The EU Council of Ministers responds to Thaci on Association (Express)
The President of Kosovo Hashim Thaci said at the end of May that he would not allow the establishment of any kind of Association of Serb-Majority Municipalities under any circumstances. According to him, Kosovo was promised recognition by Serbia in order to accept implementation of such agreement. And as this did not happen, the Association […]
Read More →Kosovo Police prohibit Serbs the Holy Trinity celebration in the Petric village (KIM radio, Radio Mitrovica Sever, Kossev)
Kosov Police banned the Serbs to celebrate the Holy Trinity in the village of Petric near Klina, reported Serbian media based in Kosovo. KIM radio reported that Kosovo police did not allow lithium for the Serbs who gathered in the village Petric. Resident of the village, said that about 30 Serbs gathered for the lithium […]
Read More →What does the draft Conclusions of the EU Council of Ministers contain? (Vecernje Novosti)
Belgrade based daily Vecernje Novosti reports that a comprehensive legally binding agreement between Belgrade and Pristina should cover all outstanding issues in line with international law and EU acquis and contribute to regional stability. In the draft Conclusions, to be adopted at the session of EU Council of ministers/ General Affairs on Tuesday, conclusion of […]
Read More →Serbian president announces changes at local level and ‘the hardest’ elections in spring (Beta, N1)
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic told a meeting of his party’s top body that parliamentary elections would be held late in March of early in April 2020 and warned of changes at local level to make room for new people. He said those elections will be “the hardest because many people want Serbia to stop being […]
Read More →Haradinaj: EU Council knows importance of visa liberalisation for Kosovo (media)
Prime Minister of Kosovo Ramush Haradinaj refuted reports in the media suggesting that the EU Council of Ministers conclusion at its meeting today will be negative on the issue of visa liberalisation. “The Council knows the importance of visa liberalisation for Kosovo. The Commission has made an official proposal in May 2016 to move Kosovo […]
Read More →Rugova: We have 58 signatures for no-confidence motion (RTK)
Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) officials said today that they are “waiting for the best time to send the current government home”, the news website reports. LDK MP Naser Rugova told reporters in Pristina today that 58 signatures from MPs have been collected so far for a no-confidence motion against the Haradinaj-led government. “We have […]
Read More →Ministry of Interior and UNHCR visit Asylum Seekers Centre ahead of World Refugee Day (media)
On the week leading up to the World Refugee Day, Kosovo’s Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs, Izmi Zeka, and Head of UNHCR Office in Kosovo, Erol Arduc, visited the Asylum Seekers Centre in the village of Magure. Zeka said to the persons staying at the centre that Kosovo authorities are committed to providing good conditions. […]
Read More →Bieber: Border change unrealistic and undesirable (Gazeta Express/EWB)
Florian Bieber, professor at the University of Graz, said at a conference “Global actors in the Western Balkans” that border changes as a solution to the problem between Pristina and Belgrade is both unrealistic and undesirable. “Change of borders is not a realistic, nor a desirable solution, not only for Kosovo. But neither is the […]
Read More →‘Unfinished business’: The former Kosovo fighters ensuring Gjakova massacre killers not forgotten (The Independent)
‘Most of all I would just like to know now what happened to them, that they didn’t suffer too much’, says one woman, who still lays the table for her husband and sons, 20 years after they were arrested and went missing “I don’t think the Serbs will give us anything. I hope there isn’t […]
Read More →Status quo impossible, warns US ambassador to Serbia (Serbian media)
US Ambassador to Serbia Kyle Scott warned on Monday that the status quo in the Balkans is not sustainable. There will be no better time than the present to negotiate an agreement the ambassador wrote on his Twitter account over a retweet of State Department official Matthew Palmer’s speech at a gathering in Pristina on […]
Read More →Belgrade Media Report 17 June
LOCAL PRESS
• Vucic calls on Trump to exert influence on Pristina to lift tariffs, return to dialog (Beta)
• Jeremic: Vucic must not be allowed to broker demarcation deal (Beta)
• Tadic: Vucic promised Kosovo to foreigners (Blic)
• Belgrade and Prishtina soon to receive the guidelines for KiM from the West (Vecernje novosti)
REGIONAL PRESS
Bosnia & Herzegovina
• RS President Cvijanovic denies she ever said RS can secede (Vecernji list)
• Palmer meets with RS officials, points to importance of cooperation with NATO (BN TV)
• HDZ B&H supports B&H’s path towards NATO, but that it is necessary to initiate process of appointment of B&H CoM (N1)
• Dodik reelected as SNSD leader; says RS is most stable part of B&H (RTRS)
• Meeting of PIC SB scheduled to address lack of formation of authorities in B&H (N1, ATV)
Republic of North Macedonia
• Zaev: I expect EU accession talks by the end of the year (Nezavisen vesnik)
• Angry at the prospect of EU “decoupling” from Macedonia, some Albanians call for Greater Albania (Republika)
Albania
• OSCE has drafted an interim report on June 30th local elections (Radio Tirana)
• Tsereteli: Parties should sit down for talk (Radio Tirana)
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES
• Rama reacts to Northern Macedonia’s President declaration about “decoupling
Read More →Belgrade Media Report 14 June
LOCAL PRESS
• Vucic surprised by Montenegro’s reaction (Tanjug)
• Dacic: Does someone really think that they will also occupy Ostrog (RTS)
• Kuburovic: Constitutional amendments do not include Kosovo (Novosti)
• Markovic: Summit in Paris opportunity for setting framework for resumption of dialogue (Beta)
• Djilas: Palmer did not ask us to take part in elections (Beta)
• Keefe: I wish Serbia energy and courage in facing challenges (Beta)
REGIONAL PRESS
Bosnia & Herzegovina
• B&H Presidency member Dzaferovic: ANP is first step towards NATO integration, Dodik knows that talk of dissolution would only lead to disappearance of RS (Oslobodjenje)
• SNSD and its coalition partners from RS announce they will boycott urgent session of B&H HoR (TV1)
• MEP Soltes disappointed that the European Parliament’s Resolution on Srebrenica was not widely accepted; Many obstacles to an agreement between Kosovo and Serbia (Dnevni avaz)
Croatia
• Plenkovic condemns assault on Serb workers on Brac (Hina)
Montenegro
• The government of Montenegro responded to Vucic (CDM)
Republic of North Macedonia
• Zaev’s government says Merkel promised him EU accession talks in September (Republika)
• VMRO calls on Zaev to resign after his failure to open EU accession talks in June (Republika)
Albania
• Parliament votes resolution against President Meta (ADN)
• Basha warns that Albania is near coup d’etat (ADN)
• OSCE urges for dialogue after President cancelled municipal elections (ADN)
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES
• Montenegro’s attack on church property will create lawless society (BIRN)
Read More →