UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, June 2 , 2023

Albanian Language Media:

• Borrell: We have three clear demands (RTK)
• France and Germany demand new elections in the north (RFE Albanian)
• Kurti: Stop violence until new elections in north (media)
• Rama thanks Macron and Scholz for meeting with Osmani and Vucic (media)
• Hovenier: Kurti has not changed his mind about the U.S. demands (RTK)
• Kurti: More concerning than international sanctions, fascist militia in north (Koha)
• Kurti receives phone call from three U.S. senators (media)
• Several Kosovars arrested by Serbian authorities; Kosovo Foreign Ministry: Don’t travel through Serbia (media)
• COMKFOR congratulates soldiers: You prevented the clash that would lead to civilian casualties (Koha)

Serbian Language Media:

• Day 8th of crisis in northern Kosovo, requests to hold new elections (RTS, media)
• Gatherings in northern Kosovo continue, demands remain the same (KoSSev, media)
• Vucic: It is increasingly clear who is responsible for problems in Kosovo (Tanjug)
• Dacic: No one will be on Pristina's side if it defies entire world (Tanjug, media)
• Arsenijevic, Aktiv on remarks Pristina officials use about protesters in northern Kosovo (Radio KIM, social media)
• Two Serbs from central Serbia arrested at Jarinje sent to one month detention (Kosovo Online)
• Albanians protest in Mitrovica South following call for “March for the North” (N1)

International Media:

• Kosovar President Open To New Elections In Areas Of Northern Kosovo Where Clashes Occurred (RFE)
• Macron, Scholz call for new elections in tense northern Kosovo districts (France24)
• Kosovo crisis: France, Germany call for new elections (DW)
• Kosovo's Kurti says mayors must work in offices, will not back down (Reuters)
• Standoff in Tense North Kosovo, as Serb Protests Continue (BIRN)
• Violence in northern Kosovo: The United States’ failed bet on Serbia (ecfr.eu)
• Kosovo Journalists Left Unprotected in Violent Protests in North (BIRN)
• Kosovo Holds Serbian Citizens for Weapons Possession Amid Protests (BIRN)

Albanian Language Media:

• Blinken urges 'immediate de-escalation' in the north (Koha)
• Osmani: Allies need to help us stop Serbia’s destabilising actions (Koha)
• Kurti: The mayors in the north should be in the municipal buildings (Koha)
• Osmani meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (media)
• Borrell: Violence is not the right way, it must be punished (media)
• Kovacevski: Peace in Kosovo means peace in the Western Balkans (Klan)
• Kosovo Police: Calls for protest in Mitrovica South, ill-intended and suspicious (media)
• Police investigating announced protest; suspected to be initiated from abroad (Kallxo)
• Svecla: Calls for protest in Mitrovica South do not help Kosovo (media)
• Musliu on calls to protest: They are suspicious and ill-intended (Indeksonline/KSP)
• Albanian protesters leave: Did not even know who called the protest (Nacionale)
• Kosovo’s special prosecution investigating two Serbs for terrorism (Kallxo)
• Abdixhiku: Coordination is needed with international allies (Kosovapress)
• VV MP on Haradinaj’s motion: Ridiculous and paradoxical, you lack votes (Gazeta Blic)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic: I asked north Kosovo Serbs to persevere in peaceful manner (Tanjug, media)
• Osmani: Serbia has no place among European nations (Danas)
• Goran Rakic thanked KFOR; the existence of the miners of the "Crnac" mine is threatened (Tanjug)
• Former president of Zvecan Municipality: If ZSO had come to life, we would not have come to this situation (RTS, Tanjug)
• Todic: We expect the international community to reason with Kurti (Kosovo Online)
• The court in Pristina ordered the detention of two Serbs arrested in Zvecan, condemnation from Belgrade (Beta, NMagazin)
• Atiq requested membership in the Association of Municipalities of Kosovo (Radio Mitrovica sever, KiM radio, KoSSev)
• Andric Rakic: Kurti leads politics to the last NATO soldier (Beta, KoSSev)
• Ristuccia: Kurti brought the mayors despite the doubts of the international community (Radio Mitrovica sever)
• The former Minister of Agriculture of Kosovo, Nenad Rikalo, sentenced to three years in prison (NMagazin, Beta)
• Mitrovica: Protest over, one incident recorded (KiM radio)

International:

• Kosovo president calls on Serbia to stop destabilising country (Reuters)
• NATO chief says alliance 'does not give up' on political solution to Kosovo clashes (AA)
• EU Leaders To Discuss North Kosovo As Crisis Persists (RFE)
• Kosovo Counts Cost of Delays to Integrated Health Database (BIRN)

