UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, April 12, 2021

Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: 345 new cases, 8 deaths (media)
• Kurti: Governing programme to be technically finalised soon (media)
• PDK: Kurti focusing on Albania's election rather than securing vaccines (media)
• LDK’s Abdixhiku slams Kurti government (media)
• Kosovo officials accused of ‘irresponsible’ meddling in Albania election (BIRN)
• “Government to treat vaccination of teachers as priority” (media)
• Expert: Youth more threatened by UK variant of the virus (media)
• Caplan: There will be pressure on Kurti for dialogue (Radio Free Europe)

Serbian Language Media:

• Eight new cases of Covid-19 registered in Serbian areas on Sunday (Kontakt plus radio)
• Father Sava reacts to accusations: Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you (social media, KoSSev)
• Brnabic, Office for KiM, Serbian List react to accusations against Father Sava (Radio KIM)
• Europa Nostra: Decani should not be a source of conflict, but a valuable link between citizens (KoSSev)
• Harsh reactions in Kosovo media to Decani Monastery’s inclusion in 7 Most Endangered 2021 (KoSSev)
• Fr. Sava: Paradox that Church must remind Kosovo to respect its own laws and Constitution (KoSSev)
• Health house in village of Gojbulja broken into (RTS)
• Kurti posts about LVV candidates in Albanian elections; the media and the opposition accuse him of running a campaign (KoSSev)
• Petkovic: There is no place at the negotiating table for guns (KiM radio)
• Gogic: Stability while the "honeymoon" lasts (KiM radio, Slobodno Srpski)
• Russian Ambassador says partnership with Serbia has ''cosmic prospects'' (N1, Beta)
• Lajcak: Agreement possible in a few months if there is political will in Belgrade and Pristina (Beta, Kosovo Online)

International:

• Generations of Albanians lived off cannabis production. Can they stop? (BIRN)
• Thousands rally in Serbia to protect the environment (AP)
• Death of British Queen’s Husband Severs a Balkan Link (Balkan Insight)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Digital Trustbuilding Week (RTK2)
• Rakic with UN and IOM representatives on return of displaced persons (Kosovo-online)

• COVID-19: 537 new cases, 12 deaths (media)
• Disturbing influx of Kosovo citizens towards Albania during weekend (media)
• Dialogue with Serbia considered key issue in foreign policy (Koha)
• Analysts: Greece more likely to recognise Kosovo independence (media)
• The fear of Kosovo women to report sexual harassment at work (BIRN)
• Hoxhaj: Government strategy to respond to Serbia’s propaganda (media)

Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: 684 new cases, seven deaths (media)
• Kurti, Osmani react to Decan Monastery included in endangered religious sites list (media)
• Europa Nostra reply to Kurti and Osmani's letter (media)
• Kosovo leaders mark Constitution Day by underlining document's importance (media)
• Stano: Kosovo to focus on dialogue with Serbia (Koha)
• Almost half a million euros allocated for defence of KSC accused (Koha)

Serbian Language Media:

• Covid-19 in Serbian communities: 16 new cases, one death (KoSSev)
• UN Security Council on April 13 on Kosovo (Kontakt plus radio)
• Zakharova: Meeting of Lavrov and Selakovic on April 16 in Moscow (Kosovo Online, Tanjug, TASS)
• Brnabic: I am glad if Pristina wants to continue the dialogue (RTS)
• Father Sava on the situation of Visoki Decani Monastery (social media)
• Office for KiM: Kurti and Osmani reaction confirmation of Serbian cultural and religious heritage endangerment (Kosovo-online)
• Constitution with the greatest rights for minorities, but only on paper (KiM radio)
• Vucic. Schieb said nothing new (B92)
• Schieb: The 1999 bombing was justified, inadmissible comparison with the Second World War (Danas)
• Bogujevci: Justice is important for all victims, the burden of the past should not be left to future generations (Nova S, KoSSev, RTK2)
• RCC: Tourism key strategic sector in Western Balkans (FoNet, N1)
• Popovic, Rakic with Devenport and Salijevic discussed COVID-19 (Kontakt plus radio, KiM radio)

Opinion:

• Balkans in the EU: a future to be designed together (balcanicaucaso.org)

International:

• How EU enlargement apathy could push Kosovo and Albania to join forces (euronews.com)
• Serbian media on the assistance in the pandemic: China the savior, EU left Serbia stranded (EWB)

Humanitarian/Development:

