UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, December 18, 2023

Albanian Language Media:

• Rohde: Germany continues its support for Kosovo's integration into EU (RTK)
• Haxhiu: Venice Commission supports proposal for 7 members in KPC (media)
• Hoxhaj: Foreign policy without any results, only with tourist visits (media)
• LVV MPs continue boycott - meeting of Investigative Committee for Reserves fails (media)
• Kusari-Lila: Committee of Inquiry on reserves, absurd, its purpose is unknown (Klan)
• Serwer: Election results in Serbia are not good sign for dialogue (RFE, media)
• Haradinaj: The Association's draft statute has disturbing elements (media)
• Russia complains to UN about "good conditions" of former KLA leaders in The Hague (AP)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic on elections results, future of Serbia (N1, Kosovo Online, social media)
• Serbia Against Violence calls protest, alleges election fraud (N1, KoSSev, media)
• Bosnian Serb politicians respond to opposition claims (N1, media)
• Dacic on SPS election results (media)
• Petkovic: Serbian people demonstrated once again they are loyal to their state of Serbia (Kosovo Online)
• Pisonero: EU will not declare on elections in Serbia, before OSCE and ODHIR present their preliminary findings (FoNet)
• Kremlin on SNS elections results (Danas, BETA)
• Grenell on SNS election victory, Kurti (Kosovo Online, Tanjug, social media)
• Centre of Zvecan without electricity since last night because of malfunction (Radio Mitrovica sever, Radio kontakt plus)
• MFA of Germany: Our ambassador in Kosovo did not ask memorial plaque to be moved (Kosovo Online)
• Stefanovic: The checking of Radoicic's testimony ongoing, evidence being collected (N1, Kurir)

International:

• Serbian Progressives Win Parliamentary Election, Control of Belgrade in Question (Balkan Insight)
• ‘This is Kosovo’s Reality’: How Ethnic Insults Persist in TV Entertainment (Balkan Insight)
• Serbia’s Leader Tightens Grip on Power in General Election, Early Results Show (The New York Times)

Albanian Language Media:

• Kurti doesn’t exclude possibility of a new Serbian attack in Kosovo (media)
• Mustafi: Kamberi won another mandate as MP in Serbia (Koha)
• Lajcak: Further consultations in the coming period will be necessary (media)
• Biserko: The West will no longer tolerate Belgrade’s adventures (media)
• Coordination group on Kosovo’s membership at CoE will meet today (Telegrafi)
• Osmani on Judo Championship: Historic milestone for our country (media)
• Kurti: Association of Architects joins Architects’ Council of Europe (media)
Serbian Language Media:
• Brnabic: With 50 pct of votes counted, SNS list has 47.1 pct (Tanjug, media)
• The list "Serbia must not stop" received 74.2 percent of the votes of Serbs from Kosovo, says Vucic (Kosovo Online)
• Polling stations for parliamentary, provincial, and local elections close in Serbia (Tanjug)
• Dimitrijevic: Around 22,000 voters from Kosovo voted by 6 pm (Tanjug)
• Petkovic after the vote: Today decided whether the Serbian people will survive in Kosovo (Kosovo Online)
• Elek: Serbia must not stop, today's unity of Serbs from KiM will contribute to that (Kosovo Online, Radio Mitrovica sever)
• Bogdanovic: We expect a change of government (Kosovo Online)
• The mayor of Presevo accuses Kurti of having led to the division of Albanians (Beta, NMagazin, Danas)
• Election watchdog program director expresses concern about gathering spots for voters in Belgrade (N1)
• Demostat: EU recognizes Belgrade’s hypocrisy (N1)
• Political analysts: It is too late to change the Annex, Serbia will not be able to avoid Kosovo’s entry into intl institutions (N1)
International Media:
• Serbian polls close in snap election called by Vucic (BBC)
• Live Blog: Serbian Elections 2023 (Balkan Insight)
• Serbia's populists claim a sweeping victory in the country's parliamentary election (abcnews.go.com)
• Serbia's ruling populists claim sweeping election victory (euronews.com)

Albanian Language Media:

