Belgrade Media Report 25 May 2022
United Nations Office in Belgrade
Daily Media Highlights
Wednesday 25 May 2022
LOCAL PRESS
• Serbian Patriarch: SPC unanimously approves autocephaly of Macedonian Orthodox Church (Beta/Politika/RTS/Tanjug)
• Vucic, Pendaroviski on Serbian Orthodox Church’s decision, ties, Open Balkans (Beta)
• Vucic from Davos: Only topic in Davos is Ukraine (TV Pink/B92)
• Hill: US supports Serbia’s path to EU, Open Balkans, dialogue with Pristina (Beta)
• Selakovic meets with ASEAN Secretary-General (Politika/Beta)
• Support of Indonesia to territorial integrity of Serbia (Tanjug/RTS)
• Stefanovic meets with Wiermann (Tanjug/Politika)
• Mali: Serbia to store natural gas in Hungary next winter (Tanjug/RTS)
• Dacic expects cooperation with SNS to continue (TV Happy/Beta)
• Bilcik says sanctions against Russia important, already in report (Beta/Kosovo Online)
• SANU notes primitive tones of hatred in Croatian counterpart’s announcement (Beta)
REGIONAL PRESS
Bosnia & Herzegovina
• B&H HoP rejects conclusion proposed by Bosniak Caucus to pressure B&H CoM to approve BAM 12.5 million for elections; HDZ B&H and SNSD’s delegates vote against proposal (O Kanal)
• Izetbegovic on B&H HoP’s session: It is time for HR Schmidt to react given that all other options have been exhausted (O Kanal)
• Komsic accuses Covic and Dodik of working together with renegade IC representatives who are working with HDZ on blocking of elections (O Kanal)
• Borenovic: SNSD and HDZ B&H want to prevent holding of the elections (Glas Srpske)
• Arnautovic discusses elections with Murphy, Kavalec: Postponing of elections is illegal; Murphy: Denying citizens’ right to vote is unconstitutional and anti-Dayton (Hayat)
• Sattler: Holding of elections in October as planned is not questionable (N1/O Kanal/Istraga.ba/Oslobodjenje)
• Bajrovic: Covic enjoys support of part of international community (Hayat)
• Dodik: I have received information that Schmidt will impose necessary decisions so that elections are held; This is unacceptable (Nova BH)
• Kavalec: Criminally persecute perpetrators of election frauds (Dnevni list)
• Dodik: Podzic and Masovic’s attendance at meeting on military assistance to Ukraine is part of Bosniaks’ joint enterprise aimed at destroying Dayton-based B&H (RTRS)
• Dodik calls for peaceful dissolution of B&H, stresses any kind of agreement on B&H’s future is impossible (RTRS)
• 30th anniversary of death of 12 Banja Luka babies marked (ATV)
• SDA comments Milanovic’s statements: This is threat to stability and peace in entire region (Dnevni avaz)
Croatia
• Milanovic: If Croats in fall start implementing what they announced, it may happen that someone turns international military forces against them (N1)
• Croatian President rules out possibility of armed conflicts in B&H (Hina)
• Milanovic tells Serbia indictment against Croatian pilots will cost it (Hina)
Montenegro
• Abazovic and Kurti: Dedicated to the development of infrastructure projects that will better connect the two countries (CdM)
• In Davos, Plenkovic invited Abazovic to officially visit Zagreb in June (CdM)
Republic of North Macedonia
• Pendarovski believes the recognition of the Macedonian church will advance reconciliation in our society: Pendarovski met with Vucic in Davos as Serbia recognized the Macedonian church (Republika)
• No progress in the meeting between Kovacevski and Petkov in Rome (Republika)
Albania
• McAllister: EU should start accession talks with Albania (Radio Tirana)
• Meta meets McAllister (Radio Tirana)
• Greece warns it will put up barriers on EU bid if Albania brings up Cham issue (Tirana Times)
UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, May 25, 2022
UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, May 25, 2022
Albanian Language Media:
• KDI: Kosovo-Serbia dialogue, necessary and of national interest (EO)
• Abazi resigns from parliamentary inquiry committee on energy (media)
• Excavations in Serbia end, no human remains uncovered (RFE)
• Osmani participates at international conference on trafficking of human beings (media)
• Blerim Kuci leaves AAK, resigns from all structures (Reporteri)
• Chairman of Kosovo-Israel Friendship Group Avdullah Hoti, sends request to PM Kurti (Express)
• COVID-19: 8 new cases (media)
Serbian Language Media:
• No remains found near the Stavalj mine (KiM radio, Nova S)
• Jevtic: Serbs do want Community of Serbian Municipalities (Jedinstvo)
• Jeremic: Imposing sanctions on Russia could lead to Kosovo membership in UN (KoSSev)
• SOC recognizes autocephaly of Orthodox Church in North Macedonia (KoSSev)
• Russian official praises Vucic for resisting pressure on sanctions (N1)
• Gracanica mayor met UNMIK chief (KiM radio)
• Vucic, Pendarovski discuss Open Balkan (Tanjug)
• Vucic with Mitsotakis: We thanks Greek people for support to territorial integrity of Serbia (Kosovo-online)
• UNS and DNKiM: Enable journalists to report on protest in Osojane (KoSSev)
• Stefanovic met Wiermann (Tanjug)
• Selakovic speaks with ASEAN Secretary General (Tanjug)
Opinion:
• A distillate of regional fears (KoSSev)
Humanitarian/Development:
• Halt to Waste Collection Leaves Prishtina Covered by Garbage (BIRN)
Read More →UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, May 25, 2022
• Scholz’s office on the messages that the Chancellor will bring to the Balkans (RTK)
• Kurti urges Greece to join other EU countries in recognising Kosovo (media)
• Kurti meets Abazovic in Davos (media)
• Vucic about Kurti: He will say terrible things about Serbia (media)
• Kosovo’s diplomatic corps visit Decan Monastery (media)
• Albania’s ambassador to CoE: We will do all it takes to support Kosovo joining (Telegrafi)
• Muja: The north will begin paying electricity bills very soon (Koha)
• Police officer in the north arrested damaging evidence charges (media)
• Arrest warrant issued for former Kosovo Police senior official (Kosovapress)
• Petkovic brings Vucic’s message to Prizren, calls Kosovo “our province” (Klan)
• U.S. Begins Denying U.S. Entry to Afghans Housed on Military Base in Kosovo (WSJ)
• COVID-19: 12 new cases (media)