UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, May 12, 2021

Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: 113 new cases, four deaths (media)
• Over 38,000 doses of COVID vaccine arrive in Kosovo (media)
• NIPK encourages citizens to get vaccinated against COVID-19 (media)
• Distance learning fails to reach disadvantaged pupils (Prishtina Insight)
• Pahor: Final time for Western Balkans to integrate into EU (Telegrafi)
• LDK slams government programme as 'hollow' (media)
• Police recover casings from shooting incident in Zubin Potok mountains (Kallxo)

Serbian Language Media:

• Israeli Ambassador: The decision to recognize Kosovo was made under the coercion of the US (TV Prva, KoSSev)
• Palestinian Ambassador: Against the relocation of embassies to Jerusalem (Danas, TV Prva)
• PM Ana Brnabic to attend dinner hosted by Borrell on May 18 (Tanjug, RTV Puls)
• EU: New enlargement methodology for Montenegro and Serbia (N1)
• Kosovo Albanians vaccinate in Serbia, Pristina media report (N1
• Dodik: No processes being implemented towards secession of Bosnia’s RS entity (N1)
• Selakovic: Constant support of Indonesia (RTS)
• Rakic demands urgent protection of returnees in Kosovo (Radio Mitrovica sever)

Opinion:

• Without the EU, third actors will fill the void in the Western Balkans (politikon.me, EWB)

International:

• EU's Balkan strategy losing local support, internal paper warns (Reuters)
• Democracy is in distress, finds the Council of Europe Secretary General’s annual report for 2021 (coe.int)
• Serbia, Kosovo, Greece Express Hope for Sustained Interest, Investment Through US Agency (VOA)
• In North Kosovo, Mining for Bitcoin on ‘Free’ Electricity (Balkan Insight)
• “Investment in the Western Balkans is an investment in the shared, value-oriented future of Europe” (EWB)

Humanitarian/Development:

• ‘Women’s Work’: COVID-19 Deals Blow to Gender Equality in Kosovo (Balkan Insight)
• International Nurses Day: nurses in northern Kosovo receive awards (KoSSev)
• Three Serbian hospitals to step out of COVID system (N1)

• COVID-19: 57 new cases, four deaths (media)
• Government publishes four-year programme and legislative plan (media)
• Government to condition final agreement with UN seat and recognition from EU five (Koha)
• Aliu: Kosovo to introduce reciprocity measures towards Serbia (Klan)
• What status is being sought out for Orthodox Church in Kosovo? (Klan)
• FM Gervalla denies authoring governing plan posted on Instagram (media)
• Croatia to deploy 150 peacekeeping troops to Kosovo (media)
• Hoxhaj reacts to Serbia awarding Handke highest state honour (RTK)
• Kosovo Court Confirms Indictment in Oliver Ivanovic Murder Case (BIRN)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, May 11, 2021

Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: 49 new cases, three deaths (media)
• Before confronting Vucic, Kurti plans to invite party leaders to a meeting (media)
• Maas to Kurti: Kosovo-Serbia dialogue, decisive for European perspectives (media)
• Gervalla publishes 20 key government program points (RTK)
• Hoti publishes evidence that he handed over the dialogue file to Kurti (Kallxo)
• CDHRF: Strengthening justice in Kosovo, most effective method to tackle Serbia's crimes (media)
• Minister Mehaj talks to Montenegrin Defense Minister (RTK)

Serbian Language Media:

• Covid-19 in Serbian areas: 8 new cases, one death (KoSSev)
• Borrell: Western Balkans has key geostrategic role for the European Union (Beta, N1)
• Vucic invited to Brussels (B92)
• Diocese of Raska-Prizren concerned over attacks on religious sites (KoSSev)
• Father Sava with Szunyog on Visoki Decani Monastery problems (Kosovo-online)
• Jutarnji List: Forget Bosnia-Herzegovina, it is a nightmare; EU has a priority, and that is Serbia (B92, Blic)
• Grubjesic: EU to convince Kurti that dialogue is a priority (Tanjug, Kosovo Online)
• Court of Appeals rejects appeals filed by defense in Oliver Ivanovic murder trial (Kosovo-online)
• Serbian official says almost four million doses of vaccine administered (N1)
• Petkovic: Two returnees’ families in Dubrava village attacked (Kosovo-online)

