UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, November 1,2021

Albanian Language Media:

• “Kosovo and Serbia are not working to resolve disagreements” (RFE)
• Kurti: We will have 9.9% economic growth by year’s end (RTK)
• Government expects positive changes on visa liberalisation (Kosovapress)
• Rohde calls for implementation of court decision on Decani Monastery (media)
• Historians from Decan: Decani Monastery is not under threat (media)
• Shahini: Kosovo is powerless in stopping trend of increased prices (media)
• Tahiri calls on government not to reject gas pipeline project (media)
• PDK’s Hoxhaj reacts to resignation of Zaev as North Macedonia PM (media)
• COVID-19: Five new cases, no deaths (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Covid-19: 49 new cases registered in Serbian areas on Saturday (Radio KIM)
• Cyprus is Serbia’s best friend in Europe, Dacic says (N1)
• Brnabic: Three million adult Serbian citizens have been vaccinated (N1)
• “Biden’s words lasting testimony of a sincere respect” (Radio KIM)
• Gorazdevac: Turning House of Culture into storage depot, pressure on only Serbian media outlet in Metohija (Radio KIM)
• Edi Rama to visit Serbia on Wednesday, regarding Open Balkans Initiative (Kosovo-online)
• Vucic in Glasgow: Serbia will do a lot about Green Agenda (N1)

International:

• North Macedonia’s PM resigns following local election defeat (BIRN)
• Petrit Halilaj: ‘I started to live with fear on a daily basis’ (The Guardian)

• Osmani: Serbia, backed by Russia, undertakes destabilising initiatives (Klan)
• Government of Kosovo approves 2022 draft budget (media)
• Mehaj: U.S. military base in Kosovo would ward off Russia's access to the region (Koha/RTK)
• COMKFOR: KSF cannot deploy to the north without my consent (media)
• Szunyog: Vetting, the last step in efforts to improve judicial system (Telegrafi)
• PM Kurti meets OSF deputy chair, Soros (media)
• Von Cramon urges Government to implement decision on Decan Monastery (media)
• Human remains unearthed at the KFOR base in Pristina (media)
• Freight Carriers Protest Fees at Kosovo-North Macedonia Border (BIRN)
• North Macedonia PM announces resignation after election loss (AP)
• COVID-19: 13 new cases, one death (media)

Albanian Language Media:

• Kurti: No date yet for meeting with Vucic (Telegrafi)
• Abdixhiku: No vetting without full coordination with EU and US (media)
• President Osmani addresses the Global Summit of Women in Lisbon (media)
• Rama: Kosovo-Albania unification, mind game more likely outside than inside EU (Koha)
• COVID-19: 28 new cases, no deaths (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic: We are not changing our Constitution either and what will we do then? (Tanjug, Kosovo Online, KoSSev)
• Jukic: Witnesses against KLA afraid, some relocated (Radio KIM, RTS)
• Varhelyi: EU closely monitors transformation of Kosovo Security Force (N1)
• New figures and the same messages from the Crisis Staff in Gracanica (KiM radio)
• US goals: W. Balkans in EU; reduce Russian and Chinese influence, Escobar says (Beta, N1, VoA)
• Discrimination at competition for journalist award, AJK says membership not explicit requirement (Radio KIM)
• Selakovic: Slovakia supports Serbia’s integrity and sovereignty (Tanjug, RTK2)
• Sending Hill and Hovenier to the Balkans halted, Senator Cruz blocks Biden's ambassadors (Kosovo Online, Washington Post)
• Djuric on protest in front of Serbian Consulate in New York (Kosovo-online)

• Escobar: Mutual recognition would be ideal for normalisation of relations (RFE)
• Minister of Justice says EU supports vetting in judiciary in Kosovo (KTV)
• Krasniqi: Serbia must be responsible for crimes in Kosovo (Klan Kosova)
• Kosovo sanctions individuals and company linked to Hizballah (BIRN)
• Serbia is on a shopping spree for weapons (The Economist)
• Hoxhaj: Russia and Serbia seeking to return history of violence (media)
• Women in Balkan media ‘must speak out’ against sexual harassment (BIRN)
• Agron Bajrami leaves Koha; rumored as new ambassador to Brussels (media)
• COVID-19: 16 new cases, no deaths (media)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, October 28, 2021

Albanian Language Media:

• President Osmani on an official visit to Portugal (media)
• Kurti: I do not feel at risk, I have not changed my agenda (media)
• Kosovo Police brings details about threat to Prime Minister Kurti (media)
• Kurti: Kosovo has never marked bigger economic growth (media)
• Serbian warnings for nonrecognition, MFA accuses Serbia of violation of agreement (RTK)
• CEC announces results of 2021 Local Elections in Kosovo (euronews.al)
• The suspected of Hezbollah connections are not Kosovo citizens (RFE Albanian)
• EU: Greater institutional commitment needed to prevent hate speech (Ekonomia)
• COVID-19: 16 new cases, no deaths (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Covid-19 in Serb areas: 53 new cases, two deaths (Kosovo Online)
• Dacic: Principled support of China in preserving sovereignty and territorial integrity of Serbia (Kosovo-online)
• Wang Yi: China respects territorial integrity of Serbia (Tanjug, Kosovo-online)
• Brnabic with Wang Yi: Our ambition to develop relations further is great (B92)
• Rakic and Schmid: Dialogue is only way to resolve problems (Radio KIM)
• The (im) possibility of elections in Serbian municipalities (KiM radio)
• Petkovic with Ginkel on situation in Kosovo (Radio KIM)

