- On February 9, parliamentary elections were held in Kosovo
According to the preliminary data of the Central Election Commision, after counting 99.72% of the ballots, the Self-Determination Movement (Vetëvendosje, VV), led by Prime Minister Albin Kurti, received 40.84% of the votes.
Democratic Party of Kosovo (Partia Demokratike e Kosovës, PDK) holds the second place with 22.05%, followed by the Democratic League of Kosovo (Lidhja Demokratike e Kosovës, LDK) with 17.67%, the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (Aleanca për Ardhmërinë e Kosovës, AAK) holds the fourth place with 7.45% of votes.
Albin Kurti declared his party’s victory, stating that “the winning coalition will form a new government and continue the good work”. However, Vetëvendosje did not secure an absolute majority in the 120-seat parliament, with its result being approximately 10% lower than in the previous 2021 elections. Thus, to form a government, VV needs to build a coalition with other parties currently in opposition.
The leading party of Kosovo Serbs, Serbian List, which is supported by Belgrade, announced that it has won all ten seats in parliament allocated for the Serbian community.
The President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, has already congratulated Serbian List and the Serbian people in Kosovo and Metohija on their victory.
However, it is currently unknown whether Serbian List will secure all 10 mandates. According to the current Central Election Commision’s count, the party has only nine mandates. One parliamentary seat from the Serbian quota may go to the “For Freedom, Justice and Survival” party of Nenad Rašič, who is serving as the minister of community and returns in Albin Kurti’s government. Rašič is deemed to be a politician having more loyalty towards Pristina, rather than Belgrade.
A total of 1,280 candidates from 28 electoral lists competed for the 120 seats in the Kosovo Parliament. The right to vote was held by 2,075,868 voters, of whom 104,924 were registered to vote abroad.
The voter turnout was 41%, which is lower than the previous election turnout of 46.9%.
Despite concerns about potential destabilization, the voting and the overall election campaign were conducted in a relatively calm atmosphere. However, the vote count was overshadowed by a temporary shutdown of the Central Election Commission server due to a technical malfunction. The Kosovo Prosecutor’s Office is investigating possible illegal interference.
- Anti-goverment protests in Serbia continue
Participants of the student protest blocked the bridge in the Serbia’s capital, Belgrade, as well as roads across the country on Sunday, February 9, marking 100 days after the collapse of the canopy on the railway station in Novi Sad, which resulted in 15 fatalities.
Numbers of Belgrade’s residents joined students during 7-hour-long blockade of Gazela’s bridge over river Sava in Serbia’s capital.
Simultaneously, the three-hour-long blockade of key highways happened in Novi Sad. At the place of the protest the writing “After 100 days, no one has been held accountable” was painted in red.
Students in the city of Niš also blocked a toll booth on the highway entrance to the city.
Meanwhile, the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, began a tour of the country’s regions, gathering supporters in various cities and villages for rallies.
On February 8, while traveling in his car as part of a convoy, one of the tires of his vehicle burst. Pro-government tabloids and officials described the incident as “an assassination attempt organized by demonstrators.”
As it is known, protests have been taking place daily in Serbia for over three months after the canopy collapsed at the Novi Sad railway station, resulting in 15 deaths. The protests are led by students who are demanding institutional accountability and a transparent investigation into the accident. The students primarily demand the disclosure of all information regarding the contracts for the reconstruction of the Novi Sad station and the punishment of all officials responsible for the tragedy, which they believe was caused by nepotism and corruption within the current government.
On January 28, Serbia’s Prime Minister, Miloš Vučević, announced his resignation amid the protests, meaning all members of the cabinet will temporarily serve in an acting capacity.
- European Parliament held debates on the crisis in Serbia
On February 11, European Parliament held plenary debates in Strasbourg on the topic of the political crisis in Serbia. Delegation from Serbia’s cabinet was present during the session.
Adam Szłapka, the minister of the European Union affairs in Poland, presenting the country that is currently leading in the bloc, stated that all citizens of Serbia have a right for the freedom of assembly on all levels. He highlighted numerous incidents and said that EU will continue to closely observe the situation. “We support Serbian people on their European path. We will keep being attentive in estimating the political situation in the country and we will keep facilitating the process of Serbia’s accession into EU, which should be based on reforms. The rule of law, legal certainty and the fundamental human rights are the main values, which European Union is founded on” – stated Szłapka.
Marta Kos, the European Commisar for Enlargement, asserted that the European Commission is closely monitoring events in Serbia, including ongoing student protests which gained broad support of civil society. Kos called Belgrade for the inclusive dialogue with participation of all interested parties. “This will make Serbian society stronger and make Serbian future in the EU stronger. Supporting Serbia on it’s path to the EU and it’s acession to the EU keeps being the priority of the European Commision. However, the process of gaining membership in the European Union includes reforms, which fortify our values not only in legislation, but also in practice”, – she stated, adding that integration into EU suggests solutions to some of the issues voices by protesters.
Tonino Picula (Croatia), The European Parliament’s rapporteur for Serbia and Member of the European Parliament (MEP) from the Socialist and Democrats (S&D) explained that the protests are a result of widespread dissatisfaction with the rule of law in Serbia. He emphasized the need for EU support for the youth, who are demanding a better future for their country.
