UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, January 27, 2023

Albanian Language Media:

• Kurti: Austria, a great friend of Kosovo and an important partner (media)
• Osmani welcomes the friendly delegation of Austria and MEP Mandl (media)
• Without recognition, EU proposal is unacceptable for the opposition (RFE)
• Serwer: Association was included in second version of proposal (media)
• British MP: An article of the French-German proposal, is disturbing (Reporteri)
• German MP advises Kurti for compromise regarding EU and Association proposal (media)
• Murati: Property tax increase was initiated by former governments (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Serbian List announces complaint on decision on land expropriation in Leposavic (Radio KIM, media)
• Leposavic: Municipality to meet residents affected by expropriation of land (Kosovo Online, Radio Mitrovica sever, media)
• Plazma biscuit again in the campaign - the American one: “Open market, open mind” (KoSSev)
• Dacic: Serbia's position on French-German proposal very clear, responsible (Tanjug)
• Dacic: Turkey will insist on honouring of Belgrade-Pristina agreements (Beta, N1)
• Demostat: The PM, not Vucic, will sign the future agreement (Beta, N1)
• Vucic receives farewell visit from Palestinian ambassador (Tanjug)
• Ambassador of Greece to Serbia: We are not changing our position on Kosovo (Blic, Tanjug)
• Danas: West expects normalisation of Belgrade-Pristina relations by year end (N1, FoNet)
• Borko Stefanovic: To solve the Kosovo problem without recognizing independent Kosovo (NMagazin, Euronews, Beta)
• Jeremic: No normal person should sign the agreement that takes Kosovo to the UN
• Petkovic: Kurti’s attacks on ZSO cynical (Radio KIM)

International:

• Kosovo’s War Rape Survivors Scheme Hindered by Enduring Stigmas (BIRN)

• Donfried: Kosovo and Serbia must make difficult decisions (VoA)
• Kurti: Constitution, independence don’t tolerate monoethnic Association (Koha)
• Osmani meets with Hovenier, discuss about latest developments (media)
• Government: Request for Association, against the state of Kosovo (KTV)
• Rohde: No guarantee that Kosovo will be recognized by EU’s non-recognizing five at the end of dialogue (media)
• The EU 10-point plan that West envoys presented to Kurti and Vucic (Reporteri)
• Sign deal or face consequences, EU envoy tells Kosovo, Serbia (Reuters)
• US Urges Kosovo to Accept EU proposal (Prishtina Insight)
• Dare we hope agreement between Serbia and Kosovo is possible? (Emerging Europe)
• Konjufca: Kosovo, strong support from MEPs for CoE membership (media)
• The north, topic for which Kosovars are misinformed the most (RFE)
• Kamberi writes letter to Escobar about Presevo Valley (media)
• Serbia asks Turkey to influence Kosovo (Armenia News)

Albanian Language Media:

• Kurti on meeting with Lajcak: Agreement must be centred on mutual recognition (media)
• Miroslav Lajcak’s interview with Klan Kosova (Klan)
• Kurti: Government is working on digital transformation (EO)
• Haradinaj wants Kurti to explain what he agreed with Lajcak (media)
• Vacancy for new police officers in the north extended to February 10 (RFE)
• Petritsch: Kosovo to fulfil its obligations and establish the Association (Klan)

Serbian Language Media:

• Serbian Parliament on February 2 on Kosovo, Vucic to attend (Tanjug)
• Lajcak: 11-point plan to normalise Belgrade-Pristina relations (N1, Kosovo Online)
• Djilas calls for publication of EU proposal for Kosovo (N1)
• Aleksic: Serbian parliament to adopt red lines on the Kosovo issue (NMagazin, Beta, N1)
• Dacic thanks Romania for principled stance on Kosovo (Tanjug)
• Protest against EU proposal for Kosovo in Mitrovica North (KoSSev, N1)
• Mijacic: Franco-German plan aims at Slovakia, Greece and Romania to recognize Kosovo (Kosovo Online)
• CI For Zubin Potok assumed their councillor’s mandates in MA (KoSSev)
• Euronews Serbia: Fragility of agreement on licence plates
• Kurti: There are no Serbian municipalities in Kosovo (KiM radio)

Opinion:

• Analyst on intimidation of Serbian public and “boiling frog” (Nova S)

International:

• US Urges Kosovo to Accept EU proposal (Prishtina Insight)

