COVID-19: 461 new cases, three deaths (media)
Agriculture agency officials suspected of bribery and theft detained (BIRN)
Hoti: Those responsible must receive maximal punishment (media)
“Police operation proves Kosovo deeply immersed in corruption” (media)
Serbian List silent over warning of Vetevendosje Movement (Radio Free Europe)
Parties to complaint to court over suspected vote manipulation (Koha)
“No one can be prosecuted for voting the party of another community” (media)
Rexhepi: We must vote for Osmani as Kosovo President (media)
In Kosovo, uncertain future for war crimes court nobody wanted (EuroNews)
UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, February 25, 2021
UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, February 24, 2021
UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, February 24, 2021
Albanian Language Media:
• COVID-19: 461 new cases, three deaths (media)
• Palmer: Kosovo-Serbia and Bosnia Herzegovina, two separate issues (VoA, media)
• European Parliament: Kosovo's independence is irreversible (REL, media)
• Bajrami resigns from the Acting Finance Minister position (media)
• Haradinaj sees LVV movements as "powerless to face northern integration" (Koha)
• Head of Kosovo's Agency for Agricultural Development arrested (media)
Serbian Language Media:
• Vucic: Meeting with Kosovo Serb representatives on Friday; Concentrated pressure of the EU and the USA (media)
• Vucic on the fight in Laplje Selo: We have all the information; two groups of young men organized the fight (KoSSev)
• Belgrade-ordered beating or an organized fight between high school students? (KoSSev)
• Jevtic: Why is there silence about attacks on Serbian returnees? (Radio Mitrovica sever)
• MEPs: Rule of law and normalisation with Kosovo crucial for Serbia (N1)
• EP on Kosovo: No reform results, call for formation of A/CSM (Radio Mitrovica sever)
• Andjelkovic: Albanians frontally attack Serbian List out of fear from Serbian unity in Kosovo (Kosovo-online)
• Serbia & UAE to intensify defense ministries’ cooperation (N1)
Opinion:
• Kosovo must use this moment to reframe the narrative of the past (Kosovo 2.0)
International:
• MEPs call on Serbia to commit unambiguously to European values (europarl.europa.eu)
• Biden's Early Move in Balkans Signals Interest in Europe (VoA)
UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, February 24, 2021
• COVID-19: 285 new cases, five deaths (media)
• Kurti: We don’t avoid talks with Serbia, but first justice and employment (VOA)
• Konjufca: We’ll form government without being dependent on SL (media)
• VV says diaspora votes with expired documents should not be annulled (media)
• Pacolli: I will vote in favor of Osmani for President (media)
• Berisha: Dialogue with Serbia is in Kosovo’s national interest (Koha)
• LDK’s Rugova: Resigned chairmanship trying to impose new leader (media)
• Ahmeti: VV to form coalition with PDK or LDK for greater stability (media)
• Adrijana Hodzic denies deal with Srpska Lista (BIRN)
• “Those assumed to be obstructing justice in Kosovo must be identified” (RFE)
• Serbian church elects patriarch deemed close to president (BIRN)
• TV debate discusses multilingualism and Balkanistics program (Kanal 10)
UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, February 23, 2021
UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, February 23, 2021
Albanian Language Media:
• COVID-19: 368 new cases, four deaths (media)
• EP criticizes Kosovo for not fighting corruption, expresses concern over closure of Task Force (Koha)
• Hoti on assault on Rasic’s son: Violence is unacceptable (media)
• Prosecutor’s office begins investigations about attack on Rasic’s son (media)
• Rasic: Attack on my son was an attempted murder (Prishtina Insight)
• Abbott: Some politicians have incited hatred and fear within communities (Koha)
• Kurti asks privatisation agency not to open new waves of privatisation (media)
• EP Foreign Affairs Committee to vote Kosovo report (Express)
• Suspicions of vote manipulation by Serbia, dozens of NGOs demand reaction of local and international institutions (Kallxo)
Serbian Language Media:
• 78 new cases of Covid-19 registered in Serbian areas in Kosovo (KoSSev)
• 14 newly infected in Gracanica (Kosovo Online)
• Serbian List and Office for KiM: Fight has nothing to do with politics (Radio KIM)
