Espionage Arrest Shadows Kosovo’s Parliamentary Breakthrough

Kosovo’s parliament constituted after electing Serb MP Nenad Rasic deputy speaker, ending months-long deadlock. An espionage arrest spotlights Belgrade's influence operations.

Kosovo’s parliament overcame a months-long stalemate on Friday, October 10, when lawmakers declared the chamber constituted after electing Nenad Rasic, a Serb MP, as a deputy speaker. The vote 71 in favour, nine against and 24 abstentions, according to the session tally followed a string of failed ballots for nine candidates from the Belgrade-aligned Serbian List. Speaker Dimal Basha said the result legitimised the assembly’s formation¹. Serbian List vowed to challenge the procedure, and an opposition leader described Basha’s step as a mere “finding,” casting doubt on its validity.

The breakthrough came a day after the arrest in Pristina of Fatmir Sheholli on suspicion of espionage, an operation the Interior Minister described² as among the most serious for Kosovo’s security and constitutional order. The Special Prosecution said the raid followed months of investigation, was carried out with the Organized Crime Directorate and with assistance from the Kosovo Intelligence Agency³, and th…