UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, July 5, 2022

Albanian Language Media:

• Kurti to participate at a Round Table with the Government of Greece (media)
• Peach: Euro-Atlantic journey is the right path for Western Balkans (Express/Klan)
• Osmani continues meetings in Slovenia, focusing on intensification of parliamentary diplomacy (media)
• Kurti in Athens: EU is the solution for the Western Balkans (media)
• Rizvanolli: Kosovo to save at least €15 mill annually through MCC agreement (media)
• Kosovo Assembly criticised for lack of quorum sessions (KP/Telegrafi)
• UNDP report: Level of satisfaction with prime minister’s work decreases (Telegrafi)

Serbian Language Media:

• Starovic: Stano's support for Albin Kurti incomprehensible and has no basis in the agreement (Radio Mitrovica sever, RTS, Tanjug)
• Drecun: Pristina jeopardising dialogue, Vucic-Kurti meeting (Tanjug)
• Petkovic: International community to force Pristina establish ZSO (RTS)
• Report says Serbian media landscape heavily polarized (N1)
• Grbovic: “I would like to hear Kurti say, in any language, he will respect court decision on Visoki Decani Monastery land” (Danas)
• The miners of Crnac and Belo Brdo started a strike yesterday (KoSSev)
• Dacic: Serbia to get new parliament by end of July (Tanjug)
• Final results of Serbian parliamentary elections released (Tanjug)
• Vucic: Visit to UAE to strengthen friendship between two nations (Tanjug)

Opinion:

• Lazarevic: Kurti cannot be a “Serbian cup of tea” in the North (Danas, KoSSev)
• Ognjen Gogic: Kurti addresses the Serbs in Serbian, after Vetevendosje presented northern Kosovo as a spoils (Danas, KoSSev)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Detainees clean Muslim cemetery in Mitrovica North, restore St. Sava Church doors in South (KoSSev)

• Kosovo introduces a set of new sanctions against Russia, Belarus (media)
• Kosovo Government adopts new draft security strategy (media)
• Strategy identifies Serbia's territorial claims as main security challenges (Koha)
• Mehaj hails adoption of draft security strategy (media)
• Bilek: Dialogue and visa liberalisation, two separate issues (RTK)
• Osmani awards presidential medal to Slovenian peacekeeping troops (media)
• Deputy minister, Veshall, dismissed from post (media)
• Constitutional Court finds chief prosecutor nomination dispute, inadmissible (media)

Albanian Language Media:

• Osmani: Slovenia is a longstanding supporter of Kosovo people (media)
• Osmani and Konjufca congratulate U.S. on 4 July (media)
• Finnish Minister: We might see visa liberalization results in autumn (media)
• Ireland too supports visa liberalisation for Kosovo (Ekonomia Online)
• Trendafilova responds sharply to Konjufca's criticism of the Specialist Chambers (Nacionale)
• Lushtaku hands himself over to police following warrant issuance (media)
• MCC Board approves $202 million grant to improve Kosovo’s energy sector (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic congratulated the USA on Independence Day (RTS)
• Dacic: Serbia’s position on war in Ukraine clear from day one (FoNet, N1)
• RFE: Belgrade forbids vacations for Kosovo Serbs (N1)
• Petkovic: Serbian licence plates in Kosovo and Metohija are not illegal but the non-compliance with the agreement (RTS, Twitter)
• LVV publishes a video boasting of how Kurti integrated the north after 20 years (KoSSev)
• Stojanovic: The government in Pristina radical; the government in Belgrade scares the Kosovo Serbs (KoSSev, Radio Gorazdevac)
• Female volleyball players from Bulgaria, North Macedonia and central Serbia banned from entering Kosovo (Radio KIM)
• Kajari with Bishop Teodosije on situation in Kosovo (Radio KIM)
• Vucic thanked Vatican for respecting territorial integrity of Serbia (Kosovo Online)
• Vulin with Greek Ambassador, thanked him for non-recognition of Kosovo (Kosovo Online)
• Hill: It is difficult to compare the Milosevic and Vucic's regimes (KiM radio, Danas, N1)

Opinion:

• Tadic: West’s double standards for Serbia and Ukraine (Boston Herald, N1)
• “To save NATO, destroy it” (Politico)

International:

• Week in Review: The End of an Era? (BIRN)

