UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, October 17, 2023

Albanian Language Media:

EU offers new growth plan to WB, partly opens access to single market (AP/media)
Kurti: I asked Brnabic to sign Basic Agreement, she wasn’t interested (Telegrafi)
Scholz: We condemn attack in north; Kosovo and Serbia must reach many points (media)
“The people are disappointed” – Does anyone represent Serbs in north of Kosovo? (RFE)
Peach: Attack in Kosovo “very serious incident”; calls for investigations and return to dialogue (VoA)
Von Cramon says Vucic visit to China “a signal towards the EU” (media)
Palokaj: EU is buying time for Serbia for the attack in Banjska (KTV)

Serbian Language Media:

Brnabic says position of Serbs in Kosovo humanitarian and not political issue (Tanjug, KoSSev)
Scholz: We will resolve conflict in Kosovo (Radio KIM, N1, BETA)
Government denies Serbian PM refused photo shoot in Tirana (N1)
Tanjug: Kurti after Tirana Summitt refused to respond to Serbian media questions
Vucic: Even worst dialogue with Pristina better than having no dialogue (media)
Local roads in Leposavic municipality dug up, villages cut off and movement of vehicles made difficult (Kosovo Online, media)
Ambassador Molina: Spain supports European path of Serbia and its territorial integrity (media)
Lawyer: Saqir Lutvija sent to 30-day detention over alleged war crime in 1998 (Kosovo Online)

Albanian Language Media:

• Kurti in Tirana, meeting with Scholz announced (media)
• Scholz: Kosovo and Serbia must implement the agreements (media)
• Kurti meets Roth: Terrorist attacks demand accountability from Serbia (media)
• Rutte: Today I have opportunity to talk with Kurti and Brnabic to reduce tensions (media)
• Brnabic boycotts joint photo shoot in Tirana because of Kosovo's flag (Express)
• Martti Ahtisaari, former Finnish president and Nobel Peace Prize winner, dies at 86 (media)
• Svecla publishes pictures of mines in the north: Do we need more evidence? (RTK)
• KFOR, together with Kosovo Police, patrols for border security (Klan)
• Muja on elections in the north: Decision belongs to citizens, not to Serbian List (RTK)

Serbian Language Media:

• Brnabic: I expect not so easy discussions at Tirana summit (Tanjug)
• Scholz in Tirana: Cooperation needed because of crisis in Ukraine, Middle East and Kosovo (FoNet, Danas)
• SOC Raska-Prizren Diocese responds to unfounded accusations of unauthorised restoration of its religious sites (media, social media)
• Kosovo Online: Kosovo government rejected all remarks of EU, US Embassy and OSCE related to land expropriation
• Ambulance carrying medical supplies from Leposavic to Mitrovica North hospital pulled over by police, sent to custom’s terminal (Tanjug, Kosovo Online)
• President Vucic, ministers arrive in Beijing (Tanjug)
• Largest political groups in EP to demand punitive measures against Serbia (N1, KoSSev)
• Who was Marti Ahtisaari? (Danas)
• EC President calls on Serbia, Kosovo to return to dialogue (FoNet, N1)
• Radoicic: ‘Vucic’s naive victim’ or ‘a rich man from the criminal underworld’? (KoSSev)
• Court of Appeal rejected appeals against detention measures imposed on three arrested Serbs in Banjska (KoSSev, KiM radio, Kontakt plus radio)

Opinion:

• Stiplija: Today's summit of the Berlin Process could be the tipping point for the Open Balkans (Danas)

International:

• Rama on EU enlargement promises: Decision makers will be gone, replaced next year (Euractiv)
• Neither Serb Nor Albanian: Life In The 'Bosnian Quarter' Of Kosovo's Divided North (RFE)

