UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, May 17, 2023

Albanian Language Media:

• Hovenier: We expect new mayors to take on technical not political role (Telegrafi)
• Kurti: Kosovo’s progress acknowledged in international reports (media)
• Vela: Criminal groups in north preparing lists to send Serbs to Vucic rally (media)
• Shala: Some MPs from majority have different positions from their party (Demokracia)
• Switzerland decides to lift visas for Kosovo (media)
• Police conduct raids over suspected abuse of duty at Public Housing Enterprise (RFE)

Serbian Language Media:

• Shooting in Ugljare, no one was injured (Radio KIM, RTS)
• Petkovic reacts to shooting in Ugljare (Kosovo Online, TV Pink)
• Serbian List condemns shooting in Ugljare (Kosovo Online)
• Hill: Solving technical issues is not for people who want quick fixes; In the end we will have CSM (ZSO) (KoSSev, Nova S)
• Wigemark: Opening of a bridge should not be a unilateral decision (Radio KIM, KoSSev, Kosovo Online)
• Vucic: Rally of hope not of anger (N1)
• European Commission welcomes gun amnesty campaign in Serbia (N1)
• Vucic: 20,000 pieces of weapons handed in, SNS to elect new leadership on May 27 (N1)
• Complaint to the mayor of Gracanica about abuses; Municipality: Anonymous document (medijacentar.info, KiM radio)
• Gracanica municipality on the construction in Caglavica: The building permit has not been issued (KiM radio, KoSSev)

International:

• In Kosovo, Fake Online Accounts are Turbocharging Tensions (BIRN)

• Osmani appeals to EU to honor agreement and address Serbia’s violations (BIRN)
• Kosovo: Serbia normalisation dialogue articles not conditional on each other (euractiv)
• Largest international military exercise to start this week in Kosovo (euronews.al)
• Census in north will be difficult, says Kosovo’s Statistics Agency (euronews.al)
• Council of Europe summit started Tuesday, Kosovo not on agenda (euronews.al)
• U.S. criticizes govt again for not implementing decision on Decani Monastery (media)
• Why is the South Tyrol model seen as harmful for Kosovo? (RTK)
• Tahiri: Kurti should condition Association with amendment of Constitution of Serbia (Klan)
• EBRD raises Kosovo’s economic growth forecast to 3.5% in 2023 (SeeNews)
• Poll finds optimism with Serbia, progress fighting corruption, support for EU membership (media)

Albanian Language Media:

• Osmani: Need to convince partners, every process in line with Constitution (EO)
• Kurti says Association is part of agreement, but not the whole agreement (EO)
• Kurti: Forcible disappearances were part of Serbia’s project (media)
• EBRD: Kosovo’s economic growth, highest in the Balkans this year (Telegrafi)
• Municipalities ask govt to urgently amend law to unblock own revenues (Nacionale)
• Gola: Serb Orthodox Church will not have additional competencies (KTV)
• Borrell: We need a safe and peaceful Western Balkans (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Petkovic: Situation difficult, Bislimi's behaviour was scandalous (Tanjug, RTS)
• Brnabic: Continuation of UNMIK’s engagement is of key importance to Belgrade (Danas, FoNet)
• Dacic discusses Kosovo, peacekeeping with UN officials (N1, media)
• Decani: SOC sites in Kosovo are of particular importance for Orthodox Serbs, but also source of pride for all Kosovo residents (KoSSev)
• State Department Report: Constitutional Court decision on returning land to Visoki Decani had not been implemented (Kosovo Online)
• Dacic thanks Cypriot ambassador for non-recognition of Kosovo (Tanjug)
• Dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina: "Neighbour, are you okay" (KiM radio, Danas, FoNet)
• Demostat: Pristina's refusal to form the CSM (ZSO) a risk for the security of the region (NMagazin, Beta, Danas, Euronews Serbia)
• The Party of Kosovo Serbs calls for a rally on May 26 in Belgrade: We support Aleksandar Vucic (KiM radio, Danas)
• “The Serbian List will use the mechanism of blackmail to bring the Kosovo Serbs to the SNS rally” (Danas)
• Belgrade insists on resolution of visa liberalisation for Serbs from Kosovo: Are they going to be only ones who need visas? (Euronews)

