UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, December 23, 2022

Albanian Language Media:

• Kurti: Comprehensive digitization is one of the key objectives of the government (Klan)
• EU concerned over several provisions of new Kosovo Law on Public Officials (media)
• LVV MP: We will not give up on the implementation of the law in the north (Telegrafi)
• Pendarovski: There will be no problem for NATO if situation in north escalates (media)
• Government submits appeal against Court's decision to suspend reduction of judges/prosecutors’ salaries (Kallxo)
• Trajkovic writes about consequences of her detention at the border (Telegrafi)
• Two minors physically attacked in Mitrovica north by some Serb citizens (media)
• A worker in Leposavic threatened with a weapon by four masked individuals (Telegrafi)

Serbian Language Media:

• Dacic: Peaceful rally at Rudare response to Pristina's threats, terror (Tanjug, Kosovo Online)
• Pantic’s lawyer: I spoke with him, he is well (N1, Tanjug)
• Kabasic on Self-determination Movement, militarization of north, and institutional crackdown on Serbs (KoSSev)
• Simic on “assessment” that 1.500 people attended protest in Rudare (Kosovo Online, social media)
• Jevtic refutes Kosovo police statement of not obstructing busses from Strpce (social media, media)
• Serbian List, Petkovic react to VV MP published list with names of Serbs (Kosovo Online, Tanjug, RTS, social media)
• Sweden to deal with Pristina's EU bid once it is on agenda – ambassador (Tanjug)
• Odalovic: Resolution 1244 in function, KFOR to return ''ROSU'' from northern Kosovo (Radio Mitrovica sever, TV Prva)
• Drecun: ''Pristina preparing KSF base in the North of Kosovo'' (Tanjug, Dnevnik, Blic, TV Pink)

Humanitarian/Development:

• The fate of the missing politicised and neglected topic (KiM radio, Kontakt plus radio, KoSSev)

Kurti: The law on public officials and the one on salaries, a big step (media)
Svecla: If KFOR does not act in time, we will remove the barricades(media)
Serbian List: Svecla's threats do not scare anyone at the barricades (Koha)
Protesting Kosovo Serbs want ethnic Albanian police out of country's north (Reuters)
Kosovo Police: About 1,500 participants in the protest in the north (euronews.al)
Haradinaj: The association should be part of the final agreement (VoA)
NATO’s KFOR Considering Serbia’s Request to Send Military to North Kosovo (exit.al)
Serbian President contradicts himself over liability for Kosovo roadblocks (Euractiv)
At least 3 TV crews attacked while covering protests in northern Kosovo (Committee to protect journalists)
Bieber: The current situation in Kosovo is worst in the last ten years (EWB)
Slovenia plans to increase troop numbers in Kosovo (STA)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, December 22, 2022

Albanian Language Media:

• Serbs in Rudare demand release of arrested and KP’s departure from north (Telegrafi)
• Kosovo Police denies speculations about obstruction of buses in Shterpce (Express)
• Kosovo Police calls for peaceful protest in north (Koha)
• EULEX: We are closely monitoring security situation in north of Kosovo (media)
• “Serbia's illegal structures are intimidating Serbs and attacking policemen” (Albanian Post)
• Sources: Serbian structures oblige and threaten people to take part in protest (KP)
• EULEX present at the entrance of the road to Leposaviq (Kallxo)
• Osmani and Kurti appoint new KIA Inspector General (media)
• Central Bank foresees 3-4 percent increase in economic growth next year (RFE)
• PSD: Selective justice is not justice, it is confirmation of injustice (Paparaci)

Serbian Language Media:

• Kilometres-long column of people in the north of Kosovo, a large number of people at the protest in Rudare (N1, KoSSev)
• Serbian List, new speakers addressed protestors in Rudare (KoSSev, Kosovo Online, RTS)
• Vucic before the protest in Rudare: Serbs not asking for much, only what belongs to all civilised people in Europe (media)
• Radojevic: Barricades are reaction (RTS)
• Jevtic: Police returns buses transporting Serbs from Strpce to attend protest in Rudare (Novosti, social media)
• Vucicevic: “If Kurti goes against barricades that is road to bad direction” (RTS)
• Brnabic: Kurti clearly showed his intentions (Tanjug, RTV)
• EULEX: We closely monitor security situation in northern Kosovo (Kosovo Online, social media)
• Vucic: KFOR fairer than some Western gov'ts, but I expect negative response (Tanjug)
• Miscevic: Nobody imposes a condition Kosovo or the EU on Serbia (Danas, Beta)
• Police officers from the south warned not to publish photos from the north, what happened in the previous days? (KoSSev)
• What will happen to Pristina’s EU membership bid? (Danas, FoNet)
• Statistics Bureau Chief: 61.000 to 62.000 Albanians live in Bujanovac, Presevo and Medvedja (Bujanovacke, FoNet)

International:

• RSF Urges Kosovo to Protect Journalists From Attacks in North (BIRN)
• Kosovo Photographer Tracks Down Country’s Rarest Fauna (BIRN)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Capital Expects First Electric Buses Next Year (Prishtina Insight)

• Police set up checkpoints on the Mitrovica-Leposavic highway (media)
• Serbs called to protest, KFOR ready to react if situation escalates (Koha)
• Kosovo Police investigating reports about kidnapping of Serbs in north (media)
• EULEX may increase number of police if needed (Klan)
• Kosovo Police confirms arrested ex-cop being held at police station (BIRN)
• After increase in attacks on journalists in Kosovo, police and international forces asked to provide better protection (Reporters Without Borders)
• Szunyog: Visa-free movement in 2024 is not yet final (Klan)
• Hovenier confirms support for Kosovo (RTK)
• Krasniqi: If Kurti can’t remove barricades, he should hand over mandate (Klan)
• Basha on KFOR's statement: “Offensive to state and victims of war” (media)
• Kosovo EU bid to get careful consideration early next year (Bloomberg)
• PSD calls on Assembly to amend law on specialist chambers (media)

Albanian Language Media:

• KFOR publishes footage of patrols in the north (media)
• Police: Explosions in the north suspected to come from shock bombs (RFE)
• Kosovo Police Director of Operations interview with Kallxo
• Stoltenberg mentions Kosovo in his end of the year speech (Klan)
• KFOR says it is analysing Serbia's request for return of army to Kosovo (Koha)
• Haradinaj calls on NATO to remove barricades as soon as possible (Telegrafi)
• Dendias mentions situation in the north of Kosovo also in Tirana (Klan)
• Jasharaj: If law on wages is adopted, strike will not continue in January (EO)
• The first results: Presevo Valley with over 100 thousand registered inhabitants (Koha)

Serbian Language Media:

• Spain MFA: We cannot support Kosovo's application for EU membership (Kosovo Online, Blic, RTS)
• Petkovic: No response to request for phone call with Serb arrested by Kosovo police (Tanjug)
• Lawyer: Political process staged against Pantic, his rights are violated (Kosovo Online)
• Brnabic: On verge of armed conflict because of unilateral Pristina’s acts (RTV)
• Vucic: The statement of the German ambassador in Pristina dangerous, a threat to the Serbian people (Beta, N1, RTS)
• Brnabic on Twitter: Ambassador Rohde's statements are outrageous (Tanjug)
• Serbian List, Petkovic react to Svecla’s allegations about Rakic (Kosovo Online)
• Starovic: Kurti told falsehoods that we had more than 100 exercises with the Russians (Tanjug)
• Day 12 at barricades in northern Kosovo (RTS)
• The Greek minister refused to hold a conference in front of the "Republic of Kosovo" sign (RTS, Blic, Ekonomia Online)
• NGOs from Serbia and Kosovo: Escalation and de-escalation reflect the failure of political imagination (Beta, N1, KiM radio)
• Aliyev: Serbia, Azerbaijan strategic partners, support territorial integrity (Tanjug)
• Stoltenberg: Security situation in Kosovo crucial for stability of Western Balkans (media)
• Rasic: In 2022, not a single house was built for returnees in Kosovo (Beta, Danas, KiM radio)

