UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, September 18, 2025

UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, September 18, 2025

Albanian Language Media:

Osmani: I will engage with Trump administration to preserve our alliance (media)
Albanian Defense Minister: Kosovo should be included in Adriatic Charter (media)
Rainer Rudolph is the new German Ambassador to Kosovo (media)
ECAP rejects Serbian List’s complaint against Vetevendosje (media)
ECAP rejects Vetevendosje’s complaints against PDK and Serbian List (media)
Initial hearing against Simic today over attack against reporters in 2023 (media)

Serbian Language Media:

ECAP rejected the appeals of the Serbian List and Self-Determination (Kosovo Online, KiM radio, KoSSev, Radio Mitrovica sever)
Pristina court orders custody for Serb suspected of alleged war crime (Tanjug, Danas, Beta)
Lawyer Vlajic: There is almost no evidence against Arsic (KiM radio, KoSSev)
Office for KiM: "Insulting graffiti on the wall of the church in Kosovska Vitina" (KiM radio, RTS, Radio Mitrovica sever)
General Mojsilovic met the new commander of the Ohio National Guard (Tanjug, Kosovo Online)

International:

KLA had ‘no military structure’, US ex-diplomat Rubin tells Thaci trial (BIRN)
Danish photographer presents ‘images of resilience’ from Kosovo war (PI)

Albanian Language Media

Osmani: I will engage with Trump administration to preserve our alliance (media)

Kosovo President, Vjosa Osmani, announced that she held a phone call with Brandon Hanrahan, a senior official at the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs, emphasizing the importance of the partnership between Kosovo and the United States. In a post on platform X, Osmani stated that she reiterated the need to maintain close coordination with the U.S., calling it Kosovo’s main strategic partner. “Our strong alliance with the U.S. has always benefited our people, national security, regional stability, and Euro-Atlantic integration,” Osmani said.

She further confirmed her commitment to working with the incoming Trump administration, noting: “As President of my country, I will engage with President Donald Trump’s administration to preserve and protect our alliance, based on mutual trust and cooperation.”

Albanian Defense Minister: Kosovo should be included in Adriatic Charter (media)

At the 28th Conference of the Chiefs of Defense of the Adriatic Charter (A5), held in Tirana, Albania’s Minister of Defense Pirro Vengu called for Kosovo’s full and formal inclusion as a natural member of the U.S.-backed regional security initiative. In his opening remarks, Vengu emphasized Albania’s commitment to remaining a reliable partner and a consensus-builder in the Western Balkans, reinforcing its role in Euro-Atlantic security. He argued that the Adriatic Charter must adapt to current regional security realities, insisting that Kosovo’s participation is essential to that process. “We must move beyond the blame game and fireworks that hold our region back. Building trust, acceptance, and practical cooperation is the only way forward,” Vengu stated, urging the initiative to live up to its founding vision as a unified family of nations.

The conference concluded with the signing of a Joint Declaration by the Chiefs of Defense, which underlined not only the strengthening of joint capacities and Euro-Atlantic security but also explicitly highlighted the importance of integrating Kosovo as a natural part of the regional initiative.

Rainer Rudolph is the new German Ambassador to Kosovo (media)

Rainer Rudolph has been appointed as the new German ambassador to Kosovo, the German Embassy in Pristina confirmed to Radio Kosova.

With a rich background in European affairs and a career spanning key international decision-making centers – Brussels, Berlin, and Washington – Rudolph’s appointment as ambassador to Pristina reflects Germany’s continued strong commitment to supporting Kosovo’s European path.

Rainer Rudolph is a career diplomat with extensive experience in international relations and European policy, making him a suitable choice for a strategic post in the Western Balkans, RTKlive reports.

Currently, Rudolph serves as Vice President of the Munich Security Conference – a prestigious role he has held since 2023.

His career is closely tied to Germany’s Foreign Ministry (Auswärtiges Amt) and to key positions within the institutions of the European Union.

ECAP rejects Serbian List’s complaint against Vetevendosje (media)

The Election Complaints and Appeals Panel (ECAP) has rejected a complaint filed by the Serbian List against the Vetevendosje Movement, deeming it unfounded. The complaint alleged that Vetevendosje violated the Code of Conduct during the ongoing campaign for Kosovo’s October 12, 2025 local elections. In decision ZL.Anr.41/2025, the ECAP stated: "The complaint filed on 17.09.2025 by the political entity Serbian List, based in North Mitrovica, against the political entity Levizja Vetevendosje (LVV), based in Pristina, is rejected as unfounded."

