UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, March 17, 2021

Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: 709 new cases, eight deaths (media)
• Osmani on national unity: Kosovo is here to stay (BBC, media)
• Kosovo discusses securing of anti-COVID-19 vaccine with Israel (media)
• Abbott meets Abdixhiku, discuss LDK and its role as opposition (media)
• Kurti and Osmani meet representatives of Gorani and Roma entities (media)
• Next status conference in Thaci et al. case on 24 March (Express)
• Abdixhiku accuses Kurti ahead of negotiations for Kosovo’s new president (euronews.al)
• Chairman of LDK in Kllokot resigns (media)
• Kosovo paralyzed, public transportation on strike asking subsidies for the pandemic (euronews.al)

Serbian Language Media:

• In Serbian areas 29 new cases of Covid-19 (Radio Mitrovica sever)
• 17th anniversary of March pogrom commemorated (Radio KIM, KoSSev)
• Patriarch Porfirije: Prayer for peace for all people in Kosovo (Kosovo Online)
• Vucic says Serbia won’t allow repeat of Kosovo violence (N1)
• Serbian Foreign Affairs Ministry on March 2004 pogrom (Kosovo-online)
• Remembering victims of March pogrom in Mitrovica North (Radio Mitrovica sever, TV Most)
• Even after 17 years, the images of the pogrom still live (KiM radio)
• Ratovac Siamasvili: UNESCO aware of the peculiarities and significance of the Serbian cultural heritage in Kosovo (Kosovo Online, Tanjug)
• CI SDP: Pogrom is a crime no one was held responsible for (Radio kontakt plus)
• COM KFOR: Security situation stabilized after 2004 (RTS, Kosovo-online)
• Four principles of the new methodology of EU for Serbia's accession (media)
• Raska-Prizren Eparchy requests those in charge to prevent attacks against religious objects (Radio KIM)
• Office for KiM: Continuous endangerment of Serbian heritage (Radio KIM)
• Vucic met Chen Bo, focus on Sinopharm factory construction (RTS)
• Montenegro PM tells N1 he wants better relations with Serbia (N1)

International:

• EU regulator ‘convinced’ AstraZeneca benefit outweighs risk (AP)
• Belgium Arrests Kosovo Ex-Guerrilla on War Crime Charges (Balkan Insight)

• COVID-19: 608 new cases, 10 deaths (media)
• Education deputy minister says schools will be off for one week (Kallxo)
• Social networks flooded with appeals for convalescent plasma donations (Koha)
• Kurti, Osmani meet leaders of communities, discuss formation of new institutions (media)
• VV's Konjufca, candidate for Kosovo Assembly Speaker (media)
• Osmani's list aims to get two ministerial posts and deputy prime ministry (Koha)
• Abdixhiku on Osmani's election: We do not want instability (T7/media)
• Haradinaj: LVV does not have AAK’s support to govern on its own (RTK)
• Haxhiu announces review of all Hoti-led government's decisions (Koha)
• Citaku: Opening of Embassy in Jerusalem should not be part of political debate (media)
• Former KLA fighter arrested on Specialist Chambers warrant (media)
• Dissatisfaction of Kosovo Serbs about party employments (RFE/media)
• Kosovo’s Kurti Seeks to Form ‘No Compromise’ Government Quickly (BIRN)

Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: 553 new cases, eight deaths (media)
• Hoti: No new anti-Covid measures, stable trend of cases (media)
• Rohde: New elections are the last thing Kosovo needs (Koha)
• Turkish community leaders join discussions on formation of new government (media)
• Rexhepi: We will vote for Kurti government, Osmani president (media)
• Krasniqi: Our vote will be in support of Kurti, Osmani (media)
• VAKAT: Our position on new government to be clarified later (media)
• Petkovic granted permission to visit Kosovo (Koha/Klan)

Serbian Language Media:

• Serbian communities: 55 new Covid-19 cases, two deaths (KoSSev)
• Church in Donja Gusterica broken into last night (KiM radio)
• US’s Palmer & Godfrey worried about journalists’ safety in Serbia (Beta, N1)
• Manaj: The identification of remains found in nine sites in Kosovo and Kizevak is underway (KoSSev)
• Daimel: Hard times could come for Vucic soon (Danas, FoNet, VoA)
• Hungarian FM says Belgrade, Budapest did not allow vaccine to become political (N1, Beta)
• Protest due to the outcome of the competition for the admission of medical staff in Gracanica (RTV Puls, KiM radio, RTK2)

Opinion:

• Central Europe’s Media-Capture Epidemic (Balkan Insight)

International:

• WHO meets to discuss AstraZeneca vaccine as more EU countries halt rollout (CNN)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Bosnian Film “Quo Vadis, Aida?” officially nominated for the Oscar (N1, KoSSev)

