UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, April 23, 2021

Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: 356 new cases, eight deaths (media)
• PM Kurti meets North Macedonian FM Osmani (media)
• Osmani: We reject ideas that affect our borders (media)
• Kosovo FM Gervalla against redrawing of Balkans borders (media)
• North Macedonia's FM pledges support to Kosovo (media)
• Austria opposes border changes (Koha)
• Szunyog commends minister for publishing list of recovery aid recipients (media)
• Ministry launches disciplinary procedures against correctional service chief (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic travels to Brussels on Sunday (Kosovo-online)
• Vucic: Pristina will have to respect Brussels agreement (Kosovo-online)
• Maas: The right time to continue the dialogue; no need to reset (media)
• Mojsilovic: Construction of the base in northern Kosovo causes concern, we monitor the situation (Danas, Beta, Politika)
• Selakovic and Petkovic: Scandalous political audacity of Vjosa Osmani (RTS)
• Selakovic with Maas: Germany one of the most important Serbian economic partners (Kosovo-online)
• Vucic says Belgrade not interested in creating Greater Serbia (N1)
• Commemoration for 16 killed during 1999 NATO bombing of Serbia’s state TV (Beta, N1)
• Rakocevic: KFOR must open its eyes; lies being told nowadays only encourage extremists (Kosovo-online)
• Bishop Irinej writes to Blinken about violence against Serbs in Kosovo (Radio KIM)

Opinion:

• Organic networking: a Balkan awakening (KoSSev)
• A ‘Greying’ Western Balkans Must Look to Robots (Balkan Insight)

International:

• German diplomat says time is right for Serbia-Kosovo talks (AP)
• Germany rejects idea of redrawing Western Balkans borders - minister (Reuters)
• Serbian Leader Talks Up Ties To Biden, Says 'No Interest' In 'Greater Serbia' (RFE)
• Disputed memo on partitioning Bosnia sparks fears of violence (Al Jazeera)
• Serbian Court Tries Kosovo Albanian for Wartime Killings (Balkan Insight)
• Vučić: Serbia wants stronger relations with Bosniaks and Croats in Bosnia (euractive.com)
• Suspicions Persist About NATO’s Deadly Bombing of Serbian TV (Balkan Insight)

Humanitarian/Development:

• We want to breathe (EWB)

• COVID-19: 408 new cases, five deaths (media)
• Maas: Ideas for border changes, unrealistic and dangerous (media)
• Government to announce topics of Kurti-Vucic meeting, when date is set (KTV)
• Hoxhaj won’t accept Kurti’s invitation to dialogue with Serbia (media)
• Kurti’s backing down on reciprocity with Serbia (Koha)
• Environment Ministry implies reviewing permits for hydropower plants (Koha)
• North Macedonia Foreign Minister to visit Kosovo today (media)
• Selakovic: Osmani’s statements show Prishtina doesn’t want dialogue (media)

Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: 408 new cases, five deaths (media)
• Maas: Tensions between Kosovo and Serbia hinder their progress (Klan)
• Osmani thanks Szunyog for EU-donated vaccines (media)
• Opposition slams government's decision affecting pensions (media)
• KFOR: No significant security incident was recorded in the last 10 years against Decan Monastery (Express)

Serbian Language Media:

• Covid-19 in Serbian communities: 26 new cases (KoSSev)
• EP’s Fajon: Ideas about new borders extremely dangerous, especially for Bosnia (NIN, N1)
• Patriarch Porfirije: I appreciate the efforts of Bishop Teodosije, who is falsely accused by those who want to bring unrest (KoSSev)
• Aliferi: Greece doesn’t recognize Kosovo; its stance remains unchanged (Radio KIM)
• Dejan Dimitrijevic from Gracanica fined with EU 2300 over protest gathering (Vecernje Novosti)
• Serbian minister says intergovernmental conference with EU in June (N1)

Opinion:

• Can Kurti use the moment to start genuine inter-ethnic cooperation? (K2.0)

International:

• Disputed Non-Paper is Stirring Dangerous Dreams in the Balkans (Balkan Insight)
• EU action awaited as phantom paper further unhinges Western Balkans (euractive.com)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Vucic discusses new arrangement with IMF (N1)

