UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, August 26, 2024

Albanian Language Media:

Kurti hosts CIA Director “for an important strategic meeting” (media)
EU: Urgent implementation of Brussels agreement and Ohrid Annex (TV Dukagjini)
Kurti calls on diaspora to register (media)
Osmani: Dynamic discussion with young leaders at Alpbach Forum (media)
Embassies criticize Kosovo’s strategy for war crimes (TV Dukagjini)
Idaho National Guard’s Helicopter Battalion deploys to Kosovo (Express/DVIDS)
Reception for Ukrainians in Kosovo to celebrate Ukraine Independence Day (media)

Serbian Language Media:

President Vucic speaks about meeting with CIA chief, lack of official statement (N1, FoNet)
Deadline for conversion of drivers’ licence expired, some people did not manage to convert their licences to Kosovo ones (Alternativna, media)
EC to N1 on Kosovo driver’s licences: We welcome the step (N1, media)
Assault helicopters and almost 200 members of Idaho National Guard to be deployed in Kosovo (KoSSev)
PM Vucevic: Government reshuffle likely in six months to a year (N1)
Serbian Parliament Speaker Brnabic criticises protests against lithium mining (N1, media)
Lithium mining in Serbia sparks widespread opposition (N1, media)

Albanian Language Media:

• The head of the CIA meets Kurti (media)
• Osmani: Alliance with USA, guarantee for security, peace, and success (RTK)
• Kosovo govt. on Kurti’s meeting with head of CIA: Historical moment (media)
• Haradinaj: Meetings of CIA head with heads of state, good news (RTK)
• LDK: Krasniqi and Berishaj lead of energy mafia (RTK)
• The KSF continues with training in the United States of America (Klan)

Serbian Language Media:

• “Bridge over Ibar will not be opened, actors of Banjska attack will be held accountable”: What visit of NATO officials brings to Belgrade and Pristina? (Danas)
• FM Djuric: Germany one of Serbia’s most important political, economic partners (N1, FoNet)
• Trifunovic: Representatives of Pupin Initiative to visit Kosovo, get firsthand information about situation (Kosovo Online)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Market near Saint Nikola Church in Gnjilane place where Serbs sell their products (RTV Puls, media)

Albanian Language Media:

• CIA Chief makes stop in Kosovo as part of unannounced visit to Balkan region (RFE)
• Haradinaj: Head of CIA did not meet Kurti due to blockade from America (Telegrafi)
• Kusari: Bridge will be opened, government unanimous with president (RTK)
• Kryeziu: Kurti would not undertake any action that endangers national security (Koha)
• Svecla and Krasniqi visit families at new houses in the north (RTK)
• Bislimi claims the issue of missing persons is his priority in dialogue (media)
• Deadline for conversion of driver's licences ends today (Reporteri)
• Former Serbian policeman convicted of rape to be also tried for many war crimes (Koha)

Serbian Language Media:

• Families of missing persons: We are victims of insane politics (KoSSev, Radio KIM)
• More than 6.300 requests to convert drivers’ licences submitted by August 22 (Radio KIM)
• Djuric meets Pavuk, thanks him for Slovakia’s support on Kosovo, matters of importance to Serbia (Kosovo Online)
• Ruge concludes his visit to region: Western Balkans of strategic importance to NATO (Kosovo Online, social media)

Albanian Language Media:

RTK Workers Union asks Assembly to complete RTK Board ASAP (media)
EU without decision on lifting of measures against Kosovo (media)
Government: Keeping EU measures in force is pointless (media)
DW: After Bosnia and Serbia, CIA director is visiting Kosovo (Gazeta10)
Plane in which CIA chief is believed to have traveled to region, seen at Pristina Airport (RFE)
CBK expects 3.9% economic growth during 2024 (Koha)
Digitization of the election process begins, CEC receives software from OSCE (media)
Grenell criticizes Kurti: The whole world has condemned his unilateral actions (media)
Tahiri: Kurti has damaged, punished, and isolated Kosovo (Ekonomia)
Musliu: Veseli and friends facing the most anti-national and anti-KLA government (media)
Osmani: Honored to be awarded M100 Media Award alongside Tusk (media)

Serbian Language Media:

Macron visiting Serbia on August 29 and 30 (Kosovo Online, media)
Vucic discussed the Ibar bridge with Botsan-Kharchenko (Danas, media)
CIA Director William Burns arrives in Serbia (N1, nova.rs, media)
Lawyer: We have offered bail for Milenkovic to be released pending trial (Kosovo Online)
Shqiprim Musliu: Bujanovac will be part of Kosovo, learn to live with that (KoSSev, Bujanovacke)
French President Macron to visit Belgrade next week amid uncertainty over CIA Director Burns’ itinerary (KoSSev)

