September 16 should be viewed as a sensitive moment, but not as a development that will automatically be followed by unrest, security expert Drizan Shala says. He urges citizens not to fall victim to provocations and disinformation, emphasizing that responsibility for law and order and security in Kosovo lies with its institutions.

According to Shala, concerns about the possibility of unrest should be addressed calmly and in line with the institutions’ actual capabilities. He believes Kosovo is now better prepared to respond to any possible scenario on September 16 and in the days that follow.

“I believe that concern about the possibility of unrest should be viewed calmly and based on the actual capabilities of Kosovo’s institutions. Kosovo now has its own security institutions and is in a much more favorable position to deal with any scenario that may arise on September 16 and in the days ahead.

According to him, the experience of citizens and institutions in dealing with high-risk situations is an important advantage. As an example, he cites the 2023 terrorist attack, which required an institutional response and the management of an extremely sensitive security situation.

Shala continued by saying that this case had helped strengthen prevention, coordination and response capabilities. “Such experiences have increased our capacities for prevention, coordination and response,” he said.

The expert explains that security measures are not drawn up on an improvised basis, but are based on protocols and risk assessments. For this reason, institutions must also be prepared for the most likely scenarios, while in such cases it is more reasonable to adopt a higher level of measures than to minimize a potential threat.

“As far as security is concerned, measures are not improvised and are not based solely on what might happen. They are предусмотрed on the basis of protocols and risk assessments. In such a situation, it is better for institutions to apply a higher level of measures than to underestimate a potential threat.

Based on my assessment, the Kosovo Police and other relevant institutions already have the possible scenarios and response mechanisms for each situation that may arise on the table. This does not mean that panic should be created among citizens, but rather that calm and trust in the institutions should be maintained,” he further stated.

Shala emphasizes that citizens should remain calm, while institutions should act with vigilance. He underscores that avoiding provocations, disinformation and any attempt to heighten tensions is important for maintaining security.

“Therefore, September 16 should be treated as a sensitive moment, but not as a date that automatically means unrest. Institutions must remain vigilant, while citizens should avoid any provocation, disinformation or attempt to heighten tensions.

The greatest security guarantee for Kosovo today is precisely the fact that responsibility for law and order and security lies with its institutions,” he concluded in comments to “Bota sot”.

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The death of Ratko Mladić has brought the figure of the former commander of the Army of Republika Srpska back into the debate, while statements by Serbian officials have fueled efforts to portray him as a national hero. This is despite the fact that Mladić was sentenced to life imprisonment for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.

The positions expressed following his death have sparked fresh discussions about how Serbia is dealing with Mladić’s legacy and about efforts to absolve him of responsibility for the crimes committed during the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The question being raised is whether his death is being used to strengthen nationalist narratives and shift Mladić from the position of a criminally convicted person to that of a political and national myth. Experts warn that honoring a figure convicted of genocide is not only connected to the past, but could also affect the future, particularly younger generations.

Security expert Drizan Shala and former investigator Agim Rexhepi gave their assessments on the issue to the newspaper “Bota sot.”

Shala: Belgrade is trying to link Mladić to Serbia’s military tradition

Drizan Shala says the statements by Serbian officials should not be viewed as isolated personal positions. According to the security expert, they reflect the way Belgrade is trying to position Mladić’s figure in relation to the Serbian state.

Shala refers to a statement by Serbia’s Justice Minister, Nenad Vujić, who called Mladić a “general” and mentioned the protocols associated with that status. According to him, such a position once again draws attention to the links between Mladić, the Army of Republika Srpska and Serbia’s state structures.

“The fact that Serbia’s justice minister calls Mladić a general and speaks about the relevant protocols should not be treated as a merely ceremonial matter. It shows an effort to place him once again within Serbia’s military origins and portray him as part of its military history. For a long time, whenever responsibility for the war in Bosnia was linked to Belgrade, a distinction was maintained between the Army of Republika Srpska and the Serbian Army. Mladić commanded the former, while Serbia tried not to identify itself with its actions. But when it comes to honoring him and his prestige, that distinction is fading,” Shala told “Bota sot.”

