UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, November 17, 2025

Albanian Language Media:

Thousands join protest in Strasbourg in defense of former KLA leaders (media)
Kosovo Police and KFOR find 10 detonators in north of Kosovo (media)
PDK complaints to Supreme Court, wants a mayoral revote in Mitrovica (media)
Osmani calls for urgent formation of budget committee for wages in RTK (media)
RTK workers without wages for 16 days, one-hour strike starts today (RTK)
International Symposium of Military Academies held in Kosovo (media)
Kosovo qualifies for 2026 World Cup playoffs after win over Slovenia (media)
Kamberi: Systematic discrimination against Albanians in Serbia (media)

Serbian Language Media:

Svecla accuses Belgrade of destabilizing Kosovo after detonator fuses found near Gnjezdane (KoSSev, Radio Mitrovica sever)
RTS: A group of Albanians shot at members of the Serbian Army near the "Debela Glava" base (KoSSev)
Former KLA fighters protest in Strasbourg, demand “justice” for detained leaders (KoSSev, KiM radio)
Djuric, Petkovic met Powell (Kosovo Online, media)
Mijacic: Legality of decisions by the caretaker government questionable, many affect the Serbian community (Kosovo Online)
Serbia races to avoid state takeover of oil company as US sanctions pressure mounts (N1)

International Media:

Kosovo’s Thaci lacked authority to stop ‘revenge’ violence, court told (BIRN)
Kosovo win 2-0 in Slovenia to secure World Cup playoff spot (Reuters)
Kosovo migrant designs first Albanian language keyboard (Prishtina Insight)

Albanian Language Media

Thousands join protest in Strasbourg in defense of former KLA leaders (media)

All news websites covered the protest organized by the KLA War Veterans in Strasbourg in front of the Council of Europe in support of former KLA leaders who are standing trial in the Hague. Thousands of people took part in the protest which criticized “the injustices” against the KLA and Kosovo. War veterans leader Hysni Gucati said the Specialist Chambers have derailed and are using witnesses fabricated by Serbia. One of the organizers of the protest said that the former KLA leaders are being tried for the cause of Kosovo’s freedom. “They are victims of a new injustice, they are in prison not for crimes but for the cause of our freedom. We are here to say NO to this great injustice, we are here to show the world that a nation does not die when it has a memory,” the organizer said. A representative of the war veterans in the diaspora said that justice needs to be without prejudices and without secret agendas. “Justice cannot be biased or selective. It cannot be used as a political tool. We believe in the truth, in human rights, and we believe that the dignity of a people cannot be oppressed in closed hallways. Justice must be the same for all,” he argued.

Kosovo Police and KFOR find 10 detonators in north of Kosovo (media)

All news websites report that Kosovo Police together with KFOR found ten detonators in the village of Gnjezdan in the municipality of Leposavic in the north of Kosovo. Kosovo’s caretaker Minister of Interior Affairs, Xhelal Svecla, said in a Facebook post that “Serbia through its criminal and terrorist gangs is continuing to plan and undertake terrorist attacks in the Republic of Kosovo”. He also said that the expansion of Kosovo Police and the presence of Kosovo’s security institutions have made it possible to catch such devices that can be used for “dangerous terrorist attacks” and “to minimize cases of serious attacks that are aimed at damaging, creating insecurity and intimidating the people”.

PDK complaints to Supreme Court, wants a mayoral revote in Mitrovica (media)

All news websites report that the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) has sent a complaint to the Supreme Court of Kosovo against a decision by the Elections Complaints and Appeals Panel which rejected the party’s request for a mayoral revote in Mitrovica South. The PDK argued in its complaint that the ECAP decision was wrong and that it does not reflect the reality of irregularities found in polling stations in Mitrovica South. “The evidence clearly shows that the [election] process was jeopardized and that the will of the people was changed,” the party claimed. After the mayoral runoff elections in Mitrovica South, Vetevendosje’s candidate Faton Peci won over PDK candidate Arian Tahiri.

Osmani calls for urgent formation of budget committee for wages in RTK (media)

Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani wrote to Assembly Speaker Dimal Basha calling on him to address delays in executing the wages for over 700 workers of the Radio Television of Kosovo as a result of the failure to form the Kosovo Assembly’s Committee for Budget and Finances. In her letter, Osmani also calls on all parliamentary groups to reach a compromise and urgently form the permanent assembly committees. She said that the MPs need to take the necessary steps as soon as possible in order to avoid any further delays in the process.

RTK workers without wages for 16 days, one-hour strike starts today (RTK)

Workers of the Radio Television of Kosovo (RTK) will start their one-hour strike today after funds for the budget of the public broadcaster have not been allocated, leaving the workers without wages for 16 days now. Union representatives called on the presidency of the Kosovo Assembly to schedule an urgent session and find a solution for the crisis.

International Symposium of Military Academies held in Kosovo (media)

Several news websites report that the International Symposium of Military Academies was held in Kosovo for the first time last week. Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani said in a post on X that generals, colonels, and senior officers representing 16 countries and more than 30 military academies from Europe, North America, Asia, Africa, and beyond, stayed in Kosovo. “This moment speaks not only to the progress of the KSF Defense Academy, but also to our growing place in advancing higher standards of professionalism and deepening international cooperation. Proud of our Security Force. Proud of the partnerships we continue to build with our allies,” she wrote in a post on X.

