Belgrade Media Report 19 January 2022
United Nations Office in Belgrade
Daily Media Highlights
Wednesday 19 January 2022
LOCAL PRESS
• Ziadeh: UNMIK to continue to support dialogue (Tanjug/RTS)
• Vucic and Erdogan discuss bilateral cooperation, situation in region with focus on B&H (RTS)
• Vucic: Peace, stability priceless (Tanjug)
• Vucic: Someone smarter will lead SNS as of May, June (Beta/Politika)
• Dacic: Serbia works with ODHIR on improving election process (Beta)
• Council of Europe hails Serbian referendum results as important step in de-politicizing judiciary (Beta)
• Fajon, Bilcik concerned about reports that local voting committees were not ready for referendum (Beta)
• Activists attacked in Belgrade, call for new protests, refuses talks with Dacic (N1)
REGIONAL PRESS
Bosnia & Herzegovina
• UK parliament Foreign Affairs Committee discusses situation in B&H (Hayat)
• Field: Elections best instrument to remove unsuccessful politicians, sanctions are not a magic wand (Dnevni list)
• German and Russian Foreign Ministers discuss situation in B&H; Lavrov: Russia, as PIC member, wants return to consensus in PIC (O Kanal)
• Dzaferovic says he is not sure if sanctions will bring any good; Dodik says it is clear whose card Americans play; Other politicians comment on US sanctions (ATV)
• Cubrilovic: RS parliament most likely to discuss Vucic’s request at session in February (FTV)
• Vidovic, Dragisic questioned at Prosecutor’s Office of B&H as part of an investigation on attack on constitutional order of B&H (BN TV)
• HNS B&H adopts proposal for changes to B&H Election Law and Constitution; Comments on HNS members (Nova BH)
• HNS’ proposal of Election Law sparks reactions; Osmanovic: HDZ B&H and SDA should not be the only parties to decide on Election Law (N1)
• Political officials, analysts comment Croatia, Russia policy towards B&H, arguing that they are voice of instability of B&H (Oslobodjenje)
• Plenkovic meets Michel: It would be very important to discuss situation in B&H at high level and to ensure that all constituent peoples in B&H feel better (Dnevni list)
Croatia
• Milanovic says he sees RS and Dodik as Croatia’s partners in B&H; Komsic reacts to Milanovic’s statement (HRT)
Montenegro
• Krivokapic: Minority government is a fraud, the fairest solution is early elections (CdM)
• URA explains what kind of minority government they want (CdM)
Republic of North Macedonia
• Skopje, Sofia resolve name issue (Nezavisen.mk)
• Petkov did not say when or whether will Bulgaria lift its veto against Macedonia (Republika)
• Mickoski met with Petkov: I stood by my positions (Republika)
• Ahmeti calls on the government to accept Petkov’s demands and amends the Macedonian Constitution (Republika)
• Gruevski calls on Petkov to drop his claim that the Macedonian minority in Bulgaria does not exist (Republika)
Albania
• Veto holding Albania hostage on integration path, Luhrmann: We have received positive signals from Bulgaria (Radio Tirana)
• Meta congratulates the new President of the EP: I welcome the cooperation in the process of integration of the country! (Radio Tirana)
UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, January 19, 2022
UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, January 19, 2022
Albanian Language Media:
• COVID-19: 2,050 new cases, no deaths (media)
• Lajcak and Escobar expected to visit Prishtina and Belgrade (RFE)
• Arrival of new SRSG and Head of UNMIK, Caroline Ziadeh (media)
• From crisis to convergence: A strategy to tackle Balkans instability at its source (media)
• “Kosovo selectively discriminated against for visa liberalization” (media)
• Haradinaj suspects energy situation created to benefit “the energy mafia” (Koha)
• Kosovo in 2022: No end in sight to life in limbo (BIRN)
Serbian Language Media:
• Covid-19: 51 new cases registered in Serbian areas (Radio KIM)
• HLC: Investigations still opened on days of arrests of defendants (Radio KIM)
• Lawyer: Second witness in case of Dusko Arsic interviewed, says he never heard about him (Kosovo-online)
• Petkovic with French Ambassador Koshar on situation in Kosovo (Kosovo-online)
• Epidemiologists warn of rapidly rising number of coronavirus cases (N1)
• Djuric with Escobar: Serbia ready to contribute to progress of region (Kosovo-online)
• Vucic: Peace, stability priceless (Tanjug)
• Erdogan: 2021 was exceptional year for Turkey-Serbia ties (Tanjug)
• Drecun: Kurti wants to interrupt practice of Serbs voting in Kosovo (Kosovo-online)
UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, January 19, 2021
• COVID-19: 720 new cases, one death (media)
• Latifi: Healthcare system prepared to handle increased hospitalisations (Koha)
• The two-day rate of COVID-19 infections affects roughly 400 children (RFE)
• Government pledges €75 million to subsidise energy for citizens and businesses (Kallxo)
• LDK leader Abdixhiku opposes electricity price increase (media)
• AAK ponders calling protests to oppose electricity price increase (Klan/RTK)
• Lajcak, Peach discuss Kosovo-Serbia dialogue (media)
• Hovenier: KFOR enjoys U.S.’s steadfast support (media)
• Xhacka at UN SC: Women in Kosovo raped, killed as part of ethnic cleansing campaign (Koha/Klan)