• Kurti meets Hovenier and Hyland, talk about attack committed in Kosovo (Reporteri)
• Osmani: Serbia not interested in concluding dialogue, Vucic's policy same as Milosevic's (media)
• PDK and AAK boycott Osmani’s address in the Assembly today (media)
• EU to Serbia: Ohrid Agreement and Annex are legally binding (RTK)
• Baker appreciates Kosovo’s contribution to regional stability (RTK)
• Westerlund: Association draft doesn’t foresee executive competencies (TeVe1)
• Abdixhiku asks U.S. to continue support for dialogue (media)
• State Department: Russia influenced increase of tensions in Kosovo north (KTV)
• Kearns raises doubts that investigation into Banjska has ended and is not being made public (Kallxo)
• Opposition on Bislimi’s accusations: Kurti government in line with Serbia (eo)

Serbian Language Media:

• Stano: The Brussels agreement and the agreement from Ohrid are legally binding for Belgrade and Pristina (RTS)
• Ambassador: Spain will not change its position - we do not recognize Kosovo, nor the accession to the EU (N1, FoNet)
• Deadline for re-registration of vehicles to “RKS” plates expires today (KiM radio)
• RIK: Record number of controllers at Sunday elections (N1, BETA)
• No indication that Pristina will lift the embargo on Serbian goods (Kosovo Online)

International:

• Serbia Braces Again for Snap Legislative and Belgrade Elections (Balkan Insight)
• Serbia's Vucic seeks to reassert populist dominance in elections this weekend (abcnews.go.com)

Albanian Language Media:

• Kosovo Assembly adopts budget for 2024 (media)
• Deliu-Kodra: 2024 will be an election year (KTV)
• Serbia confirms in writing not considering implementing Brussels deal (Koha)
• Gervalla: Policy of appeasement towards Serbia has failed (media)
• Kearns on letter to EU to lift measures against Kosovo (Kallxo)
• Osmani to give end of year speech at Kosovo Assembly today (media)
• COMKFOR Ulutas meets Quint ambassadors (media)
• Rohde: Governments sometimes listen, and sometimes they don’t (Kosovapress)
Serbian Language Media:
• Vucic: West will not give up on Kosovo independence (Tanjug)
• Rada Trajkovic on unveiling plaque at former Panda café: Cynical act of PM Kurti (KoSSev, Kosovo Online)
• Kurti wading into the election campaign, urges Albanians in Serbia to mobilize and vote for Kamberi (KoSSev)
• Westerlund: Pristina has to implement its obligations (Kosovo Online)
• Haradinaj says budget scandalous, discrimination of municipalities not run by Self-determination (KoSSev)

Albanian Language Media:

• Osmani meets Meloni, “count on leadership” (media)
• Kurti travels to Brussels, invited by leader of European Socialists (media)
• Kurti: Serbia still hiding the truth about Panda case (media)
• Haxhiu: Early marriages in RAE communities, most unaddressed issue (media)
• KSF and Albanian Army hold joint drill in Albania (media)
• European Judo Championship to be held in Pristina on Saturday (media)
• KSC President grants Naim Haradinaj modification of sentence (media)
• Appeals Panel pronounces judgment in Salih Mustafa case (media)
• AAK’s Tahiri criticizes govt: 80% of capital projects haven’t started (Nacionale)
• Nissinen: We need strong democracies like Kosovo and Finland (Kosovapress)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic: If EU message was that we have to recognise Kosovo, that will not happen (Tanjug)
• Brnabic: Serbians oppose sanctions on Russia (N1, FoNet)
• O’Brien: US expect calm and fair elections in Serbia, OSCE carefully monitors process (Voice of America)
• Six months since ban on importing Serbian goods in Kosovo was imposed (Radio KIM)
• Gogic, Rakic on non-acceptance of petitions to resolve mayors in north (Kosovo Online, social media)
• Memorial service to six murdered Serb boys served at Orthodox cemetery in Pec (KoSSev, Radio KIM)
• Election silence begins at midnight and lasts until closure of polling stations on December 17 (KiM radio, Beta)
• CRTA: Election campaign in a fog of unanswered questions (N1)
• Presevo, Bujanovac, Medvedja KLA veterans called on Albanians to boycott elections on December 17 (Kosovo Online, bujanovacke.co.rs)
• Pointing a finger at Serbian “state security”, Kurti installs a memorial plaque on the anniversary of the Panda case (KoSSev)

International:

• Kosovo Charges Four With Terrorism Over Election Office Bombing in North (BIRN)
• Hague Court Cuts Kosovo’s Commander Cali’s Sentence by Four Years (BIRN)
• Ex-Guerrilla-Turned-MP Does not Plead in First Hague Appearance (BIRN)

Albanian Language Media:

