UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, October 17, 2025

Albanian Language Media:

Kurti on meeting with Von der Leyen: We look forward to working together (media)
Osmani, Ternava discuss strengthening Kosovo’s international position (media)
PDK: If Kurti fails, we’ll take initiative to form new government (Indeksonline)
Haziri: LDK will act united with regards to votes for new government (media)
Protest in Tirana today in support of former KLA leaders in the Hague (media)
Ahmeti: Protest in Skopje for ex-KLA leaders, “a matter of time” (Express)
KFOR statement on KSF convoy mistakenly crossing in the north (media)
Haradinaj: Kosovo people eternally grateful for Germany’s great support (media)
Kosovo left behind as EU distributes new Growth Funds to the region (media)

Serbian Language Media:

CSOs: KFOR must take responsibility and ensure effective security oversight in northern Kosovo (social media, media)
KFOR: KSF unit deviated from route by mistake, agreement not to come to north without approval respected (KoSSev)
Outgoing Municipal Assembly repurposed more than 16 hectares of agricultural land to construction one in Suvi Do and Mitrovica North (KoSSev, media)
Radojevic: Outgoing Municipal Assembly makes harmful decisions on land repurposing, KSF provokes Serbs in North Mitrovica (Kosovo Online, media)
Finance Minister: Serbia has received proposal of trade agreement with US, we are ready to continue talks (Tanjug)
Maria Zakharova: Russia and Serbia are looking for optimal solution for NIS (media)
Vucic: Serbia-China strategic partnership has produced visible results (Tanjug)

Opinion:

The ‘Serbia Thing’ tape highlighted the perils facing free media (BIRN)

International Media:

ICG: Kosovo Tests the Limits of EU Patience (media)
War veterans’ protest sparks tension between Kosovo and Albania PMs (BIRN)

Albanian Language Media

Kurti on meeting with Von der Leyen: We look forward to working together (media)

Kosovo’s caretaker Prime Minister, Albin Kurti, wrote on X about Wednesday’s meeting with the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen. “It was a great pleasure to welcome the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, to Kosovo yesterday, where, among other things, we reaffirmed our commitment to joining the European Union, a goal also reflected in the strengthening of our democracy and the growth of our economy, especially over the past four and a half years,” Kurti wrote.

He stated that he and President Von der Leyen discussed deepening cooperation between Kosovo and the European Union in several important areas. “We also discussed strengthening our cooperation, particularly in the fields of information and communication technology, defense, and agriculture, which represent great potential for both sides. We look forward to working closely together to achieve our common objectives,” Kurti emphasized.

He underlined that Kosovo remains committed to working closely with the European Union to achieve shared goals.

Osmani, Ternava discuss strengthening Kosovo’s international position (media)

Kosovo President, Vjosa Osmani, met on Thursday with the Grand Mufti of the Islamic Community of Kosovo (BIK), Naim Ternava, to discuss BIK’s role in enhancing Kosovo’s international position and the importance of interfaith tolerance. Osmani praised BIK’s contribution to promoting religious harmony, calling it one of Kosovo’s most valued societal traits and a distinctive model in the region. She emphasized that cooperation between official institutions and religious communities is essential for building a just, inclusive, and united society.

PDK: If Kurti fails, we’ll take initiative to form new government (Indeksonline)

MP from the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) Rashit Qalaj, in an interview with the news website on Thursday, said that if Vetevendosje leader Albin Kurti fails to form a new government, the PDK, as the second biggest party in the Assembly, is ready to take the initiative. “We are waiting to see if they will have the majority in parliament and form a government, and if not, the PDK will certainly take the initiative to secure a majority and form the government,” he said.

Qalaj said that the PDK has no interest in a coalition government with the Vetevendosje Movement. “We have no interest in co-governance with Albin Kurti’s Vetevendosje. Under no circumstance will we be part of a government or ministry where the Vetevendosje leads,” he argued.

Haziri: LDK will act united with regards to votes for new government (media)

Deputy leader of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) Lutfi Haziri, in an interview on T7 on Thursday, said that all LDK MPs will act united when asked to vote for a new government. He said that in the last period there were contacts and offers towards LDK MPs but that they discussed this with transparency in the party structures. “They have contacted our MPs, and our MPs informed us collegially … They discussed at our party the offers and the mediators. There were no new situations during the summer, and since there are 10 days left to propose a government cabinet, the LDK will react in unity. I am confident that the 20 MPs will react the same way,” he argued.

Protest in Tirana today in support of former KLA leaders in the Hague (media)

All news websites report that the protest in Tirana, Albania, in support of former KLA leaders who are standing trial in the Hague will begin today at 17:00 hours. The protest, which is organized by the Organization of KLA War Veterans, has received support from Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama and senior members of his government.

