UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, May 12, 2022

Albanian Language Media:

• Kosovo Government approves initiative for membership in CoE (media)
• Rama on CoE membership bid: We are sorry for Serbia, we support Kosovo (Klan)
• Gervalla’s announcement after Kosovo's application to the Council of Europe (media)
• Osmani: Kosovo’s membership in NATO, security for the region (RTK)
• Defence Minister Mehaj travels to U.S. (Zeri)
• Opposition welcomes Kosovo's application to the Council of Europe (Koha)
• COVID-19: 22 new cases (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic says Belgrade prepared for Kosovo CoE application (N1, RTS, Blic)
• Member of the SNS presidency: "I do not want to be ominous, but I think that Kosovo will join the Council of Europe" (Beta, Danas, NMagazin, TV Pink)
• Djordjevic: Accession of Pristina to Council of Europe agreement of Vucic and West (Danas)
• Antonijevic: Pristina violates Washington agreement, there will be consequences on dialogue (Kosovo-online)
• Civil society organisations present report on human rights in Kosovo, note numerous problems (Radio KIM)
• Brussels: Leaders of the Western Balkans reaffirmed commitment to EU path (RTS, Tanjug)
• EU Council President Charles Michel in Serbia next week (RTS)
• Kosovo Assembly elects Kabasic and Miletic members of Judicial Council (Radio KIM)
• FM Selakovic says fighting terrorism is Serbia’s priority (N1)

Opinion:

• Prpa: This is not our game; if we opt in a divided world, we will be losers (NMagazin, N1, Danas)

International:

• Kosovo hopes to join Council of Europe after Russia’s exit (Reuters)
• BIRN Fact-Check: Is Kosovo Set to Join the Council of Europe? (BIRN)
• Kosovo’s membership in the Council of Europe and the comeback of the Washington Agreement (EWB)
• ‘This game is up’: Serbia urged to take a stand on Ukraine’s war (AlJazeera)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Kosovo choking in garbage (DW, KiM radio)

• Kosovo to formally apply for CoE membership today (Koha/RFE)
• Borrell: Western Balkans, EU's most important foreign policy (media)
• Gervalla-Schwarz: Kosovo delegation ready for dialogue results (media)
• Osmani attends dinner hosted by House Speaker Pelosi; travels to Lithuania for official visit (media)
• Kurti: Kosovo to be put on the global map of information technology investments (media)
• AAK leader Haradinaj meets U.S. envoy to Western Balkans Escobar (media)
• Kosovo FM on moving embassy to Jerusalem: ‘We keep our promises’ (i24News)
• Kosovo and France police directors meet in Zagreb (Kosovapress)
• COVID-19: 14 new cases, one death (media)

Albanian Language Media:

• Chief negotiators to try and set the scene for a new Kurti-Vucic meeting (Koha)
• Shasha: No visa liberalisation this year; a European tragedy (Telegrafi)
• Excavation in search of human remains commences in Serbia (media)
• Haxhiu meets Venice Commission representatives (media)
• Three international agreements voted by the Assembly today (media)
• Inflation rate in Kosovo recorded at 11 percent (Koha/Kosovapress)
• COVID-19: 14 new cases, one death (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Petkovic with Cochard on Brussels agreements, Belgrade-Pristina dialogue (Kosovo-online)
• Bus transporting Serb returnees from Osojane stoned (RTS)
• Guterres congratulates Vucic on his election as President of Serbia (RTS)
• President of Basic Court in Mitrovica North returns to work following suspension (Kosovo-online)
• Stavalj mine terrain research began at the request of the Pristina delegation for the missing (Kontakt plus radio)
• Selakovic: Gratitude to India for its stance on Kosovo (Kosovo-online)
• Pahor: EU enlargement to the Western Balkans the most important issue (Kosovo Online, N1, RFE, Hina)
• Infrastructure Minister says Serbia interested in Saudi investment plan (N1)

International:

• Montenegro’s New PM Supports ‘Open Balkan’ Initiative (Balkan Insight)