He assesses that this situation represents a paradox that must be analyzed, since Mladić’s responsibility cannot be separated from the crimes for which he was convicted by international justice.

“Mladić’s history is inseparable from the genocide in Srebrenica, the terror inflicted on civilians in Sarajevo, the persecution and other crimes for which he was convicted. The forces he commanded committed crimes documented and confirmed by international courts. For this reason, the rebranding of him by a senior Serbian official as a ‘general,’ accompanied by references to state protocols, cannot be considered merely a ceremonial act. It raises questions about how Serbia is dealing with his legacy,” he emphasizes.

According to Shala, the case should be viewed within the broader framework of nationalist narratives that continue to influence the region.

“The issue is not only about how a person is being treated after death, but also about the message being conveyed to society. If a man convicted of genocide is presented as a figure who should be honored, then there is an attempt to change the perception of his crimes. Individual responsibility risks being replaced by the myth of the national hero. This is a major danger in a region where the wounds of war have not fully healed and where nationalist narratives continue to carry weight,” Shala says.

Rexhepi: Honoring Mladić legitimizes the ideology that led to genocide

Former investigator Agim Rexhepi stresses that Ratko Mladić’s death affects neither his criminal responsibility nor the facts established by international justice. For him, the main concern lies in the effort to turn a person convicted of genocide into a symbol of Serbian nationalism.

“Ratko Mladić’s death changes neither history nor the court’s verdict. On the contrary, placing his figure once again at the center of nationalist narratives shows that the struggle for historical truth and the memory of the victims continues. Mladić was not merely a military commander in a past conflict. He was sentenced to life imprisonment for genocide in Srebrenica, crimes against humanity and war crimes. Therefore, the attempt to turn him from a person convicted of genocide into a ‘national hero’ is not simply an alternative viewpoint, but an attempt to overturn the meaning of history,” Rexhepi told “Bota sot.”

Rexhepi says such a narrative diverts attention from the concrete crimes and shifts it toward claims of “defending the nation.”

“When a war criminal is presented as a hero, the victims are treated as an obstacle to the historical narrative. This is an extremely dangerous development. The glorification of Ratko Mladić implies the glorification of the ideology that produced genocide. Mass killings, expulsions, terror and crimes are being relativized by presenting them as part of a war to defend the nation. But a nation is not defended by killing civilians, and patriotism cannot be used as a justification for crimes against humanity,” he says.

According to the former investigator, the greatest consequences may emerge among younger generations, who could be influenced by the repetition of these messages.

“The risk is not limited to extremist groups that may honor such a figure. The main concern is that continuously repeated propaganda could lead a new generation to see Mladić not as the perpetrator of documented crimes, but as a defender of the nation. The falsification of history often does not occur through the immediate denial of everything, but through gradual relativization. If young people are taught to perceive a person convicted of genocide as a hero, then the issue is no longer confined to the past, but also affects how conflicts and violence may be understood in the future,” Rexhepi says.

In conclusion, Rexhepi emphasizes that Serbia and the societies of the region must confront the past without romanticization and without applying double standards.

“Sustainable reconciliation cannot be built without the truth, while lasting peace requires justice. Likewise, a European future cannot be built by honoring people convicted of genocide. Mladić is dead, but the ideology that placed him on a pedestal does not disappear on its own. It can be defeated only through truth, education, justice, remembrance and the rejection of every attempt to portray genocide as heroism,” Rexhepi concludes to “Bota sot.”

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The Basic Court of Pristina has ordered one month of detention for Skender Llugiqi, who is suspected of calling for the execution by firing squad of former Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj.

Llugiqi faces suspicions of the criminal offenses “Intimidation” and “Incitement to division and intolerance.”

In its reasoning, the Court assessed that keeping him in detention is the appropriate measure, because releasing the defendant would create a real risk that he would flee to avoid and hide from criminal responsibility. According to the reasoning, this would make Llugiqi inaccessible to justice authorities, would make it impossible to guarantee his presence, and would hinder the normal and efficient development of criminal proceedings.

