UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, February 2, 2021

Albanian Language Media:

• COVID – 19: 245 new cases, three deaths (media)
• Election campaign starts tomorrow, CEC in process of verifying final list of voters (media)
• European Parliament MP: Recognition of Kosovo by Israel, clear signal for EU (RTK)
• Dialogue with Serbia, visa liberalization do not find place in parties’ campaign (media)
• Mustafa slams Kurti: No one is the first if he must barricade from citizens (media)
• LVV accuses CEC for not making lists from abroad public (media)
• PSD with a symbolic action: “All power to the Soviets” (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• 26 new cases of Covid-19, one death registered in Serbian areas in Kosovo (KoSSev)
• Selakovic: We are not happy with the actions of Israel (RTS, B92, Beta, N1)
• Vucic on meeting with Macron, Kosovo issue, Israel
• Mihajlovic: Kurti will win, there is no Hashim or Grenell any longer (KoSSev)
• Prosecutor Smith: Possible new indictments for crimes in Kosovo (Radio KIM)
• KFOR: Situation in Kosovo calm, we do not interfere in politics (Kosovo Online, Tanjug)
• Grubjesic: An innovative solution would be for Serbs and Albanians to solve problems on their own (Tanjug, Kosovo online, K1)
• Drecun on visits of Albanian politicians to the north (Kosovo-online)
• Mehmeti: Police has operational plan for elections in Kosovo (RTK)
• More than 1.400 people from Kosovo vaccinated in Kursumlija (Kosovo-online)

International:

• Kosovo, Israel establish diplomatic ties (AP)
• Serbia ‘not happy’ with Israel’s recognition of Kosovo, says it will impact ties (The Times of Israel)
• Kosovo's embassy move violates UN resolutions: Turkey (Anadolu Agency)
• EU urges Kosovo to rethink Jerusalem move (Euobserver)
• Balkan nations turn to China and Russia for jabs (FT)
• China Is Helping a European Ally Get Ahead on Vaccines (Bloomberg)
• Book Unpacks Balkans’ ‘Love-Hate’ Relationship With Turkey (Balkan Insight)

Humanitarian/Development:

• 'You are not alone': Balkan women seize #MeToo moment (japantimes.co.jp)

• COVID – 19: 282 new cases, five deaths (media)
• EU continues to oppose Kosovo’s Jerusalem embassy plans (Prishtina Insight)
• Kosovo establishes relations with Israel, ‘breaking blockade on recognitions’ (BI)
• Citaku reacts to EU opposition on embassy in Jerusalem: Hypocrisy (media)
• US Embassy welcomes Kosovo – Israel diplomatic relations (media)
• PDK’s Hoxhaj: Grateful to US for important milestone (media)
• Eggs thrown at Kurti during visit to Skenderaj (media)
• Pacolli: All my doors are closed for Vetevendosje (media)
• CEC to organise elections in the north too (media)
• CEC draws ballot for numbers of political parties (media)
• In Sundance Film, a Kosovo war widow rebuilds against the odds (BIRN)

Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: 282 new cases, five deaths (media)
• Zemaj insists: Covid vaccine will arrive in February (media)
• Kosovo and Israel formally establish diplomatic relations (media)
• Osmani: Kosovo-Israel relations, historically strong (media)
• Hoti and Szunyog discuss current developments in Kosovo (media)
• CEC draws ballot determining order of parties in elections (media)
• CEC approves over 100,000 voter applications, rejects nearly 30,000 (media)
• Survey shows perception of citizens in Kosovo and Serbia on Dialogue (media)
• Status conference in Mustafa case held today at Specialist Chambers (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic with Macron in Paris, solemn reception in front of the Elysee Palace (RTS)
• Janjic: Formation of government in Pristina will depend exclusively on Serbian List (Kosovo Online)
• Vucic: Hysteria in Kosovo; Serbs exposed to provocations (B92)
• Brnabic: Serbs in KiM kept their composure and showed dignity (RTV)
• “What awaits us in dialogue with Pristina after arrival of new White House administration” (RTS)
• Szunyog: EU expects Visoki Decani monastery’s property to be registered in cadastre (KoSSev)
• Serbian List officials and Office for KiM Director received Covid-19 vaccines in Raska (KoSSev)
• Serbia signing contract for another 11 million Covid-19 vaccine doses, PM says (N1)

Opinion:

• Elections 2021: Week 2 — What Did I Miss? (Kosovo 2.0)

International:

• Serbian President Sends Lieutenant To Washington As Belgrade Seeks Tighter U.S. Relations (RFE)
• Justice on Hold: War Trial Delays Jeopardise Serbia’s Progress to EU (Balkan Insight)

