UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, December 17, 2020

Albanian Language Media:

• COVID – 19: 500 new cases, 9 deaths (media)
• Osmani: We must cooperate so truth about Kosovo is not overturned (media)
• Osmani at Albanian Parliament: We are forever grateful (media)
• Defense of KLA leaders insists on postponing trial at The Hague (RFE)
• Kosnett: Excellent news, MCC reaffirmed support for Kosovo (media)
• Haradinaj-Stublla: Kosovo ready to join Adriatic Charter (media)
• Citaku returns as Kosovo’s ambassador to Washington (RFE)
• Inclusion of non-majority students at UP remains low (Prishtina Insight)

Serbian Language Media:

• 47 new cases of Covid-19, one death registered in Serbian areas in Kosovo (KoSSev)
• "It's not just about Serbia" (B92, Tanjug, VoA)
• EU Delegation official says Serbia should step up efforts to align with Brussels (Beta, N1)
• Selakovic: EU membership is key priority (FoNet, N1)
• Serbian Health Minister: We are ready to produce vaccines with Russia (B92, Tanjug)
• Serbia does not even know its energy border with Kosovo (Danas)
• Mitrovica North MA session on electricity, water supply, non-compliance with COVID-19 measures (Kontakt plus radio)
• NGO Aktiv presented trend analysis on attitudes of Serbian community in Kosovo (social media)

Opinion:

• EU dream fading in Western Balkans, a local's view (euobserver.com)

International:

• Clientelist Networks Lie Behind Western Balkans State Capture – Transparency (Balkan Insight)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Serbian epidemiologist: More expensive PCR test economic move and should reduce travels (N1)

• COVID – 19: 348 new cases, 5 deaths (media)
• Hoti: Situation with COVID – 19 in Kosovo under control (media)
• EU Head of Office: Kosovo will get free vaccines for over 300,000 people (media)
• Osmani: Going to elections helps further democracy (Radio Free Europe)
• Hoti: New elections are not excluded (RTK)
• Gashi: No political readiness to resolve President issue (media)
• Konjufca: We expect to win up to 50 percent of votes (media)
• Xhemajli: PDK has a candidate for post of Kosovo President (media)
• Palmer: US, EU working together on Kosovo – Serbia dialogue (Indeksonline)
• Ruecker denies knowing of any corruption affair while heading KTA (EO/Koha)
• WHO vaccine scheme risks failure, leaving poor countries with no COVID shots until 2024 (Reuters)

Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: 296 new cases, five deaths (media)
• PM Hoti's Office issues statement on Government's work plan draft (media)
• Kosovo Government not to apply to join international organisations until 2023 (Koha)
• Kosovo authorities allowed to visit Maqastena in Prokuplje, Serbia (Koha)
• Kosovo and Serbia representatives clash at CEFTA's virtual meeting (media)
• Kurti writes to KSC judge to support Selimi's bail request (Telegrafi)

Serbian Language Media:

• 52 new cases of Covid-19 registered in Serbian areas in Kosovo (KoSSev)
• Vucic met Serbs from Kosovo, EMS and EPS directors – conclusions in two, three days (KoSSev)
• Serbia won’t impose sanctions on Moscow, says Vucic; Resolution 1244 the basis for every agreement, says Lavrov (Beta, N1)
• German State Secretary: EU and Germany supported process which resulted in KOSTT independence (KoSSev)
• Jeremic: “Albanian finger” on a power supply switch in northern Kosovo as of yesterday (Danas)
• Covic: I do not believe Albright would be in negotiations, Serwer completely irrelevant (KoSSev)

Opinion:

• Who gave electricity to Pristina (Nova S)

International:

• Balkan States Race to Secure COVID-19 Vaccine Supplies (Balkan Insight)
• Kosovo Politicians Divided Over How to Choose Next President (Balkan Insight)
• Europe set to approve COVID-19 vaccine in Christmas week (Reuters)
• Mini-Schengen, Regional Economic Area and Common Regional Market: What is what? (EWB)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Last Despatches: News Team Killed the Day After Kosovo War Ended (Balkan Insight)

