Belgrade Media Report 29 October
LOCAL PRESS
Vucic: Sino-Serbian projects worth almost 8 billion Euros (Tanjug/Politika)
Vucic: Pristina’s refusal to deliver on agreements a question for EU (Tanjug/RTS)
Millard: Serbia is key US partner committed to preserving a stable Western Balkans (Tanjug)
Selakovic thanks Slovakia for support to Serbia’s territorial integrity and sovereignty (RTV/Tanjug)
Dacic: Vucic to be SNS-SPS candidate if he runs for president (TV K1/Tanjug/RTS)
Agreement on electoral conditions signed in Serbian parliament (Tanjug/Beta/RTS)
Von Cramon: EC report tends “to give something to Serbia’s President ahead of poll (Beta/N1)
Mihajlovic: Von Cramon lobbying for Kosovo (Beta/N1)
EU decision on opening new clusters with Serbia due by end-November (Tanjug)
REGIONAL PRESS
Bosnia & Herzegovina
Schmidt addresses B&H parliament; Every attempt to destroy progress made in past 26 years will not be accepted (BHT1)
Schmidt meets with Komsic and Dzaferovic, stresses need for all representatives to unconditionally return to B&H institutions and unblock their functionality (Hayat)
Covic: Duty of all is to find political solution instead of threats (O Kanal)
Palmer and Eichhorst meet Izetbegovic and Covic (Nova BH)
Dodik: I do not expect anything from Palmer’s visit (RTRS)
Niksic slams Palmer’s statement regarding election of Presidency of B&H members (Dnevni list)
Prodanovic: Erasing ethic prefixes from electoral legislation on B&H House of Peoples is not possible (Glas Srpske)
Izetbegovic meets Kalabukhov: Russia supports continuation of EUFOR mission, but not role of HR (Oslobodjenje)
SNSD Main Board discusses initiative for restoring RS’ competences (ATV)
Dodik: RS will not give up on its competences and its rights defined by B&H Constitution (RTRS)
Hearing on US engagement in Western Balkans held before House Foreign Affairs Committee; Escobar points out that sanctions are ready for those who undermine B&H’s territorial integrity (BHT1)
Croatia
Milanovic: Dodik, Izetbegovic and Covic should try to resolve situation at meeting in presence of Vucic, Erdogan and myself (HRT1)
Montenegro
PM: I’m thinking about forming Christian Democratic Party, I want to reconcile two strong extremisms (RTCG)
Republic of North Macedonia
Government: The messages from Sofia are not friendly (Gov. Press service)
Escobar in Congress: Macedonia and Albania to start negotiations with the EU before the end of the year (MIA)
Albania
Xhacka meets Vukcevic, Serbian Ambassador: Friendly relations between Albania and Serbia, key to the Western Balkans (Radio Tirana)
MEPs call on the EU to speed up the integration of the Western Balkan countries (Radio Tirana)
UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, October 29, 2021
Albanian Language Media:
• Kurti: No date yet for meeting with Vucic (Telegrafi)
• Abdixhiku: No vetting without full coordination with EU and US (media)
• President Osmani addresses the Global Summit of Women in Lisbon (media)
• Rama: Kosovo-Albania unification, mind game more likely outside than inside EU (Koha)
• COVID-19: 28 new cases, no deaths (media)
Serbian Language Media:
• Vucic: We are not changing our Constitution either and what will we do then? (Tanjug, Kosovo Online, KoSSev)
• Jukic: Witnesses against KLA afraid, some relocated (Radio KIM, RTS)
• Varhelyi: EU closely monitors transformation of Kosovo Security Force (N1)
• New figures and the same messages from the Crisis Staff in Gracanica (KiM radio)
• US goals: W. Balkans in EU; reduce Russian and Chinese influence, Escobar says (Beta, N1, VoA)
• Discrimination at competition for journalist award, AJK says membership not explicit requirement (Radio KIM)
• Selakovic: Slovakia supports Serbia’s integrity and sovereignty (Tanjug, RTK2)
• Sending Hill and Hovenier to the Balkans halted, Senator Cruz blocks Biden’s ambassadors (Kosovo Online, Washington Post)
• Djuric on protest in front of Serbian Consulate in New York (Kosovo-online)
UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, October 29, 2021
• Escobar: Mutual recognition would be ideal for normalisation of relations (RFE)
• Minister of Justice says EU supports vetting in judiciary in Kosovo (KTV)
• Krasniqi: Serbia must be responsible for crimes in Kosovo (Klan Kosova)
• Kosovo sanctions individuals and company linked to Hizballah (BIRN)
• Serbia is on a shopping spree for weapons (The Economist)
• Hoxhaj: Russia and Serbia seeking to return history of violence (media)
• Women in Balkan media ‘must speak out’ against sexual harassment (BIRN)
• Agron Bajrami leaves Koha; rumored as new ambassador to Brussels (media)
• COVID-19: 16 new cases, no deaths (media)