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UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, June 23, 2020

Albanian Language Media:

• Grenell: We will try to build an economic zone between Kosovo and Serbia (media)
• Hoti meets Thaci prior to his travelling to Brussels (media)
• EU borders may remain closed for Western Balkans (media)
• Osmani requests voting of international agreements (media)
• Assembly has no quorum to vote on the million-dollar agreements (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic and Hoti at the end of the week in Brussels, but not about the dialogue (RTS)
• Vucic: We are dealing with painful issues, compromise is not easy for Serbia (Tanjug, B92)
• New round of Belgrade – Pristina dialogue on June 25 in Brussels (N1)
• Djuric: SNS in Kosovo won 86 percent of votes (KoSSev)
• Returnee family robbed in the village of Veliko Krusevo (Kosovo Online)
• MEPs: Mocking of democracy in Serbia, stop opening negotiating chapters (N1, EWB)

Opinion:

• Aleksandar Vucic, Serbia's stabilocrat (DW)
• Serbia’s Strongman Wins Big in Election Boycotted by the Opposition (The New York Times)
• Serwer: Vucic's victory convincing but stained (VoA, N1)

International:

• Serbia's Vucic To Discuss Kosovo With Putin In Moscow On Wednesday – Ambassador (urdupoint.com)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Number of COVID-19 hospitalisations peaks (Prishtina Insight)
• Serbia’s anti-COVID-19 Crisis Team: Face masks mandatory in public transport (N1)
• OpisMEDIJavanje: Sometimes a politician’s refusal to answer a question will be the answer (KoSSev)
• Serbia Under-Reported COVID-19 Deaths and Infections, Data Shows (Balkan Insight)
• SO2 emissions in Western Balkans coal plants six times above limit in 2019 (balkanenergynews.com)

UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, June 23

• Covid-19: 47 cases reported over last 24 hours (media)
• Kosovo, Serbia leaders to meet in Brussels on Thursday (media)
• Hoti reveals details of upcoming trip to Brussels (media)
• Thaci: Washington meeting will be very difficult (RTK/Telegrafi)
• Borrell insists only “structured dialogue” is led by EU (Zeri)
• Lajcak in Belgrade: Dialogue to continue without delay (RFE)
• U.S. Ambassador Kosnett’s interview to Klan Kosova
• Haradinaj: Three key principles in dialogue with Serbia (media)
• VV MP: Thaci has violated Constitution, Hoti unprepared for dialogue (Klan)
• “Thaci’s another term in office believed to be damaging” (Koha)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, June 22, 2020

Albanian Language Media:

• Presidents Thaci, Vucic to lead delegations in Washington (Indeksonline)
• Collaku: Economy and other issues that may arise to be discussed at White House (RFE)
• Hoti's cabinet: Mainly economic issues to be discussed in Washington (Klan)
• Kosovo-Serbia final agreement to go through four stops (Klan Kosova)
• Competition between EU and U.S. on Kosovo-Serbia agreement (Koha)
• Weber: Kosovo and Serbia could get closer to final agreement by end of year (media)
• Serbian man sentenced to 22 years in prison for war crimes (media)
• One more coronavirus-related death reported in Kosovo (media)
• Ministry of Health denies contact tracing will not be pursued anymore (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Kommersant: Vucic now must make a choice (Danas)
• New REC data: 62.73 percent of electorate processed, 3 lists passed threshold (B92)
• Vucic’s SNS scores landslide victory in Serbia’s general elections (media)
• What kind of proposal does Lajcak bring to Belgrade today? (B92, Tanjug)
• President Vucic: Let's not be arrogant in forming government; experts say turnout 49 pct (N1)
• OSCE: Final turnout in Kosovo was 55.178, respectively 57.88 percent of registered voters (Kosovo-online)
• SzS: Fake elections have not succeeded, boycott did, turnout less than 50 percent (N1, BETA, FoNet)
• Director of Factor Plus: Turnout expected, boycott failed (Prva TV, B92)
• Varhelyi: "Important day for Serbia" (RTS, B92)
• N. Macedonian President: Kosovo issue could lead to domino effect (RFE, N1, FoNet)
• Newsmax TV founder: Trump is man who can bring peace to Balkans (Newsmax, N1)

Opinion:

• Serbia elections: Who's left besides Vucic? (DW)
• Wanted: EU-US cooperation on Kosovo (EUobserver)
• ''Trump and the Kremlin know very well who they are dealing with'' (KoSSev)
• Kosovar politics needs rebellious women (Prishtina Insight)

International:

• Serbia President’s Party Scores Landslide in Election Boycotted by Opposition (Balkan insight)
• Ruling Conservatives Set to Win Serbian Parliamentary Vote (VoA)
• Serbian parliament left without clear opposition as the ruling party wins partially boycotted elections (EWB)

