UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, June 6, 2022

Albanian Language Media:

• KLA war veterans protest, demanding inclusion in minimum wage increase (media)
• Kosovo Assembly fails to adopt minimum wage bill (media)
• Prime Minister Kurti travels to the UK (media)
• Lavrov: EU and NATO want a "Closed Balkan" (Klan Kosova)
• PDK calls on MPs not to vote on draft law on minimum wage (Ekonomia Online)
• Assembly rejects motion to withdraw draft law on minimum wage (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Selakovic: Serbia, Greece consistent in mutual support (Tanjug)
• Dendias: W. Balkans' future is in EU, Serbia a key partner (Tanjug)
• Can the international community make Pristina return 24 hectares of land to Visoki Decani Monastery? (RTS)
• Representatives of Albanians from the south of Serbia on an official visit to the US (Politika, JUGpress)
• Vucic: Lavrov not coming to Belgrade, Kharchenko informed me of reasons (Tanjug)
• Zakharova: Russia not making a new “iron curtain”, Europe fencing Russia off (N1)
• Kosovo Police called Sevce residents to an informative talk due to protest held (KiM radio)
• Gallup: Half of the respondents without democracy (FoNet, KiM radio)
• Autocephaly of Ohrid Archbishopric officially recognized (N1)

International:

• Turkey’s Nordic demands spark Western Balkan déjà vu (EURACTIV)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Kosovo Pupils Demand to be Heard, Save the Children Report shows (BIRN)

• Kurti met Lajcak on sidelines of GLOBSEC forum (media)
• Bislimi: Belgrade, Pristina close to energy agreement (N1)
• Albania submits non-paper lobbying for Kosovo's CoE bid (Klan)
• Escobar: Europe not complete without Western Balkans (media)
• Serbian List reacts to Mehaj and Svecla visit to the north (Kallxo)
• Szunyog speaks of 'security incidents', makes no mention of interethnic ones (KP)
• German ambassador to Serbia says Kosovo and Ukraine cannot be compared (Klan)
• Municipality of Decan under investigation over Monastery lands (RFE)
• Kosovo leaders congratulate Begaj on election President of Albania (media)
• Pahor: Open Balkan beneficial for all (Albanian Post)
• Ramush Haradinaj reelected AAK leader (media)
• KLA war veterans to protest today in Pristina (media)
• Security concerns leave Afghan evacuees stuck in Balkan camp (AP)
• How a British Judge Caused Turmoil at the EU’s Kosovo Mission (BIRN)
• Lavrov cancels flight to Serbia after countries close airspace, Interfax reports (Reuters)

Albanian Language Media:

• Assembly Speaker Konjufca to visit former KLA leaders in Hague (media)
• Hoxhaj meets Slovakia's foreign minister on sidelines of GLOBSEC forum (media)
• Konjufca: Recognition of Kosovo, strategic investment for the future (Zeri)
• Serb detained on war crimes charges (Kallxo)
• AKI General Inspector, Burim Ramadani, interviewed by SPO (Koha)
• If Kurti does not form Association, he will be ousted, analysts say (Front Online)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic: Work on diversification of gas supply underway, the situation regarding Lavrov's visit becoming more complicated (RTS)
• Zakharova: Lavrov to visit Serbia on June 6-7 (Beta, Tanjug, N1)
• Office for KiM: Caslav Jolic, suspected of war crimes, arrested in Istok (Radio Mitrovica sever)
• Eparchy of Raska and Prizren: Fundamental religious and human rights do not apply to Orthodox Serbs (Kontakt plus radio)
• Greek FM Dendias met President Vucic (Tanjug)
• CoE Commissioner Mijatovic ends visit to Kosovo (N1)
• Mayor of Gracanica: CSM (ZSO) would improve the position of Serbs in Kosovo (KiM radio, VoA)
• Rosic, Spasojevic and Basara under house arrest from today (KiM radio, Kosovo Online)

International:

• US Warns of Rise in Incidents Targeting Kosovo Religious Sites (BIRN)

