UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, September 30, 2021

Albanian Language Media:

• Miroslav Lajcak: We have reached an agreement (media)
• Lajcak thanks Escobar: EU-US unity for Western Balkans success (RTK)
• Borell welcomes agreement reached between Kosovo and Serbia (RTK)
• Godfrey calls Brussels Agreement excellent news (media)
• Kurti: the era when Serbia gets used to reciprocity, begins now (media)
• Albania welcomes agreement reached between Kosovo and Serbia (Klan)
• LVV: Bislim's statement was deliberately misunderstood (Koha)
• Vehicle Registration Center in Zubin Potok reopens (Klan)
• The EU confirms that there are meetings of dialogue delegations today (Klan)
• Special unit with patrols also on mountain roads around Brnjak (Klan)
• Konjufca receives KFOR Commander Franco Frederici (RTK)
• Hoti: Kosovo applied the agreement, but Kurti failed to coordinate with partners (euronews.al)
• Human remains from Rezalla massacre return to Kosovo (media)
• Kandic: Vucic and Brnabic are lying to Serbs in Kosovo (media)
• COVID-19: Four deaths, 45 new cases (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Covid-19: 34 new cases in Serbian areas in Kosovo (Kontakt plus radio)
• Vucic: Serbian side accepted the compromise proposal for de-escalation of the situation in Kosovo (media)
• EU welcomes Belgrade-Pristina agreement, “calls for ZSO implementation” (Tanjug, Kosovo Online)
• Petkovic-Lajcak talks in Brussels ended, deal made (RTS)
• "Citizens suffer because of election games" (Radio KIM)
• Ursula von der Leyen: Important to find a sustainable friendly solution to the crisis in Kosovo (media)
• Protests in northern Kosovo continue (RTS)
• Ambassador Godfrey: Great news, anything is possible through a serious and dedicated dialogue (Kosovo Online)
• EC denied Reuters allegations: EC firmly committed to advancing the accession process of the Western Balkan countries (N1, FoNet, VoA)
• Dacic rejects possible foreign military engagement in Kosovo (N1)
• Principled position of Spain not to recognize Kosovo (Kosovo-online)

International:

• Von der Leyen urges end to Serbia-Kosovo border tensions (politico.eu)

• What does agreement with Serbia on license plates contain? (RTK)
• “Settlement on license plates reached, but no final deal” (Euronews.al)
• Stano: Negotiations to solve crisis in the north to continue (media)
• Talks on the license plates to continue, sources say (Radio Free Europe)
• Serbia withdraws armored vehicles from Kosovo border (Euronews.al)
• Protesters and Police maintain uneasy stand-off at Kosovo border (BIRN)
• Kosovo PM Kurti interview with HRT (media)
• Serbia helping Russia create trouble in the Balkans, Serwer says (Express)
• Visions of the dialogue (II) (Kosovo 2.0)
• PDK: Government to immediately approve U.S.-funded gas project (media)
• Kosovo FM Gervalla meets EC President von der Leyen (media)
• COVID-19: Two deaths, 66 new cases (media)

Albanian Language Media:

• Kurti: Serbia draws EU funds while being militarised by Russia and China (media)
• Osmani: International community to condemn Serbia's tendencies for destabilisation (media)
• Von der Leyen: Dialogue is the only way to move forward (media)
• Escobar meets Bislimi and Petkovic (RFE)
• Lajcak meets Kosovo and Serbia chief negotiators (media)
• Kosovo Ministry reacts to campaign against RKS plates (Koha/Telegrafi)
• "The Game" to be changed with U.S. at the Kosovo-Serbia negotiating table (Kallxo)
• Kosovo-Serbia border dispute ‘driven by internal politics’ (Prishtina Insight)
• United States appoint envoy for Europe (Klan)
• COVID-19: Two deaths, 66 new cases (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Protests in northern Kosovo continue (RTS)
• Vucic met Ambassador Chen Bo: ''China's position on the issue of Kosovo and Metohija is consistent and clear'' (RTS)
• Vucic met Russian Ambassador Kharchenko (media)
• Tadic: Situation in northern Kosovo consequence of Vucic and Kurti pre-election interests (N1)
• Serb mayors: ''We do not want northern Kosovo-Metohija to become ghetto'' (media)
• Elek: Epidemiological situation in northern Kosovo alarming (Radio KIM)
• Selakovic: Consistent stance of Guatemala on Kosovo issue (Kosovo-online)

Opinion:

• Reciprocity is right, and making it stick is vital (Peacefare.net/Kallxo)

International:

• Differing interpretations of Open Balkan brought up again during von der Leyen’s visit to Albania (EWB)
• German Parliament Gets 24 New MPs with Balkan Roots (Balkan Insight)

