UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, June 29, 2022

Albanian Language Media:

• Lajcak: We’re working to have Kurti-Vucic meeting before summer break (media)
• Kurti: We have met the criteria; Svecla travels to Brussels for visas in 48 hours (EO)
• Osmani received the EU Special Representative for Dialogue, Miroslav Lajcak (media)
• Visit of Specialized Chambers President postponed (Koha)
• PDK leader: I hope for a favourable decision on visa liberalisation by end of year (EO)
• 70% of respondents of poll in Kosovo, Serbia unsatisfied with EU role in dialogue (Koha)
• Krasniqi after meeting Kurti: PDK proposed Vetting years ago (media)
• KIA reports to Assembly Committee, situation in Northern municipalities, fragile (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Lajcak in Mitrovica North with Rakic and mayors (Kosovo Online)
• Ministry of Communities and Returns: CSM (ZSO), the only way to improve the position of Serbs (Radio Mitrovica sever)
• “Djokovic knows nothing about crime he is accused of” (Radio KIM)
• Vejvoda: Serbia cannot maintain neutrality (KiM radio, FoNet, TV Insajder)
• Turkey has agreed to support Finnish and Swedish NATO membership bids (N1, CNN)
• NATO summit in Madrid: USA announces increased presence in the Balkans (Kosovo Online, Klix.ba)
• Filipovic: I am waiting call from court regarding young man arrested at Gazimestan (Kosovo Online)
• Dveri Movement demands immediate release of man arrested yesterday at Gazimestan (Radio KIM)
• Brnabic: Independent position is difficult, but best (N1)

International:

• Albania Proposes Controversial Amnesty for Undeclared Assets (BIRN)
• ‘Montenegro has Wasted a Decade Delaying EU Reforms’ (BIRN)
• Fleeing Putin’s War, Russians Confront Pro-Kremlin Feeling in Serbia (BIRN)

• Prime Minister Kurti meets Quint ambassadors, discuss dialogue (media)
• Lajcak: Serbia considers Association most important point in dialogue (Kallxo)
• Lajcak to give press conference at end of his Kosovo visit (media)
• Kosovars fume at new delay in accessing EU visa-free travel (AP)
• Kurti meets Davenport, discusses respect for minority rights (media)
• The European Commission confirms - there is no new visa roadmap (RTK)
• Coordinator for establishment of Sovereign Fund is appointed (RTK)
• Minister Haxhiu admits she is being hindered in the Vetting process (media)
• Kosovo police arrest Serb for ‘inciting hatred’ after battle commemoration (BIRN)
• Kosovo dancers feel out of step with neglectful governments (BIRN)
• “Let’s light up the Balkans” (Kosovo 2.0)

Albanian Language Media:

• PDK leader meets Lajcak; dialogue to end with mutual recognition (Telegrafi)
• Haradinaj after meeting Lajcak: U.S. involvement in dialogue is needed (media)
• Abdxhiku meets Lajcak, discuss dialogue and visas (media)
• Haxhiu: First efforts for meeting opposition leaders on vetting, very soon (Kosovapress)
• Serbian Church leader: In our birthplace here; we’re brothers with Albanians (Express)
• KLI: The Specialist Chambers work followed by serious irregularities (media)
• New visa roadmap, EU’s attempt to 'buy time' (RTK)

Serbian Language Media:

• Patriarch Porfirije on Vidovdan: “In Kosovo and Metohija we are in our own place, called to be brothers to Albanians” (media)
• Lajcak in Belgrade from June 29 to July 1 (media)
• Petkovic calls on Lajcak to address Kosovo entry bans issue (Tanjug, media)
• Kosovo police arrest war crimes suspect; KiM Office: Intimidation (Beta, N1)
• Kosovo police searched premises of Pec Interim Authority in Gorazdevac (Radio KIM)
• US Ambassador calls Serbia to align with EU policies (N1)
• Selakovic thanks President of Romania for support on Kosovo issue (Kosovo Online)
• Giaufret: We want Serbia to demonstrate EU values (N1)
• Vucic, Hill discuss geopolitical situation, investments, Belgrade-Pristina dialogue (N1, Kosovo Online)

