UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, March 24, 2020

Albanian Language Media:

• Kurti calls on people to respect govt decisions (media)
• Thaci addresses Constitutional Court on government’s restriction measures (media)
• Thaci writes to Kurti: Suspend the decision, you have caused panic, fear and uncertainty (media)
• Quint Ambassadors: Prioritise fight against COVID-19 (media)
• Thaci welcomes Quint statement (media)
• EU calls on Kosovo leaders to work together (media)
• Kosnett: Follow guidance to protect our families and communities (media)
• Stjernvall: No more fights against each other (Kallxo)

Serbian Language Media:

• In Serbia, 27 newly infected coronavirus patients, a total of 249 (B92)
• Pristina quarantine measure creates problems for emergency transportation of patients from Kosovo Serb communities (KoSSev)
• Pristina Mayor: The City of Pristina offers assistance to all communities in Kosovo (RTK2, Kontakt plus, RTV Puls)
• "There is no flour in Gracanica for ten days" (RTK2, Kontakt plus radio, KoSSev)
• Djuric: We are not interested in their ‘games of thrones’ (Tanjug, B92, Politika)
• 21 years since NATO bombing of Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Tanjug, B92)
• 21 anniversary of NATO bombing marked in Mitrovica North (RTV Puls, TV Most)

International:

• President calls on citizens to disobey government measures (Prishtina Insight)
• Europe’s Other Coronavirus Victim: Information and Data Rights (Balkan Insight)
• Kosovo Opposition to Back No-Confidence Motion in Govt (Balkan Insight)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Inspired by NATO Bombing, Serbian Artist Turns Trauma into Art (Balkan Insight)

• Government restricts movements of private vehicles and citizens (media)
Thaci opposes government decision, calls it anti-constitutional (media)
• Mustafa: Government decision, anti-constitutional (Koha)
• Haradinaj: Govt decision, a flagrant violation (media)
Nagavci: Citizens to submit to government’s decisions (T7, RTK)
• Abazi: Government’s decision in accordance with the Constitution (RTK)
• Merkel hails lifting of the tariff (RTK)
• Assembly chairmanship to decide today on non-confidence motion session (Express)
• Kurti’s government to establish reciprocity measures towards Serbia on April 1 (media)
• 21 new cases of coronavirus confirmed (media)
Albanian reporters assaulted in Mitrovica North (media)

Albanian Language Media:

• Osmani asks Institute for professional opinion on Assembly session (media)
• LDK Minister: We will proceed with non-confidence motion (Express)
• Merkel and Kurti to have videocall today (Express)
• Swiss MPs: Stop the political games (Koha)
• Heldt: Include Kosovo in corona global updates (media)
• Kosovo Serbs send COVID-19 tests to Belgrade (RFE, Express)

Serbian Language Media:

• Petritsch: Kosovo issue put on hold due to pandemic (Kosovo Online)
• Borrell: Lajcak will do an excellent job mediating Belgrade-Pristina dialogue (Beta, N1)
• Jevtic: We are working to provide help, in particular to vulnerable groups in return areas (Kosovo-online)
• Vucic and Orban discuss economic cooperation after coronavirus pandemic ends (FoNet, N1, RTS)
• 34 new coronavirus cases confirmed - total of 222 infected (B92)
• Chinese team: 29 days needed to calm down COVID-19, will present new steps (FoNet, N1, RTS)
• DW: People in Balkans fear coronavirus the least (N1)

Opinion:

• COVID-19: Truth and Viral Consequences (Balkan Insight)

International:

• MEPs: Western Balkans should be included in EU+ export authorization scheme (EWB)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Schools emptying in Drenica’s villages (Prishtina Insight)

• Kosovo partially lifts import tariff on Serbian, Bosnian goods (media)
• LDK ignores calls, activates non-confidence motion (Koha)
• Abazi: LDK pressured yesterday not to vote lifting of the tariff (RTK)
• Number of confirmed cases with coronavirus reaches 24 (media)
• All parks in Kosovo to be closed from today (media)
• Thaci: Lajcak's mission destined to fail (media)
• EU spokesman reacts to Thaci tweet (media)
• EP member: Fight corona, not each other (RTK)
• Meanwhile, America’s Kosovo Strategy Is Melting Down (Foreign Policy)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, March 20, 2020

Albanian Language Media:

• EU calls for unity among party leaders (Telegrafi)
• Mustafa: Kurti to lift tariff, annul dismissal decision, and apologize (RTK)
• Thaci: KPHI and the police are promptly doing their job, KSF ready (RTK)
• KDI argues against non-confidence motion (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• New 15 cases of coronavirus in Serbia - 118 in total (B92)
• Serbia closed its borders, intercity traffic stops at noon (B92)
• Vucic: Curfew will be extended (B92, RTS)
• Most of us will be affected for some months, UN's Antonio Guterres says (N1)
• Website of Trustbuilding Platform in Kosovo introduced (KoSSev)
• Passengers at Jarinje crossing point told they would have to be quarantined in Pristina? (KoSSev)
• COVID-19: Governments must promote and protect access to and free flow of information during pandemic (KoSSev)
• Serbian Commissioner says right to information not suspended (N1)
• Norway donates to Serbia EUR 5 million to fight coronavirus (RTS)