• Suspects for beating Nikola Rasic assigned detention (Radio KIM)
• Nenad Rasic believes that the attack on his son has a political background (N1)
• Rakic: Son of Nenad Rasic injured in “a private conflict” between young men (N1)
• Parents of detained young men: The fight was caused by Nikola Rasic (KiM radio)
• Sava Janjic: Dialogue with Serbs must go through Belgrade (Kosovo-online)
International:
• The world faces a pandemic of human rights abuses in the wake of Covid-19 (The Guardian)
• Small hydropower plant owner sues activist Shpresa Loshaj in Kosovo* for defamation (balkangreenenergynews.com)
• In Hostile Serbian Parliament, MP Fights for Rights of ‘Enemy’ Albanians (Balkan Insight)
• U.S. Development Bank Says It's Committed To Balkans Amid Talk Of Serbian Office Closure (RFE)
• North Macedonia Murder Retrial Convicts Ethnic Albanians of Terrorism (Balkan Insight)
UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, February 23, 2021
• COVID-19: 260 new cases, three deaths (media)
• Kosovo hospitals take in fearful Albanian COVID-19 patients (BIRN)
• Nenad Rasic’s son beaten in Gracanica (media)
• Dialogue with Serbia – Kosovo’s key issue in foreign policy (Koha)
• Kosnett: Kurti and Osmani have vision and energy (media)
• Kosovo Serbs accused of fixing Bosniak, Roma election results (BIRN)
• Communities warn: We may refuse the reserved seats (Kallxo)
• Kryeziu: Votes for Hodzic delegitimise guaranteed seats for Bosniaks (Koha)
• Civil society calls for investigations into the Bosniak votes (media)
• Kosovo’s oldest party needs reality check after election rout (BIRN)
• Osmani meets UNDP Coordinator in Kosovo (media)
• Car of Vetevendosje MP caught fire (media)
• Von Cramon: Government officials and state-owned media in Serbia distributing disinformation and propaganda (media)
UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, February 22, 2021
Albanian Language Media:
• Germany and France call for swift formation of government and election of President (media)
• CDHRF: Assembly reserved seats are at risk from Belgrade (media)
• CEC meets, counting of 500 polling stations is expected (Express)
• CEC decides: 494 polling stations will be recounted (media)
• Zemaj announces increase of COVID-19 cases (RTK)
Serbian Language Media:
• 57 new cases of Covid-19 registered in Serbian areas in Kosovo on Saturday (Radio kontakt plus)
• The Comoros do not recognize Kosovo's independence, the position remains the same (RTS)
• OSCE: Media should be free to travel (KoSSev)
• Serbia receives 150,000 doses of AstraZeneca, 50.000 doses of Sputnik vaccines (N1, B92)
• Brnabic: Quality of life in Kosovo will depend on dialogue with Belgrade (Tanjug, Kosovo-online)
• Hodzic: Balje and Rexhepi did nothing for Bosniak community in Kosovo (Kosovo-online)
• Office for KiM: Video surveillance in all schools in Serbian communities (Kosovo Online)
Opinion:
• Electoral irregularities are no excuse for anti-gypsyism (Prishtina Insight)
• Palokaj: Kosovo to draft guidebook for international friends to hold them accountable
• New 'Cold War' Will Fuel Tensions in Southeast, Central Europe (Balkan Insight)
International:
• Albin Kurti told BTA: Bulgaria and Kosovo share common goals and interests (BTA)
UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, February 22, 2021
• COVID-19: 398 new cases, 1 death (media)
• Prishtina Mayor: No one has moral credibility to ask for a lockdown (media)
• EU insists on resuming the dialogue (media)
• Vetevendosje Movement rules out coalition with Serbian List (Koha)
• Idea for extra-territoriality of Orthodox religious sites, a challenge (Koha)
• Hoti reacts against Belgrade’s interference in Bosniak vote (media)
• Berisha accuses Romani Initiative of being “a Srpska Lista product” (BIRN)
• 48 NGOs from non-Serb communities react (Ekonomia Online)
• Surroi: Short time to elect the new President (Koha)
• Slow pace of Balkan repatriation leaves over 100 children in Syrian camps (BIRN)
UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, February 19, 2021
UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, February 18, 2021
Albanian Language Media:
• COVID-19: 340 new cases, ten deaths (media)
• LDK to elect a two-year mandate leader (media)
• Srpska's game: Hodzic received thousands of votes in municipalities where no Bosniaks live (Express)