Kosovo qualifies for 2026 World Cup playoffs after win over Slovenia (media)

One of the main news stories in the media over the weekend was the Kosovo football team’s victory over Slovenia, securing Kosovo a place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup playoffs. Social media posts by Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani and caretaker Prime Minister Albin Kurti describing the victory “as historic” received major engagement.

Kamberi: Systematic discrimination against Albanians in Serbia (media)

Shaip Kamberi, Albanian member of the Serbian Parliament, said in a Facebook post that the rights of Albanians in Serbia are being discriminated against in systematic and organized fashion. He said that a statement by Kosovo’s Deputy Prime Minister Besnik Bislimi about Serbia blocking funds for school textbooks for Albanians living in Presevo Valley, “only confirms what we have denounced for years at the Parliament of Serbia: the discrimination against Albanians is not accidental or procedural, but systematic and organized”.

“The fact that 3,650 Albanian pupils in Presheve, Bujanoc and Medvedja, are now using 35,448 textbooks financed by the Government of Kosovo, while the respective payment has been refused three times with a code without any specified reason, best shows that the level of administrative arbitrariness that Albanians are treated in this state. This is not a banking error, but an intentional method to block the support for our community. We saw the same logic of obstacles in the cancellation of the decision for agricultural subsidies, with continuous delays for the functioning of our representative institutions. Therefore, today’s statement by Deputy Prime Minister Bislimi has great political importance: it shifts the debate from a technical plan to an international plan and puts the issue on the radar of the European Union and EU Special Representative Peter Sorensen. Serbian institutions must understand that they cannot promote ‘dialogue’ in Brussels and at the same time use the administration to sabotage the ba

Serbian Language Media

Svecla accuses Belgrade of destabilizing Kosovo after detonator fuses found near Gnjezdane (KoSSev, Radio Mitrovica sever)

Kosovo’s Acting Minister of Interior, Xhelal Sveçla, accused Belgrade of attempting to destabilize Kosovo after peacekeeping troops and police discovered detonator fuses near the village of Gnjezdane in the northern municipality of Leposavic, reported KoSSev yesterday.

KFOR and the Kosovo Police found a total of 10 fuse detonators, devices typically used to trigger explosive mechanisms, by a riverbank close to the village. Authorities said they had conducted an on-site inspection and opened a case under the charge of “unauthorized possession of weapons.” No additional details have been released.

A few hours after the discovery, Sveçla issued a public statement, once again pointing to Belgrade—before the official investigation had concluded. Known for his frequent accusations directed at Serbia, he claimed that Serbian-backed criminal structures continue to operate inside Kosovo.

Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/yfa4u69h

RTS: A group of Albanians shot at members of the Serbian Army near the "Debela Glava" base (KoSSev)

RTS reported, according to their unofficial information, that around 3:00 p.m. yesterday, in the area of the "Debela Glava" base, a masked group of Albanians allegedly attacked members of the Serbian Armed Forces. Similar allegations, also referring to their unofficial information, were published by the Novosti portal. KoSSev asked KFOR last night to confirm these allegations in the Belgrade media.

RTS reported that "an armed group of Albanians at the foot of Šop hill fired 15 shots in the direction of members of the Serbian Armed Forces," and that a dog was allegedly hit.

RTS further states that this "armed group with six jeeps then fled in the direction of Kosovo and Metohija".

The media recalled that the "Debela Glava" base is in the Land Security Zone.

Similar allegations were published last night by the portal Novosti, referring to its findings as well.

KoSSev last night addressed KFOR with a question regarding the writings of the portal in Belgrade. An answer did not arrive until the publication of the news.

Former KLA fighters protest in Strasbourg, demand “justice” for detained leaders (KoSSev, KiM radio)

A group of former Kosovo Liberation Army members held a protest Sunday afternoon in front of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, France, demanding what they described as “justice” for former KLA leaders who have been held in The Hague for the past five years, reported KoSSev. The demonstration began at exactly 13:00, as previously announced.

The area outside the Council of Europe building was marked by chants of “UÇK,” alongside Albanian and KLA flags, and the presence of a number of former KLA fighters.

According to organizers, protesters submitted 285 letters addressed to each member of the Parliamentary Assembly.

“Another protest against injustice was held today in Strasbourg, France. During this protest, 285 letters were delivered to the members of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, expressing our concerns about the proceedings before the Specialist Court.

The OVL UÇK continues its engagement for justice and respect for the rights of freedom fighters,” the organization stated in a press release.

Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/mr6vn4mm

Djuric, Petkovic met Powell (Kosovo Online, media)

Serbia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Marko Djuric, met on Friday with Jonathan Powell, National Security Adviser to the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, with whom he discussed the situation in Kosovo, the Berlin Process, and bilateral relations.

