UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, September 12, 2024

Albanian Language Media:

Osmani: Serbia is Putin’s strongest proxy; we must strengthen defense (media)
Kurti on government decisions made on Wednesday (media)
Maqedonci: As long as Radoicic group roams free, the north is not quiet (media)
Surroi: Serbia politically legitimized attack in Banjska (media)
Minister says there are no more Serbia-run institutions in north of Kosovo (media)
Kurti remembers September 11 attacks in the U.S. (media)
House arrest for four people suspected of assaulting police in north (media)
EC plans to organize dinner with Balkans leaders on Sept 19 (Albanian Post)
Kosovo allocates funds for textbooks of children in Presevo Valley (media)

Serbian Language Media:

Stefanovic: Pristina's Banjska indictment has no relevance whatsoever (Tanjug, media)
One month house arrest for four young men in Mitrovica (KiM radio, KoSSev, media)
US Ambassador: Serbia is country to be counted on (RTS, N1, Beta, RTS)
Vasic: The indictment in the Milosavljevic case based on the testimony of a single witness who lacks credibility (Kosovo Online)

International:

Kosovo indicts 45 over alleged roles in 2023 attack that killed police officer (RFE)
Russia ‘wants to open new front’ in Western Balkans, says Kosovo president (TVP World)

Albanian Language Media:

• Indictment filed against 45 people for the "Banjska" case (Koha)
• Kurti: Investments that have not been made for two decades, are being made in north (Koha)
• Konjufca: Internationals discriminating Kosovo; different treatment for Serbia (Koha)
• Gervalla on the bridge: We’re waiting for a convenient moment for citizens (media)
• Maqedonci: We will have Javelin missiles at the right time (Koha)
• Government approves amended draft law on Bureau of Asset Confiscation (Koha)
• Kosovo leaders’ messages on anniversary of September 11 attacks (media)
• Kurti remembers “end of supervision of Kosovo’s independence” (media)
• Qelaj: Every action in north needs to attend to respect for human rights (EO)
• Protest at Mitrovica North police station, demanding release of four Serbs (Koha)
• Spiropali in Pristina: Kosovo is a national priority for Albania (Klan)

Serbian Language Media:

• Protest in front of police station in Mitrovica North over arrest of 4 young Serbs, “Police of Kurti-land” among banners (KoSSev, media, social media)
• The interrogation of the arrested young men will be in the north (KoSSev, KiM radio, Kontak plus)
• Rade Nedeljkovic: My son was brutally beaten up (Radio KIM)
• Blowing whistles in Mitrovica North is obstruction of public peace and order, when Kurti blew whistles in Kosovo Assembly it was ‘patriotic policy’ (KoSSev)
• Arsenijevic: No reason to complain to PIK, they act as police advocate (KoSSev)
• Serbs in Kosovo exposed to persecution and police torture (NMagazin, Beta)
• Discrimination of newborn children due to discharge papers in Kosovo (Zenski.info, Kosovo Online)
• Brnabic: Pristina demonstrates force daily, Kurti wants an ethnically pure Kosovo (Kosovo Online, Tanjug, RTV)
• Vucic to Herzog: No outbursts of anti-semitism in Serbia (N1, media)

Opinion:

• Don’t drop the ball on Kosovo (carnegieendowment.org)

International:

• Kurti’s unilateral takeover of North Kosovo: Pre-election boost which risks increasing tensions (EWB)
• Arming Serbia is dangerous for Europe, says Kosovo FM (TRT World)
• Kosovo resident found guilty of threatening BIRN crew (BIRN)

Albanian Language Media:

• Kurti on dialogue with Serbia: We have an agreement that must be implemented (media)
• KFOR: Decision to open Iber Bridge must be made in dialogue (Koha)
• DoS: Government did not explain how blockade of Serbian goods helped mitigate threats (Koha)
• Konjufca: Kosovo has fulfilled criteria to obtain status of EU candidate (Koha)
• KFOR: NATO-EU cooperation key for security in Kosovo (Koha)
• Kurti visits municipality of North Mitrovica and new businesses there (RTK)
• PIK on Arsenijevic's arrest: We have not had any complaints, but we will analyze footage (Klan)
• Reactions after the arrest of the Serb Politician Aleksander Arsnijevic (media)
• Sinani stopped again at border: Unreasonable stops by border authorities of Serbia (Telegrafi)

Serbian Language Media:

• KFOR Spokesperson on Ibar River bridge (Kosovo Online, KoSSev, media)
• Congresswoman to Blinken: What will the US do to protect Kosovo Serbs’ rights? (Kosovo Online, N1, media)
• Lajcak: Vucic raised strong concerns over situation of Serbs in Kosovo (Tanjug)
• Amidst protests and arrests, Kurti in Mitrovica North: ‘I haven’t felt that people here dislike Pristina officials’ (KoSSev)
• Serbian Democracy leaders detained for several hours amid Kurti’s visit in Mitrovica North (KoSSev, Radio KIM, media, social media)
• Serbian Democracy leaders released, Arsenijevic says police repression in place (media)
• Peci: Arrest of Arsenijevic because of whistling is a shameful act of Kosovo police (Radio kontakt plus)
• Kurti laid foundation stone for two houses for Albanians in Leposavic, more than 200 planned (Kosovo Online)

International:

• Hague Court Cuts Jail Time for Kosovo’s ‘Commander Cali’ Again (Balkan Insight)

Albanian Language Media:

Osmani travels to Poland to attend “Vital Voices Summit” (media)
Kurti in Leposavic, lays cornerstone of police substation (media)
Vucic to announce Serbia requests about “attacks against Serbs in Kosovo” (RFE)
Gashi: If LDK wins elections, it is open for coalition to all parties (media)
Maliqi: Kosovo to insist on opening the bridge in coordination with allies (media)
Four arrested in north on suspicion of insulting and assaulting police (Kallxo)
Abdixhiku meets new head of EU Office in Kosovo (media)
Tahiri: Kosovo must be careful, Serbia is inciting situations (media)
“Serbs wants KFOR presence to delegitimize Kosovo independence” (media)
“When army returns to Kosovo” banner at Albania-Montenegro border (Express)

Serbian Language Media:

Vucic after meetings with Lajcak and Hill: Kurti wants persecution of Serbian people, Serbia's demands and measures in 72 hrs (media)
Four young Serbs arrested in Mitrovica North last night (KoSSev, N1, Danas, Radio kontakt plus, social media)
Interrogation of arrested young Serbs underway in Mitrovica North (Radio kontakt plus)
Office for KiM and Serbian List: Arrest of young men is a mirror of anti-Serb politics (KiM radio)
Serbian Democracy condemns police violence against young men in North Mitrovica (KiM radio)
Vucevic: Arrest of four young Serbs is continuation of terror against Serbian people (RTV, Kosovo Online)
Parent of one of arrested men: Excessive force for verbal contact (KoSSev, Kosovo Online)
Petkovic on construction of police station in Lesak: A threat to remaining Serbs (KiM radio)
Celic: If Kurti attacks Serbian education and healthcare it would lead to a disaster (Kosovo Online)

Opinion:

Femic: ‘Kosovo’ still the most expensive Serbian word, that's why it is "covered" by Rio Tinto (N1)

International:

Kosovo’s Osmani urges compromise to avert new row with the West (BIRN)
Serbian Deputy PM meets with Shoigu in Moscow to discuss BRICS invite (RFE)
Harris Needs a Balkans Policy—Quickly (foreignpolicy.com)

Humanitarian/Development:

K2.0 discusses public space (Kosovo 2.0)

Albanian Language Media:

• Stano on blockades by Serbian masked persons: They were illegal (Klan)
• KFOR: Security situation is calm but fragile, especially in the north (Koha)
• Kurti: In four municipalities in north, 263 people have been supported for employment (RTK)
• American KFOR patrols in municipality of Leposaviq (Klan)
• Minister Aliu and Montenegrin FM discuss roads connecting Kosovo and Montenegro (RTK)
• Vulin attached to Kremlin, discusses Kosovo with secretary of Russia’s Security Council (Express)

Serbian Language Media:
• Vucic to meet Lajcak in Belgrade on Tuesday (media)
• Vucevic: Lajcak coming to Belgrade, Brussels meeting to follow soon afterwards (Tanjug, media)
• Petkovic met Botsan-Kharchenko, discussed current situation in Kosovo (media)
• Simonovic: Ongoing ‘Albanization’ of north, huge number of Serbs are moving from Mitrovica North (N1, Radio KIM)
• Vulin met Shoygu in Moscow (Tanjug)
• Dacic: Serbia has chosen cooperation with China as its proven friend (Tanjug)
• KFOR conducts routine patrols in Zubin Potok and Leposavic (Kosovo Online, social media)
International:
• Vucic's Delicate Balancing Act (RFE)

