• COVID-19: 926 new cases, 10 deaths (media)
• First doses of Covid vaccine arrive in Kosovo (media)
• Kurti: We are working night and day to secure vaccine (media)
• Complications of president election increasing (Koha)
• Abdixhiku and Osmani meet again, LDK to decide on president vote on Monday (media)
• Visa liberalisation for Kosovo not in EU Council's agenda (Koha)
• Redzepi: Time for "Great Serbia" and "Great Albania" is over (media)
• Kurti appoints three political advisers and spokesperson (media)
• Kosovo leaders vow to sue Serbia over wartime ‘Genocide’ (exit.al)
• Kosovo's EU-backed war crimes court 'has full US backing' (euronews)
• Shqiprim Arifi’s party, winner of Presevo elections (RTK)
UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, March 29, 2021
UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, March 26, 2021
Albanian Language Media:
• COVID-19: 860 new cases, six deaths (media)
• Kurti: War crimes and missing persons, priorities in dialogue with Serbia (Koha)
• KSF barracks to be constructed on a hill overlooking Mitrovica (media)
• Rosenstock-Siller: Kosovo-Serbia dialogue to be centred on mutual recognition (Klan)
Serbian Language Media:
• Covid-19 in Serbian communities: 15 new cases, two deaths (KoSSev)
• Chinese Defense Minister visiting Belgrade (N1, RTS)
• EU warns Kurti over undermining dialogue process (RTS, Tanjug)
• The countries of the Western Balkans are the least resistant to false news in Europe (KoSSev, N1, Beta)
• Selakovic: Von Cramon’s speech on Kosovo parade of political distaste (RTS)
• Businessmen from the region in Belgrade this weekend for a vaccination (Danas)
• Israeli envoy: Serbia’s Govt. office in Jerusalem step toward moving embassy (Beta, N1)
• Zakharova: NATO aggression against FRY long-term tragedy (Kosovo-online)
• Belgrade insists on concrete examples from the EP on the Serbian authorities' wrongdoings (FoNet, N1, RTS)
• Stojkovic: 180 housing units more in Kosovo for displaced persons and young couples (Radio KIM)
• Vucic: I am proud to delegitimize the statehood of Kosovo and I will continue to do so (KoSSev)
Opinion:
• How the Quint must help Kosovo (EWB)
• It's time to deliver in this time of 'firsts' (Kosovo 2.0)
• Three key foreign policy objectives for Kosovo’s new government (Emerging Europe)
International:
• European MPs Urge Serbia, Kosovo to Intensify War Grave Search (Balkan Insight)
• Unregulated and Unlicensed, War Memorials Proliferate in Kosovo Towns (Balkan Insight)
• EP discusses Reports on Western Balkans: Majority support for enlargement, but the criteria need to be met (EWB)
Humanitarian/Development:
• From Texas to Kosovo: Rape survivor returns as part of new gov’t (Al Jazeera)
UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, March 26, 2021
• COVID-19: 885 new cases, 11 deaths (media)
• Vaccine rollout delayed, expected doses also reduced (Koha)
• Rama: Albania ready to vaccinate 11,000 Kosovo healthcare staff (Koha)
• EP adopts report on Kosovo, urges EU to grant visa liberalisation (media)
• Kurti meets Osmani, refers to her as the incoming president of Kosovo (media)
• Weber: New elections are not in favour of the opposition (RFE)
• Kurti to PAK: Suspend temporarily all decisions (RTK)
• Haziri: Difficult year ahead, KSC to have huge impact in coming weeks (Telegrafi)
• Vasfije Krasniqi: Ready to take part in dialogue, throw at Serbia’s face crimes committed in Kosovo (media)
• Op-ed: It is time for Vetevendosje to finally condemn homophobia (Prishtina Insight)
• After request for her dismissal, Emilija Redzepi changes the statement (media)
• EU to Examine Whether Serbia is ‘Deleting’ Ethnic Albanian Addresses (Balkan Insight)
UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, March 25, 2021
UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, March 25, 2021