• Chief negotiators to meet this Friday; discuss license plates and energy (Koha)
• Osmani: No price is too high for democracy and freedom (media)
• Russian-Ukrainian war could spill over into Balkans, Gervalla warns (jpost.com)
• Thaci plead innocent to fresh war crime charges (BIRN)
• Kosovo Assembly meets today; discuss first year of Kurti government (media)
• FM Gervalla to represent Kosovo at informal dinner hosted by Borrell (media)
• Mehaj: U.S. support Kosovo’s membership in NATO (media)
• We’ll apply for CoE membership; we have 2/3 of votes: PM advisor (media)
• Abazovic in favor of Open Balkan; Kosovo would benefit most (Klan Kosova)
• EBRD mulls €22.5 mln loan to Kosovo for solar heating project (SeeNews)
• COVID-19: Four new cases (media)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, May 10, 2022

Albanian Language Media:

• Sarrazin in Kosovo on Thursday; aims to restore dialogue with Serbia (Indeksonline)
• Sarrazin: Kosovo needs visa liberalisation; we must not miss opportunity (Express)
• Kurti in U.S.; Borrell invites Western Balkans leaders to Brussels (Express)
• Kurti: Kosovo offers favorable climate for investment by U.S. companies (media)
• U.S. supports Kosovo's membership in Partnership for Peace (RFE)
• At opening of Munich Leaders Meeting, Osmani meets U.S., European officials (media)
• Thaci, Veseli plead not guilty to new war crimes charges (media)
• Albanian PM Rama visits Thaci in Hague (Klan Kosova)
• Konjufca received representatives of the Venice Commission (Koha)
• Education Union: One-hour strike on Thursday; preparing for general strike (Telegrafi)
• COVID-19: Four new cases (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Western Balkans leaders at the traditional Brussels annual dinner tomorrow (RTS)
• Vucic with Sarrazin: Belgrade-Pristina talks only way to reaching sustainable agreement (Kosovo-online)
• Dacic met German ambassador (Tanjug)
• Rakic meets Japanese Embassy Chargé d'Affaires (Kosovo-online)
• Energy minister says ownership of Serbian oil company could change (N1, Beta)
• Le Monde: Macron and Draghi for EU "confederation" with Western Balkans, Scholz abstains (Beta, N1)
• Less than half of Serbians support EU membership (FoNet, N1)

Opinion:

• Western Balkans must once again become a priority for the EU (brusselstimes.com)

International:

• EBRD affirms Kosovo's 2022 economic growth forecast at 4% (SeeNews)
• Constantinople Ends Schism with North Macedonia Church (Balkan Insight)
• Montenegro Govt Urged to Compensate NATO Bombing Victims’ Families (Balkan Insight)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Lessons of War: Kosovo Trains Ukrainian Women in Demining (BIRN)
• Kosovo War Widow Wins ‘European of the Year’ Award (BIRN)
• Helping Migrants in the Western Balkans End “the Game” (gmfus.org)
• Oracle opened a regional IT center in Kragujevac (Beta, N1)

• Osmani: End four years of unjust denying of visa liberalization (media)
• Some countries were convinced for visa liberalization, government says (RFE)
• Osmani travels to Washington; will attend Munich Leaders Meeting (media)
• Kosovo Compact Negotiations with MCC begin (Telegrafi)
• Kosovo, Israel ink deal year after Jerusalem embassy opens (Jerusalem Post)
• Rukiqi: Kosovo faced with unprecedented inflation (Kosovapress)
• Journalist recounts meeting former Kosovo President at The Hague (euronews.al)
• Macron proposes new political union for non-EU member states (RFE)
• COVID-19: Two new cases (media)

Albanian Language Media:

• Szunyog: The future of Kosovo is in the European Union (media)
• On Europe Day, Kurti calls for accelerated EU integration (media)
• Kosovo and Israel deepen cooperation, sign three MoUs (media)
• Kosovo civil society sends open letter to Macron on visa liberalisation (media)
• Montenegro authorities find no basis for prosecution of Kosovo ambassador (Express)
• Prices in March were 10% higher than last year, only in February the increase was 2.7% (ekonomia)
• COVID-19: Two new cases (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic: Serbia under pressure over Kosovo after Putin statement (N1)
• Serbian opposition parties on Vucic’s address on Friday (Danas)
• Serbs from Kosovo on Vucic’s address on Friday (Danas)
• Serbian List reacts to Trajkovic, Jaksic, Bogdanovic statements on Vucic (Kosovo-online)
• Kharchenko: The West brutally arm-twisting Serbia; position on Kosovo the same (NMagazin, N1, Beta, Politika)
• Serbian Patriarch meets US Ambassador: Peace and dialogue most important (N1)
• Brnabic: Our objective is to join EU - the sooner, the better (Tanjug)
• "Adding fuel to the fire with the list of Serbs suspected of overthrowing the constitutional order'' (KiM radio)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Sexism, hate speech and misogyny are most present in the Western Balkan media (NMagazin, Beta)
• For Refugees on Serbia-Hungary Border, ‘the Game’ Goes on (Balkan Insight)

