UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, December 19, 2022

Albanian Language Media:

• Kurti: The barricades in the north will not be allowed to stand for long (Koha)
• The Greek FM and Lajcak talk about lowering tensions in the north (RTK)
• Swiss MFA confirms secret meeting between Kosovo and Serbia (Albanian Post)
• Abdixhiku: Situation in the north is worse; Government must ask for help (Express)
• Mehaj: Our objective is NATO membership (Telegrafi)
• LDK MP Avdullah Hoti interview with Nacionale
• Tahiri: Situation in the north cannot be resolved only with statements (Reporteri)
• Masked people attack the Klan Kosova team at the barricade near Cabra (Klan)
• Association of Journalists of Kosovo reacts to attack on Klan Kosova team (media)
• PSD to protest against the Specialist Chambers on December 24 (RTK)

Serbian Language Media:

• Day ten at barricades, primary schools open today (RTS)
• PM Brnabic: Serbs are heard only from the barricades (KiM radio, RTS, FoNet)
• Dacic says Kurti is biggest threat to peace (TV Pink)
• SPS leader: Serbia sees Kosovo the way Catholics see the Vatican (N1, BETA)
• Petkovic: UNMIK and KFOR must urgently protect Serbs and their property in Kosovo and Metohija (Tanjug, RTS, Politika)
• Broken windows on Serbian shops in Bosnjacka Mahala (RTS, Kosovo Online, Tanjug)
• Simic: Continuation of hybrid and information war by Pristina (Kosovo Online, social media)
• Trajkovic rendered 30-day detention (Radio KIM)
• Appeal on detention of Dejan Pantic refused (Radio KIM)
• Vucic hosts Dendias and Dacic on occasion of Saint Nikola Day (Tanjug)
• The right-wing rally ends, they claim they wanted to tell KFOR to leave Jarinje (KoSSev)
• Lajcak wrote Franco-German proposal, says Drecun (N1, TV Pink)

Opinion:

• Palokaj: No practical reasons or legal basis for Serbian forces in Kosovo (Koha)
• How the Hague Tribunal Failed Wartime Rape Survivors (BIRN)

International:

• Endgame Nears for Kosovo’s Crypto Haven (BIRN)

• Kurti for Der Spiegel: Vucic wants to return to past, but that train is gone
• Serbian police prevent far-right activists from crossing into Kosovo (RFE/Kallxo)
• Svecla: Police is capable and has capacities to confront criminal structures (Koha)
• President’s Chief of Staff reacts to protest at Jarinje (media)
• Hoxhaj: Serbian regime is solely responsible for tensions (media)
• KFOR to start regular military exercises near its base in Novosella (media)
• Mehaj: Kosovo Army has capacities to protect territorial integrity (media)
• Krasniqi: Government cannot hide behind KFOR (Kosovapress)
• KFOR must remove the barricades, analysts say (Prishtina Insight)
• President Osmani holds end-of-year reception with diplomatic corps (Koha)
• Tajani: Italy to organise conference on Balkans in January (media)
• U.S. welcomes verdict in case against Salih Mustafa (media)
• Conviction of Kosovo’s ‘Commander Cali’ sparks anger at home (BIRN)
• Kosovo arrests Serb ex-policeman for 1999 attack on village (BIRN)

• Kurti for Der Spiegel: Vucic wants to return to past, but that train is gone
• Serbian police prevent far-right activists from crossing into Kosovo (RFE/Kallxo)
• Svecla: Police is capable and has capacities to confront criminal structures (Koha)
• President’s Chief of Staff reacts to protest at Jarinje (media)
• Hoxhaj: Serbian regime is solely responsible for tensions (media)
• KFOR to start regular military exercises near its base in Novosella (media)
• Mehaj: Kosovo Army has capacities to protect territorial integrity (media)
• Krasniqi: Government cannot hide behind KFOR (Kosovapress)
• KFOR must remove the barricades, analysts say (Prishtina Insight)
• President Osmani holds end-of-year reception with diplomatic corps (Koha)
• Tajani: Italy to organise conference on Balkans in January (media)
• Conviction of Kosovo’s ‘Commander Cali’ sparks anger at home (BIRN)
• Kosovo arrests Serb ex-policeman for 1999 attack on village (BIRN)

