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UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, 25 May, 2021

• COVID-19: 14 new cases, one death (media)
• New measures against COVID-19 to be discussed Wednesday (media)
• Croatia confirms donation of 10,000 COVID-19 vaccines to Kosovo (media)
• Gjilan receives 133 food and hygiene packages from UNMIK (media)
• Travel to the region to be made possible through one visa (Koha)
• PM Kurti meets Presevo Valley representatives (media)
• Ministry corrects social media post following backlash (media)
• Conflicting reports about damage to Orthodox church in Shipashnica (Klan/Kallxo)
• Petkovic begins visit to Kosovo after permission from Foreign Ministry (media)
• Gjilan, Kamenica, Vitia sign MoU to support shelter for domestic violence victims (media)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, May 24, 2021

Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: 14 new cases, one death (media)
• Kurti and Abdixhiku to meet on Wednesday (media)
• Minister Haxhiu received today the Italian Ambassador, Nicola Orlando (RTK)
• Kurz to meet Lajcak today to discuss Kosovo-Serbia dialogue (Insajderi)
• Kosovo marks the President’s Day (media)
• Minister Gervalla to report to the Foreign Affairs Committee on Tuesday (media)
• Haxhiu suspects COVID-19 death numbers are being manipulated (RTK)

Serbian Language Media:

• Serbian top officials react to Pristina UNESCO letter (media
• Serbian Orthodox Church Council, Kosovo one of the topics (KiM radio, Tanjug)
• Bishop Teodosije: Inflammatory rhetoric of Kosovo leaders directly raises ethnic and religious tensions (KoSSev)
• Visoki Decani Monastery on Pristina officials UNESCO letter (KoSSev)
• Minister Aliu: I oppose Decani-Plav bypass, it is a dangerous precedent (KoSSev)
• Davenport in Visoki Decani: OSCE to support SOC to preserve its cultural and religious heritage (KoSSev)
• Samardzic: Institutions failed in respecting the Law on Languages (KiM radio, Slobodno Srpski)
• Petkovic in two-day stay in Kosovo (Radio KIM)
• Why five EU members will not recognize Kosovo (Sputnik, B92)
• Godfrey: The United States still want everything agreed in Washington to be implemented (Tanjug, Kosovo Online)
• Belgrade sees Beijing as one of main allies in fight for Kosovo (N1)
• Organized crime a major security threat in the Western Balkans (Kosovo Online, Tanjug)
• Zaev: Although we are a member of NATO, I cannot say that I am not afraid of Greater Albania (KoSSev, Kurir)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Joint exhibition of young Serbs and Albanians in Pristina (Kosovo-online)
• Foreigners vaccinated in Serbia will get green digital certificate (N1)
• Kon: Serious easing of pandemic measures in Serbia in mid-July (N1)

UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, 24 May, 2021

• COVID-19: 31 new cases, no deaths (media)
• Kosovo to receive another 3,500 anti-COVID 19 vaccines on Monday (media)
• Borrell supports visa liberalisation for Kosovo (media)
• Kosovo PM revives plan to sue Serbia for genocide (BIRN)
• Kosovo’s top leaders write to UNESCO (media)
• Kurti: We’re committed to protecting cultural heritage in our country (media)
• Osmani: Serbia destabilising the region by joint exercise with Russia (media)
• Kosovo with footnote in regional agreement for free movement (Koha)
• Government keeps secret international experts for dialogue with Serbia (Koha)
• Protest against sexual violence against women and girls in Peja today (media)
• Kosovo prosecution sues power plant’s Austrian manager for damages (BIRN)

UNMIK Media Report 21 May 2021

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, May 21, 2021

Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: 58 new cases, two deaths (media)
• Over 55,000 persons vaccinated so far in Kosovo (media)
• Kurti on ambassadors' dismissals: Step towards foreign service reform (media)
• PDK's Hoxhaj will not attend meeting called by Kurti (media)
• LDK's Abdixhiku accepts Kurti's meeting invitation (media)
• DPM Bislimi lists government's plans for EU integration process (Klan)
• Government approves initiative enabling regional free movement (media)
• Agreement on KSF deployment to the north can be renegotiated, experts say (Telegrafi)

Serbian Language Media:

• RFE: There are no vaccines for Serb communities in Kosovo (RTK2, Kontakt plus radio)
• Jacimovic’s house in Vitina stoned again, again minors are suspects (KoSSev)
• Kosovo Government silent on Quinta request to implement court decision on Visoki Decani Monastery (Kosovo-online)
• Blakaj: The issue of the missing is humanitarian, not political (RTK2)
• Serbia donates 100.000 Pfizer vaccines to Czech Republic (N1)
• Vucic: Many problems and pressure on Serbia regarding Kosovo (Kosovo-online)
• Memorial tournament “Dimitrije Popovic” on June 1, in Gracanica (Radio KIM)

