Top disinformation cases about Kosovo
Those are top 4 disinformation cases about the youngest European country, Kosovo which became independent in February 2008.
- France has suspended visa liberalization for Kosovo
Different media outlets published “France has suspended visa liberalization for Kosovo” as a threat or warning from France. Meaning that the free movement of Kosovo's citizens from January 1 may be at risk.
French President Emmanuel Macron speech with Prime Minister Edi Rama one day after the Berlin Process summit held in Tirana . This led to fears he had unilaterally suspended Kosovo’s long-awaited visa liberalization.
“I say this with great clarity: we have made a gesture of confidence on the issue of visas. As far as France is concerned, it is suspended from respecting the word given, and the word today is not kept,” said Macron.
Besides politics, disinformation was part of the football match Albania vs Poland.
2. “A big scandal! The footballer showed the shoe that trampled the symbol of Kosar, praised the terrorist KLA and spoke about Great Albania: "Let's unite all our territories!”
The Serbian media Blic claimed that the Albanian Football player Mirlind Daku called for the unification of the Albanian territories. However he thanked in the video those who "have contributed to us gathering from all over the world and playing with this jersey."
Blic.rs article placed next to the false quote refutes the article's claim a video on X under the name "Kosovar Football". They mistranslated the statement, published in social media platform.
3. The prime minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, wants the start of the war with Serbia in March
Again Serbian media outlets wrote that Kurti has requested an increase in German troops within the NATO mission in Kosovo, KFOR, to fight the Serbs in the north. President Vučić has targeted certain political individuals through hate speech.
What NATO said was totally different about the issue. They explained that increasing its peacekeeping presence in northern Kosovo as a result of escalating tensions with Serbia. As the U.S. called on Serbia to withdraw a military buildup on the border with Kosovo.
The heightening of tensions comes after about 30 heavily armed Serbs stormed the northern Kosovo village of Banjska.
4. Kosovo's PM Kurti boycotts the meeting with Albanian PM Rama"
On the other hand, the informal meeting of the leaders of the Western Balkans on July 17 in Tirana caused disinformation in both Kosovan and Albanian media about the participation of the Prime Minister of Kosovo Albin Kurti.
But, the absence of Kurti was announced a day before the meeting was to take place in Tirana. The announcement was made by Përparim Kryeziu, the spokesperson of the Kosovo Government, through a Facebook post. The post stated, "Prime Minister Kurti conveyed to Prime Minister Rama that, due to a prior commitment to attend a conference in Crete, Greece, he would be unable to attend this time".
Meanwhile, the narrative caused confusion in the public opinion with untrue and unconfirmed reports from official sources.
