Belgrade Media Report 27 June 2022
United Nations Office in Belgrade
Daily Media Highlights
Monday 27 June 2022
LOCAL PRESS
• Direct conflict? Vucic: We will have a worse world war than it was (B92, Tanjug)
• Vucic: 16 EU members asked that Serbia impose sanctions against Russia at summit (Beta)
• EU conclusions on Western Balkans: EU membership perspective without tangible progress (Beta)
• Democratic party leader: Brussels apparently not insisting on democracy, but alignment with foreign policy (Blic)
• Vucic and Karen Donfried discuss bilateral relations, EU accession (Tanjug)
• Vucic on Serbia’s membership in the EU: Everything depends on the geopolitical situation (RTS)
• Lavrov: EU is anti-Russian alliance which forces other countries to join its foreign policy measures, Serbia is protecting its independence by refusing to do so (Vecernje Novosti)
• Thursday’s EU-Western Balkan meeting showed that ‘Open Balkan’ initiative is more stable than EU, it exposed confusion and chaos of EU enlargement policy (Vecernje Novosti)
• Latest rejection of Western Balkans was hard to swallow because gates were open for ‘Eastern partners’ (Politika)
• Mihailo Jovanovic: I was returned from Jarinje without explanation (RTS)
• Lajcak is coming to visit Pristina (RTS)
REGIONAL PRESS
Bosnia & Herzegovina
• Dodik: Some EU leaders observe B&H as a colony and not as a partner (FTV)
• Cvijanovic: EU does not want to see the reality, their decisions are disincentive (ATV)
• Dzaferovic, Komsic comment on B&H not getting status of EU candidate (N1)
• HNS welcomes European Council’s conclusions, Covic blames politicians in Sarajevo (AJB)
• SBB leader Radoncic: European Council decision represents red card for leaders of SNSD, SDA and HDZ, but also yellow card for voters (Dnevni avaz)
• Other reactions to failure to grant EU candidate status to B&H (N1)
• IC Officials on B&H not getting status of EU Candidate (BHT1, N1)
• Picula appointed as new rapporteur for EU’s enlargement strategy: It is necessary for EU to help B&H obtain candidate status as soon as possible (FTV)
• B&H HoR set to discuss on Monday changes to Law on Elections; Covic will again lose (Hayat)
Croatia
• Milanovic and Plenkovic enter verbal conflict over failure of EU leaders to give candidate status to B&H (HRT1)
• EU leaders endorse Croatia’s entry into Euro Area (Hina)
• Zelenskyy thanks Croatia for helping with its experience in defense of country (Hina)
• The government in Montenegro has been rocking dangerously, everything is revolving around the Serbian Orthodox Church again (Jutarnji list)
Montenegro
• The Fundamental Agreement with the Serbian Orthodox Church shakes the foundations of the Government of Montenegro (RSE)
• Abazovic: The agreement with the Serbian Orthodox Church will be fast, we can make good use of the Open Balkans (Analitika)
• Open Balkan a step backwards, debate needed in Parliament (Pobjeda)
• If the Government decides to take out a mortgage of the ‘Serbian World’, it’ll end up like the one of Krivokapic (Pobjeda)
• Reinke: We back Open Balkans without footnotes, aligned with EU principles (MINA)
• Djelosaj: The Open Balkans put an end to the mutual recognition of Serbia and Kosovo (RTCG)
• Picula is writing recommendations for a new enlargement strategy: The EU to encourage the acceleration of Montenegro’s accession process (CDM)
Republic of North Macedonia
• Osmani: French proposal not rejected, only the disputed part about Macedonia (TV21)
Albania
• Rama: EU needs the Balkans as much as Balkans need EU (Radio Tirana)
• President Meta and Speaker Nikolla react on Bulgaria’s decision to lift veto on North Macedonia (Radio Tirana)
• PM Rama shares the album with the most important events of the week (Radio Tirana)
UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, June 27, 2022
UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, June 27, 2022
Albanian Language Media:
• Haxhiu: We need to be united for reforms in judiciary (Ekonomia Online/Koha)
• Tahiri: Not enough for Lajcak to feel bad about lack of visa liberalisation (Telegrafi)
• President Osmani meets with President of Singapore Halimah Yacob (media)
• Supreme Court chief denies political pressure in case of new energy fees (Kosovapress)
• Serbian reporter talks about Serbia’s crimes in Kosovo (Telegrafi)
• Kostilnik: Reaching a final Kosovo-Serbia agreement is urgent (Kosovapress)
Serbian Language Media:
• Vucic on Serbia’s membership in the EU: Everything depends on the geopolitical situation (RTS)
• Director of the Office for IT and e-government not allowed to cross Jarinje (RTS, Tanjug)
• New construction near Gazimestan Monument (Radio KIM)
• Vucic, Donfreid discuss bilateral relations, EU integration, Belgrade-Pristina dialogue (N1)
• Kalin: Turkiye will not impose sanctions on Russia (Kosovo-online)
• Leader of opposition initiative from Mitrovica North invites Lajcak for meeting (Danas)
• Fatherland: Facilities were relinquished to Pristina (Jugpress)
International:
• Total foreign remittances to Kosovo up 5.4% y/y in Jan-Apr (seenews.com)
• How Turkey’s Extremist ‘Grey Wolves’ Built a Cell in Bosnia (BIRN)
UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, June 27, 2022
• Lajcak to meet Kurti and opposition leaders during his visit today (media)
• Svecla: No Kosovar is fighting in Ukraine (euronews.al)
• “No room for disappointment; visa liberalization was never closer” (Koha)
• Kurti meets mayors; discuss rule of law and respect for human rights (media)
• President Osmani visits Thailand (media)
• ERO licenses Serbian electricity supplier in north Kosovo (Prishtina Insight)
• EU has finally buried Balkan dreams of membership (BIRN)
• Croatian MEP appointed Rapporteur on new EU Enlargement Strategy (media)
• Online learning in Kosovo left kids and parents frustrated (Prishtina Insight)