Humanitarian/Development:

• "Vaccine nationalism" (B92, Tanjug)
• Serbia’s foreign trade at EUR 40 billion in 2020 (N1)

• COVID – 19: 287 new cases, six deaths (media)
• Osmani, Kurti visit Mitrovica North, locals protest (media)
• Kosnett: US never supported land swap idea (media)
• Smith: Charges are against individuals, not against KLA or Kosovo (Koha)
• Haradinaj: America is Kosovo’s guardian angel (media)
• Hoxhaj: We’ll end isolation; strengthen ties with U.S. and Germany (media)
• Kosovo, Israel to establish diplomatic relations today (media)
• Haradinaj hails Israel announcement on diplomatic relations (Prishtina Insight)
• Von Cramon: Idea of national unification, not right for Kosovo (media)
• Kosovo election complaint highlights problem in proving ethnic identity (BIRN)
• Vucic says visits by Kosovo politicians in the north are “provocations” (media)
• Feasibility study, making Serbia shareholder in Gazivoda Lake, begins (Koha)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, January 29, 2021

Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: 342 new cases, five deaths (media)
• British variant of the coronavirus in Kosovo (media)
• Hoti urges Quint, EU to react to Serbian president inciting statements (Express)
• Kosovo-Israel diplomatic relations to establish on 1 February (RTK)
• The Supreme allows Liburn Aliu and Labinota Demi to run, Albin Kurti remains out (Express)
• Former US envoy says Democrats have failed to solve Kosovo issue (media)
• Excavations in Kizhevak expected to resume by the end of March (RTK)
• Daka: EU election experts arrived in Kosovo (media)
• Cornerstone for Krusha e Madhe victims laid today (media)
• LDK-LVV coalition in Vushtrri breached (media)
• Haradinaj meets Austrian Ambassador, discuss strengthening of relations (RTK)

Serbian Language Media:

• Selakovic: New US and EU unity also means new pressure on Serbia (Kosovo-online)
• 40.000 doses of Sputnik V vaccine arrived to Serbia, new shipments to follow (B92)
• Head of WHO Office in Serbia says country’s results in fight against coronavirus impressive (B92, Tanjug)
• No easing of Covid-19 relating measures in Serbia (B92)
• Minister Joksimovic says no dilemma about Serbia’s commitment to integration (N1)
• Radakovic: Democracy in Action only independent observer in upcoming elections (Radio kontakt plus)
• Brnabic: When it comes to recognition of diplomas, we’re waiting for interlocutors in Pristina (Radio Mitrovica sever)
• Office for KiM: Popovic banned from entering Kosovo (Radio kontakt plus)
• Bolton: It would be a mistake if Biden let EU deal with Balkans alone (N1)
• EU Office on Haradinaj’s statement (B92, Kosovo-online)

International:

• Serbia announced 'illegal' vaccine programme in Kosovo (euobsrver)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Emigrant Life in Switzerland Inspires Prize-Winning Kosovo Writer (Balkan Insight)

• COVID-19: 334 new cases, three deaths (media)
• Coronavirus: Serbia provokes Kosovo with vaccination scheme (DW)
• Ramadani: Covid vaccines will arrive soon (Telegrafi)
• Hoti: Vucic's statement does not serve peace and stability in the region (media)
• Haradinaj: Vucic's threats to Kosovo don't help regional stability (media)
• U.S. follows implementation of Washington agreement, Israel recognition (media)
• Kurti meets Norwegian envoy for Balkans (media)
• Hoxhaj: No coalition with LVV, we will lead the government (Klan/media)
• Limaj: When we fought, Hoxhaj pondered seeking asylum in Serbia (Koha)
• Serbian List MP candidate beats up a Serb opposition member (media)
• Hodzic: I do not have an agreement with Serbian List (Kallxo/Telegrafi)
• Serbia opens parallel hotline, CEC not informed (Klan)
• CDHRF slams KSC for not granting release to former KLA leaders (media)
• Serbian government official not allowed entry to Kosovo (Telegrafi)
• In Kosovo, War Prisoners Campaign to Save Their Old Jail (Balkan Insight)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, January 28, 2021

Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: 334 new cases, three deaths (media)
• Zemaj: No relaxation of Covid rules is expected (Telegrafi)
• Biden administration supports the EU-facilitated Kosovo-Serbia dialogue (RFE)
• Hoti: Kosovo committed to reaching normalisation agreement with Serbia (media)
• VV's Nagavci rules out possibility of a coalition with PDK (Gazeta Blic/Klan)
• Balje: Srpska Lista interfering in elections (Prishtina Insight)

Serbian Language Media:

• 18 new cases of Covid-19 registered in Serbian areas in Kosovo (KoSSev)
• Dacic: Serbia and US “didn’t push under the rug” disagreements over Kosovo, however, relations have positive trend (Kosovo-online)
• Mihajlovic: We need strategic partnership with Washington (N1)
• Vucic: We will open discussion on compulsory military service (B92)
• Trial of Krstic and Shabani continues (Radio KIM)
• Dacic thanked Botsan-Kharchenko for Russian help during pandemic (RTS)
• Sputnik on White House foreign policy priorities, including Western Balkans (B92)
• Court of Appeals confirmed indictment against former minister Rikalo and others (KoSSev)
• "We don't need Serbia's permission to unite with Albania" (B92, Kosovo-online)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Corruption Perceptions Worsening In Balkans, Central Europe, Transparency Says (Balkan Insight)
• Container in refugee camp in Mitrovica engulfed by fire, six seek medical assistance (media)
• Journalist association and UN Women hold workshop on gender responsive budgeting (RTK)

• COVID-19: 301 new cases, eight deaths (media)
• Hoti: The country to return to normality by early spring (RTK/Kallxo)
• Kurz says vaccine to roll out in all Western Balkans at the same time (media)
• Zemaj appeals for respect of Covid rules, days after flouting them (Koha)
• Lajcak warns against land swap idea, calls it 'dangerous' (media)
• Parties appeal ECAP decision with Supreme Court (media)
• Mustafa says he would prefer to see Kurti lead VV's ticket (Lajmi/RTK)
• Haradinaj: Not allowing Kurti to run is not good for democracy (media)
• Rasic accuses Serbian List of vote theft in the north (Kallxo)
• CEC has so far approved 46,000 voter requests from Diaspora (Telegrafi)
• Kosovo justice institutions put in service of Veseli's defence (Koha)
• Kosovo Must Take Three Crucial Steps During Biden’s Presidency (Balkan Insight)
• Ceremonies Mark Holocaust Remembrance Day Across Balkans (Balkan Insight)
• TI: Kosovo and Albania have made no progress in fighting corruption (Telegrafi)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, January 27, 2021

Albanian Language Media:

• COVID – 19: 301 new cases, eight deaths (media)
• Interim release denied for Thaci, Selimi and Krasniqi (media)
• Klinaku: Rejection of former KLA leaders’ conditional release, political (media)
• Kosovo leaders congratulate U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken (media)
• Minister Haradinaj-Stublla: Kosovo is ready for dialogue with epilogue (media)
• Joint Kosovo-North Macedonia governments meeting postponed (Gazeta Express)
• Osmani: Today we are proud of help that Albanians gave to Jewish people (RTK)
• Kosovo’s Acting President receives death threat on Facebook (Gazeta Express)
• Hoti: Those who have problems with the law cannot take public office (Koha)
• Hoxhaj: LVV intends to overthrow the legal system (Koha)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic: War for human lives, but also for future of our country is being waged (B92)
• Vucic: Serbia has no right to irresponsible statements (Kosovo-online, RTS)
• Silva: Enlargement remain in focus during Portuguese EU presidency (N1)
• Serbian Defense Minister: KFOR only legitimate force in Kosovo (N1, FoNet)
• “Allies will support unification with Albania“ (KoSSev)
• Petkovic: Why is international community silent at Haradinaj’s threats (Kosovo-online, KoSSev)
• Andjelkovic: ICG provokes, offers Serbia capitulation, division of Kosovo real compromise (Kosovo-online)
• Vucic: Government providing another EUR 2.5 billion in aid to population and economy (N1, RTS)
• Holocaust Remembrance Day marked in Belgrade (N1)
• Health House in Kursumlija receives 800 requests for vaccination from Kosovo residents (Kosovo-online)

Opinion:

• Eastern Europe wakes up with Trump hangover (EUobserver)

International:

• Europe Is Flirting With a Vaccine Disaster (Bloomberg)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Financial Times ranks Serbia 2nd in Europe on vaccination list (N1)

• COVID – 19: 313 new cases, seven deaths (media)
• Kosovo ex-PM Albin Kurti barred from running in election (BIRN)
• CEC spokesman: We’ll wait for decisions from Supreme Court (Indeksonline)
• Kosnett: Respecting court decisions vital to Kosovo’s democratic future (media)
• VV: ECAP acted in line with Daka, LDK and PDK (media)
• Haradinaj: Albin Kurti must not be stopped from running in elections (Kallxo)
• Kosovo’s prime time TV debates are becoming a farce (Prishtina Insight)
• Kosnett: Washington agreement remains in force until eventual change (media)
• Hague judge extends detention for Kosovo ex-commander (Balkan Insight)