UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, December 7, 2022

Albanian Language Media:

• U.S.: Conditions not in place at this time for elections in the north (media)
• Government: Waiting for assessment of situation in north for further steps (media)
• EULEX says protests should be peaceful; calls for calm and restraint (media)
• Rohde: Full support for peaceful demonstrations; zero tolerance for violence (media)
• Guerot: Acts of intimidation very concerning; dialogue only way forward (media)
• Kusari-Lila: Milosevic’s Serbia still functions with Vucic at the helm (Klan)
• Gjoshi: Postponing elections is Vucic’s request; shouldn’t be accepted (Nacionale)
• Abazi: Wouldn’t be the end of the world to postpone elections in north (T7)
• Bislimi to travel to Brussels tomorrow; to meet Varhelyi and Jourova (Express)
• Ceku: Kosovo will apply for UNESCO membership next year (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic: New French-German proposal no improvement for us (Tanjug)
• Vucevic: Situation in Kosovo flammable (Kosovo Online, media)
• Vulovic says Pristina officials “acted arrogantly and unprofessionally” (Kosovo Online)
• Trajkovic: They came with automatic weapons, detonations were heard (Kosovo Online)
• After incidents in north, Belgrade and Pristina hurl accusations against one another (KoSSev)
• New manifestation of an old crisis and lack of understanding (Radio KIM)
• Wigemark concerned with incidents in north, says any protests should be peaceful (Kosovo Online)
• EU, W. Balkan mobile operators sign declaration on reduction of roaming charges (Tanjug)
• Doderovic: Dismayed by appointment of Radulovic, we support Serbian List (Kosovo Online)
• EULEX monitors the situation in the north of Kosovo; Kurti increases the presence of the police (Beta, NMagazin, KoSSev)

Opinion:

• Failure to Protect Murdered 35-year-old Was Result of Catalogue of Errors (BIRN)
• Cooper: Belgrade and Pristina enjoy media attention (VoA, Beta, KiM radio)

International:

• Kosovo PM Announces More Police Presence in North Following Attacks (BIRN)
• Explosions, Attacks in North Put Elections in Question (Prishtina Insight)
• Leaders sign the Declaration of the EU-Western Balkans Summit in Tirana (EWB)
• Kosovo Activist Threatened After Criticising Football Player’s ‘Thuggish’ Gestures (Balkan Insight)

• Osmani: Criminal gangs trying to destabilise Kosovo (media)
• Kurti: Kosovo government doesn’t bargain or tolerate criminal gangs (media)
• Svecla: Election officials and police were attacked with shock bombs (media)
• Police: No one injured during incidents; election offices demolished (media)
• Explosions heard in Serb majority areas in Kosovo, no injuries reported (Reuters)
• Citaku about developments in north: Govt keeping us in the dark (media)
• Haradinaj to Kurti: Do you want to endanger the north at any cost? (media)
• Radoniqi: Elections cannot be held by force (media)
• PDK candidate for Zubin Potok says he received threat in Serbian (T7)
• EU drafts new proposal for Kosovo-Serbia ties - senior EU diplomat (Reuters)
• US Special Envoy Escobar to visit Kosovo on Monday (Kosovapress)
• State Department Counselor to visit Kosovo this week, sources say (Nacionale)
• “One sentence” is blocking resolution of fate of forcibly disappeared (AP)
• European Commission admits mistakenly asking Montenegro and North Macedonia to issue visas to Kosovo (Prishtina Insight)
• Heritage heist: Kosovo, Serbia fight over ‘loaned’ museum exhibits (BIRN)
• Solidarity Stories #6: Serb Monastery Shelters Kosovo Albanians (BIRN)
• Love divided: Kosovar-Serbian Couple Struggle to Build a Home in Disapproving Society (Prishtina Insight)

Albanian Language Media:

• Borrell: Pristina, Belgrade received updated text of French-German plan (RFE)
• Kurti meets Lajcak, discuss “course and dynamization of dialogue” (media)
• Lajcak after meeting Kurti: We have no time to lose (Nacionale)
• Sources: Lajcak calls for postponement of elections in north (Express)
• Bislimi: Accordance to keep content of French-German plan confidential (Kallxo)
• Osmani in Tirana: Vucic is the continuation of the 90s mentality that led to war (Klan)
• EC admits it mistakenly asked countries in region to introduce visas to Kosovo (RFE)
• CDHRF reacts to death of Kosovar with Norwegian citizenship in Serbian prison (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Sirens in Zubin Potok; Petkovic: ''Kurti sent the police with long pipes''; Jaksic on Twitter (N1, RTS, media)
• Vucic: Tirana summit good opportunity to protect Serbian interests (Tanjug)
• Vucic meets with Macron in Tirana (Tanjug)
• Dacic: Pristina lost large number of votes in UN (Danas)
• Odalovic: Pristina does not want to cooperate on resolving missing persons cases (Kosovo Online)
• Trajkovic on joining Kurti's government: The goal to find out what is being discussed (KoSSev, N1)
• Radulovic appointed adviser to Nenad Rasic (KiM radio)
• Gracanica municipality undertakes measures to protect new cemetery from desecration (KoSSev)
• Sentence to Nedeljkovic reduced to six months (Kosovo Online)
• Commission for the Protection of Competition: Proceedings initiated against MTS D.O.O (Kontakt plus radio)
• Serbian opposition MPs in show of support for N1, Nova S (KoSSev, N1)