Albanian Language Media:

President Osmani to meet Macron and Scholz in Chisinau (media)
Kurti: Despite difference in approach, U.S. key partner we’ll always consult (media)
COMKFOR: If we didn’t intervene, we’d now be mourning the dead (Koha)
U.S. asks Serbia to stop Kosovo Serbs from attacking KFOR (media)
Erdogan talks with Kurti and Vucic about situation in north of Kosovo (media)
Peach: Reckless action of the government, Kosovo’s image damaged (Koha)
Police: Three police vehicles damaged; journalists also attacked (media)
Svecla: Belgrade continues tendencies to destabilise Kosovo (media)
Reporter: Persons with “Wagner” insignia covered them when they approached US soldiers (Kallxo)
Haradinaj: Kurti is a threat to the country, he should leave (Klan)
Schmidt: There can be no war between Serbs and Albanians (Klan/Phoenix TV)

Serbian Language Media:

KFOR at the main intersections in Zvecan, continues to control municipal buildings in the north of Kosovo (RTS)
Vucic to CNN: Belgrade met all obligations, Pristina did not (N1, Danas)
Kosovo Serb newsrooms defend Zvecan cafe owner labeled as a „traitor“ on social networks (Kosovo)
Serbian list: Obrenovic and Petrovic peacefully expressed their protest, the court's decision illegal and unfounded (Radio Mitrovica sever)
Buxhala: Disheartening that many people in Kosovo believe that in the conflict between the EU/US and Kosovo, that the former will lose rather than the latter (KoSSev)
Albanian rapper Stresi called for "Let's March for the North" (KoSSev)

International Media:

Why do Kosovo-Serbia tensions persist? (AP)
‘Overreaction’: Kosovo leader blasts US response to violent unrest (politico.eu)
NATO peacekeepers in Kosovo set up barriers amid violent clashes (Aljazeera)
Statement by High Representative Borrell on ongoing confrontations (Reliefweb)
Kosovan PM says he could consider early elections in north if violence ends (The Guardian)
NATO troops on guard in northern Kosovo for third day amid protests (France 24)
Kosovo Serbs Continue Protests As NATO Bolsters Peacekeeping Force (RFE)
NATO troops on guard in north Kosovo for third day amid protests (Reuters)
'Z' Marks The Trouble Spot: Russia's Symbol Of War Appears In Northern Kosovo (RFE)
Kosovo: Why is violence flaring up again? (bbc.com)
Efforts to defuse Kosovo crisis intensify amid more protests (euronews.com)

Albanian Language Media:

• Kurti in Bratislava talks about tensions in north, expresses Kosovo position (Telegrafi)
• Kurti: I would be understanding if protests were peaceful (Koha)
• Osmani to attend summit of leaders of European Political Community (media)
• Konjufca on U.S. sanctions: This is bad for Kosovo (Nacionale)
• Lajcak on the situation in the north: If the crisis does not end, everyone loses (Koha)
• Police arrest two Serbs in north, seize weapons, flags, nationalistic symbols (Telegrafi)
• Konjufca on internationals: They are equalising police with gangs in north (media)
• “Disagreements to be resolved in dialogue; Serbia to stop war-inciting rhetoric” (Klan)
• Zubin Potok Mayor working from office of communities in Caber (Koha)
• Serb owner of bar in Zvecan threatened for sheltering reporters (Koha)
• Rama: Serbian army at Kosovo border has zero power (media)
• Joseph: Kurti deserved criticism, but the U.S. went too far (Kallxo/Al Jazeera)

Serbian Language Media:

• Lajcak goes to Moldova to meet Vucic (RFE)
• Arsenijevic: All responsibility lies with Kurti (KiM radio)
• Krstic: Kurti in the north is only interested in territory (KiM radio)
• Simonovic: “Terror by the instructions of the prime minister's office” (KiM radio)
• Milovic: There are no criminal gangs at the gatherings (KiM radio)
• "KLA" graffiti in several places in Orahovac (KiM radio, Radio Gorazdevac)
• In Lipljan two incidents: Serbs threatened, and the SOC flag removed (KiM radio)
• EULEX on the arrested Obrenovic: We are following the case; we will ask the lawyer about the treatment of the detainee (Kosovo Online)
• Petkovic: Kurti's fake mayors and angry special forces are the source of the problem (Kosovo Online)
• Jevtic: By leaving the session of the Assembly of Strpce, we express solidarity with the Serbian people in the north (Kosovo Online)
• Civil society demands an urgent de-escalation of the situation in the north of Kosovo (RTK2)
• Hill: Pristina will bear the consequences because it did not listen to the advice of the US (Tanjug, Blic)

