UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, April 6, 2021

Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: 489 new cases, eight deaths (media)
• Osmani officially takes post of Kosovo president (media)
• Hoxhaj refuses participation in Osmani's inauguration ceremony (media)
• Reshitaj says she is still part of AAK despite attending presidential vote (media)
• Former PDK MP Grainca explains why she chose to join LVV (media)
• Osmani and Vitia visit vaccination centre in Pristina (media)
• Vitia addresses reports of increased police presence around hospitals (Telegrafi)
• Updated coronavirus measures angers restaurant owners (Prishtina Insight)

Serbian Language Media:

Covid-19 in Serbian communities: 40 new cases (media)
Vucic: Statements from Kosovo authorities are not encouraging (KoSSev)
Djilas: 20 years of attempts to resolve the Kosovo issue by putting pressure on Serbia to recognize it, and nothing was done (KoSSev)
A Serb from Strpce stopped today at Breznica crossing, interrogated by BIA? (KoSSev)
Rasic: New political energy in Kosovo (KiM radio)
Professor Celic on election of Vjosa Osmani: three main players more extreme than KLA (Sputnik)
Spahiu: Reconstruction of the road Jarinje-Mitrovica is more than needed (Radio Mitrovica sever, Kosovo Online)
Gerxhaliu: Chambers of Commerce of Kosovo and Serbia are cooperating behind the eyes of the public (KiM radio, Slobodno Srpski)

International:

• Serbia’s leader chooses Chinese-made vaccine for own shot (AP)
• Victims Discouraged by ‘Lenient’ Sentences for Sex Crimes in Serbia (Balkan Insight)

Humanitarian/Development:

• In Kosovo, System ‘Failing to Protect’ Domestic Abuse Victims (Balkan Insight)

• COVID-19: 512 new cases, 11 deaths (media)
• Kosovo introduces tougher measures in face of growing COVID-19 cases (media)
• Kurti: Kosovo is skeptical to vaccines from non-recognising countries (media)
• Plan to vaccinate Kosovo teachers in Albania postponed (media)
• Zemaj: Lockdown decision without strategy will worsen situation (media)
• Vjosa Osmani elected President of Kosovo (media)
• Osmani receives congratulations on her election (media/social media)
• PDK: President of Kosovo emerged from dirty deals (media)
• Abdixhiku: LDK to continue acting as opposition, congratulations to Vjosa (media)
• AAK: Osmani is Kurti's president, Kosovo turns into monism (media)
• Pacolli: Happy to have contributed to president's election (media)
• President Osmani takes over her duty today (media)
• Kurti: Human remains recovered in Kizevak belong to Kosovo war victims (Koha)
• Donika Gervalla will lead the "Guxo" initiative? (media)
• Politics Still Sways Public Sector Hiring in Kosovo (Balkan Insight)

Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: 793 new cases, 10 deaths (media)
• Vitia warns on new anti-Covid-19 measures (media)
• LVV collects signatures, extraordinary session for voting the President, today (Express)
• Confirmed by government: quorum for the election of President, secured (media)
• Kosovo Assembly establishes 14 committees (Express)
• Kurti: Government work plan to be drafted after election of president (media)
• Konjufca receives congratulatory letter from Montenegrin Parliament Speaker (RTK)
• Nasuf Bejta to be Vjosa Osmani’s counter-candidate? (Front Online, media)
• Hoti, Veliu and Selmanaj will not participate in Osmani's vote for president (Reporteri, media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Covid-19 in Serbian communities: 22 new cases, one death (media)
• NATO: The decision to set up a KSF base in Crnusa has been taken by the Kosovan authorities (KoSSev)
• Boemi, Sputnik, and Raska (KoSSev)
• Gazmen Salijevic appointed Deputy Minister for Communities and Returns (KiM radio)
• Organized crime and corruption a major problem in Kosovo (Sporazoom, KiM radio, RTV Puls)
• The Economist: Serbia leads in vaccination; Vucic’s strategy pays off (N1)
• Request for dismissal of indictment against Silvana Arsovic rejected (KiM radio)

Opinion:

• West’s Tension With China Presents Balkans With Tough Choices (Balkan Insight)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Skopje: Serbia donates 40,000 vaccines to North Macedonia (Beta, N1)
• North Macedonia President Pendarovski orders military deployed on borders (Beta, N1)