Opinion:

• A feminist revolt against sexual violence (Prishtina Insight)

International:

• Covid still a threat to Europe – travel should be avoided, says WHO (The Guardian)
• Deeply Divided Montenegro Marks 15 Years of Independence (Balkan Insight)

UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, May 21, 2021

• COVID-19: 55 new cases, two deaths (media)
• Kurti invites opposition leaders to a meeting next week (media)
• Government ignores moratorium on application in international organisations (Koha)
• Historians urge Quint not to seek implementation of court ruling (media)
• PDK: Decision to dismiss politically appointed ambassadors 'scandalous' (media)
• €1 million frozen, suspicion on money laundering and terror financing (media)
• Kosovo and Serbia host US and Russian-led military exercises (Exit News)
• Former minister sentenced to two years in prison for sexual assault (Koha)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, May 20, 2021

Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: 55 new cases, two deaths (media)
• Kurti: Agreement to pass KSF mission in the North to KFOR, harmful (RTK)
• Gervalla: Ambassadors’ withdrawals, a step towards reform (Media)
• Lekaj: AAK will not be part of the dialogue (Reporteri)
• Simultaneous training - American soldiers in Kosovo, Russian ones in Serbia (Koha)
• Finance Minister: We identified suspicious transfers (media)
• Kurti: Kosovo and Montenegro are united by Euro-Atlantic orientation (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Four more case of Covid-19 registered in Serbian areas (Radio KIM)
• Antonijevic: More than 13,000 people from Kosovo Serb areas have been revaccinated (KoSSev)
• Varhelyi: The common market will accelerate the integration of the Western Balkans into the EU (RTS)
• Russia approves Torlak vaccine (media)
• Diocese of Raska-Prizren, Quint, and EU remind: Five years later, decision to return 24ha of land to V. Decani has yet to be implemented (KoSSev)
• Association “Ali Hadri” threatens with radical actions against return of land to Decani Monastery (Kosovo-online)
• New members of the CEC elected, including Gordana Laban Zuvic (Kontakt plus radio, KiM radio)
• The will of politicians affects the economy (KiM radio)
• Ministry of Culture: Pristina’s request yet another ‘misuse of culture’ (RTS)

International:

• Mass Sacking of Kosovo Ambassadors Condemned by Opposition (Balkan Insight)
• Castaldo: Western Balkans, the beating heart of the EU (balcanicaucaso.org)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Knowledge of the language connects people (RTK2)
• Kosovo Museum to Preserve Childhood Memories of Wartime (Balkan Insight)

UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, May 20, 2021

• COVID-19: 62 new cases, eight deaths (media)
• PM Kurti comments on his recent Brussels trip (media)
• Quint calls on Government to uphold 2016 Constitutional Court ruling (media)
• FM Gervalla proposes dismissal of all politically appointed ambassadors (media)
• Kosovo requests Serbia to return museum artifacts (media)
• Vucic: I am ready to meet Kurti (RTK)
• The undoing of agreements with Serbia seen as mission impossible (Koha)
• Osmani received Director for Europe at UK’s Foreign Ministry (media)
• Di Maio: Leaving Western Balkans out of EU, a political myopia (media)
• Status conference held in Thaci et al. case at KSC (media)
• Serwer: Thaci and others are innocent for now (RTK/Kosovo Online)
• Kandic reacts to the Czech president's apology to Serbia (media)
• Eight new members of CEC sworn in (media)
• Sex Assault Reports Spark Chain Reaction in Kosovo, Albania (BIRN)
• US sanctions former Albania leader Berisha over corruption (AP)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, May 19, 2021

