UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, November 10, 2021

Albanian Language Media:

• Civil society urges U.S. to invite Kosovo to Biden’s Democracy Summit (Prishtina Insight)
• Government forms mechanism to document war crimes (Indeksonline)
• Reka: Balkans in a geopolitical vacuum; Escobar has a lot of work (Klan Kosova)
• President’s Office reacts to Mladic mural in downtown Belgrade (media)
• Government pledges €100 million investments in agriculture (Telegrafi)
• Ministry of Health could be given to “Guxo” List (Koha)
• COVID-19: 14 new cases, no deaths (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic: "ZSO to print three lighters and to deliver two pencils, so that Osmani is satisfied'' (KoSSev)
• “ZSO must be established with all competencies that belong to it” (Radio KIM)
• US stance on ZSO remains unchanged: Respect Brussels agreement (RTS)
• One more Serb accused of war crime in Kosovo (Radio KIM, media)
• Serbian Chamber of Commerce Office opens in Jerusalem today (Kosovo-online)
• Arlov: Kosovo police grossly violates my rights, banned from entering Kosovo for third time (Kosovo-online, media)
• EU: Time for Serbia to muse on reforms of judiciary and election process (N1)
• Dodik meets with Erdogan in Ankara to discuss political situation in Bosnia (N1)
• US embassy: Accusations against congressmen absurd, offensive, false (Beta, N1)

International:

• In Albania, a Worrying Rise in Drug Gangs Hiring Minors (Balkan Insight)
• North Macedonia PM Parks Resignation Ahead of No-Confidence Vote (Balkan Insight)
• Ratko Mladic Mural Hit by Paint Attack in Belgrade (Balkan Insight)

• Bislimi: European Commission progress report contains inaccuracies (Koha)
• Szunyog: There is no shortcut to EU without rule of law reforms (Kosovapress/Koha)
• Vallac, Serbia's battlefield with Kosovo (RFE)
• Gervalla to KFOR commander: Serbia's toughened rhetoric threatens regional security (Zeri)
• Rasic: There is no room for a third-tier government (Koha)
• "Send me evidence of Grenell's employment by Serbia and I will deliver it to U.S. authorities" (media)
• Specialist prosecutor asks judge to reject interim release for Veseli, Selimi, Krasniqi (media)
• Kosovo prosecution charges person for war crimes (RTK)
• Serbia's police detain activist over war crimes protest (Reuters)
• COVID-19: 11 new cases, no deaths (media)

Albanian Language Media:

• Prime Minister Kurti confirms he will attend Peace Forum in Paris (media)
• Escobar officially takes post of US Representative to Western Balkans (media)
• Civil society asks U.S. to reconsider non-invitation for Kosovo (RFE)
• Mehaj: Kosovo's next destination, joining the U.S.-Adriatic Charter (media)
• “Key point for Balkans, Kosovo’s recognition by Serbia” (Kosovapress)
• Government: We are working on Law on Salaries (Telegrafi)
• “Kosovo among first in region in terms of assembly transparency” (Indeksonline)
• AJK hires legal professional to represent journalists (media)
• Ministry: Vaccination against COVID-19 open to non-Kosovo citizens (media)
• COVID-19: 11 new cases, no deaths (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Covid-19 in Serbian communities: Two people died, 85 new cases (Kontakt plus radio)
• Vucic and Botsan-Kharchenko: "Putin understands Serbia" (B92, Kosovo Online)
• Paris: Serbia’s and Kosovo’s PMs to take part at Peace Forum (N1, Beta)
• PM Brnabic: US congressmen letter written by paid lobbyists, it’s child’s play (FoNet, N1)
• US Embassy: Not all partners could be involved in the initiative (Danas)
• Petkovic: Osmani was not paying attention in class, US advocates the respect of all agreements, including ZSO (Kosovo Online)

International:

• Without a clear commitment of Member States to enlargement, EC reports lose power they once had (EWB)
• In Bosnia, US overtakes EU as crisis boils (Politico)
• Mutiny in Serbia: How a State Security Unit’s Rebellion Went Unpunished (BIRN)

