UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, June 2, 2021

Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: 18 new cases, no deaths (media)
• EU supports Kosovo in dealing with COVID-19 pandemic (media)
• Kurti on Brussels meeting: It is about the future dialogue, not the previous one (media)
• On third day of visit to Kosovo, Palmer meets Konjufca (media)
• Von der Leyen: EC will advocate for a positive decision on visa liberalisation (media)
• Bislimi: France, the Netherlands, Belgium have visa liberalisation concerns (media)
• Abdixhiku: Kurti-led government is weak (media)
• Haradinaj urges government to adopt new recovery measures (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic: If Kurti doesn't want to talk about ZSO, but about Kosovo's recognition, they don't even have to invite me for talks (KoSSev, RTS)
• Vucic tomorrow with Palmer and Lajcak (media)
• Kurti's lawsuit - between law and political points (RTS)
• US envoy Palmer meets Bishop Teodosije at Visoki Decani monastery (N1)
• Serbian Railway: Since pandemic trains operate up to Rudnica only (KoSSev)
• Petkovic congratulates Rakocevic on his election as UNS President (Radio KIM)
• APA: EU do not want to publish "non-paper" on Western Balkans, where border change is proposed (Tanjug, Blic, Kosovo Online, Radio Mitrovica sever)
• Jevtic on attacks against SOC, non-provision of vaccines to Serbs and ‘good relations’ in Kosovo (Kosovo-online)
• Indictment for assassination of Oliver Ivanovic confirmed, defence lawyers ‘embittered’ (TV Most)
• Popovic: Production of Russian Sputnik V vaccines starts in Belgrade this Friday (Dnevnik)

Opinion:

• Palestine, Kosovo and the dilemma faced by ‘small states’ (Kosovo 2.0)

• COVID-19: 19 new cases, no deaths (media)
• Principal Deputy PM Bislimi meets Palmer and Lajcak (media)
• Parties encouraged in dialogue; compromises considered necessary (Koha)
• Lajcak briefs EU heads of missions on new dialogue meeting (media)
• Palmer calls for respect on court’s ruling on Decani Monastery Land (media)
• Serb minister says position of his superior, PM Kurti, is hypocritical (media)
• Involvement of Russia and China is impossible, civil society argues (Koha)
• Serwer skeptical about mutual recognition soon (media)
• President Osmani to meet political parties for date of local elections (media)
• Kosovo minister and Serbian official clash on Twitter (media)
• “Four trains from Serbia operating illegally in Kosovo” (Koha)
• Deprived of a childhood (Prishtina Insight)
• Balkan corruption risks derailing bid to join European Union (VOA)

Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: 19 new cases, no deaths (media)
• Vitia: we will provide two million vaccines until the end of the year (media)
• Kurti: Dialogue to be held in middle of June (RTK)
• Lajcak and Palmer meet with international community in Kosovo (media)
• EU is optimistic about the Balkans, U.S. wants Serbia to recognize Kosovo (Koha)
• Lajcak informs heads of EU missions on the future meeting (RTK)
• Palmer and Kosnett meet Haradinaj (media)
• Mehaj: Defender Europe 21 fortifies Kosovo’s path to NATO (euronews.al)
• Four northern municipalities do not pay for consumed water, debt reached 15 million (RTK)
• GAP: Over 190 thousand job seekers registered during March-September (RTK)

Serbian Language Media:

• No new Covid-19 cases in Serbian communities in Kosovo (KoSSev)
• Lajcak and Palmer in Pristina, ''normalization of relations with Serbia is a key factor in attracting US investments'' (KoSSev)
• Vucic: EU, US increasing pressure to recognize Kosovo (N1)
• Moscow will support solution for Kosovo that suits Belgrade (N1)
• Serbia’s Min: Kosovo lacks knowledge, willingness to guard Serb heritage (N1)
• Kostic: Letter from Kosovo leaders to UNESCO - provocation (KiM radio, N1)
• Serbian Orthodox Church Holly Assembly of Bishops concluded in Belgrade (SOC, media)
• Dacic: Russia and China would have to get involved in resolving Kosovo issue (Kosovo-online)
• Petkovic and Davidoiu on situation in Kosovo, dialogue (Radio KIM)
• Greece: We do not recognize Kosovo; our position remains unchanged (media)

International:

• Top U.S., EU Envoys Tell Kosovo That Better Ties With Serbia Will Open Door To Europe (RFE)
• EU, US Push for ‘New Dynamics’ in Kosovo-Serbia Dialogue (Balkan Insight)
• Civil Society Forum kicks off by taking stock of the eight years of Berlin Process (EWB)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Children's book "Nature colours with Uta and Miljana" published (Kallxo)
• Civil society organisations issue report on human rights in Kosovo (Koha)
• The trails in the Western Balkans worth the trek (euronews.com)