• Egyptian PLE also accuses Serbian List of stealing mandates (Koha)
• Roma Progressive Movement: Roma Civic Initiative is in fact the Serbian List (Telegrafi)
• German Ambassador: Voters have given a strong mandate for change (RTK)
• Kurti: I will create the health insurance fund (media)
• Mustafa: I would break the coalition with LVV even today (media)
Serbian Language Media:
• Porfirije - a new patriarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church (B92, Tanjug)
• New Patriarch Porfirije in his first sermon: Kosovo is a covenant for us (KoSSev)
• Vucic met Patriarch Porfirije (RTS)
• Serbian List to new Patriarch: We are convinced that in this holy and responsible duty, you will be on same path as your predecessors (Radio Mitrovica sever)
• State Department congratulates election of Serbian Orthodox Church Patriarch (media)
• Petkovic: Pristina has obligation to enable unobstructed work of media (Radio kontakt plus)
• Vukmirovic on ban to enter Kosovo: Pristina's explanation ridiculous and ill-intentioned (RTS)
• Kurti: "We will analyze the ambiguities of the Washington agreement with the Biden administration" (BBC)
• EU launches project to support Western Balkans vaccination effort (N1)
International:
• Kurti's comments spark pessimism in Belgrade over Kosovo-Serbia talks (euronews.com)
• Kosovo Warns of Census Delay, Blaming Pandemic and Elections (Balkan Insight)
• Filipovic: Improving cooperation with NATO in line with military neutrality is in Serbia’s national interest (EWB)
UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, February 19
• COVID-19: 285 new cases, five deaths (media)
• Kurti: We don’t avoid talks with Serbia, but first justice and employment (VOA)
• Konjufca: We’ll form government without being dependent on SL (media)
• VV says diaspora votes with expired documents should not be annulled (media)
• Pacolli: I will vote in favor of Osmani for President (media)
• Berisha: Dialogue with Serbia is in Kosovo’s national interest (Koha)
• LDK’s Rugova: Resigned chairmanship trying to impose new leader (media)
• Ahmeti: VV to form coalition with PDK or LDK for greater stability (media)
• Adrijana Hodzic denies deal with Srpska Lista (BIRN)
• “Those assumed to be obstructing justice in Kosovo must be identified” (RFE)
• Serbian church elects patriarch deemed close to president (BIRN)
UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, February 18, 2021
Albanian Language Media:
• COVID-19: 285 new cases, five deaths (media)
• Lajcak:Dialogue to continue immediately after the formation of the government (Lajmi)
• EU’s message is clear: New government of Kosovo to continue dialogue with Serbia (Express)
• Redzepi: Vucic elected Bosnian MPs in Kosovo (media)
• Kosnett urges Kosovo winning parties to form a government quickly (Express)
• Orlando encourages Kurti to form new government as soon as possible (Koha)
• Kosovo hit hard by COVID-19 pandemic as economy contracts by 6%, IMF report (Express)
• Diaspora vote counting goes on (media)
• PDK’s Lladrovci demands in an open letter mass resignation in party structures (Koha)
Serbian Language Media:
• 42 new cases of Covid-19, three deaths registered in Serbian areas in Kosovo (KoSSev)
• Gracanica: The number of Covid-19 cases growing; The Crisis Staff calls for strict compliance with the measures (Kontakt plus radio, KiM radio)
• Media: If Pristina makes a move, five countries are ready for de-recognition (B92)
• Selakovic: Serbia doesn’t violate Washington agreement, but is not “silent observer” either (Kosovo-online)
• Kurti for Vreme weekly: To overcome formulas such as historical dialogue and reconciliation (media)
• Parties in Kosovo fined with more than EUR 120.000 over election irregularities (Radio KIM)
• The RTS crew cannot enter Kosovo (Kontakt plus radio)
• Pavicevic: Journalists have no obligation to announce the crossing (Kosovo Online, Tanjug, UNS)
• Serbian List: Freedom of media and right to hear truth - essentials need of all societies striving for democracy (Radio kontakt plus)
• "A good strategic move by the Serbian List, but only if they use it" (KiM radio)
Opinion:
• EU and US so far show no interest in renewed threats to unify Albania and Kosovo (greekcitytimes.com)
International:
• Kosovo snap election: A chance for action (ecfr.eu)
Humanitarian/Development:
• Serbia vaccinated more than a million people (B92)