• The fear of Kosovo women to report sexual harassment at work (Prishtina Insight)
• From Belgrade to London, Roma Girl Band Sings for Female Empowerment (Balkan Insight)
• The ruling of the ECHR: Compulsory vaccination is legal (B92)

• COVID-19: 897 new cases, 14 deaths (media)
• Health Minister: Vaccine is safe, I call on all citizens to get vaccinated (media)
• Kosovo restaurant stages silent protest against COVID-19 restrictions (BIRN)
• Kurti government implies it will reintroduce reciprocity toward Serbia (Koha)
• Blinken to Kurti: You will have our full support (media)
• Szunyog: Kurti has been officially invited to Brussels (media)
• “If President not elected, maybe UN would appoint new administrator” (Telegrafi)
• Szunyog: We are not satisfied with Kosovo’s implementation of SAA (media)
• Kosovo prosecution promises rapid verdict after BIRN investigation (BIRN)
• “Decani Monastery under threat”, a triumph of Serbia, Kosovo silent (Koha)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, April 8, 2021

Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: 897 new cases, 14 deaths (media)
• Blinken to Kurti: You will have our full support (media)
• Osmani: Dialogue with Serbia cannot have priority over vaccines (media)
• PDK criticises government: Implement law on economic recovery (media)
• Osmani holds telephone conversation with Slovenian counterpart (media)
• Minister Haxhiu meets some of the representatives of UN Organisations (media)
• EU in Kosovo congratulates Roma community in their International Day (media)
• Popovic asks Schieb to apologise about genocide remarks (Koha)

Serbian Language Media:

• Covid-19 in Serbian municipalities: 26 new cases, two people died (KoSSev)
• Roma Day - the position of the Roma community (RTK2, KoSSev)
• Odalovic: It is good Albanians emphasize missing persons issue; we also want locations to be searched and identification of 300 bodies in Pristina
• "Continuation of dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina has no alternative" (RTK2)
• For one hundred days, Vucic is silent about energy system in Kosovo (BETA)
• An apology sought for the statement of the German ambassador on the bombing of the FRY (Beta, KoSSev)
• Father Sava: Decani Monastery on list of seven the most endangered sites in Europe (Kosovo-online)
• Dr Antonijevic: The epidemiological situation is better, but still serious and unfavorable (KiM radio)
• WHO and EMA on AstraZeneca: Safe vaccine (KoSSev)
• In Serbia, 1.130.000 citizens fully vaccinated (RTS)

International:

• International Roma Day: Remembering history to ensure a brighter future (CoE)
• Eyeing re-election, Albania’s Rama touts earthquake recovery effort (BIRN)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Belgrade vaccinates homeless persons (N1)

COVID-19: 714 new cases, 15 deaths (media)
Health Minister: UK variant of coronavirus dominating in Kosovo (Kallxo)
Finance Minister: We’ll support businesses on rents and salaries (media)
Human rights worsened in Central, Southeast Europe, in pandemic (BIRN)
Kurti and Osmani coordinated on dialogue with Serbia (Radio Free Europe)
Long list of officials that must justify their wealth (Koha Ditore)
LDK deputy leader: We didn’t help Vetevendosje, we helped institutions (media)
No visa liberalisation for Kosovo before 2022 elections in France (Zeri/dtt-net)
Justice Minister reacts to corruption scandal(media)
Schieb: 1999 bombing to stop genocide in Kosovo (media)
Kosovo war rape survivors’ painful road to recognition (BIRN)

Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: 714 new cases, 15 deaths (media)
• Zemaj argues against lockdown, “economic and mental consequences” (RTK)
• Gerxhaliu: Lockdown is not a solution; a comprehensive fund is needed (EO)
• Kosovo MP urges Albania to offer his country COVID vaccines (BIRN)
• “Around 8,000 businesses closed today, we’ll protest after April 18” (Koha)
• After formation of institutions, Kosovo is asked to focus on the dialogue (Kallxo)
• Why do Kosovo citizens still see Serbia as the country’s biggest threat? (BIRN)
• PM Kurti meets COMKFOR Federici (media)
• AAK asks government to review law on salaries (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• 29 cases of Covid-19, one death registered in Serbian areas in Kosovo (KoSSev)
• Belgrade asks UNMIK to remain committed to UN Resolution 1244 implementation (N1)
• Dacic: Belgrade-Pristina dialogue doesn’t depend on Kurti and Osmani (Kosovo-online)
• Rakic and Davenport on political situation, security and pandemic (Kontakt plus radio)
• Bocan-Harchenko: Russia has opportunities to influence the issue of Kosovo even without participating in the dialogue (Kosovo Online, Sputnik)
• Jovanovic: Genuine negotiations on Kosovo when West accepts fact that experiment has failed (Kosovo-online)
• EU still without date for continuation of dialogue (Tanjug)

