UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, June 10, 2022

Albanian Language Media:

• German Chancellor Olaf Scholz visits Kosovo (media)
• FAZ on Scholz's visit: Two days, five countries, many conflicts (Telegrafi)
• Kosovo insurance bureau hopes to join Green Card in weeks' time (Koha)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic: Serbia, Montenegro need to reset relationship (Tanjug)
• Serbian Government to provide EUR 3 million aid to Ukrainian children, refugees (Tanjug)
• Botsan-Kharchenko: There is no dependence and inequalities in Moscow-Belgrade relations (Danas)
• NGOs from central Serbia and Kosovo call for rule of law to be respected in Decani (Danas)
• Scholz to visit Belgrade (Tanjug)
• EEAS: Open Balkan Initiative full effects only if truly inclusive (N1)
• US Ambassador says Serbians chose path to EU (FoNet, N1)

Opinion:

• It’s time to get European enlargement back on track (Politico)

International:

• Germany's Olaf Scholz visits Greece: Crisis management takes center stage (DW)
• Data Delay Casts Shadow over Kosovo Government’s Jobs Claim (BIRN)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Finance Ministry, GIZ sign €11 mil agreement for Innovation and Training Park (media)
• Kosovo Mother Declares: ‘I am Proud of My Gay Son’ (BIRN)
• Media tragedy of family tragedy (KoSSev)

• German Chancellor Scholz to stay in Kosovo today (media)
• Kosovo PM unimpressed with Serbian President’s energy deal offer (BIRN)
• President Osmani travels to Greece to attend SEECP leaders’ meeting (media)
• Kosovo war court extends ex-President Thaci’s detention again (BIRN)
• Thaci and others accept Assembly President Konjufca’s visit (RTK)
• Serbian List officials rejects invitations from the prosecution (RFE)
• Osmani visits KSF: “Kosovo’s present and future are in safe hands” (media)
• Kurti: We launched new online government services on e-Kosova platform (media)
• Interior Minister: 4,000 bullets confiscated at Jarinje border crossing (media)

Albanian Language Media:

• German Chancellor Scholz in Prishtina tomorrow; will meet only Kurti (RTK)
• European Council President Charles Michel to visit Kosovo next week (RFE)
• Kurti: To have Open Balkan, Serbia needs to open to Kosovo (Zeri/Telegrafi)
• State Department supports all initiatives that economically empower the Balkans (RFE)
• Pacolli urges Kosovo to join Open Balkan (media)
• “Kosovo to consider joining Open Balkan only if given equal status” (Portali D/Telegrafi)
• Former PM Hoti comments on Open Balkan initiative (media)
• Mehaj: We are preparing for our objective, NATO membership (media)
• Kurti meets Irish non-resident ambassador (media)
• LDK to propose resolution on reducing excise duty on fuel products (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic dismisses RFE report (N1)
• Brnabic met Equatorial Guinea President, thanked him for stance on Kosovo (Tanjug)
• State Department without comment on Pristina’s stance on Open Balkan (Radio KIM)
• Open Balkan initiative leaders sign agreements, memoranda in Ohrid (N1, Beta)
• EP report on Serbia: Alignment with EU foreign policy to determine further course of accession negotiations (RTS)
• Borrell: Failure to enable Serbian elections in Kosovo contrary to European values commitment (NMagazin, Beta)
• One year since return of Dragica Gasic to Djakovica (Kosovo-online)
• 23rd anniversary of the Kumanovo Agreement (N1)
• DW: Scholz to focus on blocked issues in Western Balkans (N1)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Reporting news from online portals – social networks and influence on public (media)

• Montenegro mulls joining ‘Open Balkan’, Kosovo remains opposed (BIRN)
• President Osmani meets Greek Foreign Minister Dendias (media)
• PM Kurti: Kosovo’s relationship with Greece grows closer every day (media)
• Dendias meets heads of international missions and Quint ambassadors (media)
• Interior Minister Svecla interview with KTV
• LDK leader Abdixhiku meets US Ambassador Hovenier (media)
• Mehaj: Turkey supports Kosovo’s membership in security organisations (RTK)
• Rama and Vucic debunk Lavrov’s claims on Open Balkan (euronews.al)
• “Vucic spectacular achievement by dividing Tirana and Prishtina” (euronews.al)
• Kosovo theatre director takes on controversy over Handke Nobel Prize (BIRN)
• Pride Parade today in Prishtina; will leaders attend? (Gazeta Express)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, June 8, 2022

Albanian Language Media:

• Open Balkan summit enters its second day (media)
• On Global Open Day, calls made for greater participation of women in decision-making processes (media)
• AAK requests removal of tax on oil, staple items (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• The Open Balkans are expanding despite Russian obstructions (Danas)
• Vucic: This is initiative of people from Balkans, and it is unstoppable (Kosovo Online)
• Escobar: "Include all six countries in the Open Balkan", Varhelyi: "Initiative that accelerates the path to the EU" (Danas)
• Vucic speaks with Borrell, receives invitation to EU-Western Balkans summit (Tanjug)
• Selakovic confirms he accepted Lavrov’s invitation to visit Moscow (Danas)
• Botsan-Kharchenko: Moscow does not change stance on Kosovo (Radio KIM)
• Arifi: US promises special treatment of the issue of Albanians from Bujanovac, Presevo and Medvedja (KoSSev, N1, Beta)
• Belgrade schools receive fresh bomb threats (RTS, N1)
• Abazovic to visit Belgrade on June 29 (RTS)