Llugiqi made the call for Haradinaj to be shot in the hall of the Assembly of Kosovo, during the activity “Compatriots in the Assembly.”

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Kosovo could miss out on a large portion of the funds foreseen by the European Union if the political deadlock continues and state institutions remain dysfunctional. Under the Growth Plan, the EU has allocated around 170 million euros for Kosovo for the second half of 2026, but accessing these funds is conditional on the implementation of the necessary reforms.

Over two months after the snap parliamentary elections, Kosovo’s Assembly has still not been constituted. The constitutive session, which began on 6 August, has been postponed twice following a request from Albin Kurti, the leader of the Vetëvendosje Movement, the party that won the elections. Kurti has asked for additional time for consultations with other political entities, aiming to reach a broad agreement that also includes the election of the next president. The lack of consensus precisely on this issue had led Kosovo to snap elections.

The European Commission warns that delays in forming the new institutions after the 7 June elections could directly impact the implementation of reforms and Kosovo’s ability to receive EU funds. European Commission spokesperson Guillaume Mercier reiterates Brussels’ ongoing demand that political actors in Kosovo guarantee institutional stability.

“It is essential that Kosovo’s institutions are constituted without further delay, in accordance with the constitutional framework and established procedures,” Mercier tells Radio Free Europe (RFE).

“Delays in forming institutions risk hampering important reforms and could affect Kosovo’s ability to fully benefit from the opportunities offered by the EU, including the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans,” he adds.

The deadline for implementing 27 reform steps by official Prishtina, worth a total of 165.9 million euros, expires in December this year. Numerous European officials with whom RFE has spoken already mention the possibility of multimillion-euro losses for Kosovo due to the institutional crisis.

“While the European Commission is assessing Kosovo’s reporting on these steps, the political situation in the country has inevitably affected the pace of implementation and has limited progress on a number of key reforms, jeopardising part of the funding under the Reform and Growth Facility,” a European official, speaking on condition of anonymity, tells RFE.

First in drafting the Reform Agenda, last in reporting

In 2024, Kosovo was among the first countries to submit its Reform Agenda, but it presented its report on the level of implementation last. The first request from the Kosovar authorities for the disbursement of funds was submitted on 15 July 2026, shortly before the deadline expired. In this request, they reported on the Reform Agenda steps that had initially been planned to be fulfilled in December 2024, June 2025, December 2025, and June 2026.

“To preserve the available funding, it will be essential to ensure the effective functioning of institutions and the necessary political consensus to maintain a steady focus on implementing the agreed reform agenda,” a European source underlines.

EC spokesperson Mercier assesses that a swift agreement among parties on a unifying candidate for president is particularly important. “Only an efficient inter-party dialogue and a shared sense of purpose will allow Kosovo to pursue common objectives and deliver the reforms its citizens demand,” he tells RFE.

Over the course of 18 months, Kosovo has held three electoral processes: two parliamentary elections and local elections in two rounds. Implementing the reform steps under the EU Growth Plan requires the involvement of both the Government and the Assembly. The Government is responsible for drafting, negotiating, and implementing concrete policy objectives, while the Assembly must approve the corresponding reforms.

December and the risk of permanent loss of funds

The end of 2026 also marks the closure of the tolerance period, known in Brussels as the “grey period,” for the reform steps that the countries of the region, including Kosovo, were initially supposed to have completed in December 2024 and December 2025. The European Commission envisaged this period as additional time after the deadline, during which delays can still be rectified without triggering the consequences of non-compliance with the deadline.

Under this scheme, reform steps that had an initial deadline during 2024 can be completed within an additional 24-month period.

For reforms that were due during 2025, the tolerance period is 12 months. For all reforms planned up to December 2024, and respectively December 2025, the final deadline falls at the end of 2026. After this period, the funds may be permanently lost. If beneficiary countries do not meet the conditions and do not implement the foreseen reforms, the European Commission is entitled to retain the funds earmarked for these steps. These funds may be allocated to other countries that show better results in the reform process.

