UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, December 10, 2025

Albanian Language Media:

Osmani: Kosovo, US will soon finalize agreement on strategic dialogue (media)
EU: We keep supporting Kosovo on its European path (media)
Kurti: 2025 will be the year of women in Kosovo (Indeksonline)
Government: 20% increase in pensions of war categories’ families (Koha)
KOMF submits proposals for child protection to MP candidates (media)
BIK prohibits employees from participating in political campaigns (Kallxo)
“New provocations in north: Nationalistic messages and symbols” (Klan Kosova)
Rohde: Great to see musicians benefit from visa-free travel decision (media)

Serbian Language Media:

“Our normal life is getting relocated to Raska”: Northern Kosovo focus of Kurti’s pre-election campaign (N1)
Serbian List says CEC deprives party from controlling legality, legitimacy and democratic character of elections (Kosovo Online, media)
Serbian List appeals CEC decision on composition of polling committees (Kosovo Online, media)
Flag removed from memorial complex in Gorazdevac (KoSSev, media)
Office for KiM condemns desecration of memorial complex in Gorazdevac (Kosovo Online, media)
Mitrovica North: Large landfill between houses and residential buildings, a view from municipal building (Radio KIM)
Andric Rakic: Change of political messages that ‘encourage ethnonationalism’ is necessary (Kosovo Online)
Serbian Democracy: Vote for people (Radio KIM)
Media: KSF attended funeral in November in northern Kosovo, Maqedonci then promised in a letter to KFOR it won’t happen again (KoSSev)
Kos: I trust Serbia will fulfill requirements to open Cluster 3 (N1)

International Media:

Kosovo parties count on celebrities’ influence to reach more votes (PI)
Kosovo’s ‘Genocide Museum’ plan: Proposed name raises questions (BIRN)

Albanian Language Media

Osmani: Kosovo and US will soon finalize agreement on strategic dialogue (media)

Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani said today that Kosovo and the United States of America will soon finalize an agreement on strategic dialogue. “Great news for the Republic of Kosovo! Following the proposal I sent to the United States of America, as President of the Republic in 2021, then reconfirmed in June 2022 via verbal note and meeting with Secretary Blinken in July 2022, and after an extraordinary work by our teams throughout years ago, today in a meeting with US Deputy Secretary Richard Verma it was confirmed to me that Kosovo and the USA will soon finalize the Strategic Dialogue. This is a remarkable achievement that proves that genuine partnership, based on shared values and interests, always brings results. I thank the Government of the United States of America for this support to the people of Kosovo and I look forward to continuing intensive cooperation in the interest of Kosovo. Our teams will meet soon to finalize the agreement for the Strategic Dialogue, which will include very important areas in the interest of Kosovo citizens,” Osmani wrote in a Facebook post after meeting U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Richard Verma.

EU: We keep supporting Kosovo on its European path (media)

The European Commission’s Directorate General for Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations said in a post on X today that “the European Union is #Kosovo’s largest: investor, trade partner, provider of financial assistance. We keep supporting Kosovo on its European path”. See more at: http://tiny.cc/vd05001

Kurti: 2025 will be the year of women in Kosovo (Indeksonline)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti said in today’s meeting of the government that 2025 will be the year of women in Kosovo, and that the government will make sure that in its decisions and work women will be leaders in all areas. “We are starting 2025 with a dedicated for the girls and women of Kosovo because 2025 will be the year of women in Kosovo. We have taken steps and many decisions that will impact their lives. 12,000 women have been employed through direct government support. 50 percent of persons employed by ‘Super Puna’ are women … With our governance, the representation of women in public enterprises has grown significantly. We want to do even more. This pledge will continue and will increase with the economic and social empowerment of women. In 2025, we will work to increase women’s access to property and ownership. The protection of women and girls from domestic violence and gender-based violence remains a priority,” Kurti said.

Government: 20% increase in pensions of war categories’ families (Koha)

The Kosovo government decided today to increase by 20 percent the pensions for families of war categories. Finance Minister Hekuran Murati said: “The family pensions of families of KLA martyrs will be increased, the increase for a family that have one martyr will be 20 percent, and for those families that have more martyrs the increase will be beyond 20 percent, a similar approach will be adopted for family pensions of families of missing persons of the KLA, all pensions for KLA invalids will be increased”.

