Belgrade Media Report 15 May 2023
United Nations Office in Belgrade
Daily Media Highlights
Monday 15 May 2023
LOCAL PRESS
• Dacic with UN Under-Secretary for Peace Operations and UNMIK Head (Serbian Foreign Ministry)
• Vucic: Elections to be held in September at the latest (Tanjug/RTS/RTV/Politika)
• Vucevic: Kurti plans to physically occupy 4 northern municipalities by 28 May, situation is terribly tense (TV Pink)
• Gratitude for continued support of Cyprus to Serbia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity (Tanjug/RTV)
• Dacic expressed regret over Israel’s decision to recognise unilaterally declared independence of so-called Kosovo (Tanjug)
• Vucic defends Brnabic: She was only telling the truth about the protests (Nova)
• Dacic on protest: Not a word about the victims, just threats against Vucic (Tanjug)
• Serbia wishes to be part of European family (Tanjug)
REGIONAL PRESS
Bosnia & Herzegovina
• Sattler: In week that we celebrate Europe Day we are marking big step that B&H has taken in direction of joining European family; Reform process must take place faster (O Kanal)
• Aggeler: Restoring of defamation into RS Criminal Code presents step back and Mission points out insufficient transparency in legislation process (Nezavisne)
• State property issue: International officials may offer solution, this spark big reactions in B&H (N1)
• Disputes on Open Balkans in focus of public again (BHT1)
Croatia
• Croatia marks anniversary of Bleiburg tragedy (HRT)
Montenegro
• Democratic Front dissolves after 11 years (CdM)
• Mandic, Medojevic, Knezevic confirm DF split: From now on we’ll act independently (CdM)
• Medojevic: DF ceases to exist, we started to bother each other (CdM/Sputnik)
• Rasko Konjevic withdraws from politics (CdM)
• SDP to run in June elections independently (CdM)
• No postponement: Parties still calculating how and with whom they’ll run in elections (RTCG)
• Abazovic: I don’t expect anything from Constitutional Court, very indecisive people, let’s organize elections, even though it’s insane (CdM)
Republic of North Macedonia
• PM: Ruling coalition is stable (MIA)
• Escobar: Not asking opposition to support PM but North Macedonia’s Euro-Atlantic path (MIA/VoA)
Albania
• Administrative elections, 144 candidates running for mayors and 23,763 for members of municipal councils (Radio Tirana)
UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, May 15, 2023
UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, May 15, 2023
Albanian Language Media:
• Kurti: Budget for municipalities for 2024 is €740 million (media)
• Bajrami to Kurti: You have blocked over €37 million for the municipalities (Nacionale)
• Sarrazin: There might not be an agreement yet, but there are concepts (media)
• Szunyog: Non-implementation of Ohrid agreement will have consequences (Reporteri)
• Government and opposition clashes over World Bank’s report on Kosovo (media)
• Muja: Lajcak’s goal is to offer an extreme version for the Association (Reporteri)
• Dugolli writes to Specialist Chambers again; “I won’t stop seeking justice” (media)
• Five persons arrested in police counter-terrorism operation (media)
Serbian Language Media:
• Miroce village residents’ another appeal to the Kosovo authorities and international representatives over their usurped properties (KoSSev)
• Petkovic met Lajcak ahead of the new round of dialogue with Pristina (RTS, Tanjug)
• Power visits Gracanica Monastery while visiting Kosovo (KoSSev)
• New “Serbia Against Violence” protest held in Belgrade (N1, media)
• Dacic on protest: Not a word about the victims, just threats against Vucic (N1, Tanjug)
• Dacic regrets Israel’s decision to recognize Kosovo independence (BETA, media)
• Ambassador of Cyprus: Stance on Kosovo principled and consistent (Kosovo Online)
• Serbian List: Entering the municipalities may endanger the peace (KiM radio, Radio Mitrovica sever, Kosovo Online)
• Fatherland Movement fully supports the requests of the opposition (KoSSev)
• Detention of Trajkovic extended for two more months (Kosovo Online)
International:
• Serbian president says snap election on cards after mass shootings spark protests (Politico)
• Ruling Socialists Defeat Divided Opposition in Albanian Local Polls (BIRN)
Humanitarian/Development:
• Kosovo Assembly hosts seminar “Promoting a gender-sensitive parliament” (EO)
• Share Your Experience: School Violence in South Eastern Europe (Balkan Insight)
• Awareness march for mental health for first time in Kosovo (Klan Kosova)
UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, May 15, 2023
• Dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia continues in Brussels (RFE)
• Lajcak: I expect chief negotiators to be ready to agree on next steps (media)
• Osmani hosts USG: Kosovo, model for promoting Women’s Agenda (media)
• World Bank Group’s New Strategy in Kosovo Supports Competitiveness for Higher Job Creation and Living Standards (worldbank.org)
• Kosovo Opens Auction for First Solar Park (BIRN)
• Conference calls for stronger collaboration among prosecutors investigating war crimes in Western Balkans (BIRN)
• Kurti to meet mayors of municipalities today (RTK)
• KSF launch search for Serb man from Strpce who went missing (Kosovapress)