UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, June 25
• Thaci, Veseli and others accused of war crimes by Specialist Prosecutor (media)
• Thaci cancels trip to Washington amid filing of war crimes charges (media)
• Hoti cancels Washtington trip (media)
• Veseli calls indictment against him ‘political’ and ‘groundless’ (media)
• Hoti: No one can be considered guilty without final decision of the court (media)
• Osmani calls for maturity and unity (media)
• Kurti: Indictment, new consequence of older mistakes (media)
• Mustafa: Hoti to decide himself if he will go to Washington (media)
• Haziri: There will be no White House meeting (Syri TV/Telegrafi)
• Collaku: Disgusting to try freedom fighters in the name of justice (media)
• Limaj: KLA fighters being politically persecuted (media)
• Konjufca: Dialogue to stop until Specialist Chamber completes its work (Koha)
• Ahmeti: Events ahead of White House meeting have no good intentions (media)
• EU does not comment on indictment against Thaci and Veseli (Koha)
• State Department: Indictment, step forward in justice and reconciliation process (VOA)
• Former SITP prosecutor comments on indictment against Thaci (media)
• Rama on indictment: Cannot find words to express indignation (RTK)
• Op-ed: A planned Kosovo-Serbia meeting at the White House is falling apart. It was always a bad idea. (WaPo)
• Weber: Specialist Prosecutor feared Thaci plans to negotiate amnesty (RFE)
• Serwer: Kosovo is in trouble (Peacefare.net/Koha)
• Op-ed: Anatomy of a Kosovo Summit Catastrophe (Foreign Policy)
• 95 new coronavirus cases in last 24 hours (media)
Belgrade Media Report 24 June 2020
United Nations Office in Belgrade
Daily Media Highlights
Wednesday 24 June 2020
LOCAL PRESS
Vucic attends Military Parade in Moscow (RTS/Tanjug)
Vucic after meeting Putin: “We discussed issues I cannot talk about in public” (B92)
Vucic with Putin on Kosovo and Metohija: Russia respects Serbia’s stands (RTS/Tanjug)
Brnabic: Serbia appreciates EU’s efforts to resolve Kosovo issue (Tanjug)
Godfrey: US is offering Belgrade and Pristina a chance (Danas)
Serbian opposition agrees – parliament illegitimate (Beta)
Another 143 cases (RTS)
REGIONAL PRESS
Bosnia & Herzegovina
Sattler meets B&H parliament Commission for EU Integration (FTV)
Oslobodjenje interview with B&H Presidency member Komsic (Oslobodjenje)
Dodik arrives in Moscow for Victory Day parade (RTRS)
RS Crisis HQ extends protection measures by 6 July (BHT1)
B&H records 88 new Covid-19 patients, no new fatalities (N1)
Croatia
Plenkovic: 5 July remains election date (Hina)
War, missing, Croatian minority’s status remain in focus of Serbia-Croatia relations (Hina)
Bozinovic: Border regime with B&H and Serbia likely to be changed (Hina)
Croatia reports 22 new Covid-19 cases, a total of 2,388 (N1)
Montenegro
Tensions in Budva continue: Police stand guard in front of the Municipal building (CDM/RTV Budva)
Nuhodzic: Montenegrin institutions will act decisively and strongly to prevent violence (CDM)
Markovic: Montenegro has proven to be the most promising and closest to EU membership (CDM)
Institute for Public Health confirms five new coronavirus cases (CDM)
Republic of North Macedonia
Dimitrov: Let’s give Berlin a good argument to help us (MIA)
Roth: W. Balkans to remain an important issue during Germany’s EU presidency (MIA)
Borders to reopen Friday, airports to start operating as of 1 July (MIA)
PM: Opening of borders not a political decision, based on Commission’s opinion (MIA)
North Macedonia reports 136 new Covid-19 cases, 43 patients recover, 8 die (MIA)
Albania
Bushati urges Presevo Valley to unite for national identity (ADN)
Rama: Albania doesn’t have to meet 15 conditions (ADN)
Calavera: There are not 15 conditions to open the first round of talks, they must be met in the future after the opening of talks (Radio Tirana)
Rama in his capacity as OSCE Chairperson-in-Office addressed the 2020 Annual Security Conference (Radio Tirana)
Albania ends state of emergency but some restrictions remain (ADN)
Covid-19 Safety protocol for public transport published (ADN)
In Albania 67 new Covid-19 cases (Tirana Times)
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES
Meeting with President of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic (The Kremlin)
Read More →UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, June 24, 2020
UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, June 24, 2020
Albanian Language Media:
• Osmani: EU has not delivered on visa liberalisation promise (KP/Koha)
• PDK submits request for creation of committee on privatisation (Klan)
• Zemaj: We are trying to pursue mass testing for Covid-19 (Klan)
• 85 coronavirus patients receiving treatment at Infectious Clinic in Pristina (media)
Serbian Language Media:
• Serbia’s army among participants, Vucic among guests at Moscow parade (Beta, FoNet, N1)
• Vucic: I spoke with Macron, I expect swift continuation of Brussels dialogue (Tanjug)
• NGO: Concern over increase in incidents in Serb communities in Kosovo (Kontakt plus radio, KIM radio)
• Gracanica: First case of coronavirus infection recorded- unofficial (RTK2)
• Godfrey: America offers Serbia and Kosovo a chance (Danas)
• Grenell denies NYT report Trump will meet Vucic on June 27 (FoNet, N1)
• Vucic after meeting Putin: “We discussed issues I cannot talk about in public” (B92)
• Priluzje residents: Four people dead after ‘consuming suspicious brandy’; KP and Prosecution: Waiting for autopsy results (KoSSev)
• Lajcak: Belgrade-Pristina talks in July, EU insists on implementation of deals (N1, FoNet)
• Detention of Marko Rosic extended for two more months (Kosovo-online)
International:
• Serbia, Kosovo Leaders Expected in Brussels before Washington Meeting (Balkan Insight)
• Kosovo talks to focus on economy, less likely to affect US military role (Stars and Stripes)
Humanitarian/Development:
• Western Balkans coal power plants are still breaching pollution limits (emerging-europe.com)
• Vucic: Claims on reduced number of dead and infected in Serbia hypocritical (BETA, N1)
• Serbian anti-Covid-19 Crisis Team: Face masks mandatory in public transport (N1)
• OpisMEDIJavanje: Public service broadcasters should reflect pluralism of society (KoSSev)
UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, June 24
• 52 new cases of coronavirus in last 24 hours (media)
• Another patient succumbs to COVID – 19 (media)
• Air transport in Kosovo to resume on June 28 (media)
• Thaci: No land swap discussions in Washington (media)
• Hoti: Visits to Brussels doesn’t substitute meeting in Washington (media)
• Veseli: Kosovo’s negotiating position is very weak (Telegrafi)
• EU confirms continuation of Kosovo – Serbia dialogue in July (Lajmi)
• Stoltenberg: No one can dictate a solution for Kosovo and Serbia (Koha)
• Assembly fails to endorse international financial agreements (media)
• Internationals want Serbs to try Serb cases in Kosovo (Koha)
• U.S. Embassy calls on government to appoint experienced professionals (media)
• Vucic: We talked about things you cannot discuss publicly (media)
• Kosovo government declares Hezbollah a terrorist organisation (media)
Belgrade Media Report 23 June
LOCAL PRESS
Vucic: We are dealing with painful issues, compromise is not easy for Serbia (Tanjug/B92)
EC: Belgrade and Pristina teams in Brussels on 25 June in separate meetings (N1)
RIK: 70.57 votes processed, SNS is the absolute winner – turnout higher than 50 percent (B92)
Djuric: Voter turnout in Kosovo and Metohija 60 percent, SNS wins nearly 86 percent (RTS)
OSCE: Election in Serbia marked by political polarization and opposition boycott (Beta)
Tiodorovic: No rationale for reintroducing state of emergency (TV Prva/Beta)
Another 102 cases (RTS)
REGIONAL PRESS
Bosnia & Herzegovina
Avaz interview with Serbian President Vucic (Dnevni avaz)
RS officials congratulate Vucic on election victory (ATV)
HDZ B&H Presidency holds session (Hayat)
SNSD will not support solution for Mostar elections agreed by SDA and HDZ B&H (FTV)
NS President Kojovic slams SDA-HDZ B&H agreement on Mostar (Dnevni list)
SC and TC most affected by Coronavirus in FB&H (N1)
RS Minister of Health Seranic: Increasing number of infections in significant number of municipalities in the RS is concerning (ATV)
Another 53 coronavirus cases reported in B&H (N1)
Croatia
Milanovic on official visit to Montenegro (HRT)
Croatian President cancels visit to Russia (Hina)
Milanovic: I don’t see any legal basis to postpone election (Hina)
In Croatia 30 new Covid-19 cases today (N1)
Montenegro
Milanovic to Djukanovic: Montenegro will be the next EU member; Kosovo issue must be resolved (CDM)
Djukanovic: I am dispelling nationalists’ illusion about Greater Serbia (CDM)