• Von der Leyen: Kosovo and Serbia to fulfill their commitments within dialogue (media)
• Borrell: I have invested a lot of energy in Kosovo-Serbia dialogue (Reporteri)
• Osmani: We have information that Serbia is preparing new attacks, will inform EU leaders (media)
• Kurti: Kosovo-Serbia agreement must be defended by EU and USA (VoA)
• Osmani: We will make association if it does not create additional level of governance (media)
• Bislimi: Association after elements of de-facto recognition are met (RTK)
• Lajcak in conversation with Bislimi: We agreed on the next steps in the dialogue (media)
• O'Brien meets Maqedonci: U.S. supports KSF (Koha)
• Osmani asks Von der Leyen to remove punitive measures against Kosovo (media)
• KFOR commander goes to Leposaviq, meets personnel patrolling along border line (media)
• Kurti and Abbott meet, discuss developments during 2023 (media)
• Bislimi and Blankenborg talk about economy and dialogue (RTK)
• Indictment filed against four northern Serbs, who threw bombs at offices of CEC (RTK)

Serbian Language Media:

• Brnabic placed a reservation on the EU declaration: No recognition of Kosovo (Kosovo Online, Blic)
• Vucic: I do not believe that the Kosovo issue will be resolved quickly and easily (Kosovo Online, TV Prva)
• Serbian PM Brnabic met Orban and Varhelyi ahead of the summit (Tanjug, Radio Mitrovica sever)
• Borrell: Both sides in the dialogue are moving slowly, but they are moving (Tanjug)
• Michel: We expect more reforms from the Western Balkans (KiM radio)
• CEC received the requests of the president of the Leposavic, North Mitrovica and Zubin Potok municipal assemblies, response in five days (Radio Mitrovica sever)
• Goran Bogdanovic: The French-German plan is already being implemented (KiM radio)
• KFOR Commander Ulutas in Leposavic, visited the church of St. Vasilije Ostroski (KoSSev)
• Four persons indicted in connection with last year's attack on the premises of the MEC (KoSSev)

International Media:

• EU-Western Balkans summit, 13 December 2023 (consilium.europa.eu)
• Who Owns the Media? Only 30 Per Cent of Media in Kosovo Reported Ownership, BIRN Finds (Prishtina Insight)
• Extradition To Kosovo Of Monastery Attack Suspect 'Impossible,' Serbian FM Says (RFE)
• Vučić received an invitation to the EU-WB Summit, Serbian authorities decided Brnabić will attend (EWB)
• Countries call on the EU to remove measures against Kosovo (politico.eu)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, December 13, 2023

Albanian Language Media:

• Hovenier: Surprised by criticism about the draft statute of the Association (RFE)
• European legislators to Borrell and Lajcak: Remove "sanctions" on Kosovo (AP)
• Kearns: Radoicic should be extradited to Kosovo, no justification for Serbia (AP)
• Osmani: The unjust measures against Kosovo must go (media)
• Selimi: “Sources say Serbia trained and armed Radoicic terrorists” (media)
• Kurti congratulates Tusk on appointment as Polish Prime Minister (media)
• Svecla gives details about “draft law for control of state border” (Indeksonline)
• Maqedonci: By investing in the army, we’re investing in safety of citizens (Klan)
• BIRN publishes Media Ownership Monitor in Kosovo (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Pristina’s lack of goodwill to start the election process in the North is clear (KoSSev, N1)
• Hovenier: Kosovo officials at all levels to make additional efforts and enable citizens to replace mayors (KoSSev)
• What does Hovenier say about INTERPOL's "red notice" for Radoicic (KoSSev)
• Dacic: No discussion about the Franco-German plan until the CSM is formed (N1, Beta)
• Milivojevic: The EU's attempt to include the Ohrid Agreement in Chapter 35 a test for Belgrade (RTS)
• Dacic: Attitude of Caribbean states to our strategic interests important to us (Tanjug)
• Covic: EU has unrealistic approach in relation to Kosovo issue, additional pressure to come (RTS)
• The leaders of the EU and the Western Balkans meeting in Brussels, a declaration on the table (RTS)

International:

• Unclear signals from Austria ahead of Western Balkans summit (EWB)
• Wider Europe Briefing: A Crucial Week In Brussels (RFE)
• Western Balkans' integration into EU in focus at Albania summit (rfi.fr)
• EU Urged to Link Serbia’s Negotiations to Action on Kosovo Deal (BIRN)
• For Serbia’s Campaigner-in-Chief, Elections Buy Time (BIRN)

Albanian Language Media:

