UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, July 18, 2022

Albanian Language Media:

• Kurti: Kosovo most pro-EU country in Western Balkans, yet most isolated (media)
• Rama: Failure to give visa liberalisation to Kosovo, a disgrace for the EU (media)
• Von Cramon calls on EU to grant visa liberalisation to Kosovo (media)
• Lajcak's mandate extended for two more years (Klan)
• Svecla: Kosovo has no fighters in Ukraine (RFE)
• Mehaj: Determination of our police in fighting smuggling makes us all proud (media)
• Murati gives details about Government's employment scheme (media)
• “Opposition doesn’t benefit by presenting government’s successes as failure” (Koha)
• Kosovo asks Serbia to return artefacts (Klan)
• Albanian Parliament with a draft-resolution against Dick Marty’s report on Kosovo war (Koha)

Serbian Language Media:

• President Vucic: The new government will not be anti-Russian (N1)
• Shooting and police pursuit in Leposavic: Several police officers injured; Suspect’s brother: Excessive force used (KoSSev)
• YUCOM: Serbs in Kosovo in complete legal uncertainty (N1)
• Anniversary of massive kidnapping of Serbs and Roma from Orahovac marked (Radio KIM)
• Brussels sources: In the EU unhappy because of Kurti's stubborn persistent attitude (Beta, N1, KoSSev)
• ETTU: The Kosovo Table Tennis Association withdrew the team, we worked to ensure that Kosovo has equal treatment (KoSSev)
• Milasinovic: Pristina has no right to search for artifacts (Tanjug, Kosovo Online, RTV)
• North Macedonia’s parliament backs French proposal (N1)

International:

• Kosovo Football Fans Criticised for Barring Tourists from Guerrilla Memorial (Balkan Insight)
• Lack of action on Kosovo sarcophagus speaks to wider neglect (BIRN)
• Artists proclaim ‘NSK Territory’ as exploration and challenge of sovereign state (BIRN)
• Serbia Says Crashed Plane Was Carrying Serbian Weapons To Bangladesh (RFE)

Humanitarian/Development:

• 'Besa' - A Bid at Balkan Noir (Kosovo 2.0)

• Five police officers injured during an anti-smuggling operation in the North (media)
• Kurti: Kosovo unable to pay for electricity in the north (media)
• Krasniqi: Kurti should deal with solution to crisis, not with party elections (RTK)
• Haradinaj: Government caused millions of euros damage to civil servants (media)
• Ceku: Europa Nostra has lost credibility, is politically influenced by Serbia (media)
• Serbia bans Kosovo’s participation in table tennis championship (media)
• Government of Kosovo prepares new employment scheme for families (media)
• EULEX chief meets with Kurti: As always, an inspiring discussion (media)
• The former EULEX prosecutor comes as a winner, gets invited as a suspect (Koha/media)
• EULEX reacts to allegations raised by Bamieh in Pristina (media)
• Jashari family reacts to a bus with foreign students not allowed to visit memorial site (media)
• Two more Ukrainian journalists arrive in Kosovo (media)

Albanian Language Media:

• OSCE Chairman-in-Office meets Kosovo leaders (media)
• President Osmani: Kosovo, a constructive party in dialogue with Serbia (media)
• “Kosovo will continue to participate constructively and actively in dialogue” (media)
• Decan mayor on Europa Nostra conclusions: Not based on facts (Zeri)
• Abazi: Companies tied to Grenell registered in the U.S. to control Kosovo assets (T7/G. Express)
• LDK: Ruling parties come and go; media remain caretakers of democracy (media)
• AAK senior member reacts to Baton Haxhiu’s statement (Express)
• PDK: Kurti government is deepening poverty, bankrupting companies (media)
• Over 1,200 new cases with COVID-19 in last 24 hours (media)
• Former Croatian President to be declared Honorary Citizen of Prizren (Indeksonline)
• The U.S. Congress votes on resolution, asking Serbia to punish killers of Bytyqi brothers (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• GrenelI to Politika: I do not expect too much from the Brussels dialogue (media)
• Petkovic with Italian Ambassador on dialogue (Radio KIM)
• New apple of discord: SOC in the dialogue on normalization (KiM radio)
• Stano: We expect Serbia to refrain from intensifying relations with Russia (N1)

