UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, July 08, 2020

Albanian Language Media:

• Hoti's office: Measures in the north in coordination with Kosovo institutions (Telegrafi)
• Osmani: SL's call, unconstitutional and against Kosovo's sovereignty (media)
• CDHRF calls on Hoti to dismiss Rakic following coronavirus measures (media)
• Oxygen supply problems reported in clinic treating Covid-19 patients (Koha/Klan)
• Roth: EU to deliver visa liberalisation to Kosovo, land swap dangerous (Telegrafi)
• French presidency gives details of Macron-Hoti meeting (RTK)
• Justice demanded for the murder of Bytyqi brothers 21 years ago (media)
• Thaci visits Veseli's family home (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic to address the nation at 3pm (media)
• Pisonero: Restrictive measures must not affect fundamental rights, public order must be guaranteed (media)
• Vucic on negotiations with Pristina: "It will not be easy" (B92, Tanjug)
• Grenell: We never believed in a quick agreement between Kosovo and Serbia in the election year (Blic)
• Djuric: An attempt to destabilize Serbia will not pass on the eve of the key phase of the fight for Kosovo (Kosovo Online)
• “Reactions of people showed what they think about measures, to discuss it at Crisis Staff meeting” (N1)
• Serbian Health Minister says decision on lockdown in next two days (FoNet, N1)
• Four more coronavirus cases in central Kosovo (Radio Mitrovica North)
• Northern Kosovo under quarantine as of last night, curfew from 9 pm to 5 am (KoSSev)
• 53 new Covid-19 infection cases registered in Serb-populated areas yesterday (Radio KIM)
• Rakic and Jevtic: We will stand up for property of Visoki Decani and Serbian Orthodox Church (Radio KIM)

Opinion:

• Two voices on Kosovo (balcanicaucaso.org)
• China Has Overtaken Russia as Serbia’s Great Ally (Balkan Insight)

International:

• Violent protests in Serbia as Vučić announces another lockdown after weeks of alleged pre-election cover-ups (EWB)
• Stalled Serbia-Kosovo Dialogue Set to Resume in July (Balkan Insight)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Coronavirus: Airborne transmission cannot be ruled out, WHO says (BBC)
• Roma Inclusion in Balkans Depends on Governments Recognising Antigypsyism (Balkan Insight)
• Activists rejoice as water returns to Lumbardhi (Prishtina Insight)
• The Rise of Religious Radicalisation among Diaspora Albanians (Balkan Insight)

• COVID-19: 183 new cases confirmed, three fatalities (media)
• Assembly President summons PM Hoti to report on pandemic (media)
• Health Minister says situation with COVID-19 under control (media)
• Haziri criticises recently introduced restrictive measures (media)
• Four northern municipalities introduce new restrictive measures (media)
• Beyer: Dialogue must resume, and agreement reached (RTK)
• Grenell: We support EU for meetings on 10 – 12 July (Express)
• Lajcak discusses the dialogue with senior German officials (media)
• Hoti: France committed to support Kosovo in dialogue process (media)
• Selmanaj: France has dilemmas and hesitates on visa liberalisation (T7)
• 42 MEPs call for visa liberalisation for Kosovo (media)
• EU confident Thaci will extend EULEX's mandate (Koha)
• Vucic on dialogue with Kosovo: They will pressure us to lose (media)
• KLA associations reveal July 9 protest method (media)

Albanian Language Media:

• Except for Hoti and Vucic, Merkel and Macron invite EU’s Borell as well (Express)
• Kosovo’s FM discusses with Germany’s EM Heiko Maas (media)
• CDHRF requests urgent voting of Covid-19 law (RTK)
• LVV accuses Hoti’s government for failing to manage Covid-19 situation (RTK)
• Judah: I was wrong, it seems dialogue can make it without Thaçi (media)
• War veterans change protest plan (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Apostolova: Current status quo in Kosovo is unsustainable (Jedinstvo, Kosovo Online, Tanjug, Blic)
• Dr. Antonijevic: We’re waiting for the results of 111 samples, some of which we have been waiting for 6 days (KoSSev)
• Covic: International community like 'Vienna Boys' Choir' (RTS)
• Jevtic and Rakic about improved conditions for the return of the displaced (Radio Mitrovica Sever)
• UNESCO official says Serbia imposed pandemic measures to strengthen authorities (N1)