• COVID-19: 1,020 new cases, 13 deaths (media)
• Vetevendosje has not yet secured votes for Osmani's election (Koha/Telegrafi)
• Kosovo Assembly to hold session today (media)
• Haziri: LDK MPs free to express their will (T7/Telegrafi)
• Haradinaj: I fear times when Osmani would have to make quick decisions (T7/Telegrafi)
• Kurti asked to keep his word regarding missing persons (Koha)
• Konjufca: Serbia committing multiple crimes for hiding whereabouts of missing persons (Koha)
• Kurti continues cabinet appointments (media)
• Dugolli leaves deputy minister post for that of MP (media)
• Kosovo does not permit construction of road in the north (Klan)
• Collaku: Thaci indicted on plan devised by Serbia and Russia (Klan)

Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: 975 new cases, 12 deaths (media)
• Krasniqi: Strained situation with COVID-19, 80% of patients on oxygen therapy (RFE)
• Health Minister Vitia meets U.S. Ambassador Kosnett (media)
• Rama: Albania to vaccinate Kosovo's teachers (Telegrafi)
• Macron congratulates Kurti, offers full support for Kosovo-Serbia agreement (media)
• Kurti: Many crimes committed in Kosovo and no justice delivered (media)
• Orlando: Parties to be constructive in president's election process (Koha)
• Defence Minister Mehaj meets KFOR Commander Federici (media)
• On anniversary of SAA, Austrian MEP calls for visa liberalisation for Kosovo (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• 45 new Covid-19 cases in Serbian communities, one death (Kontakt plus radio)
• CNN on Serbia’s ''impressive'' success in immunization: Setting the pace in Europe (KoSSev, FoNet, N1)
• EU: Serbia must work on reforms to speed up accession negotiations (FoNet, N1)
• Vucic about the Crnusa base: If there would be any danger…Serbs from Kosovo know all (KoSSev)
• Participant of the campaign for the boycott of Serbian elections claims his vote was falsified in Kosovo (RFE)

Opinion:

• Serbia’s Vaccine Diplomacy isn’t as Benign as it Looks (Balkan Insight)

International:

• Will Kurti bring changes in the fight against corruption in Kosovo? (EWB)
• US Concerned About Continuing Rights Violations in South-East Europe (Balkan Insight)
• EU solidarity with the Western Balkans during the times of COVID (opendemocracy.net)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Three Kosovo children arrive for medical treatment in Israel (media)
• UNMIK helping the most vulnerable in Zubin Potok (Kontakt plus radio)
• Rakic, Popovic and representatives of international organizations visited the beneficiaries of the reintegration program (Kosovo Online)
• Climate change top challenge over the next decade, UNESCO global survey finds (news.un.org)

• COVID-19: 948 new cases, 14 deaths (media)
• Sources: President election session to take place on Friday (media)
• Hoxhaj: PDK has not changed position on Osmani's candidacy (media)
• LVV, PDK appoint heads of parliamentary groups (media)
• Government to discuss confiscation of unlawfully acquired assets (media)
• Haxhiu vows to begin work on judicial vetting process (media)
• Varhelyi hopes dialogue will be priority of new government of Kosovo (RTK)
• Serb accused of 1999 massacre of 130 men arrested in Kosovo (AP/BIRN)
• Kosovo Village Remembers 106 Civilians Killed in 1999 War (Balkan Insight)
• New Government working without programme (Koha)
• Ministry of Agriculture suspends five employees for abuse of power (media)
• Spain beats Kosovo, national broadcaster downgrades visitors (AP)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, March 31, 2021

Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: 923 new cases, 14 deaths (media)
• Donika Gervalla: We are not an experiment, we are a sovereign state (Prishtina Insight)
• Rohde, Von Cramon: MPs should follow LDK’s example (media)
• Krasniqi: Decision not to vote Vjosa Osmani is final (RTK)
• Haradinaj: We have not changed our position, we do not support Osmani (media)
• Konjufca: Serbia has not detached from Milosevic’s policy (media)
• Blinken to Vucic: US goal is to see Kosovo, Serbia reach an agreement centered on mutual recognition (Express)
• Kosovo economy to expand by 4% in 2021, according to World Bank report (Express)
• Man arrested over 1999 Kosovo Massacre (Express)
• EU expects Kurti government to be fully committed to dialogue (RFE Albanian, media)