EU Council of Ministers approves conclusions for Kosovo and Serbia (RTK)
Bislimi: Government has not guaranteed there are no constitutional violations in Association’s draft (media)
Svecla: Serbia's threats are a serious problem for Kosovo and the region (RTK)
Rohde: Kosovo and Serbia should fulfill their duties (RTV21, media)
Specialist Prosecutor’s Office arrests Haxhi Shala (media)
Kurti: We distributed funds to over 380 families from non-majority communities (media)
LVV missed again meeting of Investigative Commission for state reserves (EO)
Albanians and Serbs demand depoliticization of issue of missing persons (Reporteri)
Krasniqi: Kurti government is penalizing citizens on party basis (media)

Serbian Language Media:

Petkovic on non-acceptance of requests to dissolve mayors: Kurti violates his own regulations (KoSSev)
Varhelyi: Conclusions on Serbia adopted by EU General Affairs Council (Tanjug, media)
Vucic says he fears Kosovo situation will be set up in increasingly harsh manner (Tanjug)
Hill: I have found EU good will for Serbia, but not for Serbia's problems (Tanjug)
Vice President of Peoples’ Party visits Gracanica ahead of Serbian parliamentary elections (Radio KIM, media)
CRTA NGO to deploy 3,000 election observers (media)
Serbia Against Violence rallies thousands in Belgrade (N1, media)
Serbian military get new vehicles (N1)

Albanian Language Media:

• President Osmani travels to Brussels (RTK)
• EU measures against Kosovo can be removed "if there is progress in meeting the demands" (RFE)
• Mitrovica North doesn’t accept request of initiative to remove mayor Atiq (Koha)
• Cakolli: rejection of request for Atic's removal, violation of law (Koha)
• Court cancels hearings in trial of former KLA leaders until next year (media)
• Haxhi Shala sent to Specialist Chambers in the Hague (Koha)
• Maqedonci traveled for an official visit to the USA (media)
• Survey: Only 20% of Europeans want Kosovo to join EU (Kallxo)
• “Opposition will enable Vetevendosje to win over 50% in next elections” (EO)
• Kurti discusses permanent shelter for 60 families from RAE communities (RFE)
• Malaj: Albania-Kosovo relations very good, not determined by a moment (Klan)
• Special Prosecutor's Office invites Serb accused of war crimes to appear in court (Klan)

Serbian Language Media:

• North Mitrovica municipality did not accept the request for Atiq's dismissal (RTK2, Danas, media)
• Residents in north summoned for questioning in connection with December barricades? (KoSSev)
• Constitutional Court says verdict against Zoran Djokic is not in contradiction with Constitution (Radio KIM)
• The EU calls on Serbia, Kosovo to fulfill their obligations, the EC to supplement the criteria for Chapter 35 (NMagazin, Beta, media)
• Vucic meets Molina, thanks him for Spain’s principled stance on territorial integrity and sovereignty of Serbia (Kosovo Online)
• BBC: Vucic’s biggest test in Belgrade, Serbia Against Violence riding high in polls (N1, BETA)
• The family of Sladjan Trajkovic sent a request to international factors (KiM radio)

Albanian Language Media:
• Bislimi: Contract is step toward normalization of electricity supply in north (media)
• Lajcak meets Petkovic, discuss Association draft statute (media)
• Osmani meets Kearns, discuss security developments (media)
• Kurti meets journalists from Ukraine and Afghanistan (media)
• Rohde thanks Kosovo for hosting Ukrainian and Afghan journalists (media)
• Kosovo joins European Youth Card Association (media)
• Krasniqi slams govt for allocation of budget to certain municipalities (media)
• COMKFOR Ulutas concludes visit to Albania (media)
• Szunyog meets SL leader, discuss early local elections and dialogue (media)
• Osmani meets Foreign Minister of Somalia (media)
Serbian Language Media:
• Lajcak, Petkovic discuss normalization agreement (N1, media)
• Szunyog, Elek discuss elections, dialogue (Tanjug)
• EULEX on breaking into church near Podujevo: Criminal complaint filed to prosecution (Kosovo Online)
• “White Peony” award goes to lawyer Filipovic, “Black Peony” award to PM Kurti (Kosovo Online, media)
• Vucic with ODIHR mission: I expect fair, democratic elections (FoNet)
• OSCE PA to deploy 75 election observers (N1)
International Media:
• Kosovo’s Marginalized Groups Still Discriminated Against in Workplace – Report (Balkan Insight)