Belgrade Media Report 28 March 2019
United Nations Office in Belgrade
Daily Media Highlights
Thursday 28 March 2019
LOCAL PRESS
• Vucic: My abstention in vote was due to state interests (ORF/Tanjug)
• Vulin: I hope NATO will admit aggression against Serbia was horrible crime (Beta)
• Serbia and Georgia support one another’s sovereignty and territorial integrity (Tanjug)
• Fabrizi: No alternative to dialogue, cautious optimism (Tanjug/B92)
• Tenth EU-Serbia SAPC meeting Declaration and Recommendations adopted unanimously (RTS/Tanjug)
REGIONAL PRESS
Bosnia & Herzegovina
• Hahn: B&H leaders to form governments quickly (N1)
• Shaheeds in Boban’s empire (Srna)
• Constitutional Court cannot change historical fact (Srna)
• Micic: SDS bodies will decide on participation in Authorities (Srna)
• B&H Croat Presidency member names Serbian opposition leader as advisor (N1)
• US Ambassador: B&H’s Annual National Programme should not be politicized (N1)
• President Meron to decide where Karadzic will serve the life imprisonment (Radio Sarajevo)
Republic of North Macedonia
• Parliament re-adopts several laws which President Ivanov refused to sign under the name “North Macedonia” (Republika)
• Albanian issues Secretariat being turned into a full government Ministry (Republika)
• Macedonian soldiers will go on compulsorily NATO missions (Meta)
• Interview with VMRO-DPMNE presidential candidate Gordana Siljanovska Davkova (Ekspres/Republika)
Albania
• Opposition is getting ready for snap elections (ADN)
• ‘New Opposition’ – three candidates to accept mandate (ADN)
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES
• Albania opposition supporters try to storm parliament (AP)
• Tension at Albanian Parliament in face of opposition protest (ANSA)
Chiefs of districts: Stop process of Serbs being deprived of their rights in Kosovo (Tanjug, RTS)
The chiefs of five administrative districts in Kosovo (Pec, Prizren, Mitrovica, central Kosovo and Pomoravlje) expressed concern today over more frequent political pressure by Pristina on Serbian people and urged all domestic and international political stakeholders to make additional efforts in order to prevent escalation of inter-ethnic tensions and stop the process of Serbs being […]
Read More →Thaci: Serbia committed genocide and ethnic cleansing in Kosovo (media)
All news websites cover the memorial academy on the 20th anniversary of the massacre in Izbica, highlighting Kosovo President Hashim Thaci’s remarks that “Serbia committed genocide and ethnic cleansing in Kosovo”. Thaci said Kosovo will never forget the atrocities against civilians in Likosan, Cirez, Prekaz, Abri, Recak, Celine, Krusha, Rezalle, Qyshk, Poklek, Studime, Meje and […]
Read More →EP confirms its will to grant Kosovars visa-free access (europeaninterest.eu)
The citizens of Kosovo should be able to travel to the EU for short periods visa-free, according to the European Parliament. Plenary confirmed on Thursday, with 331 votes to 126 and 12 abstentions, its negotiating position on this matter -already adopted in September 2018-, in view of the end of the legislature. The proposal needed […]
Read More →Fabrizi: No alternative to dialogue, cautious optimism (Tanjug, B92)
Head of EU Delegation to Serbia Sem Fabrizi said there is no alternative to Belgrade-Pristina dialogue on Kosovo and that status quo is not an option. He added that he remains cautiously optimistic about the achievement of an agreement between Belgrade and Pristina. “I do not think there is a possibility to maintain this situation, […]
Read More →Haradinaj: EU must conclude visa liberalization for Kosovo (media)
Kosovo Prime Minister, Ramush Haradinaj, said today that the European Union has confirmed the mandate for the start of trialogue for Kosovo visa liberalization. Haradinaj took to Facebook to argue that it is unfair to deny freedom of movement to the people of Kosovo, as the latter has met all the requirements in the process. […]
Read More →Platform is end of Brussels dialogue, elites are (not) ready for compromise (Radio kontakt plus, Radio KIM)
Chances for Belgrade-Pristina dialogue to conclude during the mandate of EU High Representative Federica Mogherini are rather small. Pristina platform is an end to Brussels dialogue, while political elites in Serbia and Kosovo are not ready for a compromise. Tariffs on goods from Serbia and BiH are the most harmful for Kosovo. These all was […]
Read More →Daut Haradinaj: Police officers in Djuric case should be decorated not investigated (media)
Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) MP, Daut Haradinaj, argued today against investigations into the arrest one year ago of Marko Djuric, head of the Serbian Government’s Office for Kosovo. Haradinaj argued on a Facebook post that the investigations must be closed, and the police officers involved in the operation must be decorated. “The […]
Read More →Fajon: Why has Council and governments not delivered on their promise?! (media)
Most news websites report that the European Parliament’s Rapporteur on Kosovo, Tanja Fajon, took to Twitter today to note that “Kosovo remains the last black spot on the visa liberalization map in the Western Balkans. I ask why has the EU Council and EU governments not delivered on their promise?! As Europe we are losing […]
Read More →Veseli slams EU: You take away our youth and not give us visa liberalization (media)
Kosovo Assembly President, Kadri Veseli, told a press conference in Pristina today that every delay by the European Union in giving visa liberalization to Kosovo will damage the credibility of the EU itself, several news websites report. Veseli, who leads the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), also said that Kosovo has met all the requirements […]
Read More →EP: Serbia must pursue reforms, and Belgrade-Pristina dialogue should resume (TV N1, RTS)
The EU-Serbia Stabilization and Association Parliamentary Committee’s 10th meeting in Strasbourg called for more rule of law, and media freedom in the country, the European Parliament said in a statement issued on Thursday, TV N1 reports. The statement says as follows: “Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) and Members of the National Assembly of the […]
Read More →Junior basketball team players banned to enter Kosovo at Jarinje crossing point (Radio kontakt plus, KoSSev)
Junior basketball team “Borac” players from central Serbia, that was supposed to play a game in Mitrovica North today, was banned to enter Kosovo yesterday at the Jarinje crossing point, Radio kontakt plus reported. Basketball team “Trepca” was supposed to be their host. “Trepca” trainer Bratislav Dzogovic said he personally and young players are very […]
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