Albanian Language Media:

• Kurti: Recognition by the five states facilitates the EU membership process (RTK)
• PM Kurti, government ministers react to Rada Trajkovic’s detention (media)
• Specialist Chambers finds Mustafa guilty, sentences him to 26 years in prison (media)
• Acting Specialist Prosecutor welcomes verdict in Salih Mustafa trial (media)
• Reactions to Specialist Chambers’ verdict against Salih Mustafa (media)
• Reports that request for return of Serbian troops was delivered to KFOR (RFE)
• Shea: Serbia's request to send forces to Kosovo will be rejected (RFE)
• Docherty: Kosovo long-term strategic partner of the United Kingdom (RTK)
• Rizvanolli on paying electricity for north: Can’t continue this in time of crisis (EO)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic: Gov't has adopted decision to request return of Serbian forces in Kosovo, handed over it to KFOR (Tanjug, Novosti)
• Dacic: Firm assurances from the five EU members who did not recognize Kosovo that they will not change their position (Danas, Beta, FoNet, Blic)
• Petkovic: Another former police officer arrested (KoSSev, RTS, N1)
• Arrests of Serbs in north continue, day seven at barricades (RTS, Tanjug, Blic)
• Serbian List reacts to latest arrest in northern Kosovo (Kosovo Online)
• Trajkovic again held at Merdare crossing, waiting to be let into Serbia (N1)
• Serbian ambassador blasts Kurti, Osmani over “Greater Albania” map (Tanjug)
• Serbian DefMin to UK Ambassador: Deeply concerned over Kosovo (N1)
• Brnabic speaks with her Romanian counterpart, expresses gratitude for principled stance on Kosovo (Kosovo Online)
• Office for KiM: Houses broken into and looted, and the church of St. Nikola in the hamlet of Bogosevce, near Prizren (Kontakt plus radio)
• Gujon to Pristina authorities: Be consistent in your stances, allow me entry in Kosovo (Kosovo Online)
• Stano: European Union continues working on de-escalation in northern Kosovo (RTV)

Opinion:

• What Must Be Done to Finally Bring Justice to Kosovo? (BIRN)

International:

• Kosovo Ex-Guerrilla Convicted of War Crimes by Hague Court (BIRN)

• Kurti waiting for KFOR to remove the barricades (RFE)
• Association, Kurti: Serbia will raise it as an issue within the dialogue (Klan)
• Serbia seeks return of its troops to Kosovo as tensions soar (Associated Press)
• Kurti: We expect Kosovo to enter the EU within 9 years (euronews.al)
• Von Cramon: EU integration also depends on dialogue with Serbia (Klan)
• KFOR’s statement on request for return of Serbian troops? (Albanian Post)
• Rama: Kosovo was freed from Belgrade once and for all (media)
• Former Kosovo Serb police officer arrested, suspected of war crimes (KP)
• Osmani meets Hovenier, discuss latest developments (media)
• Trajkovic sent to Serbian Interior Ministry, warns she isn’t feeling well (Klan)
• Kosovo formally applies to join EU (Reuters)
• Poll: Vetevendosje leads with 42.6%, followed by LDK and PDK (media)
• North Kosovo: What are the tensions with ethnic Serbs about? (DW)
• Tensions in north Kosovo – whose agenda does the flare-up serve? (Al Jazeera)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, December 15, 2022

Albanian Language Media:

• Kurti officially submits Kosovo's application for EU membership in Prague (media)
• Osmani: The time of border traders has ended once and for all (media)
• Kurti has travelled to Prague, at 13:00 he submits the application for the EU (RTK)
• Kosovo: by receiving candidate status, dynamics in dialogue would accelerate (Koha)
• PDK does not participate in the President's annual speech (RTK)
• AAK also boycotts Osmani's annual address to the Assembly (media)
• Borrell: Barricades must be removed; let’s return to discussions (Koha)
• Varhelyi on visa liberalisation: Work for the fight against crime gave results (Klan)
• Albanian President welcomes Kosovo application for EU membership (media)
• Peci: Serb population is in the most difficult position in the north (Nacionale)
• New barricades set up in the north (Koha)