Opinion:

• Petritsch: The dialogue failed; the EU waited too long for Pristina to fulfil its obligation to form the CSM (ZSO) (Kosovo Online)

International:

• What's going on in Kosovo? (eurotopics.net)
• Macron Says Kosovo Bears 'Responsibility' For Tensions (barrons.com, AFP)
• What’s happening in the north? (Kosovo 2.0)
• Kosovo Olympic Committee Seeks IOC Disciplinary Proceedings Against Djokovic (RFE)
• Von der Layen presents 4-pillar plan to bring Western Balkans closer to the EU (EWB)

Albanian Language Media:
Blinken: Call all parties to take immediate actions to de-escalate tensions (media)
Kurti: Democracy cannot be suspended or held hostage (media)
Kurti to CNN: Not surrendering democratic republic to fascist militia (media)
US Penalises Kosovo After Unrest in Serb-Majority North (BIRN)
Opposition parties criticise govt for “cracking” relations with U.S. (RFE)
OSCE Secretary General condemns violence in north of Kosovo (media)
Kurti speaks with Peach, “in a democracy no place for fascist violence” (media)
Mehaj: Partnership with U.S. is forever, it will remain as such (RTK)
Police: Situation in north fragile but mostly calm (RTK)
Mehaj expresses great concern for KFOR members injured in north (RTK)

Serbian Language Media:
Citizens arriving in large numbers in front of the Zvecan municipality building, KFOR strengthening the barbed wire (KoSSev)
A large number of Serbs today in front of the Leposavic municipality building, KFOR strengthened the ring with barbed wire (Kosovo Online)
Vucevic: The high-risk security situation in the north Kosovo (RTS)
Serbian List called Kosovo Serbs not to endanger safety of KFOR soldiers (N1, FoNet)
Protest in front of German embassy in Belgrade (N1)
Lazarevic: The international community should have prevented Kurti, the Serbs should have avoided clashing with KFOR, the special units to withdraw (KoSSev, Nova S)
Rajovic: KP blocked the work of Flotation Trepca in Leposavic, production is at risk (Kosovo Online)
The Eastern American bishop thanked Blinken: The violence is deeply disturbing, indicative of what happened after your warning (KoSSev)
International Media:
Kosovo: ‘Fascist mobs’ guided by Serbia causing violence, says country’s PM (The Guardian)
Nato deploys extra troops to Kosovo after violent clashes (Financial Times)
Journalists targeted for attack again on Tuesday (BIRN)
Kosovo's Largest Serbian Party Vows To Continue Protests Until Demands Met (RFE)
Nato troops on guard in Kosovo town after clashes with Serb protesters (The Guardian)
Why did ethnic Serbs attack NATO peacekeepers in Kosovo? Here’s what we know (CNN)
Kosovo 'Tactical Game' Is A Strategic Blunder, Security Expert Charles Kupchan Warns Amid Balkan Violence (RFE)
What's behind the latest Kosovo flareup? (DW)
Russia Tells West to Stop 'Propaganda' Over Kosovo Clashes (The Moscow Times)
Ethnic Serbs Gather In Northern Kosovo Amid Flurry Of Diplomatic Efforts To Calm Tensions (RFE)
Djokovic ‘raising Serbia and Kosovo tension’ after French Open statement (The Guardian)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, May 30, 2023

Albanian Language Media:

