UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, October 8, 2021

Albanian Language Media:

• Kosovo takes anti-dumping measures towards certain Serb products (media)
• Police in the north have begun distribution of license plates stickers (RFE)
• Same day elections in Kosovo and North Macedonia raise dilemma for voters with dual citizenship (Koha)
• Campaign gatherings not allowed to take place inside schools' premises (media)
• COVID-19: One death, 25 new cases (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Lavrov in Belgrade for Non-Aligned conference (N1)
• Mitrovica North residents with different views on sticker regime (KoSSev)
• UNS at the EFJ's Assembly to seek the International Commission for investigation of the murders of journalist in Kosovo (media)
• Selakovic: Important that UNMIK continues working in undiminished scope and unchanged mandate (media)
• KEDS denied higher electricity bills following media reports on the price increase; State of emergency in Albania (Kosovo Online)
• UN Security Council on October 15 on Kosovo (Kosovo Online, RTV Puls)
• 'Mirëdita - Dobar dan' festival in Pristina (RTK2, KiM radio, Kontakt plus radio)

Opinion:

• Battle Over Headlines (Kosovo 2.0)

International:

• Is the EU losing the Western Balkans? (Emerging Europe)

• EU’s Balkan Billions Must Be Tied to Values, Kosovo Leader Says (Bloomberg)
• Merkel speaks of ‘modest progress’ in resolution of Kosovo-Serbia problems (Telegrafi)
• Lajcak meets EU ambassadors to UN during his visit to U.S. (media)
• EU ambassador to Serbia: Pristina-Belgrade dialogue can produce results (Klan)
• France blocking visa liberalisation, further EU enlargement, analyst says (Telegrafi)
• "Lack of EU enlargement strategy can lead to conflict in Balkans" (RTK)
• Kosovo war veterans plead innocent to witness intimidation (AP)
• War Veterans’ Leaders go on trial at Hague Court, after leaking Court documents (BIRN)
• Ministry of Health recommends extension of current anti-COVID measures (media)
• COVID-19: No deaths, 30 new cases (media)

Albanian Language Media:

• Tannin at regular meetings with Belgrade officials, reports on Kosovo at UNSC on 15 October (Klan)
• Seven congressmen send letter to Biden and Blinken on Kosovo-Serbia license plate issue (media)
• Sanchez criticized by Spanish politicians for talking to Kurti in Slovenia (media)
• Hoti: Serbia’s state archives help enlighten fate of the missing (media)
• COVID-19: No deaths, 30 new cases (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Covid-19 in Serbian communities: 35 new cases, one death (Radio Mitrovica sever)
• SRSG Tanin met President Vucic ahead of UN SC session on Kosovo (media)
• Vucic: Serbia’s EU accession depends on solution to issues with Kosovo (N1)
• World Health Organization in Belgrade office chief on pandemic situation in Serbia (N1)
• MTS d.o.o buys cable operators (KiM radio, Kontakt plus radio)
• Radovic: Police station in Mitrovica North started distribution of stickers (Kosovo-online, KoSSev)
• Vlajic: I didn’t request to extend deadline to Todosijevic to appear and serve sentence, summons has not arrived yet (KoSSev)
• Petkovic: Upcoming elections important for the survival of Serbs in Kosovo (Politika, RTS, Kosovo online)

Opinion:

• Living on both sides of the border (Kosovo 2.0)

International:

• EU leaders fail to give Balkan nations a membership timeline (AP)
• Kosovo rebel veterans' leaders deny charges over leaked witness data (Reuters)

• EU: Western Balkans to implement necessary reforms in key areas (EWB)
• EU – WB Summit Brdo Declaration (media)
• Kurti on meeting Merkel, Macron and Vucic (media)
• Borrell: I call on both parties to intensify work on an agreement (media)
• Macron: Kosovo – Serbia dialogue seems very complex (media)
• Shared responsibility for a common European future (media)
• Lajcak travels to New York to meet UN leadership (media)
• ‘Loyalty to Comrades’ lands Kosovo War Veterans’ leaders in court (BIRN)
• COVID-19: One death, 41 new cases (media)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, October 6, 2021