Murati wrote in a Facebook post later in the day: “As Prime Minister Kurti said in October last year, when the law on the budget entered into force, today the government adopted the decision to increase pensions for war categories by 20 percent. The execution of payments including the increase will start from this month. A government for all!”

KOMF submits proposals for child protection to MP candidates (media)

Several news websites report that the Coalition of NGOs for the Protection of Children - KOMF , has launched a campaign to find “Children’s Rights Defenders” among the candidates for MPs running for the February 9 parliamentary elections. The campaign calls on MP candidates from all political entities to join KOMF’s proposal to create a “Children’s MPs Group” and support policies focused on children’s welfare.

“The welfare of every child in Kosovo is an interparty issue and should be a priority for the Assembly. The Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo must be the main guarantor of better opportunities for every child. Therefore, we call on candidates for MPs to become Children's Rights Defenders, to sign the Declaration committing to supporting children in Kosovo and with which they will be part of the ‘Group of MPs for Children’, after the elections of February 9th. The informal group aims to gather MPs from different political parties, who share the view that policies for children and families should be a priority. With the initiative ‘Group of Deputies for Children’, we, the Coalition of NGOs for Child Protection, call for consensus and constructive work between Members of the Assembly and civil society. We believe that together we can achieve positive changes in policies for children and families, and we will continue to work towards that goal,” KOMF said in a Facebook post.

BIK prohibits employees from participating in political campaigns (Kallxo)

The Islamic Community of Kosovo (BIK) has prohibited its administrative and religious employees from participating in political election campaigns or being activists for any political party. In a letter addressed to the councils of the Islamic Community of Kosovo, administrative and religious employees are warned to be extra careful in their public media appearances, including posts and comments on social networks. In the document, which was obtained by the news portal, dated 08.01.2025, employees are prohibited from presenting official positions belonging to the institution of the Islamic Community of Kosovo and its competent persons, from issuing fatwas on various religious issues without authorization, from presenting their personal political positions and participating in political election campaigns. They are also prohibited from being activists of any political party and from being candidates on any of the lists of political parties for certain positions at the local or central level, as well as from publicly demonstrating on the occasion of the victory of any particular party. According to the document signed by Mufti Naim Ternava, any such action is considered a violation of the Constitution of the BIK, laws and other normative acts, for which they will be sanctioned.

“New provocations in north: Nationalistic messages and symbols” (Klan Kosova)

The TV station reports this morning that “another provocative act has taken place in Mitrovica North” where a group of Serbs displayed a banner showing Kosovo as part of Serbia and the saying “I give my life for you, your name is eternal” and the Serbian flag. Two members of the group are seen wearing face masks. The TV station recalls that immediately after Orthodox Christmas, there was “another provocative” message in the north saying “we will not give up”.

Rohde: Great to see musicians benefit from visa-free travel decision (media)

German Ambassador to Kosovo, Jorn Rohde, said in a post on X today that “last night, the Western Balkans Youth Orchestra brought music magic to Pristina! 50 young talents from the region delivered an unforgettable performance—true regional cooperation in action. Great to see 8 Bosnia and Herzegovina musicians benefit from Kosovo’s visa-free travel decision”.

Serbian Language Media

“Our normal life is getting relocated to Raska”: Northern Kosovo focus of Kurti’s pre-election campaign (N1)

Ana Marija Ivkovic, journalist and editor of Alternativna.com portal from Mitrovica North told N1 Studio Live broadcast that further pressure on Serbs in Kosovo is to be expected because, as she said, focus of entire campaign of Pristina authorities for upcoming elections would be precisely on the north of Kosovo.

She told N1 Studio Live that closure of Serbian institutions in the north of Kosovo, unfortunately, is no longer the news, and reactions came only from Serbian List and the Office for Kosovo and Metohija, explaining that those working in closed institutions would not be left without their incomes.