• COVID-19: 574 new cases, 13 deaths (media)
• Zemaj: Vaccines dedicated to Kosovo to be available from 17 March (Klan)
• Assembly's constitutive session called for 22 March (media)
• Kurti: Missing persons did not get due attention in dialogue with Serbia (media)
• "Opening of embassy in Jerusalem decreed by former President Thaci" (media)
• EU, Palestinians, Jordan condemn opening of Kosovo’s embassy in Jerusalem (media)
• Abdixhiku sends letter to Kurti, Osmani asking to meet Friday (media)
• Analysts: Kurti to hope on LDK for Osmani's election (Telegrafi)
• Serwer: Vucic is trying to create Milosevis’s Greater Serbia (VoA, RTK)
• Hoxhaj denies that PDK leadership will be dismissed (Kanal10, media)
• Daut Haradinaj gives up MP mandate (media)
• Presidency secretary dismissed in light of misuse of authorities charges (media)
• Haxhiu on the murdered woman case: Those who neglected the case, to leave (media)
• Kosovo Seeks ‘Reset’ of Decade-Old Dialogue with Serbia (BIRN)
• Kosovo’s Thaci Challenges War Crime Indictment at Hague Court (BIRN)
• US’ Palmer and Serbia’s Vucic discuss main topics and mutual differences (N1)

Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: 574 new cases, 13 deaths (media)
• Kurti and Osmani kick off talks on forming new government (Express)
• Hoxhaj requests more clarity on new government approach (Express)
• Haradianj withdraws from running for president: we do not have majority (RTK)
• Hamas denounces opening of Kosovo embassy in Jerusalem (Express)
• Abdixhiku: We are waiting for LVV’s response for Friday’s meeting (media)
• Edi Rama invites Kosovo doctors to get Covid-19 vaccine in Kukes (RTK)

Serbian Language Media:

• 28 new cases of Covid-19 registered in Serbian areas on Saturday (Radio kontakt plus)
• Palestinian Ambassador to Belgrade: By opening an embassy in Jerusalem, Kosovo violates our rights (Kosovo Online)
• Mavric and Qerkini called on the institutions to shed light on the fate of 1,640 missing persons (KiM radio, Kosovo Online)
• Two churches broken into in the Strpce municipality (RTV Puls)
• Serbian List: Disgraceful decision to extend detention of the Mayor of Klokot (Kosovo Online)
• Hodzic: Minority communities that don’t want to be assimilated are not welcome in Kosovo (Kosovo Online)
• Decision on the replacement of car plates is a violation of the Brussels Agreement (KIM radio)
• Selakovic: Serbia strongly committed to development of relations with Russia (N1)
• SOC Patriarch Porfirije in three day stay in Kosovo (Radio Kontakt plus)

Opinion:

• Football match lays bare Spain’s disastrous policy towards Kosovo (Prishtina Insight)

International:

• The EU Is a Dishonest Broker on Western Balkan Demographics (carnegieeurope.eu)
• Osmani: “The goal is to see the Republic of Kosovo as a vibrant democracy!” (Faces of Democracy)
• Western Balkan Civil Society Avoiding Fight Against Corruption, Crime: Report (Balkan Insight)
• Kosovo’s Thaci Challenges War Crime Indictment at Hague Court (Balkan Insight)
• Montenegrin President’s Party Defeated in his Hometown Niksic (Balkan Insight)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Single mothers unsupported in the pandemic (Kosovo 2.0)
• EU ‘green pass’ fuels the fire in Balkans (euractive.com)

• COVID-19: 597 new cases, nine deaths (media)
• Kosovo opens embassy in Jerusalem (media)
• Turkey condemns opening of Kosovo's embassy in Jerusalem (media)
• Lumir Abdixhiku elected new leader of LDK (media)
• Abdixhiku receives congratulations on his election (media)
• Abdixhiku will not be attending Kurti, Osmani's meeting today (media)
• EP report identifies obstacles to a Kosovo-Serbia agreement (RTK/Zeri)
• COVID-19: Kosovo remains without any printed newspaper (RFE)
• At Kosovo Monastery, Nationalist Clamor Disturbs the Peace (NYT)
• In Mitrovica, a bridge that separates Kosovo's Albanians and Serbs (euronews)
• Balkan States Under Pressure to Prosecute Financiers of Terrorism (BIRN)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, March 12, 2021

Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: 730 new cases, six deaths (media)
• Kosovo government ditches responsibility for absence of vaccine rollout (media)
• U.S.: New government of Kosovo to be formed without obstructionism (media)
• PDK confirms participation in meeting with Kurti, Osmani (media)
• Mustafa: LDK has always been open for dialogue (Kosovapress)
• AAK confirms participation in Monday's meeting (media)
• Supreme Court rejects seven complaints from community parties (media)
• Kllokot mayor arrested on vote manipulation charges (Kallxo)
• Stefanovic: Recognition of Kosovo would undermine Serbia's sovregnity (Klan)

Serbian Language Media:

• 28 new cases of Covid-19, one death registered in Serbian areas in Kosovo (KoSSev)
• Denial from Ranilug to RFE text – ''Dismissed because he did not vote for Adriana Hodzic'' (KoSSev)
• Hodzic: All votes for Duda Balje in Klokot accepted, our votes annulled (Kosovo-online)
• Mayor of Klokot arrested (Kosovo Online, Gazeta Express)
• Petkovic: Unfounded arrests in Klokot, continuation of oppression of Serbian representatives (Kosovo Online)
• Vucic: Serbia to build Sinopharm vaccine factory (N1)
• Serbian List representatives talked with Palmer and Kosnett on elections results and dialogue (Kosovo-online)
• Brussels' patience running out (Danas)
• Varhelyi: Dialogue will continue after institutions in Pristina are formed (Kosovo-online)
• Brnabic: EU accession process frustrating sometimes, but only option (N1)
• Partial lockdown in Serbia over this weekend again (N1)

Opinion:

• Blood is Blood (Kosovo 2.0)

International:

• Despite Govt Promises, Kosovo Still to Administer First COVID-19 Jab (Balkan Insight)
• Kosovo Detains Mayor and Two Others Suspected of Vote Manipulation (Balkan Insight)
• Following Prague, Kosovo to open embassy in Jerusalem (isralelhayom.com)
• Bring Western Balkans back on the agenda, urge nine EU member states (euractive.com)
• Powerful Serb Returns to Kosovo After Arrest Warrant Revoked (Balkan Insight)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Medical equipment from UAE arrives in Serbia (N1)
• Kosovo's abused 'restaurant bears' move to greener pastures (AFP/France 24)

• COVID-19: 678 new cases, nine deaths (media)
• One Good Thing: In Kosovo, virus lets humanity shine through (AP)
• Palmer holds separate virtual meetings with Kosovo leaders (media)
• Palmer: Opposition to be in Assembly session during president's vote (Telegrafi)
• Kurti, Osmani call political parties to discuss future steps (media)
• PDK and AAK on Kurti’s and Osmani’s letter (Klan)
• In interview, Abdixhiku discusses Kurti's letter, LDK election result (Klan)
• Von Cramon submits report on Kosovo to EP (media)
• Butel: Kosovo has not yet met all visa liberalisation criteria (Express/RTK)
• Nagavci: We do not need to co-govern with LDK (KTV)
• AKR seeks complete vote recount (media)
• Markovic: I lost my job for refusing to vote for Hodzic (RFE/media)
• Ministry: Don't fall prey to fake news of Kosovo's de-recognition (media)
• Croatia to increase number of troops to Kosovo (media)

Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: 632 new cases, eight deaths (media)
• AAK demands complete recount of votes, Kurti's LVV opposes request (media)
• Haradinaj has not given up his candidacy for president (Kallxo)
• Mustafa: Besian Mustafa did not submit his candidacy to LDK bodies (Telegrafi)
• Supreme Court receives 15 appeals against ECAP decisions, rejects nine (RTK)
• 16-year-old becomes Kosovo’s youngest coronavirus victim (Express)

Serbian Language Media:

• In Serbian communities 46 new cases, one death (Kontakt plus radio)
• Those interested to receive Pfizer vaccine can register at Gracanica Health House (Radio KIM)
• Dacic: Egypt recognized Kosovo, but did not vote for it in international organizations (Kosovo Online, Tanjug)
• Garipi: Annulment of votes that Roma initiative won is pure racism (Kosovo Online, Kosova press
• Demostat: Kurti spoils model of two Germanys as a solution for Kosovo (Danas)
• 10 years of the Brussels dialogue: EU tracks positive changes, experts in Kosovo more cautious and critical (KoSSev)
• 40 years since demonstrations in Kosovo: The breakup of Yugoslavia began in a student cafeteria (KoSSev)
• Varhelyi: EU demonstrates solidarity in fighting coronavirus consequences (Kosovo-online)

International:

• Kosovo Exhibition Commemorates Historic 1981 Student Protests (Balkan Insight)
• Cyber-Attacks a Growing Threat to Unprepared Balkan States (Balkan Insight)
• European Parliament Declares Whole of EU an ‘LGBT Freedom Zone’ (Balkan Insight)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Regression on ‘virtually every indicator’ of progress for children: UNICEF (news.un.org)

• COVID-19: 562 new cases, six deaths (media)
• Nearly 500 COVID-19 patients being treated in Kosovo’s hospitals (BIRN)
• Daka: Legal justification is needed for a total vote recount (Radio Free Europe)
• Konjufca: New Kurti government will have support from 64 MPs (Telegrafi)
• Quni leaves open possibility of coalition with VV if elected LDK leader (KTV)
• Besian Mustafa announces candidacy for post of LDK leader (media)
• EU urges Kosovo to establish the Association of Serb-majority Municipalities (Gazeta Express)
• Haxhiu: Majority of Brussels agreements to be reviewed (Kanal 10/Telegrafi)
• UK calls for postponement of decisions and recruitment processes for senior officials (media)
• Pre-trial judge rejects Gucati, Haradinaj’s preliminary motions (media)
• Kurti’s Kosovo Win Puts Spotlight on Tensions with Albania’s Rama (BIRN)
• Spain tells Kosovo it will respect UEFA rules for qualifier (AP)