• Osmani meets US Embassy Charge d'Affaires Nicholas J. Giacobbe (media)
• “Special Police presence is unnecessary if barricades are removed” (media)
• Hoxhaj: Backed by Russia, Serbia threatening entire region (Euronews Albania)
• Threats at the borders as means of political pressure (Radio Free Europe)
• Visions of the dialogue (Kosovo 2.0)
• Phillips: China, not Russia, is the greater threat to Kosovo (BIRN)
• ICRC refutes media report that Ukshin Hoti remains were found (Kallxo)
• EU no longer agrees on Balkan membership guarantee, diplomats say (Reuters)
• COVID-19: Eight deaths, 68 new cases (media)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, September 28, 2021

Albanian Language Media:

• Situation in the north, Kosovo and Serbia meet tomorrow in Brussels (RTK)
• Von der Leyen: Increase of tensions between Kosovo and Serbia, worrying (media)
• US confirms Escobar will take part in Bislimi-Petkovic meeting in Brussels (Kallxo)
• MEPs concerned over recent tensions at the Kosovo-Serbia border crossings (media)
• Stano to Escobar: Dialogue is between Kosovo, Serbia and EU (Express)
• Germany requests removal of special forces and barricades from north (Express)
• Nehammer: Kosovo is acting carefully and positively (media)
• Vetting proceeded to government (Express)
• European Union election observers visit CEC (RTK)
• COVID-19: Eight deaths, 68 new cases (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Covid - 19 in Serbian communities: 40 new case, three deaths (KiM radio)
• Protests in northern Kosovo continue (RTS)
• "Meetings just to have meetings, unnecessary" (KiM radio)
• Dialogue depends on the situation in the north (KiM radio, RTS)
• Group of Serbs attacked in South Mitrovica, ten suspects arrested (Radio KIM, Kontakt plus radio)
• Drecun: If KFOR is stability factor, it should act like one (Tanjug)
• Defence Minister Stefanovic: "KFOR arrived at the crossings according to the agreement between Vucic and Stoltenberg" (Blic, TV Pink)
• North Mitrovica citizens on license plates reciprocity: We want the same thing Pristina wants – autonomy (KoSSev)
• Selakovic: Serbia highly appreciates consistent stance of Mexico not to recognize Kosovo (Kosovo-online)
• Borrell: EU, Western Balkans share responsibility for united Europe (N1)

International:

• Ordinary Serbs, Albanians Pay Price of Serbia-Kosovo Vehicle Row (Balkan Insight)
• Are Serbia and Kosovo Ready to Open Their War Archives? (Balkan Insight)

• Bislimi and Petkovic to meet in Brussels, agreement on license plates expected (Koha)
• EU: Chief negotiators to come to Brussels soon (Klan)
• President Osmani meets heads of security institutions (media)
• KFOR's proposal for resolving situation in the north accepted by Kurti but not by Vucic (Koha)
• KFOR meets Kosovo institution representatives and mayors of northern municipalities (media)
• NATO-led mission increases patrols on Kosovo-Serbia border (AP)
• Osmani’s office denies claims U.S. criticised Kosovo over actions in the north (Kallxo)
• Closing border point not to allow Albanians from Presevo movement deemed discriminatory (media)
• Milanovic: Kosovo responded to Serbia with same standards (media)
• Women candidates fight for gender equality in municipalities (BIRN)
• Court rejects university's lawsuit against municipality regarding Orthodox Church building (media)
• COVID-19: Three deaths, 23 new cases (media)

Albanian Language Media:

• Kurti: No information that KFOR is preparing to intervene in north (Telegrafi)
• KFOR confirms increased patrolling in the north (Koha)
• Sources: Kosovo, Serbia chief negotiators could meet in Brussels this week (RFE)
• Rama: Serbia must stop theatrical military maneuvers (RFE)
• Over 10,000 provisional license plates administered since reciprocity (media)
• COVID-19: Three deaths, 23 new cases (media)
• Kosovo, Albanian governments to meet in late November (Klan Kosova)
• EC President to visit Kosovo on Wednesday as part of Balkans tour (Express)

Serbian Language Media:

• The EU expects Kurti and Vucic by the end of this week in Brussels (Kosovo Online, Tanjug)
• Protests in north enter second week, positions unchanged (RTS)
• KFOR members arrived at Jarinje (Kosovo-online)
• Armored vehicles of the Serbian Army near Jarinje (N1)
• Vucic: NATO to react within 24 hours if violence breaks out (N1)
• Stefanovic and Mojsilovic accompanied by Russian Ambassador visit army units in Raska (RTS)
• Brnabic on EU, current situation in northern Kosovo (TV Pink, media)
• Brnabic met UN SG Guterres in New York, reacted to Rama’s statement on Kosovo recognition (Tanjug, RTS)
• Gabriel Escobar in Brussels on the situation at the administrative crossings (Blic, Tanjug, RFE)
• Zubin Potok municipality: Old installation possible cause of fire (KoSSev)
• Vucic to meet Quint ambassadors today (RTS)
• Europol: Balkan drug cartel broken up (N1)

International:
• Albania defends Kosovo sovereignty, criticizes Serbia’s military maneuvers (Exit)
• NATO, EU call for deescalation in the north of Kosovo as tensions continue (EWB)
• Can Selling Weapons to Serbia Create Peace in the Balkans? (The National Interest)

• Registration centres in Zubin Potok and Zvecan attacked on weekend (media)
• Kurti: Dialogue is the only way to find solutions (media)
• Kurti and Svecla hold press conference following attacks in the north (media)
• Kosovo’s Security Council convened in light of recent incidents (media)
• President Osmani cuts short New York visit following events in the north (media)
• Opposition leaders support Kosovo institutions in upholding rule of law (media)
• International community calls on Kosovo and Serbia to de-escalate the situation (media)
• Vucic to Stoltenberg: Serbia did not violate agreements or jeopardised peace (N1)
• CDHRF: Serbia’s objective is the destabilisation of the situation (media)
• Serbian troops on heightened alert at Kosovo border (France 24)
• Police: Reciprocity with license plates continues to be implemented at border crossings (RTK)
• Russian ambassador inspects Serb military troops near Kosovo border (media)
• Albanian PM Rama to visit Kosovo today (media)
• Court concludes ruling on registration of land to Decan Monastery is not enforced (media)
• COVID-19: Five deaths, 77 new cases (media)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, September 24, 2021

Albanian Language Media:

• Bislimi: License plates decision is unrelated to Brussels agreement (media)
• Tensions following reciprocity change dialogue's course (Koha)
• Court rejects SL's claims that Kosovo Government's formation was unconstitutional (media)
• In Hungary, Speaker Konjufca criticises EU over visa liberalisation (media)
• KSF and Kosovo Police conclude joint exercise with KFOR (media)
• Committee approves national programme for implementation of SAA (Kosovapress)
• COVID-19: Four deaths, 84 new cases (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Peaceful protest of Serbs in northern Kosovo continues (RTS, Kosovo-online)
• One of three Serbs beaten by police in wood close to Brnjak speaks about attack; police denies local media report (KoSSev, media)
• Elek: Beaten Serbs spent difficult night at hospital (Tanjug, Kosovo-online)
• Serbian PM tells Belgian counterpart Pristina perpetrating violence (N1)
• Brnabic to address UN General Debate of world leaders today (B92)
• Washington more strongly involved with the EU in renewing the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue and calming the crisis in Kosovo (NMagazin, Beta)
• Kosovo police removed poster “Welcome to ZSO” in Strpce (Radio KIM)
• Vulin: ''We are not negotiating with a gun pointed at the forehead'' (NMagazin, Beta, N1, TV Pink)
• Former Greek ambassador: "In the end, we will recognize the so-called Kosovo" (B92)
• Brnabic: We have much to lose if we fall for Pristina’s provocations (Tanjug)
• Ursula von der Leyen to visit Belgrade on September 29 (Tanjug)
• Commission for Missing Persons: Mortal remains of three Serbs taken over at the Merdare crossing (FoNet, Danas)
• Kosovo Constitutional Court issues Decision on non-execution of its verdict which confirmed ownership of Visoki Decani Monastery (Danas)

Opinion:

• The Potemkin facade of Vucic's rule (Kosovo 2.0)

• US Embassy: Immediate steps needed to de-escalate tensions (media)
• Osmani, Djukanovic and Komsic concerned over latest developments (media)
• Montenegro President: Balkans, again an arena of geopolitical clashes (Kallxo)
• Serbian govt, state-affiliated media falsely accuse Kosovo police of brutality (Exit News)
• Serbian troops on alert on Kosovo border as tensions mount (AP)
• Reports of Russian nationals joining Serbs protesting in the north (media)
• Osmani: Kosovo is blessed with friends like President Clinton (media)
• Abdixhiku: Lack of governance can’t be compensated with actions in north (media)
• ‘Fake War Veterans’ case causes long-term recriminations in Kosovo (BIRN)
• COVID-19: 7 deaths, 173 new cases (media)
• Minister of Health announces new measures against COVID-19 (media)