As she said during the pre-election campaign new actions of Pristina authorities can be expected “because populist and nationalistic messages are best received from the constituencies on this and other side”. She recalled that north of Kosovo was the backbone of Albin Kurti’s pre-election campaign and his Self-determination Movement, also at the times where there was no campaign. She said the north of Kosovo is a focus of the entire Kosovo authorities, instead of placing focus on some other things, as it helps this party scoring the highest points on this topic. “When you listen to the Self-determination, the main message is in fact that they are rounding up sovereignty and in this context the north is most important, and this is very well received by the constituency”, she pointed out.

She noted the campaign of Self-determination started from Mitrovica North and that current Kosovo Minister of Agriculture, Faton Peci sent a message from this gathering which, as she said, went under the radar of the public – that Kosovo Government worked on the principle “of bread, gun and democracy”.

“Neither democracy nor the guns go hand by hand, but obviously they know very well what would be received well by their voters, and the very fact Kurti had his pre-electoral gathering in Mitrovica South is a message at its own. Because Mitrovica South has always been the stronghold of Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) led by Hashim Thaci and now it seems some changes are happening”, she said.

She told N1 that “under the radar” north of Kosovo is being incorporated into the Kosovo system but the process takes place in a manner that resembles “forceful integration”. She said Serbs are leaving Kosovo despite having support from Serbia, because the money they receive is simply not enough for normal life. “Here on the ground we face other challenges. Our normal life has been relocated to Raska and that is a fact”, she said. She noted there is no amount of money that would help you have a normal life if you have to travel to Raska, Novi Pazar or Kraljevo for basic commodities and services you need.

Serbian List says CEC deprives party from controlling legality, legitimacy and democratic character of elections (Kosovo Online, media)

Serbian List officials in a press conference today spoke about the latest decision of the Central Election Commission (CEC) on polling committees, which as they pointed out, deprives Serbian List from possibility of controlling legality, legitimacy and democratic character of elections due to February 9, Kosovo Online portal reported.

Serbian List Vice President Igor Simic firstly condemned the incident targeting the memorial complex in Gorazdevac village, with Serbian flag being removed from it. He added the flag had been placed back. He accused Pristina authorities and its “anti-Serbian hysteria” saying the incident is a consequence of that. He underlined Serbian List expects Kosovo police to open the case of “inciting racial, national and religious hatred”, given that such cases are regularly initiated against the Serbs. He called upon the international community to react and visit Gorazdevac to see an impartial image of suffering of the Serbian people there.

Simic also said Pristina attempts in all ways to obstruct participation of the Serbian List in elections and the main topic of today’s press conference related to composition of polling committees at polling stations and votes counting centers.

Simic underlined that based on this decision Serbian List is deprived of the possibility to control legality, legitimacy and democratic character of elections.

Despite being a parliamentary party, Simic underlined, Serbian List does not have a single member of a polling board, nor chair or ordinary member, as well as not a single chair or member in the Municipal Centre for Votes Counting in Istok where in 2021 elections Serbian List won 259 votes. In Novo Brdo, he added, where the party won 51.13 percent of votes at last elections the party does not have a single reserved member. In Obilic, as Simic said, Serbian List won 938 votes at last elections, and now does not have a single member in the municipal center for votes counting and not a single member, nor chair at conditional voting stations, while party of Nenad Rasic, current Kosovo Minister for Communities and Returns, although winning 24 votes at last elections in this municipality, has the same number of representatives.

In Orahovac municipality, where Serbian List won 303 votes, it now does not have a single member, nor member or chair in the centre for votes counting, and places for conditional voting. Rasic’s party, as Simic said, has more representatives although in 2021 they won 3 votes in this municipality. In Gorazdevac and Osojane where Serbian List won 438 votes, there is not a single member in the municipal centre for votes counting, nor at places for conditional voting. Rasic’s party has more representatives although they won 14 votes at last elections there, Simic said. In Prizren, Rasic’s party has members of polling committees and the Serbian List has none. In Srbica, where Serbian List won 142 votes, it has not a single member in the votes counting centre, same in the places for conditional voting. Rasic’s party has representatives there although they won only 2 votes at last elections there. In Strpce where Serbian List won 4.031 votes at last elections, the party does not have its representative at places for conditional voting. Rasic’s party has the same number of representatives although they won 12 times less votes than Serbian List there. Out of 17 polling stations, only 4 are chaired by Serbs, while 13 are Albanians. Serbian List does not have any chair at polling stations in Vucitrn municipality, including Serb-majority villages, where they won 985 votes, nor a member in the Municipal Centre for Votes Counting and places for conditional voting.

