UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, March 17, 2022

Albanian Language Media:

• Osmani writes to Biden, asks for support towards NATO membership (media)
• Sarrazin: EU membership perspective applies to the whole region (RTK)
• Spanish foreign ministry asked to comment on calls to recognise Kosovo (G.Express)
• Osmani awards medal to KFOR’s Ukrainian contingent (Koha/Kallxo)
• Mehaj: We need to be cautious to malign influence on information (media)
• Kosovo institutions targets of cyber attack, no damage incurred (Klan Kosova)
• Protest against homophobia takes place in Pristina (media)
• COVID-19: 33 new cases, two deaths (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Marking the 18th anniversary of the March 2004 violence (media)
• “Video spot of Besa Bese group misuse of child and hatred call against Serbs” (Radio KIM)
• Arsenijevic files criminal report against author of video on boycotting Serbian products (Radio KIM)
• Around 2.500 refugees from Ukraine staying in Serbia (RTS)
• EU Ambassadors: We know we can count on Serbia (N1)
• Nehammer: EU will not be complete until it is joined by W. Balkan states (Tanjug)
• Djuric at international conference in Washington on ‘Open Balkans’, regional cooperation (Tanjug)
• Jevtic: Police action and arrests in Strpce mere politics (RTS)
• N1 invites Vucic, Ponos to presidential debate (N1)

Opinion:

• Legal framework for Kosovo Serbs tailored to Pristina (Part V): NATO, EU, Council of Europe (KoSSev)
• We need to talk about Serbia (Kosovo 2.0)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Wave of Fake News Confuses Kosovars About Ukraine War (Prishtina Insight)
• Drop of fuel prices in Kosovo announced (EO/Koha)
• Kosovo's economy grew by over 10 percent in 2021 (Kallxo)
• Vucic: Serbia will have enough food to export to neighbours (N1)

• Osmani: I have insisted for Council of Europe to be a top priority (Kosovapress)
• Kurti for Milliyet: Kosovo is in danger (media)
• Kosovo Assembly fails to adopt draft law of new Civil Code (media)
• Lajcak: We are close to an agreement on several concrete topics (RTK)
• “A model for Serbian elections in Kosovo, without flag or posters” (Klan Kosova)
• Kosovo Police raid Serb-run office in anti-corruption operation (BIRN)
• Poll: 95 percent of respondents in favor of NATO membership (Kallxo)
• EULEX Police strengthened following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine (BIRN)
• Kosovo veterans’ leader didn’t threaten war crime witnesses: Lawyer (BIRN)
• COVID-19: 51 new cases, one death (media)

Albanian Language Media:

• Borrell: Resolving Kosovo-Serbia relations only through dialogue (DW)
• Kosovo Assembly adopts draft law on funding of political parties (media)
• Two persons arrested as suspects during “Brezovica” police operation (media)
• Kosovo’s Foreign Ministry sacks 11 officials (media)
• Austrian Chancellor Nehammer to visit the Western Balkans (Klan Kosova)
• COVID-19: 51 new cases, one death (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic about gas price negotiations with Russia; the action of the Kosovo police in Strpce (NMagazin, Beta)
• Missing Persons Resource Centre: We are not satisfied with the work of either domestic or Brussels institutions (KiM radio, Kontakt plus radio, RTK2)
• Dacic: Serbia will not impose sanctions on Russia (Tanjug, RTS)
• Petkovic: Special police intimidate Serbs the day before March 17 (Kosovo Online)
• SOC Patriarch meets EU Delegation head (RTS)
• Vucic receives letters of credence from newly appointed ambassadors (RTS)
• Vucic to meet Austrian Chancellor on Thursday (Tanjug)

International:

• Russian invasion prompts region to rethink defence spending (BIRN)
• Serbia Resists EU Pressure to Impose Sanctions on Russia (Balkan Insight)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Montenegro seeks from Serbia seven million litres of oil, 18.000 tons of flour and 4000 tons of wheat (Kosovo-online, CDM)
• More than 11 000 Albanians and over 3 000 Serbs applied for asylum in the EU last year (KiM radio, Beta)

