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)