The Serbian List accused LVV of exerting political pressure by submitting an earlier complaint on September 15, which, according to them, constituted a direct insult to Serb community representatives and amounted to an abuse of the right to appeal.

In its response, Vetevendosje argued that its actions were lawful, citing concerns over the Serbian List's campaign slogan, which they claimed incited division and glorified a wanted individual. LVV maintained that its complaint was a legitimate legal action under electoral regulations.

ECAP concluded that: “The Serbian List appears dissatisfied with the prior decision by ECAP, and their new complaint lacks a legal basis.” The panel reaffirmed that all political parties have the right to file complaints during the electoral process, and such actions cannot be seen as abuse merely because they are unsuccessful.

ECAP rejects Vetevendosje’s complaints against PDK and Serbian List (media)

Most news websites reported on Wednesday that the Elections Complaints and Appeals Panel (ECAP) rejected two separate complaints by the Vetevendosje Movement for “incitement of hatred” by the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) and the Serbian List. VV had filed a complaint against PDK candidate for Skenderaj mayor, Sami Lushtaku, who said in a TV show that “those that don’t respect the Constitution, don’t respect the laws of Kosovo, don’t respect the Constitution, I think we should drag them in the streets of Pristina”. ECAP ruled that the statement was directed at any specific person or political party and that it found no violation of election rules to the detriment of a political party. VV had also filed a complaint against the Serbian List for exposing a banner during a rally in Mitrovica North with the saying “For brother Milan” alleging that it was referring to Milan Radoicic, who is wanted by Kosovo’s institutions as the organizer of the Banjska attack in September 2023. ECAP ruled that the plaintiff offered no clear and convincing evidence that the banner was referring to Milan Radoicic.

Initial hearing against Simic today over attack against reporters in 2023 (media)

Most news websites report that the initial hearing will be held today against Serbian List deputy leader Slavko Simic who is charged with inciting protesters to attack Albanian reporters during tensions in Leposavic in June 2023. The indictment notes that on June 16, 2023, during a protest against the visit of Local Government Minister Elbert Krasniqi, Simic ordered the crowd to attack the media and then media teams were attacked with shock bombs, fists, and heavy material. The hearing will take place at the Basic Court in Mitrovica. Simic is accused of the criminal offence “participation in crowd that carries out criminal offence and hooliganism”.

Serbian Language Media

ECAP rejected the appeals of the Serbian List and Self-Determination (Kosovo Online, KiM radio, KoSSev, Radio Mitrovica sever)

The Election Complaints and Appeals Panel (ECAP) rejected Self Determination’s appeal against the Serbian List regarding a banner displayed at a campaign rally in North Mitrovica reading “All for Brother Milan”. ECAP stated that Self Determination’s claims that the banner referred to Milan Radoicic could not be substantiated, and therefore the appeal was dismissed as unfounded.

Although they agree that the use of Milan Radoicic's name would be a violation of the Law on Local Elections, as explained by the ECAP in the decision to reject the appeal of Self-Determination, the Panel could not confirm that Serbian List highlighted such a message at the meeting, due to a lack of evidence.

At the same time, in the same explanation, the ECAP stated that it did not establish that Self-Determination abused the right to appeal, which Serbian List previously referred to, given that every political entity has the right to file an appeal when it believes that there has been a violation of the law on local elections.

Pristina court orders custody for Serb suspected of alleged war crime (Tanjug, Danas, Beta)

A Pristina basic court on Wednesday ordered 30-day custody for Kosovo Serb Dragutin Naskovic, suspected of allegedly committing a war crime against civilians during the conflict in Kosovo in 1999.

Naskovic, a resident of Kmetovac near Gnjilane, was arrested by Kosovo Police at the Bela zemlja crossing on September 15.

His attorney Milos Nikolic said the defence would appeal the decision after the court had rejected a request for house arrest on bail.

Lawyer Vlajic: There is almost no evidence against Arsic (KiM radio, KoSSev)

Dusko Arsic's lawyer, Nebojsa Vlajic, stated after yesterday's hearing that there was ''no solid evidence in the proceedings against his client and assessed that the only fair verdict would be an acquittal'', reported KiM radio.

"I expect the proceedings to be conducted fairly and with respect for the rights of the defendant. If the proceedings are such, they will lead to a fair verdict. The only verdict that can be fair is if there is no evidence because what was claimed is not true," said Vlajic.

According to him, the Appellate Court had serious objections to the work and evaluation of the evidence of the Court of First Instance.

Commenting on yesterday's testimony, Vlajic said that the statements of witness A.B. were not reliable.

He announced that no new witnesses have been announced in this proceeding.

KiM radio reported that in the repeated case against Dusko Arsic yesterday, the witness A.B. was heard again.