• Kosovo legislators fail to pass resolution on price hike (media)
• Serbia Urged to Request Poll Centers for Kosovo Serbs (Exit News)
• Kurti: We are working with Quint on solution to Serbian elections (media)
• U.S. congressman calls on five EU states to recognise Kosovo (media)
• Wigemark: Security situation in Kosovo stable, but could change quickly (Reporteri)
• Borrell: EU is concerned about Russia’s interference in the Balkans (euronews.al)
• Kosovo receives first refugees from Ukraine (Koha/Klan)
• Conference on why inclusive democracy matters opens Week of Women (media)
• KIPRED publishes report: Russian Diplomatic Warfae and Media Disinformation (media)
• AJK: Journalists to enjoy free legal aid (Kallxo)
• A group of 150 Afghan citizens departs Kosovo, bound for U.S. (media)
• Kosovo Veterans’ Leader Accuses Hague Court of ‘Selective Justice’ (BIRN)
• COVID-19: 22 new cases, no deaths (media)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, March 15, 2022

Albanian Language Media:

• Kurti: Kosovo-Serbia high-level meetings have become very difficult (Kosovapress)
• Chollet holds telephone conversation with Kurti (Klan Kosova/Gazeta Express)
• Kosovo authorities refuse to comment why illegal cameras are still up in north (Kallxo)
• Komsic: We in Bosnia who are against crimes recognise Kosovo (Gazeta Express)
• Glorified and Vilified: Who Was Kosovo’s Nazi Ally, Xhafer Deva? (BIRN)
• COVID-19: 22 new cases, no deaths (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Serbia between requests to terminate its negotiations with EU and those calling for urgent membership (N1)
• Stano: EU urges Serbia to introduce all political, economic, and financial measures against Russia (Tanjug, N1)
• Dacic: Europe doesn’t want to retract recognition of Kosovo, pushes for its membership in all institutions (Kosovo-online, N1)
• Hill: I am coming with a new perspective to Serbia (Kosovo Online)
• Serbian President says haters behind letter by MEPs (N1)
• Vucic: Our people should know that Serbia is with them, time of pogroms and persecution is over (Radio Mitrovica sever)
• Hofer: International pressure on Serbia unjustified and wrong (Tanjug, B92)
• Trajkovic: When it comes to rights of Serbs, US appeals have thus far fallen on deaf ears (Kosovo-online)
• Five new Covid-19 cases in Serbian communities (Kontakt plus radio)

International:

• The president of Kosovo warns against the appeasement of autocrats (The Economist)
• Serbia under pressure to choose EU as Ukraine war raises stakes for Vucic (Financial Times)
• War in Ukraine triggers energy dilemma in Central Europe (Balkan Insight)

Humanitarian/Development:

• NDI marks Week of Women; organises two-day conference (EO)
• Serbia to export wheat to Albania (Kosovo-online)

• EULEX to deploy additional police officers to Kosovo (media)
• Kurti meets Norway's special envoy to Western Balkans (media)
• Djukanovic: Situation in Ukraine risks destabilising Western Balkans (Koha)
• General Buhler: Kosovo is safe, it has NATO (RTK)
• Kosovo arrests 50 police, customs officers in bribe probe (Reuters)
• German MFA says Kosovo has done its part on visa liberalisation (schengenvisainfo)
• Kosovo War Veterans’ Leaders ‘Tried to Derail Hague Court’ (BIRN)
• Anti-Corruption Agency files lawsuit against Minister Hajdari over asset declaration (media)
• Kosovo ministry cuts payment for staff that don't report to work (RFE)
• Kosovo's annual inflation accelerates to 7.5% in Feb (SeeNews)
• COVID-19: 18 new cases, no deaths (media)

Albanian Language Media:

• Kusari-Lila: Kosovo has not received any request for allowing Serbian elections (media)
• LDK calls on Assembly to adopt resolution against price rises (Klan)
• PDK requests citizens be given right to withdraw part of pension trust (RTK)
• Szunyog meets opposition leaders, discuss European agenda and electoral reform (Telegrafi)
• Ahmeti talks to Dzhaparova: Kosovo supports Ukraine's sovereignty (media)
• Dozens of Kosovo border police and customs officers arrested for bribery (Express)
• Haxhiu welcomes today's action of the Police Inspectorate (media)
• COVID-19: 18 new cases, no deaths (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic: Some want four NATO member states to recognize Kosovo (Tanjug, media)
• Vucic: Peace, stability most important, problems must be solved through dialogue (Tanjug)
• Waugh: Kosovo abusing the situation in Ukraine for its own purposes (KiM Radio, Slobodno srpski)
• “Thanks to Open Balkans we will get wheat from Serbia” (KoSSev)
• Visoki Decani: International community to dedicate attention to demolished churches and cemeteries in Kosovo (Radio KIM)
• Ponos: Western powers pressured Vucic into UN vote on Russia (N1)
• Serbian Orthodox Church on European Parliament Resolution (media, SOC website)

