UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, 15 April, 2024

Albanian Language Media:

• International Forum for Women Peace and Security starts in Prishtina (media)
• Clinton: Kosovo has made “important progress” toward gender equality (RFE)
• Gervalla: Vote tomorrow will pave way to Kosovo’s membership at CoE (RTK)
• MFA: Serbia’s propaganda in full opposition with reached agreements (media)
• Bislimi meets deputy director of European Foreign Service, emphasizes need for removal of EU measures against Kosovo (media)
• Lajcak expects Bislimi and Petkovic to be “open-minded” in the following meeting (Albanian Post)
• Statistics Agency: Census expected to conclude before targeted date (Kosovapress)

Serbian Language Media: 

• Vucic: Pristina prepared a trick with A/CSM (KoSSev, RTS)
• Starovic: There is no normalization while north is occupied by Kosovo police (Kosovo Online, social media)
• Lawyer files appeal over Sofronijevic’s detention (RTS)
• Serbian List: Arrest of Sofronijevic and beatings of Stevanovic “new values” for CoE (Radio KIM, Danas, BETA)
• Serbian Democracy: A Serb beaten by special forces in the village of Bube; KP: Case reported, PIK takes over the investigation (KiM radio, KoSSev)
• Why Serbs in the north don’t want to take part in the census? (Radio KIM)

Opinion:

• Dimitrijevic: Crème de la crème of journalists from Albanian community seek to glorify their values through their reporting, that’s where we differ (KoSSev)

International:

• Prosecution Investigates Claims of Professor’s Sexual Harassment after BIRN Investigation (Prishtina Insight)

Albanian Language Media:
• Kurti expects Kosovo to join Council of Europe in May (Gazeta Express)
• Knaus: Important week in Strasbourg for Kosovo at Council of Europe (media)
• Participants from 40 countries to attend Women, Peace, and Security Forum (Kallxo)
• Osmani: Traces of sexual violence of Serbian criminals weigh on lives of citizens (Koha)
• Kurti meets Oliphant, discuss strengthening Kosovo-Canada relations (media)
• Reactions to murder of 21-year-old woman in Ferizaj on Friday (media)
• Albanian American Civic League reacts to Vucic’s statement (media)
• Osmani condemns attack on Israel, “peace efforts must prevail” (media)
• Kurti condemns Iran attack on Israel, “world needs to prioritize ending hostilities” (media)

Serbian Language Media:
• Petkovic: Beatings, arrests of Serbs obvious values which Kosovo recommends for the CoE (Kosovo Online, Tanjug, X)
• Vucic: All violators of Serbia's constitutional order will be prosecuted, arrested and tried (Kosovo Online)
• Kurti: "20,000 victims of sexual violence - part of the Serbian genocide"; Petkovic: Stop lying, the number 20 times smaller (KoSSev)
• Ethnic Serb, wounded during a 2021 special police action, arrested at Brnjak; Office for KiM: Sofronijevic’s arrest instigated by the US and the EU (KoSSev)
• SL: The arrest of Sofronijevic continues the terror against the Serbian people (Kosovo Online)
• The “Cuska” case verdicts to be announced at the end of the month (KoSSev)
• Spain against Kosovo's accession to the Council of Europe (Kosovo Online, Blic, Tanjug)
• Dacic with Szijjártó: Hungary will vote against Kosovo's membership in the Council of Europe

Albanian Language Media:

• Maqedonci to Viehe: Deployment of Serbian military troops around border, threat to stability (Reporteri)
• Rohde on Kurti-Sarrazin meeting: Berlin process is key element (media)
• Paris conditions Serbia’s purchasing of combat aircraft with normalization of relations with Kosovo (Klan)
• Gervalla calls on diaspora to participate in population census process (Klan)
• Krasniqi repeats call for early elections: main race will be between PDK and LVV (media)
• Specialized Chambers clarify rejection of Thaci's request to replace Judge Guillou (Reporteri)
• Analysts: Dialogue needs mediators from powerful European states (RTK)
• Indictment against a Kosovar for crimes against humanity committed in Syria and Iraq (Koha)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic to Troccaz: Pristina's membership in the CoE a reward for discrimination and pressure on Serbs (Kosovo Online)
• Mali: Vucic sent letters to European leaders this morning regarding the reception of Kosovo to the CoE (Tanjug, TV Happy, media)
• Petkovic and Dacic today to meet the head of UNMIK (Kosovo Online)
• Hill: Serbia faces very difficult political issues (N1)
• The British Telegraph editor in bulletproof vest and without a helmet from the Leposavic hill determines whether there will be a "Serbian invasion of Kosovo" (KoSSev, N1, X)
• Vucic met Chinese Ambassador, discussed challenges awaiting Serbia (Tanjug, media)
• Vucic receives Ghanaian FM (Tanjug)
• Serbian leadership with Dodik, Cvijanovic: Vucic to ask UN to review procedures (N1, RTS)

