Belgrade Media Report 10 March
LOCAL PRESS
• Vucic: Albanians do not want compromise, Serbs want frozen conflict in Kosovo (TV Kopernikus/Tanjug)
• Brnabic: US policy clear, I would like EU policy to be clearer (Tanjug/RTV)
• Vulin: Тhaci revealed his mission (RTS/Tanjug/Novosti)
• Gojkovic thanks Armenia for not recognizing unilaterally declared independence of Kosovo and Metohija (Tanjug/RTV)
REGIONAL PRESS
Bosnia & Herzegovina
• B&H Presidency member Dzaferovic meets with US’ Cormack and Nelson, underlines that blockade of institutions of B&H is unacceptable (BHT1/Nezavisne)
• Dodik: When it comes to migrants, this is sort of civilizational occupation of Christian world and not humanitarian story (ATV)
• Cvijanovic: I would support idea to form mixed police and military units of countries of Western Balkans and deploy them on external borders to prevent influx of migrants (N1)
Montenegro
• Markovic: Dialogue to lead to stronger institutions and rule of law (CDM)
• Djukanovic in Lithuania: The right moment for the Western Balkans to be brought back to Europe (CDM)
• Skvernelis: Montenegro and Lithuania face similar challenges and share common values (CDM)
Republic of North Macedonia
• Mickoski meets Orban, calls for an EU accession talks date for Macedonia (Republika)
• Zaev’s SDSM party drops the hated adjective “North” ahead of the elections (Republika)
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES
• EU leaders meet Erdoğan to resolve fight over refugees (Politico)
UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, March 10, 2020
Albanian Language Media:
• Thaci: Disappointing that envoys made no mention of visa liberalisation (media)
• Senator warns of U.S. reconsidering its presence in Kosovo (media)
• Kurti does not deny U.S. sanctions, says he hasn’t verified the news (Express)
• Osmani: Only the government has legitimacy to lead dialogue with Serbia (media)
• Kosovo government approves draft budget for 2020 (media)
Serbian Language Media:
• “Albanians oppose compromise, Serbs promote frozen conflict. There’s no solution” (Tanjug, B92)
• Covic on blockade of US funds to Pristina – a storm in a teacup (RTS)
• Bajrami: The greater challenge for Kurti’s government is its lack of unity, not Thaci’s plans (KoSSev)
• Stanojkovic: Kurti will yield, but slowly, and this will cost Kosovo a lot (KoSSev)
• Abbot Janjic and COMKFOR Risi on situation and protection of SOC shrines (KoSSev)
• Urgent measures of the Government of Serbia adopted due to the coronavirus (B92, Tanjug)
• Jevtic: Continuation of dialogue, dropping tariffs have no alternative (Radio KIM)
• Brnabic: Clear policy of US, I wish if EU would be clearer (RTS)
Opinion:
• Crisis in the Eastern Mediterranean: hybrid warfare, the Balkans and the Near East (opendemocracy.net)
• A call to tear down the walls of bureaucracy (Prishtina Insight)
International:
• Policy Rift Widens Between Kosovo President and PM (Balkan Insight)
Humanitarian/Development:
• Six new suspected coronavirus cases in Kosovo (Telegrafi)
• Kosovo steps up measures to prevent coronavirus spread (Prishtina Insight)
• Four cases of coronavirus in Serbia, opposition demands state of emergency (N1)
• Vucic: Temporary ban can be imposed on those entering the country from affected areas (Tanjug, B92)
• Kosovo War Rape Survivor Condemns Stigmatisation of Victims (Balkan Insight)
• Balkan Countries Fear EU Green Deal Could Leave Them Further Behind (Balkan Insight)
UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, March 10
• Thaci holds news conference after meeting political leaders (media)
• DPM Abazi: Prime Minister Kurti reports only to the Assembly (media)
• Kosovo leaders to meet Franco-German delegation (media)
• Thaci: Lajcak, the most untrustworthy person to lead dialogue (Zeri)
• Opposition parties launch motion against Minister Reka (media)
• Kosovo Gov’t asked for €10 mil for coronavirus preventive measures (Koha)
• Thaci calls for preventive measures against coronavirus infections (Kallxo)
• 7 people infected with coronavirus in North Macedonia, six in Albania (media)
• Rukiqi calls for emergency measures against coronavirus (Telegrafi)
• WHO Director-General: Threat of pandemic has become very real (media)
• “Kosovo society to be ashamed of treatment of sexual violence survivors” (media)