UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, December 29, 2020

Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: 109 new cases, eight deaths (media)
• Osmani: Anti-COVID vaccines, only after April (Radio Free Europe)
• NISMA in coalition talks with PDK (media)
• Abrashi: We paid special attention to implementation of Washington agreement (KP/Klan)
• Weber: Thaci’s departure from politics to be seen as collapse of post-war political elite (Koha)
• Following resignation, Cakaj denies joining election race in Kosovo (Indeksonline)

Serbian Language Media:

• In Serbian communities in Kosovo 30 new cases of Covid-19, one death (Kontakt plus radio)
• European Commission aid package to help Western Balkans with vaccination (N1)
• Serbian government pandemic Crisis Staff bans New Year celebrations (N1, FoNet)
• Jevtic: Repanovic family house in Osojane robbed for the seventh time (Kosovo-online)
• Vucic on Serwer: I do not play with meaningless statements (Kosovo-online)

Opinion:

• COVID-19 only exacerbated Kosovo education’s preexisting conditions (Prishtina Insight)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Strong magnitude 6.3 earthquake hits Croatia (aljazeera.com)

• COVID – 19: 181 new cases, 8 deaths (media)
• Government doesn’t want Serbia’s help for anti-COVID vaccine (Lajmi)
• Serb doctors in the north refused vaccines from Serbia (Kallxo)
• Vaccines with a political dose in the north (Radio Free Europe)
• Kosovo Assembly adopts 2021 draft budget in first reading (media)
• PDK MP: We voted in favor of 2021 budget, although it’s not the best (media)
• “Kurti 2 government in February, we will have majority in parliament” (media)
• Hoti: LDK candidates for PM not chosen in TV studios (media)
• Osmani aims President, Assembly President posts from coalition with VV (Koha)
• LDK, VV clash over diaspora voters in CEC meeting (Express)
• COVID – 19 vaccination kicks off in Central, Eastern Europe (Balkan Insight)
• Engel: Kosovo, Albania will always have a special place in my heart (media)

Albanian Language Media:

• COVID – 19: 181 new cases, eight deaths (media)
• Hoti discusses with Varhelyi Serbia’s illegal smuggling of anti-COVID vaccines (Koha)
• Loncar: Vucic proposed to bring Covid-19 vaccines to all communities in Kosovo at beginning of January (Indeksonline)
• Kosovo Parliament to decide on Budget 2021 today (Express)
• Recica: PDK does not have special requests for approval of the budget (RTK)
• Haradinaj-Stublla travels to Turkey (RTK)
• Quni: We will soon become members of the Adriatic Charter (Koha)
• Hoti: There are several candidates for PM in LDK, each, better than the other (RTK)
• Daka: Organising elections, a challenge (RTK)

Serbian Language Media:

• 48 new cases of Covid-19 registered in Serbian areas in Kosovo on Saturday (Kontakt plus radio)
• Vucic: Did anyone ask Ms. Haradinaj which provision of the Brussels agreement we violated with the vaccines? (Kosovo-online)
• Petkovic: Politics has no place in preserving the health of citizens (KiM radio, Kontakt plus radio, RTS, Politika)
• Petkovic: Season of hunt for Serbs is not closed even at time of pandemics (Kosovo Online)
• Loncar for Indeksonline – Vucic proposed to bring Covid-19 vaccines to all communities in Kosovo at beginning of January (KoSSev)
• Fr. Ilarion: Let us not strive for imaginary happiness because it lies in our hearts (KoSSev)
• Serbia to send Covid-19 vaccines to BiH's Republika Srpska entity (N1)
• NATO-led KFOR: Security in Kosovo stable (BETA, N1, KIM Radio)
• Permission of “Hortikultura” needed for Serb funerals at Pristina Orthodox cemetery? (Radio KIM, Gracanica-online)
• Milorad Arlov banned to enter Kosovo (Radio KIM)
• Halimi: How to trust the Kosovo judiciary after the embarrassment with the trial for the murder of Ivanovic? (Kosovo Online, Politika)
• HLC: On Nenad Arsic’s sentence after insight and analysis of the first-instance verdict (Radio KIM)

International:

• Kosovo Protests ‘Illegal’ Arrival of COVID-19 Vaccines in North (Balkan Insight)

COVID – 19: 215 new cases, 4 deaths (media)
No Kosovo-Serbia agreement without status discussion, Lajcak tells Klan Kosova
Assembly expected to vote on 2021 budget today (media)
PDK to support 2021 budget bill (media)
PDK: Governments allowed Serbia undermining Kosovo's sovereignty (media)
Kosovo Government: No information vaccines entered by legal channels (media)
Haradinaj-Stublla: Serbia threatening Kosovo’s national security (media)
Selimi calls on judiciary to investigate vaccine delivery in the north (media)
Reshitaj questions vaccines being used in the north (media)
Kurti: Vetevendosje aims to have over 65 seats after new elections (Koha)
Police stop Serbian official from entering Kosovo (media)
Kosovo: Top politicians sent to Hague to face war charges (Balkan Insight)
2020 showed that Kosovo’s social contract needs rethinking (Prishtina Insight)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, December 24, 2020

