• COVID-19: 154 new cases, 11 deaths (media)
• Non-paper: Kosovo and Serbia to recognise each other’s sovereignty (Koha)
• U.S.: Speculation about border changes, unnecessary threat to stability (RFE)
• Osmani speaks with US Assistant Secretary of State Reeker (media)
• Kosovo government questions meeting with Serbia announced by EU (media)
• PDK MP: Vetevendosje will do everything it rejected while in opposition (KTV)
• Rama takes narrow lead in Albania’s slow election count (BIRN)
Albanian Language Media:
• COVID-19: 154 new cases, 11 deaths (media)
• Vaccine rollout gets off to a shaky start (Prishtina Insight)
• EU confirms PM Kurti's upcoming visit to Brussels (Kallxo)
• Kosovo has written to Romania about the killing of two VV activists (media)
• Assembly adopts in principle bill easing trial in absentia procedures (Kosovapress)
• AAK accuses government of having no vision (media)
• VV's Kusari-Lila responds to AAK's criticism against government (media)
• EC stresses position against border changes in the Balkans (RFE)
Serbian Language Media:
• 23 new cases of Covid-19 registered in Serbian areas on Saturday (Radio KIM)
• Vucic’s two-day visit to Brussels (media)
• Vucic: Ready for dialogue, we understood Kurti's messages (Tanjug, RTS)
• Petkovic: Kurti showed his aim is to create “Great Albania” (Radio KIM)
• Djuric: Dialog is not a priority, but voting in Albania is (Kosovo-online)
• Drecun: Continuation of Belgrade-Pristina dialogue is not disputable; but agenda is (RTS)
• Godfrey: Unresolved relations with Pristina are obstacles to Serbia's European integration (KiM radio, Novi Magazin)
• Liberation Movement forms Council for Kosovo and Metohija (BETA)
• Health Ministry official: Epidemic measures and mass vaccination in Serbia still necessary (N1)
• Half a million doses of Sinopharm vaccine arrived in Serbia (RTS)
• Serbian Army Chief of Staff: Mandatory military service a long-term solution (N1, Politika)
• Dodik: Idea of RS seceding from Bosnia-Herzegovina discussed in Europe (N1)
Opinion:
• West should stop pushing Kosovo on new Serbian entity (euobserver)
• Kosovo Needs Rescuing From its Middle Eastern Imbroglio (Balkan Insight)
International:
• Kurti’s vote in Albanian elections – controversial but not unprecedented in the Balkans (EWB)
• COVID-19: 227 new cases, four deaths (media)
• Assembly to discuss management of COVID-19 pandemic (media)
• Kurti slammed for decision to vote in Albania's elections (media)
• Kurti pledges to present programme upon return from Brussels (media)
• Kosovo without political consensus towards the grand finale (Koha)
• Klan Kosova: Surroi, Shala invited to join Kosovo negotiating team (media)
• Gervalla: Petkovic to respect Brussels Agreement during Kosovo visit (Express/Klan)
• Lajcak and Vucic meet in Brussels (media)
• Op-ed: Kosovo should rule out any further compromise (BIRN)
• Pjeter Shala: Kosovo Liberation Army’s Shadowy ‘Commander Wolf’ (BIRN)
• Exit polls: Tight race in Albania’s parliamentary vote (AP)
UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, April 23, 2021
Albanian Language Media:
• COVID-19: 356 new cases, eight deaths (media)
• PM Kurti meets North Macedonian FM Osmani (media)
• Osmani: We reject ideas that affect our borders (media)
• Kosovo FM Gervalla against redrawing of Balkans borders (media)
• North Macedonia's FM pledges support to Kosovo (media)
• Austria opposes border changes (Koha)
• Szunyog commends minister for publishing list of recovery aid recipients (media)
• Ministry launches disciplinary procedures against correctional service chief (media)
Serbian Language Media:
• Vucic travels to Brussels on Sunday (Kosovo-online)
• Vucic: Pristina will have to respect Brussels agreement (Kosovo-online)
• Maas: The right time to continue the dialogue; no need to reset (media)
• Mojsilovic: Construction of the base in northern Kosovo causes concern, we monitor the situation (Danas, Beta, Politika)
• Selakovic and Petkovic: Scandalous political audacity of Vjosa Osmani (RTS)
