UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, April 8, 2021

Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: 897 new cases, 14 deaths (media)
• Blinken to Kurti: You will have our full support (media)
• Osmani: Dialogue with Serbia cannot have priority over vaccines (media)
• PDK criticises government: Implement law on economic recovery (media)
• Osmani holds telephone conversation with Slovenian counterpart (media)
• Minister Haxhiu meets some of the representatives of UN Organisations (media)
• EU in Kosovo congratulates Roma community in their International Day (media)
• Popovic asks Schieb to apologise about genocide remarks (Koha)

Serbian Language Media:

• Covid-19 in Serbian municipalities: 26 new cases, two people died (KoSSev)
• Roma Day - the position of the Roma community (RTK2, KoSSev)
• Odalovic: It is good Albanians emphasize missing persons issue; we also want locations to be searched and identification of 300 bodies in Pristina
• "Continuation of dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina has no alternative" (RTK2)
• For one hundred days, Vucic is silent about energy system in Kosovo (BETA)
• An apology sought for the statement of the German ambassador on the bombing of the FRY (Beta, KoSSev)
• Father Sava: Decani Monastery on list of seven the most endangered sites in Europe (Kosovo-online)
• Dr Antonijevic: The epidemiological situation is better, but still serious and unfavorable (KiM radio)
• WHO and EMA on AstraZeneca: Safe vaccine (KoSSev)
• In Serbia, 1.130.000 citizens fully vaccinated (RTS)

International:

• International Roma Day: Remembering history to ensure a brighter future (CoE)
• Eyeing re-election, Albania’s Rama touts earthquake recovery effort (BIRN)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Belgrade vaccinates homeless persons (N1)

COVID-19: 714 new cases, 15 deaths (media)
Health Minister: UK variant of coronavirus dominating in Kosovo (Kallxo)
Finance Minister: We’ll support businesses on rents and salaries (media)
Human rights worsened in Central, Southeast Europe, in pandemic (BIRN)
Kurti and Osmani coordinated on dialogue with Serbia (Radio Free Europe)
Long list of officials that must justify their wealth (Koha Ditore)
LDK deputy leader: We didn’t help Vetevendosje, we helped institutions (media)
No visa liberalisation for Kosovo before 2022 elections in France (Zeri/dtt-net)
Justice Minister reacts to corruption scandal(media)
Schieb: 1999 bombing to stop genocide in Kosovo (media)
Kosovo war rape survivors’ painful road to recognition (BIRN)

Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: 714 new cases, 15 deaths (media)
• Zemaj argues against lockdown, “economic and mental consequences” (RTK)
• Gerxhaliu: Lockdown is not a solution; a comprehensive fund is needed (EO)
• Kosovo MP urges Albania to offer his country COVID vaccines (BIRN)
• “Around 8,000 businesses closed today, we’ll protest after April 18” (Koha)
• After formation of institutions, Kosovo is asked to focus on the dialogue (Kallxo)
• Why do Kosovo citizens still see Serbia as the country’s biggest threat? (BIRN)
• PM Kurti meets COMKFOR Federici (media)
• AAK asks government to review law on salaries (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• 29 cases of Covid-19, one death registered in Serbian areas in Kosovo (KoSSev)
• Belgrade asks UNMIK to remain committed to UN Resolution 1244 implementation (N1)
• Dacic: Belgrade-Pristina dialogue doesn’t depend on Kurti and Osmani (Kosovo-online)
• Rakic and Davenport on political situation, security and pandemic (Kontakt plus radio)
• Bocan-Harchenko: Russia has opportunities to influence the issue of Kosovo even without participating in the dialogue (Kosovo Online, Sputnik)
• Jovanovic: Genuine negotiations on Kosovo when West accepts fact that experiment has failed (Kosovo-online)
• EU still without date for continuation of dialogue (Tanjug)

Opinion:

• Crumbs of the government recovery package (Kosovo 2.0)
• Who runs Kosovo’s Public Sphere: Citizens or ‘Balkan Experts’? (Kosovo 2.0)

International:

• Kosovo: the lost battle against corruption (balcanicaucaso.org)
• Governments In Europe, Central Asia Used Pandemic To Clamp Down On Human Rights, Amnesty Says (RFE)

Humanitarian/Development:

• WHO urges countries to build a fairer, healthier world post COVID-19 (who.int)

• COVID-19: 529 new cases, eight deaths (media)
• New anti COVID measures may be extended after April 18 (Koha)
• Over 80,000 new jobseekers since the beginning of pandemic (Kallxo)
• Reporters want to have priority in COVID-19 vaccination (Radio Free Europe)
• Latifi: Government decision for additional restrictions, hasty (Kallxo)
• Stano: We expect dialogue to begin upon institutional consolidation (Telegrafi)
• Document for confiscation of unlawfully acquired wealth finalised (media)
• AAK leader Haradinaj accuses LVV MP Zyba of 'vote buying' (Telegrafi)
• Qazim Rrahmani resigns post of deputy minister (media)
• Media representatives urged to stop hate speech (media)
• Two Kosovo Albanians identified from wartime mass grave in Serbia (BIRN)

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)