Belgrade Media Report 15 December 2021
United Nations Office in Belgrade
Daily Media Highlights
Wednesday 15 December 2021
LOCAL PRESS
• Vucic, Brnabic: Opening of Cluster 4 signal of EU support; Vucic: Pristina will not allow holding of referendum (Tanjug/RTS/Politika/RTV/Beta)
• Borrell congratulates Brnabic on opening of Cluster 4 in EU talks (Tanjug/Beta/RTS)
• Selakovic with Chen Bo: Serbia and China continuously strengthening friendship (RTV)
• Dacic expects continuity of policy of growth in 2022 (Tanjug/Politika)
• Hill: Mutual recognition between Serbia and Kosovo best way to strengthen regional stability and security; Resilience to malign external influence, including from Russia and China (Beta/NSPM)
• Vitale: NATO offers support, respects Serbia’s neutrality (FoNet)
• Petkovic once again banned from visiting Kosovo and Metohija (Tanjug)
REGIONAL PRESS
Bosnia & Herzegovina
• General Affairs Council adopts conclusions on enlargement and stabilization and association process; Condemn blocking of B&H institutions and delay in reform processes in B&H (AJB)
• Schmidt: Parliaments in B&H can discuss any issue, as long as it is in line with DPA framework (FTV)
• UK Special Envoy Peach starts visit with members of B&H Presidency (O Kanal)
• President of Hungary meets with B&H Presidency members; Dodik attends meeting as well due to close relations with Orban (FTV/O Kanal)
• Sarovic: Restoration of entity competences is legitimate, but risky and dangerous (Dnevni list)
• Bosniak officials: Return of RS competences from level of B&H is very dangerous and anti-constitutional process (Hayat)
• Mijatovic: I asked Ambassador Kalabukhov to condemn unconstitutional decisions of RS parliament (O Kanal)
• SDP, NiP, NS issue statement asking SDA to confirm honesty of their intentions (Dnevni avaz)
• Dzaferovic and Komsic meet with members of ‘Association of RBIH Army Generals’ and nobody from international community reacts (Nezavisne)
• Okolic: Waitz is certainly not well-intentioned towards all citizens in B&H; Meeting with generals is message to Serbs that Sarajevo will defend its interest with threats (ATV)
• B&H HoR’s session adjourned without agenda being adopted; Representatives accuse HDZ B&H of supporting SNSD and blockade (BHT1)
• “Pro-Bosnian” parties to possibly withdraw from talks on electoral reforms; Lovrinovic criticizes such move (FTV)
• Grlic Radman: I doubt there is majority support in EU for sanctions against Dodik (Dnevni list)
Croatia
• PM: B&H Crisis should be solved through agreement, starting with election law (Hina)
• Plenkovic against erasing of peoples in electoral reform in B&H (Vecernji list)
• Sarajevo-based parties threaten they will boycott continuation of electoral reform talks (Vecernji list)
Montenegro
• URA, SNP, CIVIS and minority parties to sign Memorandum of Cooperation (CdM)
• DPS would get 30.5% of votes; DF 20.4; Democrats 19.3% (RTCG)
Republic of North Macedonia
• BESA party calls for early elections after the latest veto Macedonia received at the European Council (Republika)
• Osmani believes that six months is too long time to wait for the Bulgarian veto to be lifted (Republika)
• Alternative party willing to overlook the latest veto in exchange for the promise of its share of government largesse (Republika)
• Mickoski: We will have open relations with our neighbors, but we also demand reciprocity (MRT)
Albania
• EC gives “OK” for first intergovernmental conference with Albania (Radio Tirana)
• Former minister arrested over corruption related to trash incinerators (Tirana Times)
• SP Group chair meets PM of Kosovo (ADN)
• Analysis: Future uncertain for DP as parallel assemblies strive for control (Tirana Times)
UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, December 15, 2021
UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, December 15, 2021
Albanian Language Media:
• Osmani and Pendarovski with opposite stances on Open Balkans (RTK)
• Prime Minister Kurti received the President of North Macedonia, Stevo Pendarovski (media)
• Kurti: Footnote does not reflect the reality of independent and European Kosovo (media)
• Peach comes to the region for the first time: Britain wants a secure Western Balkans (Klan)
• Donika Gervalla prohibited from entering Serbia (Express)
• COVID-19: 11 new cases, no deaths (media)
Serbian Language Media:
• Problems, fears, and stances of Serbs in Kosovo, including on Kurti’s government (Radio KIM)
• UNS and UNS in Kosovo protest over mistreatment of Radio Gorazdevac crew at Rugova Valley (Radio KIM, media)
• Serbian Ministry of Culture condemned the intimidation of Radio Gorazdevac journalists (Kontakt plus radio)
• Petkovic banned from entering Kosovo again (Radio KIM)
• Christopher Hill: Attitude toward BiH crucial for US – Serbia further relations (Beta, N1)
• Botsan-Kharchenko: Trade with Serbia could reach 4 bln dollars (Tanjug)
• Vucic: Pristina has announced that it will not allow a referendum in Kosovo (KiM radio, FoNet, N1)
• Jevtic: Osmani talks about discrimination, without mentioning Serbs is example of discrimination (Kosovo-online)
• “Pendarovski on importance of regional cooperation, Osmani on dangers from Serbia and Russia” (Kosovo-online)
Opinion:
• My grandmother, Yugo-Nostalgia and an unfinished tale (Kosovo 2.0)
International:
• Bulgaria Again Blocks North Macedonia, Albania, EU Accession Talks (Balkan Insight)
Humanitarian/Development:
• WHO: ‘Omicron spreading at rate not seen with previous variants’ (Euronews)
• Western Balkan countries play a valuable role in partnering with EEA to tackle environmental and climate challenges (eea.europa.eu)
UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, December 15, 2021
• Hill: If confirmed, normalization of Serbia relations with Kosovo, priority (VoA)
• North Macedonia President to visit Kosovo today (media)
• LDK appoints Haziri in charge of dialogue and regional cooperation (media)
• Haradinaj comments on accusations for meetings with Serb politicians (media)
• Pacolli slams Russian ambassador in Belgrade (Gazeta Express)
• LDK wins municipality of Dragash, after counting of diaspora votes (media)
• Ministry of Justice to adhere to Venice Commission’s recommendations (media)
• EU states reassert membership promise to six Balkan states (Reuters)
• COVID-19: Eight new cases, one death (media)
• Ministry of Health: Over 2,100 citizens got the booster in few days (Lajmi)
• Kosovo continues to buck fourth COVID-19 wave (Exit News)