UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, October 29, 2020

Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19 report: One death, 284 new cases (media)
• Thaci condemns attack in France: terrorists will never win (RTK)
• Borrell: Dialogue in Brussels is essential for Kosovo’s European road ( media)
• Kosovo-Serbia dialogue resumes today in Brussels (Express)
• Hoti: Police Task Force was unconstitutional (Telegrafi)
• Haradinaj-Stublla demands visa liberalization from EU Presidency (RTK)
• Kosovo and Northern Macedonia soon with common border point (RTK)
• Only one candidate for Mitrovica North mayor so far (RTK)

Serbian Language Media:

21 new cases of Covid-19 in Serbian communities in Kosovo (Kontakt plus radio)
Vucic: Terrorism will never win (B92)
Petkovic and Lajcak met in Brussels (Tanjug)
Carpenter: Biden's goal would be to strengthen Serbia in European and Euro-Atlantic structures (Danas, TV Prva)
Jevtic: Return of displaced persons at unsatisfactory level (Radio KIM)
Shaip Kamberi – a speech that marked yesterday’s Serbian National Assembly session (KoSSev)
German FM: Belgrade - Pristina agreement would have positive impact on region (N1, BETA)
Serwer: Vucic will not recognize Kosovo (B92, Kosovo Online)
Party of Kosovo Serbs letter to Central Election Commission (RTK)

Opinion:

• How Trump Lost the Balkans (foreignpolicy.com)
• Trump Has a Fix for Kosovo. He’s Ignoring It. (Foreign Policy, Koha)

International:

• London Calling: Albanians Count Cost of UK Illegality (Balkan Insight)
• Kommersant: Serbia’s new government shifts towards West (tass.com)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Balkan Brain Drain ‘Won’t Stop Without Economic, Democratic Progress’ (Balkan Insight)

• COVID - 19 report: Four deaths, 281 new cases (media)
• Kosovo Chamber of Commerce chairman warns of collapse (media)
• Thaci meets leaders of political parties (media)
• Osmani: LDK always tried to include PDK in government (Telegrafi)
• Gashi: Anti-corruption task force produced no exceptional results (media)
• Maas: Dialogue and comprehensive agreement have no alternative (media)
• EU Special Representative Tomas Szunyog interview to KTV
• Grenell calls on Albanian Americans to help reelect Donald Trump (media)
• Trump Takes Credit For Ending Kosovo War, Which Ended In 1999 (Forbes)
• Konjufca: Vetevendosje, 40% of votes according to another party’s poll (media)
• First Defendant at Hague-Based Kosovo War Court Pleads Not Guilty (Balkan Insight)
• PDK’s political activist ‘misled authorities’ to get media commission job (Prishtina Insight)

Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19 report: Four deaths, 281 new cases (media)
• Trump says he stopped 400 years long war between Kosovo and Serbia (media)
• Kosovo Government confirms tomorrow's meeting in Brussels (media)
• Selimi: Brussels dialogue should not take on technical character (KP/Telegrafi)
• Weber: Lajcak trapped into blaming Kosovo for lack of dialogue progress (Express/RTK)
• Hoti: European integration, priority for Kosovo Government (media)
• GAP publishes report on pandemic’s impact on Kosovo economy (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Brnabic: Unity regarding Kosovo issue priority, we won’t give up on ZSO (Tanjug)
• Lavrov is not coming to Serbia: Russian minister in self-isolation due to coronavirus (Tanjug, B92)
• Vucic to meet directors of COVID hospitals, address public (B92, N1)
• EU: CSM won't be parallel authority; Belgrade: no progress without CSM (N1, BETA)
• Pompeo: Kosovo, North Macedonia, and Bulgaria join Clean Network (KoSSev)
• Botsan-Kharchenko: ZSO key for future of Serbs in Kosovo (Tanjug, Kosovo Online)
• NGO Aktiv presented publication on treatment of non-majority communities in Kosovo during Covid-19 (social media)
• Rakic with Abbott on attacks against Serbian population (Kosovo-online)
• Kosovo Serb politician says Biden helped protect monastery (N1)

Opinion:

• The unbearable lightness of stealing public money (Prishtina Insight)
• Twin crises: Political dysfunction in the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue (ecfr.eu)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Serbian epidemiologist says more restrictive measures could come (N1)
• Developing a Long-Term and Holistic Approach to Strengthen Water Security in Kosovo (marketscreener.com)
• BSF: Nordic model of security cooperation an example for the Western Balkans (EWB)
• The importance of ‘unlearning’ the past: Interview with Balkans expert Keith Brown (globalvoices.org)