Opinion:

• It’s Time Bosnia Looked Beyond EU Membership (BIRN)

International:

• ‘I Love 3D’: Albanian PM’s Promises Glitter – Realisation Falls Short (BIRN)

• Kurti: I won’t allow a second Serbian Republic in Kosovo (media)
• Lajcak begins Kosovo visit, meets Prime Minister Kurti (media)
• Lajcak: Resolving fate of more than 1600 missing is urgent (media)
• Osmani strongly condemns Russian attack on Ukrainian civilians (RTK)
• Várhelyi points out reason for delay in visa liberalization for Kosovo (RTK)
• Government preparing plan to unilaterally resolve license plates issue (Telegrafi)
• Kosovo arrest of war crime suspect angers Serbia (BIRN)
• US Ambassador to Montenegro: In Open Balkans, there is no footnote (VOA)
• Serbs celebrate St. Vitus’ Day today; police undertake security measures (RTK)
• Special Court goes on summer vacation for two and a half months (Reporteri)
• Balkan football hooliganism linked to politics, organised crime – report (BIRN)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, June 27, 2022

Albanian Language Media:

• Haxhiu: We need to be united for reforms in judiciary (Ekonomia Online/Koha)
• Tahiri: Not enough for Lajcak to feel bad about lack of visa liberalisation (Telegrafi)
• President Osmani meets with President of Singapore Halimah Yacob (media)
• Supreme Court chief denies political pressure in case of new energy fees (Kosovapress)
• Serbian reporter talks about Serbia’s crimes in Kosovo (Telegrafi)
• Kostilnik: Reaching a final Kosovo-Serbia agreement is urgent (Kosovapress)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic on Serbia's membership in the EU: Everything depends on the geopolitical situation (RTS)
• Director of the Office for IT and e-government not allowed to cross Jarinje (RTS, Tanjug)
• New construction near Gazimestan Monument (Radio KIM)
• Vucic, Donfreid discuss bilateral relations, EU integration, Belgrade-Pristina dialogue (N1)
• Kalin: Turkiye will not impose sanctions on Russia (Kosovo-online)
• Leader of opposition initiative from Mitrovica North invites Lajcak for meeting (Danas)
• Fatherland: Facilities were relinquished to Pristina (Jugpress)

International:

• Total foreign remittances to Kosovo up 5.4% y/y in Jan-Apr (seenews.com)
• How Turkey’s Extremist ‘Grey Wolves’ Built a Cell in Bosnia (BIRN)

• Lajcak to meet Kurti and opposition leaders during his visit today (media)
• Svecla: No Kosovar is fighting in Ukraine (euronews.al)
• “No room for disappointment; visa liberalization was never closer” (Koha)
• Kurti meets mayors; discuss rule of law and respect for human rights (media)
• President Osmani visits Thailand (media)
• ERO licenses Serbian electricity supplier in north Kosovo (Prishtina Insight)
• EU has finally buried Balkan dreams of membership (BIRN)
• Croatian MEP appointed Rapporteur on new EU Enlargement Strategy (media)
• Online learning in Kosovo left kids and parents frustrated (Prishtina Insight)

Albanian Language Media:

• Interior Minister accuses Serb parallel structures of Elektrokosmet attack (Klan Kosova)
• Lajcak sides with Western Balkans; “this generates disappointment” (Gazeta Express)
• President of Specialist Chambers to visit Kosovo on July 4 (media)
• President Osmani on working visits to Thailand and Singapore (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• EU Council calls for faster accession of Western Balkans (N1)
• Brussels: War in Ukraine puts EU enlargement front and center (N1)
• Vucic at the Summit: Strong pressure over Russia and Ukraine (Beta, N1)
• Vucic met leaders of France, Austria in Brussels (N1, Beta)
• No consensus on Kosovo's accession to NATO (Politika, Tanjug)
• Patriarch Porfirije in Gazimestan on Vidovdan (Tanjug)
• Ilic: ''Belgrade and Pristina energy agreement a solution to problems of electricity supply in the north of the province'' (Danas, FoNet, Insajder TV)
• Bulgarian MFA: Rama to adapt vocabulary for politician from an EU candidate country; Rama replies (Kosovo Online)
• Bulgaria lifts the veto on North Macedonia (Tanjug, B92, RTS, N1)
• Rakic: Members of the Egyptian community are an important part of Kosovo society (Kosovo Online)

