Telekom Srbija CEO Vladimir Lučić said on Saturday he would travel to the United States next week to meet with U.S. officials in an effort to address challenges the company faces in Kosovo.
Lučić, speaking after a visit to Kosovo and Metohija (KiM), stated that Telekom Srbija is under increasing pressure from Kosovo’s authorities. He accused the government led by Albin Kurti of seeking to push Serbs out of Kosovo by targeting Telekom Srbija, which provides internet and TV services widely used by the Serbian community.
“I will present the problems our company is facing in Kosovo to the new administration at the U.S. State Department,” Lučić told RTS. “There are three reasons for my visit: our planned expansion into the U.S. market, the development of our 5G network supported by the U.S. Export-Import Bank, and most importantly, resolving the issue of the third license in Kosovo.”
He said obtaining this license would help prevent further “harassment” of the company.
Under Article 48 of Kosovo’s Law on Electronic Communications, licenses can be granted directly, via public tender, or auction. However, Kosovo’s telecom regulator ARKEP says the license granted to Telekom Srbija’s local branch, MTS DOO, stems from the 2013 Telecommunications Agreement between Kosovo and Serbia—part of the EU-facilitated Brussels Dialogue.
Kreshnik Gashi, Chair of ARKEP’s Board, told local media that the license was issued in accordance with international agreements and Kosovo law. The agreement provides limited and temporary authorization for MTS DOO to operate under Kosovo’s legal framework, offering both mobile and fixed-line services.
“This authorization was granted based on obligations from the Brussels agreement and aligned with Kosovo’s regulatory framework,” Gashi said, citing a series of supporting legal acts, including ratified agreements and government decisions from 2013 and 2016.
Gashi also denied that MTS DOO qualifies as a third mobile operator in Kosovo, arguing that its role is limited strictly to infrastructure, as outlined in the original agreement.