International:

• Former inmates of ‘Prison from Hell’ recall its grim secrets (Prishtina Insight)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Kosovo could be among places that sells coal to Germany (Radio Kosova/RTK)
• About 700 new students enrolled in ten faculties of Mitrovica North (Radio Mitrovica sever)

• Lajcak, Bislimi meet in Brussels; discuss next steps in dialogue (media)
• Scholz indicates agreement on Berlin Process: Summit in November (Express)
• French ambassador gives positive signals for visa liberalisation (Kosovapress)
• Govt barely gets votes for bureau on confiscation of unjustifiable wealth (Koha)
• OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Rau to meet leaders today (Kosovapress)
• Vetevendosje MP calls for media control, Journalists Association reacts (Koha)
• Kosovo Govt, European heritage network argue Orthodox monastery (BIRN)
• Von Cramon meets Europa Nostra Secretary General (media)
• Observatory in Prishtina reopens after 35-year gap (Prishtina Insight)
• Old, ugly, obsolete, but Pristina satellite dishes part of collective memory (BIRN)
• Hague Court President: Recognising Srebrenica genocide is necessary (BIRN)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, July 14, 2022

Albanian Language Media:

• Lajcak mentioned 3-4 agreements; EU and Kosovo govt don’t give details (Telegrafi)
• Kurti: Political parties should meet to discuss vetting process (Reporteri)
• Muja certain bill on verification, confiscation of unjustifiable wealth, will pass (Telegrafi)
• German MP in Tirana: Open Balkan, only an element of the Berlin Process (Express)
• Ceku says Europa Nostra should apologise to Kosovo for image damage (Klan)
• Aliu: Europa Nostra heavily damaged Kosovo’s image (RTK)
• EU continues to support strengthening of rule of law in Kosovo (media)
• Former Customs Director elected chair of the Kosovo Chamber of Commerce (Koha)
• Kamberi: Integration of Presevo Valley Albanians in Serbian state institutions (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Kamberi: Coalition of Albanians of the valley has no interest in being in the Government of Serbia (N1, Beta)
• Vucic denies being invited to high-level talks in Brussels; state of emergency but not declared (Beta, FoNet, N1)
• Petkovic's two failed attempts to enter Kosovo; EU: They should have allowed him; Pristina disagrees (KoSSev)
• Europa Nostra after Kosovo visit: V. Decani to continue to be guarded by KFOR due to security challenges (KoSSev)
• Serbian Ambassador: Friendship between Serbia and China ‘steel-strong’ (N1)
• Brnabic with Ukrainian Ambassador: Serbia for respecting international law, peaceful settlement of disputes (Kosovo Online)

International:

• Kosovo Prosecutorial Council Scraps Recruitment Call After Test Leak (Balkan Insight)
• EU Reportedly to Impose Visa Bans on Western Balkan Right-Wing Extremists (schengenvisainfo.com)
• Bosnian Police Arrest Kelmendi’s Son, Elvis, on Organised Crime Charges (Balkan Insight)
• Serbia Mulls ‘Taking Over’ Mainly Russian-owned Oil Company (Balkan Insight)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Observatory returns to Pristina as a window into space and heritage (Koha)
• Unemployment, Prejudice Await Kosovo Returnees from Syria, Iraq (BIRN)
• My Grandfather’s Memorial Illuminates Holocaust History in Serbia (Balkan Insight)

• Chairman of the OSCE to visit Kosovo (RTK)
• Kosovo Government: Petkovic violated agreement on official visits (media)
• Aliu: Reciprocity is the essence of Kosovo-Serbia dialogue (RTK)
• Borrell prefers "Open Balkan", Scholz "Berlin Process" (Klan)
• Grenell blames Kurti and EU, says KFOR should withdraw from Kosovo (media)
• Government responds to criticism over Kurti's stay in Greece (Telegrafi)
• Europa Nostra: Reasons for inclusion of Decan Monastery to the endangered list, still valid (Kallxo)
• Pristina Observatory opens for celestial observations (media)
• In the north, RKS license plates covered with KM ones (RFE/Koha)
• EU mulls visa bans on Balkans extremists stirred up by Moscow (EUobserver)
• Hospitals Told to Mobilise as COVID-19 Cases Increase (BIRN)

