Belgrade Media Report 22 May 2020
United Nations Office in Belgrade
Daily Media Highlights
Friday 22 May 2020
LOCAL PRESS
Vucic: If the offer is what I assume, the answer will be ‘no’ (RTS/Tanjug/Beta)
Vucic meets Quint Ambassadors (RTS/Tanjug/Beta)
Dacic: Serbia cannot pretend to be blind to the problems of Serbs in Montenegro (TV Studio B/Beta)
Rosocha: Slovakia adheres to the principled stance of not recognizing Kosovo’s independence (Beta)
Godfrey: I hope those responsible for murder of Bytyqi brothers will be brought to justice (FoNet/NSPM)
Djuric: Clash of great powers regarding Albanian leaders in Pristina (TV Happy/Tanjug/RTV)
Biscevic: Stable Serbia in Croatia’s interest (N1)
Entry into Serbia without coronavirus test and commission permission (Tanjug)
No deaths over past 24 hours (RTS)
REGIONAL PRESS
Bosnia & Herzegovina
B&H CoM fails to adopt decision on distribution of 330 million Euros provided by IMF (N1)
Softic: We cannot launch distribution of IMF funds without decision of B&H CoM; IMF: No deadline for distribution of funds and no mechanism exists for funds to be returned (BHT1)
Covic: It is shame B&H is incapable to distribute IMF funds, SDA and HDZ B&H are no longer coalition partners (O kanal)
HDZ B&H: Illegal B&H CEC is an obstacle to election activities (Vecernji list)
Funds needed for preparation for local election not secured for B&H CEC (BHT1)
Ambassador: Russia advocates for abolition of High Representative in B&H (Srna/Russian Gazette)
RS parliament adopts decision to abolish state of emergency (RTRS)
Mandatory 14-day isolation upon entering B&H territory abolished (BHT1)
B&H records 21 new Covid-19 infections for a total of 2,372 cases (N1)
Croatia
Croatia, Slovenia to initial agreement simplifying border-crossing procedure (Hina)
Easing of border restrictions sees 132K foreigners arrive to Croatia (Hina)
Croatia supports Merkel-Macron rescue plan (Hina/Jutarnji list)
Six newly infected in Croatia, a total of 2243, two people died (N1)
Montenegro
Markovic: Those who were against independence are now attacking Montenegro’s sovereignty (CDM)
Boskovic: Attacks on Montenegrin independence are doomed to fail (CDM)
Darmanovic: We won’t allow Serbia to meddle in Montenegro’s internal affairs (Pobjeda)
Serbian national positive for coronavirus transported to Serbia (CDM)
Republic of North Macedonia
Electoral Commission President says that he is under over political pressure as SDSM insists on having elections in June (Republika/Telma TV)
Pendarovski, Kurti discuss pandemic, cooperation in phone call (MIA)
Number of infections in Skopje and Tetovo on the rise (MIA)
COVID-19: 23 new cases in North Macedonia, 9 patients recover, 1 dies (MIA)
Albania
President Meta proposes a “peace” plan (Tirana Times)
Albania to open borders within May (Tirana Times)
Vice Minister and family banned from entering US (ADN)
In Albania 12 new COVID-19 cases (Tirana Times)
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES
Picula: I call for a constructive dialogue in Montenegro (EWB)
Read More →UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, May 22, 2020
UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, May 22, 2020
Albanian Language Media:
• Haxhiu concerned over Constitutional Court’s leaks of possible ruling (media)
• Abazi: No underground scenario can prevent LVV’s governance (Kosovapress)
• Kosnett, Osmani discuss pandemic and political developments (media)
• Grenell’s office denies September is deadline for agreement (Express/RTK)
Serbian Language Media:
• Vucic: The “big ones” do not care about the opinion of Serbs and Albanians on resolving the Kosovo issue (Beta, N1)
• No new Covid-19 infection cases in Serb areas, one person cured (Kosovo-online)
• Vucic and Quint ambassador discuss Belgrade-Pristina dialogue, situation in region (FoNet, N1)
• Thaci says no land swap with Belgrade, dreams about parts of Serbia in Kosovo (N1, KoSSev)
• Djuric: Thaci once again reminds world about true face of his politics (Kosovo-online)
• There is no consensus on Kosovo’s NATO membership (AlJazeera, Tanjug, Kosovo Online)
• Member of Project Evaluation Commission of Office for Communities resigns (Kosovo-online)
International:
• Balkans Not Ready to Declare Victory Over COVID-19 (Balkan Insight)
• Week in Review: Times Too Interesting (Balkan Insight)
Humanitarian/Development:
• CoE Development Bank chief says Serbia doing well in pandemic (N1, Radio Free Europe)
• Number of people who can gather in public places in Serbia changed (B92)
UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, May 22
• One new case of coronavirus in last 24 hours (media)
• President Hashim Thaci’s interview to Klan Kosova
• Abazi: Prosecution to interview Thaci regarding his statements (Klan Kosova)
• “Seven Constitutional Court judges on Thaci’s side” (Koha)
• LDK’s Gashi: Kosovo to have new government next week (media)
• Haxhiu reacts to Gashi: Tendency to interfere in Court’s work (media)
• Haradinaj: U.S. not EU to lead Kosovo-Serbia dialogue (Koha)
• Pacolli’s advisor: We’ve yet to decide on new government vote (media)
• Bislimi: Serbia failed to reflect, reciprocity measures to be stepped up (Kallxo)
• Hoti: MPs to have lot of work on economic revival measures (media)
• Kurti, Pendarovski discuss cooperation and Covid-19 (media)
• Ahmeti: Measures against COVID – 19 must be reviewed (media)