Kosovo, the biggest beneficiary only in theory

The EU package for the Western Balkans, envisaged for the 2024–2027 period, is worth 6 billion euros and is considered the most ambitious financial package for the region. The Growth Plan funds have been allocated based on population size and Gross Domestic Product. Kosovo has been allocated 882.6 million euros, placing it as the largest beneficiary per capita.

In previous periods, Kosovo had not qualified to receive funds from the Growth Plan because the respective agreements for this European package had not been ratified, also due to political deadlock.

After Kosovo’s Assembly ratified the agreements linked to the Growth Plan in February this year, Kosovo gained the right to benefit from European funds. So far, it has received only 61.8 million euros in pre-financing, or 7 percent of the total allocated amount. For the rest of the funds, Kosovo must demonstrate the implementation of reform steps by submitting a report on the reforms carried out. The European Commission decides twice a year on the disbursement of funds, but only after it has verified that the country has successfully fulfilled the concrete steps and objectives set out in the Reform Agenda./REL

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According to Veton Elshani, deputy commander of the Police for the northern region, 18 suspects have been identified in these 51 cases, while investigations into the other individuals are still ongoing. He assessed that the figures do not indicate an increase in risk, but rather reflect improved cooperation between northern residents and the Police.

Elshani said that removing every weapon from the north means greater security for the area. According to him, the weapons discovered in abandoned houses do not appear to be linked to any organised group, while it is particularly important that these weapons are not used in cases of domestic violence, robberies, or minor and serious bodily injuries.

The Police do not rule out the possibility that further quantities of weapons may be found in northern Kosovo. Elshani stressed that security institutions respond whenever they receive information about weapons, and that there is no area in the north where the Police cannot intervene or do not have access.

He added that cooperation with citizens has increased compared with 2023, which, according to him, helps the Police act and find weapons in any location for which they have information.

In some cases, the owners of the weapons or the suspects have been identified, while investigations continue in the remaining cases. Elshani explained that wanted individuals may be placed on Kosovo Police lists for questioning and that investigative procedures do not stop until those responsible are found. According to him, most of the 51 cases involve abandoned houses where no one was present.

Operations carried out in the north have uncovered weapons of various types, ranging from handguns and long guns to hunting rifles, M48 rifles and Kalashnikovs. Elshani said that this part of the country has had a large quantity of weapons, while their origin is not always clear, as some may have remained from the war or entered Kosovo at a later stage.

He noted that the Police have also found weapons manufactured in 2020/2021. According to Elshani, the Police’s priority remains maintaining public order and peace, as well as providing services to all citizens in the north.

The treatment of people found with weapons also depends on the prosecutor’s decision. In cases where a citizen voluntarily reports a weapon and cooperates with the Police, the prosecutor is notified and the person may be released under regular procedure. Cases have also been recorded involving hunting weapons with expired or invalid permits, which have not been assessed as a risk to overall security if the person remains at liberty.

In cases of domestic violence, people are arrested regardless of whether the weapon is found in their possession. Arrests may also take place in cases of minor or serious bodily injuries when it is assessed that there is a possibility of the offence being repeated. Elshani stressed that the law determines the cases in which a person must be detained, while the final decision is made by the prosecutor.

Serbian journalist Branislav Krstiq assessed that the issue of weapons in the north should be addressed in a broader context. He raised the question of who armed the Serbs, whether the process had approval from KFOR or international security forces, and how a large quantity of weapons passed through border, or rather administrative, crossing points.

According to Krstiq, it would have been crucial for a joint decision to be made at one point, under which the party that armed the Serbs would be obliged to disarm them within one or two months. He said that, instead, individual cases have been left to be handled by the state of Kosovo and its police apparatus.

Krstiq considered that small quantities of individual weapons or ammunition could be remnants of former war veterans and developments over recent decades in the Balkans. However, according to him, the existence of bunkers or depots containing larger quantities of weapons could be a cause for concern.

