Belgrade Media Report 20 October 2022
United Nations Office in Belgrade
Daily Media Highlights
Thursday 20 October 2022
LOCAL PRESS
• Vucic: Serbia committed to dialogue, agreements must be implemented (Tanjug/RTV)
• Commitment to further development of bilateral relations with Montenegro (Tanjug/RTS)
• Orlic meets with Djurovic (Tanjug/RTS)
• Pristina to show constructiveness by forming of ZSO (Tanjug/RTV)
• Dveri, Oath-Keepers, NADA Coalition form parliamentary coalition for preserving Kosovo (Beta/Politika)
• NGO: Citizens not to be hostages to Belgrade-Pristina dialogue (Beta)
• Lajcak: Petkovic’s visit to Kosovo and Metohija should have been approved (Novosti)
REGIONAL PRESS
Bosnia & Herzegovina
• B&H CEC orders another control recount of votes from 14 polling stations (BHT1/ATV/O Kanal)
• Members of Doboj City Election Commission announce collective resignation (RTRS)
• SNSD files to B&H Prosecutor’s Office supplemental crime report against B&H CEC members for abuse of office or power (BHT1/RTRS)
• FB&H House of Peoples confirms appointment of three judges for FB&H Constitutional Court (BHT1/FTV)
• FB&H House of Peoples fails to agree on appointment of fourth judge in FB&H Constitutional Court (Nova BH)
• Schmidt expects remaining vacant seat in FB&H CC to be filled as soon as possible (BHT1)
• Deny support to Schmidt and close OHR (Srna)
• Karamatic: HNS to dispute Komsic’s mandate before B&H CC (Avaz)
• European Parliament discusses reports on progress of countries of Western Balkans (N1)
Montenegro
• Djukanovic: It’s true when they say – if you don’t vote for DF, vote for URA, it’s all the same (CdM)
Republic of North Macedonia
• Mickoski: We’ll wait to see how things go in government, and then we’ll discuss inclusion in EU process (All media)
• VMRO-DPMNE filed no-confidence motion against Committee on Election and appointment Chairperson, Marija Georgievska (Alsat-M/Sitel)
Albania
• Begaj: The judicial reform brought positive developments for the Constitutional Court (Radio Tirana)
• EU Ambassador: Reform in Justice, success in the journey towards the EU! Not perfect, but its legitimacy has always been confirmed (Radio Tirana)
• Kim: Stop threats against the courts (Radio Tirana)
• Kodheli: Albania must find pragmatic solutions for what is to come (Radio Tirana)
UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, October 20, 2022
UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, October 20, 2022
Albanian Language Media:
• Osmani meets ambassadors of Norway, Greece and Luxembourg, discuss visas (Klan)
• KFOR and government coordinated on security in Kosovo (RTK)
• The German minister for Europe is visiting Kosovo this week (Koha)
• Ursula von der Leyen next week in Kosovo (KosovaPress)
• Government on Esobar’s proposal on licence plates: We have rule of law as our obligation (Koha)
• Exclusive: Pre-agreement draft between Kosovo and Serbia (Koha, Albanian Post)
• Police arrest Serb suspect in Oliver Ivanovic assassination case (media)
• Kurti’s former advisor: Legal entity separated from Kosovo is being created (Nacionale)
• The draft statute of the “new” Association with its old points financed by Serbia (Reporteri)
Serbian Language Media:
• Vucic with Escobar about the possibilities for finding “sustainable solutions” (N1)
• Petkovic with Escobar: Belgrade for the continuation of negotiations, but also for the implementation of all agreements reached (Beta, Danas)
• Escobar: We asked implementation of decision on re-registration be postponed by ten months (N1)
• Pristina increasingly asking the end of the UNMIK mandate, the Serbs saying that this mission is necessary (euronews.rs)
• Reactions to Todosijevic’s verdict over his remarks on Racak (Kosovo Online, media)
• EU Ambassador: No deadline for Belgrade to impose sanctions on Russia (N1)
• Varhelyi: Serbia to step up efforts to align with EU, including sanctions (Beta, N1, media)
• Gracanica: Decision on land swap annulled (KoSSev)
• Selakovic to attend Berlin Process meeting tomorrow (Kosovo Online)
Opinion:
• Montgomery: The irony is that we defend Ukraine, and Kosovo was taken by force; the EU has nothing to offer Serbia (Kosovo Online, Politika, RTV)
International:
• Kosovo-Serbia Talks May Advance ‘in Weeks’, US Diplomat Says (Balkan Insight)
• Defaced Putin Mural Tells the Story of Russia’s Waning Influence (Financial Post)
• Serbia’s Parliamentary Rightists Unite on Platform to Reclaim Kosovo (Balkan Insight)
UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, October 20, 2022
• Escobar: Agreement between Kosovo and Serbia – a matter of weeks (Kanal10)
• Kosovo ‘ready to intensify’ Serbia dialogue, President tells Escobar (BIRN)
• Kurti calls opposition leaders to meet, Haradinaj confirms participation (media)
• Escobar met with Serbian List representatives (Koha)
• After Pristina, Escobar will visit Belgrade (media)
• Agreement reached between KOSTT and Elektrosever (RTK)
• Kosovo Serb Ex-Minister Convicted of Inciting Hatred After Retrial (BIRN)
• Serbia reacts after Todosievic’s sentence regarding Recak statements (BIRN)
• Civil society organisations sign joint statement on dialogue (media)
• Kosovo Police arrest war crimes suspect (media)
• Freedom of Information in the Balkans: No Access and no Progress (BIRN)