Democrat deputies entered the Municipal Assembly of Budva (RTCG)
Amfilohije invited for an informative talk (RTCG)
Montenegro records 51 Covid-19 infections (CDM)
Republic of North Macedonia
PM Spasovski congratulates Serbia’s Vucic and SNS on election victory (MIA)
Nikoloski rejects DUI demand that the next Prime Minister is an ethnic Albanian (Republika)
Traveling without coronavirus test, quarantine for Macedonians only possible in Serbia, Albania, and Kosovo (MIA)
EC: Decision on opening of borders with Western Balkans in hands of member-states (MIA)
SEC inspects polling stations for safety and health protocols (MIA)
In North Macedonia 118 new cases of Covid-19, 74 patients have recovered, 4 people have died (Libertas)
Albania
EP special session for Albania: No opening of negotiations without fulfilling 15 conditions (ADN)
President Meta meets chief negotiator with EU Mazi (Radio Tirana)
Details of the agreement of the Political Councils will be closed within this week (Radio Tirana)
In Albania 53 new Covid-19 cases (Tirana Times/Radio Tirana)
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES
Grenell: Economy ‘First Step’ to Serbia-Kosovo Peace (NewsMax)
Serbia: Joint Statement by High Representative/ Vice-President Josep Borrell and Neighbourhood and Enlargement Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi on the elections (European External Action Service)
Fajon and Bilcik: The dramatic change in the new parliament will present a challenge for the future Serbian government (EWB)
UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, June 23, 2020
Albanian Language Media:
• Grenell: We will try to build an economic zone between Kosovo and Serbia (media)
• Hoti meets Thaci prior to his travelling to Brussels (media)
• EU borders may remain closed for Western Balkans (media)
• Osmani requests voting of international agreements (media)
• Assembly has no quorum to vote on the million-dollar agreements (media)
Serbian Language Media:
• Vucic and Hoti at the end of the week in Brussels, but not about the dialogue (RTS)
• Vucic: We are dealing with painful issues, compromise is not easy for Serbia (Tanjug, B92)
• New round of Belgrade – Pristina dialogue on June 25 in Brussels (N1)
• Djuric: SNS in Kosovo won 86 percent of votes (KoSSev)
• Returnee family robbed in the village of Veliko Krusevo (Kosovo Online)
• MEPs: Mocking of democracy in Serbia, stop opening negotiating chapters (N1, EWB)
Opinion:
• Aleksandar Vucic, Serbia’s stabilocrat (DW)
• Serbia’s Strongman Wins Big in Election Boycotted by the Opposition (The New York Times)
• Serwer: Vucic’s victory convincing but stained (VoA, N1)
International:
• Serbia’s Vucic To Discuss Kosovo With Putin In Moscow On Wednesday – Ambassador (urdupoint.com)
Humanitarian/Development:
• Number of COVID-19 hospitalisations peaks (Prishtina Insight)
• Serbia’s anti-COVID-19 Crisis Team: Face masks mandatory in public transport (N1)
• OpisMEDIJavanje: Sometimes a politician’s refusal to answer a question will be the answer (KoSSev)
• Serbia Under-Reported COVID-19 Deaths and Infections, Data Shows (Balkan Insight)
• SO2 emissions in Western Balkans coal plants six times above limit in 2019 (balkanenergynews.com)
UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, June 23
• Covid-19: 47 cases reported over last 24 hours (media)
• Kosovo, Serbia leaders to meet in Brussels on Thursday (media)
• Hoti reveals details of upcoming trip to Brussels (media)
• Thaci: Washington meeting will be very difficult (RTK/Telegrafi)
• Borrell insists only “structured dialogue” is led by EU (Zeri)
• Lajcak in Belgrade: Dialogue to continue without delay (RFE)
• U.S. Ambassador Kosnett’s interview to Klan Kosova
• Haradinaj: Three key principles in dialogue with Serbia (media)
• VV MP: Thaci has violated Constitution, Hoti unprepared for dialogue (Klan)
• “Thaci’s another term in office believed to be damaging” (Koha)
Belgrade Media Report 22 Jun
LOCAL PRESS
RIK: 62.73 percent of the electorate processed, 3 lists passed the threshold (Tanjug/B92/RTS)
Votes from Kosovo and Metohija delivered to Vranje (RTS)
Ipsos, CeSID: 93.2% of the votes processed: A convincing victory of SNS (B92)
Vucic declares victory; “More than two million votes” (B92)
Dacic: Absolute winner are SNS and Vucic; we are vice champions (Nova)
