UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, January 18, 2021

Albanian Language Media:

• COVID–19: 267 new cases, one death (media)
• Vaccines Kosovo secured via Austria have not yet been approved (Koha)
• Zemaj signs manual for treating Covid patients with convalescent plasma (media)
• CEC seeks assistance of six institutions to carry out background checks on candidates (media)
• CEC reveals numbers used to phone Diaspora in verification process (media)
• LDK amends election ticket following AKR's reaction (Koha/Klan)
• Justice Ministry presents rule of law strategy (EO)
• U.S. Embassy hails finalisation of rule of law strategy (media)
• Pendarovski: Biden knows Balkans well, Kosovo an open issue (Lajmi)

Serbian Language Media:

• Rakic: Serbs in Kosovo must come under one flag (KiM radio, Vecernje Novosti)
• Three Serbian political entities to run in forthcoming elections (Radio KIM)
• War Crimes witness found dead in Kosovo (N1, KoSSev)
• The third anniversary of Oliver Ivanovic’s murder – separate commemorations held once again (KoSSev)
• Miroslav Ivanovic: Serbian List behind TV spot (Radio KIM)
• SL: Ivanovic and Radoicic are victims of Kosovo injustice and rigged trials (KoSSev)
• A million doses of Chinese vaccine arrive in Serbia (N1)
• Zaev: North Macedonia to receive 8.000 vaccines from Serbia (Kosovo-online)
• Tailings in Leposavic spilled into the Ibar after a rampart collapsed (KoSSev)
• Abbot Janjic met COM KFOR General Federici (Radio KIM)
• Jankovic: Kostic is a world-class scholar, but he is wrong about Kosovo (nova.rs, KoSSev)
• Ljajic: They did not allow me to enter Kosovo as a demonstration of their power, they make ad hoc decisions (Kosovo Online, TV Prva)

International:

• 2021 Early Elections in Kosovo: End of an Era (ifimes.org)
• Taboo-Busting Literature has ‘Liberating Potential’, Says Serbian Author (Balkan Insight)

Humanitarian/Development:

• UNS wants Serbian journalists on priority vaccination list (N1, BETA, Radio konakt plus)

• COVID – 19: 353 new cases, five deaths (media)
• Hoti: We have secured €40 million for vaccines coming in February (media)
• “Positions were close on President before indictments were published” (media)
• Hoxhaj to Kurti: You are hiding from a public debate (media)
• Krasniqi: I will represent the survivors of sexual violence from the war (media)
• COMFKOR lists key threats against security (Koha)
• Waiting to leave (Prishtina Insight)

Albanian Language Media:

• COVID – 19: 296 new cases, seven deaths (media)
• Government decides to ease measures in the fight against coronavirus (media)
• Hoti presents economic recovery program, promises pensions’ increase (media)
• EU Ambassador signs three projects worth € 11.8 million (media)
• Kosovo leaders pay homage to Recak victims (media)
• Kosnett and Orlando remember Recak victims (Koha)

• COVID – 19: 287 new cases, six deaths (media)
• Police arrest doctors in the north in relation with COVID – 19 vaccines (media)
• Osmani to compete in elections alongside Vetevendosje (Prishtina Insight)
• Kurti: Change will happen on February 14 (Klan Kosova)
• Kurti turns down Hoxhaj’s call for debate (media)
• Hoxhaj reacts after Kurti turns down debate call (media)
• Ismaili: Kurti always wanted KLA leaders to be in the Hague (media)
• Tahiri: The wealth that must be confiscated is outside Kosovo (Kallxo)
• Kosovo massacre anniversary brings memories of missing mother (Balkan Insight)NMIK M

