UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, October 26, 2021

Albanian Language Media:

• Kurti meets a European Council on Foreign Relations delegation (media)
• "Preventing Kosovo boxers from competing, example of closed not open Balkans" (media)
• AAK demands parliamentary debate on gas, PDK supports it (Kallxo)
• Szunyog: Very few women were involved in the negotiating teams (media)
• Final local elections results expected to be announced on Wednesday (Koha)
• COVID-19: 20 new cases, no deaths (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Covid-19 in Serbian areas: 54 new cases, one death (KiM radio)
• Serbian List: Agreements from Brussels must be implemented (Radio KIM)
• Petkovic: Brussels dialogue hostage of Pristina’s unreadiness (Radio KIM)
• PM Brnabic thanks OSCE Sec-Gen Schmid for supporting Serbia’s reforms (N1)
• Jelena Milic on von Cramon statements, Gazivode and Valac (Kosovo-online)
• Simic recalls bans Pristina imposed on Serbian sports’ teams to enter Kosovo (Kosovo-online)

Opinion:

• Crisis, then the next crisis… but who cares about the real dialogue? (KoSSev)
• What will trigger the next Balkan conflict? (transconflict.com)

International:

• Censorship Accusation Mars Heritage Conference in Peja (Prishtina Insight)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Search for missing Bosko Mladenovic continues (Radio KIM)

• Kurti: Serbia should show strength in boxing ring not at the border (media)
• Ceku: Serbia refusing boxers entry violates international sporting rules (media)
• EU's position on Kosovo boxers not allowed entry to Serbia (Koha)
• Serbia bars Kosovo team from competing in boxing championship (BIRN)
• Albania threatens to quit boxing championship after Kosovo snub (Exit News)
• Phillips: Serbs have enough rights; Association would be too much (media)
• Court overturns ECAP's decision on repeating elections in Hani i Elezit (media)
• Kosovo university teaches Serbian again, two decades after war (BIRN)
• COVID-19: 3 new cases, one death (media)
• Kosovo tops vaccination rates in Western Balkans (Exit News)
• Calls to dismiss judge who sentenced rapist to only eight months (Koha)
• Escobar: US will support Vucic while on European path (media)

Albanian Language Media:

• Osmani: Protection and the right to life is state obligation (Ekonomia)
• Kamberi: Albanians in Presevo Valley continue to be discriminated (RFE, media)
• Lumezi pledges to strengthen rule of law and fight crime (media)
• Less: There is an ideological division in the EU regarding Kosovo (Express)
• COVID-19: 3 new cases, one death (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Covid-19: 65 new cases, one death registered in Serbian areas on Saturday (Radio kontakt plus)
• Vucic received Algerian Ambassador in farewell visit (RTS)
• The United Nations - 76 years of spreading values that have no expiration date (RTS)
• Selakovic and Schmidt: Strong partnership of Serbia and OSCE (RTS)
• Borovcanin: Kosovo boxers didn’t apply for competition, want to politicize sport (Kosovo-online, TV Pink)
• Moscow’s Kommersant: Pristina involves Russia in its conflict with Belgrade (Beta, N1)
• Selakovic: Support of Greece in preserving territorial integrity and sovereignty of Serbia very important (Kosovo-online)

International:

• “Albania is getting ready for the EU, no matter what” (politico.eu)

• Kurti: Criminal groups will not be tolerated (media)
• Kosovo expelled two Russian diplomats citing threats to national security (media)
• Russian ministry reacts to its two diplomats being expelled by Kosovo (media)
• Haradinaj: Anyone threatening national security is not desirable in Kosovo (media)
• Former minister says Russia has recognised Kosovo’s legal powers (media)
• “NATO to calibrate approaches when the Serbian army approaches Kosovo border” (RTK)
• Petkovic accuses Kurti: Actions in the north were on the verge of tragedy (EO)
• Serbian PM confirms rumors of past assassination plans against Vucic (euronews.al)
• Serbia Refuses Entry To Kosovo Boxers For World Championships (RFE)
• Secrecy shrouds Afghan refugees sent by US to base in Kosovo (AP)
• Kosovo amends anti-COVID measures, schools to resume normal work (media)
• COVID-19: 13 new cases, no deaths (media)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, October 22, 2021

Albanian Language Media:

• Osmani and Kurti: New KSF recruits will make Kosovo safer (Koha)
• Government does not close the door to UNMIK (RFE)
• Nikolla: Council of Europe will remain incomplete until it accepts Kosovo (media)
• Health ministry opens vaccination point in Pristina square (media)
• COVID-19: 16 new cases, no deaths (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Petkovic: Serbia will demand concrete actions to establish CSM at next meeting in Brussels (Kosovo-online)
• Mijacic: Community of Serbian Municipalities will nonetheless be formed (Danas)
• Members of Civic Initiative Peoples’ Unity in Klokot joined Serbian List (Radio KIM)
• Perpetrators who stoned house of Rumena Ljubic apprehended (Radio KIM)

Opinion:

• The advances civilizations of Kosovo and Serbia, explained (Kosovo 2.0)
• Price panic risks derailing Western Balkans’ energy transition (Prishtina Insight)

International:

• Kosovo Police Quiz Minors for Stoning Elderly Serb’s House (Balkan Insight)

