UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, March 18, 2024

Albanian Language Media:

• Borell: Serbia and Kosovo have achieved very limited progress (RTK)
• Rama: Implementation of Agreement between Kosovo and Serbia, important (RTK)
• Von Cramon: Kosovo is lacking political will for progress in European integration (Klan)
• CEC to decide today on voting centers in the north (media)
• Escobar met during his visit, Director of Police and Afrim Bunjaku’s family (media)
• Biserko: Vucic destabilizing neighbors through Serbian Orthodox Church and security services (Nacionale)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic: There is no agreement on dinar issue (Kosovo Online, RTV, Tanjug)
• Sentic: Instead of healing wounds that still hurt, we face attempts to relativize tragic events (KoSSev)
• SNV says Kurti’s statement about March violence aim to further intimidate and expel Serbs, call upon Rasic and Trajkovic to resign (KoSSev)
• UNS and DNKiM condemned RTK reporting over repeated untruth in relation to March riots (Kosovo Online, Radio KIM, media)
• Vucic: Meeting with Lajcak addressed unbearable living conditions for Kosovo Serbs (Tanjug)
• Kosovo Online: We expect arson vehicle case of our portal’s owner to be resolved (Kosovo Online)
• Since CBK decision entered in force, stock market and banks without interest for work in northern municipalities (Kosovo Online)
• Serbian List: Kosovo police to investigate Radoica Radomirovic over arsons of vehicles (Tanjug, media)
• Stojanovic: Vucic admitted that his policy is harmful to Serbia and the Serbian people in Kosovo (Beta, NMagazin)
• Smiljanic: The Serbs in the YU program building in Pristina survived a calvary on March 17, thought we would all be killed (Kosovo Online)
• The UN SC meeting on March 25 on the anniversary of the NATO bombing against the FRY (Kosovo Online)

Albanian Language Media:

• Borrell’s statement on anniversary of agreement on path to normalization, and the implementation annex (media)
• Blinken calls on Kosovo and Serbia to implement all agreements (media)
• Roth on new U.S. extra conditions for Kosovo at CoE: Unfair and unjust (media)
• Kurti’s message on 20th anniversary of March 17 riots (media)
• Government: Placing of signs in north in line with the constitution (Koha)
• Police arrest Serbian national for damaging traffic signs in Leposavic (media)
• COMKFOR: KFOR continues efforts to prevent any escalation (VoA in Albanian)
• Pacolli: Delays in meeting obligations lead to pressure and damage (media)
• Tahiri: Two important moments this week for CoE membership (media)
• Historians’ League wants Kurti to resign over Decani Monastery decision (media)
• CAA: U.S. must remain engaged in the Western Balkans (VoA in Albanian)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic: We will change our approach to the Kosovo issue; Serbia will no longer be subjected to a fait accompli (Kosovo Online)
• Borrell: It is high time for Kosovo and Serbia to break current vicious cycle of crises and tensions (N1)
• 20th anniversary of the March pogrom (KoSSev)
• Diocese on who paid the restoration of holy sites destroyed in the March pogrom (KoSSev)
• Kurti from Cabra: Children jumped into Ibar to avoid the escort of Serbian youths; unclear who then directed the demonstrators towards the Serbs (KoSSev)
• The SL: Self-Determination's brutal lies – a continuation of a dangerous policy of hatred towards the Serbs (Kosovo Online)
• Self-Determination ahead of March 17: 3 children were killed in Cabra, peaceful Albanian demonstrators were shot by Serbian criminals, justice was not served (KoSSev)
• First referendum then elections: Four municipalities in north of Kosovo still without mayors (N1)
• Blinken: We need to see both Kosovo and Serbia keep tensions low (KoSSev, N1)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, March 15, 2024

Albanian Language Media:

