UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, April 27, 2023

Albanian Language Media:

• A new report on Kosovo at the UN Security Council (RFE)
• Kurti expects May 2 meeting to treat missing persons issue with urgency (Telegrafi)
• Kosovo marks National Missing Persons Day (RFE)
• Germany: We expect unconditional implementation of Kosovo-Serbia agreement (RTK)
• Krasniqi: Management Team didn’t respond to invitation for meeting (RFE)
• Vela: Meja massacre, a crime that Serbia cannot deny! (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Dacic meets with US ambassador to UN (Tanjug)
• 15-year prison verdict to Goran Stanisic upheld (Radio KIM)
• Dacic thanks Greece's Syriza party for supporting Serbia, Vucic thanks Azerbaijan (Politika, Tanjug, media)
• SNS to hold extraordinary assembly session on May 27 (Tanjug, media)
• Post of Serbia employees released after being apprehended by police in northern Kosovo (RTS)
• Another Serb from Kosovo arrested for undermining the constitutional order of Serbia (KoSSev, Kontakt plus radio, KiM radio)

International:

• Inadequate State of Social Services in Kosovo, Analysis Shows (Prishtina Insight)

• Kurti seeks support from France, Italy and Germany (Koha)
• EU won’t allow conditioning of implementation of agreements (Koha)
• Gervalla and Greenfield talked about the UN role in Kosovo (RTK)
• Osmani in Skopje: Albanian language law should be implemented (Euronews)
• Kosovo demands EU condemn Serbia's 'breach' of intl agreement (Euronews)
• Ruling party, opposition, trade blame about crisis in KEK (Prishtina Insight)
• Members of European Parliament adopt report on Kosovo (media)
• COMKFOR briefs representatives of contributing countries on situation (media)
• Police stops two Serbia Post vehicles, finds large amount of money (Kallxo)
• Serb Orthodox Church thanks Kosovo Police for swift reaction (Koha Ditore)
• Report: Serbia's EU membership depends on normalization of relations with Kosovo (Telegrafi)

Albanian Language Media:

• Kurti: Visa liberalisation and CoE application confirm we are on right track (media)
• Osmani in Skopje: Future of our countries is in Euro-Atlantic family (media)
• U.S. representative to UN meets Kosovo Foreign Minister (media)
• Very slim to no chances to agree on statute of Association (Radio Free Europe)
• Kurti, Vucic “out of the game”: U.S. and EU preparing Association statute (Nacionale)
• Rasic: A temporary solution was made in the north (Express)
• Kosovo initiates procedures to join International Commission on Missing Persons (RFE)
• Muja: We should’ve protected Nagip Krasniqi even more (Gazeta Metro/TeVe1)

Serbian Language Media:

• Dacic: Fight for Kosovo and territorial integrity of Serbia was and will be diplomatic priority (Tanjug)
• Serb officials warn of consequences of new expropriation law prepared by Pristina (Kosovo Online)
• Guterres welcomes normalisation deal, voices concern over regression (Tanjug, media)
• Jeremic: Vucic to go to UNSC session and demand Russia and China use veto on possible Pristina’s membership request of (Danas, BETA, RTV)
• Brnabic to Stano: Serbia takes note that EU violated Brussels Agreement (N1)
• Serbian Government confirms working on new foreign policy strategy (N1)
• Petkovic: The draft of the statute of the CSM (ZSO), a job for the Management Team (RTS)
• Office of Saint Nikola Church in Strpce robbed (Radio KIM)
• Party of Kosovo Serbs: Serbs who won one vote each received mandates (N1)

Opinion:

• A deal or a trap? (Kosovo 2.0)
• Radosavljevic: The elections in the north of Kosovo are illegitimate, the legality questionable (KiM radio, Insajder)

International:

• Serbia ‘disappointed’ with Ukraine, Greece, Slovakia over CoE Kosovo vote (Euractive.com)
• Serbia Calls on European Commission to Abolish Visa Requirements for Kosovo Serbs (schengenvisainfo.com)