Opinion:

• Kosovo: a hasty rotation of power (EWB)

International:

• US soldier killed in noncombat incident in Kosovo (The Hill)
• France, Germany seek to unfreeze stalled Kosovo-Serbia talks (EURACTIV)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Conspiratorial Corona: Hoaxes and Conspiracy Theories in the Balkans (Balkan Insight)
• Novi Pazar is the biggest hotspot of COVID-19 in Serbia (EWB)

• Covid-19: Record number of new cases in Kosovo, 195 (media)
• Four more people die from COVID-19 on Monday (media)
• Health Minister comments on spike in COVID-19 cases (media)
• Covid-19: Hospital and University Clinic director dismissed (media)
• Osmani criticises Government for not submitting anti-COVID law (media)
• PDK: Anti-COVID law must be adopted, violators must be fined (media)
• Pacolli: Assembly must urgently adopt anti-COVID law (media)
• UN Mission in Kosovo donates protective equipment to Ferizaj (Klan)
• UNDP donates 20 ventilators to Kosovo (media)
• Disgruntled Kosovars turn to North Macedonia for tests (Prishtina Insight)
• Hoti to meet Macron in Paris today (media)
• LVV: Concerns we raised about secret Thaci-Vucic agreement, confirmed (media)
• Cakaj’s office: Media reports about him joining PDK are speculation (Express)
• NISMA MP Shala switches party, joins AAK (media)

Albanian Language Media:

• Covid-19: Hospital and University Clinic director dismissed (media)
• Thaci: Danger of coronavirus pandemic still high (media)
• Zemaj warns of legal sanctions for not respecting Covid-19 measures (media)
• Stjernvall: Pristina a 'party town' as Covid-19 cases spike (media)
• EU confirms Paris summit, Hoti-Vucic meeting (media)
• CDHRF: Talks with Serbia to be suspended (Zeri)

Serbian Language Media:

• The dialogue continues, Hoti and Vucic on July 12 in Brussels (N1)
• Serbia-Kosovo summit on Friday, Merkel and Macron hosts (Blic)
• Vucic with Macron on Thursday in Paris (Kosovo Online, Tanjug)
• John Bolton publicly presented the deal (Danas)
• Dr. Antonijevic: 60 people tested today, 300 by Friday (Radio Mitrovica Sever)
• "Epidemiological situation in the municipality of Gracanica under control" (KIM radio)
• Serbian election commission says less than half of electorate voted (N1)
• Another theft in Priluzje: A cultivator with a rotary tiller stolen from farmer (KoSSev)

Opinion:

• Turkey in the Balkans: A march westward (moderndiplomacy.eu)

International:

• Serbia, Kosovo leaders to meet as EU-backed talks resume (AP)
• Kosovo Confronts 'New Situation' After Record Daily Deaths From COVID-19 (RFE)
• Kosovo Politician Threatens BIRN Country Director (Balkan Insight)
• Balkan States Find Prosecuting Terrorism a Challenge (Balkan Insight)

Humanitarian/Development:

• BIRN editor says many more COVID-19 deaths than officially reported (N1)

• 152 new coronavirus cases in last 24 hours in Kosovo (media)
• Kosovo government reinstates curfew in some cities (media)
• Health Minister: We have potential to fight the virus (media)
• Ministry of Health on new fatalities: We must wait for investigations (media)
• Kurti: New elections are the only solution (media)
• Nagavci accuses government of failing to manage coronavirus situation (media)
• Ismaili: Hoti government to treat pandemic with greater seriousness (media)
• PDK’s Haxhiu: State of emergency must be declared (media)
• PM Hoti: We’re waiting for confirmation of date of Paris Summit (media)
• Kosovo, Serbia leaders discussed land swap idea, Bolton says (media)
• Mustafa: Current situation does not guarantee institutional stability (Koha)
• Thaci continues visits to families of martyrs (Zeri)
• Veseli calls on KLA associations to call off protest (media)

