• Rohde: Kurti administration should take concrete steps (euronews.al)
• Kosovo Parliament approves €2.75 billion budget for 2022 (Exit News)
• Palokaj: There could be visa liberalisation in first half of 2022 (Koha)
• Protests called against Serbian President visit to Albania (Exit News)
• Police mobilize for Vucic visit to Tirana and Berisha rally (euronews.al)
• Albanians and Serbs ‘influence the Balkans’, says Lajcak (media)
• How can Kosovo government approach the visa liberalisation issue? (EWB)
• How did Denmark find shelter for its inmates in Kosovo? (euronews.al)
• Afghan refugees slowly leave Balkan countries for West (BIRN)
• Last despatches: Why the Balkan wars were so deadly for journalists (BIRN)
• COVID-19: Four new cases, no deaths (media)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, December 17, 2021

Albanian Language Media:

• Osmani: Kosovo, the most successful project of U.S.-EU foreign policy (media)
• Kosovo's new ambassador to U.S. meets Escobar (media)
• Kosovo and Croatia sign MoU in the field of security and defence (media)
• State Department publishes country reports on terrorism (VOA)
• CDHRF: Agreement with Denmark legalises discrimination of Kosovo inmates (media)
• Association of Kosovo Municipalities says mayors will boycott meeting on COVID-19 situation (media)
• COVID-19: 11 new cases, no deaths (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• NATO Joint Forces chief Admiral Burke in Belgrade (N1)
• EP adopts resolution on forced labor at Chinese plant in Serbia (N1)
• Dacic: EP Resolution, example of double standards (RTS)
• Selakovic begins visit to France (Tanjug)
• Kandic: The region’s political oligarchies glorify those convicted of war crimes (N1, Beta, KoSSev, FoNet)
• State Department: Serbia invests efforts in fight against terrorism (RTS, VoA)
• Vladislav Jovanovic: I do not expect dialogue to be accelerated because it does not suit West (Kosovo-online)
• Lawyer: Arsic threatened before arrest, he wanted to reclaim usurped property (Kosovo-online)
• Tadic former Serbian president, calls for ad-hoc coalition against Constitutional changes (N1)

International:

• Western Balkan Countries Struggle to Keep Lights On (Balkan Insight)
• Political Unrest and Propaganda Spark Online Violations (Balkan Insight)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Kindergarten construction in Gorazdevac village has started (KoSSev)
• Zvecan power issue resolved (Kosovo-online)

• Kurti: With the Association, Kosovo falls for Serbia’s game (Koha)
• President Osmani to deliver annual address in parliament today (media)
• Kosovo seeks equality in CEFTA, Serbia toughens barriers (Klan Kosova)
• Denmark to rent 300 prison cells in Kosovo for deportees (Prishtina Insight)
• Croatian Defense Minister to visit Kosovo today (RTK)
• President Osmani thanks Macron and French people for vaccine donation (media)
• COVID-19: 8 new cases, no deaths (media)
• Kajtazi reports threats to police; AJK wants protection for Kajtazi (Telegrafi)
• Kosovo murder trial witness refuses to name Serb crime gangs (BIRN)
• EU to finance new wastewater plant in Kosovo (webalkans.eu)
• EP adopts Resolution on fight against organised crime in Western Balkans (EWB)
• Online Intimidation: Controlling the Narrative in the Balkans (Balkan Insight)
• Vucic to visit Tirana on December 20; Berisha announces protest (Indeksonline)

Albanian Language Media:

