The U.S. Ambassador to Kosovo, Jeffrey Hovenier, warned on Tuesday that there are “malicious foreign actors actively working to undermine Kosovo’s democracy by exploiting ethnic divisions.” Hovenier made these comments during the DISICON conference on information integrity, organized by the National Democratic Institute (NDI) based in Washington, D.C., in Pristina.
He emphasized that Kosovo cannot allow such interference to destabilize its democratic processes. “We cannot allow this to happen,” Hovenier declared.
The ambassador also addressed the impact of disinformation, particularly during election periods, highlighting the risks associated with false narratives. Kosovo is currently in the run-up to the February 9 elections, and Hovenier warned that misinformation could have direct consequences on the integrity of the electoral process.
He recalled a specific incident from a few years ago when a fake conversation was posted online, allegedly between him and Prime Minister Albin Kurti. This fabricated conversation was intended to sow distrust within Kosovo’s Serb community. “Fortunately, not many people took it seriously… but the fact that an actor created and released a completely fake recording to stir division and unrest within the Serb community is indicative of the problem,” Hovenier noted.
As he prepares to retire at the end of December, Hovenier reiterated the U.S. commitment to supporting Kosovo as a diverse nation and emphasized backing independent media, including those run by minority groups.
“We are well aware of the media outlets that provide impartial and accurate information,” he added. “However, we are also aware that there are some who attempt to exploit this to push a very different agenda, one that aims to deliver messages far removed from informing the community. This must be condemned, and we must support independent media.”
In closing, Hovenier stated that efforts to protect Kosovo’s democracy are far from over. “In fact, one could argue that our work on this issue has just begun, and we are truly ready to engage with all of you to find new ways to help defend your democracy,” he concluded.