International:

• Turkey Rules Out Sanctioning Russia, Citing Risk to Economy (Balkan Insight)
• Belgrade Denies Serbian ‘Militants’ are Fighting for Russia in Ukraine (Balkan Insight)
• Borrell Says North Macedonia's EU Accession Process Should Start As Soon As Possible (RFE)

Humanitarian/Development:

• New Wind Park Hailed as Step Towards Green Energy (Prishtina Insight)

• Kurti: Political change requires a movement: a cause, organisation, struggle (media)
• In Antalya, Kurti has meetings with Borrell, Lajcak (media)
• Osmani: Regional and global cooperation enables peace and stability (media)
• Gervalla calls on Serbia to make its position on Ukraine clear; rejects resignation reports (media)
• Kosovo-Serbia working groups meet in Brussels, no agreement on license plates yet (media)
• Kosovo-Serbia dialogue under the shadow of war in Ukraine (RFE)
• Ukrainian ambassador says position on Kosovo is unchanged (Koha)
• Von Cramon: Russia's disinformation campaigns fly easily in Serbian tabloids (Koha/Express)
• Pro-Russian graffiti sprayed in the north of Kosovo (media)
• COVID-19: 32 new cases, two deaths (media)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, March 11, 2022

Albanian Language Media:

• Kurti receives German Foreign Minister Baerbock (media)
• Osmani and Gervalla participate in the Diplomatic Forum of Antalya (media)
• Lajcak: Integration of the Western Balkans into the EU, an urgency (Ekonomia)
• Haxhiu and Haekkerup expect the prison agreement to be finalised in May (RTK)
• Prime Minister Kurti participates in the inauguration of "Selac Windpark" (media)
• Kurti to AFP: Despotic Putin is looking for new conflicts, Kosovo endangered (Reporteri)
• COVID-19: 47 new cases, one death (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic meets with Baerbock (Tanjug)
• Baerbock: Solution for Serbs in Kosovo to vote on April 3 to be found, dialogue before EU candidate status (Kosovo-online, media)
• The US Senate confirmed: Christopher Hill is the new US Ambassador to Serbia (Kosovo Online)
• Petkovic on a two-day visit in Kosovo (KoSSev)
• Baerbock met mayors Hamza and Radojevic at Mitrovica main bridge this morning (Radio kontakt plus, KoSSev)
• EU Ambassador: We know that Serbia faces specific circumstances over Ukraine war (N1, RTS)
• Serbian government bans exports of staple foods, caps eurodiesel, petrol prices (Tanjug)
• Limited sale of basic grocery essentials in Mitrovica North (Radio Mitrovica sever)
• Ukraine to withdraw from UN peacekeeping operations, from Kosovo as well (Radio KIM)
• EU says there is no fast membership for Ukraine (VoA, Kosovo-online)

International:

• Kosovo Probes ‘Artificial’ Hikes in Basic Goods’ Prices (Balkan Insight)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Serbian authorities revoke Covid-19 passes (N1)

• German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock visits Kosovo (media)
• Russia may pressure Serbia to undermine western Balkans, leaders warn (The Guardian)
• Civil society organisations call for more commitment for final Kosovo-Serbia agreement (Kallxo)
• Albania supports Kosovo's NATO membership bid (media)
• CoE’s Berge refutes Bislimi's description of meeting (media)
• Following oil price hike, Ministry says violations have been addressed (Koha)
• Mustafa: Government to solve this complex period (Telegrafi)
• Haxhiu: More women to take leading posts in judiciary (RTK)
• Kosovo Failing to Rehabilitate Terrorism Convicts in Prison, BIRN Finds (BIRN)
• Kosovo Media Regulator Struggling to Recover from Cyber-Attack (BIRN)
• COVID-19: 37 new cases, one death (media)