Serbian Language Media:

• EULEX chief: We don’t know exactly where Pantic is being held (N1, RTS, Kosovo Online, Srna)
• Wigemark with Rakic discuss security situation, rule of law in northern Kosovo (Kosovo Online, social media)
• Day six at barricades in northern Kosovo (RTS)
• Hill: Serbia has right to address KFOR, however, political solution is needed (N1)
• Vucic: Pristina officially violates Washington agreement, Belgrade response this evening (Tanjug)
• Dacic: Pristina's EU membership bid a political marketing move (media)
• DefMin: Wrong assumption that Serbia doesn’t know what it’s doing (N1)
• Mitrovica North Assembly gets new speaker (N1)
• Djuric on appointment of new municipal councillors in Mitrovica North (Tanjug, social media)
• Vucic: Conversation with Lajcak, Escobar fair, sincere (Tanjug)
• Trajkovic kept at the Merdare crossing, then allowed to cross to Kosovo (KiM radio, N1, Danas, NMagazin)
• Momirovic: Food and fuel supplies under threat in Kosovo north (Tanjug)

International:

• Kosovo officially applies for EU membership in symbolic act (Al Jazeera)
• Serbian president holds talks with EU, US officials on de-escalation with Kosovo (AA)

• Kosovo Leaders Sign EU Candidacy Application (BIRN)
• Kurti hails agreement on visa liberalisation (media)
• EU Parliament, Council reach agreement on Kosovo visa liberalisation (media)
• Escobar calls for removal of barricades and formation of Association (Koha)
• Lajcak: Vucic understands seriousness of situation in the north (RFE)
• NATO: Barricades in the north should be removed immediately (Koha)
• Bislimi: Barricades not placed by local Serbs but by a radical group supported by Belgrade (BBC)
• US expects govt proposal for Association, implies to do it with civil society (Koha)
• Mandl for Kosovo's EU application: Important step at the right time (Koha)
• Kosovo Albanians Take Serb-Vacated Council Seats in Divided Town (BIRN)
• Albin Kurti, the most liked leader, poll shows (Klan Kosova)
• Konjufca: We aim to be leaders in region for parliamentary transparency (Koha)
• Krasniqi: No more Serbian soldiers in Kosovo, this was closed in ’99 (Koha)
• First Kosovo Guerrilla Verdict Due at Hague ‘Special Court’ (BIRN)
• Serbian Ex-Policeman Pleads Not Guilty to Kosovo War Crimes (BIRN)
• Why tensions have flared up between Kosovo and Serbia (TRT World)

Albanian Language Media:

• Application for Kosovo's membership in the EU, signed (Koha)
• Kurti: We will submit membership application to Czech presidency of EU in Prague (media)
• Kosovo Police refute Serbian media reports that Pantic was mistreated (media)
• Ministry: No agreement stops special police units from going to the north (RFE)
• Kurti: Foreign investments have increased by 46 percent compared to last year (Kallxo)
• Mehaj: The fourth anniversary of the army finds us with great successes (media)
• Mitrovica North SL assembly members replaced by those from Civic Initiative (media)
• Edita Tahiri: Escobar silenced Kurti (Ekonomia)
• Borrell talks about Thaci: We arrested him while he was still president (media)
• Ukrainian MP sends Zelensky request for recognition of Kosovo's independence (Ekonomia)
• PSD with "Tension for Association" action in front of the government (Koha)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic’s question: Western partners to say which documents they will respect, mentioning the sixth from Thessaloniki on EU enlargement to the WB (media)
• The Kosovo government made a decision on land expropriation in Leposavic and Z. Potok (KoSSev)
• North Mitrovica Municipal Assembly: New councillors sworn in (Kontakt plus radio)
• Petkovic: Serb-majority municipality taken over by Albanians (Radio KIM)
• Serbs on barricades for fifth day, night went peacefully (RTS)
• Vucic to meet with Lajcak, Escobar on Wednesday (Tanjug)
• Radosavljevic: Serbs are not against (CSM) ZSO, but against what it symbolises (VoA)
• EU Council expects Serbia to align with EU foreign policy (N1, Beta, RTS)
• Dacic to UNMIK chief: UN important for territorial integrity (media)
• Family of Dejan Pantic say his innocence can easily be proved, if trial is just (RTS)
• Brnabic reacts to Escobar’s remark on return of Serbian security personnel (Kosovo Online, social media, Danas)
• Odalovic: Situation in Kosovo requires serious reaction of international community (Tanjug)
• Verdict delivered to Todosijevic, Petkovic says additional pressure on Serbs (Radio KIM)