International:

• High gas prices and inflation dampen growth in EBRD regions (ebrd.com)
• ‘We have a violent society’: hate speech in spotlight after Serbian mass shootings (The Guardian)

• Lajcak: Discussions will continue (media)
• No results from new round of negotiations between Kosovo and Serbia (media)
• Bislimi: Petkovic not interested to hear about the Constitution of Kosovo (media)
• Wigemark: Situation in the north is fragile (RTV21)
• Kurti: Communities and diversity are assets for Kosovo (media)
• Serbia continues its attempts to prevent Kosovo’s membership at CoE (Koha)
• Strpce man reported as missing found in Suhareka in good health (Klan)
• Kosovo Women Leaving Their Mark in ICT (Prishtina Insight)
• EU Director-General for DG NEAR Koopman visits Western Balkans (media)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, May 15, 2023

Albanian Language Media:

• Kurti: Budget for municipalities for 2024 is €740 million (media)
• Bajrami to Kurti: You have blocked over €37 million for the municipalities (Nacionale)
• Sarrazin: There might not be an agreement yet, but there are concepts (media)
• Szunyog: Non-implementation of Ohrid agreement will have consequences (Reporteri)
• Government and opposition clashes over World Bank's report on Kosovo (media)
• Muja: Lajcak’s goal is to offer an extreme version for the Association (Reporteri)
• Dugolli writes to Specialist Chambers again; “I won’t stop seeking justice” (media)
• Five persons arrested in police counter-terrorism operation (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Miroce village residents’ another appeal to the Kosovo authorities and international representatives over their usurped properties (KoSSev)
• Petkovic met Lajcak ahead of the new round of dialogue with Pristina (RTS, Tanjug)
• Power visits Gracanica Monastery while visiting Kosovo (KoSSev)
• New “Serbia Against Violence” protest held in Belgrade (N1, media)
• Dacic on protest: Not a word about the victims, just threats against Vucic (N1, Tanjug)
• Dacic regrets Israel’s decision to recognize Kosovo independence (BETA, media)
• Ambassador of Cyprus: Stance on Kosovo principled and consistent (Kosovo Online)
• Serbian List: Entering the municipalities may endanger the peace (KiM radio, Radio Mitrovica sever, Kosovo Online)
• Fatherland Movement fully supports the requests of the opposition (KoSSev)
• Detention of Trajkovic extended for two more months (Kosovo Online)

International:

• Serbian president says snap election on cards after mass shootings spark protests (Politico)
• Ruling Socialists Defeat Divided Opposition in Albanian Local Polls (BIRN)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Kosovo Assembly hosts seminar “Promoting a gender-sensitive parliament” (EO)
• Share Your Experience: School Violence in South Eastern Europe (Balkan Insight)
• Awareness march for mental health for first time in Kosovo (Klan Kosova)

• Dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia continues in Brussels (RFE)
• Lajcak: I expect chief negotiators to be ready to agree on next steps (media)
• Osmani hosts USG: Kosovo, model for promoting Women’s Agenda (media)
• World Bank Group’s New Strategy in Kosovo Supports Competitiveness for Higher Job Creation and Living Standards (worldbank.org)
• Kosovo Opens Auction for First Solar Park (BIRN)
• Conference calls for stronger collaboration among prosecutors investigating war crimes in Western Balkans (BIRN)
• Kurti to meet mayors of municipalities today (RTK)
• KSF launch search for Serb man from Strpce who went missing (Kosovapress)

Albanian Language Media:

• Kurti: We’d like to see dialogue acceleration, implementation of agreements (Koha)
• EU statement on govt decision on land expropriation in north (media)
• Quint ambassadors don’t talk to media after meeting Kurti today (Indeksonline)
• Power: Major political decisions require courage (RTK)
• Krasniqi: We’ll individually schedule sessions with new mayors (Telegrafi)
• Haliti: There could be elections in September, Kurti govt could fall (TeVe1)
• Hoti: Management Team existed since 2013; “Kurti’s work catastrophic” (Klan)
• Waltz calls on non-recognizing countries to recognize Kosovo (media)
• CDHRF: Lajcak is using dialogue for his rise in career (Klan)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic after meeting Lajcak: I am concerned over Kosovo, Kurti provoking conflicts (Tanjug, media)
• Petkovic with Lajcak: Talks about the tensions raised by Kurti in the municipalities in the north (RTS, Kosovo Online)
• Kosovo police harassed Serbs in Preoce (KiM radio, medijacentar.info, Kosovo Online)
• Serbian List: ''Police officer who tried to kill Milan Jovanovic released under house arrest, the legal violence continues'' (Danas, Kosovo Online, Radio Mitrovica sever)
• Dacic: Serbia will abstain from voting in the CoE on the integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine (NMagazin, Beta)
• A new multi-ethnic center for dialogue "launched" in Pristina - a gathering place for those who share the same values (KoSSev)
• Gracanica municipality refuses to issue permits for the construction of houses approved by the ministry (medijacentar.info)

International:

• Roma and Sinti Holocaust Victims’ Stories Told in Kosovo Exhibition (BIRN)

• Lacroix hosted by Kurti, says “results are apparent” in several areas (media)
• Trust, an important component for social and economic development (RTV21)
• After meeting Lajcak, Kurti says he will draft "vision" for Serbs (Koha)
• Lajcak: What I heard left me worried (media)
• Serbian List: We’ll not return to institutions without Association forming (Koha)
• Konjufca: Lajcak is biased, he conceives dialogue as if Kosovo's status has not yet been defined (RTV21)
• Power: The U.S. wants mutual recognition (RTK)
• Von Cramon: Vucic should end the dialogue with Kosovo (Albanian Post)
• More political will needed for progress of Serbia and Kosovo on the EU path (EWB)
• Osmani asks for Kosovo to have seat at COP28: Climate change knows no politics (Koha)
• Kurti: We have had cyber-attacks on our government system (media)
• Osmani invited to inauguration of Montenegro President Milatovic (media)
• Maldives presidency refutes Vucic: We have not withdrawn recognition of Kosovo (media)
• Kosovo: RTK continuing to push for EBU membership (Eurovoix)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, May 11, 2023

Albanian Language Media:

• Lajcak: There is either normalisation or conflict (media)
• Kurti: EU should hold Serbia responsible for ongoing violations of Agreement (Koha)
• The Iber Bridge discussed during the Hamza-Lajcak meeting (media)
• Lajcak crosses Iber Bridge on foot to meet local Serbs (Dukagjini)
• KDI: Court ruling should be basis for drafting statute of Association (Koha)
• Kurti meets UK Ministry of Foreign Affairs Director for Western Balkans (media)
• Haziri: Kurti has excluded Konjufca and Osmani from dialogue (Nacionale)
• Ambassador Hovenier calls for increased cyber and information security (Klan)

Serbian Language Media:

• Lajcak: Decision on Ibar River bridge opening should be made within dialogue (Tanjug)
• Visoki Decani Monastery reacts to Osmani’s remarks on monastery land court decision (media, social media)
• Serbian List reacts to decision on land expropriation in north (Kosovo Online, social media)
• Bilcik and von Cramon worried about Pristina's decision on land expropriation (KiM radio, Beta, Kosovo Online)
• Possible re-elections in North of Kosovo: Difficulties in confirming mandate of newly elected mayors (Danas)
• Dacic, Szijjarto: Level of Serbia-Hungary ties highest in recent history (Tanjug)
• Lajcak: Chief negotiators in Brussels on Monday (FoNet, N1)
• Dacic: Constant pressure over Russia sanctions (Prva TV, BETA, N1)

International:

• Petition Urges Kosovo Govt to Cut Period Products Tax (Prishtina Insight)

• Osmani slams Borrell over Association comments, says Vucic can’t be “normalized” (media)
• Kurti meets Council of U.S. Ambassadors, informs them about dialogue with Serbia (media)
• Konjufca: Kosovo will not accept models that aim to undo the state (media)
• Association will also be an administrative authority, with a distinct legal identity, but which does not form a third power (Albanian Post)
• Power: It takes political courage to reach a lasting solution in dialogue (media)
• “Draft statute of Association must be consistent with Kosovo’s laws,” says Serbian minister (euronews.al)
• European Parliament adopted resolutions on Kosovo and Serbia (EWB)
• Svecla on EP report: We share common concerns about challenging situation in north (Koha)