Sapic: We have made an extraordinary result (RTS)
Pastor: Historical success (RTS)
Reactions of heads of election lists to election results (RTS)
Djilas: Boycott successful, government won’t have legitimacy (Beta)
Jovanovic: Mass boycott in Belgrade, turnout some 35 pct (N1)
Cajetina municipality remains opposition-held after Sunday’s vote (Beta)
Elections in Belgrade: Changes in several municipalities (Novosti/B92)
Gratitude to Mexico for its principled position on Kosovo issue (Tanjug)
Another 96 cases (RTS)
REGIONAL PRESS
Bosnia & Herzegovina
Dodik and Cubrilovic say strong Serbia is guarantee of existence and survival of RS (ATV)
Izetbegovic: Elections will take place in autumn (Glas Srpske)
Prutina’s statement regarding possible further postponement of elections sparks reactions of RS officials (ATV)
B&H politicians comment on SDA-HDZ B&H agreement regarding Mostar (Nezavisne novine)
Radoncic: Neither Izetbegovic nor Covic should take agreement on Mostar as personal success (Face TV)
Dodik: Serbia has clear approach to Kosovo issue and UN Resolution 1244 will be rehabilitated (ATV)
Cvijanovic: Lavrov knows situation very well and we are grateful to Russia which is dedicated to DPA (Glas Srpske)
Salkic: None will be able to erase Bosniaks in the RS and Serb representatives should understand this (Fena)
Bijeljina City Assembly: SNSD takes over posts, SDS loses power after 30 years (FTV)
Radoncic: We expect from IC to put pressure on Dodik and Covic so that issue of illegal migrants is no longer issue for Bosniaks solely (Face TV)
Sattler: Burden of migrant crisis should be borne by all in B&H (Hayat)
PCR tests done in B&H not recognized in the EU (BHT1)
Turkovic: B&H CoM to discuss travel restrictions for neighboring countries in July, Slovenia’s restrictions for B&H citizens are confusing (Glas Srpske)
B&H sees surge in new coronavirus infections, with 93 cases recorded in a day (N1)
Croatia
Croatia tightens border controls with B&H and Serbia (Hina/Jutarnji list)
Bozinovic: Most of new cases of Coronavirus were imported (HRT1)
Croatian President begins two-week foreign tour on Monday (Hina)
Croatia reports 19 new Covid-19 cases, a total of 2,336 (N1)
Montenegro
Djukanovic: There’s no compromise with nationalists (CDM)
Parliamentary and local elections scheduled for 30 August, decided Djukanovic (CDM)
Coronavirus in Montenegro on the rise (CDM)
Erakovic: The situation will get worse if we don’t accept the fact that the virus is there (CDM)
Republic of North Macedonia
State of emergency expires in North Macedonia, election campaign to be launched Wednesday (MIA)
Zaev: DUI going into opposition after 17 years is healthy for country (MIA)
In North Macedonia 90 new cases of Covid-19, 48 recovered, 9 people died (Libertas)
Albania
Tirana International Airport resumes all flights; sea borders also reopen (Tirana Times)
Montenegro is closing its land border with Albania due to the upward trend of infected (Radio Tirana)
In Albania 33 new COVID-19 cases (Tirana Times)
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES
Serbia holds parliamentary elections amidst COVID-19 risk (Xinhua)
Read More →UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, June 22, 2020
Albanian Language Media:
• Presidents Thaci, Vucic to lead delegations in Washington (Indeksonline)
• Collaku: Economy and other issues that may arise to be discussed at White House (RFE)
• Hoti’s cabinet: Mainly economic issues to be discussed in Washington (Klan)
• Kosovo-Serbia final agreement to go through four stops (Klan Kosova)
• Competition between EU and U.S. on Kosovo-Serbia agreement (Koha)
• Weber: Kosovo and Serbia could get closer to final agreement by end of year (media)
• Serbian man sentenced to 22 years in prison for war crimes (media)
• One more coronavirus-related death reported in Kosovo (media)
• Ministry of Health denies contact tracing will not be pursued anymore (media)
Serbian Language Media:
• Kommersant: Vucic now must make a choice (Danas)
• New REC data: 62.73 percent of electorate processed, 3 lists passed threshold (B92)
• Vucic’s SNS scores landslide victory in Serbia’s general elections (media)
• What kind of proposal does Lajcak bring to Belgrade today? (B92, Tanjug)
• President Vucic: Let’s not be arrogant in forming government; experts say turnout 49 pct (N1)