Ahmeti: Protest in Skopje for ex-KLA leaders, “a matter of time” (Express)

Leader of the Democratic Union for Integration (BDI) in North Macedonia, Ali Ahmeti, was asked on Thursday about the possibility of a protest in Skopje in support of former KLA leaders who are standing trial in the Hague. “There are discussions with the veterans of the National Liberation Army and they are certainly in contact with the war veterans’ associations in Kosovo. It is a matter of time before it [the protest] is organized [in Skopje],” he said.

KFOR statement on KSF convoy mistakenly crossing into the north (media)

NATO’s peacekeeping mission in Kosovo, KFOR, told Klan Kosova on Thursday that COMKFOR talked with the Kosovo Security Force (KSF) Commander after a convoy of KSF vehicles had crossed in the north by mistake. “This point was discussed during a telephone conversation today between the KFOR Commander and the KSF Commander. The KSF Commander confirmed that the KSF unit had deviated from its route due to a mistake,” KFOR said.

KFOR also said that “we accept the statement by the Kosovo Police and the KSF that a KSF unit had mistakenly deviated from its route for several minutes and immediately returned to its original route to the south of Kosovo”.

“KFOR welcomes the continuous respect by the KSF of an earlier agreement not to deploy any KSF personnel in the north of Kosovo without a preliminary notification and approval by the KFOR Commander,” KFOR added.

Haradinaj: Kosovo people eternally grateful for Germany’s great support (media)

Leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) Ramush Haradinaj said on Thursday that Germany gave great support “for state-building of the Republic of Kosovo and for this our people will be forever grateful”. He made these remarks in a Facebook post after attending a reception organized by the German Embassy in Kosovo for German Unity Day. “The reunification of Germany, 35 years ago, gave new hope and faith for a peaceful future for Europe and the whole world,” he said.

Kosovo left behind as EU distributes new Growth Funds to the region (media)

Following European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s visit to the Western Balkans, the EU has approved new payments from its Growth Plan for Albania, Montenegro, and North Macedonia, while Kosovo continues to miss out due to its institutional deadlock. The European Commission confirmed that these are the second payments for the three countries, which had already received initial pre-financing. Albania alone will receive €99.3 million in this round.

Kosovo and Bosnia and Herzegovina remain the only two countries in the region yet to benefit from the multi-billion-euro package. While Bosnia has yet to approve a reform agenda, Kosovo's delay stems from its lack of functioning institutions following the February elections. The EU has urged Kosovo to establish its new government and parliament so formal agreements can be signed and ratified with a two-thirds majority in the Assembly, a prerequisite for unlocking the funds.

Serbian Language Media

CSOs: KFOR must take responsibility and ensure effective security oversight in northern Kosovo (social media, media)

Five Serbian civil society organizations - New Social Initiative (NSI), Center for Affirmative Social Actions (CASA), Aktiv, Advocacy Center For Democratic Culture (ACDC) and Institute for Territorial Economic Development (InTer) in a public statement posted online said that “on October 16, 2025, an incident occurred in which members of the Kosovo Security Forces (KSF) entered the territory of northern Kosovo. The police explained that it was a unit that had “strayed”. Such an explanation is unacceptable and raises serious concern among citizens, as it demonstrates a profound lack of institutional control and transparency in the area of security”.

The CSOs recalled “this is not the first time that members of the Kosovo Security Forces have entered northern Kosovo under explanations whose credibility is highly questionable, further deepening the sense of insecurity among the local population and pointing to a systemic failure in the supervision and coordination of security structures, as well as the continued politicization of security institutions”.

They also warned that “under the existing provisions of the Brussels Agreement and the mandate defined by the United Nations Security Council, KFOR bears the primary responsibility for overseeing and ensuring the security regime in northern Kosovo. Today’s event clearly demonstrates that KFOR's current operational capacity and model of presence are not adequately adapted to the actual security risks and dynamics on the ground. The lack of an adequate response and oversight by KFOR calls into question citizens’ trust in international security guarantees and creates additional tension in an already fragile security environment”.

The CSOs called upon KFOR to: Assume full responsibility for monitoring the implementation of security arrangements in northern Kosovo; Increase the physical and operational presence of its units in northern municipalities; and Establish clear preventive mechanisms to prevent any unauthorized activities by armed formations, including the Kosovo Security Forces, in this part of the territory.

Civil society from northern Kosovo expects KFOR to take a more decisive, responsible, and visible approach to its mandate, as stability and security cannot rest on “strayed” units, excuses, and their subsequent political misuse, but on trust, professionalism, and consistent implementation of international obligations, the statement concluded.