Albanian Language Media:

Konjufca: Dialogue at dead-end; Banjska was last nail on the coffin (Telegrafi)
Konjufca: Kosovo-Serbia dialogue, at a dead end (RTK)
Kurti hosts Leposavic mayor Hetemi and deputy mayor Bogojevic (media)
Abdixhiku: Kosovo has lagged behind with Kurti and his government (media)
Haradinaj: Kurti’s policy in Washington considered almost hostile (media)
Cerkini slams govt for not excavating suspected location of remains (Koha)
Kosovo to open embassy in Colombia soon (EO)
Trajkovic: Vucic cannot easily give up on mafia structures like Radoicic (media)

Serbian Language Media:

Vucic receives Chinese Communist Party official (Tanjug)
Missing a returnee from the village of Gornji Dragoljevac near Istok (RTS, Radio Gorazdevac, KoSSev, KiM radio, media)
The eleventh day of the blockade of Serbian institutions in the north of Kosovo; Lajcak announced a visit to Belgrade (RTS, media)
Kosovo special police took away documentation from NBS Treasury in Leposavic, Support Me Association told to vacate office (Kosovo Online)
Rapajic: Pristina government behind purchases of Serbian properties in the north (Kosovo Online, Vecernje Novosti)
Weber: EU and US responsible for the collapse of dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina (Danas, FoNet, Kosovo Online)
Rada Trajkovic on “Vucic's political schizophrenia”; Kurti “became a burden” (FoNet, KoSSev, N1)

International:

Kosovo reopens border crossings after Serbian activists end blockades (RFE)
My first trip to Kosovo (Kosovo 2.0)
Reforestation Project Recreates Spirit of Yugoslav ‘Work Actions’, on Film (Balkan Insight)

UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, September 9, 2024

Albanian Language Media:

Osmani: U.S. doesn’t want us to keep bridge closed, but to set a joint date to open it (media)
Osmani, Kurti thank Turkiye for cooperation in field of security (Koha)
"Unforeseen developments", Lajcak won’t be EU ambassador in Switzerland (Koha)
Kosovo will donate a fleet of vehicles to Ukraine (media)
Peci says VV and Guxo are in coalition (media)
Volker: West is strengthening Vucic, while undermining others in Balkans (RFE)

Serbian Language Media:

Discarded and Invisible (KoSSev, Radar)
Vucic: We will have many problems with Kurti's provocations (Kosovo Online)
Dacic met with the president of Interpol in China, discussed the regional Interpol office in Belgrade (Blic)
Elek: Kurti scores political points by mistreating Serbs, the persecution will continue because no one stops him (Kosovo Online, Tanjug, Kurir)
Vucic informs Russian ambassador of situation in Kosovo (Tanjug)
Rojevic: Interrupted checkpoint blockades; deadline to Pristina until October 1st to fulfil the demands (Danas, RTV, N1)
Jovanovic: Silent exodus of Serbs from Kosovo occurring without media attention (FoNet, N1, KiM radio)

Albanian Language Media:

• Kosovo Police celebrates 25th anniversary of establishment (media)
• Lajcak says he and Bislimi agreed on next meeting of chief negotiators (Koha)
• Gervalla: Threat to block crossings, proof of Serbia’s hegemonistic goals (Koha)
• Turkish Foreign Minister: Nothing more normal than supporting Kosovo (media)
• Valtonen: Finland and Kosovo have a strong bond (media)
• Two suspects stop bus in north, smash windshield, mirrors (media)
• Sinani calls on internationals to prevent attempts to block crossings (media)
• Canak: Vucic’s idea is to present Kosovo as place that threatens Serbs (Express)

Serbian Language Media:
• Transport organized for the announced blockade of crossings (N1)
• Todic after the questioning by KP: Political case lead against us (Kosovo Online)
• Jaksic: It seems to me that Kurti is doing the 'dirty work' for Vucic (NMagazin, Beta, N1, Nova)
• Minister Zigmanov spoke with the OSCE Vice President about the situation in Kosovo (NMagazin, Beta)
• Petkovic: The intrusion into Serbian institutions will have unforeseeable consequences for the normalization of relations with Pristina (N1, Kosovo Online, media)
• Surlic: Kurti has no interest in making any concessions before the elections (Kosovo Online)
• Vulin: Vucic did not refuse Putin’s invitation (N1, RTS)

