• COVID-19: 2,110 new cases, 4 deaths (media) • Kurti appeals to people to get vaccinated against COVID-19 (media) • Kurti government doesn’t feel responsible for alarming number of cases (Koha) • Ministry of Education plans for new academic year to start in schools (RFE) • Kurti meets German Ambassador Rohde (media) • Bahtiri: Vetevendosje will win 15 municipalities in local elections (media) • Osmani: Kosovo ready without hesitation to shelter Afghan refugees (BBC) • Montenegro dismisses media reports about hosting Afghan refugees (BIRN) • Think tank defends Serbia hosting secret Afghan Govt-Taliban talks (BIRN)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, August 18, 2021 Albanian Language Media: • COVID-19: 2,110 new cases, four deaths (media) • The U.S. Embassy: Anti-COVID vaccines do not change human DNA (media) • PDK’s Hoxhaj gets second vaccine dose, calls on teachers to get vaccinated (Zeri) • EU responds positively to Osmani’s request to monitor local elections (media) • Kurti: Have to deal with the past; no luxury for mistakes or experiments (EO) Serbian Language Media: • EU spokesperson says Belgrade-Pristina dialogue activities continue (N1) • KP: Three people detained over physical attack on young man in Mitrovica North (KoSSev) • Vucic: Serbia to offer additional reward to find those responsible for crime in Gorazdevac (Kosovo-online) • Leposavic-based TV Mir part of cable network in northern Kosovo again (Radio kontakt plus) • Stojanovic on reasons why he decided to run for mayor (KoSSev) • Serbian List in Gracanica: Branimir Stojanovic wishes harm to Serb people (KoSSev) • Two Serbian nationals evacuated from Kabul, one remains (N1) • Serbia donates coronavirus vaccines to Lebanon (N1) • Bregovic confirms performance in Korca (KoSSev) International: • Balkan countries affirm US alliance by accepting Afghan refugees (politico.eu) • Albania, Kosovo, North Macedonia Prepare to Shelter Fleeing Afghans (Balkan Insight)

• COVID-19: 1,783 new cases, five deaths (media) • Health Minister: 99 percent of tested samples resulted with Delta variant (media) • Health Institute chief appeals for vaccination against COVID-19 (Indeksonline) • Kosovo approves vaccinations for over-12s (Exit News) • PDK’s Nikaj slams government for poor management of pandemic (EO) • Osmani: Two Kosovars safely evacuated from Afghanistan (media) • Kurti: I cannot disclose number of Afghans that will be sheltered (AP/Klan Kosova) • Albania, Kosovo, North Macedonia prepare to shelter fleeing Afghans (BIRN) • Controversial Kosovo Serb powerbroker’s libel case dismissed (BIRN)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, August 17, 2021 Albanian Language Media: • COVID-19: 1765 new cases, five deaths (media) • Ministry to discuss additional anti-COVID measures today (Koha) • Kurti: Sheltering Afghans in Kosovo is done in coordination with US (media) • U.S. Senate and Ambassador thank Kosovo for agreeing to provide shelter to Afghan refugees (Express) • About 9 thousand applications from diaspora for October 17 elections so far (Telegrafi) • Caka-Nimani meets UK Ambassador Nicholas Abbott (media) Serbian Language Media: • 18 new cases of Covid-19 in Serbian areas in Kosovo (KoSSev) • Stojanovic hands over candidacy for mayor in Gracanica, reactions follow (Radio KIM, media) • Aleksandar Arsenijevic candidate for mayor in Mitrovica North (Kosovo-online) • Kosovo Serb media editors on Serbian List attitude toward media (KoSSev) • Serb young man assaulted in Boshnjak mahala, Radojevic informs Carabinieri Commander on incident (Kosovo-online) • Anti-Albanian graffiti inscribed than painted over in Gracanica (Radio KIM) • Serbia’s nationals could return from Afghanistan during day, N1 learns (N1) • Lawsuit of Milan Radoicic against Rada Trajkovic rejected (KoSSev) • Belgrade surprised by Twitter move (N1) International: • Serbia ‘Hosted Afghan Govt-Taliban Negotiations’, Says Ex-Minister (Balkan Insight) • Twitter Labels Numerous Media Accounts in Serbia ‘State Affiliated’ (Balkan Insight)