Albanian Language Media:
Kurti to take part in the Berlin Process Summit (media)
Montenegro doesn’t plan to send more troops to Kosovo (media)
Viola von Cramon reacts to Vucic who compared her to Nazis (media)
European Parliament to call for penalty measures for Serbia over Banjska (media)
Kurti: €79 million allocated in one week for Kosovo’s development (media)
Mesic: Aggression in Banjska was prepared to incite war (Kosovapress)
Serbian Language Media:
Messages from Brussels ahead of the Berlin Process Summit in Tirana (NMagazin, RTS)
Petkovic: Kurti deliberately complicated the situation with an administrative instruction (RTS)
Kurti formed a "special police unit for dressing," announced Serbian List (Politika, Tanjug) 
The CI 'Serbian Survival' asking for a "fashion prospectus" from the Government of Kosovo (KiM Radio)
A person detained because of T-Shirt and a knife, then released (KoSsev)
Office for KiM: Pristina's policy to evict Serbs from Kosovo (NMagazin, N1)
Chinese Ambassador Li Ming: After the forum in Beijing, relations between Serbia and China will be raised to a new level (Tanjug)
NGOs to international public: Abandon policy of cooperating with Vucic regime (Beta, N1)
International Media:
Romania Sends Reinforcements To KFOR In Kosovo, Says NATO (RFE)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, October 13, 2023

Albanian Language Media:

• Osmani: There should be increased security guarantees for Kosovo (media)
• Kurti: Chapter of dialogue must take into account Serbia’s attempt for annexation (Koha)
• Kurti: Attack in Banjska, an act of aggression by Serbia (media)
• Sarrazin: Kosovo, Serbia to return to table to implement Ohrid agreement (media)
• EEAS senior official on two-day visit to Kosovo (media)
• Escobar highlights importance of implementing Ohrid agreement (Telegrafi)
• Inside the Banjska Monastery (RTK)
• NATO defence ministers conclude two-day meeting in Brussels (media)
• “Court decides on early release for Gucati” (Telegrafi)

Serbian Language Media:

• Serbian List: Pristina to call for elections in north as soon as possible, ready to take part in it (Kosovo Online)
• Vucic expressed hope in a conversation with Li that cooperation between Serbia and China will be even stronger (Tanjug)
• Elek: If a humanitarian disaster happens to us, all international actors will be accomplices (Kosovo Online)
• More than 1000 people from northern Kosovo demand withdrawal of Kosovo special police forces (Radio KIM, social media)
• Kisnica: KLA on the road sign, Serbian language inscription crossed out (KiM radio, Danas, Radio Mitrovica sever, KoSSev)
• Ceku: Expropriation of property at the archaeological site of Ulpijana near Gracanica has begun (KoSSev)
• Antonijevic: Freedom of expression is also being denied to Serbs in Kosovo, US and EU have to react (Kosovo Online)
• Mitic on arrests of Serbs based on photos, comments on social media (Kosovo Online)

Opinion:

• Only Extremists Stand to Benefit from Fresh Serbia-Kosovo Violence (Balkan Insight)

International:

• Kosovo’s vast Trepca industrial complex in limbo for 23 years (Intellinews)
• Google is being sued in the US for discrimination against the Albanian language (CAN)
• Census Risks Sparking Political Storm in Divided Montenegro (BIRN)
• From Religious Figures to Journalists, and Minors in Peril (Balkan Insight)

Albanian Language Media:

The "big five" in Kosovo and Serbia in an effort "to save the dialogue" (media)
Stoltenberg: It is important that NATO has increased its presence in Kosovo (RTK)
Hovenier disputes claims that dialogue is dead: EU and US make maximum effort to promote an agreement (VoA)
Hill: Interesting proposals will be presented to Kosovo and Serbia (Kallxo)
Lajcak’s adviser requests establishment of Association (RTK)
President Osmani to meet with two U.S. senators (media)
French Ambassador: We are waiting to see exactly how the attack was organized (RTK)
Albania’s Assembly adopts Resolution on Kosovo approved (media)
New details on Radoicic and drug laboratories in the north (Koha)
Candles lit for the Israeli victims, Hovenier present: Terrorism is not justified (media)
Helsinki Committee in Serbia: Opening of Draza Mihailovic’s museum is step towards fascism (Albanian Post)
Serbian Language Media:

Vucic: Elections on December 17 – parliamentary, Belgrade mayoral and provincial (RTS, Prva TV)
Petkovic warns of Pristina’s war rhetoric (Kosovo Online, social media)
Stoltenberg calls Belgrade, Pristina to behave responsibly (N1, media)
Momirovic meets with Varhelyi, calls for lifting of Pristina's ban on Serbian goods (Tanjug)
EU high delegation visits Banjska Monastery (RTS, media)
Re-construction of Albanian-owned houses in Brdjani has begun (KoSSev)
Serb from Leposavic arrested at Bistrica released, police opens case for “illegal possession of weapons” (KoSSev)
Indictment raised against Serb over attack against journalist in Zvecan (RTS)
Air Serbia to keep flying to Tel Aviv as long as security is guaranteed (media)

Albanian Language Media:

• Kurti: “Increasing risk of staging violent attacks by Serbian structures” (Koha)
• Konjufca: Serbia must be sanctioned (Deutsche Welle)
• Krasniqi: Everything has changed since September 24 (media)
• Hoti: Kosovo’s leadership to be careful with conditions about dialogue (media)
• Rizvanolli: Serbia is sabotaging the energy roadmap (RFE)
• Opposition criticises absence of MPs from ruling party in session on police (media)
• Maliqi to Varhelyi: With this level of deterrence, new escalations guaranteed (media)
• Rama: Kosovo’s diplomatic self-weakening is making our efforts difficult (RFE)
• Hoxhaj: My thoughts are with Israel and families of victims (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Petkovic: The only way to build peace is through de-escalation (KiM radio)
• Arsenijevic: Serbs in Kosovo left to themselves, there is a lack of medicine, food, and dinars (NMagazin, Beta, N1)
• Dveri: International community to prevent humanitarian disaster in Kosovo (Danas, FoNet)
• UN SG report on Kosovo: Main priorities are stability and reducing tensions (RTS)
• Hill: Many are telling Serbia to let Kosovo go and turn to future, but I think it's more complicated than that (Danas)
• Protected witness refused to testify against Thaci, said he is “extremely agitated” (Radio KIM)
• Serbian military gets first CASA C-295 aircraft (N1)

International:

• Kosovo Attack Casts Doubt on Future of EU Mediation (BIRN)
• Kosovo to Stop Paying for Energy in Serb-Majority North (BIRN)
• Slovenia Strengthens NATO Peacekeeping Mission in Kosovo with Additional Troops (BNN)
• Serbia’s Vucic Denounces Opposition Calls for EU to Sanction Him (BIRN)

Albanian Language Media:

Osmani: The EU should not be silent about what happened on September 24 (media)
Konjufca: Grateful to Germany for its steadfast partnership towards Kosovo (media)
Hovenier on Banjska attack: Most of war material they left behind was of Serbian origin (VoA)
Latvian Minister: There is no consensus for Kosovo's membership in CoE (Koha)
Assembly of Albania, with resolution on Kosovo (Kallxo)
Kearns: Radoicic should surrender to Kosovo, police officer's daughter deserves to face him in court (Reporteri)
Serwer: EU has turned into a de-facto opponent of Kosovo's sovereignty (media)
Haliti: Terrorists planned to kill some Serb civilians, then Serbian army would enter the north (media)
Why is Radojicic no longer owner of million-dollar companies in Serbia? (RFE)
Serbian Language Media:

Serbian List sends open letter to Kosovo Serbs (FoNet, media)
Petkovic and Makovec discussed political and security situation in Kosovo (Tanjug)
Bishop Teodosije: Tragic situation should not be excuse for Pristina to forget obligations from dialogue (KoSSev)
SAF Chief of Staff: KFOR the only legitimate security actor in Kosovo (N1, FoNet)
Vucic: Full investigation on Radoicic role in Banjska (N1)
Lawyer: Vladimir Tolic arrested in Banjska transferred from hospital to prison (Kosovo Online)
International Media:

A climate of violence’: Serbian football ultras in spotlight after Kosovo monastery siege (The Guardian)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, October 11, 2023