Serbian Language Media:

• 26 new cases of Covid-19 registered in Serbian areas in Kosovo (Kosovo-online)
• Office for KiM: Arrest of Mila Andjelkovic yet another brutal example of returnees’ intimidation (Kosovo-online)
• EU and US join forces in support of WB to prevent Russia and China influence (N1)
• US State Department: Human rights violations, corruption cases in Serbia in 2020 (N1)
• More frequent provocations of group of Albanian youngsters in front of school in Ugljare (Kosovo-online)
• Vucic: Reconstruction of Jarinje-Mitrovica North motorway to start in a month (KoSSev)

Humanitarian/Development:

• WHO report: Coronavirus likely came from animal, not a lab (CNN, N1)

• COVID-19: 811 new cases, 14 deaths (media)
• Zemaj says Kosovo has secured 100,000 doses of Pfizer vaccine (media)
• Humolli from WHO: Covid measures need to be toughened (RTV21/Telegrafi)
• Kosovo FM Gervalla: Embassy in Jerusalem is a done deal (media)
• State Department: Many corrupt officials continue to hold public posts (media)
• PM Kurti meets British ambassador Abbott (media)
• Abdixhiku: LDK with 12% could not condition a party with 50% of votes (Telegrafi)
• Opposition Party Clears Path to Parliament Vote on Kosovo President (Balkan Insight)
• PDK's Deliu-Kodra slamms FM Gervalla for agreement with Serbia remarks (media)
• Haxhiu: Serious action needed to fight organised crime and corruption (Klan)
• U.S. Embassy opposes holding government meetings outside of Kosovo (media)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, March 30, 2021

Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: 752 new cases, 14 deaths (media)
• UNICEF: 76,800 doses of Covid vaccine expected by May (media)
• PM Kurti meets representatives of UN agencies in Kosovo (media)
• Abdixhiku: LDK will take part in president’s election session (media)
• Assembly presidency discusses division of parliamentary committees (media)
• CEC replaces 13 MPs with new ones (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• 59 new cases of Covid-19 registered in Serbian areas in Kosovo (KoSSev)
• Vucic: Vaccination of people from region – signal we can move ahead together (RTS)
• Von der Leyen promises 650,000 Covid-19 vaccines for Western Balkan countries (N1)
• Gerxhaliu: Excavation of mortal remains on three locations in Kosovo (Kosovo-online)
• Rakic: Houses for two families in Klokot municipality to be constructed soon (Radio kontakt plus)

International:

• Albania, Greece, Romania, Serbia Join Global Pandemic Treaty Call (Balkan Insight)
• EU move on vaccine exports puts Serbia’s leader on edge (The Financial Times)
• World leaders back treaty to prepare for next pandemic (DW)

Humanitarian/Development:

• ‘Nothing Like Home’ exhibition showcases Kosovo’s young artists (Prishtina Insight)
• Greece accepts all vaccines for Serbia’s tourists as of May 14 (N1)

• COVID-19: 774 new cases, four deaths (media)
• Vaccinations against COVID-19 begin in Kosovo (Prishtina Insight)
• Kosovo PM gets first COVID-19 vaccine shot to encourage take-up (Reuters)
• Kurti's vaccination draws reactions in Kosovo (media)
• Ramadani: New vaccine deliveries to take place in the coming weeks (Kallxo)
• Vaccination certificates to be issued to Western Balkans citizens (RFE/Koha)
• Kurti has separate meetings with ambassadors, Kosnett and Orlando (media)
• Haziri vows LDK will play constructive role in president's election (media)
• PDK’s Haliti on voting Vjosa Osmani for president (RTK)
• Kosovo Serb Party Challenges Govt in Court Over Representation (Balkan Insight)
• Miftaraj says SL's complaint to Constitutional Court has no legal basis (media)
• Vucic: If I recongnised Kosovo, I would have won the Nobel Prize (Happy/Zeri)
• Spanish FM on the match with Kosovo: It is football (media)
• Kurti 'blocks' PAK activity (RFE/media)
• Journalist claims he was suspended for comments against Kurti (media)