• In Serbian, Kurti calls for replacement of license plates (media)
• Janjic: Intimidation ahead of accepting Kosovo's decision, part of Serbia's model (Koha)
• Kurti congratulates U.S. Independence Day (media)
• Osmani travels for an official visit to Slovenia (media)
• “Finland supports Kosovo's CoE membership, visa liberalisation” (Telegrafi)
• Former KFOR Commander says there are many dangers in the region (Nacionale)
• Kosovo Government has not yet sent offer to KLA veterans (KP)
• Former PDK MP accused of causing bodily harm to two police officers in Skenderaj (media)
• Foreign Office to pay £423,000 to whistleblowing lawyer who lost job (The Guardian)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, July 1, 2022

Albanian Language Media:

• Kurti welcomes EC declaration that Kosovo fulfils conditions for liberalisation (RTK)
• Kurti: Belgrade warning to walk out from dialogue, scared someone in Brussels (media)
• PDK sends the Law on the KPC to the Constitutional Court (Koha)
• Miftaraj: Sending KPC law to Constitutional Court, regrettable (Nacionale)
• Kurti: Missing persons are priority of my government (media)
• The Assembly establishes an ad-hoc commission for electoral reform in Kosovo (Klan)
• Kurti: It was not unusual for me as a child wto hear and speak another language (media)
• Czech Republic presents priorities during leadership with Council of the EU (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Stano reads and extracts only what suits him from the agreement, says Petkovic (TV Pink, Kosovo Online)
• Brnabic: Pristina’s decision puts Serbia in complex situation (Tanjug)
• EU envoy Lajcak discusses Kosovo, integration with opposition in Belgrade (N1)
• IFIMES: Latest Pristina’s acts do not contribute to normalisation of relations with Belgrade (Kosovo Online)
• Vucic: The Brussels Agreement, an international legal agreement; Hrnjaz: The Constitutional Court disagrees (KoSSev)
• Manojlovic (DS): ''The fate of Milorad Djokovic from Pec is the fate of our people in Kosovo and Metohija'' (Danas, NMagazin, KiM radio)
• Hill: US wants to friends and partners with Serbia (N1)
• The results of the Serbian parliamentary elections possible next week; the Assembly and the Government in August and November the latest (Danas)
• Nikola Nedeljkovic rendered one-month detention (Radio KIM)

International:

• Albanian Coalition Tipped to Win Contested Seat in Serbian Parliament (Balkan Insight)
• The war in Ukraine and gas in the Western Balkans (atlanticcouncil.org)

• President Osmani: International should be vocal on all matters (Koha)
• Quint, EU were aware of decision on reciprocity (Koha)
• EU spokesperson: Kosovo has the right to remove KM license plates (media)
• Lajcak: “A new situation” in relations between Kosovo and Serbia (RFE)
• Abazi on Vucic: Warning that electricity in north won’t be paid (Telegrafi)
• Kosovo receives confirmation on EU: No need for new roadmap (media)
• Kurti: Never promised fixed date for visa liberalisation (KP/Euronews Albania)
• Kurti: Kosovo will apply for status of EU candidate country this year (media)
• President Osmani meets U.S. Ambassador Hovenier (media)
• ‘New Wave’ of COVID Surges Again in Central, Southeast Europe (BIRN)
• Poor help to the poor (Kosovo 2.0)
• Macron: Compromise found on membership talks for North Macedonia (RFE)

Albanian Language Media:

• President Osmani’s interview with Kosovapress
• Lajcak: Prishtina’s decision has changed the situation (media)
• “Decision to issue provisional ID documents in line with 2011 agreement” (Nacionale)
• Prime Minister Kurti meets AAK representative, discuss vetting (Gazeta Express)
• Arifi criticises Lajcak: Double standard has a name, it is the EU (RTK)
• Ukrainian journalist interview with Telegrafi

Serbian Language Media:

• Lajcak: Pristina's decision changed the topics; we must not allow a crisis to occur (N1)
• Dacic and Lajcak: Dialogue and compromise the only way for an agreement between Belgrade and Pristina (Beta, N1)
• Petkovic met Lajcak: Serbs from Kosovo will not allow them to be persecuted (Kosovo Online)
• Petkovic on Pristina's decision: A direct blow to all Serbs south and north of the Ibar (RTS)
• Vucic: Pristina preparing assault on north Kosovo (N1)
• Brnabic: Vucic explained ‘essence of hypocrisy’ we endure every day (N1)
• Musliu: “Kosovo government sacrifices Albanians from Bujanovac, Presevo and Medvedja by introducing measures against Serbia” (Kosovo Online, bujanovacke)
• Demostat: Third of Serbians want to join EU (N1)
• NATO says Western Balkans of strategic importance (N1)
• Kosovo gave up on joining Interpol this year (Kosovo online, Novosti)
• Selakovic thanks Vatican for its stance on Kosovo issue (Kosovo Online)