Albanian Language Media:

• Joint EU-Western Balkans statement expected to be adopted in Slovenia (RFE)
• Kurti at Slovenia summit seeks visa liberalization and EU integration (RTK)
• Varhelyi: talks about visa liberalization for Kosovo (Telegrafi)
• Kurti and Vucic to meet in Slovenia, Merkel and Macron to participate in the meeting (media)
• Kosovo without state symbols at the Slovenia summit (RTK)
• RWLSEE demands mutual recognition between Kosovo and Serbia (RTK)
• Former Serbian minister calling Recak massacre a fabrication, escapes from Kosovo (media)
• CDHRF reacts after Stanisic’s sentence: partial justice for victims (media)
• COVID-19: One death, 41 new cases (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Borrell: The road to the EU requires of Serbia and Kosovo to set differences aside (Beta, Danas)
• Kurti confirmed that he would meet with Vucic in Slovenia (euronews.rs)
• Vucic: No excessive expectations, but I expect positive message from EU (Tanjug)
• EU-Western Balkans summit will not discuss enlargement (N1)
• Vucic: Slovenia wants Western Balkans in EU by 2030 (N1)
• EU Council head: European perspective & lots of money for W. Balkans (N1)
• Kosovo HLC: Verdict to Stanisic without reasoning (Radio KIM)
• Vlajic: Todosijevic did not receive summons to serve his sentence (KoSSev)
• Drecun: Pristina will try to use license plates issue to impose recognition (Politika)
• Selakovic thanked Syria for principled stance on Kosovo (Kosovo-online)

International:

• (LIVE) EU-Western Balkans Summit 2021 (EWB)
• Civil society sets 10 principles for dealing with disputed past (Prishtina Insight)
• Progress stalls on EU entry for Western Balkans nations (AP)
• Slovenia summit: Balkan leaders look to EU to open up club (BBC)
• Western Balkans Awaits EU Summit as Membership Hopes Falter (Balkan Insight)
• You are family, EU chief tells Balkans, leaders not so sure (Reuters)

Humanitarian/Development:

• “Open Balkans” companies at World Exhibition in Dubai (Kosovo-online)

• Hovenier: Without Kosovo-Serbia mutual recognition, region will remain blocked (VOA/RFE)
• Borrell on EU-US relations: Cooperation in Western Balkans much better (media)
• Government says it supports regional cooperation in the framework of Berlin Process (Koha)
• Kurti meets Prime Minister of Croatia, Plenkovic (media)
• Abdixhiku requests from EU: Treat Kosovo equally, lift visas (media)
• Haradinaj: There cannot be progress on Kosovo-Serbia dialogue without the U.S. (RTK)
• Serbia accused of blocking a Kosovo truck from entering its territory (Koha/Zeri)
• EU Leaders To Reassure Western Balkans States On Accession At Summit (RFE)
• Commissioner Varhelyi accused of favouring Serbia's candidacy despite no progress on key issues (Koha)
• AKR's Pacolli visits former KLA leaders detained at The Hague (media)
• Serb jailed for crimes in 1998-1999 war in Kosovo (AP)
• COVID-19: Two deaths, 38 new cases (media)

Albanian Language Media:

• EP: EU-U.S. cooperation in the Balkans more than necessary (RFE)
• MCC: It is up to partner countries to select projects (Kosovapress)
• Serb sentenced to 20 years in prison for killing 13 civilians during war (media)
• Panel calls for more cooperation between KSC and KP for temporary release (BpD/Koha)
• COVID-19: Two deaths, 38 new cases (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• 36 cases of Covid-19 in Serbian communities (KiM radio)
• Kurz: Slovenia summit extremely important (Tanjug)
• Office for KiM: Verdict to Stanisic points out Serbs are tried based on ethnicity, not the law (Kosovo-online)
• RSF wants EU-Western Balkans summit to discuss support for journalists (N1)
• Church in Jagnjenica village, Zubin Potok, burglarized (Radio kontakt plus)
• Twenty-one years after the ouster of Serbia’s strongman – what has changed? (N1)
• Serbian FM says EU should value Belgrade’s results more (N1)