He said that Kosovo is armed and that an operation for the voluntary surrender of weapons could produce results. Krstiq recalled that KFOR, since the arrival of the international peacekeeping mission, has on several occasions organised weapons surrender initiatives, to which Kosovo citizens have responded. According to him, it is not known whether such an initiative would have an effect in the north, since Serbs have not had this opportunity.

He also mentioned the level of armament among Albanian citizens in the Metohija region, namely in the Dukagjini Plain, Drenica and Podujeva. Krstiq said that the state of Kosovo appears to have initially directed the search for and confiscation of weapons towards people who could potentially undermine the country’s stability in the near future. Nevertheless, he assessed that weapons south of the Ibar River could also become a serious long-term security problem for all Kosovo citizens.

According to Krstiq, citizens in the north have no reason to feel less safe because of the weapons discovered or weapons that may still exist. He referred to Kosovo Police reports, saying that there have been no killings among citizens and no armed incidents in the north.

At the same time, he stressed that armed incidents occur almost every month in Pristina, Gjilan and Ferizaj. Krstiq said that the focus of police forces in the north is justified, considering the incident at the Ibar-Lepenac canal and the events in Banjska. According to him, the quantities of weapons in the north cannot endanger the stability of either the state or citizens in this part of Kosovo.

Krstiq assessed that the weapons found may have different origins. Some of them, according to him, may be equipment left behind by the Yugoslav, or Serbian, police or army, and a legacy of civilians mobilised during the bombing of Yugoslavia.

He stressed that the existence of newer weapons and equipment is particularly concerning. In this case, Krstiq said, the Police should investigate whether the weapons could be part of a plan for destabilising actions within Kosovo, or whether they are equipment from an outdated project that, with the consolidation of Kosovo’s sovereignty in the north, has been left without owners and without any real use.

The discovery of weapons in northern Kosovo continues to be handled by security institutions. Kosovo Police state that they intervene in response to every piece of information they receive about hidden weapons, while authorities assess that the security situation has not worsened. Experts on developments in the north, meanwhile, stress the need to clarify the origin of the weapons and verify whether larger quantities of arms exist.

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The EU chief said that the argument for prohibiting young children from using screens and digital platforms, and that children under 13 should only be allowed to use social media under adult supervision and for limited periods, was most compelling.

Von der Leyen said that the evidence increasingly supports introducing a minimum age for social media access and suggested a phased approach for different age groups.

“Social media is not a toy! The status quo, a world where we continue to allow big tech companies unlimited access to our children, will only send another generation into more mental harm, addiction and misery.”, she said.

According to research data, young people spend between four and six hours a day in front of screens, while nearly 60% of young children have experienced emotional or psychosocial problems online.

The Commission President supported wider use of age verification technology, stressing that the debate was not about whether children should ever use social media, but whether and when social media can access our children.

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According to IGJEO, a low risk level is expected in the counties of Kukës, Dibër, Elbasan, Korçë and Gjirokastër, while in some counties a locally high risk level is expected, specifically: Shkodër County, Tirana County, Berat County and Vlorë County.

However, IGJEO stressed that the highest risk is expected tomorrow.

No rainfall is expected this afternoon or tomorrow, while minimum and maximum air temperatures are expected to reach 21 / 31 °C along the coast, 19 / 34 °C in low-lying areas, and 13 / 27 °C in mountainous areas.

Meanwhile, winds today and tomorrow are expected to be light to moderate, at times becoming strong in mountainous and coastal areas.

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In a joint appearance before the media, representatives of the Kosovo Police, the Emergency Management Agency, the Kosovo Forestry Agency, the Kosovo Hydrometeorological Institute and the Department of Forestry stressed that every act of arson, whether intentional or caused by negligence, will be treated seriously and in accordance with the legislation in force.

The Director General of the Kosovo Police, Gazmend Hoxha, said citizens must act responsibly during the hot season, recalling that the Criminal Code provides penalties ranging from six months to 10 years in prison for the criminal offense of arson.