International:

• Kosovo Police Confirms Arrested Ex-Cop Being Held at Police Station (BIRN)

• Kurti: Vucic is violating his beloved 2013 agreement (media)
• Kurti meets Dendias, discuss deepening of relations (media)
• Dendias: Pristina-Belgrade reached agreements should be respected (euronews.al)
• Svecla: Rakic, criminal gangs have blocked citizens in north (euronews.al)
• EULEX: Situation in the north, disturbing and tense (media)
• “Agreement with no mutual recognition may lead to new status-quo” (VoA)
• An explosion is reported in the north (media)
• EULEX supplied police in Jarinje with food, clothing, hygiene products (media)
• Arrested K-Serb police officer’s lawyer still unaware of his location (BIRN)
• Kosovo planning to purchase Bayraktar drones from Turkey (media)
• To resolve Kosovo-Serbia dispute, we must follow framework of Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue (The Parliament Magazine)
• EU invests 91 million euros in Kosovo for railway lines (euronews.al)

Albanian Language Media:

• Kurti received Germany’s Secretary of State (media)
• Abbott: Resolving situation in north requires patience and calm thinking (media)
• PM Albin Kurti interview with The Guardian
• EU ambassadors approve visa liberalisation for Kosovo (media)
• Dendias: Implement everything that has been achieved so far (media)
• Non-paper from Kosovo, Serbia politicians and activists meet in Switzerland (Nacionale)
• No agreement without compromises from both sides, analysts say (RTK)
• Hoxha: Radoicic decided who was police chief, and who was municipal director (Kallxo)
• Qalaj: Police officers in Leposavic are sleeping on cardboards (teve1)

Serbian Language Media:

• Djuric: Secret indictments against Serbs in Kosovo unacceptable type of political pressure (Tanjug)
• President Vucic met NATO Admiral Munsch on Tuesday (Tanjug)
• Admiral Munsch: KFOR carefully monitors situation in northern Kosovo (Tanjug, RTS)
• Serbs from the north of Kosovo the 11th day at the barricades (NMagazin, Beta, RTS)
• Civil society: Detention conditions of Pantic represent serious violation of his human rights (Kosovo Online, Radio KIM)
• KP on smashed shop windows in Bosniak Mahala: The anti-terrorism unit involved in the investigation (KoSSev)
• Radojevic on breaking shops’ windows in Bosniak Mahala and lack of police reaction (Kosovo Online, Radio KIM)
• Petkovic: “Kurti threatens and calls for liquidation” (KiM radio, N1, Beta)
• Brnabic, Vucic, Rakic react to Kurti’s statement on barricades and casualties (RTV, Tanjug, Kosovo Online)
• KFOR commander for N1: Parties in Kosovo to allow freedom of movement (Kosovo Online)
• Dacic says removal of causes may lead to de-escalation of situation in Kosovo (RTV)
• Rakic: “Release of arrested Serbs, withdrawal of all units, removal of secret hit lists, a recipe for removing barricades” (Kontakt plus radio)
• Navaro: Spain will not support Pristina EU membership bid (Kosovo Online)
• Fajon: Respect of Brussels Agreement crucial (Tanjug)

International:

• Kosovo PM says Russia inflaming Serbia tensions as Ukraine war falters (The Guardian)