• Lajcak: With European proposal, Kosovo gains a lot and loses nothing (Klan)
• Lajcak meets Kurti and Bislimi in Pristina (media)
• Price: Kosovo, Serbia want rapid progress in dialogue to avoid escalation (Klan)
• Howell: Kosovo should be accepted to the Council of Europe (RFE)
• What is happening in Kosovo? The U.S. invites politicians to the embassy, journalist shares details (euronews.al)
• PDK’s Krasniqi confirms he will attend discussion on Association (media)
• FES to present draft statute of Association on January 30 (Nacionale)
• EU and Germany help improve waste management in Kosovo; invest additional €49 mil in the sector (eeas.europa.eu)
• UN Committee: Switzerland shouldn’t deport Turkish couple to Kosovo (BIRN)
• Plisi shouldn’t exist only in museums (Prishtina Insight)
• Serbia Jeopardises EU Integration Path If It Rejects Kosovo Plan, Vucic Says (schengenvisainfo)
• Serbian parliament to debate Kosovo, Vucic calls opposition for talks (Euractiv)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, January 25, 2023

Albanian Language Media:

• Kurti lists the government's work for municipalities and regional development (media)
• Government keeps silent about U.S. initiative to discuss Association (Koha)
• Qalaj justifies the police: The persons tried to kill the police officers (EO)
• Rohde pleased that Minister Rasic will discuss the Association (Express)
• Government approves Draft Law on Religious Freedoms (media)
• Murati invited to report to the Budget Committee about property tax increase (Koha)
• Hoti reacts harshly: We can't continue like this, lift VAT and increase wages (media)
• Media boycott Minister Murati’s press conference (media)
• War veterans’ organisation requests police protection of their facilities (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic: I regret they did not understand the state outweighs party interests (N1)
• Dacic: Serbia's role to remain constructive (Tanjug, media)
• Petkovic: Gervalla’s statement shows essence of Kurti's policy (Tanjug)
• When sweets turn into bullets – another campaign to boycott Serbian products in Kosovo (KoSSev)
• Hill: Serbia started paying too high a price for not imposing sanctions on Russia, EU serious about the sanctions (Blic, Tanjug, NMagazin, Beta, RTV)
• Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung journalist: It won’t be end of the world for Serbia if it does not sign new agreement (Danas, N1)
• UNS complaint on article accusing Serbs of committing war crimes without grounds partially accepted (Radio KIM)

Opinion:

• Rising hopes can be realised or dashed (peacefare.net)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Why investing in the early years of children’s lives is critical in Kosovo (blogs.worldbank.org)

• Chollet urges Kurti to accept EU proposal (RFE)
• U.S. Embassy confirms organisation of discussion on Association (Koha)
• Rasic confirms he received invitation to discussion on Association (RFE)
• Hill: Association, an obligation from Brussels Agreement (media)
• President Osmani interview for Corriere dela Serra (media)
• Lajcak lobbying with countries that don’t recognise Kosovo (Indeksonline)
• EU, US piling pressure on Serbia to accept Kosovo plan, Vucic says (BIRN)
• Borrell meets Dacic, underlines importance to implement obligations (media)
• Lajcak meets Dacic; “exchanged views about dialogue” (media)

Albanian Language Media:

• Kurti talks about the Draft Law on Religious Freedoms with Bishop Dode Gjergji (media)
• Gervalla: Russia is a threat through Serbia, we demand clear messages from EU and allies (Klan)
• The Police Inspectorate starts an investigation into the incident in Leposaviq (Kallxo)
• Opposition reacts to increased property tax bills (media)
• Bogujevci at CoE: I come from a country where women and men experienced sexual violence (media)
• Vetevendosje and PDK accuse each other through videos (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic responds to the call of the right to discuss the Franco-German plan in the Parliament; parliamentary groups refused consultations? (Danas, Nova, FoNet)
• Vucic: I will inform parliamentary groups of details of European plan (Tanjug, media)
• Dacic today in Brussels at separate meetings with Borrell and Lajcak (Kontakt plus radio, RTS)
• Konrad and Cochard: There is no question of sanctions if the plan for Kosovo is not accepted (NMagazin, Beta, TV Prva)
• Lajcak with representatives of countries that have not recognized Kosovo (KiM radio)
• Juratovic: Without settled relations, no entry into the EU for either Belgrade or Pristina (N1, Beta, Nova)
• Gervalla: Community/Association of Serbian municipalities is a dead proposition (Kosovo Online, Ekonomi Online)
• Bilcik's draft report: Serbia to align its foreign policy with the EU (media)
• SNF asks Bishop Teodosije to convene a town hall meeting, after Vucic’s statements on Kosovo (KoSSev)
• Protest in North Mitrovica tomorrow (Kontakt plus radio, Danas, KiM radio)
• Petkovic and Svecla share conflicting statements; KP: M.D. & D.S. accused of almost 100 crimes, including murder (KoSSev)

Opinion:

• Lazarevic: After Vucic's address, the whole north like a deflated balloon - and Serbian List's supporters (N1)

International:

• Kosovo Police Confirm Shooting at Serb-driven Vehicle (BIRN)

• Borrell briefs EU foreign ministers on Kosovo-Serbia dialogue (RFE)
• Escobar: Kosovo has full U.S. support; we will reach our objective (media)
• Lajcak meets foreign ministers of Spain and Slovakia (media)
• U.S. Embassy to organise discussion on Association of Serb municipalities (KTV)
• One injured after Kosovo police open fire in hit-and-run incident (Reuters)
• Kosovo Police gives details about incident in Leposavic (media)
• Svecla reacts after incident in north on Monday (media)
• Osmani hosted by Italian President Mattarella (media)
• Hundreds homeless in wake of Kosovo floods (RFE)
• UN willing to help families and people affected by floods (media)
• Police arrest one person suspected of attacking a juvenile in Suhodoll (Kallxo)
• Vucic: EU will halt talks if we refuse to normalise ties with Kosovo (RFE)
• Kosovo Serbs angered with Vucic, call protest on Wednesday (Gazeta Express)

Albanian Language Media:

• Borrell to inform EU foreign ministers today on Kosovo-Serbia dialogue (RFE)
• Osmani: I thanked the Holy Father for the care he shows toward Kosovo (media)
• Kurti meets with Mufti, talks about the Draft Law on Religious Freedoms (media)
• Fajon and Lajcak talk about the situation in the Western Balkans (Klan)
• Kusari-Lila: Kosovo is not a blocking party in the dialogue (media)
• Kosovo Police unit fires shots after being attacked by a vehicle in Leposavic (Koha)
• Abdixhiku criticises government on Martin Berishaj and Oliver Ivanovic cases (media)
• Protest against Kurti's statement about Ivanovic: resign or apologise (media)
• UN willing to help families and people affected by floods (Indeksonline)

Serbian Language Media:

• Serbian Government session commence, Vucic to address public this evening (RTS, media)
• Dacic: ZSO precondition for talks on Belgrade-Pristina solution (Kosovo Online, Happy TV)
• Opposition reacts to Vucic’s willingness to accept Kosovo agreement concept (N1, Prva TV)
• Serbian Orthodox Church elders express conviction that Serbian state leadership would not and can not agree to Kosovo independence (FoNet)
• Brnabic: Nothing regarding Kosovo will be decided without the people (FoNet, N1)
• Fatherland Movement seeks referendum on French-German proposal (KoSSev)
• Lajcak: Community of Serb Municipalities crucial, German-French plan solution (Tanjug)
• Danas: European plan for Kosovo in 10 points (KoSSev)
• Professor: French-German proposal contrary to Constitution of Serbia and UN Resolution 1244 (N1)
• Nova: ZSO by the end of April, final agreement by June (Kosovo Online)
• Specialist Court without comment on media reports on theft of confidential data (Kosovo Online)
• Dacic receives Cuban ambassador in a farewell visit, thanks him for Cuban stance on Kosovo (Tanjug)
• Three key postulates for the formation of the CSM (ZSO) (Politika)
• Petkovic: Special forces shot at a vehicle near the Bistrica Bridge, a Serb was wounded (media)
• A Serbian boy attacked in Suvi Do yesterday (media)

Opinion:

• “Kosovo is a Country, and a Country Means a State, Rules the Court of Justice of the European Union” (EJILTalk)

Humanitarian/Development:

• The air is slowly but surely killing us (Kosovo 2.0)
• Floods in Western Balkans Cause Huge Damage, Drownings (Balkan Insight)

• Kurti invites his cabinet to fulfill commitments of government program (RTK)
• Vjosa Osmani to visit the Vatican in a reception by Pope Francis (media)
• Western envoys visit Pristina, Belgrade, part of reconciliation effort (RFE)
• Kosovo-Serbia talks may advance ‘in weeks’, US diplomat says (BIRN)
• Western envoys visit Kosovo, Serbia to defuse tensions (AP)
• West expects more understanding of EU proposal for Serbia, Kosovo (AA)
• EU dialogue envoy makes visit to Serbia and Kosovo amid tensions (TVP World)
• PACE may discuss recent tensions between Pristina and Belgrade (media)
• Walker: Serbia invested heavily in propaganda against Recak massacre (media)
• Analyst warns: With or without Association, north is in danger (euronews.al)
• Protest in Pristina today against Kurti’s statement about Ivanovic (EO)
• “Wagner” inscription seen at school and Health Center in Mitrovica (Koha)
• Kosovo’s green transition remains main goal of EU in 2023 (Europe House)
• Serbian president hints that agreement with Kosovo is possible (newsbase)