Speaking about the situation in Kosovo, Djuric informed Powell of the ongoing physical and legal pressures directed against the Serbian population in Kosovo, as well as Pristina’s unwillingness to listen to the other side in the dialogue and to fulfil the obligations stemming from agreements reached so far, the Serbian MFA stated.

Djuric recalled the importance Serbia attaches to the historical ties between the Serbian and British peoples and emphasized Serbia’s commitment to deepening its relations with the UK. Expressing satisfaction with the intensified political dialogue between the two countries in recent months aimed at strengthening overall bilateral relations, Djuric voiced hope that the coming period will see the materialization of the mutually expressed interest in developing a strategic dialogue.

He also referred to the UK’s chairmanship of this year’s Berlin Process and shared impressions from the meeting of foreign ministers of the Western Balkans held in Belfast, where current issues of regional importance were discussed.

In a post on the social media platform “X,” Djuric stated that he had a constructive conversation with Powell.

The Director of the Office for KiM, Petar Petkovic, informed Powell about the political and security situation in Kosovo and about the course of the Belgrade–Pristina dialogue taking place in Brussels. He conveyed Belgrade’s commitment to normalizing relations through dialogue with Pristina, which has been demonstrated through active engagement in implementing the Declaration on Missing Persons, adding among other things, that Pristina was destroying every possibility of an agreement, as well as the fact that for a full 12 years it refused to form the CSM.

Mijacic: Legality of decisions by the caretaker government questionable, many affect the Serbian community (Kosovo Online)

The Coordinator of the National Convention on the EU Working Group for Chapter 35, Dragisa Mijacic, told Kosovo Online that the legality and constitutionality of the decisions adopted by Kosovo’s caretaker government are questionable, and that it is difficult to say whether judicial institutions in Kosovo will raise this issue before the competent authorities—especially given the current political circumstances in Kosovo.

Experts claim that the caretaker government violated the law by adopting several decisions, with some of the latest considered controversial being the allocation of 100 euros to students and the adoption of the Draft Budget for 2026.

“Unfortunately, so far none of Kosovo’s judicial bodies has raised the issue of the caretaker government’s decisions. Whether this will happen is extremely difficult to assess, particularly given the lack of political interest in resolving many of these matters since they were detrimental to the Serbian community. Many decisions made by the caretaker government concern the Serbian community, and we saw that when it came to the decision on fiscal cash registers, the court reacted. The Constitutional Court did not react when two bridges were being constructed without the necessary project–technical documentation and without expropriation. It did not react in many other cases either,” Mijacic said.

Regarding decisions that harmed the Serbian community, he emphasized that the legally elected representatives of the Serbian List (SL) —whether they sit in the Kosovo Assembly or in municipal assemblies, particularly in North Mitrovica—have the legitimacy to raise the issue of their constitutionality and legality.

“When it comes to decisions related to the construction of the bridges, it is certainly expected that the new mayor of North Mitrovica will raise such a question. As for the other decisions, members of the SL can bring them forward—and not only them; we can also expect this from Mr. Nenad Rasic, should he wish to do so. But it is certainly the SL deputies from whom such action should be expected,” Mijacic concluded.

Serbia races to avoid state takeover of oil company as US sanctions pressure mounts (N1)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said the government is prepared to buy out the Russian stake in state energy company Naftna Industrija Srbije (NIS) if ongoing negotiations between Russia’s Gazprom and potential third-party buyers fail. Speaking at a special government session on Saturday, Vucic stressed that Belgrade wants to avoid “nationalization, confiscation or seizure of property”, but added that a solution must be reached within seven days.

The move follows last week’s decision by the U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) to deny an extension of a licence that previously eased sanctions on NIS due to its majority Russian ownership. Washington has made clear that sanctions will only be lifted once Russia fully exits the ownership structure, prompting urgent talks in Belgrade.

Vucic expressed hope that Asian and European firms currently in talks with Russian stakeholders will agree to participate in a joint letter to OFAC alongside Serbia and Russia. He warned that if Serbia fails to secure continued crude oil supply, the country could face “complete collapse” after 13 February.

The president said Belgrade is ready to overpay for the Russian stake, if necessary, to avoid asset seizure. He added that talks with potential European and Asian partners are scheduled for this week.

International Media

Kosovo’s Thaci lacked authority to stop ‘revenge’ violence, court told (BIRN)

Michael Durkee, former political adviser to the NATO Supreme Allied Commander in Europe, Wesley Clark, told the Kosovo Specialist Chambers war crimes court on Thursday that Hashim Thaci did not have “the competency or the authority” to stop violence carried out by Kosovo Liberation Army, KLA members or others seeking “revenge” after the war ended in 1999.

“There was absolutely no command structure he could use to stop the violence,” Durkee told the Hague trial of Thaci and three co-defendants.

“We had this impression that there was no solid structure or consolidated chain of command [in the KLA], for someone to have a high-level position in Pristina and give orders, which could then lead to certain actions or operations in the operational zones,” he said.

“The [KLA] operational zone commanders had considerable autonomy and there was willingness on their side to act on their own when they saw appropriate … So, there was no consolidated chain of command in the sense of direct coordination like we see in Western armies,” he added.