• COVID-19 report: Three deaths, 197 new cases (media)
• Health Minister: There will be increased controls (media)
• The next Kosovo-Serbia meeting at level of experts, on Thursday (media)
• EU: Association will not have executive competencies (media)
• U.S. Ambassador Kosnett’s interview with Dukagjini TV (media)
• Hoti pledges to restore lawfulness in Kosovo (media)
• Mustafa: Hoti has courage to fight corruption, can’t be blackmailed (media)
• U.S. elections, “determinant” for continuation of Kosovo-Serbia dialogue (RFE)
• Government: We are waiting for invitation for Mini-Schengen (Express)
• Haradinaj: Decisions in the coalition to be made in partnership (media)
• MPs see no Kosovo statehood signs at Merdare crossing point (Koha)
• Kosovo Spends €2.5 Million Paying Non-Working Serb Employees (Balkan Insight)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, October 27, 2020

Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19 report: Three deaths, 197 new cases (media)
• The next Kosovo-Serbia meeting at level of experts, on Thursday (RFE, media)
• Veliu does not respond to invitation to report on Qalaj’s dismissal (RTK)
• Salih Mustafa to appear in front of the Special Court tomorrow (RTK)
• Abbot: U.S. involvement in dialogue, positive (media)
• Szunyog meets with LDK Assembly caucus, seeks results on EU reforms (media)
• Application of parties for Mitrovica North elections starts (RTK)
• Zemaj warns on new measures to prevent coronavirus spread (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Belgrade - Pristina dialogue to continue on Thursday in Brussels (Tanjug, Radio Mitrovica sever, RTS)
• Smith: With constitutional amendments Thaci attempts to end work of court (Radio KIM)
• Serbian Ambassador says Belgrade-Moscow relations stable (N1)
• RFE: China takes over job of railway reconstruction in Serbia from EU (N1)
• Serbian MPs vote for three new cabinets; SPS names two ministers (FoNet, N1)
• Botsan-Kharchenko: Bilateral relations, Kosovo in focus of Lavrov's visit (media)
• Serb household in Plemetina village, near Obilic robbed (Radio KIM)
• Zais: Experts of US Energy department working on the Gazivode Lake feasibility study (Kosovo online, Tanjug)

International:

• Troubled Relationship: Kosovo’s Thaci and the Hague War Crimes Court (Balkan Insight)

Humanitarian/Development:

• COVID-19 Surges as South-East Europe Heads for Winter (Balkan Insight)
• RYCO: Youth policies should be high on the reform agendas of the Western Balkan governments (EWB)
• Albanian Children to be Returned from Syrian Refugee Camps (Balkan Insight)

• COVID-19 report: Three deaths, 205 new cases (media)
• Hoti meets Quint ambassadors, EU Special Representative (media)
• Thaci speaks about his interview with Specialist Prosecutor (media)
• Konjufca: Osmani could soon exercise president's functions (media)
• Borrell: Normalisation agreement, key for European path of Kosovo and Serbia (RFE/media)
• Association knot blocks Kosovo-Serbia dialogue (Koha)
• Stano: Next rounds of dialogue in line with Belgium’s anti-Covid measures (media)
• Haziri: LDK has no candidate other than Isa Mustafa (KP/Koha)
• Osmani: Assembly planning to apply to join an international organisation (Klan)

Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19 report: Three deaths, 205 new cases (media)
• KSC doesn't comment if indictment against Thaci, Veseli is confirmed (KP)
• Specialist Chambers' mandate: KLA associations meet parliamentary parties (Telegrafi)
• Selimi: We are not afraid of justice but concerned when it tries to act politically (Klan)
• "Outcome of U.S. elections decisive for continuation of Kosovo-Serbia dialogue" (RFE)
• Albania's Assembly Speaker Ruci urges Cuba to recognise Kosovo (media)
• Suspect in the €2 million illegal transaction case surrenders to police (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• 20 new cases of Covid-19 registered in Serb areas in Kosovo on Saturday (Radio KIM)
• New ministers in Serbian government (media)
• Vucic: Vote on new government not unanimous, Covid-19 vaccine in March (N1)
• “Numerous attempts to change and revise centuries-long history” (Radio KIM, KoSSev)
• Petkovic: Serbia is UN member, Kosovo can’t be that (Danas)
• Serbs For Trump Initiative: Grenell visits Serbian Orthodox Church in Milwaukee (N1)
• Vucic: In 10 days, PCR laboratory in Mitrovica North (Radio Mitrovica sever)
• Spahiu: Americans have power in Kosovo; only the agreements they implement are valid (Kosovo Online)
• Petkovic with Braathu on dialogue and situation in Kosovo (Radio KIM)
• Kommersant: Lavrov visit intended to maintain influence in region (Beta, N1)

