Belgrade Media Report 16 February
LOCAL PRESS
Serbia inspired by spirit of Sretenje an example to many around the world (Politika/Novosti/Tanjug)
Blinken to Vucic: Reaching a comprehensive agreement centered on mutual recognition will require flexibility and a willingness on all sides to compromise (Tanjug)
Macron to Vucic: I remain determined to support efforts related to the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina aimed at reaching a comprehensive and final agreement (FoNet/RTS)
Falconi: Without the “game of alliances” for solution of Kosovo and Metohija (Tanjug/RTV)
Vucic receives Borisov (Tanjug/RTS)
Vucic congratulates Serb List on winning all ten mandates (Tanjug/TV Pink)
Petkovic: Victory of Serb List is guarantee of survival of Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija (Tanjug/RTV)
Dacic: No Pristina government is pleasing to Serb people (TV Pink/Beta)
Twenty years since terrorist attack on Nis Ekspres bus near Podujevo (RTS/Tanjug)
Reljic: Truth about massacre will not be announced (Danas)
Dacic: Some parties don’t want foreigners in the inter-party dialogue (Politika/Beta)
Part of Serbia’s opposition presents joint platform for election dialogue (FoNet)
Serbs ‘exterminated’ from B&H judiciary! (Novosti)
REGIONAL PRESS
Bosnia & Herzegovina
Kordic elected new Mayor of Mostar, Maric elected President of Mostar City Council (BHT1)
Sattler, Inzko congratulate election of Mostar Mayor, call for constructive work to benefit all Mostar citizens (Oslobodjenje)
Inzko confirms OHR is analyzing proposal for Mostar to have rotating Mayor (O kanal)
Covic sends letter to EUD, OSCE, OHR, US Embassy: Proposal on method of rotation of Mayor of Mostar is unacceptable (Nova BH)
Raguz sends letter to international institutions in B&H agreeing with Covic that rotation model for Mostar Mayor is unacceptable (Hayat)
Maric uses his first public address as President of Mostar City Council to put blame on BH Bloc and OHR for election of Mostar Mayor: OHR was again on the side of HNS or HDZ B&H (O kanal)
Dreznjak: BH Bloc betrayed interests of Mostar and its citizens; We could have had 18 votes for election of Guzin (Hayat)
Dodik: Together with its coalition partners, SNSD is ready for repeated elections in Doboj and Srebrenica (ATV)
SDS and PDP set to sign agreement on joint candidate for Doboj Mayor on Tuesday (BN TV)
Parties gathered around Initiative ‘My Address: Srebrenica’ unanimously decide to boycott repeated elections in Srebrenica on February 21 (Hayat/BHT1)
Offensive of foreigners on Election Law (Glas Srpske)
Botsan-Kharchenko, US Embassy and UK Embassy comment on appointment of new High Representative, other comments (BHT1)
Petritsch says if Schmidt were to be appointed without Russia’s consent, it would decrease HR’s legitimacy (Dnevni list)
Dodik says RS expects US and EU to continue towards common goal, building unitary and centralized B&H (ATV)
Croatia
Politician sues Croatia at ECHR over former president Tudjman’s documents (Hina)
Montenegro
Knezevic: Meeting between the Foreign Affairs Minister and Kosovo Ambassador to Montenegro is treason (CdM)
Djukanovic will commit to implementation of agreement (CdM/Vijesti)
Republic of North Macedonia
Zaev: Debate is over, census will be conducted 1 -21 April (Republika)
Zaev announced an agreement with Bulgaria (Republika)
Zaharieva: Let Macedonia be friends with Serbia, but let them be friends with us as well (Republika/24 casa)
Albanian opposition parties accuse Zaev of allowing spread of Serbian influence in Macedonia (Republika)
Albania
Meta: Congratulations to Kosovo for excellent example of trust in free voting (ADN)
Socialists wish success to LVV for winning elections in Kosovo (ADN)
CAA praises election process in Kosovo (ADN)
Basha: We will start accession talks with EU within 6 months after being elected (Tirana Times)
UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, February 16, 2021
Albanian Language Media:
• COVID-19: 249 new cases, three deaths (media)
• Kosnett meets Kurti and Osmani (media)
• Former KLA leaders face the Special Court (media)
• DiA: February 14 elections in line with democratic standards (Koha)
• KSF in a six-month peacekeeping mission in Kuwait (Express)
• Italian President congratulates Kosovo on 13th anniversary of independence (media)
• Italian Ambassador congratulates LVV (media)
Serbian Language Media:
• 28 newly infected in Serbian areas in Kosovo (KoSSev)
• UNS: Detention of RTS crew at Jarinje a blow to the freedom of press (Kontakt plus radio, Kosovo Online, RTS)
• Office for KiM: It is inadmissible to prevent journalists to report (Danas)
• Office for KiM: 20 long years there is no justice for the crime in Livadice (Kosovo Online)
• Dacic: No government in Pristina is to the liking of the Serbian people, but Serbs should be in institutions (Kontakt plus radio, TV Pink)
• RTK: Leaders of Bosniak parties on Adrijana Hodzic’s victory, she unavailable for comment (KoSSev)
• Fila: Campaign against Special Court empty story, the West decides, not Albanians (Kosovo Online)
• McCarthy: Not only Serbia to blame for the increasingly difficult accession to the EU, but also Brussels and the United States (Danas, VoA)
• Bilcik: Vote on Serbia report next week (N1)
Opinion:
• Kosovo’s next foreign policy: A wish list (Prishtina Insight)
International:
• Will Biden bring changes to the Western Balkans? (EWB)
• Facebook, Twitter Struggling in Fight against Balkan Content Violations (Balkan Insight)
UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, February 16, 2021
• COVID-19: 219 new cases, two deaths (media)
• CEC updates election results: LVV leads with 47.85 (media)
• Albin Kurti gives interviews to AP, AFP (media)
• Citizens of Kosovo congratulated for holding orderly elections (media)
• Blinken: Kosovo-Serbia agreement requires readiness for compromise (RFE)
• Haxhiu: Dialogue with Serbia not a priority for LVV (Koha)
• Haziri congratulates LVV, Osmani, vows LDK’s comeback (Koha)
• Gervalla insists they will have votes to elect new president of Kosovo (Klan)
• “AKR will never contribute to institutional blockade” (Kallxo)
• Ahmeti: Power for LVV came at the worst possible time (media)
• Prelec: Kurti’s victory leaves aside dialogue with Serbia (RFE)
• Kosovo’s leftwing party polls record score in elections (FT)
• Kosovo could try to move war crimes court to Pristina, judge warns (euronews)
UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, February 15, 2021
UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, February 15, 2021
Albanian Language Media:
• COVID-19: 178 new cases, one death (media)
• With 99% of votes counted, LVV stands at 47.88 (media)
• LDK leader Isa Mustafa resigns post (media)
• EU issues statement on the early legislative elections in Kosovo (media)
• Lajcak: I am looking forward to working with new government of Kosovo (media)
• Pacolli: Important to accept election result (media)
• Limaj congratulates Vetevendosje on election result (Klan)
• LDK’s Quni congratulates LVV on its victory (media)
• Albanian president, prime minister congratulate Kosovo on democratic elections (media)
• Presevo Valley’s Mustafa congratulates Kosovo on free and fair elections (RTK)
• Spahiu: Expected election outcome (Klan)
• ECAP has yet to receive any complaint over election process (Kallxo)
Serbian Language Media:
• In Serbian communities in Kosovo, 41 new cases of coronavirus, one deceased (Kontakt plus radio)
• EU: New authorities of Pristina to continue dialogue with Belgrade (Tanjug, B92, RTV Puls)
• Lajcak: I look forward to cooperation with incoming government in continuing Brussels dialogue (Kosovo-online)
• Vakat coalition gets a large number of votes (RTK2)
• Simic: 95 percent of votes for Serbian List (Tanjug, RTV Puls)
