UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, November 19, 2019

Albanian Language Media:

• Kurti briefs Dutch Ambassador on priorities of new government (media)
• Thaci: Kosovo Army was born from cooperation with KFOR (Lajmi)
• “Serbs comfortable with KSF, despite pressure from Belgrade” (Indeksonline)
• Calculations for forming government coalition change (RFE)
• Weber: Rama needs Mini-Schengen for himself, he is not eminent to defend Kosovo’s interests (Express)
• LVV and LDK do not admit publicly they agreed to shut down PAK (Express)
• Haradinaj: Mini-Schengen, expansion of Russian influence in the Balkans (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Slavko Simic: Theoretical and political chance for elections to be annulled (Radio Mitrovica, Prva TV)
• Raška-Prizren Eparchy strongly protests over latest abuse of Saint Nicholas Church in Novo Brdo archaeological remains (Raska-Prizren Eparchy, Serbian media)
• Paris changes rules: Seven EU accession packages (B92, Tanjug, Vecernje Novosti)
• England-Kosovo match: Euphoria, gratitude and anti-Serb chants in Pristina (KoSSev)

Humanitarian/Development:

• KOMF: Air pollution with long-term consequences in children (Koha)
• Kosovo Roma Woman ‘Died in Despair’ after War Rape Testimony (Balkan Insight)

• Vote recount suspends LVV – LDK negotiations for coalition government (Koha)
• LVV invites LDK to a meeting, they do not respond (Express)
• Ballot recount to complete by Monday (Express)
• Apostolova says new government should be formed soon (Telegrafi)
• One projected MP from Egyptian community joins Vetevendosje (media)
• Appathurai: Kosovo-Serbia relations, among main challenges for region (RFE)
• In Tirana, Thaci attends conference, meets Rama (media)
• Engel: Change of borders would not stop only in Kosovo (Epoka)
• “Russia doesn’t want resolution of Kosovo issue” (Lajmi/Zeri)
• Ramiz Lladrovci to appear before specialist chambers today (media)
• RIDEA: Kosovo must insist on apology from Serbia during dialogue (Koha)

Albanian Language Media:

• Thaci address international conference on religion in Tirana (media)
• Vetevendosje rejects NISMA and AKR (Gazeta Express)
• LDK MP: There is no problem with votes, new elections in 2023 (Indeksonline)
• “41% of enterprises believe Kosovo–Serbia deal would increase export” (media)
• Major number of Kosovans still in Syria and Iraq, 40 of them ISIS fighters (media)
• RIDEA presents studies of the final phase of Kosovo-Serbia dialogue (Klan)

Serbian Language Media:

• Serbian List reaction to a music video filmed at Novo Brdo: Desecration of the Serbian holy shrines with inappropriate behaviour (RTS)
• Kurti says it's known who killed Kosovo Serb leader (N1, KoSSev, Pobjeda)
• Igor Simic: Kurti is directly interfering in the work of judicial bodies (RTS)
• Djuric: Kurti’s intention is to militarize Albanians (RTS)
• "NATO is eroding and I can only welcome that" (B92)
• France proposes seven-step EU accession process (Hina, N1, EU Observer)
• RFE: Thirteen EU members demand expansion to Western Balkans in a non-paper? (B92, Beta)

Opinion:

• It is in Russia's interest that Kosovo issue remains unresolved? (B92, Kosovo online, RFE)
• Turkish Threat over ISIS Fighters Poses Challenge for Balkans (Balkan Insight)

International:

• Serbian strongman Aleksandar Vucic hospitalized with heart condition (DW)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Balkan Coal Power Plants Failing Toxic Emissions Targets (Balkan Insight)

• Kurti: There can be no exchange of territories without war (media)
• LVV, LDK don’t want NISMA and AKR in the government (Zeri)
• Hooper: Kosovo-Serbia agreement exists, it only needs implementation (Epoka)
• Paris wants harsher criteria for Balkans integration in EU (Koha Ditore)
• New government asked to address issue of missing persons with priority (Koha)
• Beslin: No Mini-Schengen without accepting reality of independent Kosovo (Koha)
• Albanians and Serbs paint murals on Iber bridge (Kosovapress/Telegrafi)
• Kosovo journalists to enjoy free legal counsel (Kallxo)

• Kosovo MFA: Visa liberalisation not connected to dialogue with Serbia (media)
• Kurti meets Hahn in Brussels (media)
• Mustafa: Demarcation with Montenegro a done deal, Kosovo loses nothing (EO)
• D'Addario: KFOR's role is also to enable dialogue (Koha)
• Specialist Chambers investigating Kosovo government office (RFE)

Albanian Language Media:

• NISMA accuses Vetevendosje of intimidating observers at counting centre (media)
• 337 new members join KSF (Kosovapress)
• Dehari family requests Swiss institute be involved in investigations into their son’s death (media)
• Daka: Political entities should keep calm and serve the democratic process (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Telecommunications are Serbia’s decision, NATO’s Stoltenberg says (N1, VoA)
• Serbia's flags and "Kosovo is Serbia" chants during soccer game in Plzeň (N1, Beta)
• US Ambassador Philip Kosnett visits Novo Brdo (RTV Puls)
• The Serbian List's press release on Berlin’s two-day visit (Kontakt plus radio)
• Protest over wastewater in Gracanica, both Serbs and Albanians seek suspension of work (KIM radio, RTS)

International:

• Carpenter: Kosovo won’t be Trump’s foreign policy success in 2020 (European Western Balkans)
• Germany's Maas says Western Balkan states belong in EU (DW)
• EU Enlargement Nominee Eyes 2020 Serbia-Kosovo Deal (Balkan Insight)
• North Macedonia PM: Working with Russia ‘Not an Alternative to EU’ (Balkan Insight)

