UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, May 18, 2022

Albanian Language Media:

• Gucati, Haradinaj sentenced to four and a half years in prison each (media)
• Djukanovic: Montenegro, Kosovo have excellent neighbourly relations (media)
• In Washington D.C., Kurti meets National Security Advisor, Sullivan (media)
• Prime Minister Kurti met in Washington DC Congresswoman Elissa Slotkin (media)
• Hodges: U.S., EU must have clear strategy for Kosovo (Radio Free Europe)
• COVID-19: 16 new cases (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic meets SOC Patriarch (RTS)
• Kosovo not on Friday’s agenda of CoE (Radio KIM)
• US Ambassador: Open Balkan could activate region’s economic potential (N1)
• Heads of Serbian, North Macedonia churches to serve reconciliation liturgy (N1)
• Czech EU Presidency to focus on Western Balkans (N1)
• Brnabic: UN SC resolution does not apply only in Serbia's case (Tanjug, media)
• Vucic receives Letter of Credence from new Ukrainian ambassador (RTS)
• Montenegrin Liberal Party (CLS) and Association of Kosovo Montenegrins on Djukanovic's visit to Kosovo (KoSSev, Kontakt plus radio)
• Hovenier: Mitrovica is one of the best manifestations of Kosovo's future (Kosovo Online)
• Mihajlovic on verdicts to Gucati and Haradinaj (N1)
• More bomb threats, schools evacuated in Belgrade and Nis (N1)
• Petkovic met Hill: Pristina to give up obstruction; formation of Community of Serbian Municipalities necessary (Kosovo Online)

Opinion:

• Mixed messages from Belgrade: Is the EU narrative shifting? (EWB)

International:

• Kosovo veterans jailed for war crimes witness intimidation (RFI)
• WB2EU conference on the politics of enlargement in France in Paris on 19 and 20 May (EWB)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Reactions to reports that non-majority children were excluded from book event (media)
• Ghost schools, ghetto schools and segregated shifts (Kosovo 2.0)

• President Osmani meets representatives of Quint countries (media)
• President of Montenegro, Djukanovic, to begin a two-day visit to Kosovo (media)
• Upholding Constitutional Court decisions, crucial for CoE membership, experts say (Koha)
• Swiss ambassador on Kosovo-Serbia agreement: Courage needed (Kosovapress)
• KSC trial panel to announce verdict on Gucati and Haradinaj today (media)
• Krasniqi: This depressive government has created an alternative to good governance (Klan)
• U.S. Embassy commends Kosovo’s sanctions against Russia (media)
• Kosovo and Turkey sign agreement for supply with products for defense services (media)
• Minister condemns non-majority children being excluded from book event (media)
• Website Presents Better Side of Serbian-Albanian Relations (BIRN)
• Government of Kosovo marks International Day against Homophobia (media)
• COVID-19: Four new cases (media)

Albanian Language Media:

• Kurti: Kosovo among first to side with democratic world in sanctions (media)
• ESI: 47 again? Russia out, Kosovo in (media)
• Aliu: Important meeting of ministers from region in Prishtina tomorrow (Indeksonline)
• Vetevendosje MP sentenced to prison time for abuse of power (media)
• Caplan: I fear Kosovo and Serbia are heading toward a frozen conflict (Express)
• COVID-19: four new cases (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Borrell hopes for a meeting between Vucic and Kurti before summer (KiM radio, Tanjug)
• Kosovo Minister of Culture announced Kosovo's application to UNESCO for 2023 (Danas)
• Serbian PM Brnabic: Pristina's CoE membership bid comes amid greatest violations of Serb rights (Tanjug)
• Selakovic: Szijjarto called for offering Serbia EU membership immediately (Tanjug, media)
• Dacic with Bakoyannis on Kosovo's accession to the Council of Europe (KiM radio)
• Vulin: Serbia being targeted by ‘special warfare’ (Tanjug)

International:

• EU Foreign Affairs Council discusses the impacts of war in Ukraine on the Western Balkans (EWB)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Serbian-Albanian friendship website launched (KiM radio)
• Record increase of prices in Kosovo (Telegrafi)
• More Illegal Migrants Caught at EU Borders, as Detections at Western Balkan Route Spike Up By 130% (schengenvisainfo.com)

• Borrell: We support visa liberalization for Kosovo (media)
• Baerbock: Kosovo, Serbia to be supported in normalization process (Koha)
• U.S. supports Kosovo's CoE membership bid (Telegrafi)
• Op-ed: The time to incentivize the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue is now (BIRN)
• In U.S., Kurti meets students at Michigan University (media)
• Haradinaj: Demarcation issue cannot be closed by one side (media)
• Kosovo tightens sanctions against Russia (euronews.al)
• Croatian President: Kosovo is an internationally recognized state (media)
• Entry to US banned for several Afghan refugees in Kosovo (euronews.al)
• RTK plans to apply for EBU membership by year’s end (Nacionale)
• COVID-19: 7 new cases (media)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, May 16, 2022

Albanian Language Media:

• Bislimi: CoE bid was submitted in coordination with Kosovo's partners (media)
• Gervalla to attend EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting in Brussels (media)
• Defence Minister Mehaj travels on official visit to Turkey (media)
• Albanian Ambassador: We support any initiative between Kosovo and Serbia (EO)
• Kosovo introduces additional sanctions on Russia (media)
• Ukshin Hoti’s son: Serbia not willing to help resolve his fate (Klan Kosova)
• Kusari-Lila: Members of election reform team will be appointed soon (media)
• The government of Kosovo sanctions two terrorist groups ISIL and Al-Qaeda (ekonomia)
• Kosovo's application to CoE, Abraham calls on Italy to put it on the agenda of May 20 (media)
• PDK and AAK invite LVV to vote on the Draft Law on the Pension Fund (media)
• COVID-19: 7 new cases (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Serbian FM to EU Commissioner: Region needs encouragement (N1)
• Vucic: We will refrain from imposing sanctions on Russia as long as possible (N1)
• Petkovic on Belgrade-Pristina talks in Brussels on Friday (RTS, Kosovo-online)
• G7: Belgrade and Pristina to engage in dialogue, implement reached agreements without delay (Kosovo-online)
• Serbian officials on G7 statement, find reference to territorial integrity ‘hypocritical’ (media)
• Medvedev: Do not forget Kosovo precedent (Kosovo-online)
• Dacic: Number of derecognitions of Kosovo to grow (Tanjug)
• Bomb threats force evacuation of dozens of schools, public building and airport in Serbia (N1)
• Nova.rs: Belgrade won’t impose sanctions on Russia
• French Ambassador to Belgrade on Pristina’s CoE membership bid (KoSSev)
• Vucic arrives in UAE to pay tribute to late president (Tanjug)

International:

• Scoop: U.S. to deny entry to some Afghans in Kosovo (AXIOS)
• Turkey ‘not Positive’ About Finland, Sweden Joining NATO – Erdogan (Balkan Insight)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Switzerland to Invest 86 Million Euros in Kosovo Over Next Four Years (BIRN)
• Kosovo Music Festival’s Long Land Lease Draws Complaints (Balkan Insight)

• Kurti: Kosovo's NATO membership would diminish security threats in the Balkans (media)
• Xhacka: NATO should open its doors to Kosovo (media)
• No agreement reached at Friday's meeting of chief negotiators (media)
• Bislimi: Kosovo remains constructive and committed to dialogue (media)
• Kosovo Foreign Minister Responds to Serbia’s Derecognition Claims (Exit)
• Kusari-Lila on dialogue: Moving forward at all costs is not an alternative (EO)
• Kosovo to set up special agency to assess external pressure on security (Koha)
• Kosovo concludes negotiations with MCC, Haradinaj takes credit (media)
• COVID-19: 16 new cases (media)

Albanian Language Media:

• U.S. Department of State: Kosovo, Serbia set their own foreign policy priorities (media)
• CDU/CSU calls on German government to support Kosovo joining CoE (DW)
• Haxhiu: Vetting will be fully independent and monitored by US and EU (EO)
• Kurti visits Albanian-American Cultural Centre in Texas (media)
• “Demarcation will be closed after Djukanovic’s meetings in Kosovo” (Albanian Post)
• Rohde: Looking forward at seeing Kosovo as part of CoE (RTK)
• COVID-19: 21 new cases (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Selakovic: Four states revoked recognition of Kosovo (Kosovo-online, Tanjug)
• State Department: Serbia and Kosovo choose their own foreign policy priorities (VoA, Politika)
• Selakovic reacts to Gervalla’s statement she hopes Serbia will support Pristina’s CoE membership bid (Kosovo-online)
• Petkovic to Osmani on violation of human rights in Kosovo (Kosovo-online)
• Dveri Movement, Patriotic Bloc: Serbia to urgently withdraw from Brussels Agreement (Danas)
• Petkovic met Lajcak in Brussels (RTS)
• Botsan-Kharchenko: I hope Serbia will not impose sanctions on Russia (Kosovo-online, RTV)
• EU spokesman calls Belgrade, Pristina to show restraint (N1)
• Brnabic signs cooperation agreement in Dubai (N1)
• US Ambassador to Serbia: Major changes in energy in the Balkans (NMagazin, Beta)
• Sarrazin, Rhode visit Visoki Decani Monastery (Kosovo-online)
• Kosovo’s FM Gervalla insists on mutual recognition (N1, Beta, AlJazeera)

International:

• Fact-Check: Serbia’s Vucic Talks Big on EU, Kosovo and Oil (BIRN)
• Do Western Balkan countries like Macron's idea for a two-tier Europe? (euronews.com)
• How Online Violence Against Women Goes Unpunished (Balkan Insight)
• Top global official: Bosnian Serbs are trying to `secede' (The Washington Post)

• Kosovo leaders’ messages on membership bid at Council of Europe (media)
• Konjufca: Serbia won’t leave stone unturned to prevent CoE membership (media)
• Interior Minister Svecla visiting France (media)
• Kurti willing to visit former KLA leaders in the Hague (Nacionale)
• Surroi: Through oil industry, Serbia bought Russian veto against Kosovo (KTV)
• Indictment against ex European Integration minister for abuse of office (Kallxo)
• German Special Rep for Western Balkans visits Decani Monastery (media)
• Montenegrin President to visit Kosovo on May 18 (Express)
• Sunny Hill Festival given site for 99 years by Prishtina Council (BIRN)
• COVID-19: 22 new cases (media)
• North Macedonia hosts big NATO exercise (BIRN)

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)