Opinion:

• “Whether a new crisis will occur depends on outcome of local elections in Kosovo” (Danas)
• Don’t close the door on the Western Balkans (politico.eu)

International:

• Biden tells EC commission chief international tax system must be fair (Reuters)
• Contractor on Albania Power Line Paid Millions to Offshore Consultancy (Balkan Insight)
• Olivér Várhelyi: Europe’s under-fire gatekeeper (politico.eu)

• EU leaders to restate membership guarantee for Balkans at summit (Reuters)
• What is expected from the EU-Western Balkans summit? (Radio Free Europe)
• US Senator: Association of Serbian municipalities, a recipe for disaster (media)
• Kurti: Increased budget for the army will be a priority (media)
• EULEX chief on implementation of license plates agreement (media)
• Krasniqi: Government allowed Serbia to intervene in our sovereignty (media)
• Latifi: Result of local elections will be different from national elections (Express)
• COVID-19: One death, seven new cases (media)
• All change: Merkel’s departure a moment to rethink EU Balkan policy (BIRN)
• Pandora Papers: New lead exposes Balkan PEPs’ hidden riches (BIRN)
• Vetevendosje’s man elected CEO of Kosovo Power Corporation (Kallxo)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, October 4, 2021

Albanian Language Media:

• Kurti warns reduction of Serbian imports, plans to increase trade with Albania (euronews.al)
• Lajcak in U.S. after events in the North, Serbian request for Association (RTK)
• Kosovo-Serbia agreement on license plates enters into force (euronews.al)
• War victims found in Serbian mass grave repatriated to Kosovo (Prishtina Insight)
• Tahiri: Brussels license plates agreement threatens state sovereignty (Telegrafi)
• Haradinaj: Government made harmful decisions, call for resignation is legitimate (RTK)
• Shala: You agreed with Serbia in Brussels about our internal affairs (RTK)
• Establishment of reciprocity, Svecla visits Brnjak (media)
• COVID-19: One death, seven new cases (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Covid-19: 28 new cases, one death registered in Serbian areas (Radio konakt plus)
• Traffic normalized at Jarinje and Brnjak, stickers’ regime started (RTS)
• Petkovic: Without dialogue there is no progress, I hope US will explain it to Kurti (Kosovo-online)
• “Serbs pleased with withdrawal of special police units from northern Kosovo” (Radio KIM)
• Odalovic: KFOR has finally started doing its job (RTS)
• Rakic: I expect agreement will be respected and enable free movement of citizens (Radio Mitrovica sever)
• EU top diplomat in Serbia: W. Balkans has no alternative to Union (N1)

Opinion:

• Kosovo – Serbia Micro “Cuban Missile” Crisis (KoSSev)

International:

• Kosovo Charges Ten with Ethnically-Motivated Attack on Serbs (Balkan Insight)
• Vehicles, Their State Symbols Hidden, Now Crossing Kosovar-Serbian Border (RFE)

• License plates agreement: Sticker regime to enter into force today (media)
• Serbs lift roadblocks in Kosovo as NATO moves to end car plate row (Reuters)
• Kurti says they will work for full reciprocity with Serbia, addresses gas project (EO)
• "KFOR ready to perform its duties in support of local and regional stability" (media)
• U.S. commends progress in implementation of Kosovo-Serbia agreement (media)
• Kosovo Prime Minister Kurti meets management of the Kosovo Police (media)
• “The era when the Republic of Kosovo is oppressed is over,” says minister Svecla (euronews.al)
• Mehaj: National security challenged and provoked by Serbia (media)
• Shala in op-ed: Four lessons from the North of Kosovo (Klan Kosova)
• Phillips: Kosovo was late with reciprocity, Serbia to stop seeking preferential treatment (Telegrafi)
• Kurti to attend EU-Western Balkans summit in Slovenia (Kosovapress)
• Kandic: Serbia not ready to punish war crime perpetrators (Kosovapress)
• Kosovo Court urged to convict Serb ex-policeman of wartime killings (BIRN)
• COVID-19: Two deaths, 23 new cases (media)