• North Macedonian prime minister invites Kurti to Open Balkan summit (media)
• Osmani: Open Balkan wouldn’t treat Kosovo as an equal partner (euronews.al)
• Kurti to participate in GLOBESEC forum in Bratislava (media)
• Lajcak meets Vucic in Bratislava (media)
• De Riu: Kosovo-Serbia dialogue remains crucial for a comprehensive agreement (KP)
• State Department publishes report on religious freedoms across the world (media)
• Osmani, Bislimi meet CoE human rights commissioner, Mijatovic (media)
• Rama at UN Security Council: We owe it to victims of Kosovo to act (Klan)
• Kosovo fails to join Association of Francophone Constitutional Courts (media)
• Kosovo Police discover 57 migrants in bus stopped by for speeding (media)

Albanian Language Media:

• Kurti: There is no increase of interethnic incidents (Kosovapress)
• Bakoyannis: For membership, there are areas that need improvement (Express)
• Scholz talks about future of Western Balkans, “a matter of personal concern” (Express)
• Albania presents priorities at UNSC, rejects comparisons between Kosovo and Ukraine (media)
• PM Kurti meets Australian ambassador Biggi (media)
• Hovenier after meeting Foreign Affairs Committee: We discussed national security (media)
• Kosovo Police comments on reports it did not allow liturgy in Pristina (Kallxo)
• Special Prosecution launches inquiry into allegations of corruption involving Kosovo officials (media)
• Bjerde pledges more support for job-creation and greener growth in Kosovo (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic to attend GLOBSEC forum in Bratislava on Thursday (Tanjug, media)
• Selakovic met the new Ukrainian ambassador (Tanjug)
• Petkovic, Rakic on prohibition of liturgy in Church of Christ the Saviour in Pristina (media)
• Kosovo police prevented serving of liturgy at the Church of Christ the Savior in Pristina (KiM radio, Riznica)
• Petkovic: Kurti to start implementing the agreements reached instead threatening (Radio Mitrovica sever, Politika)
• Serbian Museum of Genocide Victims concerned due to the resumption of restauration of Xhafer Deva’s house (Kosovo Online, Kontakt plus radio, KoSSev)
• Prince Philip opened the Vidovdan festivities, Princess Danica the Art Colony (KiM radio, Kontakt plus radio, KoSSev, RTK2)
• Kurti on the ruling on V. Decani land: Plenty of procedural violations (KoSSev)
• Serbian Constitutional Court stops Kosovo from joining ACCF (N1)

Opinion:

• Biserko: Serbia is Moscow's channel of communication with the West, it would probably tolerate Belgrade's sanctions (Danas, FoNet)

Humanitarian/Development:

• EBRD and Sweden support women entrepreneurs in Kosovo (EBRD)
• Just waiting to leave (Kosovo 2.0)

• Kurti denies there is plan for Association of Serb-majority municipalities (media)
• Kurti: We are close to an agreement on billing energy in the north (Klan)
• Kosovo to chair two general committees in SEECP (media)
• Protesters support, IMF and government oppose, withdrawal pension funds (BIRN)
• Can a “Team of Unity” be formed again to close deal with Serbia? (Indeksonline)
• Kurti meets Director of International Republican Institute, McCarthy (media)
• “EU must freeze talks with Serbia, after Vucic remarks on Kosovo” (Telegrafi)
• Kosovo harnesses legacy of war to train Ukrainians to clear mines (Reuters)
• No interethnic incidents in Vushtrri region (Telegrafi)
• “Kosovo cannot be compared with situation in Ukraine” (Albanian Daily News)

Albanian Language Media:

• Kosovo Government adopts concept document for Sovereign Fund; opposes pension withdrawal (media)
• Osmani: There is no increase of inter-ethnic incidents in Kosovo (Kosovapress)
• As UNSC chair, Albania to focus on strengthening accountability for international law violations (media)
• EPP adopt Resolution in favor of abolishing visas for Kosovo (media)
• Kosovo will chair two committees in the Southeast European Assembly (Paparaci)

