UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, July 17, 2020

Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: 103 new cases in the last 24 hours (media)
• Clashes between Presidency and PM’s Office over the dialogue (Express)
• Von Cramon to visit Specialist Chambers in the Hague (Ekonomia Online)
• Vetevendosje: Meeting in Brussels was not productive (media)
• Weber hopes on a new flow of Pristina-Belgrade dialogue (Klan)

Serbian Language Media:

• 34 infected with Covid-19 in Serb areas in Kosovo (Kontakt plus radio)
• Vucic: We aren't negotiating here only with Pristina; Two principles have been agreed (Tanjug, B92)
• Covic: KLA archives to open, EU to conduct dialogue based on chapter’s system (Kosovo-online)
• "Kosovo authorities intend to abolish Special Court" (Kosovo Online, B92)
• Russian FM spokeswoman says Moscow supports Vucic on Kosovo (Beta, N1)
• Djuric reacts to Haradinaj-Stublla’s statement on book in Serbian Mission in Brussels (Kosovo-online)
• Serbian opposition calls EU to help resolve political crisis (N1)
• MEPs call on EC to form expert group to publish reports on situation in Serbia (EWB, N1)

International:

• Serbia ‘Ready to Help Find Missing Kosovo Albanians’: Vucic (Balkan Insight)
• Kosovo President ‘Pleased’ after Four-Day War Crimes Questioning (Balkan Insight)
• Serbia and Kosovo resume rocky road towards an accord (Euractiv)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Dokufest and Anibar go online for 2020 (Prishtina Insight)

• EU High Representative Borrell’s remarks prior to high-level meeting (media)
• Hoti: A difficult meeting on two topics – missing persons and economy (media)
• Hoti: Mutual recognition and normalisation of relations, final objective (media)
• Lajcak: Next high-level meeting in September (media)
• Vucic: The meeting was not easy (media)
• Serbia accuses Kosovo of 'blackmail' after talks in Brussels (DW)
• EU diplomat: Three stages of talks between Kosovo and Serbia (Klan Kosova)
• Tahiri: Hoti has constitutional obligation to go to Brussels (media)
• President Thaci concludes interview with Specialist Chambers (media)
• Kosovo FM reacts to book displayed at Serbian mission in Brussels (Telegrafi)
• "WHO does not recommend serology testing for diagnosis purposes" (Koha)
• Kuci: 56 percent of businesses risk bankruptcy (Koha)
• Pandemic reveals ‘systemic’ issues faced by Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian communities (Prishtina Insight)
• A land swap won’t solve Serbia – Kosovo conundrum (Balkan Insight)

Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: 132 new cases recorded in last 24-hour period (media)
• One new coronavirus-related death reported in Podujeve (media)
• Italy closes border to Kosovo and region (media)
• Pristina begins serology testing for COVID-19 (Kallxo)
• Thaci’s advisor says Hoti has no consensus for dialogue (Telegrafi)
• Gazeta Express: PDK could decide to join Kosovo's ruling coalition

Serbian Language Media:

• 39 new cases of Covid-19 infection registered in Serb-populated areas (Kosovo-online)
• Gracanica: Six more people infected with coronavirus (KIM radio)
• European Commission: In the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina on all open issues (Danas, Kosovo Online)
• McAllister: The positions of Belgrade and Pristina still very distant (Kosovo Online, DW)
• Bilcik: No easy solution to Kosovo issue (Beta, N1)
• Timothy Less: EU has nothing to offer to Serbia (Tanjug, B92, Kontakt plus radio)
• MIA: The North Mitrovica municipality closed due to Covid-19 among its staff (Kontakt plus radio)
• Jevtic welcomes inclusion of displaced persons as topic in Brussels dialogue (RTV Puls, RTV KIM)
• Council of Europe expresses concern over protests in Serbia (N1)

Opinion:

• Kosovo’s Disunited Negotiators can’t Compete With ‘Monolithic’ Serbia (Balkan Insight)

International:

• Serbia and Kosovo to resume rocky road towards an accord (France24)

Humanitarian/Development:

• EU provides EUR one million aid to finance pandemic medical teams in Serbia (N1)

• Four more people die from COVID-19 on Wednesday (media)
• Kosovo – Serbia dialogue to continue Thursday (media)
• In Brussels, PM Hoti meets Commissioner Varhelyi (media)
• Thaci interviewed for third day by Specialist Prosecutor’s Office (media)
• Beqaj: Specialist court will lead to the 'cleaning' of political spectrum (Koha)
• Koci: Thaci should’ve been more transparent about interview (media)
• Former Dutch Ambassador: KLA fought an honorable war (RTK)
• Klinaku: MPs can change law on Specialist Chambers (Telegrafi)
• “German EU Presidency no magic wand for the Balkans” (Balkan Insight)
• North Macedonia Election Returns No Clear Winner (NYT)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, July 15, 2020