• COVID-19: 5 new cases, no deaths (media)
• Health Minister to report today about management of COVID-19 (media)
• President Osmani meets Palmer and Lajcak (media)
• Prime Minister Kurti meets Lajcak and Palmer (media)
• Foreign Minister Gervalla meets Lajcak and Palmer (media)
• Palmer meets Serbian List representatives, discuss dialogue (media)
• Palmer: Kosovo-Serbia agreement, crucial to attracting US investments (media)
• US Embassy says Palmer’s meetings were constructive (media)
• Palmer, Lajcak to hold joint press conference today at 10:45 (media)
• Spanish Foreign Ministry: No plan to open liaison office in Kosovo (Express)
• Government wants direct communication with Serb Orthodox Church in Kosovo (Koha)
• Local Government Minister: Association is anti-constitutional (media)
• Former judge: EU mission in Kosovo politically handled KLA Cases (Exit News)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, May 31, 2021

Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: Five new cases, no deaths (media)
• Palmer arrives in Pristina, meets Kosnett (media)
• Palmer meets Kosovo opposition leaders (media)
• Palmer or Montgomery expected to replace Grenell's role in dialogue (Klan/RTK)
• Sources: Spain expected to open liaison office in Kosovo (Demokracia)
• Kusari-Lila says more on Kosovo’s position on dialogue will be known soon (media)
• United States plans to allocate USD 200 million for Kosovo (Koha)

Serbian Language Media:

• One new case of Covid-19 registered in Serbian areas on Saturday (Radio KIM)
• Vucic says he won’t recognize Kosovo; talks about dialogue, non papers (KoSSev)
• SOC to the Serbian Ministry of Culture: Postpone the adoption of the Law on Cultural Heritage (media)
• Dacic in Moscow: Serbia will never join sanctions against Russia (RTS)
• Selakovic: Firm relations between Serbia and China reflected in all areas (N1)
• Zivojin Rakocevic elected president of the Association of Serbia's Journalists (UNS) (B92, N1)
• Zecevic: European values important, but one cannot escape national interests (RTS)
• Djuric: Biden administration fully accepts Washington Agreement (N1)
• The road sign to Draganac damaged again; the KiM office recorded it as the 13th incident since the beginning of the year (KoSSev)
• US SFAB unit in military exercise in Balkans to curb Russian, Chinese influence (N1)
• Parliamentary party SPAS joins ruling SNS in Serbia (N1)
• Serbia donates more than 100.000 Pfizer vaccines to Czech Republic (Kosovo-online, Tanjug)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Balkan Investors Join Crypto Trading Craze (Balkan Insight)

• COVID-19: 23 new cases, no deaths (media)
• New COVID-19 measures enter into force on Monday (Prishtina Insight)
• Kosovo buys first coronavirus vaccines as it speeds up rollout (Reuters)
• Final agreement in 2021, during Slovenian EU Presidency, EU report (Express)
• EU denies writing document that circulated in Kosovo media (media)
• Behrami: The EU document is authentic (RTK)
• Lajcak and Palmer to visit Kosovo on 31 May, 1 June (media)
• Western diplomats support dialogue, analysts don’t rule out surprises (Koha)
• LDK nominates award-winning architect to run for Pristina mayor (Express)
• Kosovo Police detain police officer suspected of inciting hatred (media)
• Kosovo feminists aim to climb rural town’s ‘patriarchal’ walls (BIRN)

Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: 18 new cases, no deaths (media)
• Osmani and Kurti visit KSF participating ‘Defender Europe 21’ military exercise (media)
• Palmer to visit Kosovo next week (media)
• German Minister: Kosovo has fulfilled visa liberalization criteria (Express)
• Greek Foreign Minister to visit Kosovo next week (democracia.com)
• Kurti introduces the new RAEPC Board (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic after meeting with the patriarch and bishops: The ''play'' of Kurti; Hillary's ''idea'' of Kosovan heritage (KoSSev)
• Diocese: Without previous respect of judicial decisions and the rule of law, pointless to answer Kurti’s letter (KoSSev)
• Office for KiM: With series of attacks message sent to Serb returnees they are not welcome (RTS)
• Gogic: By recognizing Kosovo, Greece would create itself problem with Cyprus (RTK2, Kosovo-online)
• Petkovic informed the French ambassador about the position of the Serbian people and the SOC in Kosovo (Kosovo Online)
• Simic, Ceranic with Szunyog on political situation, work of Assembly and challenges in Kosovo (TV Most)
• Kurti learned a lesson, the right decision to give up reciprocity towards Serbia (Kosovo Online)
• Vucic with Botsan-Kharchenko: Difficult days await our country (Kosovo-online)
• Lajcak and Palmer next week in Belgrade also (Tanjug, Kosovo-online)

