Belgrade Media Report 29 January 2024
United Nations Office in Belgrade
Daily Media Highlights
Monday 29 January 2024
LOCAL PRESS
• Vucic calls EU to stop provocation from Pristina (N1)
• Vucic not interested in EP recommendations, decision on elections (Beta/Politika)
• Brnabic claims Europe disinterested in investigating Serbian elections (TV Happy/Beta)
• Petkovic: Vucic underlined difficult position of Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija (RTV/Tanjug)
• Petkovic: Pristina’s decision to ban Dinar aimed at ethnic cleansing of Serbs (Tanjug/RTV)
• Serbia committed to cherishing memory of victims of Holocaust (RTS/Tanjug/RTV)
• Excellent cooperation of Serbia, Hungary in field of defence (Tanjug)
• Serbian anti-terrorist police in exercise with US Green Berets (FoNet)
• Protest held in front of constitutional court, RTS in Belgrade (Beta)
REGIONAL PRESS
Bosnia & Herzegovina
• International Holocaust Remembrance Day marked in RS; Dodik: Holocaust is one of the darkest and most shameful periods of European history (RTRS)
• Muslim-Jewish peace initiative signed in Srebrenica (Hayat)
• Court of B&H confirms first-instance verdict sentencing Fadil Novalic to four years in prison, Fahrudin Solak to six years in prison and Fikret Hodzic to five years in prison in ‘Respirators’ affair (FTV)
• Izetbegovic comments on second-instance verdict in Novalic case, claims Novalic did not do anything that exceeded powers of PM during pandemic (FTV)
• Court of B&H rejects motion of Dodik’s defense for recusal of seven judges (RTRS/ATV)
• Investigation against Commission for Concessions of B&H launched due to failure to act in line with decision of B&H CC (BHT1)
• Bauer: Dodik did not change his opinion after war and decided to support Russia, he did so before war in Ukraine (ATV)
• Hungarian Foreign Minister Szijjarto pays visit to B&H (FTV/BHT1)
Croatia
• Croatia’s FM expresses support for Bosnian Croat leader Dragan Covic after US accused him of obstructing gas connection (Hina)
Montenegro
• Stoltenberg: Montenegro is a valuable member of NATO, Spajic: We are ready to be a stable partner (CdM)
• Bauer: For leaders in the Balkans to be responsible for their countries, it is not enough to “sit back” and wait for the EU and NATO to do something (MINA/Pobjeda)
Republic of North Macedonia
• Parliament elects caretaker government led by Talat Xhaferi with 65 votes in favor (MIA)
• Parliament names deputy ministers in caretaker government (MIA)
• Believe gov’t will remain committed to national priorities and work in citizens’ interest, says outgoing PM (MIA)
• President Pendarovski hosts reception for new gov’t members (MIA)
Albania
• Rama: Ali Ahmeti, historical lesson for all of us and the generations to come (Radio Tirana)
• Begaj congratulates Xhaferi: Albanians, an important factor for the stability and future of North Macedonia (Radio Tirana)
• Nikola congratulates Talat Xhaferi on his position as Prime Minister of North Macedonia (Radio Tirana)
UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, January 29, 2024
UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, January 29, 2024
Albanian Language Media:
• Hovenier urges enforcement of cash operations regulation be postponed (media)
• EU calls on Kosovo to resolve issue of Serbian Dinar through dialogue (Klan)
• Mustafa against talks in Brussels about use of Dinar in Kosovo (Gazeta Blic)
• EU confirms Lajcak visit to Pristina, “dialogue a key topic” (Reporteri)
• Kurti: Kosovo neither forgives nor forgets Serbia’s crimes (Albanian Post)
• Kosovo and Türkiye sign military framework agreement (media)
• Kastrati: PDK aims to be the leading party in the next elections (media)
• AAK calls for extraordinary assembly session on healthcare (Lajmi)
• Parallel municipalities that operated illegally in Dragash closed (media)
• Kosovo buses pelted with stones while traveling through Serbia (Indeksonline)
• Police confiscate 3 hunting rifles, 3 radios and 2 knives in Leposavic (media)
• Daughter of Serbian opposition politician pays homage in Prekaz (media)
Serbian Language Media:
• Vucic meets Lajcak, says it is necessary to establish ZSO, hold elections in northern Kosovo (RTS)
• Petkovic: During meeting with Lajcak, Vucic emphasized difficult position of Serbs in Kosovo (Kosovo Online, Tanjug)
• SNV: “Hold on a bit Mr. Kurti, put portraits of Djokovic and Krivokapic back, those of Vucic and Djuric we leave to you” (KoSSev)
• Vorgucic about Kurti: If someone speaks Serbian and beats you at the same time, it doesn’t mean much to us (N1)
• What happened to the tent in Leposavic? (KoSSev)
• Endangered cultural and historical monuments in Kosovo: Barbed wire does not protect against political games (KoSSev, Insajder, KiM radio)
• Spahiu on banned official visits (Kosovo Online)
International:
• Time is the Enemy for Kosovo’s New War Crimes Institute (BIRN)
• Sandulovic’s daughter on being stopped by Serbian agents (Euronews Albania)
• Bilčik: The problems of Serbia’s elections can never be resolved inside the EU institutions (EWB)
• Talat Xhaferi, Taboo-Breaker who Became North Macedonia’s First Albanian PM (BIRN)
UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, January 29, 2024
Albanian Language Media:
• Quint embassies statement on recent regulation of Kosovo Central Bank (media)
• Lajcak to visit Serbia today, Kosovo tomorrow (RTK)
• Xhaferi elected head of caretaker government in North Macedonia (media)
• Bauer: Not enough to expect EU and NATO to do everything in Balkans (Lajmi)
• Car of president of Leposavic municipal assembly set on fire (RFE)
• Lajcak: Busy week in Brussels (media)
• Lajcak meets Von Cramon, discuss developments in Kosovo and region (media)
• Kosovo leaders’ messages on Holocaust Remembrance Day (media)
Serbian Language Media:
• Vucic to meet Lajcak (media)
• Quint calls for suspension of CBK regulation due to concern over its impact on K. Serb community (KoSSev)
• Mijacic: A strong message would be for the Central European Bank to prohibit the euro in Kosovo (Kosovo Online, KoSSev, N1)
• KP suspects arson after Leposavic MA president’s car partially torched (KoSSev)
• In Ljubozda returnee village seven houses robbed since the beginning of the year (Kosovo Online)
• Vasic: Milosavljevic and Zaric’s unfounded detention a clear message to all Serbs who want to return to Kosovo (Kosovo Online)
• Jevtic: Attacks on Serbian returnees are a result of the policy of the regime in Pristina (Kosovo Online, Tanjug)
• Czech minister: Kosovo’s political scene united on nationalism (N1, Beta, KoSSev)
• Kurti: No former Kosovo PM maintained dialogue with Serbia as much as I do (Beta, N1)
International Media:
• North Macedonia’s Parliament Elects First Ethnic Albanian PM (RFE)