UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, February 11, 2020

Albanian Language Media:

• Kosovo and Albania set up commission for intergovernmental agreements (media)
• They start with disagreement: Kurti seeks Albanian macro-Schengen, Rama regional mini-Schengen with Serbia (Express)
• In Tirana, Kurti meets Speaker Ruci, President Meta, opposition leader Basha (media)
• Palmer: Russia wants Balkans with an element of chaos in it (RFE)
• Osmani meets heads of UN Agencies (RTK)

Serbian Language Media:

• Brnabic: I hope Pristina will revoke tariffs soon (RTS)
• "Germany wants to get directly involved in solving Kosovo issue" (Sputnik, B92)
• Dacic: Serbia wants to know if EU will expand to Western Balkans (BETA, N1)
• US hopes EU will open talks with Skopje, Tirana in March, worries about Russia (RFE, N1)
• UNS presents research on missing and murdered journalists in Kosovo (Radio KIM)
• Jevtic: I expect government to work in interests of all citizens (RTV Puls)
• Stefanovic comments on US calls to Pristina to revoke tariffs (RTS)
• Indicted in Oliver Ivanovic’s murder case pleaded not guilty (RTS)

Opinion:

• Embracing Europe’s Power (Project Syndicate)

International:

• U.S. Envoy Urges Kosovo To Drop Tariffs On Serbian Goods 'With No Reciprocity' (RFE)
• Why Europe Cannot Afford To Get It Wrong On The Western Balkans (Forbes)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Winter Sports Festival Hopes to Thaw Kosovo’s Ethnic Freeze (Balkan Insight)
• Gifted but ‘ignored’ (Prishtina Insight)

• Reciprocity still just an idea, Grenell doesn't support it (Koha/Express)
• The U.S. Embassy with the same stance as Grenell: Lift the tariff (RTK)
• EU expects from Kosovo to lift the tariff (Gazeta Metro)
• PM Kurti to visit Tirana today (media)
• Kurti: Righteous protests advanced justice (media)
• Italian foreign minister visits Kosovo today (media)
• PDK to Osmani: We are boycotting you, not the Assembly (RTK)
• Kurti appoints two deputy prime ministers (media)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, February 10, 2020

Albanian Language Media:

• PM Kurti to visit Tirana tomorrow (media)
• PDK boycotts Assembly presidency meeting (media)
• Ruling coalition, opposition divide parliamentary committees (Kallxo)
• Basketball club from Serbia refused entry to Kosovo (Klan Kosova)
• Engel unconvinced with Trump’s mediation of Pristina-Belgrade talks (Express)
• Haxhiu plans to visit the north to see work of institutions there (RTK)

Serbian Language Media:

• Dacic: I expect nothing from new Kosovo government (Tanjug, Radio KIM)
• Blic daily on Merkel-Vucic meeting, plan for Kosovo (B92, Blic)
• Census lowered to three percent, 40 percent of women on the election lists in Serbia (Tanjug, B92)
• Basketball players banned to enter Kosovo, Office for KiM, Srpska Lista react (KoSSev)
• Janjic: Reciprocity would mean endless conflicts (RTK2, Radio kontakt plus)
• Lawyer Vasic says no conditions for hearing in Ivanovic’s case to be held tomorrow (Kosovo-online)
• Prosecutor Syle Hoxha is retiring, controversial court cases remain (TV Most, Kosovo-online)

Opinion:

• New EU Enlargement Strategy Leaves Balkans Unimpressed (Balkan Insight)

International:

• New Kosovo PM Says Ties With Serbia Should Be Based On 'Symmetry' (RFE)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Record number of women in government ‘inspirational’ (Prishtina Insight)
• Maternal deaths ‘lost in the system’ (Prishtina Insight)
• Rumena Ljubic: Solitude is my greatest enemy (Radio Gorazdevac, KoSSev)

• Thaci optimistic Kosovo-Serbia dialogue to end with mutual recognition (RTK)
• Dialogue and reciprocity with resolutions (Koha)
• EU Council calls informal meeting of Western Balkans leaders (Zeri)
• German Chancellor Merkel invites PM Kurti for visit (Epoka e Re)
• Der Spiegel: Kurti and Osmani can make the change in Kosovo (RTK)
• Haxhiu: Vetting process in justice will commence within 24 months (RTK)
• British national tests negative for coronavirus (media)
• Vucic: We are in a difficult situation, nothing good for Serbs (RTK)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, February 7, 2020

Albanian Language Media:

• Kurti comments on possible appointment of EU special envoy for dialogue (Klan)
• Thaci announces elections for Podujeve mayor (media)
• CEC replaces 11 MPs that took on government posts (media)
• Weber: Kurti will be an uncomfortable interlocutor for EU (DW)
• Veliu: Kosovo to renew efforts to join international organisations (Zeri)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic to Kurti: things are not that simple (RTS)
• Dogovor: Kurti’s populism becomes a problem, he needs to be prime minister of all in Kosovo (RTV KIM)
• Vucic comments on possible appointment of Lajcak as EU special envoy (Tanjug, B92)
• Vucic: Serbia is allowed to choose (B92, Tanjug)
• EU donates additional EUR 138.5 million to Serbia (BETA, N1)