Albanian Language Media:

• Hoti: Ready to resume dialogue for mutual recognition (media)
• Hoti: We will not obstruct judicial mechanisms (media)
• PDK could join government after indictments (Koha)

Serbian Language Media:

• Spiric: We ask the citizens to be responsible and to adhere to the measures (Kosovo Online)
• Baralliu: Thaci's reputation tarnished, EU does not want him as negotiator (Kosovo Online, Danas)
• Robert Weber: Germany and France will help dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, if necessary (Kosovo Online, Pobjeda)
• Why Not? (CorD)
• German envoy Schieb: Serbia's pace to EU depends on corruption, media and rule of law (N1, Beta, EWB)
• Vejvoda: Grenell's action awaken the EU, it became more active in connection with Kosovo (VoA, N1)

Opinion:

• Accusation Against Thaçi Is Premature Or In A Timely Manner? (eurasiaview.com)

International:

• Vucic Dismisses BIRN Report on COVID-19 Figures in Serbia (Balkan Insight)
• Dr. Alona Fisher-Kamm - An interview with Israel’s ambassador to Serbia (jpost.com)
• BCSP presents the “Serbia and Hungary – Hammering Democracy” analysis (EWB)
• Bearing Witness: Journalist’s Kosovo Massacre Evidence Helps Bring Justice (Balkan Insight)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Government confirms emergency declared in Belgrade (N1)

• 73 new coronavirus cases in Kosovo in last 24 hours (media)
• Another two patients succumb to COVID – 19 (media)
• North Macedonia considering shutting down Kosovo border (media)
• Assembly President calls for new elections (Gazeta Express)
• Hoti: The Prime Minister represents the state in dialogue (media)
• EULEX: Mandate guaranteed by Kosovo and international laws (media)
• What is Council of Experts’ role in Kosovo – Serbia dialogue? (RFE)
• Vucic: To recognise Kosovo’s independence? Forget about it (

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, July 02, 2020

Albanian Language Media:

• Veliu meets Lajcak’s adviser, discuss dialogue with Serbia (RTK)
• Grenell to set a date for the meeting at White House soon (Koha, Express)
• Hoti talks to Kurz: Austria will support Kosovo’s EU integration (RTK)
• UK Embassy signs Memorandum of Understanding with Kosovo institutions (media)
• KLA war associations and former political prisoners to protest on 9 July (Koha)

Serbian Language Media:

• Ten new Covid-19 infection cases registered in Serb-areas in Kosovo yesterday (Radio KIM)
• Kesic: A more serious dialogue only after the American elections (Kosovo Online)
• Bieber: Vucic party's victory proves Serbia is undemocratic country (FoNet, N1)
• Djuric: Citizens choose Vucic’s policy so Serbia can be strong (TV Most)
• Alliance for Serbia says opposition front to be formed (BETA, N1)

Opinion:

• An unexpected pole position: The EU in the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue (EURACTIV)
• The US and EU Have Both Failed Kosovo (Balkan Insight)
• Winston Churchill of the Balkans? (Weltwoche.ch)
• Media should focus on COVID-19, not political drama (Prishtina Insight)

International:

• Kosovo Ex-Guerrillas Vow Protests Against President Thaci’s Indictment (Balkan Insight)
• Biden Compared Indicted War Criminal to “George Washington” (counterpunch.com)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Kosovo Court Angers Unions by Blocking Salaries Law (Balkan Insight)
• Coronavirus: Austria issues travel warning for six Balkan states (BBC)

• 113 new coronavirus cases in last 24 hours (media)
• Von Cramon: Hopefully a mutual recognition agreement during fall (media)
• Palmer: U.S. remain committed to normalisation of relations (media)
• Heldt: Pandemics, dialogue and visa liberalization to be on focus (Koha)
• PM Avdullah Hoti to visit Tirana today (media)
• EU: Hoti took commitment on EULEX (Express)
• Selimi: Proposed indictment was announced intentionally (media)
• Koci: First indictment expected to be confirmed or denied in July (media)
• Tahiri: No discussions to include PDK in government (RTK)
• (Correction) Judah: Dialogue weakens if Thaci resigns (media)