UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, July 10, 2020

Albanian Language Media:

• Hoti-Vucic Sunday meeting in Brussels postponed (media)
• Hoti: Agreement with Serbia cannot be successful without mutual recognition (media)
• Osmani calls blocking of anti-Covid draft law 'disgraceful' (media)
• Nagavci: Management of pandemic, presently top priority for Kosovo (media)
• Germany donates 6,000 COVID-19 testing kits to Kosovo (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic: Meeting in Brussels postponed for Thursday, US- EU relations are not our matter (RTS)
• 36 new cases of Covid-19 infection in Serb areas in Kosovo (Radio KIM)
• Djuric: Walker is last person who should talk about crimes (RTS)
• Vucic: Discussing three crucial issues with Macron (B92)
• Simic: Vjosa Osmani deceived public, read inexistent Rakic’s statement (TV Most)

Opinion:

• EU mediation is a relief but not a panacea (Prishtina Insight)

International:

• France, Germany lead effort to fire up Serbia-Kosovo talks (AP)
• Europe’s Latest Peace-Making Efforts in Balkans Hit New Hurdle (Bloomberg)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Media Literacy Project: Photojournalist and journalist form integral whole (KoSSev)

• COVID-19: 207 new cases, 8 deaths in last 24 hours (media)
• Prishtina Mayor: Number of coronavirus cases is much higher (Klan)
• Zeka: 45% of businesses in Kosovo have stopped operating (media)
• EU: Dialogue will continue regardless of protests in Serbia (media)
• Kosovo PM Hoti goes to dialogue without internal consensus (Koha)
• Assembly adopts resolution “in defense of people’s values” (media)
• EU Office chief disappointed with failure to ratify agreements (media)
• Haradinaj: Not logical for Europeans to undermine US summit (T7)
• Kosovo ministers visit Presevo Valley (media)
• William Walker disappointed with SPO’s actions (RTK)
• War veterans protest charges against President Thaci (Balkan Insight)
• Lushtaku: Better for PDK to join the government (Telegrafi)
• Stalled talks set to resume in Brussels but what's at stake? (Euronews)

Albanian Language Media:

• Kosovo government not in support of draft law on pandemics (RTK)
• Government endorses action plan for increase of Covid-19 tests (Telegrafi)
• Kosovo PM ready to declare state of emergency over coronavirus (Gazeta Express)
• Roth: EU must grant Kosovo promised visa liberalization (Die Welt, Express)
• LVV does not vote international agreements, endorsement fails (media)
• Gucati: Indictment proposal against KLA leaders, direct attack on Kosovo (media)
• Assembly does not approve LVV’s draft resolution on dialogue (media)
• UNMIK assists Malisheva with anti-Covid-19 protection equipment (Klan)

Serbian Language Media:

• In all Serb areas, 139 newly infected in the last three weeks of testing (Kontakt plus radio, KIM radio)
• Dacic: Visit to Paris important, matter of Kosovo recognition does not exist for Serbia (TV Pink, Tanjug)
• Vucic: We know how to maintain peace (N1)
• Stefanovic: An attempt to seize power by force (B92)
• New riots in Belgrade; speculations about who provokes clashes (N1)
• Vucic: No compromise with the vandals; Involvement of foreign security services proven (B92)
• Russian Ambassador rejects allegations or Russia’s involvement in unrests in Belgrade (B92)
• US Embassy closely follows events, condemns all violence (media)

Opinion:

• "Kosovo Serbs always suffer the consequences of instability in Serbia" (KIM radio)
• What ‘Twiplomacy’ reveals about the Serbia-Kosovo dialogue (neweasterneurope.eu)

International:

• Kosovo's Thaci To Go To The Hague For Interview With War Crimes Prosecutor (RFE)
• Serbia Protests Meet Violent Response in Europe’s 1st Major Virus Unrest (The New York Times)
• Serbian President ‘Has the Evidence’ to Resolve US Albanians’ Murders (Balkan Insight)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Kosovo’s hospitals receive influx of COVID-19 patients (Prishtina Insight)

