UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, June 26, 2024

Albanian Language Media:

• Kurti: In Brussels we will see how we can move forward (media)
• Kurti: OSCE has helped our country in establishing democracy (RTK)
• Government responds to Stano: We submitted report on Banjska to EU (RTK)
• Gervalla: Ministers’ Committee should convene for Kosovo admission (RTK)
• Court rejects request to suspend implementation of CBK regulation (media)
• Government: Vulin’s statement, proof of Serbia ties with Russia and China (Koha)

Serbian Language Media:

• PM says Serbia ready to compromise on Kosovo (N1)
• Instead of summer swimming season, Kosovo post office opened at Rajska Banja spa complex in Banjska (KoSSev)
• Stano: No report on Banjska from Pristina (N1)
• Kosovo Constitutional Court rejected request to suspend implementation of CBK regulation on dinar (Kosovo Online)
• Nenezic on Constitutional Court’s decision, says timing indicative because of meeting in Brussels (KoSSev)
• Lajcak: Dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina currently at crossroads; agreement exists, but implementation is lacking (Kosovo Online)
• Dacic: Frontex also to be deployed at Serbia’s borders with non-EU countries (media)

International Media:

• Kosovo Ex-Fighter’s Testimony Bolsters Prosecution Case at Thaci Trial (BIRN)
• Risk of Radicalisation: Kosovo Struggles with Informal Worship Places (BIRN)

Albanian Language Media:

• VV, AAK don’t expect results “if Serbia doesn’t change approach” (EO)
• Vogel: The dialogue has been moribund for a long time (media)
• Serwer: A successful and democratic Kosovo doesn’t suit Vucic (Express)
• Qelaj: Government has not clarified objectives of expropriations in north (Koha)
• Kurti: Over 700k objects scanned in less than month at Digitization Center (media)
• Blinken appoints Tom Sullivan as new Counselor of State Department (media)
• PDK threatens government with sending two laws to Constitutional Court (Koha)
• Kosovo Defence Minister Maqedonci to visit Croatia tomorrow (media)
• Osmani: Kosovo grateful for Slovenia’s strong and continued support (media)
• Szunyog meets Lladrovci, discuss local governance issues (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic: To ensure safety of Serbs in Kosovo, implement agreements made thus far (Tanjug)
• Drecun: The Brussels talks just a shell without substance (Kosovo Online, RTS)
• Sljuka: By going to Brussels, Kurti wants to demonstrate he is constructive so punitive measures would be lifted (Kosovo Online)
• Varhelyi: Serbia committed to the EU path, the goal is to open the next clusters (RTS)
• Warrant for an Albanian from Kosovo due to expulsion of Serbs (Politika, Kosovo Online)

International:

• Kosovo Serb jailed for 2023 mob attack on NATO peacekeepers (BIRN)
• Kosovo struggles to rein in wild west medication market (BIRN)
• Kosovo law ignores tech-facilitated abuse of women: Report (BIRN)

Albanian Language Media:

• Borell: Agreements must be implemented (media)
• Lajcak: Mandate not close to an end; focused on dialogue and next steps (media)
• Konjufca: Kosovo does not have any Association on its agenda (RTK)
• Gervalla: Integration of pro-European countries, best response to Russia (media)
• Government of Montenegro: We have no open political issues with Kosovo (RTK)
• U.S.: Kosovo to impose appropriate sentences for human trafficking (media)
• Osmani: Egyptian community, part of history of our nation-building (RTK)

Serbian Language Media:

• Borrell to host meetings with Vucic and Kurti (N1, media)
• Vucic: I am travelling to Brussels; I don't believe in the will of the other side in creating the A/CSM (KiM radio)
• Djuric: The EU gains a lot from Serbia's membership; the enlargement process needs to be accelerated (Kosovo Online)
• Petkovic met Italian Senator Craxi (Radio Mitrovica sever)

International Media:

• Vucic: “I expect the Situation in Europe and the World to escalate in the coming Months” (Sarajevo Times)
• How will the appointment of Mark Rutte as NATO Secretary General affect the Western Balkans? (EWB)

Albanian Language Media:

• Konjufca doesn’t expect “anything important” from Kurti-Vucic meeting (media)
• Muja: Meeting in Brussels to discuss if there is an agreement in place (media)
• PDK’s Tahiri: Kosovo needs a new government (media)
• Gervalla goes to Luxembourg, will attend EU foreign ministers’ meeting (media)
• Osmani: KSF members “outstanding results” in prestigious academies (media)
• Court sentences Orlovic to 15 months in prison for attack against KFOR (media)
• Supreme Court President talks importance of judiciary’s independence (Koha)
• Begaj says EU measures against Kosovo are unfair (media)
• OSCE mission congratulates Egyptian community on day of celebration (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Research in Mitrovica: Albanians are leaving due to economic reasons, Serbs are leaving
due to ethnic tensions (Radio kontakt plus)
• Milos Pleskovic pleaded not guilty (Radio KIM, media)
• Kosovo Property Agency: We issued 24 notices for the relinquishing of property in N.Mitrovica – not 150, the decisions are final (KoSSev)
• 26th anniversary since kidnapping of miners at Belacevac, near Obilic (Kosovo Online)
• Destiny of two Serbs kidnapped in Orahovac still remains unknown (Radio KIM)
• Starovic: Pristina's efforts to join NATO will not bear fruit (Kosovo Online)
• Vucic, Dacic attend Day of Interior Ministry, Police Day celebration (N1, FoNet)
• Opposition politician: Western powers tolerate Vucic staying in power because of lithium
mining (N1, FoNet)