International:

• Next Serb Government Among Most Gender-Balanced In the World (Bloomberg)
• Mudde: Trump’s re-election would mean continuing support for populists around the world (EWB)
• Why the Balkan region should be on investors’ radar screens (intellinews.com)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Kosovo joins global call to action on women's economic empowerment (Koha/RTK)
• The limits in the checks and balances system enable informal governance to be effective in the WB (EWB)
• "Serbia needs to consider introducing new measures relating to Covid-19" (B92)
• Western Balkans suffocating from air pollution as heating season starts (balkangreenenergynews.com)

• COVID-19 report: Two deaths, 166 new cases (media)
• PDK refutes report it is joining Hoti-led government (media)
• Grenell: The agreement is being implemented (media)
• Rama gathers Balkans leaders, invites Kosovo to Schengen initiative (media)
• Task force was investigating three tenders signed by Interior Minister (Koha)
• Hoti, Haradinaj clash over decision on anti-corruption task force (RFE)
• Miftaraj: If Kosovo had state of law, Hoti would be in detention (media)
• Thaci: Time for Kosovo to become full member of United Nations (media)
• UN Day marked with planting 100 trees near Sitnica river (media)
• UN Day, Kosovo in unfavorable position, without hope for membership (Lajmi)
• Osmani: We need to be closer to victims of sexual violence in conflict (media)

• COVID-19: 169 new cases, two deaths (media)
• Hoti announces joint projects with North Macedonia during visit (media)
• "Indictment against Thaci and Veseli believed to have been confirmed" (Koha)
• Kosovo demands immediate release of citizen arrested by Serbian authorities (media)
• Von Cramon opposes Lajcak's proposal for constitutional amendements (media)
• Mustafa after meeting coalition partners: President's post not discussed (Koha)
• US, North Macedonia, and Kosovo sign 5G deal (AP)
• Step up action to achieve COVID-19 ceasefire, Guterres says in UN Day message (UN News)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, October 23, 2020

Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: 169 new cases, two deaths (media)
• Szunyog: Kosovo and Serbia should make constitutional amendments (media)
• Selimi: European Union, Kosovo’s priority and strategic goal (media)
• Haradinaj withdraws slightly from the issue of future president (Express)
• CEC decides on five day election campaign in Podujeva (RTK)
• The government requests from the thieves return of 2.1 million euros (media)
• Suspect pleads not guilty for abuse of Kosovo’s treasury (Telegrafi)

Serbian Language Media:

• Specialist Chambers: The indictment against Thaci and Veseli remains confidential (Kosovo Online)
• Borell and EULEX to submit opinion on Thaci’s proposal to change the mandate of the Specialist Chambers by November 2 (KoSSev)
• Serbian Parliament Speaker: UNMIK to continue implementing its mandate (BETA, N1)
• Borrell: WB leaders should refrain from statements that add political divisions (Tanjug, Kosovo Online, N1)
• Vucic: Things more complicated than how Pristina imagines them (RTS)
• "Gone are the days when everything was decided by Russia and the United States" (B92, Tanjug)
• Lavrov canceled visit to Zagreb, but not Belgrade (B92)
• Grubjesic: Stance of German Ambassador Heusgen can’t be stance of EU (Vecernje Novosti, Kosovo-online)
• Mihajlovic: Albanian politicians should not hinder the projects from the Washington agreement (Kontakt plus radio, Kosovo Online)
• Invitations to Belgrade and Pristina to join PTEC as observers (Kontakt plus radio)
• Stano: Serbia expected 'to progressively align its policies with EU' (N1)
• US Energy Department delegation visits Belgrade (N1, Kosovo-online)

International:

• Kosovo Minister Under Pressure Over Cash Stolen from Budget (Balkan Insight)
• BSF: Stability, security and prosperity of the WB closely linked to the EU (EWB)

Humanitarian/Development:

• In Montenegro, Hopes Fade for News of the Wartime Missing (Balkan Insight)
• UN chief says G20 leaders must coordinate to fight COVID-19 (AP)