Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti has announced that more than 37,000 books in Albanian and foreign languages have been distributed to students in the Preševo Valley for the 2026/2027 school year.
According to Kurti, a total of 37,429 books have been provided through the Albanian National Council to 3,686 students attending 15 primary schools offering education in Albanian in Preševo, Bujanovac and Medveđa.
The books cover students from first through eighth grade.
Kurti said Kosovo had continued supporting Albanian students in the region despite what he described as Serbia’s blocking and rejection of funds allocated by the Kosovo government for Albanians in the Preševo Valley in January and April.
“Despite the fact that in January and April of this year Serbia blocked and rejected the funds of the Government of Kosovo dedicated to Albanians in the Preševo Valley, we will stand by every student in Preševo, Bujanovac and Medveđa,” Kurti wrote on Facebook.
He said Kosovo had been supporting the provision of free books to Albanian students in the three municipalities since 2022.
“We are continuing this commitment this year as well, because children should not have to pay the price for undeserved obstacles and discrimination by Belgrade,” Kurti said.
He added that Kosovo’s support for education in the Albanian language remained consistent.
“Albanians in the Valley are not alone,” Kurti said.
The Preševo Valley, home to a significant ethnic Albanian population in southern Serbia, has long been a focus of political and rights-related concerns over access to education, language rights and representation.
