UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, October 27, 2020

Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19 report: Three deaths, 197 new cases (media)
• The next Kosovo-Serbia meeting at level of experts, on Thursday (RFE, media)
• Veliu does not respond to invitation to report on Qalaj’s dismissal (RTK)
• Salih Mustafa to appear in front of the Special Court tomorrow (RTK)
• Abbot: U.S. involvement in dialogue, positive (media)
• Szunyog meets with LDK Assembly caucus, seeks results on EU reforms (media)
• Application of parties for Mitrovica North elections starts (RTK)
• Zemaj warns on new measures to prevent coronavirus spread (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Belgrade - Pristina dialogue to continue on Thursday in Brussels (Tanjug, Radio Mitrovica sever, RTS)
• Smith: With constitutional amendments Thaci attempts to end work of court (Radio KIM)
• Serbian Ambassador says Belgrade-Moscow relations stable (N1)
• RFE: China takes over job of railway reconstruction in Serbia from EU (N1)
• Serbian MPs vote for three new cabinets; SPS names two ministers (FoNet, N1)
• Botsan-Kharchenko: Bilateral relations, Kosovo in focus of Lavrov's visit (media)
• Serb household in Plemetina village, near Obilic robbed (Radio KIM)
• Zais: Experts of US Energy department working on the Gazivode Lake feasibility study (Kosovo online, Tanjug)

International:

• Troubled Relationship: Kosovo’s Thaci and the Hague War Crimes Court (Balkan Insight)

Humanitarian/Development:

• COVID-19 Surges as South-East Europe Heads for Winter (Balkan Insight)
• RYCO: Youth policies should be high on the reform agendas of the Western Balkan governments (EWB)
• Albanian Children to be Returned from Syrian Refugee Camps (Balkan Insight)

• COVID-19 report: Three deaths, 205 new cases (media)
• Hoti meets Quint ambassadors, EU Special Representative (media)
• Thaci speaks about his interview with Specialist Prosecutor (media)
• Konjufca: Osmani could soon exercise president's functions (media)
• Borrell: Normalisation agreement, key for European path of Kosovo and Serbia (RFE/media)
• Association knot blocks Kosovo-Serbia dialogue (Koha)
• Stano: Next rounds of dialogue in line with Belgium’s anti-Covid measures (media)
• Haziri: LDK has no candidate other than Isa Mustafa (KP/Koha)
• Osmani: Assembly planning to apply to join an international organisation (Klan)

Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19 report: Three deaths, 205 new cases (media)
• KSC doesn't comment if indictment against Thaci, Veseli is confirmed (KP)
• Specialist Chambers' mandate: KLA associations meet parliamentary parties (Telegrafi)
• Selimi: We are not afraid of justice but concerned when it tries to act politically (Klan)
• "Outcome of U.S. elections decisive for continuation of Kosovo-Serbia dialogue" (RFE)
• Albania's Assembly Speaker Ruci urges Cuba to recognise Kosovo (media)
• Suspect in the €2 million illegal transaction case surrenders to police (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• 20 new cases of Covid-19 registered in Serb areas in Kosovo on Saturday (Radio KIM)
• New ministers in Serbian government (media)
• Vucic: Vote on new government not unanimous, Covid-19 vaccine in March (N1)
• “Numerous attempts to change and revise centuries-long history” (Radio KIM, KoSSev)
• Petkovic: Serbia is UN member, Kosovo can’t be that (Danas)
• Serbs For Trump Initiative: Grenell visits Serbian Orthodox Church in Milwaukee (N1)
• Vucic: In 10 days, PCR laboratory in Mitrovica North (Radio Mitrovica sever)
• Spahiu: Americans have power in Kosovo; only the agreements they implement are valid (Kosovo Online)
• Petkovic with Braathu on dialogue and situation in Kosovo (Radio KIM)
• Kommersant: Lavrov visit intended to maintain influence in region (Beta, N1)

International:

• Next Serb Government Among Most Gender-Balanced In the World (Bloomberg)
• Mudde: Trump’s re-election would mean continuing support for populists around the world (EWB)
• Why the Balkan region should be on investors’ radar screens (intellinews.com)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Kosovo joins global call to action on women's economic empowerment (Koha/RTK)
• The limits in the checks and balances system enable informal governance to be effective in the WB (EWB)
• "Serbia needs to consider introducing new measures relating to Covid-19" (B92)
• Western Balkans suffocating from air pollution as heating season starts (balkangreenenergynews.com)