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, May 19, 2021

Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: 62 new cases, eight deaths (media)
• Over 51,000 people vaccinated so far in Kosovo (media)
• Kosovo FM appeals to diaspora: Get vaccinated before coming to Kosovo (media)
• Germany donates COVID-19 test kits to Kosovo worth €600,000 (media)
• Treating patients in a pandemic (Prishtina Insight)
• Government: Skender Hyseni won’t be part of dialogue with Serbia (Telegrafi)
• Hoxhaj reacts to Montenegro’s refusal to send troops to KFOR (media)
• “Kurti declared former KLA leaders war criminals, whose PM is he?” (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Antonijevic: Epidemiological situation continues to improve (TV Most)
• PM Ana Brnabic: EU doesn’t know about some things going on in region (media)
• Europa Nostra on letter from Pristina, to answer once it arrives (KoSSev)
• Vucic, Serbian officials on endangerment of Visoki Decani Monastery (KoSSev, media)
• Szunyog: For five years Kosovo didn’t implement Constitutional Court decision on Visoki Decani Monastery land (Kosovo-online)
• Petkovic: Osmani openly undermines Washington agreement by lobbying for Kosovo membership in Interpol (Kosovo-online)
• Britain in KFOR by 2023, with more troops (Kontakt plus radio, RTK2)
• Bisenic: Palestine statehood established in the UN, Kosovo not from that framework, impossible to draw a parallel (Pravi Ugao, KoSSev)
• Vucic, officials on Zeman’s apology (B92, media)
• Additional 440.000 doses of Sinopharm vaccine arrived in Serbia (B92)
• North Macedonia expels Russian diplomat (N1)

International:

• North Macedonia PM: EU risks losing sway in Balkans (politico.eu)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Brussels lifts travel restrictions for "third country" citizens (RTS, Tanjug)

UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, May 19, 2021

• COVID-19: 64 new cases, one death (media)
• High Representative Borrell meets Western Balkans leaders (media)
• Borrell revives tradition of informal exchanges with regional leaders (media)
• Kurti: Meeting with Vucic in mid-June (media)
• Lajcak meets Kurti, discuss continuation of dialogue (media)
• Osmani: Always ready for cooperation with our neighbors (media)
• Joseph: Serbia must no longer be privileged (Radio Free Europe)
• Thaci and others to appear in next session today (media)
• Tensions between the municipalities and central government (Koha)
• Tired of the pandemic (Kosovo 2.0)
• BIRN debate exposes flaws in fight against sexual harassment (BIRN)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, May 18, 2021

Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: 64 new cases, one death (media)
• 46,000 people vaccinated so far in Kosovo (media)
• EULEX presents report on impact of COVID-19 on the rule of law (Kallxo)
• Kosovo police's seizure of drugs in Lipjan hailed by U.S., Italy (media)
• Ministers Gervalla, Ceku invite Europa Nostra head to visit Kosovo (media)
• PDK accuses Osmani of violating Constitution in CEC appointments (media)
• Kosovo and Albania sign MoU in the field of defence (media)
• Ministry of Interior cancels bid worth €21 million (media)
• Haradinaj addresses recent departures of party officials (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic: I am worried about dialogue, there’s nothing rational in Pristina’s approach (RTS)
• Stoltenberg: There is no change of KFOR’s mandate, it remains in Kosovo (Danas)
• Brnabic to visit Brussels on Tuesday, attend WB working dinner, meet EU officials (RTS)
• Dacic: Important that UNMIK and KFOR stay in Kosovo (Radio KIM)
• Brdo-Brijuni Process: Borders left out of joint ‘compromise’ statement (Hina, N1 Sarajevo)
• Brdo-Brioni Process participants urge EU to speed up expansion to Western Balkans (N1)
• Milanovic: Brdo-Brijuni Process will not solve problems of Western Balkans (Hina, N1 Zagreb)
• Dzaferovic: EU will only be complete when WB countries become members (Anadolu Agency, N1 Sarajevo)
• Komsic: Kosovo-Serbia debate returns Brdo-Brioni summit to "Balkan tavern" (N1, FoNet)
• Haradinaj requests continuation of Decani-Plav road construction (Radio KIM)
• Zeman: I apologize for bombardment of FRY, ask Serbian people to forgive me (RTS)
• Croatian army unit sent to serve as part of KFOR in Kosovo (N1)
• Skopje to increase number of soldiers within KFOR mission in Kosovo (KoSSev, N1)
• Office for KiM: Instead of letters, Pristina to sign decree on return of confiscated monastery land (Kontakt plus radio, Radio Mitrovica sever)

Opinion:

• Dialogue in the upcoming period (KoSSev)

International:

• NATO chief confirms KFOR to remain in Kosovo (EurActiv)
• COVID-19 Limits Family Visits for Kosovo War Defendants (Balkan Insight)
• Angela Merkel's political legacy in the Western Balkans will be tough to beat (euronews.com)

Humanitarian/Development:

• UNMIK assistance to the most vulnerable population of Gracanica (Radio Mitrovica sever, Kontakt plus radio))
• Dacic: Serbia’s democratic progress unimaginable without CoE (BETA, N1)