UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, May 15, 2023

Albanian Language Media:

• Kurti: Budget for municipalities for 2024 is €740 million (media)
• Bajrami to Kurti: You have blocked over €37 million for the municipalities (Nacionale)
• Sarrazin: There might not be an agreement yet, but there are concepts (media)
• Szunyog: Non-implementation of Ohrid agreement will have consequences (Reporteri)
• Government and opposition clashes over World Bank's report on Kosovo (media)
• Muja: Lajcak’s goal is to offer an extreme version for the Association (Reporteri)
• Dugolli writes to Specialist Chambers again; “I won’t stop seeking justice” (media)
• Five persons arrested in police counter-terrorism operation (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Miroce village residents’ another appeal to the Kosovo authorities and international representatives over their usurped properties (KoSSev)
• Petkovic met Lajcak ahead of the new round of dialogue with Pristina (RTS, Tanjug)
• Power visits Gracanica Monastery while visiting Kosovo (KoSSev)
• New “Serbia Against Violence” protest held in Belgrade (N1, media)
• Dacic on protest: Not a word about the victims, just threats against Vucic (N1, Tanjug)
• Dacic regrets Israel’s decision to recognize Kosovo independence (BETA, media)
• Ambassador of Cyprus: Stance on Kosovo principled and consistent (Kosovo Online)
• Serbian List: Entering the municipalities may endanger the peace (KiM radio, Radio Mitrovica sever, Kosovo Online)
• Fatherland Movement fully supports the requests of the opposition (KoSSev)
• Detention of Trajkovic extended for two more months (Kosovo Online)

International:

• Serbian president says snap election on cards after mass shootings spark protests (Politico)
• Ruling Socialists Defeat Divided Opposition in Albanian Local Polls (BIRN)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Kosovo Assembly hosts seminar “Promoting a gender-sensitive parliament” (EO)
• Share Your Experience: School Violence in South Eastern Europe (Balkan Insight)
• Awareness march for mental health for first time in Kosovo (Klan Kosova)

• Dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia continues in Brussels (RFE)
• Lajcak: I expect chief negotiators to be ready to agree on next steps (media)
• Osmani hosts USG: Kosovo, model for promoting Women’s Agenda (media)
• World Bank Group’s New Strategy in Kosovo Supports Competitiveness for Higher Job Creation and Living Standards (worldbank.org)
• Kosovo Opens Auction for First Solar Park (BIRN)
• Conference calls for stronger collaboration among prosecutors investigating war crimes in Western Balkans (BIRN)
• Kurti to meet mayors of municipalities today (RTK)
• KSF launch search for Serb man from Strpce who went missing (Kosovapress)

Albanian Language Media:

• Kurti: We’d like to see dialogue acceleration, implementation of agreements (Koha)
• EU statement on govt decision on land expropriation in north (media)
• Quint ambassadors don’t talk to media after meeting Kurti today (Indeksonline)
• Power: Major political decisions require courage (RTK)
• Krasniqi: We’ll individually schedule sessions with new mayors (Telegrafi)
• Haliti: There could be elections in September, Kurti govt could fall (TeVe1)
• Hoti: Management Team existed since 2013; “Kurti’s work catastrophic” (Klan)
• Waltz calls on non-recognizing countries to recognize Kosovo (media)
• CDHRF: Lajcak is using dialogue for his rise in career (Klan)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic after meeting Lajcak: I am concerned over Kosovo, Kurti provoking conflicts (Tanjug, media)
• Petkovic with Lajcak: Talks about the tensions raised by Kurti in the municipalities in the north (RTS, Kosovo Online)
• Kosovo police harassed Serbs in Preoce (KiM radio, medijacentar.info, Kosovo Online)
• Serbian List: ''Police officer who tried to kill Milan Jovanovic released under house arrest, the legal violence continues'' (Danas, Kosovo Online, Radio Mitrovica sever)
• Dacic: Serbia will abstain from voting in the CoE on the integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine (NMagazin, Beta)
• A new multi-ethnic center for dialogue "launched" in Pristina - a gathering place for those who share the same values (KoSSev)
• Gracanica municipality refuses to issue permits for the construction of houses approved by the ministry (medijacentar.info)

International:

• Roma and Sinti Holocaust Victims’ Stories Told in Kosovo Exhibition (BIRN)