Albanian Language Media:

• Rama to Stoltenberg: Kosovo should be included in the partnership for peace (media)
• Germany provides 400,000-euro assistance to KSF (media)
• Government of Kosovo vows to take measures on staple products (Koha)
• Ereza Vela, first woman to run for chair of Kosovo Chamber of Commerce (Express)
• Krasniqi: We need to prepare for a higher influx of patients (media)
• Albania calls for Kosovo admission in Council of Europe (media)
• Millions from Kosovo budget for neglected facilities in Serb-majority municipalities (RFE)

Serbian Language Media:

• Petkovic banned from entering Kosovo again (Kosovo Online)
• Ministry of Culture of Serbia: A campaign of attempted seizure of cultural treasures (KiM radio)
• Mihajlovic: Vulin is the leader of a tiny party (FoNet, N1)
• Serbia didn’t join new EU restrictive measures against Iran (BETA, N1)
• Brnabic to Italian Ambassador: Important for Serbia to open cluster 3 in December (N1)
• Hoxhaj: Kosovo should join the Open Balkan initiative (N1, Beta)

Opinion:

• Never again, but nothing has changed (Kosovo 2.0)
• French proposal will encourage extreme nationalists (EWB)

International:

• Serbian Peace Activists’ HQ Vandalised After Srebrenica Anniversary (BIRN)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Vienna Institute: No economic growth in Serbia if war in Ukraine continues (N1)

• Kosovo refutes Russian propaganda about “mercenaries” in Ukraine (Koha)
• Hoxhaj: Agreement with Serbia is crucial not to have crisis again (media)
• Kosovo, Montenegrin Foreign Ministries hold political consultations (media)
• Krasniqi: Bigger mobilisation over a greater infection wave (EO)
• Kosovo minister conveys Serbia’s messages in Gjilan (Koha)
• Kosovo’s annual inflation accelerates to 14.1 percent in June (SeeNews)
• Status conference in the case of Thaci and others today (media)
• Kosovo Political Prisoners Recall Brutal Internment on ‘Barren Island’ (BIRN)
• US rejects ‘Serbian world’ advocated by Serbian minister (AP)
• Albania Registers Sharp Increase in Visitors from Serbia (BIRN)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, July 12, 2022

Albanian Language Media:

• EULEX departs a convoy of aid to Ukraine (media)
• Szunyog: Proud of Kosovo standing alongside EU on Ukraine (Klan)
• Konjufca receives e delegation of UK Parliament (media)
• Citaku: Kurti lacks transparency, consistency, and clear vision for dialogue (Nacionale)
• Gervalla-Schwarz receives representatives of British Inter-Parliamentary Union (RTK)
• Two died from COVID-19 on Tuesday (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Petkovic banned from entering Kosovo (Kosovo Online)
• Vucic: Peace and stability in Western Balkans a priority (N1)
• Selakovic: Belgrade respects territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine (Danas)
• OSCE Chair Zbigniew Rau to visit Western Balkans (N1)
• Arlov banned from entering Kosovo again (Kosovo Online)
• Gojkovic: Pristina attempting to falsify history (KoSSev, Radio KIM)

International:

• Kosovo’s Pandemic Response Left Women-Led Businesses Struggling (BIRN)
• Albanian PM to meet with NATO over new naval base (Euractiv)
• Srebrenica Peace March Relives Painful Memories (BIRN)

Humanitarian/Development:

• KFOR donates two medical containers to villages Babus and Babljak (Kosovo Online)

• Kurti: Europe's security and defence will be decided this decade (media)
• In Greece, Kurti meets envoy Lajcak, Montenegrin FM Krivokapic (media)
• Citaku criticises Kurti for Greece visit, says Kosovo is being run by DPM Bislimi (media)
• Two more Ukrainian journalists arrive in Kosovo (media)
• Association of journalists condemns attack on RTK crew (media)
• EUROSTAT: Kosovo's population has shrunk by 10 percent since 2003 (Koha)
• Kosovo looking for piece of Israeli normalization pie (Jewish News Syndicate)