International:

• Police Disperse Protest for Kosovo Professor’s Firing over Harassment Claims (Balkan Insight)

Albanian Language Media:

Kurti says he and Sarrazin talked about Berlin Process and importance of respecting agreements (Klan)
Osmani hosts Sarrazin, highlights importance of Council of Europe membership (media)
Sarrazin: Voting in north, a good opportunity for new momentum (Koha/Telegrafi)
Kurti meets Borg, thankful for OSCE’s continuous contribution (media)
Borg: Continuation of dialogue and implementation of agreements - key for regional security (media)
Osmani: NATO and KFOR have high credibility among Kosovo citizens (RTK)
Haziri: Kurti’s resignation, right way toward new general elections (Telegrafi)

Serbian Language Media:

Vucic on the Quint criticism of boycotting the vote on April 21: Shame on you (Kosovo Online)
Sarrazin says the referendum boycott call a difficult signal; Non-formation of the A/CSM does not lead to the EU; no hint of invasion plans (KoSSev, KiM radio)
Dacic met French special Western Balkans envoy (Tanjug)
Dacic thanks Ghana for supporting Serbia's territorial integrity, sovereignty (RTS, Tanjug)
Kreni-Promeni movement: "We place in Belgrade posters of Vucic and Hill trading lithium and Kosovo, and call for a protest on April 13 in front of RTS" (Danas)
The KPK proposed temporary ''replacements'' for three months in N.Mitrovica after the resignation of the Serbian prosecutors (Kosovo Online)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, 11 April, 2024

Albanian Language Media:

• Osmani receives OSCE chairman, discusses Kosovo's membership in the CoE (media)
• Gervalla informs OSCE chairman about situation in the north (media)
• Dinar gathers chief negotiators of Kosovo and Serbia again next week in Brussels (media)
• FH: Serbia's refusal to recognize Kosovo, big challenge in democratization (media)
• KSF receives logistic equipment from Germany worth €2.7 million (media)
• Elezi on placing cameras at polling stations in north: They apply to all election processes (Klan)
• Citaku: Kurti brutally interfering in North Macedonia’s elections (ekonomia)

Serbian Language Media: 

• Vucic refuted that he “was preparing for invasion” of Kosovo (Radio KIM)
• Trajkovic: Both Belgrade and Pristina see Radoicic as “a danger if he speaks what he knows about both of them” (KoSSev)
• Dacic: Serbia to contribute to dialogue amid global crisis (Tanjug)
• Djedovic Handanovic: "Elektrosever" and EPS stand behind the citizens, there is a lot of misinformation (Radio Mitrovica sever, TV Pink)
• EU Spokesperson: Still without date for meeting in Brussels next week (Kosovo Online)
• Szunyog meets Bishop Teodosije, discusses SOC matters, including returning land to Decani Monastery (Kosovo Online, social media)
• EU ambassadors supported visa liberalization for holders of Serbian passports from Kosovo (KiM radio, Tanjug)

Opinion:

• Dimitrijevic: Kurti causes animosity among Serbs in Kosovo, the SL decisions not in their interest (KoSSev)

International:

• Serbia: Freedom in the World 2024 Country Report (freedomhouse.org)

Albanian Language Media:

QUINT: Serbian List should reconsider its position on boycotting voting in the north (media)
Rohde: Serbian List should calculate the consequences of the boycott (RTK)
Svecla about incident: Time to place explosives has passed (media)
Serb who found explosive under car says it was a threatening message (Koha)
Kadiu: Serbia's illegal passports violate Kosovo's sovereignty (RTK)
Pahor confirms plans to replace Lajcak, has Golob's support (Koha)
Next OSCE Chairman , to visit Kosovo today (RTK)
Former COMKFOR: Attack in Banjska was terrorist, institutions of Serbia were also involved (Klan)
Vucic met OSCE head: I emphasized consequences of violation of agreements by Kosovo and international community (Klan)

Serbian Language Media:

CEC certified voters’ lists for mayoral recall vote in the north, almost 1.500 voters more compared to April 2023 local elections (KoSSev)
Marinkovic: Pristina would directly benefit from referendum boycott, there are no objective conditions on ground for census (KoSSev)
Gogic: If mayors in north remain in power, they will continue to act against interests of local population (Kosovo Online)
Dacic: Eleven years after Brussels deal, Pristina still refusing to form Community of Serb Municipalities (Tanjug)
Greece's position on Kosovo remains unchanged – news report (Tanjug, ANA)
Vucic meets with Chinese minister of commerce (Tanjug, media)
MoD: Purchase of Rafale jets no violation of Serbia's military neutrality (media)
Pahor Slovenia’s candidate for EUSR for Belgrade-Pristina dialogue (N1 Slovenia, N1 Belgrade)
KFOR helps Kosovo police remove IED (N1)

International Media: 

Kosovo Urged to Address Concerns About Census Amid Serb Boycott (Balkan Insight)
Kosovo Deplores European Parliament’s Vote to Provide Visa Free Travel to Serb Citizens with Serbian Passports (Prishtina Insight)
Kosovan police load up with weapons on the Serbian border as tensions rise (The Telegraph)
Serbia says it's close to a deal to buy French-made fighter jets. That would be a shift from Russia (AP)

Albanian Language Media:

• Osmani: Implementation of Constitution accelerates Kosovo’s integration process (RTK)
• Kurti: Dedicated to preserving the legacy of liberation war (media)
• Hovenier: Proud to support people of Kosovo on Constitution vision (media)
• Krasniqi: In these three years, we mostly needed to protect Constitution from government (Koha)
• EU calls on Serbian List to reconsider its decision not to participate in April 21 elections (Reporteri)
• German Embassy: Boycott is not in interest of citizens in the north (Koha)
• Removal of visas for holders of Serbian passports, voted (RTK)
• Lajcak meets Polish official, discuss Kosovo-Serbia dialogue (Reporteri)

Serbian Language Media:

• Macron: The future of Serbia being written now (Danas, Beta, X)
• Starovic: Facts are clear why Serbs decided to boycott referendum (Blic, social media)
• European Parliament Committee supported lifting visas for Serbian Coordination Directorate passport holders (Kosovo Online)
• Momirovic writes to ministers of trade, warns of Serbian goods import ban in Kosovo (Tanjug)
• Macron: Reached agreements should be implemented, Pristina needs to make progress in establishing Community of Serb-majority Municipalities (Kosovo Online)
• Fazliu: Kosovo Prosecutor's Office conducting an extensive investigation in the Banjska case, the publication of evidence may harm the case (Beta, N1, KiM radio)
• Opposition People’s Party calls for unity on Srebrenica resolution (N1)
• Varhelyi: Serbia making progress on EU path, Cluster 3 ready for opening (N1)
• Kosovo: Zana Avdiu in the fight against domestic violence, sexism, macho culture, patriarchy...(en.vijesti.me, N1, DW, KoSSev)
• Masralli: The EU encourages Serbs to participate in the census and Srpska list to reconsider the decision to boycott the vote (Kosovo Online)
• Andric Rakic: We will see another boycott of future local elections in the north (Kosovo online, X)

Opinion:

• Marinkovic to Demostat: Possible postponement of Kosovo's admission to the Council of Europe (Kosovo Online)

Albanian Language Media:

Kosovo govt call on Serbian List “not to pressure Serbs” for vote in north (RFE)
U.S. disappointed with calls to Serbs to boycott population census (RFE)
EU calls on Serbs to vote in elections in north and to register in census (Koha)
Lajcak: Kosovo, Serbia not ready for normalization (media)
Macron: France will make sure that Kosovo-Serbia agreement is fulfilled (media)
Haradinaj: Belgrade should give up instrumentalizing Kosovo Serbs (RTK)
Confusion among citizens following withdrawal of Serbian List from votes in the north (RFE)
CRD: Situation of lead-poisoned Roma communities in Mitrovica must be resolved (Nacionale)
Serbian Language Media:

Vucic with Macron: Pristina has done nothing, Community of Serb-majority Municipalities has not moved from a deadlock (Kosovo Online, media)
Vucic, Larcher discuss strengthening of bilateral ties (Tanjug, media)
Lajcak: New Belgrade-Pristina meeting on dinar issue to be held next week (Tanjug, media)
EU calls on Serbian List to change decision on mayoral recall vote (Radio KIM)
US Embassy in Pristina: We regret SL’s statement that they will withdraw from participation in mayoral recall vote (KoSSev)
Rohde: It is regrettable that Serbian List decided not to participate in voting, pressure on citizens in north (Kosovo Online)
Petkovic reacts to Rohde’s statement about Serbian List and mayoral recall vote (Kosovo Online, social media)
Serbian List: International representatives do not see Pristina’s unilateral acts violating rights of Serbs in Kosovo (Radio KIM, media)
Serbian Democracy does not support mayoral recall vote either (Radio KIM, Kosovo Online)
US disappointed with calls to Serbs to boycott population census (KoSSev, RFE)
International Media: 

Kosovo Serb Party to Boycott Vote to Dismiss ‘Unwanted’ Mayors (Balkan Insight)
Kosovo Starts Census as Serb Parties Call for Boycott (Balkan Insight)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, 8 April, 2024

Albanian Language Media:

• Kastrati: Serb community must understand that population census does not return (Klan)
• Serbian List members resign from municipal election commissions in the north (media)
• Knaus: EU's current strategy for Kosovo-Serbia dialogue has collapsed (RTK)
• Petritsch: The Kurti-Vucic agreement has international validity (RTK)
• LDK: Claims that Kosovo has progressed in international indexes is government propaganda (media)
• Osmani: The Roma community is an integral part of our society (media)
• Tahiri: What is this silence in LVV about samples from Dehari case? (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Radosavljevic: Boycott of referendum does not come as surprise, Serbs do not feel safe (Euronews, Kosovo Online)
• Russian MFA: Attempts for Kosovo to become CoE member witness to degradation of this organization (N1, FoNet)
• Pristina: Little willingness of Serbs in the north of Kosovo to register (KiM radio, RTS)
• Kastrati: The census mandatory for everyone, no one has the right to call for a boycott (KiM radio, Slobodno Srpski, Kosovo Online)
• What questions are being asked at the census, who is “Woman with Crown” and “Woman without Crown”, and what period “War Damage” entails? (KoSSev)
• World Roma Day (KiM radio)
• Vucic lays wreath in Paris, due to meet Macron (N1, Tanjug)
• Swedish ambassador says Serbia gets second highest EU fund payouts (N1, FoNet)
• Vucevic, Brnabic met Peach: Commitment to preserving peace and stability in the region (Tanjug, RTS)

International:

• It is in the interest of the EU that Enlargement takes place soon, Varhelyi says (Sarajevo Times)

Albanian Language Media:

Kurti calls on European reps to support Kosovo at Council of Europe (media)
Serbian List won’t take part in vote to dismiss Albanian mayors in north (RFE)
Kosovo asks for explanations from EU about silence to Serbia’s violations (Dukagjini)
Krasniqi: When Serbia violates agreements, EU prefers not to go into details (media)
Stradner: Vucic is the one disrupting stability in the Balkans (Telegrafi)
Former Kosovo FM meets chief of Ukrainian Defence Intelligence (media)
Kosovo part of the European Geological Service (Kallxo)
Learta Hollaj appointed chief of staff for Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani (media)

Serbian Language Media:

Serbian List opposes referendum to recall mayors, blames Kurti (KoSSev, media)
UNS: Serbian List again selectively calling for press conferences (NMagazin, Beta, KoSSev)
PKS: The Serbian List admitted political defeat (KiM radio, KoSSev)
Kosovo seeks a chance to sue Serbia for war crimes by joining CoE (N1)
Blakaj: HLC has no information that Kosovo is preparing a lawsuit against Serbia for genocide (Kosovo Online)