Humanitarian/Development:

• UNDP marks Women's Entrepreneurship Day (Kosovapress)
• Kosovan firebrand Jeton Neziraj: ''Theatre should side with the victims'' (The Guardian)

• Supreme Court upholds ECAP ruling (media)
• NISMA, AKR hail Supreme Court’s ruling (media)
• Peter Beyer elected CoE rapporteur for Kosovo (media)
• Trump’s envoy: There cannot be a mini-Schengen without Kosovo (RTK)
• Rama: Kosovo-Albania border cannot be removed without agreement with other countries (RFE)
• Italian Ambassador to Serbia: New Kosovo govt. to lift the tariff (RTK)
• Sherifi: Vetevendosje cannot establish government without NISMA (RTK)
• British ambassador hosts dinner with Kurti and Osmani (media)
• In Paris, Cakaj calls for Kosovo’s acceptance to UNESCO (Lajmi/Zeri)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, November 14, 2019

Albanian Language Media:

• Varhelyi: Kosovo-Serbia dialogue to successfully conclude on 2020 (Koha)
• Cakaj calls for Kosovo's membership to CoE (Koha)
• Hoxhaj: Appointment of former Russian spy as rapporteur, a serious blow to CoE values (media)
• Peter Beyer wins votes for Kosovo rapporteur (RTK)
• Mustafa: New KIA head should be nominated by future PM (Gazeta Express)
• The supreme court to decide today on LVV candidates' appeal (Kallxo.com)

Serbian Language Media:

• German elected as new Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly rapporteur for Kosovo (Sputnik)
• Kondratiev: The mentality of Albanians in Kosovo needs to be understood (RTS, Sputnik)
• Rasic of the Coalition Freedom appeals election commission ruling (KoSSev, N1, KiM radio, Beta)
• Serbian List: Chauvinistic farce is continued (Kosovo online)
• Ljajic: Mini Schengen to ease economic problems (Beta, N1)
• Insajder's documentary "Above the Fold" premiered in Pristina (Kontakt plus radio, KiM radio)
• Pec: ''Citizens seek solutions'' - language, isolation, lack of youth development strategy… (Kontakt plus radio)
• Godfrey: Bytyqi brothers’ case important, but not the most important issue in Serbia-US relations (RTS)
• "Mini Schengen" deepens divisions between Kosovo and Albania? (Kosovo-online, KoSSev, B92)
• Delegation of Serbian List in two-day visit to Berlin (TV Most)
• PSG leader Trifunovic: Denial won’t resolve Kosovo issue (N1, Vreme, Danas)

International:

• The Clock Ticks for Albania’s ‘Demographic Dividend’ (Balkan Insight)
• EU Enlargement Nominee Eyes 2020 Serbia-Kosovo Deal (Balkan Insight)
• EU’s gatekeeper laments bloc’s message to would-be Balkan members (Financial Times)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Chopping wood to make ends meet (Prishtina Insight)
• Heldt to Kosovo youth: Focus on vocational training (Kosovapress)

• Recount postpones finalisation of LVV-LDK agreement (Koha Ditore)
• Mustafa: LVV will decide if NISMA will join the government (RTK)
• Limaj: Vetevendosje and Rasic have made a deal (Klan Kosova)
• Haxhiu to NISMA: Tell us about your deal with Serbian List (RTK)
• Osmani prefers post of Speaker or FM, says border changes will not be discussed (RTK/Klan)
• Kurti on Mini-Schengen: Why the rush, Albania could have waited (Telegrafi)
• Grenell to meet in Berlin leaders of Serbian List (Zeri/Klan)
• Maas: Germany remains opposed to Kosovo-Serbia change of borders (DW)
• Swiss ambassador against border changes (media)
• In Paris, Russian FM Lavrov draws parallels between Kosovo and Crimea (Zeri)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, November 13, 2019

Albanian Language Media:

• Hoti: We rejected a similar model to the Mini-Schengen in 2016 (media)
• Maas: Germany remains opposed to Kosovo-Serbia change of borders (DW)
• Lebet: Border changes do not create sustainable peace (Koha)
• Kurti: We have harmonized eighty percent of our governing program (media)
• Mustafa: Prior to certification of results, we can meet with Kurti only for coffee (RTK)
• Kosovo NGOs request from EC not to elect Alexei Kondratiev rapporteur for Kosovo (RTK)
• Kurti: As PM, I will work with communities to remove prejudices (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Dacic: Only compromise solution ensures lasting peace (RTS, TV N1)
• Self-determination ‘fights’ in favour of votes from Serbia, appeals to Supreme Court (KoSSev)
• Simic: Kurti is not defending Serbian List but his three mandates (Kosovo-online)
• Kosovo prosecution still without official information on “poisoning” case (KoSSev)
• Vucic’s remarks on Macron, Thaci meeting, elections in Kosovo (Prva TV, B92, Tanjug)
• Vucic: Serbian heritage in Kosovo needs protection (RTS)
• “Western Balkans six would save € 3.5 billion by implementing "mini Schengen"” (B92)
• Detention of Zlatan Krstic extended for two more months (Radio KIM, Kosovo-online)

Opinions:

• What does Macron really want on Western Balkans? (EUobserver)

International:

• Kosovo's Thaci Insists On Resuming Dialogue With Serbia 'Without Conditions' (RFE)
• Ghana Withdraws 'Premature' Kosovo Recognition (RFE)
• Montenegro Rejects Balkan ‘Mini Schengen’ Proposal (Balkan Insight)
• Kosovo Warns Council of Europe about Russian Rapporteur Candidate (Balkan Insight)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Roof of newly constructed Basic Court in Gracanica collapsed (Gracanica-online, KoSSev)