Opinion:

• Rakocevic: We have been living these "Storms" for 20 years, we have been pushed into the ghetto (N1)
• Radosavljevic: Vucic threatening with war and “Storm” to hide the sale of land (Beta)

International:

• Kosovo Move in Car Plates Row Aims to ‘Expel Serbs’ – Vucic (BIRN)
• Why Albania’s Edi Rama ‘Misses’ Thaci’s Presence in Kosovo (BIRN)

• PM Kurti publishes decisions on license plates and ID cards (RTK)
• Kusari-Lila on government decisions: Credibility state is growing (Indeksonline)
• Vucic accuses Pristina of preparing assault on Serb-majority area (Euractiv)
• Osmani: Invitation for Finland and Sweden to join NATO, historic (RTK)
• Mehaj: Kosovo needs NATO and NATO needs Kosovo (Ekonomia Online)
• Lajcak after meeting with Rakic: We talked about the dialogue process (media)
• U.S. Ambassador Hovenier interview with Klan Kosova
• Rama: I asked for Kosovo to be invited to Partnership for Peace (media)
• Italy supports visa liberalization for Kosovo (media)
• Unpaid bills and a mounting debt (Kosovo 2.0)
• EBRD, EU, Raiffeisen to support greener leasing in Kosovo (media)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, June 29, 2022

Albanian Language Media:

• Lajcak: We’re working to have Kurti-Vucic meeting before summer break (media)
• Kurti: We have met the criteria; Svecla travels to Brussels for visas in 48 hours (EO)
• Osmani received the EU Special Representative for Dialogue, Miroslav Lajcak (media)
• Visit of Specialized Chambers President postponed (Koha)
• PDK leader: I hope for a favourable decision on visa liberalisation by end of year (EO)
• 70% of respondents of poll in Kosovo, Serbia unsatisfied with EU role in dialogue (Koha)
• Krasniqi after meeting Kurti: PDK proposed Vetting years ago (media)
• KIA reports to Assembly Committee, situation in Northern municipalities, fragile (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Lajcak in Mitrovica North with Rakic and mayors (Kosovo Online)
• Ministry of Communities and Returns: CSM (ZSO), the only way to improve the position of Serbs (Radio Mitrovica sever)
• “Djokovic knows nothing about crime he is accused of” (Radio KIM)
• Vejvoda: Serbia cannot maintain neutrality (KiM radio, FoNet, TV Insajder)
• Turkey has agreed to support Finnish and Swedish NATO membership bids (N1, CNN)
• NATO summit in Madrid: USA announces increased presence in the Balkans (Kosovo Online, Klix.ba)
• Filipovic: I am waiting call from court regarding young man arrested at Gazimestan (Kosovo Online)
• Dveri Movement demands immediate release of man arrested yesterday at Gazimestan (Radio KIM)
• Brnabic: Independent position is difficult, but best (N1)

International:

• Albania Proposes Controversial Amnesty for Undeclared Assets (BIRN)
• ‘Montenegro has Wasted a Decade Delaying EU Reforms’ (BIRN)
• Fleeing Putin’s War, Russians Confront Pro-Kremlin Feeling in Serbia (BIRN)

• Prime Minister Kurti meets Quint ambassadors, discuss dialogue (media)
• Lajcak: Serbia considers Association most important point in dialogue (Kallxo)
• Lajcak to give press conference at end of his Kosovo visit (media)
• Kosovars fume at new delay in accessing EU visa-free travel (AP)
• Kurti meets Davenport, discusses respect for minority rights (media)
• The European Commission confirms - there is no new visa roadmap (RTK)
• Coordinator for establishment of Sovereign Fund is appointed (RTK)
• Minister Haxhiu admits she is being hindered in the Vetting process (media)
• Kosovo police arrest Serb for ‘inciting hatred’ after battle commemoration (BIRN)
• Kosovo dancers feel out of step with neglectful governments (BIRN)
• “Let’s light up the Balkans” (Kosovo 2.0)