Humanitarian/Development:

• NGO Aktiv launches campaign on rights at local level (Radio KIM)

• Kurti's security beefed up following threats (media)
• OSCE Secretary General Schmid meets Osmani, Kurti (media)
• Osmani: Kosovo's recognition by Serbia, the only acceptable dialogue outcome (media)
• Bosnian politician claims Kosovo-Serbia land swap deal had U.S. backing (Koha)
• Albanian FM calls for recognition of Kosovo, gets told off by Serbian ambassador (Koha/RTK)
• LDK leader thanks supporters for local elections result (media)
• Appeals panel rejects Thaci's request; will remain in detention (media)
• Former CEC head reaches out to Ombudsperson over her dismissal (media)
• Wonders, and Horrors, Drawn From Boyhood in a War Zone (NYT)
• Serbian Model Quits Beauty Contest over Photo with Albanian Symbol (BIRN)
• COVID-19: 22 new cases, one death (media)

Albanian Language Media:

• Kurti: We’re working on aid packages after rising prices (media)
• “Agency for verification of wealth to be formed through law” (media)
• Decision annulled on expropriation of lands for Prishtina-Peja highway (media)
• Government sanctions seven persons and a company tied to Hezbollah (media)
• COVID-19: 22 new cases, one death (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Selakovic: More than ten countries ready to revoke recognition of Kosovo (RTS)
• Vucic on Valac power station in northern Kosovo, Community of Serbian Municipalities (KoSSev)
• Trajkovic: Third intrusion to northern Kosovo over Valac and Gazivode will lead to conflict (Kosovo-online)
• Vucic on Kosovo boxers, Rohde’s statement (KoSSev)
• Petkovic reacts to Osmani’s remarks about Serbia being ‘cancer of Europe’ (Danas)
• Head of Chinese diplomacy Wang Yi arrives in Serbia today (RTS)
• Serbian sport clubs to join federations or will be sanctioned (RTK2)

International:

• Historical revisionism is Serbian state policy, report claims (BIRN)

• Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani interview with Kanal 10
• EU and USA strongly support EU integration of the Western Balkans (EWB)
• Kurti announces forthcoming package to combat rising food prices (Exit News)
• Swoboda: Serbs in Kosovo and Bosnia, instrumentalized by Belgrade (KTV)
• Kosovo activists protest against lenient sentence for sexual abuser (BIRN)
• Kosovo journalist testifies about receiving confidential Hague court files (BIRN)
• COVID-19: 20 new cases, no deaths (media)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, October 26, 2021

Albanian Language Media:

• Kurti meets a European Council on Foreign Relations delegation (media)
• "Preventing Kosovo boxers from competing, example of closed not open Balkans" (media)
• AAK demands parliamentary debate on gas, PDK supports it (Kallxo)
• Szunyog: Very few women were involved in the negotiating teams (media)
• Final local elections results expected to be announced on Wednesday (Koha)
• COVID-19: 20 new cases, no deaths (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Covid-19 in Serbian areas: 54 new cases, one death (KiM radio)
• Serbian List: Agreements from Brussels must be implemented (Radio KIM)
• Petkovic: Brussels dialogue hostage of Pristina’s unreadiness (Radio KIM)
• PM Brnabic thanks OSCE Sec-Gen Schmid for supporting Serbia’s reforms (N1)
• Jelena Milic on von Cramon statements, Gazivode and Valac (Kosovo-online)
• Simic recalls bans Pristina imposed on Serbian sports’ teams to enter Kosovo (Kosovo-online)

Opinion:

• Crisis, then the next crisis… but who cares about the real dialogue? (KoSSev)
• What will trigger the next Balkan conflict? (transconflict.com)

International:

• Censorship Accusation Mars Heritage Conference in Peja (Prishtina Insight)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Search for missing Bosko Mladenovic continues (Radio KIM)

• Kurti: Serbia should show strength in boxing ring not at the border (media)
• Ceku: Serbia refusing boxers entry violates international sporting rules (media)
• EU's position on Kosovo boxers not allowed entry to Serbia (Koha)
• Serbia bars Kosovo team from competing in boxing championship (BIRN)
• Albania threatens to quit boxing championship after Kosovo snub (Exit News)
• Phillips: Serbs have enough rights; Association would be too much (media)
• Court overturns ECAP's decision on repeating elections in Hani i Elezit (media)
• Kosovo university teaches Serbian again, two decades after war (BIRN)
• COVID-19: 3 new cases, one death (media)
• Kosovo tops vaccination rates in Western Balkans (Exit News)
• Calls to dismiss judge who sentenced rapist to only eight months (Koha)
• Escobar: US will support Vucic while on European path (media)