International:

• Balkan Muslims Find Second Pandemic Ramadan a Challenge (Balkan Insight)
• Landmine Blasts on Albania-Kosovo Border Blight Survivors’ Lives (Balkan Insight)
• Serbia Honors 2019 Nobel Prize-Winner For Literature, Who Denies Srebrenica Genocide (RFE)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Serbian Chamber of Commerce to organize info day on Western Balkans common market action plan (Kosovo-online)

• COVID-19: 47 new cases, two deaths (media)
• Borrell: Kosovo – Serbia dialogue to resume before end of June (media)
• “Debate on Western Balkans result of serious difficulties in region” (EWB)
• German Foreign Minister: If not careful, we will lose Western Balkans (media)
• “Shadows of nationalism hindering cooperation in Balkans” (media)
• Opening Pandora’s Box: The EU’s dangerous Bosnia game (euractiv.com)
• Dialogue, key issue to advance toward EU (Koha Ditore)
• Kurti government aims Kosovo to have candidate status by 2025 (Koha Ditore)
• Balkan migrant-smuggling business ‘worth €50m a year’: Report (BIRN)
• China increases its influence in Balkans through universities in Serbia (RFE)

Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: 47 new cases, two deaths (media)
• New shipments of Covid vaccines to arrive to Kosovo in coming days (media)
• Swedish FM: Kosovo and Serbia to treat dialogue as priority (media)
• Croatian FM pledges support for Kosovo in visa liberalisation process (Koha)
• Police begin interviewing witnesses of yesterday's incident in Zubin Potok (Klan)
• Human remains recovered from Kizevak grave site (EO)
• Annual budget exceeding €100 million allocated to Ministry of Defence (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• 13 new cases of Covid-19 registered in Serbian areas on Saturday (Kontakt plus radio)
• EU: Chance for an agreement between Belgrade and Pristina, no time to lose (Tanjug, Kosovo Online, RTS)
• EU Ministers to Discuss Urgent, Reinforced Engagement in Western Balkans (Beta)
• Fabrizi: Urgent need of rule of law reforms in Serbia, BG-PR dialogue not a condition for opening more chapters (RTS, Beta, N1)
• Selakovic informed Davenport on the position of the Serb population in Kosovo (Kosovo Online, RTV)
• Office for KiM: Stoned church in Kosovska Vitina (Kosovo Online, RTV)
• Radman: Recognition of Kosovo is a reality; Vulin: What the reality is in Republika Srpska? (Hina, N1, KoSSev)
• Patriarch: Persecution of believers, occupation of their homes, and destruction of churches is a culturcide (KoSSev)
• Vucic awards Austrian writer Peter Handke the Order of Karadjordje’s Star (N1, RTS)

Opinion:

• Resuming Kosovo – Serbia Dialogue: What can be expected over next six months? (KoSSev)

Humanitarian/Development:

• EU kicks off year-long Conference on Future of Europe (N1)
• Visoki Decani and Pec Patriarchate open to limited number of visitors (Radio KIM)

COVID-19: 98 new cases, 5 deaths (media)
Shots fired in direction of mountain climbers near Zubin Potok (media)
Incident near Zubin Potok draws condemnation in Kosovo (media)
Brussels hope current governments may reach an agreement (Koha Ditore)
No return of reciprocity or review of Brussels agreement (Koha)
Szunyog: Kosovo's future is in European Union (media)
Kurti: EU is more than structures and institutions for Kosovo people (media)
Hoxhaj: Former opposition wavered citizens' trust in EU (media)
Kosnett: Washington agreements should be basis for work forward (media)
Borrell: Ideas for new borders are dangerous and unacceptable (Zeri)
Victims of the Kosovo war should be at the heart of the dialogue (BIRN)
Shrinking state funds stunt Kosovo’s award-winning film industry (BIRN)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, May 7, 2021

Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: 170 new cases, four deaths (media)
• Athens mayor gives Kurti support on visa liberalization (media)
• Kurti: Preventing and combating violence against women is a government priority (media)
• Gervalla: I am a Kosovo citizen, I travel with Kosovo documents (Reporteri, media)
• Haxhiu: Treating domestic violence is a government plan (RTK)
• KDI: Transparency in local government decreased due to the pandemic (Koha)
• Police intervenes in PSD activity, arrests four members (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic, Dacic on Croatia and military camp in Kosovo (media)
• Serbian List, Office for KiM, react against Croatian military base in Kosovo (Radio KIM)
• Simic: Serbs feel more threatened due to Croatian announcements on opening military camp (Kosovo-online)
• Croatian FA Ministry: Inaccurate and incorrect speculations of Serbia regarding military camp (Kosovo-online)
• Varhelyi: EU approves revised enlargement methodology for Serbia, Montenegro (N1)
• "Balkan states will resist border change scenario" (B92)
• Serbia eases pandemic measures for cafes, restaurants (N1)
• Nedeljko Spasojevic transferred to Mitrovica North prison (Kosovo-online)
• Odalovic: Pristina no longer can ignore requests, search on locations soon, Kosare to be first one (Kosovo-online)
• "Serbia-Kosovo dialogue unnecessary prolonged" (B92)

• COVID-19: 166 new cases, four deaths (media)
• G-7 urges Kosovo and Serbia for reconstructive dialogue (Klan)
• Kosnett: Biden Administration fully accepts Washington agreement (RTV21)
• Kosovo Foreign Minister Under Fire over War Court Comments (BIRN)
• German Ambassador supports Kosovo FM Gervalla (Express)
• Posters against Gervalla appear in Pristina (media)
• Pahor: Border changes in Southeast Europe are not made without sacrifice (Koha)
• McAllister: EU to keep visa liberalization promise for Kosovo (RTK)
• Rama: No solution for Kosovo-Serbia dialogue without involvement of Germany and France (Koha)
• Assembly votes recommendation to pay for Kosovo Serbs’ electricity (media)

Albanian Language Media:

COVID-19: 158 new cases, 3 deaths (media)
Croatia offers 10,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses to people of Kosovo (euronews.al)
Gervalla to PDK MPs: Special Court did not fall from the sky (media)
Kurti defends Gervalla: She defends and promotes our liberation war (media)
Croatian Foreign Minister: We are against border changes (media)
G-7 urges Kosovo and Serbia for reconstructive dialogue (Klan)
Haxhiu: One of most important processes of justice, vetting, starts today (Koha)
River devastation at the centre of BIRN debate (BIRN)

Serbian Language Media:

Eight new cases of Covid-19, one death registered in Serbian areas in Kosovo (Radio KIM)
Vucic: Those announcing genocide lawsuit do not care about dialogue (KoSSev)
Petkovic: Nothing will come of Pristina’s pressures on Belgrade (Kosovo-online)
Bourita: Morocco considers Kosovo part of Serbia (Tanjug)
Godfrey: US displeased over procrastination of Belgrade-Pristina dialogue (Tanjug)
Ursula von der Leyen wrote to Vucic (B92)
Office for KiM: Miroslav Lukic assaulted in Velika Hoca (Radio KIM)
Bieber: Kosovo genocide lawsuit against Serbia cannot be successful (N1)
Serbian Torlak Institute gets 104.000 Pfizer vaccines (N1)

• COVID-19: 153 new cases, 4 deaths (media)
• Kurti: Dialogue must be well-prepared and with principles (media)
• Varhelyi says EU is against redrawing of borders (Koha Ditore)
• Resumption of dialogue won’t focus on technical issues (Exit News)
• Mandl: I am pleased that Kurti will resume the dialogue (Kanal 10)
• Hasani: Kosovo has status of third state in relation with SPC (media)
• Croatian Foreign Minister to visit Kosovo today (media)
• Opposition wants Kurti to defend KLA and dismiss his minister (Epoka e Re)
• “If Gervalla doesn’t distance from statement, she must be dismissed” (media)
• Rohde welcomes initiative to confiscate illegally obtained wealth (media)