Vladimir Prebelič (Slovenia, Greens/EFA) asserted that democracy, rule of law and human rights are the foundation of EU. “These are the values that youth in Serbia is bravely fighting for. They are protesting against sysmetatic corruption and demand the government, which respects their democratic rights. Tragedy in Novi Sad shook Serbian society and Europe should not be silent” – warned Prebelič.
Gordan Bosanac, a representative from Croatia and Member of the European Parliament from the Greens, criticized the recent visit of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to Serbia, where she praised the country’s progress. “What a misleading statement. She supported the wrong side, harming the accession process. Two months later, the streets are filled with students and citizens raising their voices against the deep problems of the rule of law and democracy. Now is not the time for an inclusive dialogue with an autocrat — it is time to support the students,” Bosanac stated.
Meanwhile, Annemária Vicsek, a Member of the European Parliament from the Patriots for Europe (PFE), elected on the list of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz party and a member of the Serbian Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians, urged MEPs to be objective and respect Serbia’s sovereignty. “The protests have been ongoing for weeks, triggered by a tragic incident — the collapse of the railway station canopy. Responsibility for this tragedy has already been established,” Visek said, adding that the prolonged demonstrations are affecting students and pupils. “It is very difficult to objectively assess the situation. Citizens have a democratic right to assemble. But as a politician, I believe these issues should be resolved in parliament, not in the streets,” she added.
Slovenian representative Matjaž Nemec (S&D) concluded by saying, “The solution is a technical government that will organize democratic elections. What is happening in Serbia is the result of systemic violations of fundamental rights, and the EU should not ignore this”.
- Tirana’s mayor arrested on suspicion of corruption
The Mayor of Tirana, Erion Veliaj, has been arrested on suspicion of corruption by the decision of the Special Prosecutor’s Office of Albania for the Fight Against Corruption and Organized Crime (SPAK).
Back in December 2024, it became known that the Special Prosecutor’s Office had opened an investigation against the mayor of Tirana. Initially, the case was related only to passive corruption, but based on the evidence gathered, the charges were expanded. Now, Erion Veliaj is also suspected of active corruption and money laundering from criminal activities. The prosecution accuses him of organizing a complex bribery money-laundering scheme through a network of non-governmental organizations and companies controlled by his wife and brother.
Mayor Veliaj was in the municipal building when, on February 10, he was detained by agents of the National Bureau of Investigation. Erion Veliaj’s wife was placed under house arrest. Searches were carried out in her office, as well as in properties belonging to Veliaj’s brother.
The 45-year-old Mayor of Tirana, Erion Veliaj, one of the key figures of the ruling Socialist Party, built his political career 20 years ago on an anti-corruption initiative supported by donors and was once considered a likely future leader of Albania. Erion Veliaj’s arrest could significantly impact the approval rating of the Socialist Party of Edi Rama ahead of the parliamentary elections in May this year and, more broadly, affect the domestic political situation in Albania.
- Students in Sarajevo demand prosecution of the guilty of the catastrophic consequences of last year floods
Thousands of students and citizens gathered on February 10 for a protest in front of the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina in Sarajevo, demanding that charges be brought against those responsible for the catastrophic consequences of the floods that affected Bosnia and Herzegovina in early October of last year.
Protesters read aloud the names of the victims of the natural disaster, calling for “justice for them”. “Four months have passed, and no one is accountable for their deaths. This system kills, and then we wonder why the youth are leaving the country,” said one of the students addressing the protesters.
Heavy rain caused floods and landslides, which on the night of October 4 destroyed many houses, roads, and bridges in Herzegovina and central Bosnia. The disaster claimed the lives of 27 people. Most of the fatalities—nineteen people—died in the village of Donja Jablanica due to a landslide, which is believed to have occurred after the collapse of an illegal quarry.
They are also demanding accountability for those who failed to act preventively to avoid deaths, as well as a review of the permits for all quarries operating in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Protesters are also calling for the disclosure of information regarding the spending of funds from both the Federation of BiH budget and donations received for all the flooded areas.
One of the protesters’ demands was the punishment of those responsible for the operation of the illegal quarry in Donja Jablanica.
Earlier, the authorities of the Federation of BiH stated that the possible cause of the high number of casualties in Donja Jablanica was the collapse of a quarry onto the village. The Prosecutor’s Office of the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton in the Federation of BiH mentioned that investigative actions are ongoing to determine whether there are grounds for suspicion of criminal wrongdoing. “Whether an indictment will be filed will depend on the results of the investigation, expert opinions, and evidence,” the prosecutor’s office stated on February 10.
The protest in Sarajevo became one of a series of student demonstrations that have recently spread across the Western Balkans.
In Serbia, a blockade of universities continues throughout the country, and large-scale student gatherings are still taking place due to the fatal collapse of the canopy at the Novi Sad railway station. The main demand of the protesters is the punishment of those responsible for the tragedy.
In Montenegro, since the beginning of the year, students have been holding protests demanding the resignation of ministers from the government’s security bloc following the mass killing in Cetinje on January 1 of this year.