• Hovenier: Kosovo to be constructively engaged in dialogue (Klan)
• Opposition calls on Kurti to report to Assembly on Berlin dinner (Koha)
• Joseph: Berlin meeting will not change dialogue dynamics a great deal (KP)
• In U.S., Kurti meets head of MCC (media)
• Osmani: Kosovo has stood on the side of allies defending democratic values (media)
• President Osmani meets President of Costa Rica as he assumes office (media)
• Kosovo moving toward CoE membership (RTK)
• Vucic Threatens ‘Strong’ Response if Kosovo Applies for CoE Membership (Exit News)
• Kurti condemns bombing of school in Ukraine (media)
• Kosovo and Israel to sign first ever MoU (media)
• Kosovo stands to secure sufficient wheat for this year’s needs (KP/media)
• COVID-19: Six new cases (media)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, May 6, 2022

Albanian Language Media:

• President Osmani met with Panamanian Foreign Minister Erika Mouynes (media)
• Prime Minister Kurti starts his visit to the United States (media)
• CBK reacts to whistleblower letter: They are intended to damage reputation (media)
• Konjufca received the delegation of the Arab Union (Telegrafi)
• SBASHK informs Nagavci: On May 12 there is 1-hour strike in education (media)
• COVID-19: 11 new cases (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Brnabic: Serbia to donate 3 mln euros to Ukraine (Tanjug)
• Zivkovic, Arsenijevic on list of Serbs suspected of ‘violating constitutional order’ (Kosovo-online, Danas)
• Should Serbia rely on China in the UN Security Council regarding Kosovo? (Danas)
• Stefanovic meet Lambrecht (Tanjug)
• Patriarch from Kosovo: Our shrines are the heritage of the entire world (KoSSev, N1)
• “If Pristina wishes to join Council of Europe, 14 stats will retract recognition of Kosovo” (Vecernje Novosti, Kosovo-online)
• Drecun: I am not optimistic about continuing the dialogue on May 13 (Tanjug, media)
• Selakovic thanks India for its support to Serbia on Kosovo (Kosovo-online)
• Selakovic: Brazil's call for full implementation of the Brussels Agreement important (Kosovo Online)
• Vucic meets with Brammertz (Tanjug)

International:

• KLA Hague Detainees Face New War Crime Charges (Prishtina Insight)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Supreme Court Upholds Suspension of ‘Adventure Park’ Project (Prishtina Insight)
• Western Balkan countries face new economic challenges with growth set to slow to 3.1% this year (intellinews.com)

• Kurti received Germany’s Minister of Defense Christine Lambrecht (media)
• Kurti: We have no parallel projects (Deutsche Welle)
• Chancellor Scholz will visit Balkans in autumn, Defense Minister says (Koha)
• Mehaj, Lambrecht talk about security in Kosovo and the region (media)
• “Difficult” meeting in Berlin raises hopes for agreements in Brussels (Koha)
• Kosovo Assembly forms two energy inquiry committees (BIRN)
• UK Ambassador to OSCE calls for commitment to dialogue (Kallxo)
• Osmani meets with President of Panama Cortizo (media)
• “Kurti could be the person that gives a final solution to dialogue” (Klan Kosova)
• Kurti received delegation of Social Democratic Party from Switzerland (media)
• Valon Totaj elected President of the Court of Appeals (media)
• Kosovo citizens still see violent extremism as threat to national security (media)
• Whistleblower claims there are scandals and nepotism at Central Bank (Kallxo)
• COVID-19: 16 new cases (media)