• Kurti: Serbia is saying it will not implement Ohrid Agreement (euronews.al)
• Kurti on Association's draft statute: EU didn't let me do it (Klan)
• Svecla: Vucic threatened northern Serbs with arrest lists (media)
• Ahmeti to Stano: Serbia violated Ohrid agreement, must be punished (RTK)
• Krasniqi at State Department, discusses elections in north (Reporteri)
• Citaku on elections in north: Sovereignty violated, Kurti is guilty (Klan)
• Will Serb rejection of Kosovar passports dissolve now that EU is liberalizing visa regime? (RFE)
• EU expects Serbia, Kosovo to implement deal instead of public exchanges (AA)
• EU deal on Kosovo 'alive' despite Serbian vote (EU Observer)
• Kosovo Power Corporation CEO suspended from duty (media)
• Kosovo Assembly extraordinary session today on developments at KEK (media)
• Serbia to alter foreign policy after EU Kosovo decision: Vucic (Daily Sabah)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, April 25, 2023

Albanian Language Media:

• Stano: EU is aware of Serbia’s vote against Kosovo (Radio Free Europe)
• Vela: Serbia’s vote against Kosovo’s CoE application should be penalised (media)
• Serbia violates agreement, threatens countries that support Kosovo (Koha)
• The CEC announces results of extraordinary elections in northern municipalities (Klan)
• Kusari-Lila: End of Serbia’s influence in Kosovo began on Sunday (EO)
• Osmani to visit North Macedonia on Wednesday (Albanian Post)
• Lajcak at Webster Vienna, discussion on normalisation of relations (Nacionale)
• Krasniqi: Monoethnic institutions are not good for us (Kosovapress)
• Delawie: Regrettable, Serbian authorities influenced Serbs to boycott elections (media)
• Details about burning of excavator in Zvecan, belonged to an Albanian (Express)

Serbian Language Media:

• Dacic: President Vucic may attend the UNSC session on Kosovo (Tanjug, RTS)
• Vucic: Foreign policy changes coming (RTS, N1)
• Lajcak: The road to normalisation is mined, we must avoid mines (Kosovo Online, Blic)
• Dacic: CoE's decision was expected, it will be ashamed of this day (Tanjug, media)
• Dodik: "Srpska does not recognize self-proclaimed Kosovo, the ambassador voted outside the procedures" (Tanjug, RTRS)
• PM Brnabic reacts to Von Cramon’s remarks on elections (N1)
• Jablanovic to Viola von Cramon: Blackmail and threats do not pass with us (Politika, KiM radio)
• Petkovic reacts to Osmani’s remarks on agreement violation (Kosovo Online, social media)
• Vasiljevic responds to Vela (social media, Kosovo Online)
• Dacic and Hill: Continuation of dialogue the only path to concrete results (BETA, N1)
• New law on expropriation - Pristina's new plan to seize Serbian property, says Petkovic (Radio Mitrovica sever, KiM radio, RTS)
• Foreign Affairs Committee rejects draft resolution to impose sanctions on Russia (BETA, N1)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Kosovo’s economy shows resilience despite slowing growth (worldbank.org)

• Kosovo passes first step to Council of Europe membership (BIRN)
• Palokaj: If no obstacles, Kosovo can join CoE early next year (KTV)
• Legitimacy of local elections in question after low turnout (Prishtina Insight)
• Von Cramon’s statement on local elections in north of Kosovo (media)
• UK Ambassador comments on the local elections in the north (media)
• KFOR calls for refrain from escalating rhetoric after elections in north (RFE)
• Osmani: Serbia committed two violations of agreement less than 24 hrs (media)
• Kurti: I am ready for May 2 meeting in Brussels (media)
• Limaj: Albin Kurti should give up on north of Kosovo (media)
• Serbian leader lashes out at the West over Kosovo vote (Associated Press)
• Szunyog: No room for attacks on religious sites in multicultural Kosovo (media)

Albanian Language Media:

• Osmani: Serbia’s engagement to obstruct elections is against Ohrid agreement (media)
• Kurti: Low turnout because of intimidation and blackmail by Belgrade (media)
• EU: These elections don’t offer long-term political solution for municipalities (media)
• Kosovo govt statement on April 23 local elections in north (media)
• Kurti and Hovenier expect full implementation of agreement reached in Ohrid (Telegrafi)
• Krasniqi: Govt to enable forming of institutions in four northern municipalities (Kallxo)
• Access to municipal premises, first challenge of the new mayors (RFE)
• Bielamowicz: Lost opportunity for Kosovo Serbs (RTK)
• Why according to Trajkovic, Radoicic called for boycott of elections (Express)
• Kosovo’s application on the agenda of the Council of Europe (RFE)
• PDK calls extraordinary session for Nagip Krasniqi’s arrest (EO)
• Hovenier: We appreciate Iowa’s partnership with KSF (media)
• Osmani: Turkish community enriches mosaic of diversity in Kosovo (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic: What happened yesterday is much more than Albin Kurti’s defeat (Tanjug, media)
• Serb-majority north Kosovo towns get Albanian mayors (N1)
• Elections in northern Kosovo: What Belgrade and Serbs say (N1)
• Petkovic: Empty ballot boxes debacle of Kurti and international community (RTS)
• Jablanovic expects elections to be annulled (DW, Kosovo Online)
• Arsenijevic: If the new mayor works against the interests of the Serbs, we can hold a referendum (KoSSev, N1)
• Bisevac: If elections are not annulled and Albanians really take over, many people will move away (Danas)
• Civil sector: The elections in the north improvised, the Serbs boycotted them (KiM radio)
• Memorial service for RTS workers killed in the NATO bombing (RTS, BETA, N1)
• Hill: Dialogue needs "new momentum", it is time for CSM (ZSO) (N1, Beta)

Opinion:

• A debacle of half a million euros (KiM radio)

International:

• North Kosovo elections trigger harsh words, criticisms from Belgrade (Euractive)
• Kosovo Dreams of Turning Mining Heritage into Tourist Trail (Prishtina Insight)

• Serbs in north of Kosovo boycott local snap elections (media)
• “Kosovo’s application for CoE membership on agenda for Monday” (media)
• Lajcak: Time of intense preparation for next high-level meeting (media)
• Escobar: We expect concrete proposal on Association from Kosovo (media)
• Kurti reacts to Serbian armed forces’ exercise in Batajnica (media)
• 25 years after Kosovo war, rape victims find the courage to heal (RFE)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, April 20, 2023

Albanian Language Media:

• Kurti: There’s a negative mood in the State Prosecution against our government (KSP)
• PDK’s Tahiri calls on Kurti to dismiss KEK Board and CEO (Indeksonline)
• Rizvanolli on arrest of KEK CEO: We will wait for the facts (media)
• Escobar: Waiting for concrete proposal from Kosovo for Association by May 2 (RTK)
• Konjufca: Can’t accept Association without de facto recognition from Serbia (media)
• “Kurti govt’s seriousness prevented further conditioning of visa liberalisation” (Kallxo)
• Government with €3 million aid package for non-majority communities (Klan)
• Election commission accredits around 360 observers for elections in north (Kallxo)

Serbian Language Media:

• Milatovic: Open Balkans better than closed Balkans (Beta, NIN, N1)
• Dacic: We have returned to the pre-Brussels era (NMagazin, Politika, RTV)
• Escobar: US will recognize Kosovo election results (Tanjug, N1)
• Botsan-Kharchenko on Community of Serb Municipalities (Danas)
• KP: Three minors admitted that they damaged the door of the church in Prizren (KiM radio)
• Ponos: Ten years after Brussels Agreement, Kosovo further from Serbia (N1, Danas)
• No visa liberalisation for Serbian passport holders in Kosovo (N1, media)
• Petkovic reacts to von Cramon statement, says make Pristina establish ZSO (Radio KIM)
• Court of Appeals increases sentence to Vukotic, lawyer announces complaint to Supreme Court (KoSSev, media)
• Dacic: Pristina has almost no chance of becoming a UNESCO member (Tanjug)
• US ambassadors discuss regional stability with Vucic (N1, social media)

Opinion:

• Editor of RTV KiM: Serbs got a one-way ticket, Albanians an unsettled situation (Danas, Insajder)
• “Serbs from Kosovo humiliated, term Kosovar insulting” (N1)

International:

• Kosovo Parties Split Over Energy Corporation Head’s Arrest (BIRN)
• Serbia, Kosovo, Take First Steps To Implement EU Ohrid Deal (BIRN)

• KEK director Nagip Krasniqi arrested (media)
• COMKFOR: We will act if stability and security are threatened (media)
• OSCE calls for calm and democratic elections in the north (ATV)
• UNMIK chief Ziadeh welcomes visa liberalisation for Kosovo (media)
• Szunyog disappointed with absence of MPs during plenary sessions (media)
• Freedom of Information in Balkans still ‘on paper only’, panel hears (BIRN)
• Police identify three juveniles that damaged church door in Prizren (media)
• UNMIK chief condemns arson incident against church in Prizren (media)
• Population anxiety mustn’t be resolved at cost of women’s rights (BIRN)