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UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, August 19, 2022

Serbia, Kosovo Leaders ‘Make No Progress’ at Brussels Meeting (BIRN)
U.S: We are closely monitoring the talks, use them effectively (Telegrafi)
Price: Secretary Blinken personally invested in breaking the deadlock (media)
Kurti presented chapters of General Framework of Agreement (media)
Vucic: I had a difficult day, I can't say it ended successfully (Albanian Post)
Scholz and Macron contacted Kurti and Vucic before the meeting (RFE)
Palokaj: Meeting between Kurti and Vucic, best one so far (Koha)
Tuhina: There will be intensive talks by EU with Kurti and Vucic (RTK)
Kosovo Albanians and Serbs, hope dialogue will calm the situation (VOA)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, August 18, 2022

Albanian Language Media:

• The first round of the tripartite meeting in Brussels ends (media)
• Palokaj: Agreement expected to avoid escalation in north on September 1 (Koha)
• Price: Success of Kurti-Vucic talks is an absolute priority for the US (Express)
• Ymeri: Without U.S. involvement in dialogue, mutual recognition is difficult (EO)
• Kryeziu: Dialogue should not be linked only with government and PM (Nacionale)
• Citizens in the north concerned over new graffiti (Kosovapress)
• Kosovo Police seize undeclared medicaments from Serbia (media)
• 483 new cases and one death from COVID-19 in last 24 hours (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic, Kurti, Borrell and Lajcak meeting ended (media)
• Vucic from Brussels scheduled a meeting with Serbs from Kosovo on Sunday (Tanjug, media)
• State Department: The success of the Brussels dialogue an absolute priority (Blic, Kosovo Online)
• Vucic informed Stoltenberg of incidents, KFOR ready to react if needed (N1)
• Vucic met Lajcak: Serbia doing everything to maintain peace, stability (Tanjug)
• Vucic to Escobar: Serbia a serious, reliable, responsible side in dialogue (FoNet, N1)
• The trial of the young man arrested on Vidovdan in Gazimestan has begun (RTS, KiM radio)
• New graffiti in N. Mitrovica: “Don’t worry, we’re here – the Northern Brigade” (KoSSev)

Opinion:

• Timothy Less: Everything leads to the creation of a great Albania, the only option for Kosovo to end the "state of limbo" is to merge with it (Blic, Danas, Kosovo Online, Beta)
• Jeremic: We should not give up on Kosovo as long as we exist as a country (KiM radio, N1, KoSSev)

International:

• Kosovo Festival Transforms Pristina (Radio Free Europe)
• Studio Visit (Kosovo 2.0)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Independent Unions announce general strike from August 25 (Koha/Telegrafi)
• All education workers treated with exceptional care in draft law, minister says (EO)
• Haxhiu: I am extremely concerned about violence against women (Klan Kosova)

UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, August 18, 2022

• Kosovo Prime Minister Kurti and Serbian President Vucic to meet today (media)
• Kurti hopes there’ll be no need for reciprocity, sees reflection by Serbia (Koha)
• Escobar calls for Association within Kosovo laws and constitution (media)
• KFOR ready to intervene, additional troops could be sent to the north (Koha)
• Lajcak: Grateful for strong and unequivocal U.S. support (media)
• Mehaj: Belgrade continues its propaganda, producing fake news daily (media)
• Former Kamenica mayor interrogated by Serbian authorities (media)
• Kosovo clings to hope of visa liberalisation as Turkey’s woes worsen (BIRN)
• Op-ed: Girls should stay in school, no matter what (Prishtina Insight)
• Russian embassy accuses West of ‘NATOisation’ of Bosnia (BIRN)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, August 17, 2022

Albanian Language Media:

• SRSG Ziadeh calls for constructive engagement in dialogue (media)
• Escobar to meet Kurti in Brussels today, sources say (Gazeta10/Kanal10)
• “Stoltenberg expected to show red lines to Kurti and Vucic” (Albanian Post)
• Hoxhaj: Osmani, Kurti intentionally creating an atmosphere of fear (Nacionale)
• Begaj: Kosovo’s constitutional order must not come under threat (Express)
• British Embassy: The meeting in Brussels, an opportunity to normalize relations (RTK)
• CDHRF: Interrogation of Kosovo citizens by Serbian authorities is increasing (Telegrafi)
• Health Institute: No cases with West Nile virus in Kosovo (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• UNMIK calls for constructive engagement in the dialogue process (RTK2, media)
• Hill: Belgrade and Pristina negotiations eventually will be resolved in the spirit of concessions and compromises (FoNet, KoSSev)
• Vucic, Blinken adviser discuss Belgrade-Pristina dialogue (Tanjug, media)
• Vucic, Peach discussed Belgrade-Pristina dialogue (N1)
• Janjic: The NATO meeting more important for Serbia than the one in Brussels (Danas, N1)
• Vucic met the Chinese ambassador (Danas, RTK2, Vecernje Novosti)
• Stefanovic: I will initiate a discussion on imposing sanctions on Russia (N1)
• Dacic lends full support to Vucic prior to Brussels meetings (Beta, N1)
• Kosovo is (not) lost (FoNet, N1)

Opinion:

• Demostat: The situation in the north of Kosovo is unstable, possible deliberate provocations (Beta, N1)
• To stop war breaking out in Kosovo, media freedom in Serbia must be addressed (Euractiv)

UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, August 17, 2022

• EU: Kurti-Vucic meeting for normalization of relations between parties (media)
• Kurti to meet NATO Secretary General today (Koha)
• Prior to Brussels meeting, Kurti talks to Chollet and Peach (media)
• Kurti meets the Quint ambassadors, talked about meeting in Brussels (RTK)
• KFOR increases its presence in Jarinje and Bernjak (Koha/Kosovo Online)
• Serbia, Kosovo war talk part of battle for favour on world stage (BIRN)
• Szunyog: Kosovo belongs in EU; our relations will grow and deepen (media)
• Begaj: There is risk of escalation of situation in north of Kosovo (media)
• Number of new positive cases with COVID slowly drops in Kosovo (BIRN)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, August 16, 2022

Albanian Language Media:

• PM Kurti: September 1 will be a normal day (Klan)
• There is no normality; power cuts continue today (Koha)
• Haradinaj, Begaj discuss joint defence treaty (Koha)
• LDK leader Abdixhiku slams Kurti again (media)
• War crimes association in Gjakova presses charges against Bozidar Delic (media)
• President of Albania does not meet with Abdixiku - do not agree on the venue (Telegrafi)

Serbian Language Media:

• EC: Vucic and Kurti must discuss all open issues in Brussels (Beta, N1)
• Serbs’ representatives from Kosovo: “Quint support the decisions made by Pristina”; Petkovic: “They make effort to support independence, but no effort for CSM” (media)
• Media in the EU: ''Nothing from the Serbia-Kosovo dialogue, just to prevent war'' (NMagazin, Beta)
• Janjic: Insufficient efficiency of the energy sector in Kosovo (KiM radio)
• US Ambassador: Community of Serb Municipalities is not unique (N1)
• Brnabic: Vucic to fight for peace in Brussels (Tanjug)
• Selakovic: It is known how the CSM should look like (Kosovo Online)

Opinion:

• Introducing the Far-Right Power Index (BIRN)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Refugee Commissioner says almost 10,000 migrants in Serbia (Beta, N1)

UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, August 16, 2022

• Albania helps Kosovo, the energy crisis is avoided (media)
• Kosovo walks back power cutoffs to consumers amid energy ‘emergency’ (RFE)
• President Osmani accuses EU of favoring Serbia (Koha)
• Begaj supports decision on reciprocity on license plates and IDs (Koha)
• Osmani on headscarves in schools: Constitution, primary orientation (media)
• Counter-petition launched against request to lift ban on religious dress in Kosovo schools (BIRN)
• Serbia does not allow Bislimi and Svecla to visit Presevo Valley (RTK)
• Kosovo to host largest field exercise in region, “Defender Europe 23” (media)
• Kurti meets OSCE Head of Mission Davenport (media)
• Haradinaj to Kurti: I am addressing you to reconsider your position (media)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, August 15, 2022