• Selakovic with Maas: Germany one of the most important Serbian economic partners (Kosovo-online)
• Vucic says Belgrade not interested in creating Greater Serbia (N1)
• Commemoration for 16 killed during 1999 NATO bombing of Serbia’s state TV (Beta, N1)
• Rakocevic: KFOR must open its eyes; lies being told nowadays only encourage extremists (Kosovo-online)
• Bishop Irinej writes to Blinken about violence against Serbs in Kosovo (Radio KIM)
Opinion:
• Organic networking: a Balkan awakening (KoSSev)
• A ‘Greying’ Western Balkans Must Look to Robots (Balkan Insight)
International:
• German diplomat says time is right for Serbia-Kosovo talks (AP)
• Germany rejects idea of redrawing Western Balkans borders - minister (Reuters)
• Serbian Leader Talks Up Ties To Biden, Says 'No Interest' In 'Greater Serbia' (RFE)
• Disputed memo on partitioning Bosnia sparks fears of violence (Al Jazeera)
• Serbian Court Tries Kosovo Albanian for Wartime Killings (Balkan Insight)
• Vučić: Serbia wants stronger relations with Bosniaks and Croats in Bosnia (euractive.com)
• Suspicions Persist About NATO’s Deadly Bombing of Serbian TV (Balkan Insight)
Humanitarian/Development:
• We want to breathe (EWB)
• COVID-19: 408 new cases, five deaths (media)
• Maas: Ideas for border changes, unrealistic and dangerous (media)
• Government to announce topics of Kurti-Vucic meeting, when date is set (KTV)
• Hoxhaj won’t accept Kurti’s invitation to dialogue with Serbia (media)
• Kurti’s backing down on reciprocity with Serbia (Koha)
• Environment Ministry implies reviewing permits for hydropower plants (Koha)
• North Macedonia Foreign Minister to visit Kosovo today (media)
• Selakovic: Osmani’s statements show Prishtina doesn’t want dialogue (media)
Albanian Language Media:
• COVID-19: 408 new cases, five deaths (media)
• Maas: Tensions between Kosovo and Serbia hinder their progress (Klan)
• Osmani thanks Szunyog for EU-donated vaccines (media)
• Opposition slams government's decision affecting pensions (media)
• KFOR: No significant security incident was recorded in the last 10 years against Decan Monastery (Express)
Serbian Language Media:
• Covid-19 in Serbian communities: 26 new cases (KoSSev)
• EP’s Fajon: Ideas about new borders extremely dangerous, especially for Bosnia (NIN, N1)
• Patriarch Porfirije: I appreciate the efforts of Bishop Teodosije, who is falsely accused by those who want to bring unrest (KoSSev)
• Aliferi: Greece doesn’t recognize Kosovo; its stance remains unchanged (Radio KIM)
• Dejan Dimitrijevic from Gracanica fined with EU 2300 over protest gathering (Vecernje Novosti)
• Serbian minister says intergovernmental conference with EU in June (N1)
Opinion:
• Can Kurti use the moment to start genuine inter-ethnic cooperation? (K2.0)
International:
• Disputed Non-Paper is Stirring Dangerous Dreams in the Balkans (Balkan Insight)
• EU action awaited as phantom paper further unhinges Western Balkans (euractive.com)
Humanitarian/Development:
• Vucic discusses new arrangement with IMF (N1)
• COVID-19: 506 new cases, five deaths (media)
• Majority of COVID-19 patients infected with British variant (BIRN)
• Immunisation before the recovery plan (Koha)
• Kurti will visit Brussels, but not to meet with Vucic (Koha)
• Kosovo, Serbia leaders won’t meet on visits to Brussels (BIRN)
• Hajdari on reciprocity measures: We will first exhaust CEFTA tools (Koha)
• German Foreign Minister to visit Kosovo today (media)
• Kurti: People of Kosovo and Israel share a historical tie (media)
• Lajcak speaks with OSCE Head of Mission in Kosovo (media)
• Agron Llugaliu appointed General Director of Kosovo Customs (media)
• Press Council, AJK criticise call for state regulation of online content (BIRN)
UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, April 21, 2021
Albanian Language Media:
• COVID-19: 506 new cases, five deaths (media)
• PM Kurti to visit Brussels next week, meet EU officials (media)
• German FM Maas to visit Kosovo and Serbia (RFE)
• Britain's PM Johnson congratulates Kurti on election, pledges support to Kosovo (media)