• Covid-19: 214 new cases, 4 deaths in last 24 hours (media)
• Government of Kosovo extends restrictive measures to the north (media)
• Hoti: Only Kosovo laws apply in northern municipalities (media)
• Covid-19: North Macedonia shuts border with Kosovo (media)
• Thaci to travel to The Hague for interview (media)
• Limaj commends Thaci's readiness to be interviewed in The Hague (media)
• Bislimi: Calls to undo specialist chambers to save one person not KLA (Koha)
• Hoti: Kosovo ready for dialogue on mutual recognition with Serbia (media)
• Borrell’s Office: Visa liberalisation to be treated urgently (Lajmi.net/RTK)
• Nagavci: SL's statement neither coincidental nor unintentional (Telegrafi)
• PDK to support all international financial agreements (media)
• KLA war veterans organize today protests in all Kosovo cities (media)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, July 08, 2020

Albanian Language Media:

• Hoti's office: Measures in the north in coordination with Kosovo institutions (Telegrafi)
• Osmani: SL's call, unconstitutional and against Kosovo's sovereignty (media)
• CDHRF calls on Hoti to dismiss Rakic following coronavirus measures (media)
• Oxygen supply problems reported in clinic treating Covid-19 patients (Koha/Klan)
• Roth: EU to deliver visa liberalisation to Kosovo, land swap dangerous (Telegrafi)
• French presidency gives details of Macron-Hoti meeting (RTK)
• Justice demanded for the murder of Bytyqi brothers 21 years ago (media)
• Thaci visits Veseli's family home (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic to address the nation at 3pm (media)
• Pisonero: Restrictive measures must not affect fundamental rights, public order must be guaranteed (media)
• Vucic on negotiations with Pristina: "It will not be easy" (B92, Tanjug)
• Grenell: We never believed in a quick agreement between Kosovo and Serbia in the election year (Blic)
• Djuric: An attempt to destabilize Serbia will not pass on the eve of the key phase of the fight for Kosovo (Kosovo Online)
• “Reactions of people showed what they think about measures, to discuss it at Crisis Staff meeting” (N1)
• Serbian Health Minister says decision on lockdown in next two days (FoNet, N1)
• Four more coronavirus cases in central Kosovo (Radio Mitrovica North)
• Northern Kosovo under quarantine as of last night, curfew from 9 pm to 5 am (KoSSev)
• 53 new Covid-19 infection cases registered in Serb-populated areas yesterday (Radio KIM)
• Rakic and Jevtic: We will stand up for property of Visoki Decani and Serbian Orthodox Church (Radio KIM)

Opinion:

• Two voices on Kosovo (balcanicaucaso.org)
• China Has Overtaken Russia as Serbia’s Great Ally (Balkan Insight)

International:

• Violent protests in Serbia as Vučić announces another lockdown after weeks of alleged pre-election cover-ups (EWB)
• Stalled Serbia-Kosovo Dialogue Set to Resume in July (Balkan Insight)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Coronavirus: Airborne transmission cannot be ruled out, WHO says (BBC)
• Roma Inclusion in Balkans Depends on Governments Recognising Antigypsyism (Balkan Insight)
• Activists rejoice as water returns to Lumbardhi (Prishtina Insight)
• The Rise of Religious Radicalisation among Diaspora Albanians (Balkan Insight)

• COVID-19: 183 new cases confirmed, three fatalities (media)
• Assembly President summons PM Hoti to report on pandemic (media)
• Health Minister says situation with COVID-19 under control (media)
• Haziri criticises recently introduced restrictive measures (media)
• Four northern municipalities introduce new restrictive measures (media)
• Beyer: Dialogue must resume, and agreement reached (RTK)
• Grenell: We support EU for meetings on 10 – 12 July (Express)
• Lajcak discusses the dialogue with senior German officials (media)
• Hoti: France committed to support Kosovo in dialogue process (media)
• Selmanaj: France has dilemmas and hesitates on visa liberalisation (T7)
• 42 MEPs call for visa liberalisation for Kosovo (media)
• EU confident Thaci will extend EULEX's mandate (Koha)
• Vucic on dialogue with Kosovo: They will pressure us to lose (media)
• KLA associations reveal July 9 protest method (media)

Albanian Language Media:

• Except for Hoti and Vucic, Merkel and Macron invite EU’s Borell as well (Express)
• Kosovo’s FM discusses with Germany’s EM Heiko Maas (media)
• CDHRF requests urgent voting of Covid-19 law (RTK)
• LVV accuses Hoti’s government for failing to manage Covid-19 situation (RTK)
• Judah: I was wrong, it seems dialogue can make it without Thaçi (media)
• War veterans change protest plan (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Apostolova: Current status quo in Kosovo is unsustainable (Jedinstvo, Kosovo Online, Tanjug, Blic)
• Dr. Antonijevic: We’re waiting for the results of 111 samples, some of which we have been waiting for 6 days (KoSSev)
• Covic: International community like 'Vienna Boys' Choir' (RTS)
• Jevtic and Rakic about improved conditions for the return of the displaced (Radio Mitrovica Sever)
• UNESCO official says Serbia imposed pandemic measures to strengthen authorities (N1)

