement, in our assessment it is a waste of time to call sessions every 48 hours and in the absence of such a political agreement we return to those sessions for an empty five-minute rhetoric, wasting everyone's time and entering into some kind of useless repetition and the same positioning", she said, adding that "we cannot change our position when the circumstances have not changed".

She added that there may be political parties that may be willing to create a political consensus in relation to the candidate Albulena Haxhiu for Speaker of the Assembly of Kosovo, but according to her, the LDK does not offer such an opportunity.

Serbian List MPs sign oath to protect Kosovo’s sovereignty (RTK)

The nine Serbian List MPs have signed the text of the oath in Serbian as MPs of the ninth legislature of the Assembly of Kosovo. The document states that they “pledge to protect the sovereignty of the Republic of Kosovo.”

"I, a member of the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo, swear that I will honorably and with dedication perform my duty and represent the people with dignity, work in the interest of Kosovo and all its citizens, commit myself to the protection and respect of constitutionality and legality, to the protection of the sovereignty, territorial integrity and institutional integrity of Kosovo, to the guarantee of human rights and freedoms, in accordance with the laws of the country. I swear!", states the text of the oath written in Serbian, signed by the lawmakers of the Serbian List.

The signed documents were also published by Serbian lawyer Cedomir Stojkovic on the X platform, who considered the whole thing to be a triple game by Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic.

“On the one hand, he incites tensions and armed clashes, as it happened in Banjska in 2023, on the other hand, he tries to convince Serbian public opinion and the Orthodox Church that he is defending Kosovo as part of Serbia. Meanwhile, the MPs he controls swear by Kosovo’s institutions to preserve its independence. This double, even triple game, has only produced hatred, manipulation and violent clashes – fueling divisions between communities and innocent victims, at a time when peace could have been the simplest and fairest choice,” the Serbian lawyer wrote.

Osmani on visit to Malaysia: Hospitality and respect for Kosovo (RTK)

Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani has written about the visit she made to Malaysia, where she also opened the Kosovo Embassy there. She said that “the partnership between the two countries originated in the most difficult days for Kosovo, when Malaysia came to our side, and that day by day it is becoming stronger and more significant.”

“This visit was not only a hospitality and respect for Kosovo that will not be forgotten, but also a clear promise that serves mutual development and empowerment. Thank you! Terima Kasih! ”, Osmani wrote.

Kurti congratulates Prime Minister Albanese (RTK)

Acting Prime Minister Albin Kurti has congratulated Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on his important victory. “Heartfelt congratulations to Prime Minister Albanese on his important victory, which reflects the trust of the Australian people in a just and progressive government. Our countries, strong allies since Australia’s support during our fight for freedom, remain committed together to building inclusive and dignified societies,” Kurti wrote in ‘X’.

LDK and PDK harshly criticize government on World Press Freedom Day (media)

On World Press Freedom Day, the two opposition parties in the last legislature, the Democratic League of Kosovo and the Democratic Party of Kosovo, have reacted harshly to the Kurti government, accusing it of worsening the situation of media freedom in Kosovo.

Both of these parties consider as extremely worrying the fact that Kosovo has been ranked 99th in the World Press Freedom Index by the international organization "Reporters Without Borders" (RSF), thus suffering the greatest decline in the last 15 years and ranking worse than all other countries in the region.

LDK, in its statement, emphasized that this deep regression is the result of the current government's approach to the media and journalists. “For four years of governance, this government has attacked journalists, denigrated critical media outlets and attempted to silence free speech,” the LDK said in a statement, adding that freedom of the press is the foundation of a functioning democracy and that without it, people are deprived of the right to information.

On the other hand, the PDK describes this drop in the index as a “political and moral indictment of the Kosovo Government.” According to the PDK, the environment for journalists has become repressive, fearful and blackmailed, characterized by verbal attacks and public lynchings by the government. “Instead of supporting free journalism, the current government has chosen to attack journalists, label them, ignore legitimate questions and favor propaganda over transparency,” the PDK statement said.

Both parties have expressed gratitude for the work and dedication of journalists in Kosovo, promising strong support for independent media and a commitment to creating a free and democratic climate for the press in future governments.