Opinion:

• Kosovo Specialist Chambers reflect Kosovo relationship with West (Kosovo 2.0)

International:

• Miners of Trepca march towards ‘Reporting House’ exhibition (Prishtina Insight)

Albanian Language Media:

• Kurti: Mass digitization of archival material underway in Kosovo (media)
• Osmani meets German ambassador Jorn Rohde (media)
• Osmani receives Hargreaves, confirms participation at EPC Summit (media)
• Kurti calls for Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian youth: Apply for employment (media)
• Govt insists draft on Association to be sent to Venice Commission (Telegrafi)
• Ziadeh in Belgrade highlights importance of constructive engagement for regional peace and stability (Albanian Post)
• KFOR MSU conducts crowd riot control training activities in Pristina (media)
• Albanian President Begaj on a two-day visit to Kosovo (media)¬

Serbian Language Media:

• Heads of EU diplomacy in Luxembourg about the Western Balkans (Tanjug, Radio Mitrovica sever, Danas)
• At the meeting with Jenca, the SL pointed out the problems of the Serbs in Kosovo (Radio Mitrovica sever)
• Serbia’s FM to Borrell: EU membership is Serbia’s strategic commitment (N1, Beta)
• The trial of the accused for assisting in the murder of Oliver Ivanovic ended, verdict on June 28 (St. Vitus Day) (RTS)
• One-month detention to a Serb arrested for attack on KFOR; Lawyer claims decision prejudiced against Serbs (KoSSev)
• Equality of Albanian and Serbian languages in Kosovo: Do institutions respect bilingualism? (Kosovo Online)

International Media:

• UEFA fines Serbia, Albania, and investigates Croatia as Euro 2024 reignites Balkan feuds (euronews.com)
• Serbia’s mining gambit could boost EU hopes (The Brussels Times)

Albanian Language Media:

• Borrell: We discussed how to build a more united Europe together (media)
• EU foreign ministers to meet Western Balkans counterparts on June 24 (media)
• Sources: France and Italy against full removal of measures (Koha)
• Murati: 5.6% economic growth in the first quarter of the year (media)
• Gervalla: Kosovo and Portugal hold their first Economic Forum in Pristina (media)
• Clinton Center publishes photo with Kosovo children, families in June ’99 (media)
• Citaku: Sexual violence was used as weapon of war by Serbia (media)
• Hoxhaj: Letter of EU leaders is a new veto for Kosovo (Telegrafi)
• Kurti expresses support for Montenegro’s Democratic Party of Socialists (media)
• Serwer: Dodik and Vucic could attempt an attack like Banjska in Bosnia (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic asked Macron to stand by Serbia on the road to preserving peace (RTS, Tanjug,
Kosovo Online)
• Vucic: With Hecker about the security situation in the country and the region, especially in
Kosovo (Kosovo Online, Tanjug)
• Mijacic on the possible opening of the Ibar bridge: We are entering a new period of crisis
(Kosovo Online)
• Petkovic: “Shameless lies of Osmani, 200.000 Serbs expelled from Kosovo, new ethnic
cleansing in place” (media, social media)
• Milenkovic’s defence: Witness excluded existence of an act that could be qualified as
crime (Radio KIM)
• Special prosecution dropped criminal prosecution of Rade Basara, defendant in Oliver
Ivanovic’s murder case (media)
• Austria’s FM: No shortcuts in Belgrade-Pristina dialogue (Beta, N1)
• Gashi: The goal of cooperation between Pristina and Sarajevo another UN resolution
against Serbia (Kosovo Online)

Opinion:

• Iber river bridge: From symbol of division to a symbol of coexistence (Koha)
• EU voters are normalising the far right (Kosovo 2.0)

International:

• Serbia fans in Munich chant anti-Kosovo slogans (Reuters)
• Romanian President withdraws NATO bid, clearing final hurdle for Rutte (RFE)
• Serbia urged to recognise wartime sexual violence victims (BIRN)
• Pro-Russian Telegram channels push Kremlin’s line in Balkans (BIRN)

Albanian Language Media:

• Rubin: Long-term goal of Kosovo-Serbia normalisation means recognition (media)
• RIDEA: 49% of citizens dissatisfied with the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue (Koha)
• Osmani meets Slovenian president: Kosovo proud of partnership (media)
• Konjufca meets speaker of North Macedonia’s Assembly (RTK)
• Gervalla travels to Austria, to attend “Friends of Western Balkans" meeting (Klan)
• Osmani’s message on World Refugee Day (media)
• Krasniqi, French ambassador discuss political developments in Kosovo (media)
• Over 1,200 Serbs equipped with Kosovo drivers’ licences (TeVe1)

