UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, December 1, 2020

Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: 521 new cases, ten deaths (media)
• UK to support Kosovo in dialogue with Serbia (RTK/Klan)
• Varhelyi: EU remains committed to Western Balkans (Klan)
• MP Demiri joins AAK parliamentary group (media)
• Daka: Final results for Podujeva, Mitrovica North elections to be announced Thursday (media)
• "ContourGlobal" takes Kosovo to court over power plant (media)
• Appeals court reduces war crimes sentence to former member of Serb forces (media)
• Journalist association condemns language of LDK member, Termkolli (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• 102 new cases of Covid-19, two deaths and 15 cures in Serbian communities in Kosovo (Kontakt plus radio)
• Montenegro is not withdrawing its decision to expel the Serbian Ambassador (B92)
• BCBP: Serbia’s people don’t give up Kosovo (N1, FoNet)
• Exhumation of mortal remains found in mine near Raska started (Kontakt plus radio)
• Criminal report filed against Popovic over statements regarding billboard “Freedom has a name – KLA” (KoSSev)
• Spahiu: After winning against PDK and LDK, what remains for Vetevendosje is to defeat Haradinaj in Decani (TV Most, Kosovo-online)
• Pristina arming KSF? (B92, BETA)
• Fabrizi, Popovic: Rule of Law central point in accession talks with EU (BETA, N1)

Opinion:

• Kosovo is Crimea: Pro-Russian narratives in Serbia driven by domestic politics? (EWB)

International:

• Kosovo Local Election Sends Ruling Party a Warning Shot (Balkan Insight)
• EU Ambassadors agree to delay EU talks with Albania and North Macedonia (EWB)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Remittance flow to Kosovo increases during pandemic (Klan)
• WHO: Worsening of the epidemic situation in Serbia decreasing (Beta, N1)
• Kosovo has not been carrying out HIV tests during the pandemic (RFE)
• PM: Serbia negotiates production of anti-coronavirus vaccines (BETA, N1)
• UNDP: More women in Serbia report domestic violence, trust institutions (N1)
• Schools close in defiance of government decision (Prishtina Insight)

• COVID – 19: 539 new cases, 11 deaths (media)
• Hoti: Excavation in Kizevak to continue (media)
• Following Podujevo elections, bigger ruling coalition or new elections (Telegrafi)
• KFOR ready to intervene if Kosovo security threatened (Koha)
• Decision published confirming Thaci, Veseli, Selimi, Krasniqi indictment (media)
• EU-Kosovo Stabilisation Association Council holds video conference (media)
• Limaj: Freedom spokesman in jail, Milosevic’s spokesperson a President (RTK)
• Isufi: Either Ramush for President or we go to new elections (media)

Albanian Language Media:

• COVID – 19: 539 new cases, 11 deaths (media)
• Osmani: Kosovo proved it is capable organizing democratic elections even in times of pandemics (media)
• Hoti: We will increase the economic recovery package (media)
• PDK reacts after LVV’s rally in Podujeve (RTK)
• Aliu criticizes Hoti for not reacting to Rakic’s statement (RTK)
• KFOR ready to act in case of tensions after Special Court indictments (media)
• Kosovo Parliament lacks quorum to pass important laws (Express)
• Kurti: Albanians do not want to act as told by those who grow rich (Koha)
• LDK chairmanship convenes after losing mayoral elections in Podujeva (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• 92 new cases of Covid-19, one death, 18 recoveries registered in Serbian areas on Saturday (Kontakt plus radio)
• CEC: Milan Radojevic new Mitrovica North mayor (Radio KIM, Kosovo-online)
• Szunyog praises organisation of elections in Podujevo and Mitrovica North (Radio Mitrovica sever)
• Dimitrijevic: Observers assessed election process as successful and professionally done (Kosovo-online)
• “Expected victory of Milan Radojevic” (Radio KIM)
• EU’s Várhelyi hails Serbia’s move to revoke decision on Montenegro’s envoy (N1)
• Vucic: State has to pay salaries and pensions (BETA, N1)
• Epidemiologist: Coronavirus in Serbia may calm by New Year if measures respected (N1)

International:

• EU Urges Montenegro to Revoke Expulsion of Serbian Ambassador (Balkan Insight)

Humanitarian/Development:

• 'Serbian-Albanian Friendship' website – contribution to regional reconciliation (Beta, N1)
• Air pollution issues extend to Peja (Prishtina Insight)

• COVID – 19: 626 new cases, 16 deaths (media)
• Decision on new possible measures to be made today (media)
• Hoti: Draft law on economic recovery will be passed this week (media)
• Vetevendosje wins mayoral election in Podujeva (Prishtina Insight)
• Bulliqi speaks after victory: Podujeva sent a message to Kosovo (media)
• Kurti: This is not an election, this is a referendum (media)
• Mustafa comments on LDK defeat in Podujevo (media)
• Vetevendosje: Elections showed voting can be organised in a pandemic (media)
• EU Head of Office comments on municipal elections on Sunday (media)
• Former KLA member summoned by Specialist Chambers (media)

• COVID-19: 764 new cases, 12 deaths (media)
• Ahmeti: Two weeks after anti-Covid measures, same number of new cases (media)
• Hoti confident economic recovery law will be passed next week (media)
• Former minister slams economic recovery law, says it has 'zero substance' (Kosovapress)
• Hoxhaj: No readiness in PDK to join coalition government (RTV21/Telegrafi)
• Bogujevci: The least Selmanaj could have done was apologise (Koha)
• Besian Mustafa: Our family’s last hope lies with the Special Court (Prishtina Insight)

Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: 764 new cases, 12 deaths (media)
• Hoti: There is no agreement with Serbia on Kosovo visits (media)
• Hoti denies resigning, urges parties to agree on president or election date (media)
• Gashi: There are reports PM Hoti has offered his resignation (Telegrafi)
• Haradinaj says it is unfair KLA leaders stand accused of war crimes (KP/Koha)
• Parliamentary committee to hear allegations against EULEX by former judge (media)
• CEC to enable COVID infected persons to vote from home (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• North Mitrovica Crisis Staff: 78 newly infected with Covid-19 and 17 cured (Kontakt plus radio)
• Gracanica Crisis Staff: 11 people tested positive for coronavirus (KiM radio)
• Petkovic: International representatives to protect Serbs from provocations and attacks (TV Most)
• A family robbed in Preoce village (KiM radio, RTV Gracanica, Kontakt plus radio)
• EU’s Lajčák briefs Bundestag and German MEPs on Belgrade-Pristina dialogue (Beta, N1)
• Shifts in the municipality of Gracanica, director of hospital Bratislav Lazic the new deputy president? (KiM radio)
• Pristina: Fire in a part of Pavilion "E" (KiM radio)
• Milena Ivanovic: I will go to Kosovo to ask for the truth about Oliver’s assassination (Kosovo Online)
• Books by Serbian publishers do not arrive in Kosovo for several years (RTK2)

International:

• Serbia Appoints French Activist to Head Diaspora Office (Balkan Insight)
• In Montenegro, Death of Outspoken Bishop has Political Ramifications (Balkan Insight)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Ivanusa: Georgia, Andorra and Luxembourg the only ones ahead of Serbia in terms of infected with coronavirus (B92, TV Prva)

COVID - 19: 827 new cases, 19 deaths (media)
Hoti: Decision on visits in accordance with circumstances (media)
Lajcak criticises Kosovo for blocking Vucic’s visit (Balkan Insight)
Kosovo Foreign Minister responds to Lajcak (media)
“Visits by Serbian officials, without facing past, cannot be welcome” (media)
MP Haradinaj: No visits while stepping on mass graves of Albanians (media)
Constitutional Chamber rejects Thaci’s proposed amendments (media)
Kurti tells EU: Kosovo needs new elections before new President (media)
Vetevendosje will try to block Deputy PM from attending Assembly (media)
Report on Russian influence in Kosovo (Telegrafi)

Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: 827 new cases, 19 deaths (media)
• EU warns Kosovo of consequences for not allowing Serbian President visit (Express)
• Hoti responds to Lajcak: We are for the freedom of movement (RTK)
• Ekaterina Trendafilova reappointed President of the Kosovo Specialist Chambers (Express)
• The Albanian Parliament approves establishment of a special commission for Dick Marty’s report (Koha)
• Mustafa criticizes Minister Haradinaj-Stublla (RTK)
• Haxhiu: LVV does not support any candidate for President without elections (RTK)
• Lindon Kqira: I do not recognise Vjosa Osmani’s decision (RTK)

Serbian Language Media:

• 52 new Covid-19 cases and four deaths registered in Serbian communities (Radio Mitrovica Sever)
• Stano: EU works daily to facilitate Belgrade-Pristina agreement (Tanjug, Kosovo Online)
• Doctors in Gracanica Clinical Hospital Center warn of alarming state in the health care, the director claims everything is fine (VoA, KoSSev, KiM radio)
• US Ambassador in Pristina says Embassy supports agreement implementation (N1, RTS)
• Petkovic alerts international representatives of Haradinaj-Stublla’s behavior (KoSSev)
• Dacic: Stublla’s statement is the culmination of Pristina’s hypocrisy (Kosovo Online, Tanjug)
• Discovery of new graves reveals new crimes (KiM radio, TV Show 'Sporazum')
• New indictment on the assassination of Oliver Ivanovic returns everything to the beginning (RTV Puls, Vecernje Novosti)
• KLA General Staff: In the draft law, it governed the KLA; in The Hague – it only existed on paper (KoSSev)

Opinion:

• Under Biden, the US will push for a ‘EU-goslavia’ (opendemocracy.net)
• Stuck in the Russian Web (visegradinsight.eu)
• Two realities: Roma in the EU and Roma in the Western Balkans in the eyes of the EC (EWB)

International:

• Serbia Pledges to Exhume Suspected Kosovar Mass Grave Soon (Balkan Insight)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Learning a neighbor's language in Kosovo: It's easier when we know at least one word (RFE)
• Women of Southeast, Central Europe Protest Rise in Male Violence (Balkan Insight)

• COVID-19: 704 new cases, nine deaths (media)
• Osmani repeals appointment of four Kosovo consuls (media)
• “We are moving speedily towards implementation of Washington agreement” (media)
• “Vucic will not be allowed to enter Kosovo until Serbia apologises” (Express)
• Petkovic reacts to Minister Haradinaj’s banning Vucic’s visit (RTK)
• Kosovo won’t let Serb officials in, wants genocide apology (The Washington Post)
• Belgrade gives permission: Exhumation of Albanian bodies next week (RTK)
• Abbott: 1,133 Kosovar children killed or still missing deserve justice (Express)
• Haziri: Relations with Osmani can be improved (Koha)
• No room for gender-based violence in Kosovo, leaders say (media)
• Former EULEX judge wants to reveal ‘wrongdoings’ to Kosovo Assembly (Prishtina Insight)

Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: 704 new cases, nine deaths (media)
• Hoti: Review of Kosovo's diplomatic missions to be concluded soon (media)
• Osmani vows to overturn appointment of general consul in Prague (media)
• New consul says his appointment is lawful (media)
• Vetevendosje expects Osmani to annul Shala's appointment in Prague (media)
• Beqaj: Change in Kosovo possible through Vetevendosje-Osmani cooperation (Koha)
• Kosovars find COVID-19 treatment an expensive affair (Prishtina Insight)

Serbian Language Media:

• Covid-19 in Serbian communities: Two more deaths, 62 newly infected and 15 cured (Kontakt plus radio)
• Meeting scheduled, main topic - urgent procurement of vaccines, announced Vucic (B92)
• Vucic: Serbia has no problem to find every missing person (RTS)
• Milorad Trifunovic passed away - coordinator of families of abducted and missing in Kosovo and Metohija (KoSSev)
• Tadic does not expect a change in US policy towards Kosovo (Danas)
• Thaci is aware of guilt, he avoids responsibility (Danas, Kosovo Online)

Opinion:

• Will Biden bail out ‘George Washington of Kosovo’? (Boston Herald)

International:

• Balkan Countries ‘Still Heavily Dependent on Russian Gas’ (Balkan Insight)
• Serbia's Aleksandar Vucic bet big on Donald Trump, and lost. Now what? (euronews.com)
• War Victims Urged to Raise Voices at Kosovo Guerrillas’ Trials (Balkan Insight)

Humanitarian/Development:

• UNFPA: Premiere of "Broken Rib" on the Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women (Kontakt plus radio)
• Hoti: Violence against women needs to be uprooted (KP/Telegrafi)
• U.S. Embassy: Every person deserves a life free from violence (media)
• Pandemic Disrupts Southeast Europe Labour Flows (Balkan Insight)
• Why culture makes smoking a hard habit for the Western Balkans to kick (Emerging Europe)