• Ongoing efforts to organise meeting between Kurti and Vucic (RFE)
• Kosovo Police: Situation in north fragile but quiet (media)
• Serbian protesters attacked journalists in Leposavic (Koha)
• Ministry denies agreement for withdrawal of special police units from north (Telegrafi)
• Osmani: Vucic's gangs want destabilisation, their actions to be punished (Koha)
• Kurti talks to Peach: "A democracy has no place for fascist violence" (RTK)
• Borrell: Kosovo should withdraw Police from the municipal buildings in the north (Koha)
• Stano: Kosovo and Serbia are responsible for the violence in the north (Express)
• Lajcak tries to arrange an urgent Kurti-Vucic meeting (Koha)
• France: Kosovo and Serbia to return to dialogue with approach of compromise (media)
• Kearns: In north Kosovo, Serb gangs paid and armed by elements in Belgrade (media)
• Hungarian authorities give details about their soldiers injured in the north (media)
• Mayors of Leposaviq and North Mitrovica in municipal facilities, the one of Zvecan, works from the Office for Communities (Telegrafi)
• Barbed wire is placed near the facility of the Municipality of Zvecan (media)
• Kurti postpones participation in Bratislava Forum, due to developments in the north (Koha)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic with Quint ambassadors: Unilateral Pristina acts lead to violence against Serb community (Tanjug, media)
• Vucic met Botsan-Kharchenko (Tanjug)
• Vucic met Chen Bo (media)
• Petkovic says Kurti sole responsible for what happened in north yesterday (RTS)
• Lawyer says Dusan Obrenovic arrested in Zvecan beaten up (Kosovo Online, RTS, KoSSev)
• Szijarto: Hungarian soldiers within KFOR performed duty under Italian command (Tanjug)
• Petkovic: KFOR should have protected Serbs, not assisting ROSU units (N1, BETA)
• Todic with US KFOR commander, tells him life in Leposavic paralyzed (Kosovo Online)
• Serbs asking Petrovic and Obradovic release, otherwise announce more massive gathering (Danas, Kosovo Online, Kontakt plus radio)
• New Zvecan mayor went to local office in Lipa village (Radio Mitrovica sever, Danas)
• Leposavic: Incident with journalists, fewer citizens at the protest (KiM radio)
• New flag of Serbia placed near monument to Milos Obilic in Gracanica (KiM radio)
• Mural of Serbian tennis star Djokovic destroyed in Orahovac (N1, Radio Gorazdevac, KiM radio, Srna)
• UNS, DNKiM condemned ban on Serbian journalists entering Zvecan municipal building (KIM Radio, Kosovo Online)
• NUNS appealed to employers to provide journalists with protective equipment (Beta, Danas)
• Nedeljkovic: Four arrested will be released, withdrawal of Kosovo police expected by 3 p.m. (KoSSev, Radio Mitrovica sever)
• Chinese MFA on situation in northern Kosovo (Kosovo Online)

International:

• EU Urges Kosovo To 'Immediately De-Escalate' Situation After Violence In North (RFE)

UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, May 30, 2023

Albanian Language Media:

• Kurti: “Protests not peaceful; mobs of extremists directed from Belgrade” (Koha)
• Konjufca: Serbs again showed they want north separated from Kosovo (media)
• KFOR confirms: About 25 Italian and Hungarian soldiers injured (RTK)
• NATO spokesperson statement on unprovoked attacks against KFOR (media)
• Osmani: Attacks by criminal gangs must be condemned by everyone (media)
• Hovenier: Kurti to take steps to improve the situation (Koha)
• Ziadeh strongly condemns attacks on KFOR and injuries to troops and civilians, urges immediate de-escalation (media)
• International community on attacks on KFOR and journalists (media)
• Zvecan Mayor: I’ll go to work today with help of KFOR, I have meetings (Koha)
• Bislimi: Mayors can only work from municipal buildings (media)
• Kupchan: Government to withdraw from installing mayors in the north (RFE)

Serbian Language Media:

• Situation in Zvecan calm this morning, gatherings in north continue (Kosovo Online, Tanjug)
• Vucic blames Kosovo PM Kurti for unrest (N1)
• Violent clashes between KFOR and Serb protesters in Zvecan, dozens injured (RTS, KoSSev, Tanjug)
• Marko Djuric presents chronology of events in Zvecan yesterday (media, social media)
• Bishop Teodosije served prayer for peace in Zvecan (KoSSev)
• Raska-Prizren Diocese statement following violent incidents in northern Kosovo (social media)
• Serbian flag in Gracanica set on fire (Tanjug)
• Part of Serbian opposition: Vucic should resign because of events in Kosovo (RTS)

International Media:

• NATO-Led Force Moves To Disperse Crowds As Tensions Rise In Standoffs With Serbs In Northern Kosovo (RFE)
• Kosovo: Fresh clashes as Nato troops called in to northern towns (BBC)
• Protesters, Peacekeepers, Injured as Violence Erupts in North Kosovo (BIRN)
• Lavrov: Situation in Kosovo may provoke new conflict in Europe (euronews)
• Kosovo ex-president on trial for war crimes allowed to visit his sick mother (AP)
• Back to the Abuser: Kosovo Women Struggle to Escape Domestic Violence (BIRN)

Albanian Language Media:

• Kurti: Implementation of basic agreement, situation in north to be calmed down (media)
• Hovenier after meeting Osmani: Situation is very concerning (media)
• Szunyog : We asked them to show restraint, not to escalate situation further (Reporteri)
• Kurti: Important to intensify dialogue for full implementation of Basic Agreement (media)
• KFOR: We have increased our presence in north, ready for necessary actions (RTK)
• Media teams attacked in the north: tires slashed, and symbols sprayed (media)
• Protesters in Zvecan throw empty bottles at SL leader Goran Rakic (media)
• Serbian flag placed on Kosovo Police armoured vehicle in Zvecan (Koha)
• Von Cramon calls on Kosovo to withdraw special police units from north (Koha)
• Atic: I have asked to be connected to network and to start paying electricity (Kallxo)
• Hyseni: Kurti, Osmani definitely bringing back 1244 and UNMIK in north (Nacionale)
• Prosecution files charges against Foreign Minister Donika Gervalla (media)
• Haradinaj: We thank U.S. soldiers that served and still serve in Kosovo (Klan Kosova)

Serbian Language Media:

• Rakic: We presented our demands, mayors to leave and special police forces to withdraw (Kosovo Online)
• Milovic: Protests are peaceful (RTS)
• Protests in the north: We gathered in peace, with request that police and new mayors go home (Radio Mitrovica sever, TV Most, Kontakt plus radio)
• KFOR Region North Commander arrived to Zvecan (Kosovo Online)
• Brnabic: Situation in Kosovo tense, we must preserve peace (Tanjug)
• Dacic on situation in northern Kosovo (RTS, media)
• Mayors from Self-determination Movement didn’t attend meeting with US Ambassador (RTS, KoSSev)
• KFOR: We increased presence in north, we will ensure safe environment (Kosovo Online)
• Von Cramon visited Zvecan and Leposavic yesterday (KoSSev)
• Grenell: From peace and progress we went to chaos and occupation (N1, social media)
• Vucic no longer leader of SNS, Vucevic takes his place (BETA)
• Vucevic: By 2:00 p.m. we will finish deploying the units, we hope for a political solution (N1)
• Detention of Sladjan Trajkovic extended for two more months (Radio KIM)
• Albanian journalists for a brief time in the municipal building in Zvecan (KiM radio)

Opinion:

• Palokaj: Could it really be that Serbia met all obligations and Kosovo didn’t (Koha)

International:

• NATO troops form security cordons in Kosovo as Serbs protest (Al Jazeera)
• Kosovo Serbs trying to take over municipality building in north clash with police (AP)
• Embassies of Quint and EU condemn Kosovo decision to force access in north (BIRN)

• Police: Protesters threw teargas in Zvecan, we responded with spray (Express)
• Situation in northern Kosovo this morning, increased presence of KFOR (media)
• Police withdraw from cordon in Zubin Potok, KFOR members remain (Nacionale)
• Rakic asks KFOR that Zvecan mayor should not enter municipal building (media)
• Zeqiri: We will meet Hovenier in Pristina at 09:00 (Koha)
• Dacic: Albanians cannot be mayors in Serb municipalities (RFE)
• School classes in northern Kosovo suspended until further notice (Tanjug)
• Serbian List asks Vucic to end dialogue with Pristina (N1, KoSSev)
• EU and QUINT: Unilateral actions negatively affect our relationships (media)
• Borrell announces talk with Stoltenberg about situation in the north (media)
• NATO head urges Kosovo to ease tensions with Serbia (Reuters)
• Sarrazin: We do not allow chances offered by Ohrid agreement to collapse due to reckless decision (Koha)
• PM Kurti meets Rapporteur for Kosovo in European Parliament (euronews.al)
• Von Cramon: Situation in the north is tense, wise solutions must be found (Koha)
• Kusari-Lila: Von Cramon's statements about Kosovo Police offensive (Koha)

• Von Cramon to hold press conference in Pristina today (media)

• Vucic says he fears the conflict in Kosovo (media)
• US, EU allies scold Kosovo for escalating tensions with Serbia (politico.eu)
• US rebukes Kosovo for escalating tensions, Serbia puts army on alert (euraactiv)
• Serbian border police on high alert amid ethnic clashes inside Kosovo (France24)
• Serbia blasts NATO forces over inaction during Kosovo clashes (Aljazeera)
• Serbian border troops to maintain highest state of alert after ethnic clashes inside Kosovo (AP)
• Russia blames US, EU for escalating tensions in Kosovo (Reuters)

New mayors in the north swore outside their offices (BIRN)
Varhelyi: Support for Kosovo's European path (RTK)
Murphy calls for swift implementation of agreement (media)
North Macedonia Foreign Minister to visit Kosovo today (media)
Grenell: I managed to convince Thaci and Vucic to undo Special Court (media)
UNDP Pulse: Lower satisfaction with work of Kurti, Osmani, Konjufca (Kallxo)
Serb reporter: Besnik Bislimi will visit Mitrovica North on Monday (media)
Administrator: USAID to continue supporting Kosovo (Euronews)