• Rohde: Kurti administration should take concrete steps (euronews.al) • Kosovo Parliament approves €2.75 billion budget for 2022 (Exit News) • Palokaj: There could be visa liberalisation in first half of 2022 (Koha) • Protests called against Serbian President visit to Albania (Exit News) • Police mobilize for Vucic visit to Tirana and Berisha rally (euronews.al) • Albanians and Serbs ‘influence the Balkans’, says Lajcak (media) • How can Kosovo government approach the visa liberalisation issue? (EWB) • How did Denmark find shelter for its inmates in Kosovo? (euronews.al) • Afghan refugees slowly leave Balkan countries for West (BIRN) • Last despatches: Why the Balkan wars were so deadly for journalists (BIRN) • COVID-19: Four new cases, no deaths (media)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, December 17, 2021 Albanian Language Media: • Osmani: Kosovo, the most successful project of U.S.-EU foreign policy (media) • Kosovo's new ambassador to U.S. meets Escobar (media) • Kosovo and Croatia sign MoU in the field of security and defence (media) • State Department publishes country reports on terrorism (VOA) • CDHRF: Agreement with Denmark legalises discrimination of Kosovo inmates (media) • Association of Kosovo Municipalities says mayors will boycott meeting on COVID-19 situation (media) • COVID-19: 11 new cases, no deaths (media) Serbian Language Media: • NATO Joint Forces chief Admiral Burke in Belgrade (N1) • EP adopts resolution on forced labor at Chinese plant in Serbia (N1) • Dacic: EP Resolution, example of double standards (RTS) • Selakovic begins visit to France (Tanjug) • Kandic: The region’s political oligarchies glorify those convicted of war crimes (N1, Beta, KoSSev, FoNet) • State Department: Serbia invests efforts in fight against terrorism (RTS, VoA) • Vladislav Jovanovic: I do not expect dialogue to be accelerated because it does not suit West (Kosovo-online) • Lawyer: Arsic threatened before arrest, he wanted to reclaim usurped property (Kosovo-online) • Tadic former Serbian president, calls for ad-hoc coalition against Constitutional changes (N1) International: • Western Balkan Countries Struggle to Keep Lights On (Balkan Insight) • Political Unrest and Propaganda Spark Online Violations (Balkan Insight) Humanitarian/Development: • Kindergarten construction in Gorazdevac village has started (KoSSev) • Zvecan power issue resolved (Kosovo-online)

• Kurti: With the Association, Kosovo falls for Serbia’s game (Koha) • President Osmani to deliver annual address in parliament today (media) • Kosovo seeks equality in CEFTA, Serbia toughens barriers (Klan Kosova) • Denmark to rent 300 prison cells in Kosovo for deportees (Prishtina Insight) • Croatian Defense Minister to visit Kosovo today (RTK) • President Osmani thanks Macron and French people for vaccine donation (media) • COVID-19: 8 new cases, no deaths (media) • Kajtazi reports threats to police; AJK wants protection for Kajtazi (Telegrafi) • Kosovo murder trial witness refuses to name Serb crime gangs (BIRN) • EU to finance new wastewater plant in Kosovo (webalkans.eu) • EP adopts Resolution on fight against organised crime in Western Balkans (EWB) • Online Intimidation: Controlling the Narrative in the Balkans (Balkan Insight) • Vucic to visit Tirana on December 20; Berisha announces protest (Indeksonline)