International:

• Rama: EU accession not an ‘exam you can cheat on’, more work needed (euractive.com)
• Kosovo Files Second Complaint to FIFA in Serbia Football Row (BIRN)

• EU to ask Kosovo and Serbia for concrete progress on final agreement (Koha)
• McKee: U.S. partnership with Kosovo, stronger than ever (KTV)
• Kurti meets USAID Assistant Administrator McKee (media)
• Kurti to meet Lajcak in Pristina today (media)
• Lajcak meets Vucic in Belgrade (media)
• Michel: Progress is being made on visa liberalisation for Kosovo (media)
• Host Albania has high hopes for EU-Western Balkans summit (AP)
• Serbian President Will Attend EU-Balkan Summit in Tirana (BIRN)
• Bajrami reacts to EU asking Montenegro and North Macedonia to introduce visas for Kosovo (media)
• Bislimi to report on dialogue and French-German plan today (media)
• Police, CEC municipal officials will go to offices in north today (Koha)
• Albanian chased by several masked persons in north of Kosovo (media)
• Dejan Jankovic could become head of Kosovo Police (Albanian Post)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, December 5, 2022

Albanian Language Media:

• Kurti: Eliminating violence is an obligation; victims must be protected (KP)
• Osmani asks for USAID support in fight against gender based violence (KP)
• PDK’s Krasniqi: Vetting must happen; unclear why it is running late (EO)
• Civil society: Judiciary inefficient; reforms can have results only through vetting (KP)
• Baraliu: Election reform must happen as soon as possible (RTK)
• Hoti: Government turned Serbia into main trade partner in the region (media)
• Arsenijevic confirms withdrawal of candidacy for Mitrovica North mayor (media)
• CEC confirms: Serb candidate for elections in north withdrew on Dec 2 (Gazeta Blic)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic to Lajcak: It is necessary to implement agreement on ZSO (RTS)
• Brnabic accuses Kurti of violating Brussels Agreement (N1)
• Serbs who left Kosovo institutions start receiving salary payments from Belgrade (KoSSev)
• Dacic meets Iranian diplomacy head, expresses gratitude for stance on Kosovo (RTS)
• The candidates of an extraordinary elections for mayors of municipalities in the north of Kosovo (RTS)
• Detention of Djokovic extended for two more months (Radio KIM)

• Kurti: Agreement with Serbia will not be easy (media)
• Four policemen suspended for case of murder of pregnant woman (RTK)
• Kurti: Institutional mobilization against domestic violence (media)
• Bicycle march in Pristina, to oppose violence against women and girls (KP)
• Osmani and Szunyog, coordinate for EU - Western Balkans Summit (media)
• Rama is confident that Vucic will attend summit in Tirana (Koha)
• Lajcak to meet today with the Serbian president in Belgrade (media)
• Serbia’s president won’t attend summit over spat with Kosovo (euronews)
• Jevtic: Serbs in south could withdraw from institutions too (media)
• Minister reacts to claims that budget focused on VV-led municipalities (media)
• Krasniqi: PDK becomes a full member of ALDE (RTK)
• Kosovo veteran leaders appeal for release from all charges (BIRN)
• Kosovo football federation complains to FIFA about “racist insults and calls” (RFE)
• Why India doesn’t recognise Kosovo’s statehood, despite new Kosovan trade office in Delhi (The Post)

Albanian Language Media:

• Government: Rasic’s appointment has not violated the Constitution (media)
• “Kurti decision on Rasic right from Kosovo standpoint; north is a problem” (Express)
• Osmani calls meeting of institutional leaders after killing of pregnant woman (media)
• Haxhiu: Ministry completed its tasks; problem lies with judicial institutions (Koha)
• PDK’s Lushtaku tells Interior Minister: I was hoping you will resign (Kosovapress)
• Kosovo Police arrest Serb suspected of war crimes in 1999 (media)
• PDK deputy leader Citaku reacts to Vucic’s remarks about Kurti (media)
• Court temporarily blocks decision to reduce salaries of prosecutors and judge (media)
• Kurti: Judiciary very efficient when their case is concerned, but not with court cases (Klan)
• Suspect of the murder of the 35-year-old pregnant woman committed suicide (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Stano: The appointment of Rasic 'does not meet all the conditions stipulated by the Constitution’ (media)
• Vucic: The situation in Kosovo boiling, I meant everything I said about Rasic, Trajkovic and Kurti; Serbs South of Ibar close to leave the institutions (media)
• Serbia, EU sign three agreements (Tanjug)
• Foreign Minister Dacic: Vucic is right (Danas, TV Pink)
• Vucic: EU has demonstrated anti-Serb attitude (Tanjug, media)
• Serbian List: President Vucic exposed the hypocrisy of the international community towards the Serbian people in Kosovo (Kosovo Online)
• Hill: There will be no further agreements without solving the issue of the collective rights of Serbs, the US and the EU made it clear to Kurti (KoSSev)
• KP: Arrested Serb suspected of war crimes (KoSSev)
• Office for KiM: G. M. arrested when he went to report usurped property (KoSSev)
• Petkovic: The EU received the answer it deserves from Vucic (Kosovo Online)
• PM Brnabic reacted to Stano's statement: This kind of reaction is a shame for the EU (Blic, Kosovo Online)
• Stano: Both sides urgently need to work on the return of Serbs to institutions (Tanjug, media)
• Dacic met Nuland (Tanjug)