Opinion:

Belgrade - Pristina normalization talks: the west must bridge the divide (Kosovo Online)

UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, August 22, 2024

Albanian Language Media:

Other QUINT countries against opening of bridge in current circumstances (Koha)
Issue of opening of Iber bridge discussed at Osmani-Rohde meeting (media)
Serbian media: CIA director to visit Pristina, after Sarajevo and Belgrade (media)
Kurti meets Senator Chris Murphy, discuss range of topics (media)
Kurti meets Senator Welch, discuss “deepening of relations” (media)
Osmani, Devitt sign 6th amendment to Development Objectives Grant (media)
Osmani and Tusk win M100 Media Award 2024 (media)

Serbian Language Media:

Djuric met Ruge: NATO wants Serbia to play a positive role in the region (Kosovo Online, media)
Brkljac: Police reports submitted as evidence, indictment a disgrace for the prosecution (Kosovo Online, KoSSev)
26 years since the abduction of Slavuj and Perenic: We will search for them as long as we live (Kosovo Online, KiM radio, KoSSev, Radio Mitrovica sever)
Grenell criticizes Senator Murphy and USAID: Is the USA financing Kurti's unilateral and dangerous actions? (Kosovo Online)
35,000 active drug users in Kosovo (NMagazin, Beta, Kosovo Online)

International Media:

Kosovo: Potato chips bring Serbs and Albanians together (DW)
Kosovo gets €31 million US grant despite worsened relations (Balkan Insight)

Albanian Language Media:

• Osmani on U.S. grant: Whenever we work together, Kosovo wins (EO)
• Hovenier: Challenges with Kurti govt affected quality of our partnership (media)
• NATO looks to Serbia to help ensure full accountability for May and September 2023 violent acts (media)
• CEC: Parties have right to spend up to €2 million on campaign (media)
• Camaj: Over 6,000 Serbs applied to convert their drivers’ licenses (EO)
• Maqedonci: Turkiye gives donation for KSF capacity building (media)
• Vukovic meets Kurti, “we hope, work for EU future of Western Balkans” (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic met Ruge: Necessary coordination with KFOR forces in accordance with Resolution 1244 (RTS)
• Djuric: The embassy in Bern also received threats, citizens and consular representations are safe (RTS, Beta, N1, Tanjug)
• "After a failed attempt to take over a safe house in Z. Potok, they decided to copy our idea in North Mitrovica" (KoSSev)
• KiM radio: The accused of the attack on the premises of the CEC pleaded not guilty (KoSSev)
• Resident of Gorazdevac released from custody: "They are accusing me of something I didn't do" (KoSSev, Radio Gorazdevac)
• Insajderi: “Ekrem Peci, the owner of ‘C'est la vie’, on his way to take over the multimillion-dollar land in Zvecan” (KoSSev)
• Vuletic: The election campaign in Kosovo will certainly not seek the normalization of relations with the Serbs (Kosovo Online)

International:

• Kosovo- Serbia dialogue deadlock is suffocating civic initiatives (Prishtina Insight)
• Grandfather jailed in Serbia on ‘flimsy’ evidence (BBC)
• EU rejects accusation that west played role in recent anti-mining protests in Serbia (RFE)
• Silenced by scarcity: How poverty excludes Serbian women from civil society (BIRN)
• The Director of the CIA held a Series of Meetings in Sarajevo (sarajevotimes.com)

UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, August 21, 2024

Albanian Language Media:

Ruge on Iber bridge: Decisions through dialogue, in coordinated manner (media)
Shea: It won’t be long before we see a united Mitrovica (media)
AJK submits comments to IMC law to Constitutional Court (media)
Kosovo to sign US$ 34.5 mil agreement with USAID today (media)
Osmani, Hargreaves talk latest developments, including Iber bridge (media)
Memorandum signed on safehouse for domestic violence victims in north (media)
Family of person accused by Dacic: “Propaganda, he has special needs” (media)

Serbian Language Media:

Safe House Initiative in North Mitrovica: New Facility Planned on Previously Halted Site (KoSSev)
Dacic: Threatening messages to airport, embassies and consulates sent by Albanian whose parents are from Kosovo (KoSSev, media)
Ruge: NATO stance is that issue of Ibar Bridge be resolved through dialogue and in coordinated manner (Kosovo Online, social media)
Vucic to meet Ruge today (Tanjug)
Lawyer: Detention of three Serbs arrested in relation to Banjska case extended for two more months (Kosovo Online)
Serb from Gorazdevac released after spending 48 hours in detention (RTS)
6.100 requests submitted for conversion of drivers’ licences (Radio KIM)
“Where there’s no law, there’s the people”: Fresh lithium protests in Serbia (N1)

