Gurakuç Kuçi, a senior fellow at the Octopus Institute, has accused certain Serbian civil society organizations in northern Kosovo—most notably NGO AKTIV—of conducting what he described as a “hybrid war” aimed at weakening Kosovo’s institutions. Speaking to KosovoPress, Kuçi alleged that after the failed violent incidents in Banjska and Zvecan, these organizations shifted to soft power tactics, exploiting emotional themes such as women’s safety and attempting to delegitimize the Kosovo Police, while allegedly maintaining links to extremist groups.
In response, 13 Serbian civil society organizations operating in Kosovo, including AKTIV, have issued a joint statement firmly rejecting Kuçi’s claims as dangerous, unfounded, and ethnically motivated. They warn that such rhetoric poses a serious threat to the safety of civil society activists and undermines long-standing efforts to document and combat human rights abuses and systemic discrimination against Kosovo’s Serbian community.
Kuçi: Hybrid War on Kosovo’s North Aimed at Undermining Institutions
Gurakuç Kuçi, a representative from the „Octopus“ Institute, has warned that certain Serbian non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in northern Kosovo, particularly the NGO AKTIV, are conducting a „hybrid war“ to undermine Kosovo’s institutions. According to Kuçi’s statement to KosovaPress, this campaign intensified after the failed violent incidents in Banjska and Zvečan, with the aim of delegitimizing Kosovo’s governance.
„They have shifted from terrorist tactics to so-called ‘soft power.’ By creating new narratives and manipulating emotional themes like the security of women and girls, they are attempting to delegitimize the Kosovo Police and pave the way for the return of parallel and extremist structures,“ Kuçi stated.
Kuçi emphasized that certain NGOs in northern Kosovo present themselves as multi-ethnic, though in reality, over 90% of their members belong to the Serbian community. He specifically pointed out „NGO AKTIV“ as an organization trying to portray itself as inclusive, although it mainly operates within the Serbian community.
„After failing in attempts to destabilize through violence, these same structures shifted to a strategy of ‘soft power,’ targeting, as I would put it, ‘the weakest points of character’ of Albanians and the people of the Balkans – women and girls,“ Kuçi continued.
He noted that these groups are attempting to present the Kosovo Police as perpetrators of violence against women and girls in the north, provoking emotional reactions and justifying interventions by international missions such as KFOR and EULEX. He added that these groups prefer the presence of international missions, as they are less familiar with local tactics and methods than the Kosovo Police.
Civil Society Reacts: ‘Reckless and Ethnically Charged’
In a strongly worded response, 13 civil society organizations—led by NGO AKTIV—condemned Kuçi’s allegations as “reckless, unfounded, and dangerous,” warning of the serious implications for the safety of human rights defenders and the credibility of civil society in Kosovo.
The statement emphasizes that Kuçi’s remarks are “deliberately false and intended to incite mistrust and fear,” particularly targeting groups that have documented systemic rights violations against the Serbian minority.
“These accusations not only constitute severe defamation, but also endanger the physical safety of our team members,” the joint statement reads. “They represent an orchestrated attempt to criminalize the legitimate and transparent work of Serbian civil society actors across Kosovo.”
NGO AKTIV highlighted that the most alarming aspect of Kuçi’s statements is the insinuation of their link to the armed attack in Banjska in September 2023—a claim they call “a blatant lie that crosses the boundaries of basic decency.”
The organizations also criticized the KosovoPress news agency for publishing Kuçi’s statements without offering a right to reply, labeling the move as a violation of journalistic ethics.
These organizations have made the following demands:
Public Apology: Gurakuç Kuçi and the „Octopus“ Institute should issue a public apology for making false, malicious, and dangerous claims against AKTIV and other civil society organizations. This apology should be directed to KosovaPress and other media outlets in Kosovo that have broadcasted or may broadcast these allegations.
Removal of Inaccurate Articles: The KosovaPress portal, which published these disputed statements without prior fact-checking, should remove the article from their platform and issue a public apology in accordance with basic principles of professional journalism.
Commitment to Responsible Journalism: Media outlets reporting in the Albanian language in Kosovo should demonstrate a commitment to truthful and responsible journalism, protecting their own professional integrity.
International Community Action: The international community should urgently condemn these attacks on civil society, which are increasingly being carried out through unfounded accusations and targeting by irresponsible individuals and organizations.
In a related development, five leading Serbian NGOs, including AKTIV, addressed an open letter to Kosovo Ombudsperson Naim Qelaj, seeking clarification on his recent televised remarks that unreported cases of sexual harassment in the north could be part of an effort to discredit the Kosovo Police. The organizations expressed concern that such statements could discourage victims from coming forward and further erode trust in public institutions.
Leading K-Serb CSOs Demand Clarification from Ombudsman on Sexual Harassment Allegations
Fetoshi on the “Skirt Incident” as a Form of Hybrid Warfare Against Kosovo
Prior to Kuçi’s remarks, his colleague and director of the Oktopus Institute, Arben Fetoshi, also commented on the issue in a similar vein. He described the claims made by certain civil society organizations as part of Serbia’s latest disinformation campaign, alleging sexual harassment of Serbian women and girls in the North. According to Fetoshi, this is a broader hybrid strategy aimed at demonizing the Kosovo Police and destabilizing the region.
He argues that emotionally charged falsehoods are being deliberately used as tools to prepare the ground for further attacks and to facilitate Serbia’s political expansion into Kosovo.
Fetoshi notes that this tactic is “nothing new,” citing similar efforts in 2011, 2015, and 2023, which he says follow a well-known Russian disinformation playbook. He further claims that this strategy is being reinforced through fabricated reactions from the NGO sector, creating a false image of grassroots concern from civil society.
He calls for an urgent response from international actors such as EULEX and human rights organizations, stating that if Kosovo’s institutions are not seen as impartial, then it is up to these bodies to uncover the truth and publicly denounce what he describes as a “perfidious campaign.”
List of Signatories (Organizations Supporting AKTIV’s Statement):
Nova društvena inicijativa (NSI) – New Social InitiativeCenter for Affirmative Social Actions (CASA)
Institute for Territorial Economic Development (InTER
Center for Advocacy of Democratic Culture (ACDC)
Gračanica Online
UPŽ Avenija
Communication for Social Development (CSD)
Center for Social Initiatives (CSI)
Humanitarian Center Mitrovica (HCM)
Center for Peace and Tolerance (CPT)
Forum for Development and Multicultural Cooperation (FDMC
Ecological Medical Expert Group (EMEG)
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