• Reactions after the election (KiM radio)
• Selakovic: We do not agree that the recognition of Kosovo is the only choice (RTV Puls, Vecernje Novosti, Tanjug)
• Blinken congratulates Serbian Statehood Day: ”Comprehensive agreement aimed at mutual recognition, with compromise on both sides” (Kosovo Online)
• Statehood Day marked in Serbia (N1)
• Bishop Grigorije: I will never be a politician, but will always speak the truth (N1, DW, KoSSev)
• Dusan Janjic: Verdict of Zoran Djokic must be discussed in Brussels (N1)
• Lawyer Pantovic in open letter to Haradinaj-Stublla: You violated the presumption of innocence (KoSSev)
• Russian Deputy PM Borisov visits Belgrade (N1)
• Emini: Vote for LVV is punishment for old ruling elite for how they governed Kosovo (KoSSev)
Opinion:
• The end of an inglorious era (Prishtina Insight)
International:
• Ex-Kosovo PM Stages Comeback That May Hurt Serbia Ties More (Bloomberg)
• Serbia Donates Thousands Of Doses Of COVID-19 Vaccine To North Macedonia (RFE)
Humanitarian/Development:
• New doses of Pfizer’s vaccine arrived in Serbia, almost 850.000 people inoculated (Tanjug)
Read More →UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, February 15, 2021
Albanian Language Media:
CEC: 47.08 percent voter turnout in Sunday’s election, Vetevendosje leads
Kurti, Osmani pledge for justice and equal opportunities for all (media)
Vetevendosje on course for landslide victory (Prishtina Insight)
Political leaders react to initial election results (media)
Leaders in the region congratulate Kosovo for successful elections (media)
Kosovo leaders urged people to exercise their right to vote (media)
International officials called on people of Kosovo to go out and vote (media)
Skenderaj mayor boycotts voting in protest of CEC’s stance on security cameras (media)
Allegations of ballot absence reported in several polling stations (media)
Voting irregularities confirmed during Kosovo’s snap elections (BIRN)
Serbia claims two TV crews banned from entering Kosovo (BIRN)
Serbian Language Media:
Serbian List: Convincing victory, we won all ten mandates (RTS)
President Vucic congratulates to Serbian List (RTS)
Selakovic congratulates Serbian List, wished happy Statehood Day (RTS)
Petkovic: Policy of Serbian unity has won (RTS)
Djuric: I am looking forward to success of brothers and sisters from Serbian List (RTS)
Capussela: Tectonic change for Kosovo and hope for other movements in the region (KoSSev)
Janjic:”If the Albanian political scene is changing, the autochthonous change of the Serbian one should be allowed” (KoSSev)
Surlic: Kurti and Haradinaj will form government (Sputnik, Kosovo Online)
Office for KiM strongly condemns Pristina’s decision not to allow TV Pink and RTV Kraljevo teams to enter Kosovo (media)
Djordjevic: By calling Serbs to participate in elections Vucic endangered integrity and independence of Serbia (KoSSev)
Opinion:
Political analysts comment on election results (media)
International:
Early results point to Kosovo opposition party win in parliamentary vote (Reuters)
Leftist opposition party heads to victory in Kosovo election (AP)
Kosovo left-wing opposition set to win election: exit polls (DW)
Opposition Vetevendosje Movement eyes landslide win in election (BIRN)
Kosovo election: Exit poll gives victory to left-wing party Vetëvendosje (euronews)
Kosovo voters choose a new parliament amid the pandemic (AP)
Ousted ex-PM wins historic victory in Kosovo election (politico.eu)
Kosovo Anti-Establishment Party Set for Landslide Win (VoA)
Belgrade Media Report 12 February
LOCAL PRESS
Putin congratulates Statehood Day (Tanjug/RTS)
Lavrov extends Statehood Day greetings to Selakovic (Novosti/Tanjug)
Office for Kosovo and Metohija: Verdict to Djokic example of how law and justice are trampled on (RTS)
Rakic: Pristina’s pressures will not cut off our ties with Belgrade (Politika)