Albanian Language Media: • Minister Gervalla to visit Presevo Valley today (media) • EU: Kosovo should have allowed Petkovic's visit as Serbia did with Gervalla (Klan) • EULEX Chief: We do not interfere directly in court proceedings, we only give recommendations (Klan) • Mehaj receives tomorrow Croatian Minister of Defense (Klan) • The CEC announces the results for mayor of Dragash (RTK) • Minister Haxhiu provides details for landing 300 cells to Denmark (RTK) • Kosovo Historians Slate Serbian Minister for Denying ‘Proven’ Massacre (Prishtina Insight) • EP requests opening of archives of former Yugoslavia due to political crimes (RFE) • “Energy price in Kosovo risks going up”, says expert warning on power shortages (euronews.al) • Serbia blocks Kosovo goods at the border (RTK) • COVID-19: 8 new cases, no deaths (media) Serbian Language Media: • Petkovic: Kurti's arbitrariness not to allow voting is a violation of basic human rights (RTS) • Office for Kosovo and Metohija refutes reports Gervala was prevented from visiting southern Serbia (KoSSev, media) • Stano: Visit of Petkovic should have been allowed, EU calls on Kosovo to reconsider its decision (Kosovo-online) • Konjufca: The decision on the land of Visoki Decani should not be implemented, the judges did not protect the Kosovo Constitution (KoSSev, Klan Kosova) • Serbian power company CEO dismisses managers over power outages (N1) • Serbian, Russian general staff officers discuss cooperation in Moscow (N1) • Witness in case of Dusko Arsic interviewed (Radio KIM) • USAID marks 20 years of partnership with Serbia, invested 882 million dollars (N1, RTS) Opinion: • Serbia: A Testament to People Power (carnegieeurope.eu) International: • Denmark to ship prisoners off to Kosovo (Deutsche Welle) • China’s Economic Diplomacy: Where do Taiwan and Kosovo fit in? (moderndiplomacy.eu)

• Kurti on energy crisis: Government will cover electricity supply (Indeksonline) • Looming price hikes worsen energy crisis in Kosovo (Prishtina Insight) • Kosovo, Serbia face power outages amid winter chill, surging energy prices (Reuters) • Konjufca: Borrell should not pressure Kosovo on Association (Klan Kosova) • Kosovo, Serbia working groups on license plates meet for third time (Koha) • Former Dutch ambassador: Special Court is a political cause (RTK) • Kosovo court suspends judge based on BIRN report (BIRN) • Vucic doing “a modern ethnic cleansing”, says Presevo mayor (euronews.al) • COVID-19: 11 new cases, no deaths (media) • ‘Open Balkan’ leaders to hold summit in Tirana on December 20 (Exit News) • China in the Balkans: Controversy and Cost (BIRN)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, December 15, 2021 Albanian Language Media: • Osmani and Pendarovski with opposite stances on Open Balkans (RTK) • Prime Minister Kurti received the President of North Macedonia, Stevo Pendarovski (media) • Kurti: Footnote does not reflect the reality of independent and European Kosovo (media) • Peach comes to the region for the first time: Britain wants a secure Western Balkans (Klan) • Donika Gervalla prohibited from entering Serbia (Express) • COVID-19: 11 new cases, no deaths (media) Serbian Language Media: • Problems, fears, and stances of Serbs in Kosovo, including on Kurti’s government (Radio KIM) • UNS and UNS in Kosovo protest over mistreatment of Radio Gorazdevac crew at Rugova Valley (Radio KIM, media) • Serbian Ministry of Culture condemned the intimidation of Radio Gorazdevac journalists (Kontakt plus radio) • Petkovic banned from entering Kosovo again (Radio KIM) • Christopher Hill: Attitude toward BiH crucial for US – Serbia further relations (Beta, N1) • Botsan-Kharchenko: Trade with Serbia could reach 4 bln dollars (Tanjug) • Vucic: Pristina has announced that it will not allow a referendum in Kosovo (KiM radio, FoNet, N1) • Jevtic: Osmani talks about discrimination, without mentioning Serbs is example of discrimination (Kosovo-online) • “Pendarovski on importance of regional cooperation, Osmani on dangers from Serbia and Russia” (Kosovo-online) Opinion: • My grandmother, Yugo-Nostalgia and an unfinished tale (Kosovo 2.0) International: • Bulgaria Again Blocks North Macedonia, Albania, EU Accession Talks (Balkan Insight) Humanitarian/Development: • WHO: ‘Omicron spreading at rate not seen with previous variants’ (Euronews) • Western Balkan countries play a valuable role in partnering with EEA to tackle environmental and climate challenges (eea.europa.eu)