International:

• New Kosovo Prime Minister Pledges to Remove 100% Serbian Import Tariffs (VOA)
• Kosovo Charges Serb Ex-Policeman with War Crimes (Balkan Insight)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Windy weather causes disruption across Kosovo (Prishtina Insight)

• PM Kurti gives interview to Voice of America
• Abazi: Kurti-led government will overcome all obstacles (Zeri)
• Veseli says 100 percent import tariff should not be lifted (media)
• EU to appoint Lajcak as special envoy for Kosovo – Serbia talks (Lajmi/Blic)
• Agim Veliu resigns post of Podujeve mayor (media)
• Haxhiu visits detention cell of the deceased LVV activist, Dehari (media)
• Varhelyi: Agreement with Kosovo, crucial for Serbia’a path to EU (Zeri)
• Kurti says approval of budget is first challenge of his government (media)
• Braathu: OSCE will continue to support Kosovo (Koha)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, February 6, 2020

Albanian Language Media:

• Mustafa: Reciprocity measures carry consequences, government to find solution (Express)
• Haradinaj writes open letter to Kurti asking him not to lift tariff on Serbia (media)
• Haradinaj meets Pompeo at Washington D.C. event (media)
• Kosovo Assembly to have 14 commissions (media)
• PDK boycotts Assembly presidency meeting (Koha)
• New CEC members sworn in (media)
• KP gives details about recent arrest of officials on corruption charges (media)

Serbian Language Media:

EU Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi visits Belgrade, met with Vucic (B92)
President Vucic answers questions on Facebook about Kosovo, Montenegro, economy (N1, B92)
Odalovic: Continuation of dialogue can’t be conditioned that Serbia gives up struggling for what is its own (Kosovo-online)
Rakocevic: Serbs should build their own system of values, regardless of who is in power in Pristina (RTV Puls)
Joksimovic: Serbia to decide on new EU accession methodology (RTS, N1)
Indictment raised against former Serbian MUP member for “war crimes” (Radio KIM)

Opinion:

• EU vs. US: Two sides eager for a win (Prishtina Insight)

International:

• Kosovo Finds Asian Ally in Land of Rising Sun (Balkan Insight)
• French change of tone boosts Balkan states' hopes of joining EU (Reuters)
• European Commission Unveils Revised Enlargement Strategy (Balkan Insight)
• Ankara Urges Brussels Not To Separate Turkey From Western Balkans In Accession Talks (RFE)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Kosovo’s energy market: when will the monopoly end? (Prishtina Insight)

• Kurti says he'll replace tariff on Serbia with full reciprocity (media)
• Osmani: Tax to be replaced with reciprocity measures (media)
• Haradinaj: Tariff defended us from Serbia's aggressive policy (Koha)
• Kurti vows to review all govt decisions following Haradinaj’s resignation (Koha)
• Kusari-Lila: Reciprocity with Serbia would benefit Kosovo (Klan Kosova)
• Putin seeks Kosovo-Serbia agreement to be in line with Resolution 1244 (Koha)
• Varhelyi: EU ready to work with Kosovo (Koha)
• Rama meets Pompeo, Kosovo-Serbia dialogue also discussed (media)
• Griep: No action required for extension of Specialist Chambers mandate (Zeri)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, February 5, 2020

Albanian Language Media:

• Osmani: Tax to be replaced with reciprocity measures (Indeksonline)
• State Department: Looking forward to building on our strong partnership (Express)
• Speaker Osmani meets Albanian Ambassador Minxhozi (media)
• Braathu: Kurti's ambition for work could bring about change (RTK)
• New defence minister Quni offers his predecessor cabinet post (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Putin: Russia helps in maintaining stability in Balkans (RTS)
• Djuric: Kurti does not want agreement, but capitulation of Serbia (RTS)
• Rakic: Kurti started mandate with anti-Serbian statements (RTS)
• Varhelyi: To continue dialogue as soon as possible, tariffs must be lifted (RTS)
• Godfrey: Serbia crucial for maintaining stability in the Balkans (BETA, B92)
• Joseph: Election of Kurti should not necessarily move dialogue backward (Radio KIM, VoA)
• European Commission adopts new accession methodology for Western Balkans (N1)

International:

• Advertising the government’s work online (Prishtina Insight)
• EU Proposes Greater Role For Member States In Enlargement Process (RFE)
• Ready Or Not, Albin Kurti Is Kosovo's Man Of The Moment (RFE)

Humanitarian/Development:

• First civil society organisations forum in Pristina (Radio kontakt plus)

• Kurti: We will be a government of servants not rulers (media)
• Kurti after meeting Kosnett: We will keep our friends very close (media)
• Kurti: We are not here to appease appetites but to heal wounds (RTK)
• Osmani responds to criticism over removing Thaci’s picture (media)
• Haradinaj: New government should not lift the tax (VOA)
• Stano: EU special envoy for dialogue is an idea (media)
• Braathu: Resumption of Dialogue, necessary for peace in the region (Koha)
• EU and Western Balkans to be more sincere in enlargement process (Koha)
• Bahtiri seeks fund for construction of houses in the north (Kosovapress/Klan)