Albanian Language Media:
• COVID-19: 836 new cases, 10 deaths (media)
• Varhelyi: Resumption of dialogue with Serbia is essential (media)
• Kurrti continues receiving congratulating letters (media)
• Von Cramon: EU to liberalise promised visas for Kosovo citizens (media)
• Kurti to visit the U.S. as soon as possible (media)
• Kosovo government appoints deputy ministers (media)
• State Prosecutor issues 73 indictments against 76 individuals (media)
• Kurti asked to dismiss Deputy Prime Minister Emilija Rexhepi (media)
• Serbian List attempts to install parallel structures in Skenderaj and Vushtrri (Express)
Serbian Language Media:
• Covid -19 in Serbian communities: 49 new cases, one death (Kontakt plus radio)
• Vucic on Kurti’s dialogue principles, EU reaction (B92)
• Bilcik: Important to continue the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina for the sake of reconciliation (KiM radio, Tanjug)
• Lazarevic: New elections would strengthen Kurti even more, the losing parties are aware of this (Beta, KoSSev)
• Weber: The principles for dialogue presented by Kurti will make easier for the EU and the USA to reset the negotiations (Kosovo Online)
• EU on Kurti ZSO statement – Parties in the dialogue to refrain from harmful statements (Kosovo-online)
• Agreement to produce Sputnik V vaccine in Serbia reached (RTS)
• Obradovic: 904.000 citizens revaccinated in Serbia so far (Kosovo-online)
• Interpol warns citizens once again not to purchase vaccines on internet (KoSSev)
• Rakic: We continue working on return of displaced persons (Radio KIM)
• Office for KiM: KLA graffiti on health ambulance in Suvi Do (Kosovo-online)
• Serbian Chamber of Commerce set to open Jerusalem office (N1)
Opinion
• Kosovo: Kurti In Driver’s Seat Of A Driverless Vehicle – Analysis (eurasiareview)
• Serbia’s Brave Actresses Deserve Our Respect for Naming Their Abusers (Balkan Insight)
International:
• Application of the new methodology to Montenegro and Serbia: Principles remain the same, more emphasis on interim benchmarks (EWB)
• President Biden Urged to Move Hague War Court to Kosovo (Balkan Insight)
Humanitarian/Development:
• The introduction of mutual language learning in Kosovo: A tentative roadmap (FB)
• North Mitrovica Municipality: NGO "Eko-Protekt" and UNMIK provided 75 tablet computers for school children (Kontakt plus radio, Radio Mitrovica sever)
UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, March 25, 2021
• COVID-19: 823 new cases, 17 deaths (media)
• WHO: Vaccines to reach Kosovo in three weeks' time (T7/Telegrafi)
• Kosovo business community refuses vaccines from Serbia (Koha/Klan)
• U.S. and EU confirm joint engagement in Western Balkans (RFE/Koha)
• Lajcak: Resumption of dialogue within weeks (RFE)
• Kosnett: We are not asking MPs to vote certain individual but participate and avoid fresh elections (media)
• Merkel writes to Kurti: You have a challenging work ahead (media)
• Rama says he trusts Kurti in overcoming Kosovo's challenges (Koha)
• Osmani and Abdixhiku meet, agree to continue discussions (media)
• Hoxhaj: PDK has no vote for Vjosa Osmani, she is a divisive figure (media)
• European Parliament expected to endorse report on Kosovo today (media)
• SRSG Tanin congratulates Konjufca on election (media)
• Konjufca discusses securing anti-Covid-19 vaccines with Szunyog (RTK)
• Orlando meets Konjufca: Italy supports Kosovo’s Euro-Atlantic road (media)
• Holliday offers support to enlighten fate of the missing persons (media)
• Petkovic: Kurti's positions are destroying the future of dialogue (RFE/Kallxo)
• President Biden urged to move EU-backed war crimes court to Kosovo (euronews)
UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, March 24, 2021
Albanian Language Media:
• COVID-19: 781 new cases, 17 deaths (media)
• Kurti: President election to take place soon (media)
• Kurti reveals his approach to the dialogue with Serbia (Prishtina Insight)
• Kosovo leaders commemorate anniversary of NATO air strikes on Serbian forces (media)
• CEC replaces MPs who accepted government posts (media)
• EULEX refutes KLA war veterans: No one was invited to our offices (media)
Serbian Language Media:
• 42 new cases of Covid-19 in in Serbian communities (KoSSev)
• Twenty-two years ago, NATO bombs started falling on the then Yugoslavia (Beta, N1)
• Vucic with UN official: UN SC session on UNMIK in mid April (Tanjug, Kosovo-online)
• Office for KiM: Krstic’s verdict shameful, victim of persecution by Pristina (RTS)
• Defense lawyers on Krstic and Shabani verdicts (Radio KIM)
• Rakic assumed office of Minister for Communities and Returns (Kontakt plus radio)
• 22nd anniversary of the bombing marked in Gracanica (Kosovo Online)
• No easing of measures, Serbian anti-epidemic Crisis Team says (N1)
• North Macedonia journalists vaccinated in southern Serbia (N1)
International:
• 78 Days of Fear: Remembering NATO’s Bombing of Yugoslavia (Balkan Insight)
• WB2EU: Citizens need some re-branding of the idea of what the rule of law is (EWB)
Humanitarian/Development:
• Preparations for Manifesta14 underway (Prishtina Insight)
• Patagonia CEO: Hydropower Plants are not Green, Albanian Government Stop Decimating Balkan Rivers (exit.al)
UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, March 24, 2021
• COVID-19: 772 new cases, 13 deaths (media)
• Kurti: We will prepare a file with all agreement violations by Serbia (Koha/Kallxo)
• Kurti hosts EU Ambassador to Kosovo Tomas Szunyog (media)
• Abdixhiku meets Kosnett and Rohde, informs them about LDK’s role in opposition (media)
• Abdixhiku and Osmani to meet today at 14:00 hours (media)
• LDK officials comment on Vjosa Osmani’s election (media)
• Hasani says Government is internationally obliged to form Association (Klan)
• New minister Aliu denies indictment against him, prosecution confirms it (media)
• Konjufca asks CEC to provide names of MPs replacing ministers (Kosovapress)
• Krasniqi: Association of Serb municipalities undermines Kosovo (Kallxo)
• Monuments Evoke Tragic Memories of NATO Bombing of Yugoslavia (Balkan Insight)
• Kosovo Convicts Two Serb Policemen of War Crimes (Balkan Insight)
• Protesters rally in front of Kosovo embassy in Ankara (AA)
UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, March 23, 2021
UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, March 23, 2021
Albanian Language Media:
• COVID-19: 705 new cases, 10 deaths (media)
• Albin Kurti officially assumes duties as new prime minister of Kosovo (Express)
• Kurti: It is time to prove that we deserve our positions (media)
• Quint to MPs: The first task is to elect the president (media)
• Congratulations for Kurti and the new government continue (media)
• U.S. Ambassador visits LDK offices (media)
• Z.K and D.Sh. found guilty of war crimes (media)
Serbian Language Media:
• Covid-19 in Serbian communities: 67 new cases, three people died (Kontakt plus radio)
• Vucic: Pristina brutally violated its own highest legal act (Danas, Beta)
• Petkovic: Kurti's demands absurd and undermine Belgrade-Pristina dialogue (TV Most)
• Simic: Two ministries belong to the Serbian list according to the law; we will not vote for Kurti's government (Kosovo Online, Radio Mitrovica sever)
• Jevtic handovers duty to Rakic today, announces continuation of a joint struggle for betterment of Serbs (TV Most)
• Rada Trajkovic to Kurti: Citizens place their hopes in you and your promise of equality for all (Kosovo Online)
• Zlatan Krstic sentenced to 14 years in prison, Shabanaj to seven years (Kosovo-online)