• Kosovo PM Kurti meets UK Foreign Secretary Truss (media)
• Greek foreign minister to visit Kosovo today (media)
• Gervalla invited to “Summit of the Americas” (media)
• Vucic and Borrell discuss a Kosovo-Serbia declaration on missing persons (Indeksonline)
• EU on Lavrov remarks: We don’t comment on positions of someone on sanctions list (Telegrafi)
• Open Balkan Meeting Kicks off in Ohrid with Presence of Montenegro (Exit)
• Varhelyi to attend Open Balkan meeting amid claims of Russian backing (Euractiv/Exit)
• Krasniqi: "Open Balkan" is a political project, Kosovo doesn't support it (RTK)
• Robelli: Alexander Soros attended "Open Balkan" with no mandate (Koha)
• Konjufca and Richardson hold virtual meeting (media)
• For Kosovo Women, In-Laws are Often Abusers Too (BIRN)

Albanian Language Media:

• Scholz in Kosovo on Friday; 4 hours in Prishtina, 2 hours in Belgrade! (Indeksonline)
• Joseph: Lavrov gave ‘Open Balkan’ the kiss of death (Telegrafi)
• Finance Minister: €80 million a year for the veterans; lists must be cleaned (Koha/RTK)
• Prime Minister Kurti meets UK Minister of Armed Forces (media)
• “Croatia fully supports Kosovo membership in EU and NATO” (media)
• Swiss State Secretary to visit Kosovo, Serbia over threats against Marty (Klan Kosova)
• Rizvanolli: Renewable energy of 500 MW to be achieved in three years' time (Koha/RTK)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic: Preventing talks with Sergey Lavrov must be condemned (Tanjug, RTS)
• Vucic announces changes in gov't, Belgrade city authorities (Tanjug, RTS)
• Stefanovic: Serbia refuses to be a pawn (N1)
• State Department: Sovereign decisions of Montenegro, Bulgaria, and North Macedonia (RTS, VoA)
• Stano: EU welcomes Lavrov flight ban (N1)
• Botsan-Kharchenko: Invitation to Selakovic to visit Russia accepted (N1)
• EU document on Serbia: “Vucic postpones the break with Russia, and the opposition is helping him” (RFE)

International:

• Serbian Leader Rages About ‘Hysteria’ After Russian Minister’s Visit Blocked (BIRN)
• Russia’s Lavrov Slams Balkan States for Blocking His Serbia Visit (BIRN)
• Albania’s Rama Bets on Military Man for ‘Normal’ President (BIRN)

Humanitarian/Development:

• KFOR distributes food packages to families in Istok and Klina municipalities (Kosovo Online)

• KLA war veterans threaten to block Government and Assembly (media)
• Prime Minister Kurti: Kosovo, a success story (media)
• Pride Week starts in Kosovo: "LGBTI+ rights are human rights" (RFE)
• President Osmani to visit Slovenia in July (media)
• Haradinaj, Hovenier discuss latest developments (media)
• “Decision to block trip, reflects commitment to hold Russia accountable” (Kallxo)
• Russia supports Open Balkan; reactions follow (Koha/RTK/Klan Kosova)
• Two die as storm winds, lightning hit Kosovo (Reuters)
• Polish Airlines begins operations from Kosovo (Kosovapress)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, June 6, 2022

Albanian Language Media:

• KLA war veterans protest, demanding inclusion in minimum wage increase (media)
• Kosovo Assembly fails to adopt minimum wage bill (media)
• Prime Minister Kurti travels to the UK (media)
• Lavrov: EU and NATO want a "Closed Balkan" (Klan Kosova)
• PDK calls on MPs not to vote on draft law on minimum wage (Ekonomia Online)
• Assembly rejects motion to withdraw draft law on minimum wage (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Selakovic: Serbia, Greece consistent in mutual support (Tanjug)
• Dendias: W. Balkans' future is in EU, Serbia a key partner (Tanjug)
• Can the international community make Pristina return 24 hectares of land to Visoki Decani Monastery? (RTS)
• Representatives of Albanians from the south of Serbia on an official visit to the US (Politika, JUGpress)
• Vucic: Lavrov not coming to Belgrade, Kharchenko informed me of reasons (Tanjug)
• Zakharova: Russia not making a new “iron curtain”, Europe fencing Russia off (N1)
• Kosovo Police called Sevce residents to an informative talk due to protest held (KiM radio)
• Gallup: Half of the respondents without democracy (FoNet, KiM radio)
• Autocephaly of Ohrid Archbishopric officially recognized (N1)

International:

• Turkey’s Nordic demands spark Western Balkan déjà vu (EURACTIV)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Kosovo Pupils Demand to be Heard, Save the Children Report shows (BIRN)

• Kurti met Lajcak on sidelines of GLOBSEC forum (media)
• Bislimi: Belgrade, Pristina close to energy agreement (N1)
• Albania submits non-paper lobbying for Kosovo's CoE bid (Klan)
• Escobar: Europe not complete without Western Balkans (media)
• Serbian List reacts to Mehaj and Svecla visit to the north (Kallxo)
• Szunyog speaks of 'security incidents', makes no mention of interethnic ones (KP)
• German ambassador to Serbia says Kosovo and Ukraine cannot be compared (Klan)
• Municipality of Decan under investigation over Monastery lands (RFE)
• Kosovo leaders congratulate Begaj on election President of Albania (media)
• Pahor: Open Balkan beneficial for all (Albanian Post)
• Ramush Haradinaj reelected AAK leader (media)
• KLA war veterans to protest today in Pristina (media)
• Security concerns leave Afghan evacuees stuck in Balkan camp (AP)
• How a British Judge Caused Turmoil at the EU’s Kosovo Mission (BIRN)
• Lavrov cancels flight to Serbia after countries close airspace, Interfax reports (Reuters)