He underlined that conditional votes are counted in Kosovo Polje centre, few days after the election process is concluded.

“We do not have representatives at any place where conditional voting is happening. Therefore, the possibility for manipulating those votes is large, as you may remember that a few years ago we had a famous case whose results of the investigation are still pending, about so-called poisoned ballot papers, arriving from central Serbia, and 90 percent of them were in support of Serbian List. That is why there is fear there will be manipulation with those votes again”, Simic said.

Serbian List appeals CEC decision on composition of polling committees (Kosovo Online, media)

Serbian List officials have filed an appeal to Election Complaints and Appeals Panel over CEC decision on composition of polling committees and uneven representation of the Serbian List officials in the committees, votes counting centers and conditional voting places, Kosovo Online portal reported.

Serbian List Vice President Igor Simic argued the current CEC decision deprives the party from controlling legality, legitimacy and democratic character of elections, scheduled on February 9, expressing fear over vote manipulation.

Flag removed from memorial complex in Gorazdevac (KoSSev, media)

Last night around 21.30 an incident happened in Serb-populated village of Gorazdevac, near Pec, where according to the eyewitness Milic Milicevic two young men entered the memorial complex in this village and removed the flag from there, KoSSev portal reported.

“My house is near the complex. I escorted my granddaughter and saw two young men, black car with registration 03, playing loud music. To be honest, I was not feeling comfortable, maybe they could have guns, I dared say nothing to them. They entered the vehicle and left in the direction of Pec. I went to the police and reported the case”, Milicevic told Radio Gorazdevac.

Police confirmed the case was reported and investigation was underway. As residents told Radio Gorazdevac they noticed yesterday a Range Rover vehicle, in dark blue color, which drove the streets of Gorazdevac with two young men being inside.

The incident caused anxiety among the residents, in particular of the parents whose children often spend time in the fenced off area of the memorial complex. They appealed to responsible institutions to conduct an investigation swiftly and ensure greater security in this part of the village.

Radio Gorazdevac recalled that the same memorial complex was the target of several incidents in the past. On January 21, 2013 unknown persons shot at the monument. Residents noticed damages and a few bullet cases the next morning. In the night between 7 and 8 December in 2015 a shooting occurred in the center of the village and a vehicle was shattered and set on fire, while the monument to the victims of NATO bombing and children killed in this village in 2003 was set on fire. Bullet traces were found on the door of a local resident’s home back then. On 9 July of the same year another incident occurred in which a vehicle with Belgrade license plates was shot at. On the same night unknown persons poured the gasoline and attempted to set the monument to NATO victims and children killed in terrorist attack at Bistrica River at this place ablaze.

The most tragic incident affecting this village took place in August 2003, where unknown attackers with automatic rifles shot and killed two Serbian children Ivan Jovovic (19) and Panta Dakic (12) and seriously wounded 4 more while children were spending time at Bistrica River in this village.

Office for KiM condemns desecration of memorial complex in Gorazdevac (Kosovo Online, media)

The Office for Kosovo and Metohija in the strongest terms condemned the desecration of a memorial complex in Gorazdevac, dedicated to the victims of NATO bombing and children killed in this village,near Pec, saying it is yet another attempt to intimidate Serbs in this enclave, Kosovo Online portal reported.

The Office for KiM said in a statement that “the political agenda of Albin Kurti’s regime encourages extremists to anti-Serbian acts”, which makes the lives of Serbs living south of the Ibar River even more difficult.

“Fact that only a month ago we have witnessed savagery of Albanian extremists in Gracanica confirms this is not about isolated incidents, but rather an organized and politically instructed intimidation campaign”, the Office for KiM said.

It recalled that countless times they requested the international community in Kosovo to pay greater attention to creating a more safe environment in the Serbian areas south of the Ibar River, and the need for it particularly arises at the times of pre-election campaigns, when political passions are at its peak.

