Last week, the misinformation ecosystem in Kosovo was dominated by clickbait articles. These articles were about the rise in oil prices, visa liberalization, the attack by Serbia, and the division of Kosovo.
The fake news was characterized by content related to the dismissal of the coach of the Albanian national football team, Edi Reja; the claim that Ramush Haradinaj called Serbian President Vučić a good man; and the resignation of the Minister of Economy, Artane Rizvanolli.
There has been misinformation on topics related to teachers' salaries, that Edi Rama said yes to "Greater Russia"; and about the creation of the Association of Serbian Municipalities (ASK).
The Office for Kosovo in the Government of Serbia has, over the past week, manipulated facts regarding the damage to a Serbian cemetery in Kosovo.
The Serbian-language media outlet "Kosovo-online.com" has distributed unverified information claiming that Serbia has managed to remove Kosovo's application for accession to the Council of Europe from the agenda.
Clickbait
The dubious portal “todaynews80.com” has published an interview with VV MP Fatmir Humolli, who had expressed dissatisfaction with the VV Parliamentary Group, and had warned that he would leave this group if veterans were definitively excluded from the minimum wage increase. However, this dubious portal has given this article a fabricated title claiming that Humolli has made a decision that shakes Vetëvendosje. So, as can be understood from his statement, Humolli has not made any decision. (here)
The dubious portal “nowtennews.com” has published an article about the increase in oil prices in Austria, while the title did not clarify which country it is referring to. Considering that most of the articles this dubious portal posts are about Kosovo and Albania (based on research conducted by hibrid.info), this generalizing title may misinform readers by making them think that the increase in oil prices is related to one of these countries. (here)
The information portal “Kosova-sot.info” published on October 3 an article titled “They went hunting, 76-year-old man accidentally kills his friend”. After verifying the facts in this article, conducted by hibrid.info, it turns out that the title does not make the news and the location of this development clear. The news is clarified only in the content. So, by not providing information about the country in question, this news could very easily misinform its readers, making them think that the event took place in Kosovo. (here)
The dubious portal “nowtennews.com” has published an article by the online medium “Free Europe”, which states that the Czech presidency of the European Union has officially put the discussion on visa liberalization for Kosovo on the agenda. However, this dubious portal has given this article a fabricated title with the claim that “EU confirms: Visa liberalization for Kosovo may happen on this date”. (here)
The “KOHA E RE” Facebook page has posted a statement by analyst Milaim Zeka, placing it in the title with the claim that NATO has provided information that Kosovo is on the verge of an attack by Serbia. The title of this article is taken from an opinion piece, but without making this fact clear, implying that NATO has provided official information that Kosovo is on the verge of an attack by Serbia. The content states that this is only a statement by analyst Milaim Zeka which he bases, as he emphasizes, on information from a high-ranking official in Preševo, Medvedja and Bujanovac. (here)
The portals “Indeksonline.net” and “GazetaEnigma.com” have published an article regarding the football referees from Kosovo, who will referee the match Victoria Plzen – Bayern Munich for the under 19 age group (U19). While in the title of this article, these portals have not clarified that the referees from Kosovo will referee the match of these new age groups, implying that it is a match of the first teams between these two teams. (here)
The portal “Kosova-sot.info” has published an opinion by the former senior commander of the KLA and KPC, Naim Miftari, who claims that the division of northern Kosovo was designed by the employer of Hashim Thaçi, Kadri Veseli and Baton Haxhiu, which according to him is the French secret service – DGSE. However, the title of the article does not clarify that it is an opinion. So the title only says that the division of northern Kosovo was designed by the employer of Hashim Thaçi, Kadri Veseli, Baton Haxhiu. (here)
Fake news
The information portal "Syri.net" in a published article claimed that Edi Reja's time as coach of the Albanian national team has ended, and that Italian coach Luigi Di Biaggio will be appointed in his place. The Albanian Football Federation (FSHF) in a public statement called these claims untrue and baseless speculation. (here)