International:

• Kosovo Must Get Real on Threat of Far-Right Extremism (BIRN)

• Escobar confident that agreement on Association will be implemented (media)
• Lajcak: If parties committed, agreement can be reached within weeks (media)
• Lajcak will visit Kosovo and Serbia next week (Kanal10)
• Osmani: Membership in EU and NATO, pillar of peace and stability (media)
• Kurti to Pack: Kosovo to apply to the EU this month (media)
• Kurti: Entire chain of irresponsibility must resign (media)
• Haxhiu: Ready to resign if my responsibility for murder case is proved (teve1)
• UNMIK chief stands in solidarity with the women of Kosovo, calling for an end to gender violence (KosovaPress)
• ‘Resignation isn’t enough’: protest after murder of pregnant woman (Euronews)
• Vucic says he will not attend EU-Western Balkans summit in Tirana (media)
• “Vucic’s hysteria is failed attempt to true reasons for refusing summit” (media)
• Hasani argues Rasic’s appointment violates the Constitution (Koha)
• PDK leader Krasniqi meets Viola von Cramon (media)
• Kosovo’s Low-Quality TV Debates Deter Real Experts (Prishtina Insight)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, December 1, 2022

Albanian Language Media:

• Kurti appoints Nenad Rasic as Minister for Communities and Returns (media)
• Osmani: WB membership in the EU and NATO, pillar of peace and stability (Koha)
• Rada Trajkovic, advisor to the new minister of the Kurti government (Koha)
• Steinmeier praises Lajcak, says that author of agreement proposal is not important (Express)
• Kurti reacts again to killing of pregnant woman by her husband (media)
• Haxhiu: There will be resignations, dismissals, and criminal responsibility (EO)
• Abdixhiku to Kurti: State has failed in every direction, take measures and act (media)
• AAK’s Lekaj calls for resignation of Justice Minister and Acting Health Minister (EO)
• Szunyog horrified by last night's murder (RTK)
• CDHRF: Killing of pregnant woman, failure of state protection mechanisms (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Serbian List announces complaint to Constitutional Court over Rasic’s appointment, says it is anti-constitutional (Kosovo Online)
• Petkovic: Nenad Rasic and Rada Trajkovic do not represent Serbian people in Kosovo (media)
• Rada Trajkovic, advisor to Minister Rasic (KiM radio)
• Rasic: It won't be difficult to be better than the predecessor (KiM radio)
• Dacic: Kurti lives in parallel reality (Radio KIM)
• UNS: “The Black Peony” award goes to Kurti for worst cooperation with journalists (N1)
• Petkovic: Everyone saw Kurti's true intentions (Kosovo Online)
• Dacic: Rewarding Pristina counterproductive, EU demonstrates double standards (Tanjug)
• Petkovic: ZSO obligation that Kurti undertook (Kosovo Online)
• Kosovo PM: We won't allow establishment of another Republika Srpska in Kosovo (N1 Sarajevo)
• Dodik on Kurti’r remarks about Republika Srpska (Kosovo Online)
• Bosnia and Herzegovina border police says Kosovo residents may enter country with visa only (Kosovo Online)
• Lopandic: Kosovo stands no chances of obtaining candidate status for EU membership (Kosovo online, Danas)
• Petrides: Cypriot position on Kosovo unchanged, ties with Serbia strong (Tanjug)

International:

• Kosovo Authorities Failed Second Woman Murdered in Week (BIRN)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Employment of women from non-majority communities remains a challenge (RTK)

• EU Council agrees negotiating mandate on visa free travel (media)
• Kurti: We need 2-3 months for normalisation of relations with Serbia (N1)
• Rohde: Kurti is no longer in opposition; form the Association (Klan Kosova)
• Resigned Kosovo Serb police must reapply for old posts, Kurti says (BIRN)
• Osmani meets institutional leaders of Bulgaria (media)
• Lajcak reported on dialogue before EP Foreign Affairs Committee (RTK)
• EU to discuss granting visa permits to Kosovo passport holders (euronews)
• Judges, prosecutors, cancel court sessions in Kosovo over pay cuts (BIRN)
• Protest to be held in Pristina today after killing of woman (media)
• Most Kosovo Serbs gloomy about country’s future, survey shows (BIRN)
• Kosovo Special Court rejects Thaci request for early defense testimonies (BIRN)
• This is what a textbook is teaching young Serbs about the Balkan wars (RFE)