International:

• Scholz says Balkans joining EU is in Germany’s interest (AP)

• Escobar, Kurti, Lajcak call for normalization of situation (media)
• U.S. categorically against return of Serbian forces to Kosovo (RFE)
• Lajcak: Much better ways to remove barricades than with bulldozers (Telegrafi)
• U.S., EU envoys urge Kosovo and Serbia not to fuel violence (Reuters)
• Stoltenberg: NATO is very focused on Kosovo (Telegrafi)
• Barricades still up in north despite calls for removal (Pristina Insight)
• Sarrazin: Crisis in north of Kosovo should be used to advance dialogue (RTK)
• EU congratulates Kosovo on reforms (media)
• EULEX: Security situation in north of Kosovo is worrying (Klan)
• Kovacevski: Kosovo-Serbia agreement guarantees peace in the region (RTK)
• Kosovo, facing some opposition, to apply this week to join EU (Reuters)
• Far-Right Protesters Rally In Belgrade In Support Of Kosovar Serbs As EU Urges De-Escalation (RFE)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, December 13, 2022

Albanian Language Media:

• Stoltenberg: NATO closely monitoring the situation in north (Lajmi)
• KFOR: Important to avoid any renewed escalation; we remain extremely vigilant (media)
• Kurti: This week we will submit application for EU membership (RFE)
• Kurti discussed with MEPs about Kosovo's membership in the EU (RTK)
• Lajcak to visit Pristina and Belgrade (media)
• Haradinaj meets Escobar and Hovenier (media)
• KP: Reports of rude behaviour do not stand (media)
• Roads in the north of Kosovo remain blocked (RTK)
• Text of "European" proposal for "basic agreement between Kosovo and Serbia" (Koha)
• Krasniqi: Law does not foresee appointment of administrators in municipalities (EO)
• Rasic: I am here to build bridges and I have experience in this (Klan Kosova)
• Tahiri: Serbia wants to divide north from Kosovo because of Trepca mine (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Situation in northern Kosovo unchanged (RTS)
• UNMIK calls for de-escalation and restraint in northern Kosovo (RTS)
• Drecun: Pressure on Serbia to accept the EU plan and abandon Resolution 1244 (NMagazin, Beta, TV Pink)
• EU ministers today and about the situation in the north of Kosovo (media)
• Pantic rendered 30-day detention (Kosovo Online)
• Petkovic: Detention of Dejan Pantic attempt to criminalise Serbs in Kosovo (N1. media)
• Simic says Pantic and Adzic are innocent (Radio KIM)
• KFOR: Important to avoid renewed escalation, the road to peace is the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina (Kosovo Online, Danas)
• Stoltenberg: All sides to restrain from escalation, NATO forces vigilant (Tanjug, RTV)
• Escobar: No comment after meeting with Kurti (N1, BETA, social media)
• Serbian PM Brnabic reacts to Viola von Cramon’s remarks (N1, media)
• Dacic: We are trying to get Pristina's EU bid disputed by non-recognizers (Tanjug, media)

International:

• Kosovo Assembly Approves Law on Salaries in Principle (Prishtina Insight)