Opinion:

• The closure of Kosovo’s parallel institutions and its ramifications (emerging-europe.com)
• Balkan arms race makes NATO membership for Bosnia more urgent (BIRN)

International:

• Kosovo’s jubilar grape festival features global stars (Prishtina Insight)
• Recent developments in the north of Kosovo: UK statement to the OSCE, September 2024 (gov.uk)
• Kosovo residents urged to avoid Serbia amid road blockades threats (BIRN)

Albanian Language Media:

• Lajçak to visit Kosovo today (media)
• Germany warns that CEFTA can move forward even without Kosovo (Koha)
• Rohde: Kurti was not persuaded to compromise on representation of Kosovo in CEFTA (Koha)
• Zulfaj answers to Germany about CEFTA: Serbia is setting conditions (Koha)
• U.S. Mission at OSCE concerned about uncoordinated actions in north (RTK)
• Rasic against Kurti on opening of Iber bridge: I don't see it reasonable to jeopardise progress (Zeri)
• Osmani: Kosovo and Finland are steadfast partners (Koha)
• Ambassador Orav had a busy day with meetings on Thursday (Klan)
• In a phone call with Vucic, Scholz emphasised importance of Kosovo-Serbia dialogue (RTK)
• Cerkinaj: Locals are not serious at all about fate of missing (Koha)

Serbian Language Media:

• Lajcak in Pristina today, confirmed by Stano (Tanjug, Radio Mitrovica North)
• Serbia confirmed the search of a possible mass grave near Novi Pazar (Beta, NMagazin, RFE)
• Hill: Serbia adheres to dialogue and that is the right approach (RTS, Danas, Kosovo Online, media)
• Rojevic: The blockade of the administrative crossings to Kosovo announced for today at 6 pm (Danas, beta, Insajder, media)
• Simic: I told the truth - that I didn't do anything illegal, it’s a pressure before the elections (Kosovo Online, media)
• Arsenijevic followed? (KoSSev)
• Nenad Rasic: The closure of Serbian institutions in the north not a surprise (KiM radio)

Albanian Language Media:

• Kurti meets leaders of Mitrovica North municipality (media)
• Sources: Lajcak to visit Kosovo on September 6 (RFE)
• Stano: Kosovo to avoid uncoordinated actions that can increase tensions (EO)
• Gervalla: Iber bridge must be opened; committed for rule of law everywhere (EO)
• UK advises its citizens “against all but essential travel” to Kosovo north (media)
• People from Kosovo, diaspora advised to avoid Kosovo-Serbia crossings (media)
• Serbian List: The institutions did not violate any law (RFE)
• Haradinaj: Kurti is instrumentalizing the police for electoral interests (media)
• Orav: Honor to meet PM Kurti; looking forward to our cooperation (media)
• Waitz: It would be an honor to be selected EP Rapporteur for Kosovo (media)
• Hoti: No coalition with VV; “if we don’t win election, we’ll be in opposition” (media)
• “Wrong if someone thinks north can be integrated with police measures” (RTV21)
• Grennell: 4 years ago we brought Kosovo and Serbia leaders together (media)
• Football Federation reacts to Romanian fans’ chants against Kosovo (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Serbian List: Political persecution of the Serbian people and part of a wider plan of institutional repression (Kosovo Online, Radio Mitrovica sever, KiM radio, TV Most, KoSSev)
• Zaporozac after questioning by KP: This is a political process against me and my colleagues (Radio Mitrovica sever)
• Rector's Office: The University of Pristina with its temporary seat in North Mitrovica remains (Radio Mitrovica sever, Kosovo Online)
• Maliqi: Kosovo Serbs in a position like the Albanians during the time of Milosevic, Kurti plays similar to Vucic (NMagazin, Beta, Nedeljnik, Danas, media)
• How will Serbs living outside Kosovo vote in the February elections? (Kosovo Online)
• Serbian PM: Kurti pressuring Kosovo Serbs (N1, media)
• Vucic refuses Putin’s invitation to BRICS summit (N1)
• Vucic asks Scholz about lithium project in Germany (N1)

International:

• Herzog to visit Serbia and Albania next week (timesofisrael.com)
• Serbian Deputy PM assures Putin that Russia an 'ally' (RFE)