• Kurti: Successes of Kosovo and its people shared successes with U.S. media)
• New round of dialogue between chief negotiators on March 19 (RFE)
• CoE doesn’t confirm Kurti’s dates, says more steps in the process (Kallxo)
• COMKFOR Ulutas welcomes decision on Decani Monastery (Voice of America)
• Haliti: Decision on Decani Monastery late; Association too can be condition (RTK)
• Decani Monastery could take another property 2 kilometers away (Albanian Post)
• Gervalla: Internationals shocked when they saw report on Banjska attack (media)
• Vogel comments on Szynuog’s remark about Banjska investigations (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Escobar for RFE: Kurti refused proposal on dinar (RFE, KoSSev, Kosovo Online)
• Stano: Discussions continue in Brussels on the abolition of the dinar in Kosovo (N1)
• Justice Minister Haxhiu: We implemented the unjust constitutional decision because of the membership in the CoE (Kosovo Online)
• Hill: Clear and sharp messages from Escobar to Kosovo, dinar latest issue, formation of CSM is fundamental (Euronews, Kosovo Online, KoSSev, media)
• Aliu confirmed removal of Serbian roads signs will continue, an avalanche of reactions on both sides – Cyrillic at center (KoSSev)
• Antonijevic: Decision to change signboards violently and poorly carried out (Kosovo Online)
• Serbian Peoples’ Movement criticizes Kosovo Government action to remove signboards in Cyrillic in northern Kosovo (Radio KIM)
• Inscriptions in Albanian language painted over on bilingual boards set yesterday in North Kosovo (KiM radio, Kontakt plus radio)
• Zigmanov: Serbs in Kosovo face violations of their civil and political rights (Tanjug, Danas, FoNet)
• Escobar and Hovenier met Bishop Teodosije, Abbot Sava in Visoki Decani Monastery yesterday (KoSSev, social media)
• Lajcak due to meet Vucic in Belgrade (media)
• Soder: Serbia key state for W Balkan stability, important partner for Bavaria (Tanjug)

International:

• ‘Worst Day of My Life’: Kosovo Serbs Still Scarred by 2004 Unrest (Balkan Insight)

Albanian Language Media:

Escobar: U.S. has worked in favor of Kosovo, we hope Kosovo will listen to our concerns (media)
Kurti to Escobar: It is necessary that Serbia be held accountable for attack in Banjska (Koha)
EU announces meeting at level of chief negotiators in Brussels on March 19 (RTK)
NATO presence in Kosovo necessary for maintaining peace (media)
Escobar: We will hold government responsible for security of Serbs in Kosovo (Koha)
QUINT welcomes implementation of decision to register the lands of Monastery (RTK)
U.S. Ambassador to Serbia: Establishment of Association is a matter of time (media)
Maqedonci meets the British ambassador, discuss security in Kosovo (RTK)

Serbian Language Media:

Escobar after meeting Kurti: Emergent humanitarian issue, Pristina to be flexible on Tuesday (KoSSev, media)
Kurti after meeting Escobar: I stressed need to hold Serbia accountable for attack in Banjska (KoSSev)
Serbian List on changed signboards: They installed Albanized names of Serbian places (Radio KIM, media)
Language Commissioner: The order of languages on signboards had to be reversed (Radio KIM)
Pantic Pilja: Emergency meeting at Council of Europe on March 27, voting on Bakoyannis report (Kosovo Online)
Dacic meets with HCCH Secretary General (Tanjug)
Stoltenberg’s report says NATO crucial to Western Balkan stability (N1)
Association of Families of Kidnapped and Missing Persons: International community respects Albanian victims more than Serbian ones (Kosovo Online)

Albanian Language Media:

• Escobar visits Decan Monastery (Nacionale)
• Stano: The investigations on Banjska are in hands of Kosovo authorities (Koha)
• Radar: After Banjska, Serbia gave 8.5 million euros to Radoicic's company (media)
• Gervalla: Kosovo has proven to be reliable partner alongside allies (RTK)
• Abdixiku: Kurti came to power with false causes, but decisions of Constitutional Court are uncontested (Reporteri)
• Haradinaj asks Prime Minister Kurti to implement the Franco-German plan (RTK)
• Signs of settlements in Albanian and Serbian placed in the north (Klan)

Serbian Language Media:

• Escobar: The Serbian community is suffering - urgently needed solutions (Radio Gorazdevac, KoSSev, KiM radio)
• Starovic on Pristina's decision on the Visoki Decani monastery: Attempts to present a small belated step as a big step forward (KiM radio, RTS)
• Bilingual signs placed in northern Kosovo, Albanian version first, Cyrillic alphabet removed (KoSSev, Radio KIM)
• Serbian Democracy: Kosovo Government continues its fight against Serbian identity, by violating its own Constitution (Radio KIM)
• Antonijevic on removal of Cyrillic signs in the north of Kosovo: Open humiliation of Serbian community (Danas)
• Petkovic on removal of Cyrillic signboards (Kosovo Online, social media)
• Comparative Analysis: Numerous challenges in the application of the law on the position of minorities (KiM radio)
• Sekulic: How come raw materials from Serbia are not dangerous for Kosovo security, but biscuits are? (Kosovo Online)
• Klaus, Zeman: Prague should not have recognised Kosovo (Tanjug)