Humanitarian/Development:

• BIRN Videos Tell Emotional Stories of Missing Fathers (Balkan Insight)
• 22 years since kidnapping of Belacevac miners (TV Most)

UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, June 22

• 96 new cases of coronavirus in last 24 hours in Kosovo (media)
• Hoti to report to MPs on Washington visit and reciprocity on Tuesday (media)
• Several senior LDK members voted against Osmani’s dismissal (Koha)
• Kurti: Allowing Serbian elections, cancelling local ones, unacceptable (media)
• Braathu: Only ballot collection for Serbian elections conducted in Kosovo (Klan)
• Serbia President’s Party Scores Landslide in Election Boycotted by Opposition (BIRN)
• Veseli: Kosovo Army, best argument for those that deny success (media)
• North Macedonia President: Kosovo-Serbia deal would help the region (media)
• Pushing for Serbia-Kosovo Peace Deal, U.S. Roils Allies (NYT)

UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, June 20

• 82 new cases of coronavirus in last 24 hours in Kosovo (media)
• Minister of Health implies mass testing for COVID – 19 (media)
• Hoti: We allowed Serbian elections, according to earlier practices (Koha)
• LDK, partners to enable Thaci to get another term in office (Kosovapress)
• Pacolli, Von Cramon, Grenell tweet over visa liberalisation for Kosovo (media)
• Lama, Biserko say land swap idea came from Serbia (media)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, June 19, 2020

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, June 19, 2020

Albanian Language Media:

• Kosovo PM Hoti: Thaci knows I will lead the dialogue (Gazeta Express)
• Grenell: Land swap was Bolton’s idea, not Trump’s (Fox News, RTK)
• Von Cramon hopes visa liberalization for Kosovo during Germany’s presidency (Klan)
• Pompeo congratulates Hoti for peaceful government formation (media)
• Osmani demands visa liberalization from the EU (media)
• Number of hospitalized with COVID-19 increases, 65 today (Koha)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic: Talks on Kosovo as “chess game”, we are ready for compromise (RTV)
• “Without rule of law, any agreement is dead letter on paper” (Radio KIM)
• Dacic thanks Lavrov for Russia’s support on Kosovo issue (N1)
• European Parliament to debate report on Western Balkans (N1)
• Lajcak to visit Belgrade on June 22 and 23 (FoNet)
• REC adopted election instruction for Sunday elections in KiM (TV Most)
• OSCE will implement practice established and applied in past during these elections (RTK2)
• US Embassy in Pristina: We will not observe elections on Sunday (Kosovo-online, RTV KIM)
• "If exchanging territories is the way..." (Kosovo-online, B92)
• Vucic urged citizens to vote on Sunday’s elections (B92)
• Pre-election silence in Serbia starts at midnight until Sunday evening (N1, FoNet)

Opinion:

• Race for Serbia-Kosovo Deal Betrays America’s Best Principles (Balkan Insight)
• Five mounting challenges for China in the Western Balkans (ECFR)

International:

• Moscow's Approval Necessary For Any Deal Between Serbia, Kosovo, Lavrov Says (RFE)
• Serbia ready to sacrifice EU membership over Kosovo deal (Reuters)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Balkan Countries Relax Guard Despite COVID-19’s Second Wave (Balkan Insight)
• Media Literacy Project: Beware of hybrid objective journalism (KoSSev)

UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, June 19

• 83 new cases of coronavirus in last 24 hours in Kosovo (media)
• Hoti warns restricting measures could be reintroduced (T7/Telegrafi)
• US Presidential Envoy Richard Grenell’s interview to Gazeta Express
• Thaci: Meeting in Washington, a turning point in history (media)
• Hoti on Washington meeting: I speak on Kosovo’s behalf (media)
• Maas: Kosovo, Serbia, European perspective, they need solution with EU (DW)
• Kupchan: White House meeting paves way for final agreement (RFE/Klan)
• Hoti to EU ambassadors: Territory is non-negotiable (media)
• Kurti: Even pondering new borders is insanity and call to conflict (media)
• Veseli: Whoever leads the dialogue, must defend Kosovo (media)
• LDK’s Mustafa: Agreement with Serbia might be reached this year (KTV)
• OSCE to collect in Kosovo ballots for Serbian elections (RFE/Koha)
• Hoxhaj: Lavrov visit, propaganda campaign against Kosovo (media)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, June 18, 2020

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, June 18, 2020

Albanian Language Media:

• Grenell: Kosovo, Serbia leaders to begin new era of stability and prosperity (media)
• Lajcak: Dialogue ready to resume, date to be set soon (media)
• Hoti meets political leaders, VV and PDK boycott meeting (media)
• Nagavci: Hoti and government to know there's a point they cannot cross (media)
• Limaj: Dialogue should have a name (Telegrafi)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic worried about ''Russia’s assessments regarding various plans and ideas'' for solving the Kosovo issues (KoSSev, B92)
• Jeremic: Some announcement on Kosovo at White House on June 27 (N1)
• Lavrov today in Belgrade, what are the key topics of conversation (RTS)
• Vucic, Lajcak, Moscow, Washington ... and Mile (B92)
• Vucic: EU doesn't know what to offer us for Kosovo's UN membership (Vecernje Novosti, Beta, N1)
• Stoltenberg: Meeting in Washington right step in right direction (RTS)
• Why Trump's withdrawal of 10,000 troops from Germany relates to the Balkans (Klix.ba, B92)
• Lajcak meet Serbian List officials, mayors (N1)
• Djuric: Hoti buries dialogue (RTS)
• Vucic: If SNS doesn't win an absolute majority, it will not ask for a mandate (B92, RTS)
• Rakic met northern Kosovo mayors (Kosovo-online)

Opinion:

• Don’t count on a White House Kosovo-Serbia breakthrough (Atlantic Council)
• Russia-Serbia partnership does not depend on Belgrade’s dialogue with Brussels (Info Ros)

International:

• Europe Worries Trump May Wreck Chunk of Merkel’s Legacy (Bloomberg)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Film festivals in Kosovo postponed until August (Prishtina Insight)

UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, June 18

• 77 new cases of coronavirus in last 24 hours (media)
• New measures put in place to prevent spread of Covid-19 (media)
• Macron to host Kosovo-Serbia summit on July 17 in Paris (Koha)
• Kosovo, Serbia to discuss agreement similar to mini-Schengen on June 27 (Koha)
• President Trump could guarantee agreement at The White House (Klan Kosova)
• Thaci: Kosovo, Serbia to lose if agreement is not reached in Washington (VOA)
• PM Hoti asked to report to the Assembly before U.S. trip (media)
• Hoti: We’ll form Association/Community in line with Constitution (media)
• U.S. Ambassador Philip Kosnett interview to Telegrafi
• German MP Peter Beyer: Kosovo must reject a dirty deal (Koha)
• Haxhiu: Unlawful government to leave and pave way for elections (media)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, June 17, 2020

Albanian Language Media:

• Hoti invites entity leaders to coordinate prior to visit to Washington (Express)
• Lajcak: Kosovo to speak with one voice about the dialogue (media)
• AAK to Lajcak: We hail EU’s engagement for dialogue led by the U.S. (Express)
• Hoti: Intention of dialogue is recognition, territory cannot be discussed (media)
• Swiss Ambassador: U.S. inclusion in dialogue, welcomed (media)
• LVV rejects Hoti’s invitation for a meeting (media)
• CDHRF: Opposition should take on responsibility for dialogue (RTK)

Serbian Language Media:

• EU’s Lajčák: Details about meetings in Pristina on Thursday (N1)
• Vucic about Hoti's platform for dialogue: Then do not come to negotiations (KoSSev)
• American surprise and "Kosovo battle" on the eve of Vidovdan (B92, Sputnik)
• Milivojevic: We have maneuvering space, our arguments grew stronger (RTS)
• The first case of coronavirus in Serbian areas South of the Ibar (RTV Puls)
• Dacic: Moscow will support every solution in Belgrade's interest (Beta, N1)
• European Parliament rapporteurs welcome Lajcak visit to Kosovo (N1)
• The ''Smuggling'' case trial begins; Prosecution witnesses also plead not guilty (KoSSev)
• White House ready to host Belgrade – Pristina meeting (N1, VOA)
• Brnabic: If they wanted to find out who killed Ivanovic, they would have found out by now (KoSSev)
• RIK President: Information is expected for elections in Kosovo and Metohija (KoSSev)

Opinion:

• The signing ceremony is on (Prishtina Insight)
• US and EU Policy on Kosovo is in Disarray (Balkan Insight)

International:

• Borrell nominates three new Heads of EU Delegations to the Western Balkans (EWB)
• EU, US display differences over Serbia-Kosovo negotiation (AP)
• Balkan nations must not be faced with choice between West and Russia, says Lavrov (TASS)
• Serbia, Kosovo Prepare for Restart of Talks in Washington (Balkan Insight)
• Parliament extends and beefs up Swiss peacekeeping mission in Kosovo (swissinfo.ch)
• Trade barriers and wary eye on Serbia hold back Balkan economies (Financial Times)
• Trump envoy brokers White House meeting for Kosovo and Serbia presidents (The Guardian)
• Red Flag: Ahead Of Serbian Vote, Vucic And Allies Lean On China Ties (RFE)

Humanitarian/Development:

• 16 Fathers and Sons Massacred, One Kosovo Family Torn Apart (Balkan Insight)
• OSCE Mission published report on property rights claims resolution in post-conflict Kosovo (media)