Albanian Language Media:

• COVID – 19: 119 new cases in last 24 hours (media)
• 1,192 active COVID - 19 cases in Prishtina, 35–44 age group most affected (media)
• COVID - 19, Kosovo tested only 1.61 of the population (RTK)
• Von Cramon: Grenell wanted to bypass EU and Kurti’s government (media)
• EULEX chief praises PM Hoti for traveling economy class (media)
• Who are candidates for PDK leader if Veseli indictment is confirmed? (Express)
• Bytyci: Kadri Veseli is PDK leader, media speculations are ill-willed (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• 37 new cases of Covid-19 infection registered in Serb areas in Kosovo (Kosovo-online)
• In Gracanica 24 infected with Covid-19, results to come for fifteen more (KIM radio)
• Radovic: KP to control if persons positive on Covid-19 respect self-isolation measures (KoSSev)
• Vucic: Missing persons and internally displaced first topic of dialogue in Brussels (N1)
• Destinies of missing and displaced persons from Kosovo unresolved for 21 years (Tanjug)
• Brussels no longer can ignore reality: There is no solution of Kosovo issue without Russia (Sputnik)
• Jaksic: Negotiations in Brussels will not bring anything good to the Kosovo Serbs (KIM radio, Beta)
• Serbian Military Union official says protest coming against Defense Minister (N1)
• Mutiny within Serbia's Socialists, main Vucic's partners, its leader says (N1)
• Serbia's NGO's asks UN to react to police actions during anti-regime protests (N1, RFE)
• Vucic starts talks about Serbia's new government, Albanians ask for four posts (FoNet, N1)

Opinion:

• Serbia-Kosovo deal: Can the EU succeed where Trump failed? (AlJazeera)
• Kosovo’s perplexing indictment and its effects (EWB)
• The EU Needs a New Balkan Strategy (Foreign Policy)

International:

• Trump Ex-Adviser Bolton Laments Lost Opportunity on Kosovo (Balkan Insight)

Humanitarian/Development:

• EU removes Serbia, Montenegro from travel-safe list (B92, Tanjug, N1)

• Four more dead from coronavirus on Tuesday (media)
• Assembly lacks votes to pass law on pandemic (Koha)
• Hoti in Brussels with his office and associates, Weber calls for unity (Koha)
• President Thaci ends second day of interviewing at The Hague (media)
• Were prosecutors right to publicise charges against Thaci? (Balkan Insight)
• Haradinaj: Charges against Thaci, a blow to Kosovo’s freedom (Klan Kosova)
• War veterans’ leader: Specialist Chambers are attacking KLA directly (T7)
• Serwer: Be prepared (media)
• Presevo Valley Albanians ask to lead a ministry in Serbian government (Koha)
• Government defends decisions to appoint minister to extra post (media)

Albanian Language Media:

• Two more patients die from COVID – 19 (media)
• Hospital in Vushtrri transformed into hospital for COVID – 19 patients (media)
• Osmani: PM’s Legal Office endorsed Anti – COVID 19 Law (media)
• PDK calls for urgent increase of salaries of healthcare professionals (media)
• Justice minister Selimi to be part of Kosovo negotiating team (EO/Klan Kosova)
• Roth: Western Balkans at the centre of Germany's engagement (DW)
• UK welcomes resumption of Kosovo-Serbia dialogue (media)
• KSF ready to support efforts to fight COVID-19 (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Elek: 93 persons hospitalized at Clinical-Hospital Center in Mitrovica North, one person passed away (KoSSev)
• Gracanica: New measures and announcement of fines, and the old problem (KIM radio)
• Hashim Thaci's indictment will remain unknown until October (B92, RTS)
• PM Brnabic denies lack of transparency during coronavirus pandemic (N1)
• Vucic congratulates Macron, convinced in his support of Serbia's EU path (BETA, N1)
• Samardzic: ''Vucic is going to Brussels again without a strategy'' (KIM radio, Beta, N1)
• Maas: I will travel to Belgrade and Pristina, dialogue is priority (RTS)
• Serbian NGOs call on the EU to insist on core values in Serbia (KIM radio, EWB)

Opinion:

• A manual: how to lose the battle with COVID-19 (Prishtina Insight)
• Surroi: Kosovo yet to realise how dramatic situation with COVID – 19 is (Koha)