Opinion:

• Kosovo Takes a Crucial Step to Join Council of Europe (Prishtina Insight)

Albanian Language Media:
 Ziadeh notes with appreciation Kosovo govt’s announcement on Decani Monastery (media)
 EULEX chief welcomes decision on Decan Monastery land (media)
 Von Cramon welcomes decision to implement ruling on Decani Monastery (media)
 Escobar meets opposition leaders in Pristina (media)
 Escobar discusses Dinar with Serb politicians in Kosovo (RFE)
 EU agrees with Escobar on communication problems with Kurti (Koha)
 Kurti and Maqedonci meet COMKFOR, discuss security situation (media)
 COMKFOR Ulutas meets Escobar and Hovenier (media)
 COMKFOR: We increased presence, aim is to prevent violence (Telegrafi)
Serbian Language Media:
 Serbian List after the meeting with Escobar: Urgent and decisive reactions are needed (KiM radio, KoSSev)
 Escobar with representatives of Serbian non-parliamentary parties from Kosovo (KiM radio, KoSSev)
 Escobar spoke with representatives of Serbian NGOs (Kosovo Online)
 Stano: The EU and the USA demand that Pristina establish A/CSM,  which also solves the dinar issue (Beta, NMagazin)
 Lawyer Miljkovic: Milun Milenkovic Lune's detention extended for another two months (Kosovo Online)
 Dacic received Roquefeil (Tanjug)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, March 13, 2024

Albanian Language Media:

• Government orders that properties be given to Monastery of Decan according to Constitutional Court decision (media)
• Escobar on government's decision on Decan Monastery: Difficult but necessary (RTK)
• Szunyog welcomes government's decision on the Monastery of Decan (media)
• German ambassador: Delayed, but historic moment (media)
• Rama supports Kurti government decision on Monastery of Decan properties (media)
• Osmani to Escobar: Success of dialogue depends on EU’s equal approach to parties (Reporteri)
• Kurti: Radojicic is free and protected by Serbia (Klan)
• Minister Gervalla visits permanent mission of Albania in NATO (RTK)
• KFOR commander: After Banjska, situation in north remains tense (media)
• Ulutas meets with new British ambassador in Kosovo, discuss security and dialogue (Klan)
• Kurti pays tribute in Mitrovica on the 25th anniversary of the Green Market Massacre (media)
• Citaku: If not with USA, EU, NATO, Albania, who is Prime Minister coordinating with? (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• The GoK ordered the Visoki Decani land registration based on the decision of the Constitutional Court (KoSSev)
• Nemec: Serbs in Kosovo who have "special" passports are in a discriminatory situation (KiM radio, EWB, FoNet)
• Escobar meets Osmani, majority of Serbian media unable to follow event (Radio KIM)
• No statement after Osmani, Kurti meet QUINT ambassadors (N1, BETA)
• Mortal remains brought back to old Orthodox cemetery in Mikronaselje in Mitrovica North (Kosovo Online, Radio KIM, KoSSev)
• The hearing in the Ivanovic case postponed again due to the failure to submit all documents in Serbian language (KiM radio)
• Lazarevic: The last rose-colored glasses of Kosovo Serbs are melting (KoSSev, monitor.co.me)
• Vucic meets with Roquefeuil (Tanjug)

International:

• Smear Campaign Against Critics of Kosovo Ruling Party Condemned (Balkan Insight)

Albanian Language Media:

Escobar: Decision on dinar uncoordinated, will discuss it in Kosovo (media)
Osmani and Kurti meet with QUINT (media)
Kurti discusses with ministers elections in north (Koha)
Lajcak in Berlin talks about dialogue (Koha)
Szunyog on "government draft statute": We welcome any proposal (KTV)
Hargreaves: Britain will cooperate with Kosovo in cyber security (RTK)
Secretary of Kosovo Office in Belgrade claims he was provoked by Serbian police (media)
Rohde: Preparing ground for new German contingent in Kosovo (RTK)
Szunyog and Haxhiu talk about gender equality and justice reforms (RTK)
Hoti: Government illegally forced CBK to engage in dialogue  (RTK)

Serbian Language Media:

Escobar: It took France almost a year to implement euro, Pristina wanted to do this in northern Kosovo in less than three weeks (KoSSev)
Pristina has problem in communication with West, it refuses to hear our offer for faster integration (KoSSev)
Petkovic: Ultimate goal of abolishing dinar is final expulsion of Serbs from Kosovo (Kosovo Online)
Petkovic: Kurti main threat to regional stability (Tanjug, media)
Municipal Security Committee meeting held in Strpce, stronger presence of police and KFOR requested (KoSSev, Kosovo Online)
Trial of Sladjan Trajkovic continues (Radio KIM)
Dacic receives Spanish Ambassador (media)
Zeman: Bombing of FR Yugoslavia one of NATO's two fundamental mistakes (media)

International Media: 

Kosovo Citizens Unfairly Charged for Serb Municipalities’ Electricity: Court (Balkan Insight)

Albanian Language Media:

• Kurti: Serbia is aggressive; this makes us cautious, not scared (media)
• Kurti in Caber: 15 internet stations set up in the north (Kallxo)
• Gervalla begins official visit to NATO headquarters in Brussels (media)
• Serwer: There is an aggressor in north Kosovo, we should be clear who (media)
• Begaj: Kosovo needs to listen more to advice from U.S. and EU (media)
• Vllasi: Dinar to be removed from dialogue agenda; an imaginary problem (media)
• Kurti commemorates Serbia’s PM on 21st anniversary of assassination (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Containers were solution for Serbs to live, vote, receive medical treatment in them and from now on for payments of wages and pensions (KoSSev)
• NGO Aktiv opens telephones lines for residents to get information and report problems with deposits and disbursals in dinars (Radio KIM)
• Viola von Cramon: Attacks orchestrated by bots of the Kurti's government (N1, KoSSev)
• Lucic: Telekom Srbija as the biggest company in Kosovo bothers Pristina (KiM radio, Tanjug, TV Prva)
• Raska-Prizren Diocese: Caring for our sanctuaries is not an act of hatred but a civilizational duty and a matter of religious freedom (media, social media)
• Djuric after photo with Radoicic: I’m in contact with Serbian representatives, I still like to meet with them (KoSSev)
• Rada Trajkovic: The Serbian and Kosovo secret services trying together to discredit Marko Djuric (KiM radio, Danas, Beta)

International:

• Expanded Institutionalism: North Mitrovica Mayor Erden Atic (Prishtina Insight)
• Photo of Serbia’s Ambassador to the US with Kosovo Serb Kingpin Radoicic Draws Reactions (Prishtina Insight)
• Religious And Social Conservatives In Kosovo Block Controversial IVF Bill (RFE)
• Concerns Grow over AI-Generated Abusive Content among Children (Balkan Insight)
• Secret Trade: Serbia Hides Arms Exports to Israel after Hamas Attack (BIRN)

Humanitarian/Development:

• In Sickness, Ethnic Barriers in Kosovo Often Fall (Balkan Insight)

Albanian Language Media:
• For six-billion plan, EU conditions Kosovo and Serbia with normalization (Koha)
• Escobar to visit Kosovo this week to discuss dialogue and Serbian Dinar (media)
• State Department: Radoicic is a criminal that needs to be held accountable (RFE)
• Bank branches and ATMs opened for Kosovo Serbs near border crossings (RFE)
• CEC adopts budget to organize voting in north on April 21 (Koha)
• Rohde: Kosovo can’t join CoE without respecting court decisions (media)
• Shea: EU to lift measures against Kosovo as soon as possible (media)
Serbian Language Media:
• Two days campaign period for the removal of mayors in the north municipalities (KiM Radio)
• Vucic met US ambassador (N1, Tanjug, RTS)
• Dacic met Botsan-Kharchenko (Tanjug, RTS)
• Stano: Implementation of commitments by Belgrade, Pristina a priority (Tanjug)
• Serbia’s Postal Savings Bank opens improvised branches at crossings with Kosovo (KoSSev, N1)
• Telegrafi Editor in chief the opening of the Postal Savings Bank branches at the crossing sees as a "provocation" (KoSSev)
• Jevtic: Serbs in Kosovo expect the international community to prevent a humanitarian crisis (RTS)
• Photo of Ambassador Djuric with Radoicic draws reactions (N1)
• After Bojovic, Maliqi targeted by “sophisticated bot network” (KoSSev)
• An Albanian man shot in Donja Bitinja and left a wreath on a Serb’s house, afterwards, he was arrested (Kosovo Online, KiM radio)
• US estimates: Increased risk for inter-ethnic violence in the Western Balkans (Kosovo Online)