• Hill: If confirmed, normalization of Serbia relations with Kosovo, priority (VoA) • North Macedonia President to visit Kosovo today (media) • LDK appoints Haziri in charge of dialogue and regional cooperation (media) • Haradinaj comments on accusations for meetings with Serb politicians (media) • Pacolli slams Russian ambassador in Belgrade (Gazeta Express) • LDK wins municipality of Dragash, after counting of diaspora votes (media) • Ministry of Justice to adhere to Venice Commission's recommendations (media) • EU states reassert membership promise to six Balkan states (Reuters) • COVID-19: Eight new cases, one death (media) • Ministry of Health: Over 2,100 citizens got the booster in few days (Lajmi) • Kosovo continues to buck fourth COVID-19 wave (Exit News)

Albanian Language Media: • Kurti: Funds of parties whose source is not known are elements of corruption (Telegrafi) • “Electricity situation expected to become more dire in next three days” (Klan Kosova) • Mehaj on 3rd anniversary of the Army: We have strong reasons to be proud (Koha) • Tromp: Kosovo has done nothing against Serbia’s lies (Radio Free Europe) • COVID-19: Eight new cases, one death (media) Serbian Language Media: • Covid-19: 25 new cases, one death registered in Serbian areas (Kosovo-online) • Varhelyi: Rule of law and normalization with Kosovo remain key to EU accession (NMagazin, Beta) • EU opens cluster 4 in accession talks with Serbia (N1) • Radojevic: Priority is to preserve peace and stable political and security situation (Radio kontakt plus) • Kosovo FM, Serbian Police minister in ‘war of words’ (N1) • Tadic: The United States and Merkel, because of Kosovo, allowed the breakdown of democracy in the entire region (KoSSev, N1) • British Foreign Secretary reinforces support for Western Balkans stability at talks in London (UK Government, media) Opinion: • The Holy Land (KoSSev) International: • 'Hope dies last': Kosovo families haunted by war missing (AFP) • Kosovo urged to keep up its guard against radicalisation (BIRN) • Balkan brain drain could be costing the region its future (Euractive) Humanitarian/Development: • President Osmani pledges to support all marginalised groups (Kosovapress) • Kosovo Santas run to help country’s protest (Prishtina Insight)

• G7 call on Kosovo and Serbia to continue dialogue without delays (Zeri) • Lajcak: Western Balkans integration in EU, the only alternative (media) • Gervalla in London: Serbia is threatening, we must act quickly if we want to save the peace (media) • Why is the north of Kosovo a haven for criminal groups? (RFE Albanian) • HLC's Blakaj: Missing persons ought not be a condition to agreement with Serbia (Koha) • Movie Puts Spotlight on Forced Marriage in Kosovo (BIRN) • Assembly adopts draft law for deployment of KSF abroad (media) • North Macedonian president to pay official visit to Kosovo (Indeksonline) • Kosovo connecting to Serbian IPs, businesses and opposition raise the alarm (euronews.al) • Serbian Minister requests visa liberalisation for Kosovo (RTK) • COVID-19: 8 new cases, no deaths (media)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, December 13, 2021 Albanian Language Media: • Kurti: We are working to ease the energy crisis (media) • PDK wants government to react to Vulin’s remarks about Recak massacre (RFE) • “Kosovo to prosecute war crimes suspects according to chain of command” (Koha) • Osmani receives credentials of Ambassador of Lithuania, Jurate Raguckiene (media) • Kosovo, Albania unveil joint project for railway link (Prishtina Insight) • Results of test samples for Omicron variant to arrive this month (Express) • In four months, 89 percent of COVID-19 fatalities were not vaccinated (Koha) • COVID-19: 8 new cases, no deaths (media) Serbian Language Media: • Covid-19: 33 new cases registered in Serbian areas on Saturday (Radio KIM) • Vucic: We continue strengthening army due to complicated security situation (N1) • Avenija: Ungrounded arrests of Serbs disgrace for Kosovo society and international community (Radio KIM) • Darko Dimitrijevic elected new president of Association of Journalists of Serbia branch in Kosovo (Radio KIM) • Petkovic reacts to Gervala’s statement, says Pristina rhetoric “inflammatory and anti-Serbian” (Radio KIM) • Odalovic: Families of missing persons should address Lajcak for support (Radio KIM) • Selakovic in London, to meet Lajcak, Peach and Escobar (media, GoS website) International: • Richard Grenell Exclusive Interview: The Serbia-Kosovo Agreement Was Not Just For Christmas (The Pavlovic Today)