Albanian Language Media:

• Osmani, Kurti welcome Albania’s President Bajram Begaj (media)
• Osmani: All preparations are being made to implement institutions’ decisions on Brussels agreements (Telegrafi)
• Citaku: Power cuts in August, we can imagine what will happen in winter (Telegrafi)
• Tahiri: If we tolerate 2-hrs cuts now, we’ll have to tolerate 12-hrs cuts in winter! (media)
• Hoti: Power cuts are being reintroduced to cover up mismanagement (Indeksonline)
• PDK: Winter is coming, both with cuts and high tariffs (media)
• “Strike in educational system until law on wages is finalised” (Koha)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic: I am going to Brussels to try to maintain peace (Tanjug)
• Brnabic on Twitter reacted to EEAS statement (media)
• Office for KiM on EEAS statement (media)
• Kosovo Internal Affairs Minister says Serbs are citizens with equal rights (N1, KoSSev)
• Kommersant: Russia asking Serbia to decide (Beta, N1)

Opinion:

• Kosovo and electricity - authorities warn, citizens worried (N1, KoSSev)

International:

• Kosovo seeks western help to boost Nato and EU ambitions (Financial Time)
• Falling Stars: Europe’s Champions in Balkans Burn Out Fast (BIRN)
• Thousands March in Belgrade to Protest Against Euro Pride (Balkan Insight)

UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, August 15, 2022

• EU calls on Kosovo and Serbia to immediately end inflammatory rhetoric (RFE)
• Power cuts from Monday in Kosovo (media)
• LDK leader predicts most difficult winter ever; slams government (media)
• Newly elect President of Albania to visit Kosovo today (media)
• Swiss TV: Informer that revealed plan to kill Marty was born in Kosovo (media)
• Against bleak global backdrop, Kosovo’s Dokufest ponders ‘How to Survive’ (BIRN)
• Youth Day feels bittersweet to Balkans’ frustrated youngsters (BIRN)
• Palokaj: A major shift of the workforce from Balkans toward EU (Koha)
• “Kosovo must deliver on municipal association if it wants normalisation” (BIRN)
• Kosovo women seek end to ‘period poverty (BIRN)
• COVID-19: 393 new cases (media)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, August 12, 2022

Albanian Language Media:

Kurti: When Serbia talks about killing and violence, it talks about itself not Kosovo (RFE)
Kurti: We stand unwavering, but agreement depends on Serbian side (Koha)
KFOR: We are talking with security representatives of Kosovo and Serbia (Klan)
Kurti to meet NATO SG, one day prior to meeting Vucic (Nacionale/Klan Kosova)
“We don’t want instability; Serbia shouldn't encourage criminal groups” (Kosovapress)
Will police confiscate the trucks that blocked the roads in the north? (Nacionale)
Murati: Redefinition of borders with Serbia will return; there’s no other option (media)
860 new cases with COVID-19, one death (media)
Serbian Language Media:

Mihajlovic: Negotiations with Pristina are getting more difficult because Kurti wants to end the dialogue (Kosovo Online)
Serbian Army Commander visits the bases in Ground Safety Zone (RTV RS)
Serbian Mayors from Kosovo warn that position of Serbs is becoming more difficult (Politika)
Rakic: We are not shying away from the possibility of forming Association/Community of Serbian Municipalities (A/CSM) ourselves (Kosovo Online)
“North of Kosovo is de facto a grey zone, Pristina wants to present reciprocal measures as being in service of fight against crime” (Danas)
International:

Serbia’s Leader Rejects ‘Little Putin’ Label Amid Fears of Russian Meddling (The New York Times)
NATO informs the public that SG Stoltenberg will meet with Vucic and Kurti on August 17 (nato.int)
Besides Red Carpets, Sarajevo Film Festival Confronts Traumatic Past (BIRN)
Opinion

Activists in Kosovo and Serbia Can Still Find Common Ground (Prishtina Insight)