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UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, May 22, 2023

Osmani: Implementation of agreements should be complete (RTK) 
Escobar: Agreement should be implemented by end of summer (media) 
Quint with an urgent call regarding Decani Monastery land (media) 
OSCE calls on institutions to “register land in Monastery’s name” (media) 
Institutions silent to the calls of internationals for Monastery of Decan (Koha) 
Kurti to host US senators Chris Murphy and Gary Peters today (media) 
Osmani attends inauguration of newly elected Montenegro President (media) 
Largest military exercise “Defender Europe ‘23” starts in Kosovo (Euronews) 
Lajcak: Our discussions will continue again in the weeks to come (media) 
Serb Ex-Policeman Charged with Wartime Rape of Kosovo Man (BIRN) 
A Flourishing Oasis: Unveiling Botanical Garden Amidst the Historic Walls of University of Prishtina (Prishtina Insight) 

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, May 19, 2023

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, May 19, 2023

Albanian Language Media:

• New Mitrovica North mayor swears in, deputy mayor from Serb community (RFE)
• Mitrovica North deputy mayor: Time to sit down together and work (Kallxo)
• Krasniqi: We’ll have new mayors who will engage on daily basis to improve lives of citizens regardless of their ethnicity (Telegrafi)
• Decision on opening Iber Bridge is at Ministry of Local Government (Gazeta Express)
• Howell: Kosovo very close to joining CoE; needs some lobbying (TeVe1)
• Osmani meets Wieland, expresses gratitude for continuous EP support (media)
• Kurti after Italy floods: Ready to extend our help where needed (media)
• Kurti: Next meeting of Kosovo and Albania governments in June (media)
• Surroi: Everyone entitled to baptise their children in Kosovo churches (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Serbian List calls for institutional violence against Serbs to stop (RTS, Kosovo Online)
• Petkovic on situation in northern Kosovo, says Vucic talks to Lajcak (Tanjug, Kosovo Online)
• Kosovo police confiscates KM licence plates, issues 150 EUR fine (Kosovo Online)
• Atiq's first meeting as mayor with Sladjan Trajkovic'c wife (KoSSev)
• The new mayor of North Mitrovica sworn in, his mandate officially began (N1, KoSSev, RFE)
• Diocese on Ceku’s message to Djokovic: What messages for peace and understanding are being sent in Kosovo by such an inappropriate comment? (KoSSev, KiM radio)
• Vucic to attend several meetings because of situation in Kosovo (RTS)
• Party of Kosovo Serbs: West decisive to preserve peace in Kosovo (Tanjug)
• Jovovic family robbed several times in Gorazdevac, preparators still remain unknown (Radio KIM)
• Assembly of the Serbian Orthodox Church: There must be no indirect or direct acceptance of Kosovo independence (NMagazin, Beta, N1)

International:

• US Senate: Kosovo-Serbia Dialogue Remains Key Issue in Western Balkans (Balkan Insight)
• Chollet and Escobar remain optimistic about Western Balkans progress towards the EU (EWB)

UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, May 19, 2023

• Quint: All parties should refrain from use of force or actions that inflame tensions or promote conflict (media)
• New mayor of Mitrovica North expected to be sworn in today (media)
• Hovenier: Do not use violence to enter municipal buildings in the north (media)
• Vucic: We will not accept the mayors in the north (media)
• Despite challenges, negotiators optimistic about next steps of Western Balkans countries toward EU (RFE)
• Osmani thanks Menendez for “unwavering commitment to democracy” (media)
• Serwer: What the State Department forgot to say (peacefare.net)
• Kosovo govt against Lajcak's ‘methodology’ for Article 7 implementation (Koha)
• Mustafa: Borrell must respect Mogherini’s commitment on Association (RTK)
• Limaj: Association will have executive powers; devil is in Article 7 (media)
• Kosovo court jails Naser Kelmendi for drug trafficking (BIRN)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, May 18, 2023

Albanian Language Media:

• Kurti talks with Chollet, calls for unconditional implementation of agreement (media)
• Czech and Finnish presidents call for Kosovo’s membership at CoE (Gazeta 10)
• Bislimi: Kosovo evaluated for highest economic growth in the region (media)
• Kosovo Police Union admitted in European Council of Police Unions (Klan)
• Police ready for swearing-in of new mayors of northern municipalities (RTV21)
• Selimi says Kosovo falling for traps set up by Vucic in the north (media)
• Expropriation in the north, a slippery slope for the Kosovo Government (RFE)
• Pamuk’s visit to Kosovo postponed to autumn, Ministry says (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic says situation in northern Kosovo is very tense (Danas, FoNet, Kosovo Online)
• Vucic speaks with Chollet (Tanjug)
• Serbian Government says security situation stable (FoNet, N1)
• Vucic, Serbian patriarch discuss fateful matters (Tanjug)
• “Serbia forced to reconsider meaningfulness of Council of Europe membership” (BETA, Radio KIM, media)
• PIK launches preliminary investigation of Rakocevic’s complaint about police mistreatment (KoSSev)
• West's plan being prepared for Kosovo, Dayton 2? (Blic)
• Ficovic: Local media are essential for objectively informing Serbs in Kosovo (KiM radio)

Opinion:

• If It Ain’t Broken, Don’t Fix It: Turkish Foreign Policy in the Balkans After the Elections (EWB)

UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, May 18, 2023

• Kurti meets Wieland, “unconditional implementation of agreement” (media)
• Chollet, Escobar to discuss about Western Balkans at U.S. Senate (Dukagjini)
• Chollet: Provocations between Kosovo and Serbia must be avoided (media)
• Koopman meets Kurti: Kosovo is part of the European family (media)
• Kosovo Police joins the operational network against organized crime (media)
• Zubin Potok mayor: Harmonizing actions with U.S. and other factors (media)
• LVV MP: Lajcak should’ve made his statement in Belgrade (Telegrafi)
• Switzerland grants visa-free travel to Kosovars starting on 2024 (Schengen Visa)
• Kosovo failing to punish violent crime, BIRN Finds (BIRN)
• Kosovo government building illuminated in colors of LGBTQI+ flag (media)
• SL List claims persons that shot in Uglare were speaking in Albanian (media)
• OSCE mission releases guidelines on domestic violence coordination (media)
• EU Council urges Kosovo to step up energy transition (SeeNews)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, May 17, 2023

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)

UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, May 17, 2023

• 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)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, May 16, 2023

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)

UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, May 16, 2023

• 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

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)