Belgrade Media Report 24 May
LOCAL PRESS
Brnabic: Kurti’s letter to UNESCO culmination of hypocrisy and cynicism (RTS)
Serbian Ambassador in UNESCO: Serbian assets in Kosovo and Metohija endangered (RTS)
Petkovic: At issue is a hypocritical way of acting and deception of international community (RTS)
Belgrade sees Beijing as one of the main allies in fight for Kosovo (Beta)
Godfrey says solutions for Western Balkans must come from Western Balkans (Politika)
Mexico respects Serbia’s territorial integrity and sovereignty and acts in those positions as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council (Tanjug)
REGIONAL PRESS
Bosnia & Herzegovina
Inzko sends letter to Brnabic and Viskovic expressing opposition to planned construction of ‘Buk Bijela’ Hydropower Plant (Glas Srpske)
Cvijanovic: If political representatives of Bosniak people were interested in B&H’s future, they would do something to secure it (ATV)
SDA Presidency calls on international community to impose sanctions against Dodik (Hayat)
‘Immediate Response 21’; Nelson: US is proud of B&H’s progress and remains committed to being strong partner on its Euro-Atlantic path (O kanal)
Komsic reveals that Dodik requested to meet US Army general in charge of NATO exercise in B&H alone (Face TV)
Conference ‘Integrity of Electoral Process in B&H’ held in Sarajevo (N1)
Komsic claims that Sattler and other foreign officials adopted wrong approach by holding talks on changes of Law on Elections solely between two political leaders (Face TV)
It is clear there will be no changes to Law on Elections, wonders if 2022 elections will be held at all (Dnevni list)
DNS and SNS sign agreement on joint participation in 2022 General Election (BN TV)
Reactions to Israel-Palestine Conflict (Hayat/N1/Oslobodjenje)
SDP: Grlic Radman’s visit to Stolac was full of diplomatic scandals, Croatian officials should issue apology to B&H citizens (Nova BH)
Croatia
Croatia marks 29 Years of UN Membership (Hina)
Montenegro
Abazovic on prosecutorial laws: Djukanovic not ready for justice, he is unnecessarily delaying his work (CdM)
Lajcak: Western Balkans is geostrategic priority for EU but accession is merit-based process (MINA)
Republic of North Macedonia
Zaev: I am not afraid of Greater Albania, we are a NATO member, but I can’t say “no” with certainty (MIA/Kurir)
Mickoski: Albanian parties will receive VMRO-DPMNE support in the local elections only if they respect the Macedonians (Republika/Fokus)
Albania
EU foreign ministers in Tirana, meeting with Xhacka: June is the right time to start negotiations with Albania! (Radio Tirana)
Soreca: Albania closer than ever to opening negotiations with the EU (Radio Tirana)
UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, May 24, 2021
Albanian Language Media:
• COVID-19: 14 new cases, one death (media)
• Kurti and Abdixhiku to meet on Wednesday (media)
• Minister Haxhiu received today the Italian Ambassador, Nicola Orlando (RTK)
• Kurz to meet Lajcak today to discuss Kosovo-Serbia dialogue (Insajderi)
• Kosovo marks the President’s Day (media)
• Minister Gervalla to report to the Foreign Affairs Committee on Tuesday (media)
• Haxhiu suspects COVID-19 death numbers are being manipulated (RTK)
Serbian Language Media:
• Serbian top officials react to Pristina UNESCO letter (media
• Serbian Orthodox Church Council, Kosovo one of the topics (KiM radio, Tanjug)
• Bishop Teodosije: Inflammatory rhetoric of Kosovo leaders directly raises ethnic and religious tensions (KoSSev)
• Visoki Decani Monastery on Pristina officials UNESCO letter (KoSSev)
• Minister Aliu: I oppose Decani-Plav bypass, it is a dangerous precedent (KoSSev)
• Davenport in Visoki Decani: OSCE to support SOC to preserve its cultural and religious heritage (KoSSev)
• Samardzic: Institutions failed in respecting the Law on Languages (KiM radio, Slobodno Srpski)
• Petkovic in two-day stay in Kosovo (Radio KIM)
• Why five EU members will not recognize Kosovo (Sputnik, B92)
• Godfrey: The United States still want everything agreed in Washington to be implemented (Tanjug, Kosovo Online)
• Belgrade sees Beijing as one of main allies in fight for Kosovo (N1)
• Organized crime a major security threat in the Western Balkans (Kosovo Online, Tanjug)
• Zaev: Although we are a member of NATO, I cannot say that I am not afraid of Greater Albania (KoSSev, Kurir)
Humanitarian/Development:
• Joint exhibition of young Serbs and Albanians in Pristina (Kosovo-online)
• Foreigners vaccinated in Serbia will get green digital certificate (N1)
• Kon: Serious easing of pandemic measures in Serbia in mid-July (N1)
UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, 24 May, 2021
• COVID-19: 31 new cases, no deaths (media)
• Kosovo to receive another 3,500 anti-COVID 19 vaccines on Monday (media)
• Borrell supports visa liberalisation for Kosovo (media)
• Kosovo PM revives plan to sue Serbia for genocide (BIRN)
• Kosovo’s top leaders write to UNESCO (media)
• Kurti: We’re committed to protecting cultural heritage in our country (media)
• Osmani: Serbia destabilising the region by joint exercise with Russia (media)
• Kosovo with footnote in regional agreement for free movement (Koha)
• Government keeps secret international experts for dialogue with Serbia (Koha)
• Protest against sexual violence against women and girls in Peja today (media)
• Kosovo prosecution sues power plant’s Austrian manager for damages (BIRN)