Germany and UK concerned about Kosovo's decline in media freedom (Nacionale)

Kosovo has been ranked the worst in the entire Western Balkans in terms of media freedom, coming in 99th place in the Reporters Without Borders Press Freedom Index. This has worried public opinion in Kosovo, but also the embassies of partner countries.

German Embassy reacted to this issue, emphasizing that Kosovo ranks even after Serbia. “Kosovo has fallen a total of 24 places in RSF’s latest Press Freedom Index, placing it at the bottom of the regional comparison – even behind Serbia. The report reads like a playbook for the new government, clearly outlining the steps needed to ensure a free press, which is essential for any vibrant and resilient democracy,” the statement said.

The British Embassy also said it was concerned by the decline, especially after its impressive record. “We are deeply concerned by Kosovo’s decline in RSF’s World Press Freedom Index over the past two years, following its previously impressive results. Kosovo’s new government must protect and preserve the strength of its democratic institutions, including by ensuring a free and respectful environment for journalists to carry out their vital work and by working with media and civil society organizations to draft a new Law on the Independent Media Commission,” the response reads.

Serbian Language Media

Finance minister says Vucic discharged from hospital, feeling better (Beta, N1, RTS)

Serbian Finance Minister Sinisa Mali, who was in company of President Aleksandar Vucic when he fell ill in the US, told RTS that the president has been discharged from the Military Medical Academy (VMA) in Belgrade and that he is feeling better. Speaking to the public broadcaster RTS’s central news Dnevnik, Mali said that Vucic left the hospital shortly after 5 p.m. on Saturday.

“I spoke to him, he says he is feeling better,” Mali said, adding that Vucic will address the public in the coming days, when he feels better. He reiterated that the president and him did not see what happened the same way, that is, that his view did not match the president’s, because Vucic said that the chest pain lasted only a few moments, while it seemed to him that it lasted much longer.

“It’s hard for me to talk about it, I see it differently, but people originally from the west of the Drina River, and born in Belgrade like President Vucic, are ashamed to say that someone ‘fell’. He is a strong man, he told me that he is feeling better. He was ordered to lie down and I hope for his speedy recovery,” said Mali, adding that this is the fourth time something like this has happened.

Mali pointed out that the visit to America had been prepared for a long time, given the new administration, that they were supposed to attend a dinner organized by US President Donald Trump and meet with Treasury Secretary Scott Besant, organized by special foreign envoy Richard Grenell. He criticized claims that the illness was staged so that Vucic could avoid meeting with Trump and use it as an excuse not to meet with Vladimir Putin, adding that for now he expects the president to be better and that he will still travel to Moscow, as he promised, while the European Union remains Serbia’s strategic commitment.

The Serbian President, as previously reported, suddenly fell ill during a visit to the United States, which is why he sought medical attention. After undergoing examinations, Vucic decided to cut short his visit and return to Serbia. Upon his return, during the day, President Vucic was admitted to the Military Medical Academy.

Cardiologist and head of the Military Health Administration, Dragan Dincic, said in an address to the media that Vucic’s health condition was stable and satisfactory. Dincic added that it was not realistic to expect the president to fully return to his regular activities in the next few days.

Opposition politicians speculate about reasons behind Vucic’s sudden return from US (Beta, N1)

Deputy leader of the opposition Freedom and Justice Party (SSP) Borko Stefanovic commented on the latest visit of Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic to the US, which he suddenly interrupted due to health issues, assessed that Vucic's "private visit to Miami was a complete fiasco." Leader of the Serbia Center party (SRCE) Zdravko Ponos also commented, saying that Vucic "kissed the door, even though he was desperately waiting to kiss Trump's hand." Serbian Assembly Speaker Ana Brnabic responded by insulting the SRCE leader.

Stefanovic called Vucic’s “private visit” to Miami a “complete fiasco”, claiming also that hundreds of thousands of euros were spent on the flight of the new “Falcon” plane, which was bought for more than 50 million euros of “public money”, as well as after the unsuccessful work of four lobbying firms hired by the government in the US.

“Aleksandar Vucic did not manage to take a picture with Trump despite paying millions of dollars, he did not go to the event of the Republican National Committee, and he spent four days in Miami spitting on students and the opposition,” he stated. According to him, this visit only resulted in a meeting with the former mayor of New York, Rudy Giuliani, “while  finance minister Sinisa Mali, who accompanied Vucic on the visit, recorded another failure to get the meetings in America that he promised through Richard Grenell.”