Opinion:

• Crumbs of the government recovery package (Kosovo 2.0)
• Who runs Kosovo’s Public Sphere: Citizens or ‘Balkan Experts’? (Kosovo 2.0)

International:

• Kosovo: the lost battle against corruption (balcanicaucaso.org)
• Governments In Europe, Central Asia Used Pandemic To Clamp Down On Human Rights, Amnesty Says (RFE)

Humanitarian/Development:

• WHO urges countries to build a fairer, healthier world post COVID-19 (who.int)

• COVID-19: 529 new cases, eight deaths (media)
• New anti COVID measures may be extended after April 18 (Koha)
• Over 80,000 new jobseekers since the beginning of pandemic (Kallxo)
• Reporters want to have priority in COVID-19 vaccination (Radio Free Europe)
• Latifi: Government decision for additional restrictions, hasty (Kallxo)
• Stano: We expect dialogue to begin upon institutional consolidation (Telegrafi)
• Document for confiscation of unlawfully acquired wealth finalised (media)
• AAK leader Haradinaj accuses LVV MP Zyba of 'vote buying' (Telegrafi)
• Qazim Rrahmani resigns post of deputy minister (media)
• Media representatives urged to stop hate speech (media)
• Two Kosovo Albanians identified from wartime mass grave in Serbia (BIRN)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, April 6, 2021

Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: 489 new cases, eight deaths (media)
• Osmani officially takes post of Kosovo president (media)
• Hoxhaj refuses participation in Osmani's inauguration ceremony (media)
• Reshitaj says she is still part of AAK despite attending presidential vote (media)
• Former PDK MP Grainca explains why she chose to join LVV (media)
• Osmani and Vitia visit vaccination centre in Pristina (media)
• Vitia addresses reports of increased police presence around hospitals (Telegrafi)
• Updated coronavirus measures angers restaurant owners (Prishtina Insight)

Serbian Language Media:

Covid-19 in Serbian communities: 40 new cases (media)
Vucic: Statements from Kosovo authorities are not encouraging (KoSSev)
Djilas: 20 years of attempts to resolve the Kosovo issue by putting pressure on Serbia to recognize it, and nothing was done (KoSSev)
A Serb from Strpce stopped today at Breznica crossing, interrogated by BIA? (KoSSev)
Rasic: New political energy in Kosovo (KiM radio)
Professor Celic on election of Vjosa Osmani: three main players more extreme than KLA (Sputnik)
Spahiu: Reconstruction of the road Jarinje-Mitrovica is more than needed (Radio Mitrovica sever, Kosovo Online)
Gerxhaliu: Chambers of Commerce of Kosovo and Serbia are cooperating behind the eyes of the public (KiM radio, Slobodno Srpski)

International:

• Serbia’s leader chooses Chinese-made vaccine for own shot (AP)
• Victims Discouraged by ‘Lenient’ Sentences for Sex Crimes in Serbia (Balkan Insight)

Humanitarian/Development:

• In Kosovo, System ‘Failing to Protect’ Domestic Abuse Victims (Balkan Insight)

• COVID-19: 512 new cases, 11 deaths (media)
• Kosovo introduces tougher measures in face of growing COVID-19 cases (media)
• Kurti: Kosovo is skeptical to vaccines from non-recognising countries (media)
• Plan to vaccinate Kosovo teachers in Albania postponed (media)
• Zemaj: Lockdown decision without strategy will worsen situation (media)
• Vjosa Osmani elected President of Kosovo (media)
• Osmani receives congratulations on her election (media/social media)
• PDK: President of Kosovo emerged from dirty deals (media)
• Abdixhiku: LDK to continue acting as opposition, congratulations to Vjosa (media)
• AAK: Osmani is Kurti's president, Kosovo turns into monism (media)
• Pacolli: Happy to have contributed to president's election (media)
• President Osmani takes over her duty today (media)
• Kurti: Human remains recovered in Kizevak belong to Kosovo war victims (Koha)
• Donika Gervalla will lead the "Guxo" initiative? (media)
• Politics Still Sways Public Sector Hiring in Kosovo (Balkan Insight)