Albanian Language Media:

• COVID – 19: 331 new cases, 9 deaths (media)
• “Healthcare workers, people with chronic illnesses to get first vaccines” (media)
• Mustafa: Court’s ruling was unjust and unprofessional (media)
• Vetevendosje’s Haxhiu: We don’t plan to talk about coalitions (media)
• PDK’s Haliti does not rule out coalition with Vetevendosje (media)
• Serwer: Fall of Hoti-led government doesn’t produce political instability (Koha)
• Pause in the Kosovo – Serbia dialogue (Radio Free Europe)

Serbian Language Media:

22 new cases of Covid-19, three deaths registered in Serbian areas in Kosovo (KoSSev)
Brnabic first European PM vaccinated against coronavirus (KoSSev, N1)
Vasic: I expect verdict of acquittal in Arsic’s case (Radio KIM)
Dusan Janjic: I would not exclude possibility of Serb being Kosovo Prime Minister (Kosovo-online)
Viola von Cramon: Vučić’s statement on independence of Kosovo is not his final say (Kosovo-online)
Petković reacts to latest statement of von Cramon (Radio Mitrovica sever)
Majority of Serbian citizens support EU membership (N1)

Opinion:

• Kosovo can’t allow the dialogue to continue in this form (Prishtina Insight)

International:

• Kosovo pins U.N. membership hopes on Biden presidency (Reuters)
• Switzerland, Serbia set to vaccinate before EU (Politico)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Kosovo Opera and Ballet Law Dances Around Hall Issue (Balkan Insight)

• COVID-19: 271 new cases, 12 deaths (media)
• Travel restrictions tightened (Prishtina Insight)
• Osmani concludes consultations with political parties (media)
• Hoti: LDK is a favourite to win upcoming elections (media)
• Mustafa: We will not make pre-election coalition with any of the parties (RTK)
• Enver Hoxhaj announced PDK's candidate for prime minister (media)
• Hoxhaj: PDK is competing for the first place (T7/RTK)
• Poll projects Vetevendosje winning elections (Klan)
• Challenging path in formation of new Assembly, Government (Koha)
• Tahiri urges political parties to adopt 2021 budget (media)
• Von Cramon: Bringing down Kurti-led government was a mistake (DW)
• Petkovic attacks von Cramon for saying Serbia will recognise Kosovo (Express)
• Dacic: Osmani ten times worse than Citaku (Koha)
• GLPS survey indicates half of Kosovo citizens ready to migrate (media)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, December 23, 2020

Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: 271 new cases, 12 deaths (media)
• Mustafa: LDK to announce candidate for prime minister after elections are set (media)
• Bislimi: Polls indicate LVV stands to win 55 MP seats (media)
• PDK spokesperson reacts to LVV's poll (Kallxo)
• LDK blames CEC for the downfall of Hoti-led government (Kosovapress/Koha)
• NISMA: We have no red lines towards any party (media)
• AKR open to prospects of a pre-election coalition (media)
• Osmani meets representatives of 6+ Group, Serbian List (media)
• Kusari-Lila to run alongside LVV in upcoming elections (media)
• Haradinaj: I would drop presidential candidacy in favour of Jashari family (Zeri/RTK)
• Barrie Lynne Freeman from USA appointed deputy head of UNMIK (media)
• EU supports Kosovo with 24 million euros (media)
• Kosovo suspends flights with UK over coronavirus variant concerns (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• In Serbian communities 39 new cases of Covid-19, four deceased (Kontakt plus radio)
• Vucic: State official to get vaccine first (N1, FoNet)
• Reeker: The Balkans are a geopolitical field (KiM radio, Tanjug)
• EU: Pristina to respect and implement the agreements from the dialogue with Belgrade (Tanjug, Radio Mitrovica sever)
• Belgrade-Pristina agreement within next couple of months impossible (Radio KIM)
• Jevtic: No PCR test needed to enter Kosovo from Serbia (KoSSev)
• RTS: Murders and disappearances of journalists in Kosovo - crimes that everyone is silent about (Kosovo Online)
• Office for KiM reacts to stoning of school in Vitina (TV Most)
• Serbian List: EULEX, UNMIK and KFOR to ensure safety for all citizens (Kosovo-online)
• The Fatherland Movement: Vucic to say loud and clear whether he sold or gave away the energy system (nspm.rs)
• Serbian List: Fabrications that someone sold the electricity system in Kosovo (Kosovo Online)

Opinion:

• A New EU Deal for the Balkans: Time to Remake the Anteroom (geopoliticalmonitor.com)

International:

• Kosovo Finds 11 War Victims in Hidden Graves in 2020 (Balkan Insight)

• COVID - 19: 137 new cases, ten deaths (media)
• Acting President Osmani meets four parties, meetings to continue today (media)
• Constitutional Court preparing to publish decision (Koha)
• Kurti: No delays in declaring new elections (media)
• Sources: Enver Hoxhaj, PDK’s candidate for Prime Minister (Telegrafi)
• Vetevendosje’s Konjufca doesn’t rule out coalition with PDK (media)
• PDK responds to Konjufca: Too early to talk (media)
• Krasniqi: PDK heads to elections to win (media)
• Limaj: We don’t rule out a coalition with the PDK (RTK)
• Pacolli: AKR has no red lines for other parties (Lajmi)
• EU: This Assembly must approve the budget (media)
• Assembly expected to be dissolved (Koha)
• Orlando: Kosovo to have free and fair elections (media)
• Gashi: Vetevendosje will come first in the elections, PDK second (media)
• Hasani: New Assembly cannot abolish the Specialist Chambers (media)
• Police arrest Serb war crimes suspect in Peja (media)
• OSCE condemns assault on reporter in Prishtina (media)
• Online media in Balkans ‘need regulation, not censorship’ (Balkan Insight)

Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: 137 new cases, ten deaths (media)
• Hoti to announce new anti-Covid measures (media)
• Hoti vows to respect Constitutional Court's ruling (media)
• US Embassy calls on parties and institutions to respect court’s decision (media)
• Acting president Osmani meets head of EU Office Szunyog (Koha)
• Kurti: Elections to be held as soon as possible (media)
• LDK's Abrashi: We are ready for elections (media)
• Hoxhaj: PDK to soon announce candidate for prime minister (media)
• LVV: Constitutional Court ruling does not prevent Kurti from running for election (RFE/Koha)
• Isufi: AAK ready for elections, will run on its own (media)
• Daka: CEC ready to organise the elections (media)
• “Only final court decision excludes MP candidates from running” (media)
• Hasani: Constitutional Court's ruling, strange (Telegrafi)
• Tahiri: Law clearly sets out who can run for election in Kosovo (Indeksonline)
• Gerxhaliu: Budget must be adopted before we go to elections (RTK)
• Journalist Valon Syla assaulted in Pristina (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• In the Serbian communities in Kosovo, 46 new cases, four died (Kontakt plus radio)
• First shipment of Pfizer vaccine reported to have arrived in Serbia (Nova.rs, N1, Tanjug)
• Dacic: Unserious attitude of Pristina, most important to have peace in Kosovo (Danas)
• Father Sava: Decisions of Constitutional Court selectively implemented, justice applied on ethnic basis (Kosovo-online)
• Lazarevic: Kosovo politics demonstrated its irresponsibility and lack of seriousness (Kosovo-online)
• Petkovic: Serbia and Vucic did not hand over anything to Albanians (Kosovo-online)
• Rada Trajkovic: Vucic handed over one part of Serbian energy network (Danas)
• Father Sava reacts to Suvo Grlo village church case (Kontakt plus radio)
• A Serb came to Pec for documents, arrested for a "war crime" and taken to Pristina (Kosovo Online)
• Office for KiM: Arrests aim to keep Serbs in constant fear and uncertainty (Kosovo Online)

International:

• Kosovo to hold early election after court ruling (AP)
• Kosovo's highest court rules parliamentary vote electing government was illegal (Reuters)
• Kosovo Heading For Fresh Elections After High Court Rules Parliament Vote For Government Was Illegal (RFE)
• Kosovo Faces New Elections After Court Rules Govt Illegitimate (Balkan Insight)

Humanitarian/Development:

• NGO Link only in December donated 15.000 protective visors to health workers in Kosovo (KoSSev)
• Serbia Leads Region in Expecting COVID-19 Vaccines Within Days (Balkan Insight)
• Share This Now! How Conspiracy Theories Swamped North Macedonia (Balkan Insight)

• Constitutional Court annuls election of Hoti Government (Prishtina Insight)
• Acting President to summon political parties today to set election date (media)
• Haziri: The country is going to new elections (Kallxo)
• PDK: Elections are welcome because coalition lacked majority (media)
• NISMA implies it could join PDK before new elections (media)
• AAK’s Gjini says budget must be adopted before going to new elections (media)
• COVID - 19: 264 new cases, six deaths (media)
• Confidential negotiations for the vaccine (Radio Free Europe)
• Vetevendosje MP slams government for poor management of pandemic (media)
• Hoti: Some differences with Serbian List; we’re trying to overcome them (media)
• The failed attempts to resolve the Kosovo President post (Koha)
• DFC to open office in Prishtina soon (Klan Kosova)