• COVID-19: 740 new cases, two deaths (media) • Berlin: We’re aware of Open Balkan; we support Common Regional Market (media) • Vaccination of groups over 12, allowed (RTK) • Kosovo Government decides to shelter Afghans (Telegrafi) • 94 political entities applied for local elections (Koha) • LDK with three women mayor candidates for first time in Kosovo (Koha) • Hoti reacts to Odalovic: Desire for massacres still runs in your blood (Zeri) • 250 Afghan refugees to arrive in Albania this week (Voice of America)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, August 16, 2021 Albanian Language Media: • COVID-19: 740 new cases, two deaths (media) • Recommendations how to increase vaccination rates (Koha) • Foreign Ministry working to evacuate three Kosovars from Afghanistan (media) • “Frequent changes of government delayed issue of missing persons” (EO) • VV, LDK and AAK to run with single list in Gracanica (Kallxo) • €2.6 million for environmental protection and diaspora investments (media) • Protest in front of Albanian PM office against Open Balkan (media) Serbian Language Media: • Ten cases of Covid-19 registered in Serbian areas in Kosovo on Saturday (Radio KIM) • UNS and its branch in Kosovo: Serbian List to invite journalists without selection to events of public significance (Radio KIM) • Serbian List submitted list of candidates for mayors (Radio KIM) • Vucina Jankovic new head of North Mitrovica administrative district (KoSSev) • Citizens’ associations and Serbian media in Kosovo – Pandemic of security incidents (Danas) • Serbian minister says third vaccine dose as of this week (N1) • One more “KLA” graffiti inscribed in Gracanica (Radio KIM) • "Wherever Americans were, they left eventually, Pristina must think about that" (B92, RTS) International: • Balkan states scramble to evacuate stranded citizens From Afghanistan (BIRN) • Balkan countries offer refuge to Afghans after Taliban takeover (BIRN) Humanitarian/Development: • Wasted Water: Leaking Pipelines Threaten to Let Balkans Run Dry (Balkan Insight)

• COVID-19: 1,096 new cases, 4 deaths (media) • Kosovo opens doors to Afghan refugees (Koha Ditore) • US: Kosovo joins calls for safe departure of Afghans (media) • Albright thanks Kosovo for offering to refuge Afghan allies (media) • Citaku: Kosovo should shelter some refugees from Afghanistan (RTK) • Kosovo parties ponder joint candidates in Serb-majority areas (BIRN) • Kosovo without protect against Russian propaganda (Radio Free Europe) • COVID-19 spike adds to jitters over new school year in Balkans (BIRN)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, August 13, 2021 Albanian Language Media: • COVID-19: 1,128 new cases, three deaths (media) • Vaccination of children and teachers, condition to return to schools (RFE) • Rohde: Implementing court decision on Decan Monastery, long overdue (Express) • Several political parties to announce joint list for Mitrovica North (Klan Kosova) • Kosovo Assembly adopted only seven laws in the spring session (RTK) Serbian Language Media: • “Crime in Gorazdevac must not be forgotten” (Radio KIM) • “KLA” graffiti in Gracanica; 18 yrs on, no one responsible for killing two Serb kids (N1) • Rakic, Petkovic on crime in Gorazdevac (Kosovo-online) • British Embassy welcomes court decision on Dragica Gasic’s flat, condemns attacks against her (Radio KIM) • Flags of “Greater Albania“ displayed on south and north sides of Ibar River (KoSSev) • EU on ‘Open Balkan’: We welcome commitment of leaders to regional cooperation (Kosovo-online) • Serbian police chopper crews continue battling fires in Greece (N1, RTS) Humanitarian/Development: • Half of young Serbians want to leave country (FoNet, N1)

• COVID-19: 1,009 new cases and two deaths (media) • Kosovo to impose new measures amid rising infections (Euronews Albania) • LDK slams government: We are risking going to a total lockdown (media) • Mimoza-Kusari Lila to run for Gjakova mayor (media) • State Department: Common Regional Market, key to progress (VoA) • Kosovo court sides in favour of media-famous Serb returnee (BIRN)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, August 12, 2021 Albanian Language Media: • COVID-19: 1,009 new cases and two deaths (media) • Beerfest festival in Prishtina cancelled amid growing COVID-19 cases (media) • Albanian parties to run with one list in northern municipalities (Koha) • Three Serbian nationals arrested in Gjilan, 11 kg of drugs seized (media) Serbian Language Media: • 13 new Covid-19 cases registered in Serbian areas in Kosovo (Radio KIM) • Ksenija Bozovic appointed deputy minister (Kosovo-online, media) • Attacked Nikola Peric feels well, needs to undergo nose surgery (TV Most) • RFE: Serbian List officials from Kosovo selectively report double salaries (N1) • Cyprus will not change stance on Kosovo (RTS) • Davenport: Decision on Monastery’s land in Decane should be implemented (Kosovo-online) • Tanaskovic: New Pristina’s tactic to appropriate Serbian heritage, UNESCO's decision important (Kosovo-online) • Serbian Orthodox Church Patriarch Porfirije gets Instagram account (N1) International: • German statement revives Kosovo-Albania tensions about ‘Open Balkan’ project (BIRN)