• OSCE: Final turnout in Kosovo was 55.178, respectively 57.88 percent of registered voters (Kosovo-online)
• SzS: Fake elections have not succeeded, boycott did, turnout less than 50 percent (N1, BETA, FoNet)
• Director of Factor Plus: Turnout expected, boycott failed (Prva TV, B92)
• Varhelyi: “Important day for Serbia” (RTS, B92)
• N. Macedonian President: Kosovo issue could lead to domino effect (RFE, N1, FoNet)
• Newsmax TV founder: Trump is man who can bring peace to Balkans (Newsmax, N1)
Opinion:
• Serbia elections: Who’s left besides Vucic? (DW)
• Wanted: EU-US cooperation on Kosovo (EUobserver)
• ”Trump and the Kremlin know very well who they are dealing with” (KoSSev)
• Kosovar politics needs rebellious women (Prishtina Insight)
International:
• Serbia President’s Party Scores Landslide in Election Boycotted by Opposition (Balkan insight)
• Ruling Conservatives Set to Win Serbian Parliamentary Vote (VoA)
• Serbian parliament left without clear opposition as the ruling party wins partially boycotted elections (EWB)
Humanitarian/Development:
• BIRN Videos Tell Emotional Stories of Missing Fathers (Balkan Insight)
• 22 years since kidnapping of Belacevac miners (TV Most)
UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, June 22
• 96 new cases of coronavirus in last 24 hours in Kosovo (media)
• Hoti to report to MPs on Washington visit and reciprocity on Tuesday (media)
• Several senior LDK members voted against Osmani’s dismissal (Koha)
• Kurti: Allowing Serbian elections, cancelling local ones, unacceptable (media)
• Braathu: Only ballot collection for Serbian elections conducted in Kosovo (Klan)
• Serbia President’s Party Scores Landslide in Election Boycotted by Opposition (BIRN)
• Veseli: Kosovo Army, best argument for those that deny success (media)
• North Macedonia President: Kosovo-Serbia deal would help the region (media)
• Pushing for Serbia-Kosovo Peace Deal, U.S. Roils Allies (NYT)
UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, June 20
• 82 new cases of coronavirus in last 24 hours in Kosovo (media)
• Minister of Health implies mass testing for COVID – 19 (media)
• Hoti: We allowed Serbian elections, according to earlier practices (Koha)
• LDK, partners to enable Thaci to get another term in office (Kosovapress)
• Pacolli, Von Cramon, Grenell tweet over visa liberalisation for Kosovo (media)
• Lama, Biserko say land swap idea came from Serbia (media)
UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, June 19, 2020
UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, June 19, 2020
Albanian Language Media:
• Kosovo PM Hoti: Thaci knows I will lead the dialogue (Gazeta Express)
• Grenell: Land swap was Bolton’s idea, not Trump’s (Fox News, RTK)
• Von Cramon hopes visa liberalization for Kosovo during Germany’s presidency (Klan)
• Pompeo congratulates Hoti for peaceful government formation (media)
• Osmani demands visa liberalization from the EU (media)
• Number of hospitalized with COVID-19 increases, 65 today (Koha)
Serbian Language Media:
• Vucic: Talks on Kosovo as “chess game”, we are ready for compromise (RTV)
• “Without rule of law, any agreement is dead letter on paper” (Radio KIM)
• Dacic thanks Lavrov for Russia’s support on Kosovo issue (N1)
• European Parliament to debate report on Western Balkans (N1)
• Lajcak to visit Belgrade on June 22 and 23 (FoNet)
• REC adopted election instruction for Sunday elections in KiM (TV Most)
• OSCE will implement practice established and applied in past during these elections (RTK2)
• US Embassy in Pristina: We will not observe elections on Sunday (Kosovo-online, RTV KIM)
• “If exchanging territories is the way…” (Kosovo-online, B92)
• Vucic urged citizens to vote on Sunday’s elections (B92)
• Pre-election silence in Serbia starts at midnight until Sunday evening (N1, FoNet)
Opinion:
• Race for Serbia-Kosovo Deal Betrays America’s Best Principles (Balkan Insight)
• Five mounting challenges for China in the Western Balkans (ECFR)
International:
• Moscow’s Approval Necessary For Any Deal Between Serbia, Kosovo, Lavrov Says (RFE)
• Serbia ready to sacrifice EU membership over Kosovo deal (Reuters)
Humanitarian/Development:
• Balkan Countries Relax Guard Despite COVID-19’s Second Wave (Balkan Insight)
• Media Literacy Project: Beware of hybrid objective journalism (KoSSev)
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