KFOR: KSF unit deviated from route by mistake, agreement not to come to north without approval respected (KoSSev)

KoSSev portal reported that Kosovo Security Forces (KSF) drove almost two kilometers on the roads in Mitrovica North on Thursday morning, saying that they entered the north by mistake.

KFOR said last night KSF respected the agreement not to come to the north without KFOR’s approval, adding that they deviated from their route by mistake.

"We are aware of the statements of Kosovo police and the KSF that the KSF unit mistakenly deviated from its route for a few minutes and immediately returned to the original route, in the south of Kosovo. KFOR welcomes the continued compliance with the long-term agreement that the KSF is not deployed to the north of Kosovo without prior notice and the approval of the KFOR Commander", KFOR said last evening responding to KoSSev media inquiry.

They added the point of respecting the agreement was "reiterated in today's conversation between the KFOR commander and the KBS commander", who, as KFOR said, confirmed that "the unit temporarily deviated from its course by mistake".

KFOR also pointed out it is "well positioned throughout Kosovo, including the north, and ready to respond to any relevant security situation in accordance with the mandate of the United Nations to contribute to a safe environment for all citizens and communities in Kosovo".

Outgoing Municipal Assembly repurposed more than 16 hectares of agricultural land to construction one in Suvi Do and Mitrovica North (KoSSev, media)

Soon after local elections held on Sunday, October 12, the outgoing Mitrovica North Municipal Assembly held yet another extraordinary session on Thursday, KoSSev portal reported.

A decision on repurposing agricultural land into construction was on the agenda of this session. Although there were ten decisions on repurposing matching the same number of requests filed by Albanians and one Bosniak, municipal councilors voted for them in a package as one and adopted all of them. Members of KFOR were also present in a session, the portal added.

Through ten decisions repurposing the land from agricultural into construction one was made for a total of 17 parcels in size of more than 16 hectares. Some of the land parcels were merged where the owner of the land had several of them. Their size varies from 1.5 hectares to slightly above 1.5 hectares to 2 hectares for the merged parcels, while other larger parcels were in the size of 1.2 hectares, 1 hectare and 5.6 hectares. Smaller parcels were in size of half a hectare or 407 square meters.

Requests relate to issuing construction permits for first category objects, dedicated, as it was said, to objects for individual housing. Details of the reasons for repurposing were not provided, the portal said, adding it remains unclear if this is about legalization of existing objects or planned construction of new ones.

The portal also recalled this is not the first decision of this assembly on repurposing the land from agricultural to construction in Mitrovica North municipality. In September it made a decision to repurpose seven land parcels, from agricultural to construction. Back then, apart from one private request, it was decided to build multi-store residential objects, a kindergarten and buildings for social housing on parcels that are being repurposed.

Radojevic: Outgoing Municipal Assembly makes harmful decisions on land repurposing, KSF provokes Serbs in North Mitrovica (Kosovo Online, media)

The newly elected mayor of North Mitrovica, Milan Radojevic, said decision of the outgoing Municipal Assembly to rezone ten plots of land, in the size of more than 16 hectares, in the Suvi Do settlement from agricultural to construction land was made with the aim of changing the ethnic structure of the municipality. He also said the presence of Kosovo Security Force (KSF) vehicles in North Mitrovica on Thursday was yet another attempt to provoke unrest and pressure the Serbian population, Kosovo Online portal reported.

Radojevic emphasized that although people, in the elections held on Sunday, clearly expressed their opinion about the outgoing leadership of the North Mitrovica Municipal Assembly, that leadership continues to make decisions to the detriment of the majority of citizens.

“It is interesting that all those requests come from Albanians and directly affect the change of the ethnic structure, not only in the village of Suvi Do but also in the municipality of North Mitrovica itself. All decisions made in the previous period that are harmful to the majority of citizens of North Mitrovica will be reviewed by the new leadership and the new Municipal Assembly, which has absolute legitimacy and has demonstrated absolute support from the citizens in these elections. Those decisions that are contrary to the law and to the interests of the citizens will be absolutely annulled”, Radojevic said. He added the Assembly is currently functioning in a technical mandate and should not make such major decisions, as it lacks legitimacy.

“Since this decision was made in violation of the Statute of the North Mitrovica Municipal Assembly and of the law itself, we call on the Ministry of Local Government Administration to annul it. We also call on representatives of the international community to finally take a position and respond to decisions made to the detriment of the majority population in North Mitrovica, and to take measures in the interest of all citizens, particularly the majority community living in this city”, Radojevic emphasized.