According to him, during 2025 and 2026, the Kosovo Police carried out 1,222 interventions in fire cases, opened 258 criminal cases and arrested 37 people.

Hoxha stressed that the conference was also organized as a public appeal for caution during the summer, but also to coordinate actions among institutions so that there are as few fires as possible and damage from reported cases is kept to a minimum. He added that people identified and arrested by the Kosovo Police in these cases are sent to the prosecution for further procedures, while for arson, under Article 322, the prescribed sentence is from six months to 10 years.

He also announced that, compared with 2024, reported cases of intentional arson increased from 264 to 469 cases in 2025, or about 70 percent more.

Acting Director of the Emergency Management Agency, Shefki Avdullahu, said the institution he leads has raised the level of readiness across all structures.

He underlined that 11,466 fire hotspots were recorded in Kosovo in the last season alone, which according to him requires broad involvement of institutions at both the central and local levels.

Avdullahu said emergency operations centers work without interruption, 24 hours a day and 7 days a week, while regional emergency management centers carry out continuous monitoring and coordinate with the local level. He stressed that all arson cases, regardless of whether they are intentional or the result of negligence, will be handled in full compliance with the law in force. According to him, those responsible will face punitive measures and legal procedures without any exception, describing this as a clear message of the state’s commitment to protecting public order and the environment. However, he stressed that no institutional mechanism can be fully effective without the cooperation of citizens.

Avdullahu repeated that those responsible will face the appropriate punishments and called on citizens not to light fires in open spaces, not to burn waste, and to report every case to the emergency number 112.

For his part, senior hydrologist at the Kosovo Hydrometeorological Institute, Bashkim Kastrati, said the institution monitors meteorological conditions in real time through 24 automatic stations, which supply data to the national forest fire management platform.

Kastrati said that during periods of high temperatures, the Kosovo Hydrometeorological Institute continuously increases vigilance through notices it publishes for the wider public, as well as to inform institutions.

The acting executive director of the Kosovo Forestry Agency, Menderes Ibra, said that in 2025, fires affected 2,230 hectares of forest, of which 1.37- hectares were state forests and 863 hectares were private forests.

He said the consequences of fires are not measured only by economic loss.

According to Ibra, there were 34 reported cases in the Prishtina region, 20 in the Mitrovica region, 3 in the Peja region, 44 in the Prizren region, 6 in the Ferizaj region and 32 in the Gjilan region. He stressed that forest damage is a major concern not only for the Forestry Agency, but for society as a whole, because in addition to burning forests and economic loss, it also brings destruction of flora and fauna, devastation of water resources, an impact on the release of carbon dioxide and changes in air quality.

Director of the Department of Forestry, Tahir Ahmeti, said high temperatures and low soil moisture significantly increase the risk of fires breaking out, which is why greater institutional coordination and cooperation with citizens are required.

Ahmeti said the country is entering a period of high temperatures and low soil moisture, creating great potential for fires. He stressed that, from a legislative standpoint, the forest law stipulates that setting fires or burning these wooded environments is sanctioned by law and all persons who commit such an act will face the full force of the law. According to him, preventive measures for protecting forests from fire are defined through ten-year management plans, and the institutions that manage forests are legally obliged to have and implement them as prescribed. He added that dependence on climatic conditions makes this process quite complex, as forests have always been among the ecosystems most threatened by degradation as a result of fire.

Ahmeti also recalled that the law prohibits lighting fires within a distance of 500 meters from forests, except in specially designated areas for that purpose, and stressed that violators will be punished according to the sanctions provided by law.

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He made these statements during a military exercise and a presentation of the Serbian Army’s weaponry. The event was held on June 28 at the military airport in Batajnica, near Belgrade, as well as at the Pasuljanske Livade training ground in central Serbia, as part of the state and religious holiday of Vidovdan.

In a statement to “Bota sot,” former investigator Agim Rexhepi said that Vučić’s announcements of new armaments should not be treated as a routine modernization process, but as a development that requires concern and vigilance, especially in light of the attack in Banjska.