• Minister Gervalla to visit Presevo Valley today (media)
• EU: Kosovo should have allowed Petkovic's visit as Serbia did with Gervalla (Klan)
• EULEX Chief: We do not interfere directly in court proceedings, we only give recommendations (Klan)
• Mehaj receives tomorrow Croatian Minister of Defense (Klan)
• The CEC announces the results for mayor of Dragash (RTK)
• Minister Haxhiu provides details for landing 300 cells to Denmark (RTK)
• Kosovo Historians Slate Serbian Minister for Denying ‘Proven’ Massacre (Prishtina Insight)
• EP requests opening of archives of former Yugoslavia due to political crimes (RFE)
• “Energy price in Kosovo risks going up”, says expert warning on power shortages (euronews.al)
• Serbia blocks Kosovo goods at the border (RTK)
• COVID-19: 8 new cases, no deaths (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Petkovic: Kurti's arbitrariness not to allow voting is a violation of basic human rights (RTS)
• Office for Kosovo and Metohija refutes reports Gervala was prevented from visiting southern Serbia (KoSSev, media)
• Stano: Visit of Petkovic should have been allowed, EU calls on Kosovo to reconsider its decision (Kosovo-online)
• Konjufca: The decision on the land of Visoki Decani should not be implemented, the judges did not protect the Kosovo Constitution (KoSSev, Klan Kosova)
• Serbian power company CEO dismisses managers over power outages (N1)
• Serbian, Russian general staff officers discuss cooperation in Moscow (N1)
• Witness in case of Dusko Arsic interviewed (Radio KIM)
• USAID marks 20 years of partnership with Serbia, invested 882 million dollars (N1, RTS)

Opinion:

• Serbia: A Testament to People Power (carnegieeurope.eu)

International:

• Denmark to ship prisoners off to Kosovo (Deutsche Welle)
• China’s Economic Diplomacy: Where do Taiwan and Kosovo fit in? (moderndiplomacy.eu)

• Kurti on energy crisis: Government will cover electricity supply (Indeksonline)
• Looming price hikes worsen energy crisis in Kosovo (Prishtina Insight)
• Kosovo, Serbia face power outages amid winter chill, surging energy prices (Reuters)
• Konjufca: Borrell should not pressure Kosovo on Association (Klan Kosova)
• Kosovo, Serbia working groups on license plates meet for third time (Koha)
• Former Dutch ambassador: Special Court is a political cause (RTK)
• Kosovo court suspends judge based on BIRN report (BIRN)
• Vucic doing “a modern ethnic cleansing”, says Presevo mayor (euronews.al)
• COVID-19: 11 new cases, no deaths (media)
• ‘Open Balkan’ leaders to hold summit in Tirana on December 20 (Exit News)
• China in the Balkans: Controversy and Cost (BIRN)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, December 15, 2021

Albanian Language Media:

• Osmani and Pendarovski with opposite stances on Open Balkans (RTK)
• Prime Minister Kurti received the President of North Macedonia, Stevo Pendarovski (media)
• Kurti: Footnote does not reflect the reality of independent and European Kosovo (media)
• Peach comes to the region for the first time: Britain wants a secure Western Balkans (Klan)
• Donika Gervalla prohibited from entering Serbia (Express)
• COVID-19: 11 new cases, no deaths (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Problems, fears, and stances of Serbs in Kosovo, including on Kurti’s government (Radio KIM)
• UNS and UNS in Kosovo protest over mistreatment of Radio Gorazdevac crew at Rugova Valley (Radio KIM, media)
• Serbian Ministry of Culture condemned the intimidation of Radio Gorazdevac journalists (Kontakt plus radio)
• Petkovic banned from entering Kosovo again (Radio KIM)
• Christopher Hill: Attitude toward BiH crucial for US – Serbia further relations (Beta, N1)
• Botsan-Kharchenko: Trade with Serbia could reach 4 bln dollars (Tanjug)
• Vucic: Pristina has announced that it will not allow a referendum in Kosovo (KiM radio, FoNet, N1)
• Jevtic: Osmani talks about discrimination, without mentioning Serbs is example of discrimination (Kosovo-online)
• “Pendarovski on importance of regional cooperation, Osmani on dangers from Serbia and Russia” (Kosovo-online)

Opinion:

• My grandmother, Yugo-Nostalgia and an unfinished tale (Kosovo 2.0)

International:

• Bulgaria Again Blocks North Macedonia, Albania, EU Accession Talks (Balkan Insight)

Humanitarian/Development:

• WHO: ‘Omicron spreading at rate not seen with previous variants’ (Euronews)
• Western Balkan countries play a valuable role in partnering with EEA to tackle environmental and climate challenges (eea.europa.eu)