Serbian Language Media:

• Drecun: Lifting punitive measures on Kosovo would encourage Kurti to continue terror against Serbs (Kosovo Online, media)
• Selakovic meets Azoulay, says unilateral Pristina’s acts directed against Serbian heritage in Kosovo (media, social media)
• Ragus meets delegation of Parliament of Ireland, says “ethnic cleansing unfolding in heart of Europe, 15 percent of Serbs left Kosovo” (media)
• RTK board appointed Aleksandra Jovanovic director of Serbian language TV channel (Radio KIM)
• UEFA launches investigation against Albanian and Croatian football federations over chanting “Kill Serb” (media)

International Media:

• Vucic, Kurti to meet on June 26 in EU-mediated talks on normalising relations (RFE)
• Euro 2024 becomes arena for Balkan nationalist score-settling (BIRN)

Albanian Language Media:

• Kurti and Vucic to meet on June 26 in Brussels (RFE)
• Sources: No agreement in EU on full removal of measures (Koha)
• Rohde: Measures should be removed; it is in the hands of member states (EO)
• Borrell travels to Austria to advance EU – Western Balkans relations (media)
• Albanians and most Serbs support opening of Iber bridge (RTV21)
• Konjufca: Banjska, blow against cooperation, stability, security in region (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Djuric: The dialogue in a coma; the new arrests of Serbs threw gloves in the face of the USA and the EU (RTS, media)
• Detention ordered for a Serb from Zvecan arrested yesterday on the Bistrica Bridge (RTS, Kosovo Online, media)
• Lawyer: I hope L.D. would be released, strange he got arrested after a year and so (Kosovo Online)
• Office for KiM: Arrest of Serb at Bistrica bridge is Kurti's attempt to provoke new crisis (media)
• Serbian List: If innocent Serbs are arrested, because of what Kurti deserved lifting of punitive measures (Kosovo Online, media)
• A decade since the creation of the Peace Park on the Ibar Bridge, new fears for Serbs (Kosovo Online)

International:

• Anti-corruption fight in Balkans sees progress, but also regression: report (BIRN)
• Growing diaspora vote becomes game-changer in Balkan elections (BIRN)

Albanian Language Media:

Victims of sexual violence, Osmani: Let's bring perpetrators to justice (RTK)

Kurti: We’re interested in X-ray scanners that enhance security at borders (media)

Lajcak: Vucic and I agreed on next steps in dialogue (RTK)

Bislimi after recommendation to lift measures: Association not a condition (RTK)

COMKFOR, Naples Command reps talk about security and dialogue (media)

EULEX present in delivery of body remains to Serbian authorities (Reporteri)

Kosovo government provides financial support to Presevo Valley (RTK)

Serbian Language Media:

Lajcak and Vucic agreed on the next steps in the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina (Beta, N1)

Djuric met Lajcak: The position of Serbs in Kosovo dramatically worsened with the arrival of Albin Kurti to power (Kosovo Online)

Petkovic met Lajcak: The CSM formation the only way forward, we do not fall for Kurti's tricks (Kosovo Online)

Pristina court sentences Rakic to three-month suspended prison sentence (N1, Beta, KoSSev)

Paunovic: Pristina submitted amendments to SEECP PA to provoke Belgrade (RTS, Tanjug)

"Kill, kill the Serb" performed in unison by Albanians and Croats (N1, KoSSev, SK)

UEFA also fined the Football Association of Serbia (Kosovo Online)

Albanian Language Media:

• Sources: Borrell recommends lifting of EU measures against Kosovo (RFE)
• Kurti: In 1998-99, Serbia used sexual violence as weapon of war in Kosovo (media)
• U.S. is committed to supporting victims and survivors of CRSV (media)
• Maqedonci: Kosovo determined to join NATO (media)
• Lajcak meets international community representatives in Kosovo (media)
• Citaku: PDK is ready for new elections (media)
• Bogujevci, Perestrello talk Kosovo’s membership in intl organisations (media)
• Kurti travelled to Hamburg following invitation by Sarrazin (Klan Kosova)

Serbian Language Media:

• Lajcak appreciates reports of international community in Kosovo about situation on ground
(Kosovo Online)
• Lajcak: My work continues; I am confident the CSM will be established, we have considered
red lines of both sides (Kosovo Online)
• Petkovic: Pristina misuses sexual violence victims for daily political purposes (Radio KIM)
• Odalovic: 567 Serbs are still listed as missing (Radio KIM)
• The strengthening of the right not a good signal for the region's membership in the EU,
and the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina (Kosovo Online, VoA)
• Darko Tanaskovic: Border changes in the Balkans as a distant possibility not impossible (N1,
NMagazin, Danas)
• UEFA fines Albanian Football Federation (Kosovo Online, media)

International:

• Crosetto: NATO intervention in Kosovo, pillar of peace and democracy in world (Nova)
• Unconnected: Kosovo’s health information system remains ‘forgotten promise’ (BIRN)