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, January 14, 2021

Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: 279 new cases, four deaths (media)
• Vetevendosje and Osmani's list to run under joint ticket (media)
• Hoti: Kosovo entered dialogue with Serbia on clear principles (media)
• ECAP rejects VV's complaint over verification of Diaspora voters (media)
• CEC warns of an unauthorised online application form (media)
• Votes from Serbia to arrive through transit post (RFE)
• Former Kosovo Police director, Rashit Qalaj, joins PDK (media)
• AAK to present candidates for MPs on Friday (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Eight newly infected persons, two deaths in Serb areas in Kosovo (Kontakt plus radio)
• Vucic: Reeker and Lajcak very important, but to change the Washington agreement someone must ask Serbia too (KoSSev)
• Dacic: Kosovo is also mine, as it is Thaci’s and Kurti’s (Kosovo-online)
• Petkovic banned from entering Kosovo to deliver aid (N1)
• Serbian List: EU to react to violation of agreement on freedom of movement (KiM radio)
• EC: EU’s position on Kosovo status is known and unchanged (RTS, Tanjug)
• On eve of 3rd anniversary of Oliver Ivanovic’s murder, Serbian weekly publishes book (KoSSev)
• The Tanjug team after seven hours of waiting allowed to enter Kosovo (Tanjug, Radio Mitrovica sever)
• Serbian power company buys shares in Montenegrin counterpart (N1)

International:

• Erdogan’s great game: Turkish intrigue in the Balkans (Financial Times)
• Kosovo State Radio Accused of Censorship and Discrimination (Balkan Insight)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Denmark Allocates €6 Million to Western Balkans Countries to Help Them With Border Controls & Repatriation of Migrants (schengenvisainfo.com)

• COVID-19: 299 new cases, one death (media)
• Osmani rejects Lajcak's remarks on Kosovo's recognition (RFE/Koha)
• Hoti: We will spare no one during election campaign (Koha)
• VV announces candidates from Pristina, Kurti leads the ticket (media)
• Hoxhaj says PDK will emerge as the most voted party (media)
• CEC: 888 polling stations to be open on election day across Kosovo (media)
• Von Cramon speaks about election challenges Kosovo faces (DW)
• Ombudsperson: CEC to avoid any action that undermines right to vote (media)
• Phillips: Time for the West to give ultimatum to Serbia (Telegrafi)
• Hamza: PDK would have negotiated a better deal in Washington (Klan)
• Petkovic refused permission to visit Kosovo (Klan)
• Hoti appoints Muharrem Nitaj acting Minister of Economy (media)
• Has an SPO indictment been rejected by pre-trial judge? (Lajmi/RTK)

Albanian Language Media:

• COVID – 19: 299 new cases, one death (media)
• Acting President Osmani visits the Belgian Parliament (media)
• Sassoli firm: Fighting corruption and crime brings Kosovo closer to EU (Koha)
• Human Rights Watch Annual World Report (HRW)
• Kosovo minister of Economy offers resignation (Gazeta Express)
• Samedin Mehmeti elected director of the Kosovo Police (media)
• Police: Three police officers injured during PSD protest yesterday (RTK)
• Radio Kosova stops broadcasting audio plays after story of Serb woman (Koha)
• Kurti: The rain highlighted the failures of 20 years of misgovernance (media)
• AAK is aiming president position with an economic governing program (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Ten new cases of Covid-19 in Serbian areas in Kosovo (KoSSev)
• WHO official in Serbia: End of epidemic far away (N1)
• US Embassy in Belgrade: Regional cooperation and BG-PR dialogue remains a priority (Tanjug, Kosovo Online)
• “More pressure on Serbia about Kosovo pushes it closer to Russia and China” (RFE, FoNet, N1)
• Father Sava: The Church position on Kosovo is united (KiM radio)
• European Commission service deleted disputable post on Twitter about Vjosa Osmani (RTS)
• Sava Janjic: I hope EU would remind Kosovo to implement Constitutional Court decision on Decani (Kosovo-online)
• Petkovic: Let’s meet half-way with Pristina (N1, Happy TV, Kosovo-online)
• Two minority pre-election coalitions have applied for upcoming Kosovo elections (RTK2)