Serbia favors removing barriers on borders to help economic cooperation in region (Beta)
Government Working group with OSCE on electoral process (Tanjug/RTV/RTS)
REGIONAL PRESS
Bosnia & Herzegovina
Coalition for Mostar 2020 calls on BH Bloc and PMP to take part in negotiations on formation of program coalition that would result in their support to SDA’s Zlatko Guzin for Mayor of Mostar (BHT1)
Dzaferovic calls for unity of all pro-Bosnian parties in order to accelerate process of election of Mostar Mayor (O kanal)
Nelson, Sattler meet with Covic and Izetbegovic to discuss reform of election legislation (Dnevni avaz/Vecernji list)
RS officials react to statements made by Inzko (RTRS)
Reactions of politicians in RS: Inzko is deliberately taking extreme methods (Glas Srpske)
Cvijanovic: Inzko decided to additionally poison all relations in B&H (RTRS)
Russian Ambassador to Serbia says that Russia will not approve the attempts to appoint new HR (Dnevni avaz)
Dodik: Appointment of HJPC illegal and against constitution; Announces possible motion before B&H CC; Other reactions from RS (RTRS)
US Embassy and EUD expect new HJPC to accelerate judicial reforms (N1)
UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, February 12, 2021
Albanian Language Media:
• COVID-19: 372 new cases, six deaths (media)
• Parties in Kosovo to hold final rallies, as Friday marks last day of election campaign (Euronews.al)
• Selimi and Lumezi meet to discuss the flow of the election process (Koha)
• EU expects transparent election process in Kosovo (RFE, media)
• Vetevendosje and LDK split over DC deal (Prishtina Insight)
• Hoxhaj for Die Presse: My government will be pro-Western (RTK)
• LVV claims it has support of the Socialist International (RTK)
• AAK: Vucic gets anxious from Haradinaj’s candidacy for President (RTK)
Serbian Language Media:
• Putin congratulates Serbia’s National Day: Fraternal friendship (N1, RTS)
• “Political options that offer nothing new” (Radio KIM)
• Krasniqi: Voters expect changes and for the old guard to be removed from power (KoSSev)
• Petkovic: No one was held accountable for murders of Serbs, families have been waiting for justice 20 years (Kosovo-online)
• Office for KiM: Djokic’s verdict trampling on justice and law (RTS)
• “Convicted along with absence of evidence” (Radio KIM)
• HLC: Amendments to indictment in Djokic’s case submitted to court without elaboration (Radio KIM)
• No political pluralism among Serbs in Kosovo (N1)
• Rakic: Pressures from Pristina will not cut our ties with Belgrade (Politika, TV Most)
• Rasic: Our task is to bring back the normalcy (RTK2)
• AstraZeneca vaccine in Serbia soon, confirmation awaited, Brnabic says (N1)
Opinion:
• Dialogue, knowledge and social progress (KiM radio)
• Kosovo can thrive with help from Britain (The Times)
• How does Kurti see the dialogue? (EWB, Novi Magazin)
• Key Challenges for the Incoming Government of Kosovo (Democracy Speaks)
International:
• Kosovo heads for political shake-up in elections on Sunday (Reuters)
• Economy, not Serbia, dominates Kosovo election campaign (AP)
• Geoană: The future of the Western Balkans lies with the Euro-Atlantic community (EWB)
Humanitarian/Development:
• RCC and UNDP: Women’s empowerment is essential to Western Balkans’ efforts to build back better from the pandemic (EWB)
• UNESCO: Pandemic Has Worsened Minorities’ Schooling in Balkans, Central Europe (Balkan Insight)
UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, February 12, 2021
• COVID-19: 381 new cases, three deaths (media)
• Ministry: Latest COVID measures in line with our recommendations (media)
• Curfew scrapped amid controversy (BIRN)
• NGOs concerned recent Covid rules curtail rights of diaspora voters (media)
• Quint ambassadors call for fair and safe elections (Klan)
• In a video message, Kurti urges citizens to vote (media)
