UNS and DNKiM: Stop the labeling and criminalization of the Kosovo Online editorial team

​​​​​​​The Association of Journalists of Serbia (UNS), together with its branch in Kosovo, the Journalists' Association of Kosovo and Metohija (DNKiM), stated that it is protesting the targeting of the Kosovo Online editorial team by analyst Drizan Shala, who labeled the portal on Facebook as a "proxy structure" and an "extended arm of Belgrade."

"The Kosovo Online editorial team was targeted by Drizan Shala following coverage of an incident that occurred last week in Kosovska Mitrovica, when the portal reported a statement from the Serbian Minister of Internal Affairs Ivica Dacic and from civil society organizations regarding the incident," the statement reads.

They add that alongside a photo of the article published on their portal, Shala claimed that "Kosovo Online does not represent the interests of Kosovo Serbs, but rather carries out the orders of the political-criminal establishment in Belgrade, using methods of disinformation and deliberate disruption of Kosovo’s constitutional order." He alleged that the article conveying civil society's reaction to the incident is “a classic example of hybrid propaganda aimed at creating a narrative of Serb victimhood in Kosovo, criminalizing Kosovo’s security institutions, fueling ethnic tensions in sensitive areas, and discrediting constitutional authority and the rule of law.”

"The article is not merely disinformation. It is an operational tool of the hybrid war that Serbia is waging against Kosovo," wrote Drizan Shala, among other things. The Kosovo Online editorial team emphasized that in recent days they have also been targeted by Serbian Telegram channels due to what is claimed to be “an editorial policy that is in deep contradiction with Belgrade’s official policy and UN Resolution 1244,” UNS and DNKiM noted in their statement.

They further added that denying media in Kosovo the right to report statements from Belgrade officials on events of public interest is unacceptable.

UNS and DNKiM emphasized that it is precisely Shala, through his actions, who is inciting tensions, criminalizing Kosovo Online, and endangering the safety of the journalists working there.

“UNS and DNKiM remind Shala, as well as other public figures, that if they find something problematic in the reporting of a specific event, they should refrain from using labels and instead challenge media reporting with arguments—if they have any,” the statement concludes.