Office for KiM: "Insulting graffiti on the wall of the church in Kosovska Vitina" (KiM radio, RTS, Radio Mitrovica sever)

"Derogatory graffiti, which appeared on the wall of the courtyard of the Church of St. Petka in Kosovska Vitina, are directed against the Serbian people and the Serbian Orthodox Church, and have disturbed the remaining Serbs in this enclave," the Office for Kosovo and Metohija said in a statement.

The Office reminds that this church has been the target of attacks several times, and they point out that "the latest incident comes at a time of heightened tensions and fear for the safety of the Serbs, who can no longer even pray in peace in the church."

"The inspirer of such messages to the Serbs living in Kosovo and Metohija is Kurti, who with his violent moves wants to eradicate the Serbian existence in these areas and drive out the remaining Serbs living here," the announcement stated.

As it is added, since the beginning of the year alone, 116 different attacks on Serbs in Kosovo have been recorded, "of which 13 attacks were on the Serbian Orthodox Church and its facilities, but that number apparently does not worry the representatives of international organizations in order to clearly condemn and prevent such actions by Albanian hooligans and their leadership."

The Office "urgently requests the representatives of the international community to engage in order to find and sanction the culprits of this incident and to raise the security of Serbs to the highest level so that such and similar incidents do not happen again".

General Mojsilovic met the new commander of the Ohio National Guard (Tanjug, Kosovo Online)

At the invitation of the Chief of the General Staff of the Serbian Army, General Milan Mojsilovic, the new commander of the Ohio National Guard, Brigadier General Matthew Woodruff, is on his first official visit to Belgrade.

General Woodruff began his stay in Serbia with a visit to the General Staff of the Serbian Armed Forces, where he discussed with General Mojsilovic the current security situation in the region and the world, as well as the priorities and perspectives of cooperation between the Serbian Armed Forces and the Ohio National Guard, according to the official website of the Serbian Armed Forces.

"With reference to the results of joint activities, which have been taking place within the framework of the State Partnership Program for almost two decades, it has been assessed that they are intensive and meaningful and that they are in the function of raising the level of operational capabilities of the armed forces and strengthening the overall relations between Serbia and the USA".

"The determination to continue cooperation in all areas of mutual interest, primarily in the field of training and exercises and development of capabilities of the Air Force, engineering units and forces for cyber defense, was confirmed. In the continuation of the visit, General Woodruff will be received by the Supreme Commander of the Serbian Armed Forces and President Aleksandar Vucic, and separate meetings are also planned with Minister of Defense Bratislav Gasic and Minister of Foreign Affairs Marko Djuric. During his stay in Serbia, the commander of the Ohio National Guard will attend the celebration of America's Day in The National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia, the ceremony on the occasion of the 81st anniversary of the "Halliard" mission in the village of Pranjani near Gornji Milanovac, as well as the "Strength of Unity" military parade,'' announced the Army of Serbia on its website.

International

KLA had ‘no military structure’, US ex-diplomat Rubin tells Thaci trial (BIRN)

In his three-day testimony at the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in The Hague, the former US assistant Secretary of State James Rubin – the first defence witness for former Kosovo President Hashim Thaci – said the Kosovo Liberation Army, KLA, did not have a proper army structure – testimony that firmly bolsters the defence case.

Rubin insisted that Thaci, as a political leader of the guerrilla force, could not make decisions without the confirmation of the KLA’s operational zone commanders.

The former US diplomat started his testimony on September 15, marking the start of the defence case in the war crimes and crimes against humanity trial of Thaci, former parliamentary speakers Kadri Veseli and Jakup Krasniqi, and former MP Rexhep Selimi. All three men were senior KLA figures during the war.

Thaci and his co-defendants claim they cannot be held accountable for alleged crimes by lower ranking KLA fighters because the KLA was a grassroots movement. Decisions were made by the commanders in the field, they insist.

Prosecutors disagree, insisting the KLA leadership had effective control over the fighters who allegedly committed crimes.

Known as the right-hand man of former US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, Rubin told the court on his third day of testimony on Wednesday that the KLA did not have a proper command structure like an ordinary army.

“I saw that there were no battalions, brigades or units. I know they had uniforms, some had them, some didn’t. We didn’t consider [their leaders] commanders or general staff,” Rubin said.

He explained that “there were groups and clans but not ones that had a formal military structure. If such a structure had existed in terms of their military analysis, then this information would have been intelligence and I should have known about it.”

Rubin told the court that he sometimes read KLA communiqués, “but I’ve mostly considered them attempts to make the KLA more important than it actually was”.