Opinion:

• Kosovo: a hasty rotation of power (EWB)

International:

• US soldier killed in noncombat incident in Kosovo (The Hill)
• France, Germany seek to unfreeze stalled Kosovo-Serbia talks (EURACTIV)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Conspiratorial Corona: Hoaxes and Conspiracy Theories in the Balkans (Balkan Insight)
• Novi Pazar is the biggest hotspot of COVID-19 in Serbia (EWB)

• Covid-19: Record number of new cases in Kosovo, 195 (media)
• Four more people die from COVID-19 on Monday (media)
• Health Minister comments on spike in COVID-19 cases (media)
• Covid-19: Hospital and University Clinic director dismissed (media)
• Osmani criticises Government for not submitting anti-COVID law (media)
• PDK: Anti-COVID law must be adopted, violators must be fined (media)
• Pacolli: Assembly must urgently adopt anti-COVID law (media)
• UN Mission in Kosovo donates protective equipment to Ferizaj (Klan)
• UNDP donates 20 ventilators to Kosovo (media)
• Disgruntled Kosovars turn to North Macedonia for tests (Prishtina Insight)
• Hoti to meet Macron in Paris today (media)
• LVV: Concerns we raised about secret Thaci-Vucic agreement, confirmed (media)
• Cakaj’s office: Media reports about him joining PDK are speculation (Express)
• NISMA MP Shala switches party, joins AAK (media)

Albanian Language Media:

• Covid-19: Hospital and University Clinic director dismissed (media)
• Thaci: Danger of coronavirus pandemic still high (media)
• Zemaj warns of legal sanctions for not respecting Covid-19 measures (media)
• Stjernvall: Pristina a 'party town' as Covid-19 cases spike (media)
• EU confirms Paris summit, Hoti-Vucic meeting (media)
• CDHRF: Talks with Serbia to be suspended (Zeri)

Serbian Language Media:

• The dialogue continues, Hoti and Vucic on July 12 in Brussels (N1)
• Serbia-Kosovo summit on Friday, Merkel and Macron hosts (Blic)
• Vucic with Macron on Thursday in Paris (Kosovo Online, Tanjug)
• John Bolton publicly presented the deal (Danas)
• Dr. Antonijevic: 60 people tested today, 300 by Friday (Radio Mitrovica Sever)
• "Epidemiological situation in the municipality of Gracanica under control" (KIM radio)
• Serbian election commission says less than half of electorate voted (N1)
• Another theft in Priluzje: A cultivator with a rotary tiller stolen from farmer (KoSSev)

Opinion:

• Turkey in the Balkans: A march westward (moderndiplomacy.eu)

International:

• Serbia, Kosovo leaders to meet as EU-backed talks resume (AP)
• Kosovo Confronts 'New Situation' After Record Daily Deaths From COVID-19 (RFE)
• Kosovo Politician Threatens BIRN Country Director (Balkan Insight)
• Balkan States Find Prosecuting Terrorism a Challenge (Balkan Insight)

Humanitarian/Development:

• BIRN editor says many more COVID-19 deaths than officially reported (N1)

• 152 new coronavirus cases in last 24 hours in Kosovo (media)
• Kosovo government reinstates curfew in some cities (media)
• Health Minister: We have potential to fight the virus (media)
• Ministry of Health on new fatalities: We must wait for investigations (media)
• Kurti: New elections are the only solution (media)
• Nagavci accuses government of failing to manage coronavirus situation (media)
• Ismaili: Hoti government to treat pandemic with greater seriousness (media)
• PDK’s Haxhiu: State of emergency must be declared (media)
• PM Hoti: We’re waiting for confirmation of date of Paris Summit (media)
• Kosovo, Serbia leaders discussed land swap idea, Bolton says (media)
• Mustafa: Current situation does not guarantee institutional stability (Koha)
• Thaci continues visits to families of martyrs (Zeri)
• Veseli calls on KLA associations to call off protest (media)