• Hoxhaj: PDK raised Kosovo flag; won’t allow an authoritarian system (media)
• Osmani to youth: Let’s turn 14 February into a true celebration (media)
• LDK’s Veliu predicts his party will get 31 MPs, VV 27 and PDK 25 (media)
• Predictions of analysts on T7 about Sunday’s elections (Gazeta Express)
• Abbott: In any negotiation there needs to be a readiness to compromise (Gazeta Express)
• KSC judge turns down applications of alleged Mustafa’s victims (media)
• Selimi’s defence requests ‘JCE’ be struck from indictment (media)
• NATO announces opening of a new lower airspace route over Kosovo (media)
UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, February 11, 2021
UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, February 11, 2021
Albanian Language Media:
• COVID-19: 344 new cases, three deaths (media)
• Kosovo Government to ease coronavirus rules (media)
• Hoti: LDK’s victory becoming increasingly evident (Koha)
• Kurti: Sunday’s victory to be a landslide (Klan/RTK)
• Haradinaj: With me as president, KLA will not remain orphaned (RTK)
• CEC has received nearly 15,000 of ballot packages from diaspora (Kallxo)
• FAZ: Major political change expected in Kosovo (Telegrafi)
• Von Cramon: France not yet convinced to support visa liberalisation (Albanian Post)
• Former Serb fighter sentenced to 12 years in prison for war crimes (media)
Serbian Language Media:
• 37 new cases, one deceased in Serbian communities in Kosovo (KoSSev)
• Jevtic: House of Vuckovic family in village of Berkovo looted (KoSSev)
• Billboard “Freedom has a name – KLA” placed in Caglavica, Office for KiM condemns act (KoSSev)
• Zoran Djokic from Pec sentenced to 12 years in prison (RTV Puls)
• Kamberi to Vulin: By insulting minorities in Serbia, you are insulting your own country! (KoSSev)
• Half a million doses of the Chinese vaccine have arrived (B92)
• Petar Petkovic: Only Serbian List guaranties remain of Serbs in Kosovo (Kosovo-online)
• “This is quasi-democratic process in which people are told who to vote for” (Radio KIM)
• Prorokovic: Coordination between the USA and the EU on the issue of Kosovo is not enough for a final solution (Vecernje Novosti, Kosovo Online)
• Milojevic: Organized transportation from Kraljevo for IDPs who will vote in elections (Kosovo-online)
• Vucic: Good relations with France important for Serbia (N1)
International:
• COVID: Using AstraZeneca vaccine is ‘right thing to do’ for everyone, says WHO expert panel (UN News)
• Kosovo Parties’ Glittering Promises Leave Many Voters Cold (Balkan Insight)
• New air routes established over Kosovo with NATO support (nato.int)
• No “Navalnying” in the Balkans is the uncompromising message from Russia (intellinews.com)
• ‘We had to take care of ourselves’ in COVID-19 vaccine rollout, says Serbian president (euronews.com)
• 2021 Early Elections on Kosovo: Chance for New Beginning? (ifimes.org)
Belgrade Media Report 11 February 2021
United Nations Office in Belgrade
Daily Media Highlights
Thursday 11 February 2021
LOCAL PRESS
Xi Jinping: I am ready to raise the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between China and Serbia to an even higher level (RTS/Tanjug/RTV)
Vucic: Good relations with France important for Serbia (FoNet)
Excellent political, economic relations between Serbia, Czech Republic (Tanjug/Novosti)
Vucic receives Babis (Tanjug/RTS)
Vulin: Serbia most successful country in fight against smuggling on migrant route (Tanjug/RTV/Politika)
Accusations that Serbia is carrying out hybrid war against B&H (Politika)
REGIONAL PRESS
Bosnia & Herzegovina
Mostar City Council repeats first round of elections for Mostar Mayor (Nova BH)
HDZ B&H Municipal Board unanimously adopts decision to boycott early elections for Head of Travnik Municipality (Nova BH)
Botsan-Kharchenko says Russia does not approve appointment of new HR in B&H and Germany has intention to harm RS (ATV)
