• COVID-19: 100 new cases, no deaths (media)
• Kurti on Open Balkans: Creates space for influence from the East (KP)
• Kosovo honors Beau Biden, late son of US President (Reuters)
• Kosovo MPs to debate today on first 100 days of Kurti-led government (media)
• Gervalla denies reports suggesting her removal from post (Kallxo)
• Police arrest person for breaking into Gasic’s flat (Koha)
• Kosovo wins international recognition … at the Olympics (Politico.eu)
• Experts’ exodus from Kosovo accreditation body sparks blame game (BIRN)
• Minor earthquake shakes Kosovo, Serbia and North Macedonia (media)
• Kosovo men in search of WWII aircraft at bottom of Lake Ohrid (Euronews.al)
UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, August 2, 2021
UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, July 30, 2021
Albanian Language Media:
• President Biden to be awarded Kosovo medal on behalf of late son, Beau (media)
• Gervalla says 'Open Balkans' is a dangerous initiative (Kosovapress)
• Abdixhiku: Economic integration of the region to be preceded by political recognition (media)
• Haradinaj accuses Kurti of ‘selling’ patriotism while protecting Serbia’s products (media)
• Vitia: The pandemic is far from over, our only weapon is vaccination (media)
• COVID-19: 70 new cases, one death (media)
Serbian Language Media:
• EC on the Open Balkans Initiative: We support the leaders' commitment to regional cooperation (Kosovo Online, Danas)
• Belgrade expects constructive Berlin’s support in dialogue with Pristina (N1)
• “Open Balkan” criticized in Pristina and Tirana (KoSSev)
• Vucic: Kurti mistaken in thinking he’ll win with chauvinistic messages and closing Pristina (KoSSev)
• Petkovic: We have delivered food and insulin to Dragica Gasic (Radio KIM)
International:
• Balkan ‘Mini-Schengen’ Leaders Eye Open Borders by 2023 (Balkan Insight)
Humanitarian/Development:
• US State Department again lists BIRN as a resource for fighting corruption (Prishtina Insight)
UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, July 30, 2021
• Serbia, North Macedonia, Albania Push Forward On 'Open Balkans' Initiative (RFE)
• Government of Kosovo reiterates position against Open Balkans initiative (media)
• Analysts support Kosovo's position on Mini-Schengen (Kosovapress)
• LDK: Berlin Process should be the starting point for Kosovo (Telegrafi)
• Kosovo Dismisses ‘Visionless Mini Schengen’, Urges for Trade Deal with the EU (Exit)
• Over 55% of respondents consider rejection of "Open Balkans" will not negatively affect Kosovo’s economy (Telegrafi)
• Demi: Easy for Rama and Vucic to make calls for not keeping hostage to the past (Koha)
• Spahiu: Kosovo loses politically by not joining Open Balkans initiative (Klan)
• Osmani, Kurti, and Konjufca pay respects to the victims of bus crash (media)
• Kurti: Ireland, an important voice in speeding up the visa liberalization (media)
• President Osmani has telephone conversation with Israeli President Herzog (media)
• Gervalla to pay an official visit to North Macedonia today (media)
• Four laws in four months (RFE, media)
• COVID-19: 72 new cases, no deaths (media)
UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, July 29, 2021
UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, July 29, 2021
Albanian Language Media:
• Rama, Vucic and Zaev sign cooperation agreement in line with Open Balkan initiative (euronews.al)
• In 2023 there will be no borders between our countries, Vucic says (euronews.al)
• Zaev: A new wind of cooperation is blowing today in Skopje (euronews.al)
• Rama: Regional cooperation brings us closer to the EU (euronews.al)
• Vucic: If you consider Asterix a disgrace, put Serbia with a square sign (media)
• Concept Paper on justice vetting proceeded for public consultation (Telegrafi)
• Health Ministry: Compatriots living abroad can be vaccinated in Kosovo (media)
• COVID-19: 72 new cases, no deaths (media)
Serbian Language Media:
• "Open Balkans" new name for "mini-Schengen" (Kosovo Online, Tanjug)
• Vucic, Rama and Zaev today at the economic forum in Skopje (media)
• Serbia-US friendship and alliance in 140 years of diplomatic relations (N1)
• Bishop Teodosije met German diplomat Berger (Radio KIM)
• Non-paper: European Council definitively rejects access to document (N1 Slovenia, N1 BiH)
• OSCE on burglary of Dragica Gasic’s flat (KoSSev, media)
International:
• Kosovo Faces Uphill Fight in Claiming Yugoslav-Era Property (Balkan Insight)
UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, July 29, 2021
• Families bury victims of tragic bus crash (media)
• Germany's state secretary Berger meets PM Kurti, President Osmani (media)
• Hasani: EU and U.S. could ask for a break in dialogue (Klan)
• PDK warns it will not vote international agreements (media)
• Haxhiu: Four prosecutors to join Special Prosecution of Kosovo (media)
• Rama, Vucic, Zaev meet today at Skopje’s Economic Forum (media)
• Renowned Serb returnee to Gjakova suffers break-in (Prishtina Insight)
• COVID-19: 58 new cases, no deaths (media)
UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, July 28, 2021
Albanian Language Media:
• UNDP poll finds significant increase in people's satisfaction with Kosovo institutions (media)
• “Kosovo has investment potential but political instability and corruption hinder it” (Klan)
• Kosovo Assembly adopts budget review (media)
• Muja: For the first time in Kosovo, revenues exceed €2 billion (Kallxo)
• Bodies of bus crash victims arrive at Kosovo (media)
• COVID-19: 58 new cases, no deaths (media)
Serbian Language Media:
• OSCE report on assessment of community rights in Kosovo presented (KiM radio, RTV Puls, RTK2, N1)
• Fabrizi expects Serbia’s progress in talks with bloc before end of 2021 (N1)
• Dragica Gasic after robbery at her flat: I am staying in Djakovica (Radio KIM)
• “Absence of reactions and tendentious reporting on incidents constitute their silent approval” (Radio KIM)
• Petkovic to seek additional security for Dragica Gasic (Kosovo Online)
• Cadez: It is important that political leaders realize importance of “mini-Schengen” (Kosovo-online)
• BSN: New weapons strengthen operational capacities of Serbian Army (N1)
Opinion:
• Is the Decani Monastery really endangered? (Kosovo 2.0)
International:
• Balkan trio push ‘mini-Schengen’ as they hit out at EU membership delay (Financial Times)
• ‘Genocide’ Controversy Erupts over WWII Massacres in Montenegro (Balkan Insight)
UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, July 28, 2021
• Osmani, Kurti and Konjufca meet the survivors of accident in Croatia (media)
• Ministers Vitia and Svecla give update on the bus crash developments (media)
• Kusari-Lila: We expect reviewed budget to be approved (Koha)
• Abdixhiku: LDK's rightful place is at the top, current government made of interns (G. Express)
• PDK's Tahiri slams Government for not submitting 100-day report (media)
• Haradinaj: Kurti’s government will not last long (RTV Dukagjini/Telegrafi)
• Spain awaits dialogue’s epilogue to decide on recognition of Kosovo (RTV Dukagjini)
• A bakery opens in the Kosovo Correctional Center in Lipjan (T7)
• Dragica Gasic claims her flat was broken into (RFE)
• OSCE issues report on assessment of community rights (Telegrafi)
• NGOs: Assembly will disable work of organizations and deprive public of right to be informed (media)
• COVID-19: 42 new cases, no deaths (media)
UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, 27 July 2021
UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, July 27, 2021
Albanian Language Media:
• Kurti: The government will help reduce the gap between communities (Koha)
• KIA Chief Petrit Ajeti reports to the supervising committee (media)
• Minister Mehaj gives details about the released from the hospital in Croatia (Zeri)
• Croatian Court sentences driver of crashed bus with one month detention (media)
• Economy committee votes proposal for ERO board members (media)
• Maas: A German citizen among the victims of the bus crash (media)
• 55 patients are being treated with oxygen therapy, one in serious condition (Koha)
• COVID-19: 42 new cases, no deaths (media)
Serbian Language Media:
• 58% of Serbian citizens support the EU-mediated BG-PR dialogue (KoSSev)
• Stefanovic: Serbia grateful to Indonesia for support and non-recognition of Kosovo (Kosovo-online)
• In Serbian communities in Kosovo one Covid-19 case (KoSSev)
Opinion:
• The genocide campaign (Danas, KoSSev)
International:
• Minuto-Rizzo: Balkans has regained a priority status for NATO (EWB)
Humanitarian/Development:
• Summer School on Transitional Justice in Prizren (RTK2)
UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, July 27, 2021
• COVID-19: 14 new cases, no deaths (media)
• Ministry: So far, 20 percent of people in Kosovo have been inoculated (Telegrafi)
• Only 30 percent of Kosovo teachers have been vaccinated (RFE in Albanian)
• 10 victims of Kosovo bus crash identified, funeral arrangements underway (media)
• Ministry: 26 persons to be discharged from hospital, 15 to continue treatment (media)
• Kosovo mourns 10 compatriots killed in Croatia bus crash (AP)
• Due to the terminology on Kosovo, Serbia failed four regional agreements (Koha)
• Kosovo expects GDP growth to exceed projected 7.9% this year (intellinews.com)
• 60 films in 6 days, female directors prominent in Prishtina Film Festival (euronews.al)
UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, July 26, 2021
Albanian Language Media:
• COVID-19: 14 new cases, no deaths (media)
• Kurti, Gervalla return to Kosovo, Vitia and Svecla stay on in Croatia (media)
• Svecla: Some of the passengers will travel to Kosovo, others will return to Germany (Klan)
• PM Kurti pays tribute to Enver Zymberi on anniversary of his death (media)
• Gervalla called on EU to stop "Mini-Schengen" initiative (Telegrafi)
Serbian Language Media:
• One case of Covid-19 registered in Serbian areas in Kosovo on Saturday (Radio KIM)
• Presidential, and Belgrade elections, possibly parliamentary in Serbia in spring, official says (N1, Beta, Vecernje Novosti)
• Serbian List expresses condolences to families of those who died in bus crash (Kosovo-online)
• Raska-Prizren Eparchy expresses condolence to families of victims, prays for recovery of those injured in bus crash (Kosovo-online)
• Vucic will get closer to Moscow, but he will not "grow cold" towards Erdogan (Danas)
• Joksimovic: Regional initiatives enable stability (RTS)
• “International community does not see difficult position of Serbs” (Politika)
• Bayramov: Azerbaijan respects principles of international law when it comes to Kosovo issue (Kosovo-online)
• Dacic to attend inauguration of Iranian president (N1)
• Bolton: Pristina has the right not to accept territorial changes, but then there is no progress in the negotiations (Kosovo Online, B92)
International:
• Enmity and Neglect Take Toll on Serb Churches in Kosovo (Balkan Insight)
• Enkel Demi: We Need to Know Each Other’s Literature (Balkan Insight)
Humanitarian/Development:
• Nora Gjakova wins Kosovo’s third Olympic gold medal (Prishtina Insight)
• Montenegro Makes History With First Same-Sex Marriage (Balkan Insight)