UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, March 7, 2023

Albanian Language Media:

• Scholz: I believe this process will soon be successfully completed (media)
• Stoltenberg: NATO takes situation in Kosovo seriously, parties should find solution (Koha)
• Rohde: Opposition should be constructive vis-a-vis European plan (media)
• Haziri: None of Lajcak’s 16 models for Association suits Kosovo (teve1)
• Slovak Foreign Ministry: We expect constructive approach in upcoming talks (Express)
• LDK leader Abdixhiku invited to official visit in Paris (media)
• Citizen puts his property for sale in Shterpce, blames Serbian List for pressure (RTK)

Serbian Language Media:

• Lajcak with Vucic on March 13 and 14 on the implementation of the plan for the normalisation of relations between Belgrade and Pristina (RTS)
• Serbian List: KLA leaders as a logo on official emails (Beta, Danas)
• Raskovic-Ivic: We will launch initiative to impeach Vucic for violation of Constitution (Danas)
• Part of opposition to request Constitutional Court’s assessment of Vucic’s acts (Danas)
• Rakic Vodinelic: Vucic violated the Constitution to the extent that Kosovo is recognized (NMagazin, Nova, Beta)
• Judge Petrov: Possible violation of the oath and the preamble of the Constitution cannot be the basis for the president's responsibility (NMagazin, Politika, Beta)
• Dacic: No need for new discussion in Parliament, nothing has been signed (N1, FoNet, Politika)
• Miljan Adzic released pending trial (KoSSev)

Opinion:

• Short public letter to fellow journalists, civil society and politicians in Serbia (AP)

International:

• EU Plan Puts Kosovo In ‘Better Strategic Position Than Serbia’ – Foreign Advisor (BIRN)

• Osmani talks with Quint ambassadors about European proposal (media)
• U.S. Embassy: Biden and Blinken confirmed EU Proposal will lead Kosovo towards EU integration (Klan)
• U.S. Embassy: Concerned about opposition’s opposition to European proposal (media)
• Lajcak to stay in Kosovo on Friday (media)
• Wider Europe briefing: Will Serbia and Kosovo finally seal deal? (RFE)
• EU Plan offers Serbia and Kosovo the promise of hope (Prishtina Insight)
• Svecla proposes Gazmend Hoxha as new police director (Reporteri)
• CEFTA: European plan for Kosovo and Serbia, good for regional market (Klan)
• Spain doesn’t change position on Kosovo; seeks solution via dialogue (RFE)
• Konrad: Failure to normalize relations blocks many capacities (Reporteri)
• Kosovo commemorates 25th anniversary of Prekaz Massacre (Anadolu Agency)
• Art in quarantine: COVID-19 brought muses to Balkan authors (BIRN)

Albanian Language Media:

• Bislimi: We will ensure that all minorities are safe (media)
• Eichhorst: Now we have to find ways to implement provisions from European proposal (Klan)
• Opposition: European proposal is a continuation of "status-quos" (Ekonomia Online)
• Association: This is what solution looks like, there is no other – it is European (Albanian Post)
• Shea: Association can be done without jeopardising sovereignty (Paparaci)
• PSD places 205 thousand signatures against Association in front of government, warns of a protest (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Brnabic: ‘Anti-state coalition’ did everything to make Serbia’s position difficult (N1)
• Obradovic: Five parliamentary parties request Assembly session on Kosovo (Radio KIM, media)
• Opposition: In Belgrade on March 17, a warning protest ahead of the meeting between Vucic and Kurti (KoSSev)
• Djilas: Rejecting agreement which is not good for Serbia – is not good either (Radio KIM, media)
• Patriarch Porfirije: The Church has never deviated from Kosovo and Metohija and has never abandoned it (SOC website, media)
• Ristic, Trajkovic and Jovic sent third letter to Patriarch (media)
• Peoples’ Party undertakes action against Franco-German plan for Kosovo (social media)
• Nova.rs: European diplomats on point 4 of the agreement: Kosovo in the UN only with the consent of permanent members (KoSSev, N1)
• Romania's stance on Kosovo unchanged – MFA (Tanjug)
• UNS and DNKiM call on institutions to ensure translation for journalists (media)
• Hill: ZSO must be formed, 10 years is too long (KiM radio, Tanjug, N1)