• President Osmani: Serbia is abusing with the dialogue (Radio Free Europe)
• Brussels wants negotiations on statute of Association/Community (Koha)
• Prime Minister Kurti invited to Peace Forum in France (media)
• Parties trade blame over lack of invitation to democracy summit (Exit News)
• Joseph: Kosovo is much more democratic than Serbia (media)
• Kurti: Special attention to women empowerment in recovery package (Klan)
• Historians want annulment of decisions made in Milosevic’s time (Kallxo)
• Kosovo veterans’ leaders denounce war crimes court as ‘biased’ (BIRN)
• With €630 per month in Kosovo, doctors heading to the EU (RFE)
• Kosovo chief prosecutor, EULEX chief discuss furthering cooperation (media)
• Judge suspended after BIRN reporting on lenient rape sentence (BIRN)
• COVID-19: 8 new cases, no deaths (media)
• Janjic: Serbia pays Grenell US$ 100,000 a month for lobbying (media)
• North Macedonia’s battle over new majority unsettles Albanian parties (BIRN)

Albanian Language Media:

• President Osmani travels to U.S. (media)
• COMKFOR: Security situation stable, we support Pristina-Belgrade dialogue (Kosovapress)
• Run-off mayoral election campaign kicks off today (media)
• AAK leader Haradinaj warns of an imminent social crisis (media)
• Healthcare workers with ultimatum for the government (media)
• Union of Education, Science and Culture warns with strike in January (media)
• COVID-19: 8 new cases, no deaths (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Covid-19: 76 new cases, two deaths registered in Serbian areas on Saturday (Radio kontakt plus)
• The campaign of the second round of local elections begun (KiM radio, KoSSev)
• Petkovic: Member of people who had SS division is comparing Serbia to Nazi Germany (KoSSev)
• Trajkovic: Kurti's double standards, he doesn't mind the "ethnic basis" when he promotes "natural Albania" (Kosovo Online)
• Petkovic: Kurti's statements he will not form ZSO not only annul dialogue, but also humiliate EU and USA (Kosovo-online
• Vucic: Everyone can evaluate someone else’s democracy however they want (N1)
• Pristina court sentenced Zlatan Krstic, family claims he was not in Kosovo when crime took place (Radio KIM)
• Kosovo Polje: Desecrated tombstones at cemetery, landfill at entrance (Radio kontakt plus, Radio KIM, RTV Gracanica)
• Von Cramon: We do not want RS to be a coin for Serbia's concession to Kosovo (Kosovo Online, AlJazeera)

Opinion:

• Latifi: In a country without economy, parties turn into important business (media)
• Issuance of a license for Elektrosever d.o.o. is the only possible solution (KiM radio)

International:

• A dangerous crisis is brewing in the Balkans. Will the West do anything to stop another war? (CNN)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Survivors’ Stories Describe Terror and Trauma of Wartime Rape (Balkan Insight)
• Detainees clean the Orthodox cemetery in Mitrovica South (KoSSev)
• A bakery within the Correctional Center in Lipjan (arbresh.info)

• Kurti to DW: Under Kosovo's Constitution, there can be no association on ethnic basis
• Kurti: Serbia threatening third Balkan war (Telegrafi)
• Presidency reacts to Kosovo not being invited to Biden's democracy summit (media)
• Zulfaj: Kosovo not invited to democracy summit due to last government’s track record (media)
• Konjufca: We hope we will be invited to the summit next time (Telegrafi)
• Hoti says blaming his government for summit's snub is 'low propaganda' (Klan)
• U.S. legislators concerned over developments in Serbia and its influence on the region (VOA)
• Bosnia's disintegration would affect entire region, says peace envoy (Reuters)
• Kosovo Prosecutorial Council refuses to get involved in the vetting process (media)
• Di Bella: Kosovo's GDP expected to increase by 7-8% this year (Koha)
• COVID-19: 19 new cases, no deaths (media)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, November 5, 2021

Albanian Language Media:

• Lajcak from Thessaloniki: Remove visas for Kosovars (Klan)
• Another group of Afghan citizens leave Kosovo for U.S. (media)
• Kurti: We cannot be at peace until justice for Astrit is served (media)
• Kosovo not invited to Biden's democracy summit (Koha)
• Isufi: KSF expected to deploy to a mission in Poland (Klan)
• Open Balkan, still in the wishful phase leaving room for speculation, says expert (euronews.al)
• Rama interferes in Kosovo-Serbia relations without fully grasping them, says analyst (euronews.al)
• COVID-19: 14 new cases, no deaths (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic: I expect Pristina will soon attempt to takeover Valac power station (Radio KIM, BETA, N1, KoSSev)
• Drecun: Possible that Pristina will attempt to take over transmission substations in the north of Kosovo (RTS)
• Petkovic with Schieb on situation in Kosovo, agreements on energy (Radio KIM)
• Djilas to VOA: We only expect support for democracy; reconciliation but not recognition of Kosovo (VoA, N1)
• Petkovic: Djilas bothered by the Serbian List, but not by Albin Kurti (Radio Mitrovica sever)
• US Embassy in Pristina: Kosovo and Serbia to honor their commitments (Radio KIM)
• Open Balkan leaders call EU to speed up integration (N1)
• Stefanovic thanked Spain for principled position on Kosovo (Kosovo-online)
• WHO appoints new head of Serbia office, envoy for the Balkans (N1, RTS)
• Serbian opposition leaders meet Escobar in Washington (N1)
• Pension of Rada Trajkovic blocked (Radio KIM)
• Supreme Court: Serbian List fined 8,100 euros (RTK2)

• Kurti’s advisor says Open Balkan equals Broken Balkan (media)
• Open Balkan: Leaders commit to more effective implementation of freedom of movement measures (EWB)
• Tahiri: Rama contributing to creation of Greater Serbia and instability (media)
• President Osmani meets Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Montgomery (media)
• Haxhiu: Thaci and Veseli refused to meet us in the Hague (media)
• COVID-19: 14 new cases, no deaths (media)
• High infection rates in the region, a threat for Kosovo too (RFE)
• Environmental degradation by hydropower plants (preportr.cohu.org)
• Kosovo street art exhibit calls for action on wartime missing persons (BIRN)
• Western Balkans economies recover faster than expected (ebrd.com)

Albanian Language Media:

• Kurti receives US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Molly Montgomery (Kallxo)
• EU expresses skepticism, while UK Embassy supports vetting process (RTK)
• Minister Mehaj travels again to the US (media)
• EBRD: Kosovo projected to have economic growth of 7.7% in 2021 (Kallxo)
• Rama: Kosovo to become part of the Open Balkan for its own benefit (RTK)
• Kurti and the French ambassador discuss energy projects (media)
• COVID-19: 14 new cases, no deaths (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Covid-19 in Serbian communities: 75 new cases (Kontakt plus radio)
• Dr Savic: Number of children infected with COVID-19 increasing (Radio Mitrovica sever)
• ‘Open Balkan’ Summit opens in Belgrade (N1)
• Belgrade, Tirana, Skopje: ‘Open Balkan’ to solve problems on the ground (N1)
• Stano on Community of Serbian Municipalities – what has been agreed in Brussels must be implemented (Kosovo-online)
• Transparent Commission for Missing Persons needed (KiM radio)
• The highest percentage of invalid ballots in Ranilug and Gracanica, in Leposavic the least (KoSSev)
• UN Security Council unanimously adopts resolution on EUFOR in BiH (N1)
• Petkovic discussed situation in Kosovo with Turkish ambassador (Danas)
• Albanian PM Rama tours Belgrade Waterfront (N1, media)

Opinion:

• EC Report on Kosovo: When did the time stop? (EWB)

International:

• WHO Europe chief voices 'grave concern' about COVID rebound (abcnews.go.com, AP)

• Kurti has a US visa, will travel soon to the US (media)
• EU welcomes reopening of custom terminal in Trepca (media)
• EU refutes Government and President about the vetting (Koha)
• The vetting will not include judges of Constitutional Court (Kallxo)
• Association of Serb-majority municipalities ruled out after tensions in BiH (Koha)
• Haradinaj doesn’t rule out cooperation with VV in runoff elections (Telegrafi)
• COVID-19: 21 new cases, one death (media)
• Open Balkan meeting in Belgrade today (media)
• Kamberi: No tangible positive effects from Open Balkan (Euronews Albania)
• An EU-US deal for Bosnia and Herzegovina's disintegration (EU Observer)
• US leadership matters to avoid new violence in the Balkans (Just Security)
• Virtual brain drain: Kosovo’s booming ICT sector exports talent abroad (BIRN)