Opinion:

• How Biden can make a big difference in the Western Balkans (ECFR)

International:

• Albania carries out 1st vaccinations with donated doses (AP)
• Bishop with Attitude Threatens to Shake Up Serbian Politics (Balkan Insight)
• Last Despatches: Mystery Shrouds British Reporter’s Death in Kosovo Border Shelling (Balkan Insight)

• COVID – 19: 303 new cases, 5 deaths (media)
• Kosovo accused of limiting Diaspora voting rights (Balkan Insight)
• Haradinaj asks for votes to become President of Kosovo (media)
• Limaj: PDK didn’t want a coalition; we won’t join them after elections (T7)
• Lajcak: New government in Kosovo first before we resume dialogue (media)
• Osmani: Justice is a precondition for peace and reconciliation (media)
• Osmani meets EU MPs in the Kosovo Friendship Group (media)
• Osmani meets EU Special Representative Miroslav Lajcak (media)
• Palmer: Elections are the foundation of democratic practices (RTSH)
• PSD leader Molliqaj and 16 activists arrested by police (media)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, January 12, 2021

Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: 279 new cases, four deaths (media)
• Zemaj: We’re looking into the possibility of relaxing some measures (RTK)
• Osmani begins official visit to Brussels (media)
• Haradinaj reacts to Vucic: Kosovo will join NATO (media)
• LDK – AKR, the first pre-election coalition? (media)
• PDK to run alone in elections, other parties free to join its ticket (Kallxo)
• Daka: We verified Diaspora votes before, will do so with applicants in Serbia too (EO)
• VV appeals CEC's decision on Diaspora voter registration (Klan)
• NGO Germin to appeal CEC’s decision on Diaspora voters (media)
• CDHRF: Constitutional Court cannot ban Kurti or others to run for election (Koha)
• Qatar pledges continued support for Kosovo (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• In Serbian communities in Kosovo 24 new cases of Covid-19, one death (Kontakt plus radio)
• Vucic: Albanians and Europeans want defeat of Serbia; frozen conflict is a danger (TV Happy, KoSSev)
• Selakovic: Serbia expects continuation of China’s support regarding Kosovo (N1, FoNet)
• Petkovic: No one talks to Serbia with language of blackmail (BETA, N1)
• Spahiu: Citizens already know who they will vote for, campaign won’t have an impact (Kosovo Online)
• Lajcak and Reeker on the Western Balkans (Kosovo Online)

Opinion:

• How to fight disenfranchisement, Kosovo style (Prishtina Insight)
International:

• Kosovo Parties Flout Ban on Gatherings Ahead of Election (Balkan Insight)
• EU and the Western Balkans in 2021: Searching for a Way Back to Normal (EWB)

Humanitarian/Development:

• More than 85.500 citizens have applied for vaccination (B92, Tanjug)

• COVID – 19: 206 new cases, 6 new deaths (media)
• CEC: Diaspora voters cannot register to vote if they don’t answer phone (media)
• Osmani calls on CEC to review decision on diaspora voters (media)
• Haradinaj-Stublla: Daka said decision on Diaspora voters was unanimous (media)
• VV's Haxhiu: CEC imposes unconstitutional criteria on Diaspora voters (media)
• Haradinaj says an AAK - Vetevendosje government is possible (Klan Kosova)
• Poll on political parties’ candidates for Prime Minister (Telegrafi)
• Kosovo FM reacts to Serbia’s anti-lobbying request to Qatar (media)
• Kosovo parties flout ban on gatherings ahead of election (Balkan Insight)
• Pristina municipality to fine any party that holds election rally (Klan)
• “We won’t pay any fines; political parties are not respecting the measures” (EO)
• Ismaili: Municipalities, government must shelter those affected by floods (media)
• “Mental disorders during pandemic very similar to those from the war” (Koha)
• Lushtaku: I will run for Skenderaj mayor (Kallxo)