International:

• Corrupt clans or startups? Kosovo must now choose (Die Welt)
• Serbia ‘Provided War Crimes Evidence’ Against Kosovo President (Balkan Insight)
• Public anger rises across Balkans as coronavirus toll grows (Financial Times)

Humanitarian/Development:

• New restrictive measures added following jump in coronavirus cases (Prishtina Insight)
• Austria bans flights from Western Balkans (N1, DW)

• COVID-19: 187 new cases, six dead (media)
• Hoti: New measures aimed at slowing the spread of COVID-19 (media)
• Osmani: It is our constitutional duty to pass anti-Covid law (media)
• Zemaj: Health Institute has capacity to do 500-600 tests in 24 hours (media)
• Gjilan Mayor: New government measures are very unpopular (media)
• Government has no plans to carry out massive testing (Koha)
• PDK MP requests names of persons with COVID-19 be published (Kallxo)
• President Thaci interviewed by Specialist Prosecutor’s Office (media)
• Haradinaj: If indictments confirmed, Kosovo risks serious damage (media)
• Cakaj: When KLA is concerned, we should react as a nation, not as two states (media)
• Assembly approves in principle budget review (media)
• Lajcak discusses dialogue with Russian Ambassador at EU (Sputnik/RTK)
• Hague war crime prosecutors quiz Kosovo President Thaci (Balkan Insight)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, July 13, 2020

Albanian Language Media:

• President Thaci arrives at the Special Court (RTK)
• Veseli: We will triumph in this battle as well (media)
• Haradinaj: I highly value Thaci’s readiness to respond to Specialist Chambers (RTK)
• Albanians protest in Hague (Koha)
• Kosovo Government announces new measures against coronavirus (media)
• Borrell considers Lajcak has done a good job (Koha)
• Police Director warns penalty measures for those who do not wear masks (media)
• Kurti accuses the government: They are filling the morg (RTK)
• Gucati and Kosnett discuss KLA veterans (RTK)
• Thaci’s lawyer, former U.S. senior official Pierre-Richard Prosper (RTK)

Serbian Language Media:

• 38 new cases of Covid-19 infection registered, one person passed away in Serb areas (Kosovo-online)
• Vucic: Belgrade-Pristina talks to resume on Thursday with new topics (media)
• Dacic: There is no readiness of Pristina for compromise (Prva TV)
• Dialogue on reset, but still paralyzed (DW)
• Vucic met Botsan-Kharchenko, discussed Kosovo and Metohija (Danas)
• “Consultations on new Serbian government to start as of Tuesday” (N1, FoNet)
• NGOs urged crisis headquarters to inform public on epidemic, unbiased cooperation with media outlets (KoSSev)
• Dr. Rasic: Increased number of patients with respiratory infections in Gracanica (RTK2, Radio kontakt plus)

International:

• 'I believe in justice' says Kosovo's Thaci as he arrives at The Hague on war crime charges (Euronews)
• Kosovo-Serbia Deal Must Not Lead to Impunity for War Crimes: US Ex-Ambassador (Balkan Insight)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Kon on epidemiological situation in Serbia, possibility of new measures (B92, Prva TV)
• Temporary residence permits in Kosovo extended (Prishtina Insight)

• COVID-19: 216 new cases in last 24 hours (media)
• State of emergency not declared; stricter measures will be applied (media)
• Kosovo President Hashim Thaci’s interview to Top Channel
• EU Special Representative: The dialogue is back on track (media)
• Von der Leyen expresses support for Kosovo-Serbia dialogue (media)
• Hoti: I’ll meet Vucic in Brussels on Thursday; only mutual recognition (media)
• Hoti: U.S. and EU to complement each other in the dialogue (media)
• Vucic: Situation with Kosovo, almost hopeless (media)
• President Thaci urges people to strictly implement protective measures (media)
• Zemaj: Do not force us to declare a state of emergency (media)
• No total lockdown from state of emergency, sources say (Indeksonline)
• Association of Municipalities supports state of emergency (media)
• Association of Psychologists oppose state of emergency (media)
• Thaci and Borrell agree to extend EULEX mandate for another year (media)
• EULEX chief: We remain fully committed to our partnership (media)
• “France, Germany and Netherlands opposed visa liberalisation” (Lajmi)
• U.S. Embassy: People of Kosovo deserve better (media)
• Bajrami: Let’s focus on economic recovery, not personal attacks (media)
• Kosovo’s Thaci strongly denies committing any war crimes (AP)