• COVID – 19: 350 new cases, 18 deaths (media)
• Hoxhaj: President post belongs to the PDK (media)
• Konjufca: Vetevendosje doesn’t want post of Kosovo President (T7)
• Mustafa: Vetevendosje is seeing dreams that it can win 50% of votes (media)
• Bytyci: Red lines in politics are being removed (media)
• Kosovo Acting President Osmani begins 3-day visit to Albania (media)
• Serbia cuts off energy transmission to Kosovo (RFE)
• Russian Foreign Minister: EU to be impartial in the dialogue (media)
• Serbian List to meet Serbian President Vucic (Gazeta Express)
• Captured states in Western Balkans and Turkey (Transparency International)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, December 15, 2020

Albanian Language Media:

• No ease of lockdown measures for Christmas and New Year in Kosovo (media)
• Hoti: Mustafa is dealing with the meeting on president issue (media)
• Haradinaj’s initial appearance at Special Court rescheduled to 18 December (media)
• Ambassador Jan Braathu nominated OSCE chief of the mission in Serbia (Koha)
• Kosnett and Tan support local war crime prosecution (media)
• Osmani to travel for a three day visit to Albania (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• In Serbian communities in Kosovo 56 new cases and one death (Kontakt plus radio)
• Brnabic: I'm against curfew, celebrate at home; Vucic: vaccination soon (N1, BETA)
• Russian FM arrives in Belgrade; talks to include bilateral relations, economy (N1)
• Serbia's Foreign Minister: Close relations with Russia (N1)
• Serwer to N1: Vucic won't recognise Kosovo, we'll have to wait for one who will (N1)
• Trajkovic: Albright unlike Serwer recognizes opportunity for better US-Serbia relations (Kosovo-online)
• Energy agreement vaguely implanted (Danas)
• Mihajlovic: Opposition is spreading falsehoods and scaring Serbs in Kosovo (Kosovo-online)
• Serbian List: Incomprehensible and unacceptable need to denigrate one’s own state (Radio Mitrovica sever)

Opinion:

• The EU and Kosovo a decade on (opendemocracy.net)

International:

• Kosovo Truth Commission’s Future in Doubt After Thaci’s Indictment (Balkan Insight)

• COVID-19: 353 new cases, four deaths (media)
• Zemaj: New anti-COVID measures to be coordinated with all stakeholders (media)
• Hoti: Threatening statements from Belgrade do not help dialogue (media)
• Still no date set for discussions on Kosovo’s next president (Prishtina Insight)
• "Kosovo heading towards snap elections" (RFE)
• Aide refutes reports Osmani will call parties to discuss president post (media)
• Haradinaj: If my candidacy is not endorsed, we head to elections (Telegrafi)
• 100 days since signed, Washington agreement remains in paper only (Koha)
• Serwer: Albright to become involved in the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue (media)
• Kosovo War Veterans’ Leaders Indicted for Obstructing Justice (Balkan Insight)
• Status conference in case against Mustafa held at The Hague (media)
• Joint defence requests variation of time limit for preliminary motions (media)
• One of two Kosovo men arrested by Serbian authorities, released (Klan)
• Blast reported at police officer's home in Leposavic municipality (Kallxo)

Albanian Language Media:

• COVID - 19: 353 new cases, 9 deaths (media)
• Hoti: If solution on President isn’t found, Kosovo goes to new elections (media)
• Nagavci: President post to be discussed after new elections (media)
• KOSTT to operate independently; PM Hoti calls it “a joint success” (media)
• Haradinaj: Decision to form Army was not easy, but most important (media)
• Pacolli: Army was a gift from the U.S. for our people (media)
• The shocking results of a study in Serbia (Klan Kosova)

Serbian Language Media:

• 24 new cases of Covid-19, four deaths registered in Serbian areas in Kosovo (KoSSev)
• Botsan-Kharchenko: There will be more pressure (Vecernje Novosti, B92)
• Lavrov to visit Belgrade on Tuesday (Tanjug, TV Most)
• The public does not see how much NATO and Serbia work together (cfsp.rs)
• "When it comes to Serbia and Kosovo, the status quo is unsustainable" (Tanjug, B92, RFE)
• Abbot Janjic: Kosovo grotesque picture of what international community allegedly wanted to achieve 21 years ago (KoSSev)
• Brnabic: Vaccines by end of year (B92)
• Serbian Orthodox Church warns of false accounts under its name (BETA, N1)
• Mladjan Djordjevic once again urged Vucic to say to whom they handed over energy system in northern Kosovo (Direktno.rs)
• KOSTT started working as a regulatory area within the Kosovo-Albania bloc; no explanation to the citizens of the North (KoSSev)

Opinion:

• What Will a Joe Biden Presidency Mean for the Balkans? (nationalinterest.org)

International:

• Transparency concerns over Serbia’s growing military outlay (Balkan Insight)
• Kosovo’s ‘The Flying Circus’ wins debut prize in Cottbus Film Festival (Exit.al)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Reading through the pandemic (Prishtina Insight)

• COVID – 19: 462 new cases, 12 deaths (media)
• Hoti: We’re preparing necessary measures for New Year holidays (media)
• No mass vaccination in Kosovo until 2022, according to The Economist (RTK)
• Serbian Police arrests two Kosovars, suspected of entering Serbia (media)
• Podujeva Mayor calls for release of persons arrested by Serbian Police (media)
• Abrashi: If no agreement on President, new elections in January (Kosovapress)
• Tahiri: New elections in Kosovo will be held on February 28 (media)
• No consensus on a candidate for Kosovo President post (Deutsche Welle)
• Osmani: I will run with my own list in new parliamentary elections (media)
• Palokaj: With this pace, the dialogue won’t end even in 2031 (Koha)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, December 11, 2020

Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: 590 new cases, 13 deaths (media)
• Hoti: Parties to agree on either the president or election date (Telegrafi)
• Mustafa doesn't view elections as way to resolve president's issue (Koha)
• Foundation set up to support Thaci's legal defence in The Hague (media)
• KFOR Commander expresses readiness to continue cooperation with KSF (Koha)
• Austrian MEP Mandl urges EU to grant Kosovo visa liberalisation (Klan)
• Residents of Krusha demand Tasic be retried for war crimes (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• In Serbian areas in Kosovo 66 new cases of Covid-19, one death (Kontakt plus radio)
• Visoki Decani one of 12 most threatened heritages sites, shortlisted for the 7 most endangered (KoSSev)
• Father Sava: 200.000 Serbs have not returned to Kosovo (Radio KIM)
• “Everyone has right to truth” (Radio KIM)
• The hearing on the case of Ivanovic's murder postponed indefinitely (Kontakt plus radio, KoSSev)
• Radojevic took oath: It is now up to me to live up to expectations (TV Most)
• Pristina Mayor: "The biggest problem of Serbs is that when they turn 18, they leave" (RTK2)
• Montgomery: Fixed stances on multiethnic societies in Kosovo and B&H will bring no solution (Kosovo-online)

International:

• COVID-19 Conspiracy Theories Grip West Balkans, Survey Reveals (Balkan Insight)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Reidentifying the dead (Prishtina Insight)
• Homeless in their homes (Kosovo 2.0)

• COVID-19: 621 new cases, 13 deaths (media)
• Hoti: Measures against COVID-19 to be evaluated on Friday (Lajmi)
• Varhelyi: EU working to ensure Western Balkans receive Covid vaccine on time (Klan)
• BIRN Kosovo exposé of hospital security issues draws criticism (Balkan Insight)
• Lajcak: We continued discussions on financial and property claims (media)
• LDK MP: Either a new President is elected, or we go to new elections (RTK)
• AKR: This government has lost credibility (Klan Kosova)
• Ymeri: Vetevendosje wins 40 seats if elections are held soon (Telegrafi)
• Court rules Diaspora vote counting violated Constitution (media)
• Limaj hails Constitutional Court decision (media)
• LVV's Haxhiu reacts to Constitutional Court ruling (media)
• Incident in Zubin Potok, attack on a Kosovo Police vehicle (Kallxo)
• No room for Kosovo in the EU, says Austrian MP (Klan Kosova)
• Osmani slams reports she terminated contract with William Walker (media)