International Media:

In Serbia, Shadow of a Mass Shooting Hangs over Trial of Another (Balkan Insight)

Albanian Language Media:

Osmani meets Ruge; “gratitude for NATO’s ongoing contribution” (media)
Osmani: I know Vucic was directly involved in ordering attack in Banjska (media)
Stano: EU has not changed position on opening of Iber bridge (media)
“After Krasniqi indictment, PDK wants investigation into energy mafia” (media)
Hoti: Assembly to stop degradation of RTK; opposition must take action (media)
COMKFOR meets NATO Assistant Secretary General Boris Ruge (media)
Atiq: Fence around building of Mitrovica North municipality removed (media)
KFOR Italian soldiers patrol ABL in Istog municipality (media)
Special Prosecutor's Office begins to interview Sami Kurteshi (EO)
“Death to Albanians, Kosovo is Serbia” written at Bujanovac health center (Koha)

Serbian Language Media:

Djuric: Two Serbian embassies in Europe received threats; heightened security measures (Tanjug, RTS, TV Pink, media)
Former KFOR officer in trial to Thaci: Torture room found at KLA HQ in Gnjilane in 1999 (KoSSev, BETA)
Arsenijevic apprehended again because he whistled at ministers from Pristina (KoSSev, Radio kontakt plus, media)
Arsenijevic after arrest: Whistles in hands, so next time there is no peace for people, let there be no peace for authorities as well (KoSSev, social media)
UNS: 26 years since kidnapping of journalists Slavuj and Perenic, their whereabouts still unknown (UNS, media)
Gogic: The US has already interfered in Kosovo elections; Hamza and Kasanof meeting a message to Kurti (Kosovo Online)
British Ambassador believes Serbia can develop Jadar project safely (N1, BETA)

International:

Reopening Of Mitrovica Bridge Long Overdue But Must Be Done In Consultation With Allies, Says Kosovo's President (RFE)
The silent nightmare of Balkan depopulation (euobserver.com)

Albanian Language Media:

Kurti on Iber bridge: Don’t want to surprise allies, or postpone indefinitely (media)
Osmani: First joint security assessments, then date on opening the bridge (RFE)
Osmani meets COMKFOR, “success is achieved with our allies” (media)
Court confirms indictment against Gervalla for failing to declare wealth (media)
Prosecution files indictment against former chief of power corporation (media)
Abdixhiku: The energy mafia will fall on February 9 (media)
Kurti meets members of the Albanian community in Chicago (media)

Serbian Language Media:

Djuric writes to NDI: Invitation to Kurti platform for further destabilisation of Balkans (Kosovo Online, media)
Petkovic: For Bislimi attacks against Serbs are obviously not attacks (media, social media)
KFOR on meeting with Osmani (social media)
Media: Kosovo Government for three years spent 30 million euros on fuel for official vehicles (Radio kontakt plus, Tanjug, Politika)

Albanian Language Media:

Osmani talks to COMKFOR about Iber Bridge: Success is achieved with allies (Koha)
Kurti in USA, participates in officialization of Kamala Harris as candidate for president (media)
Dimal Basha: Media helping Serbia and Russia to misinform (ekonomia)
The Hybrid Platform reacts to Dimal Basha’s comments on their report (ekonomia)
Ministry of Foreign Affairs calls diaspora to participate of population census (RTK)
Haziri: Countdown begins for this government that failed in every promise, the big comeback will happen (ekonomia)
A person arrested in Gorazhdec for singing songs that incite inter-ethnic division and hatred (media)

Serbian Language Media:

Office for KiM: Apprehension of Zlaticanin staged persecution (Radio KIM, media)
Serbian List reacts to arrest in Gorazdevac (Kosovo Online)
Sljuka: Many people drive cars registered in Serbia with authorization, there is still no solution for them (Kosovo Online)
Kosovo Property Agency takes away premises used by Pensioners Association in Mitrovica North (Kosovo Online)
Half a million euros for restoration of Xhafer Deva’s house in Mitrovica South (Euronews, media)
Gudzic: Ulpiana is not part of Albanian cultural heritage (Kosovo Online)
“Beqir’s Church” desecrated again (Radio KIM, media)
Activist: Future protests will depend on actions of authorities, Rio Tinto (N1, BETA)

International:

‘Bad Blood’ Stalks a Lithium Mine in Serbia (The New York Times)

Humanitarian/Development:

Families of missing Serbs and Albanians: Politics is blocking process of finding our loved ones (Kosovo Online)