• Roth: No one in Europe can support border changes phantasies (DW)
• Hoxhaj accuses government of 'abstaining from responsibility' (media)
• State prosecutor and police: Avoid investigations against media and reporters (media)
• Musliu reacts after sexist graffiti: This is not in the culture of PDK (media)
Serbian Language Media:
• Antonijevic: The situation more favorable, but there is no room for relaxation (Kosovo Online, RTK)
• Kosovo media: Vucic, Kurti to go to Brussels and Paris (N1, KoSSev)
• Vaccination with Pfizer without registration available in Serbia as of Wednesday (Kontakt plus radio)
• Embassy of Slovakia: We are not changing our position on Kosovo (Politika, Blic, B92)
• Selakovic: Gratitude to Iran for not recognizing Pristina’s separatism (Kosovo-online)
• Selakovic: Serbia plans to start producing Sinopharm vaccine as of October (N1)
• Vucic meets with WHO Europe Director Kluge (Tanjug)
• Petkovic: With budget rebalance we have earmarked 4 billion dinars for assistance in KiM (Kosovo-online)
International:
• Media Freedom Deteriorated In Europe Amid Pandemic, Report Warns (Balkan Insight)
• North Macedonia to Upgrade Army Despite Economic Concerns (Balkan Insight)
Humanitarian/Development:
• Belgrade Mayor: Herd immunity soon to be reached in capital (N1)
• COVID-19: 478 new cases, 16 deaths (media)
• Government silent over “difficult compromises” with Serbia (RFE)
• Tahiri: Government must not make compromises in dialogue (media)
• Koha publishes 2015 draft statute of Association of Serb-majority municipalities
• Collaku: Kurti deserves everyone’s respect if he can reject Association (media)
• Gorani: Kurti government will be forced to accept compromise (media)
• Kurti: Cultural differences must unite us, not divide us (media)
• Albanians from Presevo Valley expect Kurti to include them in dialogue (media)
• Rama: Mini-Schengen aimed to dissolve border with Kosovo (Euronews Albania)
• PDK denies it is behind offensive graffiti against its former MP (media)
• Editor: Brussels confirmed they received document from Jansha (media)
• Bosnian Serbs urge talks on Country’s potential ‘disintegration’ (BIRN)
Albanian Language Media:
• COVID-19: 442 new cases, 14 deaths (media)
• EU to send 95,000 doses of Pfizer vaccine to Kosovo (media)
• Vitia signs administrative instruction paving way for vaccine purchase (media)
• President Biden writes to Osmani: Our partnership is rooted in common values (media)
• Aliferi: Greece supports Kosovo's European integration path (RFE)
• Kusari-Lila: Government to soon present position on dialogue with Serbia (Telegrafi)
• LVV calls for end to government paying electricity bills for the north (Koha)
• Haxhiu: Vetting of judiciary, biggest challenge for Ministry of Justice (media)
Serbian Language Media:
• Covid-19 in Serbian communities: Two people died, 36 new cases (KoSSev)
• Vucic: Serbia will not recognize Kosovo to get Republika Srpska (N1)
• Brnabic meets WHO Europe Director Klugge (Tanjug)
• Palestine requests Islamic states to cease relations with Pristina (RTS)
• Kosovo dropped eight places on media freedom list (RTV Puls)
• Journalism, a high-risk profession in Kosovo (Kosovo Online, RTS)
• Serbia’s ranking unchanged on World Press Freedom Index (N1)
• Varhelyi: 651.000 vaccines for Western Balkans, Serbia was first to extend help to the region (Kosovo-online)
• Gracanica: Performance ''Contribution to the tax'' (Kosovo Online)
International:
• Biden urges to Kosovo continue ‘essential’ talks with Serbia (AP)
• Serbia’s Marko Đurić urges ‘just solution’ to bitter Kosovo dispute (washdiplomat.com)
• Balkans rocked as leaked memo explores redrawing Bosnia’s borders along ethnic lines (euronews.com)
Humanitarian/Development:
• Kosovar biologist calls newly found insect after coronavirus (AP)
• Mediation as a form of reconciliation in schools (UNICEF, social media)
• Brain drain? In Serbia, Montenegro, and North Macedonia there are signs of ‘brain gain’ (Emerging Europe)