• Lacroix hosted by Kurti, says “results are apparent” in several areas (media)
• Trust, an important component for social and economic development (RTV21)
• After meeting Lajcak, Kurti says he will draft "vision" for Serbs (Koha)
• Lajcak: What I heard left me worried (media)
• Serbian List: We’ll not return to institutions without Association forming (Koha)
• Konjufca: Lajcak is biased, he conceives dialogue as if Kosovo's status has not yet been defined (RTV21)
• Power: The U.S. wants mutual recognition (RTK)
• Von Cramon: Vucic should end the dialogue with Kosovo (Albanian Post)
• More political will needed for progress of Serbia and Kosovo on the EU path (EWB)
• Osmani asks for Kosovo to have seat at COP28: Climate change knows no politics (Koha)
• Kurti: We have had cyber-attacks on our government system (media)
• Osmani invited to inauguration of Montenegro President Milatovic (media)
• Maldives presidency refutes Vucic: We have not withdrawn recognition of Kosovo (media)
• Kosovo: RTK continuing to push for EBU membership (Eurovoix)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, May 11, 2023

Albanian Language Media:

• Lajcak: There is either normalisation or conflict (media)
• Kurti: EU should hold Serbia responsible for ongoing violations of Agreement (Koha)
• The Iber Bridge discussed during the Hamza-Lajcak meeting (media)
• Lajcak crosses Iber Bridge on foot to meet local Serbs (Dukagjini)
• KDI: Court ruling should be basis for drafting statute of Association (Koha)
• Kurti meets UK Ministry of Foreign Affairs Director for Western Balkans (media)
• Haziri: Kurti has excluded Konjufca and Osmani from dialogue (Nacionale)
• Ambassador Hovenier calls for increased cyber and information security (Klan)

Serbian Language Media:

• Lajcak: Decision on Ibar River bridge opening should be made within dialogue (Tanjug)
• Visoki Decani Monastery reacts to Osmani’s remarks on monastery land court decision (media, social media)
• Serbian List reacts to decision on land expropriation in north (Kosovo Online, social media)
• Bilcik and von Cramon worried about Pristina's decision on land expropriation (KiM radio, Beta, Kosovo Online)
• Possible re-elections in North of Kosovo: Difficulties in confirming mandate of newly elected mayors (Danas)
• Dacic, Szijjarto: Level of Serbia-Hungary ties highest in recent history (Tanjug)
• Lajcak: Chief negotiators in Brussels on Monday (FoNet, N1)
• Dacic: Constant pressure over Russia sanctions (Prva TV, BETA, N1)

International:

• Petition Urges Kosovo Govt to Cut Period Products Tax (Prishtina Insight)

• Osmani slams Borrell over Association comments, says Vucic can’t be “normalized” (media)
• Kurti meets Council of U.S. Ambassadors, informs them about dialogue with Serbia (media)
• Konjufca: Kosovo will not accept models that aim to undo the state (media)
• Association will also be an administrative authority, with a distinct legal identity, but which does not form a third power (Albanian Post)
• Power: It takes political courage to reach a lasting solution in dialogue (media)
• “Draft statute of Association must be consistent with Kosovo’s laws,” says Serbian minister (euronews.al)
• European Parliament adopted resolutions on Kosovo and Serbia (EWB)
• Svecla on EP report: We share common concerns about challenging situation in north (Koha)

Albanian Language Media:

• Lajcak tomorrow in Kosovo, on Friday in Serbia (RTK)
• Von Cramon: Kosovo continues to prove its democratic capacities (Kosovapress)
• The European Parliament approves report on Kosovo (Koha)
• Kurti vows to Kosovo Police not to stop seeking justice for war crimes (media)
• Osmani meets Senate Majority Leader; “gratitude for continued US support” (media)
• Kurti: Local governments in some cases used for opposition against central govt (Koha)
• Bislimi on Berishaj: An intellectual’s name is dragged for political profits (Kosovapress)
• Citaku reacts: A totalitarian mindset is a threat, not the Constitution (Nacionale)

Serbian Language Media:

• Stano: Lajcak in Pristina tomorrow, in Belgrade on Friday (N1)
• Decision on expropriation of land in Leposavic and Zubin Potok adopted (Radio KIM)
• Petkovic reacts to Pristina’s decision on expropriation (KoSSev)
• Pantic's house arrest extended for two months (KoSSev, NMagazin, Beta)
• Cvijetin Milivojevic: ''The West does not mediate, it commands the negotiations, we must be patient, the solution is a real compromise'' (Radio Mitrovica sever)
• Vucic announced ‘’the largest ever’’ gathering on 26 May (media)
• Opposition reactions to Vucic’s gathering on May 26 (media)
• Opposition in front of REM submitted printed resignations; announced new protests (N1, nova.rs)
• Opposition requests Parliament session on security situation (FoNet, N1)
• Rasic and Rexhepi dissatisfied with budget allocated for non-majority communities (Radio KIM)
• Odalovic expects a meeting soon regarding the formation of a joint commission on the missing (Tanjug, Kosovo Online)
• Vucic met USAID Administrator Power (Tanjug)
• Bilcik: Serbia needs to improve in some areas (N1)

International:

• Serbia Imposes Tough Restrictions After Mass Shootings (Balkan Insight)

• Osmani: We won’t give Serbia instrument to violate Kosovo (media)
• Kurti informs Radman on Croatian model he proposed for Association (media)
• Varhelyi: Management team’s proposal, starting point for discussions (RFE)
• USAID Director: Biden strongly supports normalisation of relations (Koha)
• Abbott: Time for Kosovo to present draft statute for Association (media)
• Osmani: Kosovo is an embodiment of European values (Euronews)
• Families of missing demand investigations, no faith in agreements (Euronews)
• Head of municipal assembly resigns, to prevent swearing in of mayor (media)
• Domi: As a society, we must work to give more space to communities (Koha)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, May 9, 2023

Albanian Language Media:

• Scholz: EU to keep promises for integration of Western Balkans (RFE)
• Abdixhiku: Management Team proposed a state within the state (media)
• Gervalla: One Republika Srpska enough for the region, no need for another one (media)
• Radman: Croatian model for Serbian minority can serve Kosovo (media)
• Szunyog: EU playing crucial role in promoting Kosovo-Serbia dialogue (Telegrafi)
• Osmani on Europe Day: Kosovo is an embodiment of European values (media)
• Govt on Europe Day: Step by step, Kosovo is getting closer to EU (media)
• Lajcak: EU and Western Balkans to seriously address enlargement (media)
• Bajqinovci accuses LDK for corruption deals, interest groups with PDK (Paparaci)
• Kica-Xhelili tells what govt is trying to do in the Prosecutorial Council (Nacionale)
• Two people arrested in Zvecan for trying to block the municipality building (Telegrafi)
• Nebi Qena and Associated Press win two Pulitzer Prizes (Albanian Post)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic on northern Kosovo, Council of Europe, mass shootings in Serbia (Kosovo Online, media)
• Protest ‘Serbia Against Violence’ held in Belgrade (N1)
• Serbian Parliament vice-president Bozic after ‘Serbia Against Violence' protest: "Parliamentary and local elections in one term" (Danas, Beta, NMagazin)
• Vucic on protest in Belgrade (N1, media)
• New anti-violence protest on May 12 (N1, media)
• Person suspected of tearing Serbian flags apart at Grabovac hill brought in (Radio KIM, Radio kontakt plus)
• What slows down the European path of the Western Balkans according to Lajcak? (Danas, FoNet, Hina)
• Russian Ambassador: Strategic partnership with Serbia increasingly important (Politika, BETA, N1)
• Giaufret: Serbia’s place is in EU (FoNet, N1)
• Serbian Defense Ministry marks Victory Over Fascism Day (BETA)

International:

• Serbians rally against violence after two mass shootings (Reuters)
• Montenegrins Urged to Hand Over Weapons After Mass Shootings Rock Serbia (Balkan Insight)
• Child Pornography, Hate Speech and Cybercrime Surge in Balkans (Balkan Insight)

Kurti meets Sobotka, emphasizes importance of implementing the Basic Agreement without conditions (media)
At the Vienna Economic Forum, Kosovo is considered a functional state with a vibrant economy (Koha)
USAID chief Power heads to Serbia, Kosovo to lower tensions (Associated Press)
Croatia’s Foreign Minister visits Kosovo, today he meets with Grvalla and Kurti (RTK)
What is next in the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue? Mediators visit expected this month (euronews.al)
Hoti: Government's decisions of the past two years are typical of communist systems (Reporteri)
Kamberi: Self-management also for Albanians in Serbia (media)
Postcard Collection Creates Vivid Picture of Bygone Era in Kosovo (Prishtina Insight)