Mitrovica North: Large landfill between houses and residential buildings, a view from municipal building (Radio KIM)

The landfill is located on a private parcel, and as Radio KIM found it unofficially the owner of the parcel lives abroad. According to residents from nearby houses, the waste is being stored there by a man with compulsive disorder. However, the trash includes not only raw materials, but also biological waste, clothes and various objects. The same person is also storing the trash in the house he shares with the socially vulnerable Kostic family, the Radio wrote.

Dragan Kostic who lives in the house with his mother, told Radio KIM their life next to the landfill is becoming unbearable. He said he complained to those responsible several times but no one reacted.

House of Merita Krasniqi is located near the landfill. She told the Radio KIM trash was set on fire several times, and there is a risk houses can be set ablaze if that happens again. She also said “the municipality has to do something”.

Apart from being next to the houses and residential buildings, landfill is also located nearby Mitrovica North municipality. It can’t be seen from the main road as it is hidden by the houses, but those working in the municipality can see it from the windows of their offices. This municipality does not have a public utility company in the Kosovo system, but has an inspection department. However, the director of this department, Fatir Berzati did not want to respond to Radio KIM why he is not reacting to the complaints of the people about this problem.

Public utility company Standard, working in the Serbian system, is the only one cleaning the town. They told Radio KIM that they have cleaned the landfill several times, but it is being stored again and the problem cannot be solved permanently.

Milunovic: The municipality deals with high topics, instead with problems people face

The only Serb councilor in the Mitrovica North municipality, Dusan Milanovic, told Radio KIM this landfill is a shame for all residents of Mitrovica North, but also the municipality and both systems.

“Mitrovica North municipality is dealing with high topics which do not relate to ordinary citizens at all, as if they are representatives of the Parliament in Pristina, and not municipal representatives. Some ordinary topics such as waste, sewerage system, roads, it does not concern them at all {…}”, Milunovic said.

Ivkovic: Having coffees and accompanying ministers instead of resolving utility problems

Journalist and editor of Alternativna.com portal Ana Marija Ivkovic told the Radio KIM, an additional problem is that current Mitrovica North mayor Erden Atiq and the municipality perceive Standard public utility company as a parallel institution and have no cooperation.

“If local self-governance and mayor Atiq are ought to deal more with the problems of their own local administration, and not ruining the party (Self-determination Movement) policy which includes having coffees in front of wigwams (at Mitrovica North promenade) and accompanying Kosovo ministers while visiting, we would not have this problem today, however this is not the only local problem he (Atiq) is not dealing with”, Ivkovic said.

Mitrovica North Municipal Assembly Deputy Chair Skender Sadiku admitted that leadership of this municipality is dealing with high politics and not with the problems of people. According to him, the existing Serbian public utility company Standard should be registered in the Kosovo system, same as it was with phone operator MTS.doo.

Andric Rakic: Change of political messages that ‘encourage ethnonationalism’ is necessary (Kosovo Online)

New Social Initiative Program Manager Milica Andric Rakic said people in northern Kosovo have many reasons to be dissatisfied with the work of Kosovo police, adding the only way is to change “political messages that encourage ethno-nationalism and an undemocratic approach to the Serbian community”, Kosovo Online portal reported.

"Since Self-determination took power in Kosovo, nationalism and populism have ruled. This undermines the multi-ethnic character of institutions and inter-ethnic relations. And it started from the top and should start improving from there. It is crucial to change those political messages coming from the top, which encourage ethno-nationalism and a way of treating the Serbian community that is simply not democratic", Andric Rakic told Kosovo Online.

As she pointed out there were several examples of clear mistakes in the conduct of police in non-majority communities, but also incidents. The latest includes the accidental firing of a policeman's gun in Zvecan and response to it was that "more training is needed". She also mentioned two shooting incidents at Bistrica bridge checkpoint manned by Kosovo special police, one of which received a first-instance verdict. She also noted there were many problems with establishing normal relations between Kosovo police and Serbian community, arguing it started in fact with the inability of Kosovo police to establish a normal relation within police itself. “{…} If there were any balanced relations and a relationship of trust between regional police directorate in the north and police directorate in Pristina since September 2021, when the crisis started, we would not come to the situation in which Serbs in the north en masse left Kosovo police”.