International:

• Pandemic Forces Balkan Politicians to Get Serious, At Last (Balkan Insight)
• Kosovo seeks help from Turkey to fight coronavirus (aa.com.tr)
• Prishtina protests from its balconies (Prishtina Insight)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Serbia’s virologist: Vaccine is urgent, or coronavirus will be seasonal disease (N1)
• Kon: Epidemic will last another six weeks in this regime (Tanjug, B92)

Another case of coronavirus confirmed (media)
Health Minister: Infected persons in stable condition (RFE)
Prishtina protests from its balconies (Prishtina Insight)
Osmani and two other LDK MPs do not sign no confidence motion (RTK)
LDK deputy leader: We can continue governance if Kurti removes tariff and returns Veliu (KTV)
PDK: We will come up with a statement very soon (KosovaPress)
Limaj: NISMA will support no confidence motion (RTK)
Haradinaj: I wont be part of any govt that talks about partition (T7)
834 citizens request to return to Kosovo (media)

Albanian Language Media:

• Haradinaj does not rule out joining a technical government (media)
• EP Rapporteur warns against non-confidence motion (Koha)
• NATO Chief requests lifting of tariff and resumption of dialogue (RTK)
• LVV continues to ignore no confidence motion (Express)
• Veliu: LDK does not allow breach of partnership with U.S., Kurti is a coward (RTK)
• Number of coronavirus cases in Kosovo reaches 20 (RFE)
• Daniel Serwer writes a letter to President Thaci (RTK)

Serbian Language Media:

• In Serbia, eight new cases of coronavirus - a total of 97 (B92, covid19.rs)
• Brnabic: If needed, state of emergency could last four months (B92, Tanjug)
• RFE: Agreement reached on Lajcak as EU Special Representative (Kontakt plus radio, RTK2)
• Stoltenberg: Tariffs on Serbian goods not helpful, NATO operational in coronavirus circumstances (Tanjug, Kosovo-online)
• Rakic responds to Bahtiri: In sea of Bahtiri’s lies, only true thing is that he did not get permit from us (Kosovo-online)
• Vucic and Merkel’s video meeting: Fast dialogue resumption (Tanjug, B92)
• Radovic: Kosovo police are proceeding according to an operational plan (KoSSev)
• Fabrizi: EU will continue helping Serbia (FoNet, N1, Blic)

Opinion:

• Listening To The Pandemic: Time To Get Real (Balkan Insight)

International:

• Kosovo’s Crisis-Hit Govt Threatened with No-Confidence Vote (Balkan Insight)
• Belgrade Streets Empty as Serbian Curfew Begins (Balkan Insight)
• The Latest: Serbia closes main airport for passenger flights (wboc.com)

Humanitarian/Development:

• As Cities Around the World Go on Lockdown, Victims of Domestic Violence Look For A Way Out (time.com)

LDK initiates motion of no confidence (media)
Prime Minister Kurti press conference (media)
Veseli: PDK will soon decide on no-confidence motion (Indeksonline)
Osmani: Me and Lumir Abdixhiku were against the motion (media)
Kurti and Risi discuss security implications of COVID-19 (RTK)
Merkel and Vucic for reopening of Kosovo-Serbia dialogue as soon as possible (media)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, March 18, 2020

Albanian Language Media:

• PM Kurti dismisses Interior Minister (media)
• Mustafa to Kurti: Cancel Veliu's dismissal, remove tariff (media)
• Mustafa: Veliu's dismissal is unacceptable (media)
• Thaci: State of Emergency could last 30 days (media)
• Veseli supports state of emergency proposal (media)
• President’s decree has not reached the Assembly (RTK)
• Reactions on Thaci’s request to adopt decree for a state of emergency (social media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Serbian List: We reject Pristina's hidden intention to deploy troops in northern Kosovo (Kontakt plus radio)
• Djuric to Serbs in Kosovo: Respect measures of Serbian Government on coronavirus (Kosovo-online, Radio kontakt plus)
• New 11 cases of coronavirus in Serbia, a total of 83 patients (B92)
• Serbia introduced new measures last night to fight coronavirus (RTS, B92)
• Chinese Ambassador tells Vucic: Aid to battle coronavirus coming (N1)
• It's confirmed, new phase: Coronavirus hit the last country in Europe (B92, CDM)
• "Europe is epicenter of crisis" (BETA, B92, Bild)

Opinion:

• Mushkolaj: Politics with people's lives (Express)

International:

• Serbia Restricts Movement for Migrants, Asylum-Seekers (Balkan Insight)