UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, September 5, 2022

Albanian Language Media:

• Bislimi and Nagavci in the Valley, promise support for the Albanians (media)
• KCK: Government is trying to undermine the independence of the judiciary (media)
• Brnabic from North speaks of "peace" and says that they will "fight" for Serbs (media)
• Kosovo continues lobbying for membership in the Council of Europe (RTK)
• Haradinaj wants investments in gas pipelines and new coal-fired power plant (media)
• Another protest about the case of the 11-year-old girl in Pristina (media)
• COVID-19: One death, 21 new cases (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Brnabic in a visit to Kosovo north: Dialogue is important, we will insist on ZSO (media)
• Kosovo ministers in Presevo, without a meeting with the mayor (Beta, N1)
• Jeremic: Request to Russia and China to use veto ‘puts an end’ to Pristina’s UN membership issue (Danas)
• Serbian ID cards issued to Kosovo Serbs valid to enter Albania via Vrbnica crossing – but not Kosovo (KoSSev)
• SNS official announces composition of new Serbian Government by September 25 (N1)
• Erdogan to visit Serbia (RTS)

International:

• Serbia, Albania to cooperate in energy, mining sectors (seenews.com)

Kurti receives letter from Scholtz and Macron (media)
‘Serbia must get ready to make a difficult decision’, Macron-Scholz letter to Vucic (media)
Kosovo government submits judicial vetting draft to Parliament (media)
Kurti on Brnabic’s visit: No statements that induce de-stabilization (media)
Bislimi and Nagavci to visit Presheva Valley (media)
Jasharaj: The strike continues (media)
Rama for Der Spiegel: Russia would love another conflict in the Balkans (media)
Rakic: Brnabic’s visit shows that Kosovo Serbs are in favor of peace and security (media)
Haxhiu on the case of the 11-year-old: There will be additional dismissals (euronews.al)
EU-brokered deal leaves Kosovo and Serbia mired in antagonism (Financial Times)
COVID-19: 49 new cases (media)

Albanian Language Media:

• Lajcak for dialogue: Current political calendar is a chance for normalisation (Koha)
• Rama praises Vucic: He gave a clear signal of peace in relation to Kosovo (Koha)
• Trade unionists meet LDK’s Abdixhiku (media)
• Municipalities give the government until September 5 to execute the salaries (media)
• COVID-19: 67 positive cases no deaths (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Summit of leaders of the Open Balkans: Regional cooperation important in the food and energy supply crisis (NMagazin, Beta)
• Szijarto: If it depended on Hungary, the entire Western Balkans would already be in the EU (FoNet, Beta)
• Brnabic to visit Kosovo on Monday (NMagazin, Beta)
• Petkovic: EU representatives either do not know or deliberately selectively read the agreements (RTS)
• Vucic and Pahor on Saturday in Belgrade (Danas)
• EU spokeswoman: Ashton will not join Lajcak's team, they are in regular contact (Kosovo Online)
• Bus from Subotica returned by police from the Bela Zemlja crossing (KiM radio, Kontakt plus radio)

Opinion:

• Lazarevic: Kurti's video messages will not persuade Serbs to re-register, but Belgrade's decisions, if any (Danas, KoSSev)

International:

• Open Balkan plus Hungary, Turkey meet to discuss cooperation in Belgrade (euractive.com)

• President Osmani on education strike: We must find acceptable solution (media)
• Kosovo teachers strike on first day of new school year (BIRN)
• Hovenier welcomes smooth start of implementation on free movement (media)
• Rama in Belgrade: Open Balkan is a project of peace (Kosovapress)
• Kosovo opens free trade negotiations with EFTA countries (RTK)
• AAK reacts to LDK leader Abdixhiku’s remarks (Telegrafi)
• Energy production is doubled, power cuts are stopped (Koha)
• Kosovo and Albania hail launch of unified children’s primer (BIRN)

Albanian Language Media:

• Prime Minister Kurti invites citizens to convert licence plates to RKS (media)
• Osmani met with Deputy Prime Minister of Netherlands Wopke Hoekstra (media)
• The EU asks Kosovo to give "sufficient time" for licence plates (RFE Albanian)
• Kurti on the energy crisis: We are doing our best, but the situation is dire (Koha)
• BSPK: There is no withdrawal from strike, Government's intervention is illegal (media)
• LDK: The decision to freeze wages is illegal and undemocratic (media)
• PDK: Today we are in energy and educational darkness (media)
• Banners against re-registration with RKS licence plates appear again in north (Koha)
• COVID-19: One death and 64 new cases (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Kurti calls Kosovo Serbs to replace license plates (N1)
• Petkovic: Kurti continues to threaten with abolition of KM plates (NMagazin, Beta)
• Vucic discusses Kosovo dialogue with UK, US officials (N1)
• Ashton could join Lajcak's team for dialogue – portal (Tanjug, Kosovo Online)
• Arsenijevic: With a Serbian ID of the cities in Kosovo, still impossible to cross General Jankovic (KoSSev)
• US Ambassador says Serbia should turn West (N1, FoNet, NIN, KiM radio)

International:

• Kosovo pushes ahead with car licensing rule resisted by Serbs (Reuters)
• Kosovo's car licensing rule resisted by ethnic Serbs takes effect (Aljazeera)
• Serbia under growing pressure from West to allow EuroPride to go ahead (intellinews.com)
• The Open Balkan Wine Fair opens today in Belgrade (serbianmonitor.com)

• Reciprocity on ID cards begins (Koha Ditore/Kosovapress/RFE)
• Serbia Reminds Kosovo: ID Cards Deal Doesn’t Imply Recognition (BIRN)
• Why Ethnic Tensions Are Flaring Again in Northern Kosovo (Reuters)
• President Osmani meets Czech PM Minister, discuss visa liberalisation (media)
• Krasniqi: Kosovo in direst situation in the postwar period (media)
• Haradinaj to Kurti: Stop or you will be stopped! (media)
• Haziri: Serbia is indirectly recognizing Kosovo (Klan Kosova)
• Serbia: Army at high state preparedness along border with Kosovo (Telegrafi)
• Turkish, Hungarian senior officials to attend next Open Balkans meeting (Klan)

Albanian Language Media:

• Osmani hosted by the president of the Czech Senate (media)
• Specialist Chambers judge Mihael Bolander resigns (media)
• Thousands participate in the protest after the rape of the 11-year-old (media)
• Director for Treatment of Prisoners and Juveniles resigns (media)
• The saga of the Serbs towards the Kosovo documents (RFE, media)
• COVID-19: 191 new cases and two deaths (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic met US Congressman Turner (Tanjug)
• Belgrade, Zagreb, Pristina trade blame over missing persons (N1)
• Disclaimers on ID cards placed at administrative crossings towards Kosovo (RTS)
• KFOR: We are closely monitoring the situation, we are staying at Jarinje and Brnjak (RTS, Kosovo Online)
• Lajcak: Two months to find a solution for the vehicle plates, some ideas proposed (RTS, Tanjug)
• Mihajlovic: Lavrov makes Serbia's position even more difficult (NMagazin, Beta)
• Nine Covid-19 cases in Serbian areas (KiM radio)

Escobar: European integration, only alternative for Western Balkans (Kosovapress)
Gervalla: We are not asking for privileges or shortcuts to join EU (media)
Opposition leaders want Kurti to focus on final settlement, not technical issues (RFE)
Kosovo protesters demand action after rape of 11-year-old (BIRN)
Kosovo Police Director resigns (media)
Dugolli: GDP rising, but talks with Serbia at an impasse (The Washington Diplomat)
Slovenia appoints Anzej Franges, emissary for the Western Balkans (RTK)
Tuhina: Now the pressure can be directed towards Kosovo (RTK)
Kosovo Urged to Take ‘Inclusive Approach’ to War Memorialisation (BIRN)

Albanian Language Media:

• President Osmani travels for an official visit to the Czech Republic (media)
• Gervalla participating at Bled Forum (Telegrafi)
• Kurti: Archives in Belgrade should open so truth about our loved ones can be found out (Klan)
• Osmani, Kurti, Hovenier pay tribute to the disappeared (media)
• UNMIK in support of the families of persons missing from the war in Kosovo (Klan)
• EULEX: In one year, three missing persons were identified, hundreds over years (Koha)
• PSD calls the agreement on ID cards "legalization of parallel structures" (Koha)
• Government to establish a Professional Committee after rape of the 11-year-old, (Klan)
• COVID-19: 91 new cases (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• SRSG Ziadeh: Pristina and Belgrade cooperation crucial for progress on the issue of missing persons (Kontakt plus radio)
• "It turns out to be a miracle that pain united us" (KiM radio, KoSSev)
• Vucic: The problem with the vehicle plates will not be solved before September (NMagazin, Beta)
• State Department: The agreement between Serbia and Kosovo is a step towards the normalization of relations (Beta, N1, VoA)
• Serbian FM Selakovic met Cuban FM Parrilla (Tanjug)
• Serbian Parliament Speaker Vladimir Orlic met Ambassador Hill (Tanjug, media)
• Citizens on the ID agreement: Not supported by the majority “because it is not beneficial to both sides” (KoSSev)
• Hrnjaz: Serbia did not recognize Kosovo with the new agreement, it does not mean it has not been moving towards it politically for 10 years (KoSSev)

International:

• Germany's Scholz Backs EU Expansion To Include Western Balkans, As 'Center Of Europe Is Moving Eastwards' (RFE)

Humanitarian/Development:

• New Book Tells Stories of Kosovo’s Child Casualties of War (Balkan Insight)
• Greece increases electricity exports to neighboring Balkan countries (balkangreenenergynews.com)

Borrell: Issue of license plates, more difficult to resolve (RFE)
Kosovo-Serbia deal on IDs raises implementation question, expert says (BIRN)
Recognition of documents does not mean Serbia has recognised Kosovo (Koha)
PDK leader Krasniqi says no to PM Kurti’s invitation to meet (media)
LDK leader Abdixhiku agrees to meet PM Kurti on dialogue (media)
Escobar: Vucic committed to regional stability; good will from both sides (media)
East and West clash in a proxy conflict over Serbia, President Vucic says (Reuters)
It’s Never Too Late to Find the Kosovo War’s Missing Persons (BIRN)
Kosovo leaders call for deserved punishment for raping of minor girl (media)