Inzko: I would gladly go to Banja Luka to explain what is wrong with awarding of war criminals; I have full support of Germany (AJB)
Komsic: I call on Covic to sue B&H in Strasbourg if he thinks Croats are endangered (Klix.ba)
HJPC holds session to appoint new leadership; Lagumdzija elected as new President, Gorusanovic- Butigan, Simeunovic elected Vice- Presidents (Nova BH)
Croatia
Serbian government donates €100,000 for renovation of Count Jelacic’s birth house (Hina)
Montenegro
Ratko Mladic Street in Montenegro (CdM)
Fatic: With a Chetnik woman in government, it is no wonder that we have Mladic in Berane (Dnevne novine)
Republic of North Macedonia
VMRO-DPMNE to start collecting signatures – every citizen against the political census will be able to sign the initiative (Republika)
Zaev: Census must be conducted, the state can’t work in the dark (Republika)
Another vaccine fail – Serbian donation called off (Republika)
Albania
”A temperature drop”, Rama responds to the relations with Russia (Radio Tirana)
Read More →UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, February 11, 2021
• COVID-19: 307 new cases, four deaths (media)
• Sixth election in 12 years reveals growing pains of young nation (EuroNews)
• Hoxhaj: PDK believes in the U.S. and dialogue (media)
• Krasniqi: PDK will restore the good relations with the U.S. (media)
• Limaj expects NISMA to win 50,000 – 55,000 votes (media)
• SL aiming for all parliament seats reserved for Kosovo Serbs (Exit News)
• Political parties with old solutions for new economic challenges (Koha)
• Constitutional Court terminates review of Vetevendosje’s referral (media)
• Citaku: Change of governments cannot be compared to capital events (media)
• International analysts see shift in U.S. positions on dialogue (media)
• “US sledgehammer diplomacy on Kosovo won’t budge Serbia” (BIRN)
• “Kosovo should establish embassy in West Jerusalem” (media)
• Kosovo religious groups still divided on law offering legal status (BIRN)
Belgrade Media Report 10 February
LOCAL PRESS
US Embassy: US goal is Serbia’s EU membership and mutual recognition of Belgrade and Pristina (Tanjug/RTS)
Selakovic: Trump, Biden messages different (RTS/RTV/Tanjug)
Situation around Kosovo and Metohija and B&H worrying, Russia pushing stand that suits Belgrade (Tanjug/RTS/RTV)
Importance of regular evaluation of the situation in Kosovo and Metohija at UN Security Council (Tanjug)
Dacic: I have to hear the opinion of parties that do not want the EP to attend dialogue (RTS/Beta)
REGIONAL PRESS
Bosnia & Herzegovina
OSCE, EUD/EUSR, OHR, UK Embassy and US Embassy call on Mostar City Council to repeat first round of elections for Mayor of Mostar (FTV)
Mostar City Council will discuss HR’s letter which calls for repeated procedure of election of Mostar Mayor in line with Mostar City Statute (Nova BH)
Maric: We were surprised with HR’s decision bearing in mind that for past eight years he was often invited to react when it comes to Statute (Hayat)
RS parliament calls on HR to submit report on implementation of Dayton within 90 days (FTV)
US Embassy to B&H condemns glorification of war criminals by Bosniak political officials (ATV)
HDZ B&H decides to boycott early elections in Travnik (BHT1)
Parties in Srebrenica consider possibility of boycotting elections, ask for the meeting with Quint Ambassadors (Dnevni avaz)
Dodik addresses summit ‘17+1’: This co-op enables us to overcome numerous obstacles; Jinping encourages B&H for higher promotion of its products in China (RTRS)
Croatia
Plenkovic participates in an online summit of the China + 17 initiative (HRT)
Montenegro
Djukanovic attended Summit of China and Central and Eastern European Countries (CdM)
Republic of North Macedonia
Mickoski: Early elections are coming, we need a new government (Republika)
Read More →LINKS
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