• Kosovo-Serbia working groups meet in Brussels to discuss licence plates (media)
• EEAS Western Balkans director visits Kosovo, meets President Osmani and PM Kurti (media)
• Escobar visits Kosovo's Embassy in U.S. (media)
• ECAP cancels mayoral elections in Hani i Elezit (media)
• Abdixhiku: No vetting without U.S. and EU on board (Klan)
• March to be held in New York in support of victims of sexual violence in Kosovo (RFE)
• Kosovo Court confirms Serb ex-policeman’s war crimes conviction (BIRN)
• World Bank: Kosovo experiencing a much faster recovery than expected (Kallxo)
• World Bank revises up 2021 GDP forecast for Western Balkans to 5.9% (Reuters)
• COVID-19: 18 new cases, no deaths (media)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, October 21, 2021

Albanian Language Media:

• Mehaj: US reconfirmed support to build KSF at military level (media)
• Lajcak: I trust concrete findings will be presented in six months (media)
• “Government to focus on final agreement, no return to technical dialogue” (Lajmi)
• Haradinaj: Reforms in judiciary in partnership with US and EU (media)
• GLPS on EC report: Kosovo has not achieved desired results (Koha)
• Ex-intelligence employee arrested, suspected of leaking information (media)
• COVID-19: 18 new cases, no deaths (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• 56 new Covid-19 cases in Serbian areas in Kosovo (Radio Mitrovica sever)
• Petkovic: Von Cramon relativizes the violence against the Serbian people in the north of Kosovo (NMagazin, N1)
• “Impermissible to try Serbs in Kosovo without solid evidence” (Radio KIM,Kosovo-online, RTS)
• Von Cramon tells N1 Kosovo police operation “was necessary” (N1)
• Odalovic: Pristina has maximalist demands (Radio KIM, RTS)
• Bislimi: There will be no CSM (ZSO); Serbian List is manipulating (Kosovo Online, RTK2)
• Petkovic: Bislimi's statement that Community of Serbian Municipalities will not be formed, culmination of irresponsibility (RTS)
• Dacic: Greece is reassuring us they will not recognize Kosovo (Kosovo-online)

• Osmani: EU officials must not oppose our fight against crime (Kallxo)
• Justice Minister comments on EU remarks about the vetting (media)
• Vetting must be done, but process must be credible and independent (Telegrafi)
• Commission Report: Kosovo’s progress slow in key areas (BIRN)
• Bislimi: Next meeting of chief negotiators in second half of November (Koha)
• Von Cramon: No doubt that anti-smuggling operation was necessary (media)
• Gervalla: Berlin Process offers security; other initiatives are damaging (media)
• COVID-19: 14 new cases, no deaths (media)
• Police arrest six people suspected of money laundering (media)
• Energy company drops lawsuits against Kosovo environment activists (BIRN)
• Serbian right-wing party planning to hold rally in north of Kosovo (RFE)
• Kamberi: Vucic’s regime remains factor of instability in Western Balkans (media)

Albanian Language Media:

• Kurti: No individual or group will be more powerful than the state (media)
• U.S. and EU support Kosovo’s commitment to fight corruption (RTK)
• Enlargement Package 2021 delivered to Konjufca (RTK)
• Stano speaks about meeting tomorrow between technical teams of Kosovo and Serbia (RFE Albanian)
• Rohde: Germany is Kosovo’s steadfast partner (media)
• Public debt increases to 1.5 billion euros during the COVID-19 pandemic (media)
• COVID-19: 14 new cases, no deaths (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Borrell and Blinken called for a "sustainable reduction of tensions" in Kosovo (Tanjug, Kosovo Online)
• Stano: The Working Group goal is to find a permanent solution for license plates (Tanjug, Kosovo Online)
• Petkovic: Tomorrow in Brussels on freedom of movement and license plates (Tanjug, Kosovo Online)
• Bilcik: Western Balkans should focus on reforms (N1)
• Elections should have been postponed until demilitarization is carried out, security marketing is dangerous (KoSSev)
• Serbian List: Winning the local elections was not very pleasant for those who worked against the interests of our people (Radio Mitrovica sever)
• Momcilo Trajkovic: Ever since I wrote an open letter to Vucic, I have been "on measures" (N1, KoSSev)

Opinion:

• America’s new instrument in the Balkans (Euractive)

International:

• Kremlin says Putin-Biden meeting this year is possible (Reuters)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Kosovo* Supreme Court: Kelag’s three small hydropower plants must be shut down (balkangreenenergynews.com)

• European Commission presents report on Kosovo (media)
• Kurti: Our government has made progress during six months (media)
• Osmani: European Union membership is Kosovo's priority (media)
• Szunyog: Past agreements with Serbia need to be implemented (media)
• Citaku criticises EC report, calls on Government to insist on U.S. inclusion in dialogue (Koha)
• Kurti: No meeting with Serbian president expected this month (Koha/Kallxo)
• Licence plates: Technical groups of Kosovo and Serbia to meet Thursday (T7/RTK)
• Albania, North Macedonia Ready for EU Accession Talks: European Commission (BIRN)
• European Commission Raps Serbia’s ‘Weak’ War Crimes Case Record (BIRN)
• Israel interested in twinning municipalities with Kosovo (media)
• COVID-19: 17 new cases, one death (media)