According to her, regardless of some thinking Serb officers left the police because of political pressure or not, the facts speak that at moments it was important Kosovo police as an institution was not capable of protecting its multiethnicity because since beginning there was no trust between Serbian and Albanian police officers.

Serbian Democracy: Vote for people (Radio KIM)

Serbian Democracy Party will run in upcoming parliamentary elections in Kosovo under the number 116 and this party presented candidates for MPs today, Radio KIM reports. The party will have a total of 13 candidates. The leading candidate is Aleksandar Arsenijevic, known for protesting policies and presence of local Albanian municipal officials and Kosovo ministers in the north, he termed as discriminatory and harmful for the Serbs as well as frequent arrests by Kosovo police over these protests.

Arsenijevic said his party offers the ‘vote of freedom’ to people, something, as he said, Serbs did not have until now in the Kosovo Assembly. He added that what they do outside of institutions, on the streets produces certain effects, and one could only imagine what would happen if his party would have a voice and reinforced legitimacy to work and present to the international community, Belgrade and all others how they can resolve certain issues. “Vote for us, means vote for people”, Arsenijevuc said.

Media: KSF attended funeral in November in northern Kosovo, Maqedonci then promised in a letter to KFOR it won’t happen again (KoSSev)

KoSSev portal writes today that Pristina-based portal Nacionale re-published an RTK article on Kosovo Security Forces (KSF) attending the funeral of a former KLA member in a village in Leposavic municipality on November 24, last year. The photos were published on Facebook by Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti.

This situation has become “a point of contention” between KSF and KFOR, this media further writes, because of which Kosovo defense minister Ejup Maqedonci sent a letter to KFOR, obliging it will never happen again that KSF goes to the North without coordination with NATO, as it was foreseen with previous commitment and letter from 2013.

As the media portal further said Maqedonci confirmed he made an obligation to KFOR that KSF will not be sent to the north without KFOR’s consent, although only a few days ago Albin Kurti termed the commitment from 2013 “the biggest scandal of the former governments”.

Kos: I trust Serbia will fulfill requirements to open Cluster 3 (N1)

European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos expressed confidence that Serbia will meet the requirements needed to open Cluster 3 in its accession negotiations with the European Union (EU), N1 reported.

“I trust that Serbia will fulfill all the requirements for opening Cluster 3”, Marta Kos wrote in a post on X following talks with Serbian European Integration Minister Tanja Miscevic. The commissioner said she had “a very frank and concrete conversation with Tanja Miscevic on the accession of Serbia to the EU”. “Enlargement is a whole of society process, which includes the opposition, civil society, businesses and more”, Kos added.

Cluster 3 includes eight chapters, five of which were opened before the cluster concept was introduced: Economic and Monetary Policy (Chapter 17), Enterprise and Industrial Policy (20), Science and Research (25), Education and Culture (26), and Customs Union (29). Three chapters are still pending: Information Society and Media (10), Taxation (16), and Social Policy and Employment (19).

International

Kosovo parties count on celebrities’ influence to reach more votes (PI)

Political parties in Kosovo are ramping up their campaigns for the February 9, 2025 parliamentary elections, competing not only on programs and policies but also for the endorsement of public figures with significant influence on social media and the public.

Ahead of the February 9 parliamentary elections, political parties in Kosovo have initiated a competition to enlist public figures based on their social media following and fame rather than academic or political qualifications.

Singers, actors, athletes, and social media influencers have become part of electoral candidates’ lists, marking a trend where popularity and number of followers on platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok outweigh political experience.

According to the Kosovo Agency of Statistics, as of 2023 approximately 98.6 percent of households had internet access.

“We live in an era where social media arguably has the greatest influence on people’s decision-making in many areas, including elections,” Dardan Hasku, a social media expert stated.“This undoubtedly pushes parties to invest in this direction, whether through presence, paid advertisements, or candidates who are seen as influential on these platforms,” he added.