International:

• Mystery plans to redraw Balkan borders alarm leaders (BBC)
• Is Kosovo taking a harder line with Serbia? (emerging-europe.com)
• Problems in Greek-Serbian relations over Kosovo? (greekcitytimes.com)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Balkan countries are source of most of SO2 emissions in Europe (balkangreenenergynews.com)
• Why we must show feminist solidarity with people on the long road West (Kosovo 2.0)
• Kosovo reports alarming figures of domestic violence with a staggering 500 cases in 5 months (euronews.al)

• COVID-19: 23 new cases, one death (media)
• Kosovo receives 100,620 doses of Pfizer vaccines (Koha)
• Kurti vows to dissolve PAK, Assembly dismisses agency's board (media)
• Kurti: This is first step toward dissolution of PAK (media)
• Orthodox Church responds to Kurti's request to visit Decan Monastery (media)
• Sources: Palmer, Lajcak to visit Prishtina on Monday (Klan Kosova)
• Haziri: Presevo Valley to be part of Kosovo-Serbia dialogue (Zeri)
• Osmani, Kurti to visit KSF soldiers taking part in “Defender Europe 21” (media)
• Rama: Kosovo kept hostage to visa liberalisation (Koha/Klan)
• Mimoza Kusari-Lila could run again for Gjakova Mayor (T7)
• Life imprisonment for man accused of Donjeta Pajazitaj’s murder (BIRN)
• “Brussels must revive its weakened ‘power currency’ in Balkans” (BIRN)
• Simmons wants to testify to Kosovo Assembly “how EU perverted justice” (media)
• New status conference in Haradinaj and Gucati case to be held today (media)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, May 27, 2021

Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: 23 new cases, one death (media)
• Kurti: Reciprocity will happen, but gradually (Klan)
• U.S. Army supports KSF’s transition to a defense army (RTK)
• Kamberi: We expect inclusion of Presevo Valley Albanians in dialogue with Serbia (media)
• Albin Kurti: I don’t believe KLA members are war criminals (Express)
• Health Minister: We will start with massive vaccination from 15 June (Telegrafi)
• Life imprisonment for man accused of Donjeta Pajazitaj’s murder (Prishtina Insight)

Serbian Language Media:

• Covid-19 in Serb communities: Four new cases (KiM radio)
• Vucic with Falconi: Serbia for compromise with national interests (Tanjug, Blic)
• Important consultations, then dialogue continuation; Greece assures us that it will not recognize Kosovo, Vucic said (KoSSev, TV Pink)
• US Commerce Secretary’s tweet about Serbia draws varied reactions (N1)
• Pentagon: Serbian-Russian exercises sovereign right of two states (RTS)
• Iranian Ambassador: We fully support territorial integrity of Serbia (RTS)
• Kosovo Police launched operational "Kulti" plan to protect the SOC property (Kosovo Online)
• Serbia receives final shipment of Chinese coronavirus vaccine (N1)
• Frequented thefts affect remaining Serbs in Ceranovici village (Radio KIM)

Opinion:

• "If it can't be demolished, then it is appropriated" (KiM radio)

International:

• Slovenia’s Janša describes plans to Balkanize the EU (politico.eu)
• Money laundering pushes up property prices in Western Balkan cities (intellinewes.com)

Humanitarian/Development:

• The closure of Kizevak (Kosovo 2.0)
• The end of the epidemic is in sight (DW, B92)

• COVID-19: 44 new cases, no deaths (media)
• Ministry of Health speaks about plan to relax COVID-19 rules (media)
• PM Kurti writes to Father Sava, asks to visit Decan Monastery (media)
• Lajcak meets Palmer, discuss Kosovo-Serbia dialogue (media)
• Kosovo PM Faces Pressure to Involve US in Serbia Dialogue (BIRN)
• Haziri: LDK will not attend any more meetings called by Kurti (Klan)
• VV MP says reciprocity measures towards Serbia will be applied (Klan)
• Greek FM Dendias to visit Kosovo in June (Albanian Post/RTK)
• Vucic: We have been assured Greece will not recognise Kosovo (media)
• Gerxhaliu: Exhumations in Serbia accompanied by many challenges (Klan)
• Slovenia to host EU-Western Balkans summit in October (RTK)
• CEC resumes work, minus two members (media)
• Belgrade court refuses to amend detention measure against Mehmetaj (media)