• Osmani: Final agreement must be based on mutual recognition (media)
• Kurti asks for more work from the diplomacy (media)
• Rohde: Association should be formed in line with Court’s decision (Koha)
• Osmani and KFOR Commander discuss security situation (media)
• Rohde criticizes Serbian List about Rada Trajkovic’s detention (Telegrafi)
• Ceku says artifacts stolen from Serbia will also be discussed in Brussels (media)
• LDK’s Haziri on Kosovo-Serbia "secret meeting" in Switzerland (Telegrafi)
• Greek chief diplomat Dendias to visit Kosovo today (media)
• Haradinaj: Kurti rejected Kosova C and U.S. gas pipeline project (Telegrafi)
• TV Crew Attacked Near Serbs’ Barricade in Tense North Kosovo (BIRN)
• Extreme Right-Wing Serbs Protest in Jarinje (Prishtina Insight)
• EU conditions monitoring of elections with finalization of reforms (Koha)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, December 19, 2022

Albanian Language Media:

• Kurti: The barricades in the north will not be allowed to stand for long (Koha)
• The Greek FM and Lajcak talk about lowering tensions in the north (RTK)
• Swiss MFA confirms secret meeting between Kosovo and Serbia (Albanian Post)
• Abdixhiku: Situation in the north is worse; Government must ask for help (Express)
• Mehaj: Our objective is NATO membership (Telegrafi)
• LDK MP Avdullah Hoti interview with Nacionale
• Tahiri: Situation in the north cannot be resolved only with statements (Reporteri)
• Masked people attack the Klan Kosova team at the barricade near Cabra (Klan)
• Association of Journalists of Kosovo reacts to attack on Klan Kosova team (media)
• PSD to protest against the Specialist Chambers on December 24 (RTK)

Serbian Language Media:

• Day ten at barricades, primary schools open today (RTS)
• PM Brnabic: Serbs are heard only from the barricades (KiM radio, RTS, FoNet)
• Dacic says Kurti is biggest threat to peace (TV Pink)
• SPS leader: Serbia sees Kosovo the way Catholics see the Vatican (N1, BETA)
• Petkovic: UNMIK and KFOR must urgently protect Serbs and their property in Kosovo and Metohija (Tanjug, RTS, Politika)
• Broken windows on Serbian shops in Bosnjacka Mahala (RTS, Kosovo Online, Tanjug)
• Simic: Continuation of hybrid and information war by Pristina (Kosovo Online, social media)
• Trajkovic rendered 30-day detention (Radio KIM)
• Appeal on detention of Dejan Pantic refused (Radio KIM)
• Vucic hosts Dendias and Dacic on occasion of Saint Nikola Day (Tanjug)
• The right-wing rally ends, they claim they wanted to tell KFOR to leave Jarinje (KoSSev)
• Lajcak wrote Franco-German proposal, says Drecun (N1, TV Pink)

Opinion:

• Palokaj: No practical reasons or legal basis for Serbian forces in Kosovo (Koha)
• How the Hague Tribunal Failed Wartime Rape Survivors (BIRN)

International:

• Endgame Nears for Kosovo’s Crypto Haven (BIRN)

• Kurti for Der Spiegel: Vucic wants to return to past, but that train is gone
• Serbian police prevent far-right activists from crossing into Kosovo (RFE/Kallxo)
• Svecla: Police is capable and has capacities to confront criminal structures (Koha)
• President’s Chief of Staff reacts to protest at Jarinje (media)
• Hoxhaj: Serbian regime is solely responsible for tensions (media)
• KFOR to start regular military exercises near its base in Novosella (media)
• Mehaj: Kosovo Army has capacities to protect territorial integrity (media)
• Krasniqi: Government cannot hide behind KFOR (Kosovapress)
• KFOR must remove the barricades, analysts say (Prishtina Insight)
• President Osmani holds end-of-year reception with diplomatic corps (Koha)
• Tajani: Italy to organise conference on Balkans in January (media)
• U.S. welcomes verdict in case against Salih Mustafa (media)
• Conviction of Kosovo’s ‘Commander Cali’ sparks anger at home (BIRN)
• Kosovo arrests Serb ex-policeman for 1999 attack on village (BIRN)