The dubious portals “specialja.com” and “a-news24.com” have published a video claiming to present it as one, allegedly Haradinaj has compared Kurti with Vučić, calling the Prime Minister of Kosovo a scoundrel, and President Vučić a good man. This material contains two videos, one in 2017 and the other in 2022. So, Haradinaj in these cases has not made comparisons between these two political figures, and in no case has he called Vučić a “good man”. (here)
The Facebook page "Gazeta NewBorn" has claimed that Artane Rizvanolli has resigned from the position of Minister of Economy. However, this claim of this self-proclaimed "newspaper" page has been denied by the information office of the Ministry of Economy, calling it untrue. (here)
disinformation
The portal “Lecanton27.ch” has claimed that Tirana has said “yes” to “Greater Russia”, linking it to the annexation of Ukrainian territories by Moscow. This entire claim was raised by Edi Rama’s failure to declare on this issue. However, this claim of this article is incorrect, since Albania has repeatedly opposed the annexation of Ukrainian territories by Russia. On October 1, the UN, together with the USA, presented a draft resolution against the Russian annexation of Ukrainian regions. Also, the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs in Albania, through a post on Twitter, stated that Albania condemns the fake referendums organized by Russia in Ukraine and that official Tirana will not recognize their predetermined results. (here)
The dubious portal “todaynews80.com” has claimed in its headline that teachers will not receive salaries in November either. The claim in the headline is a misinterpretation of the statement of LDK MP Agim Veliu, who says that, due to the obligations that most teachers will have to banks for loans, they will not receive salaries in November either. (here)
The dubious portal “Mergimtari.net” has published an article titled “Latest News: Mustafa Dies”. The article is illustrated with a photo of former Kosovo Prime Minister Isa Mustafa, which suggests that it is about his death. After fact-checking by hibrid.info, this article contains a generalizing (non-explanatory) title and a photo that does not match the content in the text. The news, in fact, is about the death of Isa Mustafa’s brother. (here)
The dubious portal “news426media.com” has published an old article from March, which was about the CIA warning that Kiev could be hit by a “terrible” Russian attack. This old article, this dubious portal has tried to present as current. (here)
The Head of the Office for Kosovo in the Government of Serbia, Petar Petkovic, has dismissed the unfounded claim that the President of Kosovo, Vjosa Osmani, at a press conference at the Summit of Political Leaders of the European Political Community in Prague, said that the Association of Serbian Municipalities (ASK) will never be formed. Petkovic's claims do not stand up to the fact that Osmani did not say that the ASK will never be created, but that a model of ASK similar to the "Republika Srpska" in Bosnia should not be implemented. (here)
Manipulation of facts
The Office for Kosovo in the Government of Serbia has issued a statement regarding the damage to a Serbian cemetery in Kllokot, Gjilan, which has been reported in several Serbian media outlets. This office, in connection with this event, makes unfounded claims that the damage to the memorial stone of the cemetery was done by, as they say, extremist Albanians, as an expression of hatred towards the Serbian community, instigated by official Pristina with the aim of expelling them from Kosovo. The office's claims are refuted by the Kosovo police report. The KP report states that the family members of the deceased whose grave was damaged do not suspect anyone in connection with the event. (here)
Unverified content
The Serbian-language portal “Kosovo-online.com” has published an article claiming that Serbia has managed to remove Kosovo’s application for membership in the Council of Europe from the agenda. However, this has been denied by the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora (MFA), Kreshnik Ahmeti, who called it another piece of disinformation from Serbia, as according to him, Kosovo was not on the agenda of the last meeting (October 5) of the Committee of Ministers in the Council of Europe. This claim made by “Kosovo-online.com” does not match the statement of the head of the Serbian mission to the Council of Europe, Aleksandra Đurović, who did not say that Serbia has managed to remove Kosovo’s application for membership in the Council of Europe from the agenda of this meeting, as presented in this medium, but that according to her, this could happen during the next meetings and that Serbia will try to prevent such a thing. (here)