• Kurti talks with Murphy about implementation plan of EU proposal (media)
• Lajcak: The association does not weaken Kosovo (euronews.al)
• Kosovo to fulfill Serbian Orthodox Church obligations in Franco-German plan, experts say (Prishtina Insight)
• Kurti has telephone conversation with Erdogan (media)
• Bislimi: Athens should take advantage of the momentum (media)
• Petkovic to Bislimi: Serbia will never recognize Kosovo (Klan)
• “Progress of Kosovo-Serbia dialogue can take its shape in Ohrid” (Klan)
• Giaufret: European proposal, a historic opportunity (media)
• Analysis: No big deal: EU's Kosovo pact loses some sheen (Reuters)
• Serbian nationalists march in protest against Kosovo talks (Reuters)
• The ”Kosovo Vow” in the Bosnian Story (Sarajevo Times)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, March 2, 2023

Albanian Language Media:

• Kurti: Kosovo, the first among six WB countries for electoral democracy (media)
• Germany: Without the Association, there is no agreement with Serbia (Klan)
• Rasic on the European proposal: The agreement is good (Koha)
• “Prime Ministers of 27 EU countries planned to participate at the signing ceremony” (Paparaci)
• Bislimi on an official visit to Athens (media)
• Elections in the north are legitimate even without participation of Serbian List (RTK)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vox Pop in Gracanica: No one must give up on Kosovo (Radio KIM)
• Survey: Most respondents negatively assess European proposal, claim it would lead to accelerated departure of Serbs from Kosovo, bring nothing good (KoSSev)
• Invisible People: Large number of adult persons cannot obtain Kosovo documents (Radio Gorazdevac, Radio KIM)
• Women in Media: Sexual harassment, discrimination, extra working hours (Radio KIM, KoSSev)
• Synzog on expropriations, EU proposal, development of north (Radio kontakt plus, KoSSev)
• Vucic meets with Hill (Tanjug)
• Lavrov: ZSO issue in Kosovo and Minsk Agreement same deceptions by West (Kosovo Online, Klix.ba)
• We expect implementation of all agreements to date - Slovak MFA (Tanjug)
• Abazi: Serbia “colonised” all areas with natural resources and underground ores, which is why SOC wants property (KoSSev)
• Sveclla accuses member of “parallel structures” for a brawl in student dormitory in Mitrovica North (Radio KIM, media)
• Office for KiM: Request of liaison officer to visit Trajkovic and Adzic denied (Kosovo Online)

International:

• Hague Court Publishes Details of Hashim Thaci’s Alleged War Crimes (Balkan Insight)

• EU insists on signing of agreement and implementation plan (RFE)
• Hill: Association must be solved urgently (media)
• Govt considers formalizing of status of Serb Orthodox Church complete (Koha)
• Poll: Over 60% of citizens uninformed about European plan and dialogue (Koha)
• Szunyog: Situation in the north of Kosovo is complex (media)
• Uneasy neighbours: Serbia and Kosovo need to mend fences, but remain wary after accepting EU deal (Euronews)
• Bosnian Serb leader blocks regional Kosovo ID travel (BIRN)
• After report, prosecution indicts doctor who participated in niece job intw (BIRN)

Albanian Language Media:

• Kurti: Political historical mistakes of previous governments won’t be repeated (Koha)
• Kurti: Serbia has two choices, to recognize Kosovo or align with Putin - I believe it will be the first (Shenja, media)
• Vela reacts after Vucic said he will not agree to Kosovo UN membership (media)
• Bislimi: Kosovo cannot form Association with executive competencies (media)
• Konjufca will travel to U.S., to attend Summit for Democracy (Express)
• Haradinaj: Association not product of Kurti; two signing parties responsible (Kanal 10)
• Krasniqi to Kurti: No reason to flee or fear the MPs (Koha)
• Abdixhiku: Kurti didn’t confront Serbia; with piece of paper overcame crimes and massacres committed in Kosovo (Gazeta Blic)
• Dodik implies he will block removal of visas for Kosovo, Von Cramon reacts (Koha)

Serbian Language Media:

• Stano: The European proposal should not be signed (Kosovo Online, RTS, RTV)
• Drecun says European plan is not agreement but proposal, de facto recognition means nothing (N1, Kosovo Online)
• Vucevic on European proposal: Nothing has been signed, Brussels agreement in force (Vecernje Novosti, media)
• Peoples’ Party mobilises resources to oppose acceptance of European plan (social media, media)
• Serbian List reacts to verdict against Todosijevic (TV Most, media)
• Dacic thanks NAM member states that stand with Serbia (Tanjug, RTV)
• Why are young people leaving north of Kosovo? (KoSSev)
• The CEC has again announced a competition for municipal election officials in the North (KoSSev, Radio Mitrovica sever)
• Tanjug: Pristina's Interpol membership request taken off agenda
• Office for KiM submits guarantees to EULEX for Adzic and Trajkovic (Kosovo Online)
• Dacic meets with FMs of Sudan, Yemen, Uganda and Ethiopia in Baku (Tanjug, media)

International:

• Bosnian Serb Leader Blocks Regional Kosovo ID Travel Deal (Balkan Insight)

• Kurti reacts to Vucic's remarks that he will oppose Kosovo’s UN membership (media)
• Lajcak reveals location of next Borrell-Kurti-Vucic meeting (Express)
• Senators: Kosovo, Serbia to reach agreement on implementation annex (media)
• Osmani meets Rohde, discuss recent meetings in Brussels (media)
• Hovenier: EU proposal is temporary package; long-term goal is mutual recognition (media)
• NATO calls for further progress in talks between Belgrade and Pristina (media)
• Abazovic meets Kurti; offers support for durable support for region (media)
• ETIAS launch date postponement won’t affect Kosovo visa liberalisation, EU official confirms (schengenvisa.info)
• Victims names made public in former KLA leaders trial (Prishtina Insight)
• Transferring court cases from Mitrovica will harm Kosovo justice, lawyers say (BIRN)
• Court orders preextradition arrest of Serbian war criminal suspect (Budapest Time)
• Turkish couple facing deportation to Kosovo win Swiss asylum (BIRN)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, March 1, 2023

Albanian Language Media:

• Biden invites Osmani to second Summit for Democracy (media)
• Kurti: Normalisation of relations with Serbia, with mutual recognition as a central part (Koha)
• Kurti thanks the United Nations agencies for their cooperation (RTK)
• Gjoshi: Article 7 of the agreement, dangerous for Kosovo (Nacionale)
• Entry into force of ETIAS postponed, liberalisation of visas no later than January 1, 2024 (media)
• SPO publishes names of victims that allegedly disappeared or were killed (Koha)
• KLA War Veterans: Another scandal and humiliation (Telegrafi)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic to RTS: We can discuss everything, except the recognition and membership of Kosovo in the UN (KiM radio, N1)
• Tadic: This is not agreement offering compromise, but exclusively in Pristina’s favour (Danas)
• Vucic speaks with von der Leyen: Serbia for compromise solution with clearly stated limitations (Kosovo Online)
• The verdict against Todosijevic confirmed in Pristina; It’s contrary to Brussel agreement, says Petkovic (KiM radio, RTS, Kosovo Online)
• Defence lawyer of Todosijevic says he learnt about verdict from media (Kosovo Online)
• Serbian List extends support to Vucic (Kosovo Online)
• Party of Kosovo Serbs calls for resistance against Vucic (Radio KIM)
• Jaksic, Stojanovic on latest meeting in Brussels, fears of Serbs in Kosovo (N1)
• Vucic, Aliyev speak about Brussels dialogue (Tanjug)

Opinion:

• Marc Weller: The Brussels Agreement on the Path to Recognition (Koha)

• U.S. welcomes progress on path to Kosovo-Serbia normalization (media)
• Escobar: Discussions about the Association should start immediately (RFE)
• Lajcak, Escobar meet to coordinate steps for next high-level meeting (Koha)
• Lajcak to visit Kosovo soon to discuss implementation modalities (Koha)
• EU spokesperson reveals details of Kurti-Vucic meeting (media)
• Kosovo, Serbia OK EU Plan, ‘But Devil Is in the Details,’ Analysts Say (VoA)
• Countries welcome positive developments between Kosovo and Serbia (media)
• U.S. endorses EU plan to ease Serbia-Kosovo tensions (Independent)
• Opposition parties criticise agreement on normalisation plan (BIRN)
• Tensions simmer despite leaders' tacit approval of EU plan (Euronews)
• Serwer: Put away the carrots and take out the sticks (Peacefare.net)
• Bancroft: Serbia-Kosovo - the devil is in the implementation (Euractiv)
• Boycott of Serbian products picks up steam but imports remain high (Euractiv)