Belgrade Media Report 18 August
LOCAL PRESS
• UNMIK urges Vucic, Kurti to engage constructively (Beta/RTS)
• Meeting between Vucic and Kurti ended: I hope, although I’m skeptical (Tanjug/B92)
• Brnabic: Belgrade’s priority preservation of peace, stability (TV Prva)
• Vucic: Role of KFOR, NATO in Kosovo and Metohija important for Serbia (Tanjug/Politika/RTS)
• Stoltenberg: KFOR ready to intervene if stability is jeopardized (Tanjug/Politika/RTS)
• Serbia doing everything to maintain peace, stability, Vucic tells Lajcak (Tanjug/RTS)
• Vucic to Escobar: Serbia a serious, reliable, responsible side in dialogue (FoNet)
• Botsan-Kharchenko: Vucic will not change stance on Russia sanctions (TASS/Beta)
• Demostat: Situation in Kosovo’s north unstable, provocative acts possible (Beta)
REGIONAL PRESS
Bosnia & Herzegovina
• Schmidt responds to accusations that he wants to change B&H Election Law according to will of HDZ B&H: I never said to anyone in Sarajevo or anywhere else that I would change Election Law (BHT1)
• Dodik: It is not good to have problems with Germany, but no money is enough to destroy character of Serb people and Germans need to understand that (ATV)
• B&H Ministry of Defense responds to inquiry about new package of NATO measures for B&H (BHT1)
• Turkovic says statements of Russian Embassy to B&H are provocation (FTV)
Croatia
• Croatia records highest ever inflation (HRT1)
Montenegro
• Part of MPs of former majority submits initiatives for Djurovic’s dismissal and vote of no confidence in government (CdM)
• Zenka: Montenegro attacked in most perfidious wayꓼ elections most democratic solution (Portal Analitika)
• Pisonero: Political developments shouldn’t slow down implementation of European reforms (MINA)
• Record inflation in July: Although prices on international market are falling, this cannot yet be expected in our country (CdM)
Republic of North Macedonia
• Army celebrates 30th anniversary: After three decades it became a nameless Army (Republika)
Albania
• Begaj-Kajari meet after Kosovo North’s reciprocity tensions (ADN)
• DP welcomes NATO’s support for Kosovo after tensions with Serbia (ADN)
• Kraja and Hajnaj visit the USA, meeting with FBI and DEA officials (Radio Tirana)
• The UNDP representative and the Polish ambassador visit Lezha (Radio Tirana)
UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, August 18, 2022
Albanian Language Media:
• The first round of the tripartite meeting in Brussels ends (media)
• Palokaj: Agreement expected to avoid escalation in north on September 1 (Koha)
• Price: Success of Kurti-Vucic talks is an absolute priority for the US (Express)
• Ymeri: Without U.S. involvement in dialogue, mutual recognition is difficult (EO)
• Kryeziu: Dialogue should not be linked only with government and PM (Nacionale)
• Citizens in the north concerned over new graffiti (Kosovapress)
• Kosovo Police seize undeclared medicaments from Serbia (media)
• 483 new cases and one death from COVID-19 in last 24 hours (media)
Serbian Language Media:
• Vucic, Kurti, Borrell and Lajcak meeting ended (media)
• Vucic from Brussels scheduled a meeting with Serbs from Kosovo on Sunday (Tanjug, media)
• State Department: The success of the Brussels dialogue an absolute priority (Blic, Kosovo Online)
• Vucic informed Stoltenberg of incidents, KFOR ready to react if needed (N1)
• Vucic met Lajcak: Serbia doing everything to maintain peace, stability (Tanjug)
• Vucic to Escobar: Serbia a serious, reliable, responsible side in dialogue (FoNet, N1)
• The trial of the young man arrested on Vidovdan in Gazimestan has begun (RTS, KiM radio)
• New graffiti in N. Mitrovica: “Don’t worry, we’re here – the Northern Brigade” (KoSSev)
Opinion:
• Timothy Less: Everything leads to the creation of a great Albania, the only option for Kosovo to end the “state of limbo” is to merge with it (Blic, Danas, Kosovo Online, Beta)
• Jeremic: We should not give up on Kosovo as long as we exist as a country (KiM radio, N1, KoSSev)
International:
• Kosovo Festival Transforms Pristina (Radio Free Europe)
• Studio Visit (Kosovo 2.0)
Humanitarian/Development:
• Independent Unions announce general strike from August 25 (Koha/Telegrafi)
• All education workers treated with exceptional care in draft law, minister says (EO)
• Haxhiu: I am extremely concerned about violence against women (Klan Kosova)
UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, August 18, 2022
• Kosovo Prime Minister Kurti and Serbian President Vucic to meet today (media)
• Kurti hopes there’ll be no need for reciprocity, sees reflection by Serbia (Koha)
• Escobar calls for Association within Kosovo laws and constitution (media)
• KFOR ready to intervene, additional troops could be sent to the north (Koha)
• Lajcak: Grateful for strong and unequivocal U.S. support (media)
• Mehaj: Belgrade continues its propaganda, producing fake news daily (media)
• Former Kamenica mayor interrogated by Serbian authorities (media)
• Kosovo clings to hope of visa liberalisation as Turkey’s woes worsen (BIRN)
• Op-ed: Girls should stay in school, no matter what (Prishtina Insight)
• Russian embassy accuses West of ‘NATOisation’ of Bosnia (BIRN)