Belgrade Media Report 16 March 2020
United Nations Office in Belgrade
Daily Media Highlights
Monday 16 March 2020
LOCAL PRESS
Vucic introduced state of emergency in Serbia (B92/Tanjug/RTS/Beta)
Brnabic urges citizens to respect emergency measures (TV Prva)
Brnabic: Serbia closes borders due to coronavirus (RTS)
Vucic, Orban discuss cooperation in fighting Covid-19, Dacic meets with Dimitrov (Beta)
Video conference between Vucic and Merkel postponed until tomorrow (RTS)
REGIONAL PRESS
Bosnia & Herzegovina
Federation of B&H declares state of emergency over coronavirus (N1)
Total number of coronavirus infections in RS reaches 20; RS authorities announce new measures to tackle COVID-19 (BHT1)
B&H Presidency reached agreement on deployment of B&H Armed Forces to B&H border (BN TV)
US State Department’s report shows significant human rights issues in B&H in 2019 (BN TV)
B&H Border Police faces new migrant wave with little equipment and low numbers of officers (FTV)
Croatia
Croatia to introduce strict measures to contain coronavirus spread (Hina)
Montenegro
Public Health Institute: Montenegro still coronavirus-free (RTCG)
Republic of North Macedonia
SEC proposes that the elections are postponed (Republika)
Albania
All Albania in lockdown as of Sunday as Coronavirus cases rise (ADN)
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES
Serbia voices solidarity with Iran in fight against coronavirus (Tehran Times)
North Macedonia: Pre-Election Poll Shows Increased Economic Anxiety, Declining Hopes for EU Accession (International Republican Institute)
UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, March 16, 2020
UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, March 16, 2020
Albanian Language Media:
• 13 confirmed coronavirus cases in Kosovo (media)
• Health Institute: Please stay at home (media)
• Pristina Airport with additional explanations (media)
• The infected with CoronaVirus, in a stable condition (RFE, RTK)
• US Embassy in Pristina cancels visa appointments (media)
• Haradinaj: Government unprepared in case of escalation of situation (RTK)
• Mayor: Dumnica village in quarantine (Express)
• Podujeva’s zone with first COVID-19 case disinfected, three villages quarantined (RFE, RTK)
• Kurti nominates government Spokesperson (gazetaexpress)
Serbian Language Media:
• Government of Serbia: Measures introduced during a state of emergency (media)
• Vucic urged citizens: Respect state’s recommendations, we have to win this battle (media)
• Mitrovica North: There is enough food and medications, no case of coronavirus registered (TV Most, Kosovo-online)
• Seven new cases, 55 in total (B92)
• “Don’t make us impose a curfew” (B92, Prva TV)
• Trial in Oliver Ivanovic’s murder case postponed until further notice (B92, Kosovo-online)
• Vucic-Merkel video-conference postponed (Tanjug)
• Montenegro closes borders over coronavirus pandemic (BETA, N1)
Opinion:
• Coronavirus: The Pandemic Stress Test (Balkan Insight)
• Preventing panic (Prishtina Insight)
International:
• Tight-Lipped Balkan Governments Scramble to Defend Against COVID-19 (Balkan Insight)
• Serbia Imposes State of Emergency, Pleads for China’s Help (Balkan Insight)
• Albania Adopts Punitive Fines for Breaching Coronavirus Restrictions (Balkan Insight)
Humanitarian/Development:
• Coronavirus: Live Updates (Balkan Insight)
• HIV: prejudice that endures (Prishtina Insight)
UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, March 16
Four more affected with COVID-19, 13 patients in total (RTK)
Government new measures against coronavirus (media)
Health Minister calls on PM to declare state of emergency (media)
Kosovo govt declares state of emergency for public health (media)
Kurti to people: Once I called you to protest, now it is brave to stay home (media)
PM Kurti thanks MPs for adopting budget (Koha)
Osmani: We passed budget, avoiding govt shutdown (media)
EU Special Representative welcomes budget adoption (media)
PDK’s Krasniqi replies to Apostolova on budget (media)
Kosovo Assembly adopts resolution on dialogue (media)
Opposition leader criticizes resolution on dialogue (media)
Hoti: Tariff must be lifted fully and immediately (media)