Albanian Language Media:

• Police carries out raids in three different locations related to Banjska attack (Koha)
• Kosovo Police supplied with drones from the United States (Koha)
• Stoltenberg: Important to increase number of KFOR troops (Koha)
• Slovenia too to send additional troops to Kosovo (AP)
• Special prosecution orders release of Serb arrested on Tuesday for war crimes (AP)
• Bislimi: Aggression in Banjska can undo entire progress in dialogue (EO/Express)
• Kulla claims he has “information that Banjska can be repeated, south or east” (Express)
• Hysa: Weight of attack in north as a failed aggression is growing after events in Nagorno-Karabakh and Israel (media)
• Mujanovic: “Attack in Banjska was attack by Serbian state; dialogue is over” (Telegrafi)
• EU says measures against Kosovo remain in force (EO)
• Tahiri: Surprised by U.S., because EU needs months to decide (Express)
• Serbian opposition to Borrell: Vucic not Serbia must be sanctioned for Banjska (Kallxo)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic, Munsch discuss worsening of situation of Kosovo Serbs (Tanjug)
• Office for KiM: International community to prevent Kurti from causing new crisis, inflaming region (media)
• Kosovo police brought in Serb from Leposavic at Bistrica bridge over photo with weapons (KoSSev, Kosovo Online)
• Gracanica: Post Office and Commercial Bank without money (Radio KIM, KoSSev)
• Serb arrested under war crimes allegations at Merdare yesterday released (KoSSev, media)
• Szunyog meets Bishop Teodosije, says SOC has an important role in reconciliation process in Kosovo (Kosovo Online, social media)
• NATO chief says increased presence in Kosovo important (N1)
• Mojsilovic receives China's new ambassador (Tanjug)

International:

• NATO equips peacekeeping force in Kosovo with heavier armament to have “combat power” (AP)
• ‘A climate of violence’: Serbian football ultras in spotlight after Kosovo monastery siege (The Guardian)
• Serbian Journalist Testifies About Wartime Detention by Kosovo Fighters (Balkan Insight)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Osmani on Intl Day of Girl Child: We must amplify their voices and aspirations (media)

Albanian Language Media:

• Konjufca: Dialogue with Serbia no longer a priority for Kosovo (RTK)

• Roth: Serbia and Kosovo must act more constructively (media)

• Rohde: Kosovo and Serbia to engage in dialogue; Lajcak has our support (RTK)

Albanian Language Media:

• Kurti will take part in Berlin Summit in Tirana, spokesperson confirms (Kallxo)
• Munsch: KFOR presence on September 24 prevented further escalation (Koha)
• Smith: KFOR will have capacities to face challenges (RFE)
• Ulutas officially assumes post of KFOR commander (Kosovapress)
• Palokaj: In EU there are structures that want to avoid sanctions on Serbia (Koha)
• Hoti: Comprehensive agreement is only solution that secures peace (Klan)
• Israeli Ambassador thanks Kosovo and Kurti for their support (media)
• Albania refuses to extradite and releases former KLA members (RFE)
• Lazarevic: Fake news “convinced” Serbs that Serbian army was returning (Telegrafi)

Serbian Language Media:

• NATO, concerned about the security of the region, announces additional troops in Kosovo (NMagazin, balkansec.net)
• Turkish General Ulutas is new KFOR Commander (Radio KIM)
• Vucic meets Iraqi Assembly Speaker, thanks him for non-recognition of Kosovo (Tanjug)
• Parliaments of Serbia, Iraq sign MoU, speakers discuss Kosovo issue (Tanjug)
• Lavrov: EU does not wish and cannot make Pristina fulfil agreement on CSM (Kosovo Online, Novosti, RTS)
• Hill: We need to know exactly what happened in Kosovo (Kontakt plus radio, RTS, Tanjug)

International:

• EU drafts measures against Serbia as Belgrade’s involvement in terrorist attack is under scrutiny (Euractiv)
• The Illegal Theatre of the 90’: House of God Became House of Actors (BIRN)