UN Security Council to discuss six-month report on the situation in Kosovo today

The United Nations Security Council meeting at which the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres's six-month report on the work of the UN Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) will be reviewed is scheduled for today at 9 p.m. The report covers the period from March 16 to September 15 and states that the overall security situation in Kosovo remains stable, while tensions have increased between the central authorities and local governments, particularly in northern Kosovo.

According to the report, these tensions have risen over jurisdiction, decision-making at the municipal level, demolitions and evictions, as well as Kosovo Police operations.

It also notes that progress in implementing agreements reached through European Union mediation has remained limited.

“Challenges surrounding the reintegration of Kosovo Serb judges and prosecutors have also continued, alongside concerns over language rights, media freedom and religious freedom. The issue of missing persons remains politicized,” the UN Secretary-General's report states.

The closure and disruption of the work of institutions run by Serbia have heightened Kosovo Serbs' concerns regarding access to services and legal certainty, the report notes.

“Restrictions on religious and cultural symbols, law enforcement operations, allegations of police abuse, property demolitions and evictions have heightened the perception of insecurity and unequal treatment among Kosovo Serbs, further undermining trust in Kosovo's institutions,” the report states.

It also notes that security and administrative measures affecting access to religious sites, cultural heritage and pilgrimages, together with the conduct of the Kosovo Police during Vidovdan celebrations, have further strained relations between the Serbian Orthodox Church and the Kosovo government.

“Decisions affecting non-majority communities, including matters concerning property, demolitions and evictions, should be made through meaningful consultations and in accordance with the principles of equal treatment, due process and legal certainty,” the report states as one of its observations.

The report recommends that police operations should continue to be guided by the principles of legality, necessity, proportionality, non-discrimination and accountability.

The report notes that on August 10, KFOR announced plans to optimize the structure of its forces. This would include a gradual transition away from its permanent presence at the main bridge over the Ibar River in Mitrovica and the integration of Kosovo Police officers into security arrangements at Visoki Decani Monastery. In response, the Serb List and the Eparchy of Raska and Prizren expressed security concerns.

The report also records demolitions of buildings owned by Kosovo Serbs around Gazivode Lake, noting that these operations continued despite calls for them to be halted, including appeals by the European Union, which warned that such actions could undermine the rule of law.

Today's meeting will be chaired by the Greek ambassador to the UN, as Greece assumed the body's rotating one-month presidency on October 1.

The United Nations Security Council considered the previous report of the UN Secretary-General on April 9.

Serbia was represented at that meeting by Foreign Minister Marko Djuric, who stressed that UNMIK's role must not be diminished but strengthened, adding that the mission is not merely relevant but indispensable on the ground. He also stressed that KFOR must remain the only legitimate and credible security force on the ground, acting fully in accordance with its mandate.

Reports on UNMIK's work are submitted twice a year.