• COVID-19 report: Two deaths, 166 new cases (media)
• PDK refutes report it is joining Hoti-led government (media)
• Grenell: The agreement is being implemented (media)
• Rama gathers Balkans leaders, invites Kosovo to Schengen initiative (media)
• Task force was investigating three tenders signed by Interior Minister (Koha)
• Hoti, Haradinaj clash over decision on anti-corruption task force (RFE)
• Miftaraj: If Kosovo had state of law, Hoti would be in detention (media)
• Thaci: Time for Kosovo to become full member of United Nations (media)
• UN Day marked with planting 100 trees near Sitnica river (media)
• UN Day, Kosovo in unfavorable position, without hope for membership (Lajmi)
• Osmani: We need to be closer to victims of sexual violence in conflict (media)

• COVID-19: 169 new cases, two deaths (media)
• Hoti announces joint projects with North Macedonia during visit (media)
• "Indictment against Thaci and Veseli believed to have been confirmed" (Koha)
• Kosovo demands immediate release of citizen arrested by Serbian authorities (media)
• Von Cramon opposes Lajcak's proposal for constitutional amendements (media)
• Mustafa after meeting coalition partners: President's post not discussed (Koha)
• US, North Macedonia, and Kosovo sign 5G deal (AP)
• Step up action to achieve COVID-19 ceasefire, Guterres says in UN Day message (UN News)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, October 23, 2020

Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: 169 new cases, two deaths (media)
• Szunyog: Kosovo and Serbia should make constitutional amendments (media)
• Selimi: European Union, Kosovo’s priority and strategic goal (media)
• Haradinaj withdraws slightly from the issue of future president (Express)
• CEC decides on five day election campaign in Podujeva (RTK)
• The government requests from the thieves return of 2.1 million euros (media)
• Suspect pleads not guilty for abuse of Kosovo’s treasury (Telegrafi)

Serbian Language Media:

• Specialist Chambers: The indictment against Thaci and Veseli remains confidential (Kosovo Online)
• Borell and EULEX to submit opinion on Thaci’s proposal to change the mandate of the Specialist Chambers by November 2 (KoSSev)
• Serbian Parliament Speaker: UNMIK to continue implementing its mandate (BETA, N1)
• Borrell: WB leaders should refrain from statements that add political divisions (Tanjug, Kosovo Online, N1)
• Vucic: Things more complicated than how Pristina imagines them (RTS)
• "Gone are the days when everything was decided by Russia and the United States" (B92, Tanjug)
• Lavrov canceled visit to Zagreb, but not Belgrade (B92)
• Grubjesic: Stance of German Ambassador Heusgen can’t be stance of EU (Vecernje Novosti, Kosovo-online)
• Mihajlovic: Albanian politicians should not hinder the projects from the Washington agreement (Kontakt plus radio, Kosovo Online)
• Invitations to Belgrade and Pristina to join PTEC as observers (Kontakt plus radio)
• Stano: Serbia expected 'to progressively align its policies with EU' (N1)
• US Energy Department delegation visits Belgrade (N1, Kosovo-online)

International:

• Kosovo Minister Under Pressure Over Cash Stolen from Budget (Balkan Insight)
• BSF: Stability, security and prosperity of the WB closely linked to the EU (EWB)

Humanitarian/Development:

• In Montenegro, Hopes Fade for News of the Wartime Missing (Balkan Insight)
• UN chief says G20 leaders must coordinate to fight COVID-19 (AP)

• COVID-19: 159 new cases, no deaths (media)
• Kosovo-Serbia dialogue discussed at the Belgrade Security Forum (Koha)
• Belgrade-Pristina: No clear vision of the compromise (BSF)
• Kurti says Washington agreement is unimplementable (RTK)
• U.S. committed to ensure success of Washington agreement (Telegrafi)
• Kosovo PM Hoti to visit North Macedonia today (media)
• VV calls Hoti to report about abolishment of anti-corruption task force (media)
• UK concerned over dissolving of anti-corruption task force (Koha)
• New Testimony Emerging on Kosovo Activist’s Death, Dehari Lawyer Says (Balkan Insight)
• Serb police block right-wing disruption of event with Kosovo (AP)

Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: 159 new cases, no deaths (media)
• Hoti: Abusers of power have no place in public institutions (media)
• EU doesn't know when Kosovo-Serbia dialogue will continue (RFE)
• Thaci, Veseli, Haradinaj meet in downtown Pristina (media)
• Kosovo FM Haradinaj-Stublla announces visit to Israel (media)
• Government to disburse €2mil to non-majority communities as part of economic recovery package (media)
• Osmani and two MPs propose amendment to economic recovery draft law (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Continuation of the Belgrade Security Forum, Vucic, Várhelyi, Lajcak, Hoti among the participants (Kosovo Online, Danas)
• The UN SC permanent members welcomed the resumption of dialogue; differ on the future of UNMIK (media)
• Dacic: Serbia patiently advocates dialogue, implementation of agreements reached (media, GoS)
• Dacic: Pristina misused online format of UN SC session (Kosovo-online, Tanjug)
• UNMIK chief says recent meetings on Kosovo show potential for solution (media)
• Petkovic: Hoti by threatening will not force Belgrade make concessions (RTS)
• Stano: Lajcak on daily basis works on continuation of dialogue (Tanjug)
• Djuric on the announced protests against „Mirëdita, dobar dan“: Nationalism flourishes in both Serbia and Kosovo (KoSSev)
• DFC Office chief says solve political problems to normalize relations (N1, Nedeljnik)

Opinion:

• Letter to the EU From the Western Balkans (Balkan Insight)

International:

• Kosovo: Show solidarity in face of COVID, UN Mission chief urges (UN News)
• Russia Moves to Open Defense Ministry Office in Serbia (The Moscow Times)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Life of Serbs and Albanians in Kosovo: Can an application help neighbors understand each other (BBC, Kosovo Online, B92, Vesti.rs, KIM radio)
• Study on divided narratives in Serbia and Kosovo (Radio KIM)
• Serbian anti-epidemic Crisis Team: No new measures, WHO: Lockdown last resource (N1)
• Kosovo Albanian Actor’s Spirit Lives on at Belgrade Festival (Balkan Insight)
• Marcos and Soldado: Colombian Shootout Sheds Light on Balkan Drug Ties (Balkan Insight)

• Minister of Health: 124 new cases of COVID-19, no deaths (media)
• Media coverage of United Nations Security Council session on Kosovo
• Hoti and Vucic to meet virtually on Thursday (Klan Kosova)
• Hoti pledges not to allow constitutional order to be threatened (media)
• Osmani: Agreement of 2013 and 2015 is neither the Bible nor Quran (media)
• “Constitution neither Bible nor Quran, let’s change it for uniting with Albania”
• EU concerned over abolishment of anti-corruption task force (media)
• Finance Ministry official arrested over €2 million transaction (Prishtina Insight)
• Minister Bajrami defiant in face of calls for her resignation (media)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, October 21, 2020

Albanian Language Media:

• Minister of Health: 124 new cases of COVID - 19, no deaths (media)
• Hoti: We have taken over the government at the worst situation (RTK)
• Hoti justifies dismissals of heads of Police, KTA and Customs (RTK)
• “Pausing from membership bids, so we don’t fail in the future” (media)
• Rohde reacts to disbanding of Anti-Corruption Task Force (media)
• NISMA and AKR with a joint parliamentary group (media)
• Tahiri invites the U.S. to open defense department office in Kosovo (RTK)
• Haxhiu: Vetevendosje members are being accused without facts (media)
• Kosovo’s Ambassador to France reacts amid threats (media)
• Budget committee doesn’t adopt economic recovery bill (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• 17 new cases of Covid-19 registered in Serb areas in Kosovo (KoSSev)
• Security Council today on the report of the UN Secretary General on Kosovo (media)
• Vucic: Elections latest by April 3, 2022, Dacic Assembly Speaker (RTS)
• Brnabic: Authorities face risk with early elections (BETA, N1)
• Reactions to Serbia's early vote (N1)
• Djilas: Vucic admitted that boycott succeeded (Danas)
• BETA's editor: Vucic starts campaign for early vote in Serbia he sets for 2022 (N1)
• Vucic and Medvedev on Moscow-Belgrade relations, coronavirus pandemic (N1)
• Djuric: Future government will deal with protection of state and national interests in Kosovo (Radio Mitrovica sever)
• Where is Biden's plan for Serbia? (B92)
• Hoti: No ZSO with executive powers (KIM radio, RTV Puls)

Opinion:

• Vucic Announced New Elections Even Before New Government Constitution (Balkan Insight)

International:

• BSF: Western Balkans is influenced by strong anti-Western narratives (EWB)
• EU-Western Balkans: Time is of the essence (eureporter.co)

Humanitarian/Development:

• New UN gender study: Women ‘far from having an equal voice to men’ (news.un.org, N1)
• Andjelka Cup received award for reporting on poverty (Radio KIM)
• Kon: Face mask and physical distance – 99 pct protection (N1)
• Coronavirus second wave: Which countries in Europe are experiencing a fresh spike in COVID-19 cases? (euronews.com)
• For Kosovo’s Judo Stars, Medals Must Wait (Balkan Insight)
• EU commissioner advocates joint migration management with Western Balkans (N1, Hina)