Read more at:https://tinyurl.com/f8w2xdfw

Women harassed in North Mitrovica: They insulted us and made sexist comments (KoSSev)

An incident involving verbal harassment and sexist remarks against two young women was reported last night near the Technical School in North Mitrovica.

K.M., a local resident whose identity is known to the KoSSev editorial team, told the outlet that she and a friend were harassed by a group of young men in two cars as they walked near a café across from the school.

“They insulted us, called out to us, and made sexist comments,” she stated. K.M. claims the vehicles—an Audi and a BMW with Mitrovica-region Kosovo plates—slowed down near them, with four men in each car leaning out the windows and shouting inappropriate remarks.

Police officers were nearby, K.M. said, and she immediately alerted them. “I asked them, ‘Do you see what they’re doing? Are you going to react?’” She also took photos of one vehicle and noted the license plate number of the other.

Officers stopped the cars, but according to K.M., one officer told her the only action he could take was to fine the men for not wearing seatbelts.

She said the officer collected their information and invited the women to come to the station the following day to file a formal complaint, citing that the incident was “verbal in nature.”

Contradictory police statement

Earlier yesterday, the KP confirmed to KoSSev that they had received a report of “verbal remarks” and were working on the case. They added that the individuals involved—both the men and the women—had been interviewed at the police station the night before. However, they claimed no one wished to pursue a complaint, which led to the case being dismissed.

K.M. disputes this account. She insists that neither she nor her friend were questioned at the station last night.

Read more at:https://tinyurl.com/2mbahy7j

Possibility of Committee of Ministers discussing Kosovo’s CoE admission request not ruled out (N1)

Kosovo's request to be admitted to the CoE was not on the agenda of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe this year either, which will be held on May 13 and 14 in Luxembourg. However, as N1 learns, there is still a possibility that this topic will be put on the table before the ministers at the last moment under the agenda item "other issues", on May 14.

The decision on discussing this subject depends on the results of the lobbying that preceded the meeting, because the topics to be decided on are usually not put on the agenda, if the preparatory meetings do not show that there is a consensus of a sufficient number of ministers to “pass” the topic at the meeting.

UNS: Media in Kosovo facing financial uncertainty after withdrawal of foreign donors (Kosovo Online)

In front of the "Missing" monument in the courtyard of the Cultural Center in Gracanica, Serbian-language media workers in Kosovo marked World Press Freedom Day on Saturday at 11:55 a.m. by reading the UNS proclamation.

Ivana Vanovac, President of the Journalists' Association of Kosovo and Metohija, said that this year's World Press Freedom Day finds the Serbian journalistic community in Kosovo still burdened by numerous long-standing issues. She noted that the period between last year's and this year's Press Freedom Day has shown that media-related problems are becoming increasingly varied and equally severe.

“We begin with the issue of journalists’ safety, where there is an alarmingly apathetic attitude from all security institutions. This is perhaps best illustrated by the case of the Tanjug editorial team, who received serious and concrete threats via email from an address located in Kosovo. Despite all our appeals, we received no adequate response from security institutions in the area. We are also witnessing a deterioration in financial stability and the general economic foundation on which the journalistic and media community in Kosovo rests,” Vanovac stated.

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

EFJ condemned Kosovo’s ruling party for attacks on journalists (KoSSev)

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) has issued a sharp condemnation of what it described as a “disgusting campaign” of harassment and intimidation against journalists in Kosovo, drawing comparisons to tactics used in authoritarian regimes.

The rebuke came from EFJ Secretary-General Ricardo Gutiérrez following harsh reactions from the government of Kosovo and the ruling Vetëvendosje Movement (LVV) to the latest Reporters Without Borders (RSF) World Press Freedom Index. Kosovo has dropped 24 places this year, landing at 99th—now the lowest-ranked country in the region for press freedom.

“This harassment and intimidation are worthy of the worst authoritarian regimes,” Gutiérrez declared, directly blaming outgoing Prime Minister Albin Kurti and calling him an accomplice to the growing hostility against the media.

Read more at:https://tinyurl.com/y8fjtvdm