Belgrade Media Report 19 May 2021
United Nations Office in Belgrade
Daily Media Highlights
Wednesday 19 May 2021
LOCAL PRESS
Brnabic: EU frustrated over dialogue postponement with Pristina (Tanjug/RTS)
A thing that can shake hard-won regional stability (B92/Tanjug)
Vucic: Serbia wants to join EU, Kosovo issue major problem (Tanjug/Radio Plus)
Vucic: Great political success of Serbia over past several days (Politika)
Godfrey: Economic relations between Serbia, US a strong aspect of bilateral relations (Beta)
Selakovic: Pristina’s request on Visoki Decani speaks enough about their intentions (Tanjug/RTV)
UK increases troops within KFOR (Tanjug)
Popovic and Kosachov: Unacceptable withdrawal of KFOR, Russia continued to offer support to Serbia regarding Kosovo and Metohija (RTV/Politika)
REGIONAL PRESS
Bosnia & Herzegovina
Borrell hosts working dinner with Western Balkans leaders; Tegeltija; B&H’s European path and obtaining EU candidate status was topic of meeting (O kanal)
Lovrinovic: SDA is constantly deceiving public that HDZ B&H wants divisions (Dnevni list)
Russia fully supports principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity of B&H, equality of three state-building peoples and two entities with broad constitutional powers (RTRS)
SDP B&H hosts meeting of pro-Bosnian parties that plan to take part in general elections in RS in 2022; Reactions (N1/FTV/Nova BH)
RS representatives do not expect bloc of political parties with seat in Sarajevo will achieve any major results in upcoming elections (EuroBlic)
Salkic: What Vucic is saying about respect of territorial integrity and sovereignty of B&H is entirely different in practice (Hayat)
Croatia
Croatian FM condemns Hamas attacks, says he supports Israel’s right to defense (Hina)
Montenegro
Djukanovic in Brussels: Parliament makes decision on deploying soldiers in Kosovo mission (CdM)
Djukanovic: We’re further from EU today than in 2014 (CdM)
Djukanovic: I’ll decide whether or not to sign the Law on State Prosecutor’s Office (CdM)
Picula: Peaceful transition hasn’t strengthened dialogue (Pobjeda)
Abazovic: Prosecution reform is condition for EU membership, as well as for a strong fight against corruption and organized crime (Gov. Press service)
Republic of North Macedonia
Ahmeti – Galloway: Relations in the coalition are stable (Republika)
Kyuchyuk: It will be very bad if Macedonia and Albania are decoupled (Sitel TV/Republika)
Albania
President urges parliament to terminate inquiry committee (ADN)
Albania-Kosovo intensify defense co-operation, Peleshi: Balkans in NATO, guarantee of stability (Radio Tirana)
Slovenian PM to Meta: Internal reforms will accelerate Albania’s integration process (Radio Tirana)
UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, May 19, 2021
UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, May 19, 2021
Albanian Language Media:
• COVID-19: 62 new cases, eight deaths (media)
• Over 51,000 people vaccinated so far in Kosovo (media)
• Kosovo FM appeals to diaspora: Get vaccinated before coming to Kosovo (media)
• Germany donates COVID-19 test kits to Kosovo worth €600,000 (media)
• Treating patients in a pandemic (Prishtina Insight)
• Government: Skender Hyseni won’t be part of dialogue with Serbia (Telegrafi)
• Hoxhaj reacts to Montenegro’s refusal to send troops to KFOR (media)
• “Kurti declared former KLA leaders war criminals, whose PM is he?” (media)
Serbian Language Media:
• Antonijevic: Epidemiological situation continues to improve (TV Most)
• PM Ana Brnabic: EU doesn’t know about some things going on in region (media)
• Europa Nostra on letter from Pristina, to answer once it arrives (KoSSev)
• Vucic, Serbian officials on endangerment of Visoki Decani Monastery (KoSSev, media)
• Szunyog: For five years Kosovo didn’t implement Constitutional Court decision on Visoki Decani Monastery land (Kosovo-online)
• Petkovic: Osmani openly undermines Washington agreement by lobbying for Kosovo membership in Interpol (Kosovo-online)
• Britain in KFOR by 2023, with more troops (Kontakt plus radio, RTK2)
• Bisenic: Palestine statehood established in the UN, Kosovo not from that framework, impossible to draw a parallel (Pravi Ugao, KoSSev)
• Vucic, officials on Zeman’s apology (B92, media)
• Additional 440.000 doses of Sinopharm vaccine arrived in Serbia (B92)
• North Macedonia expels Russian diplomat (N1)
International:
• North Macedonia PM: EU risks losing sway in Balkans (politico.eu)
Humanitarian/Development:
• Brussels lifts travel restrictions for “third country” citizens (RTS, Tanjug)
Read More →UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, May 19, 2021
• COVID-19: 64 new cases, one death (media)
• High Representative Borrell meets Western Balkans leaders (media)
• Borrell revives tradition of informal exchanges with regional leaders (media)
• Kurti: Meeting with Vucic in mid-June (media)
• Lajcak meets Kurti, discuss continuation of dialogue (media)
• Osmani: Always ready for cooperation with our neighbors (media)
• Joseph: Serbia must no longer be privileged (Radio Free Europe)
• Thaci and others to appear in next session today (media)
• Tensions between the municipalities and central government (Koha)
• Tired of the pandemic (Kosovo 2.0)
• BIRN debate exposes flaws in fight against sexual harassment (BIRN)