• Epidemiological situation in Zvecan deteriorates, authorities urge citizens to vaccinate (Kosovo-online)
• Miftaraj: The constitution is clear, the Kosovo president is elected first, then the government (KoSSev)
• Surlic: Serbs acceptable for Pristina if decision-making does not depend on them (KoSSev)
• Krasniqi: The government that consolidated the majority, with the highest number of women, I expect the president to be elected (KoSSev)
• Only open debate on Kosovo "allowed" (Danas)
• Serbian DefMin concerned over Kosovo participation in NATO exercise (N1, FoNet)
• EU top diplomat says debate on Western Balkans at next meeting of EU FMs (N1, Beta)
• RFZO: Serbia has 5.800 doses of US new anti-coronavirus drug (N1)
• WHO Belgrade representative: Epidemic situation serious, measures to remain until results seen (N1)
Opinion
• Western Balkans’ Plight is Wake-up Call for Europe (Balkan Insight)
International:
• Balkan Countries Lacking Vaccines Look to Neighbours for Jabs (Balkan Insight)
• Vaccine makers should license technology to overcome 'grotesque' inequity: WHO (Reuters)
• Coronavirus digest: EU commissioner says herd immunity by summer is possible (DW)
• NATO, US to stage large-scale military exercises around Serbia until summer (euractive.com)
UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, March 23, 2021
• COVID-19: 827 new cases, 16 deaths (media)
• Kosovo elects new Government with Kurti Prime Minister (media)
• Congratulations pour in for new Government of Kosovo (media)
• Kurti expects to take new post today, calls for swift election of president (Telegrafi)
• Hoti to hand over duty to Kurti today (media)
• Hoxhaj: We will not send Kurti’s mandate to the Constitutional Court (EO)
• Haziri: LDK has not discussed approaching Constitutional Court (T7/Klan)
• “Constitution does not oblige PM to offer two ministries to Serb community” (Koha)
• Rama does not mediate dialogue, says he defends Kosovo’s interests (RTK)
• Zemaj writes to COVAX concerning lack of vaccine rollout in Kosovo (media)
• Vulin: Serbia to work incessantly to prevent Kosovo from joining Interpol (media)
UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, March 22, 2021
Albanian Language Media:
• COVID-19: 827 new cases, 16 deaths (media)
• Glauk Konjufca elected Kosovo Assembly Speaker (media)
• Konjufca requests Vetevendosje's proposal for prime minister (media)
• Kurti-led government set to be voted this afternoon (Telegrafi/Koha)
• PDK expects swift formation of government, reiterates position against Osmani for president (media)
• Turkish community MPs to vote for Kurti-led government (Klan)
• Ambassadors congratulate election of Assembly speaker, presidency (media)
• Kurti: There can be no monoethnic association in Kosovo (KP)
Serbian Language Media:
• 19 new cases of Covid-19 registered in Serbian areas on Sunday (KoSSev)
• Konjufca elected Assembly Speaker, Serbian List didn’t support his election (Kosovo-online)
• Slavko Simic elected vice president of the Assembly (Kosovo Online)
• Miletic: New elections do not suit anyone at this moment (RTK2)
• Baxhaku: The votes of the Serbian List also needed for the election of the president (RTK2)
• Jeremic: Vaccination process in Serbia commendable (Dnevnik)
• Serbian Government partially eases anti-coronavirus measures (N1)
• Additional 55.990 doses of Pfizer vaccine arrived in Serbia (Tanjug)
• Additional 100.000 Sputnik V vaccines arriving in Serbia on Tuesday (N1)
Opinion:
• Say Her Name (Kosovo 2.0)
International:
• Kosovo’s new parliament starts, vote on new govt expected (AP)
• Coronavirus: EU 'not ready' to share COVID vaccines with poorer countries (DW)
Humanitarian/Development:
• Vetevendosje's women MPs dress in white, in nod to gender equality (Kallxo)
• Kosovo Slow to Build Monuments to its Female Heroes (Balkan Insight)