• COVID-19: 506 new cases, five deaths (media)
• Majority of COVID-19 patients infected with British variant (BIRN)
• Immunisation before the recovery plan (Koha)
• Kurti will visit Brussels, but not to meet with Vucic (Koha)
• Kosovo, Serbia leaders won’t meet on visits to Brussels (BIRN)
• Hajdari on reciprocity measures: We will first exhaust CEFTA tools (Koha)
• German Foreign Minister to visit Kosovo today (media)
• Kurti: People of Kosovo and Israel share a historical tie (media)
• Lajcak speaks with OSCE Head of Mission in Kosovo (media)
• Agron Llugaliu appointed General Director of Kosovo Customs (media)
• Press Council, AJK criticise call for state regulation of online content (BIRN)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, April 21, 2021

Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: 506 new cases, five deaths (media)
• PM Kurti to visit Brussels next week, meet EU officials (media)
• German FM Maas to visit Kosovo and Serbia (RFE)
• Britain's PM Johnson congratulates Kurti on election, pledges support to Kosovo (media)
• Roth: No one in Europe can support border changes phantasies (DW)
• Hoxhaj accuses government of 'abstaining from responsibility' (media)
• State prosecutor and police: Avoid investigations against media and reporters (media)
• Musliu reacts after sexist graffiti: This is not in the culture of PDK (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Antonijevic: The situation more favorable, but there is no room for relaxation (Kosovo Online, RTK)
• Kosovo media: Vucic, Kurti to go to Brussels and Paris (N1, KoSSev)
• Vaccination with Pfizer without registration available in Serbia as of Wednesday (Kontakt plus radio)
• Embassy of Slovakia: We are not changing our position on Kosovo (Politika, Blic, B92)
• Selakovic: Gratitude to Iran for not recognizing Pristina’s separatism (Kosovo-online)
• Selakovic: Serbia plans to start producing Sinopharm vaccine as of October (N1)
• Vucic meets with WHO Europe Director Kluge (Tanjug)
• Petkovic: With budget rebalance we have earmarked 4 billion dinars for assistance in KiM (Kosovo-online)

International:

• Media Freedom Deteriorated In Europe Amid Pandemic, Report Warns (Balkan Insight)
• North Macedonia to Upgrade Army Despite Economic Concerns (Balkan Insight)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Belgrade Mayor: Herd immunity soon to be reached in capital (N1)

• COVID-19: 478 new cases, 16 deaths (media)
• Government silent over “difficult compromises” with Serbia (RFE)
• Tahiri: Government must not make compromises in dialogue (media)
• Koha publishes 2015 draft statute of Association of Serb-majority municipalities
• Collaku: Kurti deserves everyone’s respect if he can reject Association (media)
• Gorani: Kurti government will be forced to accept compromise (media)
• Kurti: Cultural differences must unite us, not divide us (media)
• Albanians from Presevo Valley expect Kurti to include them in dialogue (media)
• Rama: Mini-Schengen aimed to dissolve border with Kosovo (Euronews Albania)
• PDK denies it is behind offensive graffiti against its former MP (media)
• Editor: Brussels confirmed they received document from Jansha (media)
• Bosnian Serbs urge talks on Country’s potential ‘disintegration’ (BIRN)

Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: 442 new cases, 14 deaths (media)
• EU to send 95,000 doses of Pfizer vaccine to Kosovo (media)
• Vitia signs administrative instruction paving way for vaccine purchase (media)
• President Biden writes to Osmani: Our partnership is rooted in common values (media)
• Aliferi: Greece supports Kosovo's European integration path (RFE)
• Kusari-Lila: Government to soon present position on dialogue with Serbia (Telegrafi)
• LVV calls for end to government paying electricity bills for the north (Koha)
• Haxhiu: Vetting of judiciary, biggest challenge for Ministry of Justice (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Covid-19 in Serbian communities: Two people died, 36 new cases (KoSSev)
• Vucic: Serbia will not recognize Kosovo to get Republika Srpska (N1)
• Brnabic meets WHO Europe Director Klugge (Tanjug)
• Palestine requests Islamic states to cease relations with Pristina (RTS)
• Kosovo dropped eight places on media freedom list (RTV Puls)
• Journalism, a high-risk profession in Kosovo (Kosovo Online, RTS)
• Serbia’s ranking unchanged on World Press Freedom Index (N1)
• Varhelyi: 651.000 vaccines for Western Balkans, Serbia was first to extend help to the region (Kosovo-online)
• Gracanica: Performance ''Contribution to the tax'' (Kosovo Online)

International:

• Biden urges to Kosovo continue ‘essential’ talks with Serbia (AP)
• Serbia’s Marko Đurić urges ‘just solution’ to bitter Kosovo dispute (washdiplomat.com)
• Balkans rocked as leaked memo explores redrawing Bosnia’s borders along ethnic lines (euronews.com)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Kosovar biologist calls newly found insect after coronavirus (AP)
• Mediation as a form of reconciliation in schools (UNICEF, social media)
• Brain drain? In Serbia, Montenegro, and North Macedonia there are signs of ‘brain gain’ (Emerging Europe)

• COVID-19: 277 new cases, 14 deaths (media)
• Poll respondents: Government to be more transparent about vaccines (media)
• “Dialogue has so far been treated with priority but not seriousness” (Telegrafi)
• Kurti, Wigemark stress need to fight crime and corruption (media)
• Macron to Osmani: France will support you in essential reforms (media)
• 8 years later, first Kosovo-Serbia agreement partly implemented (Koha)
• Kosovo Foreign Minister to visit Greece (media)
• Tahiri: Vjosa Osmani is a marionette of Albin Kurti (media)
• Kosovo Ex-Guerrilla Pleads Not Guilty to War Crimes (Balkan Insight)
• Kosovo spent €4 million in first year of pandemic for salaries of MPs (Koha)
• Kosovo falls eight places lower in Reporters Without Borders’ report (RFE)
• Weller: Cultural Heritage in Kosovo: Why do international organisations fail to adhere to their own policies? (Prishtina Insight)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, April 19, 2021

Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: 277 new cases, 14 deaths (media)
• To date, over 16,000 Kosovo citizens got vaccinated against COVID-19 (media)
• Almost half of Kosovo businesses declare unsatisfactory situation (media)
• Bars and cafes reopen as COVID-19 measures eased (Prishtina Insight)
• PM Kurti urges Slovakia to recognise independence of Kosovo (media)
• On anniversary of Kosovo-Serbia agreement, KDI tackles its implementation (media)
• Szunyog: Government to take concrete steps to attract foreign investors (EO/Koha)
• Legislation committee approves draft law paving way for trial in absentia (media)
• SPO argues for extending detention to Gucati and Haradinaj (Klan)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic says he never saw alleged non-paper on redrawing borders in WB (Beta, N1)
• Serbia’s FM: Iran supports Serbia on the issue of Kosovo (Beta, N1)
• Dacic on alleged non-paper on WB: We do not support ideas that cause instability (FoNet. N1, TV Prva)
• Bishop Teodosije warns of aggressive pressure and negative media campaign against SOC and Decani Monastery (KoSSev)
• Djuric: Brussels agreement enabled years of peace (Radio KIM, Tanjug)
• Petkovic: Disrespect of Brussels agreement indicates what attitude Pristina or EU would have on some other reached agreement (Kosovo-online)
• Bogujevci: The issue of the missing both a human and a political issue, but it should be a humane (KiM radio, Slobodno srpski)
• EU: Brussels agreement must be implemented, agreement on ZSO has never been recalled (Kosovo-online, Tanjug)
• Gracanica: "Police are asleep, blow the horn to wake them up" (Kontakt plus radio, KiM radio)
• Entry door of Serbian school in Obilic damaged (Radio KIM)
• Tamara Grujic denies that she was detained; Kosovo Police said it was just an identity check (KiM radio, Kontakt plus radio, RTK2)

Opinion:

• It's time for transparency in Kosovo's COVID-19 numbers (Kosovo 2.0)
• Palokaj: Border changes, Belgrade’s attempt to implement Milosevic goals (Koha)
• The Abbot today, Kosovo tomorrow (KoSSev)
• DW: Serbia’s Vucic not in pre-election mode only when in deep sleep (N1)

International:

• Kosovo’s New President Has Major Crises To Take On (theowp.org)
• Hague Tribunal Urged to Report Serbia to UN Security Council (Balkan Insight)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Vucic announces new shipments of vaccines to Serbia (RTS)
• Loncar: Serbia avails itself at disposal of WHO, will help immunization in Europe (N1)

• COVID-19: 521 new cases, 8 deaths (media)
• Government announces new measures against COVID-19 (media)
• Health Minister Vitia meets PDK MP Haxhiu (media)
• Additional uncertainties in the Kosovo – Serbia dialogue (Koha Ditore)
• Croatian President slams idea of border changes in the Balkans (media)
• Russian Foreign Minister reacts to Slovenian non-paper (media)
• Kosovo civil society criticise monastery’s inclusion on endangered list (BIRN)
• Kosovo authorities “withdraw from investigations against Insajderi” (RFE)
• Confiscation of unjustifiable wealth; EU calls for respect of human rights (Koha)