International:

• What Will the Serbia-Kosovo Energy Deal Achieve? (Balkan Insight)
• Police Probe Explosion at Electricity Distributor in North Kosovo (BIRN)
• Serbian Security Officials’ War Crime Verdict Set for 2023 (BIRN)
• EU awards Ukraine and Moldova candidate status (BBC)
• Greece is Proposing 2033 as the Deadline for the Western Balkans to Join the EU (novinite.com)

• Western Balkans Leaders Voice Frustration over EU Summit Failure (BIRN)
• Borrell: There might be a high-level meeting in late June (Zeri)
• Palokaj: Visa liberalization in autumn or by the end of the year (Koha)
• Bajrami: Long but eventful and ultimately very good day (media)
• “Kosovo should apply for EU candidate status this year” (Koha)
• Bislimi: Next week we’ll decide how to address issue of license plates (media)
• Explosive device thrown at “Elektrokosmet” facility in the north (Kosovapress)
• Serbia’s Lone Albanian MP Fights Fourth Time for Seat (BIRN)

Albanian Language Media:

• Osmani to EU leaders: This has just gone too far, my citizens feel discriminated (media)
• Osmani meets with EU leaders (RTK)
• Metsola: Visa liberalization for Kosovo must happen (Kallxo)
• Kajari: Kosovo-Serbia agreement brings stability to region (Klan)
• The Dutch Parliament votes in favor of abolishing visas for Kosovo (media)
• Osmani: No country can follow both Russia’s and EU’s path (Reporteri)

Serbian Language Media:

• EU-Western Balkans summit in Brussels ends (NMagazin, Beta)
• Vucic: We believe in the European future of Serbia and the region (RTS, Tanjug)
• Nehammer: No double standards in the accession process (Tanjug)
• Dzaferovic asked Michel to support BiH's candidacy (RTS, N1)
• Michel: The Western Balkans is an EU priority (RTS, Tanjug)
• Borrell: Consensus problem, good thing there is progress in the dialogue (Tanjug)
• Scholz: Western Balkans need ‘realistic opportunity’ for EU membership (Hina, N1)
• Rama: Shameful "kidnapping" of two countries on the way to the EU (RTS)
• Petkov: Solution should be found in Bulgarian parliament (RTS, Tanjug)
• Varhelyi: The time for responsible decisions, Western Balkans to be part of the EU (RTS)
• The main topics of the summit in Brussels (RTS)
• “Who is switching off the lights in the north” protest in Mitrovica North tomorrow (Kontakt plus radio)
• Lazarevic: Citizens from the North disappointed with the agreement - new confirmation of Serbia’s withdrawal (KoSSev, N1)

International:

• EU will 'stand by its promises' on Western Balkans enlargement (DW)
• Western Balkans leaders will attend EU summit, dropping boycott threats (Politico)
• Bulgarian government ousted in blow to EU enlargement hopes (Financial Times)

• Osmani: EP’s support - a guarantee for Kosovo's European path (media)
• The Netherlands gives positive signals for visa liberalization (Telegrafi)
• Slim chances for decision-making on visa liberalization at EU Summit (Koha)
• Shala: Kosovo-Serbia agreement on energy must be implemented (KTV)
• Rohde on Open Balkan: It doesn’t seem to be a comprehensive initiative (Kallxo)
• Majority, opposition trade blames for interruption of Assembly session (media)
• Osmani and Konjufca most liked politicians, according to poll (media)
• Germany extends military deployment in Kosovo (Euractiv)
• Balkans losing hope of progress on EU membership (VOA)