According to Rexhepi, Serbia is continuing along the path of militarization and keeping threatening rhetoric alive, which is why these moves should be taken seriously by Kosovo’s institutions and international partners.

“The statements by Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić about expanding the military arsenal, including Chinese CM-400 missiles and the purchase of new fighter aircraft, cannot be viewed as an isolated technical development or as routine military modernization. When such statements come from a state that still refuses to recognize Kosovo’s independence, that continues threatening rhetoric toward its neighbors, and that has not been held accountable for the terrorist attack in Banjska in September 2023, then they constitute a legitimate reason for vigilance and concern.

Kosovo is not guided by fear, but by an analysis of the facts. The facts show that Serbia, instead of building trust through dialogue and regional cooperation, continues to invest in militarization and in rhetoric that is often aimed at demonstrating القوة. No one can forget that in Banjska we saw a well-organized attack, with heavy weaponry and a paramilitary structure, which proved that the threats to Kosovo’s security are not merely theoretical, but have taken concrete form.

Therefore, when after that episode we hear warnings about increasing missiles and advancing military capacities, it is entirely normal for Kosovo’s institutions and international partners to analyze them seriously. The problem is not only the possession of weapons, but the way they are accompanied by a political discourse that often produces tensions and aims to pressure neighbors”, he said.

Rexhepi further stresses that Serbia’s military rapprochement with China brings a new element of risk to the Balkans, as Belgrade is expanding ties with actors outside the Euro-Atlantic orientation.

He underlines that such a development raises serious questions about stability in the region.

“Serbia’s military cooperation with China also represents a new security dimension in the Balkans. At a time when most countries in the region have a Euro-Atlantic orientation and are investing in interoperability with NATO, Serbia is expanding military cooperation with actors whose geopolitical interests differ from those of the European Union and the Atlantic Alliance. This creates concerns not only for Kosovo, but also for regional stability.

However, Serbia must understand that the time when military pressure could be exerted against Kosovo is over. Kosovo today is a state with functional security institutions, with a professional police force, with a Security Force that is developing according to NATO standards and, above all, with the unwavering support of its strategic allies, first and foremost the United States of America and NATO’s mission in Kosovo, KFOR”, he stated.

In the end, Rexhepi said that the Government of Kosovo is not an instigator of conflicts, but neither does it accept any violation of sovereignty and constitutional order, acting in coordination with international partners, especially after the attack in Banjska.

According to him, peace in the region is not built through armament, but through mutual recognition and respect for states. He added that as long as Serbia gives greater priority to military strengthening than to building political trust, it will continue to cause concern in the region, while Kosovo will continue strengthening security in coordination with its allies.

“The Government of Kosovo has proven that it does not provoke conflicts, but it also does not tolerate violations of the country’s constitutional order and sovereignty. The professional response of the institutions after the attack in Banjska showed that the state is capable of protecting its territory and its citizens, acting in full coordination with international partners.

Peace in the Balkans is not built through arms races, but through mutual recognition, respect for sovereignty and accountability for acts of violence. As long as Serbia invests more in demonstrating military power than in building political trust, it will continue to generate justified concerns for its neighbors.

Kosovo will continue to invest in security, in coordination with its allies, not to threaten anyone, but to guarantee that no one dares threaten the freedom, sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Kosovo. This is the path of a democratic and responsible state, in contrast to the rhetoric of militarization that is periodically heard from Belgrade,” he concluded for “Bota sot.”

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At a press conference, GLPS program manager Ema Pula stressed that June 30 marks the end of the final deadline that gave Kosovo the opportunity to avoid financial losses by carrying out the planned reforms.

GLPS researcher Besar Gërgi said that the lack of fully functioning institutions has directly affected the progress of reform implementation.

According to him, only after the publication of official reports by the Government of Kosovo and the European Union will it become clear what level of funding has been obtained, how much money is at risk, and which reforms remain unimplemented.

Gërgi also added that, given the current situation in Kosovo, GLPS has prepared several recommendations to improve and speed up the implementation of the reform agenda.

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