• Hill: If confirmed, normalization of Serbia relations with Kosovo, priority (VoA)
• North Macedonia President to visit Kosovo today (media)
• LDK appoints Haziri in charge of dialogue and regional cooperation (media)
• Haradinaj comments on accusations for meetings with Serb politicians (media)
• Pacolli slams Russian ambassador in Belgrade (Gazeta Express)
• LDK wins municipality of Dragash, after counting of diaspora votes (media)
• Ministry of Justice to adhere to Venice Commission's recommendations (media)
• EU states reassert membership promise to six Balkan states (Reuters)
• COVID-19: Eight new cases, one death (media)
• Ministry of Health: Over 2,100 citizens got the booster in few days (Lajmi)
• Kosovo continues to buck fourth COVID-19 wave (Exit News)

Albanian Language Media:

• Kurti: Funds of parties whose source is not known are elements of corruption (Telegrafi)
• “Electricity situation expected to become more dire in next three days” (Klan Kosova)
• Mehaj on 3rd anniversary of the Army: We have strong reasons to be proud (Koha)
• Tromp: Kosovo has done nothing against Serbia’s lies (Radio Free Europe)
• COVID-19: Eight new cases, one death (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Covid-19: 25 new cases, one death registered in Serbian areas (Kosovo-online)
• Varhelyi: Rule of law and normalization with Kosovo remain key to EU accession (NMagazin, Beta)
• EU opens cluster 4 in accession talks with Serbia (N1)
• Radojevic: Priority is to preserve peace and stable political and security situation (Radio kontakt plus)
• Kosovo FM, Serbian Police minister in ‘war of words’ (N1)
• Tadic: The United States and Merkel, because of Kosovo, allowed the breakdown of democracy in the entire region (KoSSev, N1)
• British Foreign Secretary reinforces support for Western Balkans stability at talks in London (UK Government, media)

Opinion:

• The Holy Land (KoSSev)

International:

• 'Hope dies last': Kosovo families haunted by war missing (AFP)
• Kosovo urged to keep up its guard against radicalisation (BIRN)
• Balkan brain drain could be costing the region its future (Euractive)

Humanitarian/Development:

• President Osmani pledges to support all marginalised groups (Kosovapress)
• Kosovo Santas run to help country’s protest (Prishtina Insight)

• G7 call on Kosovo and Serbia to continue dialogue without delays (Zeri)
• Lajcak: Western Balkans integration in EU, the only alternative (media)
• Gervalla in London: Serbia is threatening, we must act quickly if we want to save the peace (media)
• Why is the north of Kosovo a haven for criminal groups? (RFE Albanian)
• HLC's Blakaj: Missing persons ought not be a condition to agreement with Serbia (Koha)
• Movie Puts Spotlight on Forced Marriage in Kosovo (BIRN)
• Assembly adopts draft law for deployment of KSF abroad (media)
• North Macedonian president to pay official visit to Kosovo (Indeksonline)
• Kosovo connecting to Serbian IPs, businesses and opposition raise the alarm (euronews.al)
• Serbian Minister requests visa liberalisation for Kosovo (RTK)
• COVID-19: 8 new cases, no deaths (media)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, December 13, 2021

Albanian Language Media:

• Kurti: We are working to ease the energy crisis (media)
• PDK wants government to react to Vulin’s remarks about Recak massacre (RFE)
• “Kosovo to prosecute war crimes suspects according to chain of command” (Koha)
• Osmani receives credentials of Ambassador of Lithuania, Jurate Raguckiene (media)
• Kosovo, Albania unveil joint project for railway link (Prishtina Insight)
• Results of test samples for Omicron variant to arrive this month (Express)
• In four months, 89 percent of COVID-19 fatalities were not vaccinated (Koha)
• COVID-19: 8 new cases, no deaths (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Covid-19: 33 new cases registered in Serbian areas on Saturday (Radio KIM)
• Vucic: We continue strengthening army due to complicated security situation (N1)
• Avenija: Ungrounded arrests of Serbs disgrace for Kosovo society and international community (Radio KIM)
• Darko Dimitrijevic elected new president of Association of Journalists of Serbia branch in Kosovo (Radio KIM)
• Petkovic reacts to Gervala’s statement, says Pristina rhetoric “inflammatory and anti-Serbian” (Radio KIM)
• Odalovic: Families of missing persons should address Lajcak for support (Radio KIM)
• Selakovic in London, to meet Lajcak, Peach and Escobar (media, GoS website)

International:

• Richard Grenell Exclusive Interview: The Serbia-Kosovo Agreement Was Not Just For Christmas (The Pavlovic Today)