Serbian Language Media:

• "Von Cramon disappointed with Kosovo's application to CoE, Open Balkans dangerous initiative, Kosovo government decides to work stubbornly" (KoSSev, KTV, Koha)
• Jeremic: It does not seem that Serbia is exposed to excessive pressure to impose sanctions on Russia (Beta, Tanjug, Euronews)
• Hovenier met Trajkovic, Rasic, and Radosavljevic in an open meeting (KoSSev)
• Petkovic congratulated Vucic: Unconditional trust in the president (KiM radio)

International:

• Kosovo Albanians Outraged at New Charges Against Guerrilla Leaders (BIRN)
• US Lawmaker Demands Punishment for Wartime Rape in Kosovo (Balkan Insight)
• Serbia's gas deal with Putin has created a fresh headache for Europe (CNN)
• Ukraine: EU remains leery of ‘symbolic’ offer of candidate status (Balkan Insight)

Humanitarian/Development:

• WB-6 countries struggling to secure electricity production in their old coal power plants (balkangreenenergynews.com)
• France and Kosovo sign a co-production agreement at Cannes (Cineuropa)

• Von Cramon: I have information that Government has proposal on Association (Koha)
• Vucic Vows to Protect Kosovo as ‘Integral Part of Serbia’ in Swearing-In Ceremony (Exit News)
• Hovenier reunites with Kosovo unity team; meets Kosovo Serb community leaders (media)
• Konjufca for an official visit to Greece today (RTK)
• Bulgaria offers support for Kosovo's membership in NATO (media)
• Krasniqi: Formation of Specialist Chambers was necessary; dialogue has degraded (RTK)
• Kraja: In dialogue with Serbia, only Kosovo has made concessions (T7/G. Express)
• Draft resolution submitted to U.S. Congress to honour activist Vasfije Krasniqi-Goodman (VOA/media)
• Kosovo Seeks Satellite Images of Suspected War Grave in Serbia (BIRN)

Albanian Language Media:

• Hovenier: Kurti did meet the National Security Advisor at White House (media)
• Von Cramon urges Kosovo to make environmental protection a priority (media)
• AAK launches initiative for amendment of law on pensions (media)
• The EU and CoE support the establishment of the Confiscation Fund in Kosovo (media)
• Abdixhiku urges European People's Party to support Kosovo joining CoE (media)
• Kosovo government explains what will happen to Afghans who have been denied entry to U.S. (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic sworn in for second term as president (N1)
• Vucic: Government by the end of July, we will have to deal with sanctions (N1)
• Serbia will not allow Kosovo to be part of EUSAIR (Hina, N1)
• Escobar hopes that Serbia will join sanctions against Russia after the formation of the government (NMagazin)
• Petkovic: ''Osmani does not miss the opportunity to attack Vucic because of his commitment to peace'' (Radio Mitrovica sever)
• Osmani's and Abazovic polemic about "Open Balkans" (KiM radio)
• Visoki Decani tag moved again from Google map, then returned (KiM radio, KoSSev)
• AP: Serbian president promises a European course, hints sanctions against Russia (Beta, Danas, N1)

International:

• Serbia secures gas deal with Putin, as West boycotts Russia (AlJazeera)
• Putin, Vučić agree on new gas supply contract for Serbia (balkangreenenergynews.com)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Help Wanted (Kosovo 2.0)

• At democracy summit, Osmani underlines NATO's importance for region's security (media)
• Osmani and Abazovic meet at sidelines of SEE Democracy Summit (media)
• Osmani urges EU to reflect: Vucic chooses to join war criminal, fund Putin's war (media)
• Stano: EU expects Serbia not to further strengthen ties with Russia (RTK)
• Vela reacts to Petkovic's statement on Osmani, Vucic (media)
• Von Cramon in Belgrade: Kosovo must be part of the EU (RTK)
• Decan Monastery: Six years since Kosovo is not respecting decision of Constitutional Court (media)
• Kosovo Detains Two ISIS Suspects Following Repatriation from Syria (BIRN)