UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, January 4, 2023

Albanian Language Media:

• State Department: Kosovo, Serbia should create climate for reconciliation (Reporteri)
• “European” plan to intensify the dialogue in January (Koha)
• Deputy Defence Minister: Serbia’s request to deploy troops in Kosovo is absurd (KP)
• Haxhiu: Mechanism to monitor human rights implementation by Special Court (Koha)
• LDK’s Hoti: Govt to explain why now is not time for mutual recognition? (media)
• Von Cramon on how non-recognising states could vote at PACE (Koha)
• Hoti: We don’t accept Serbia’s added paragraphs in missing persons document (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Recently detained Serbs - Pantic under house arrest, Trajkovic without therapy, and request for extending detention to Adzic (RTS)
• Slovak Ministry: Any change of position to depend on Belgrade-Pristina normalisation (Tanjug)
• Director of Museum of Genocide sent letters to ambassadors over plans to renovate Xhafer Deva’s house (Kosovo Online, N1)
• Quartet of Western envoys to visit Serbia after Orthodox Christmas (Tanjug, Novosti)
• Serbs from northern Kosovo call for protest, dissatisfied with Belgrade’s policy (Danas)

Opinion:

• After barricades: Instead of new Kosovo policy, old problems persevere in new year (KoSSev)

International:

• Soaring Air Pollution in Region Stokes Health Fears (BIRN)
• The DJ and the War Crimes (Rolling Stone)

• EC: Situation in north still very fragile; talks on Association must start (media)
• KFOR: We’re examining Serbia’s request to deploy troops in Kosovo (Express)
• Hungary plays key role in Kosovo peacekeeping (Hungary Today)
• NATO Military Chiefs of Defence Meeting - 18-19 January 2023 (nato.int)
• Will Kosovo’s war ever end? (UnHerd)
• The religious propaganda that threatens Kosovo (Kallxo)
• The Peak of the Balkans Trail: Europe's last true wilderness (BBC)

Albanian Language Media:

• German and French chief advisers expected to visit Pristina and Belgrade (Klan)
• Ahmeti: Serbia has lost the battle in the Council of Europe (Kosova Press)
• KFOR is removing the last vehicles left on the road in the north (media)
• Trajkovic asks Vucic for explanation regarding her detention in Merdare (Sinjali)
• Weber: The association was the reason the dialogue stalled (Albanian Post)
• Bugajski: Association is a ticking bomb, a recipe for discord (Klan)
• “EU should give up equalising blame, in cases when Serbia is more to blame” (Albanian Post)
• EFJ raises alarm about attack on journalists in the north of Kosovo (RTK)

Serbian Language Media:

• EU: Situation in north of Kosovo still fragile, we are continuing talks with both sides (RTS, RTV, Kosovo Online)
• KFOR: We are conducting an operation to remove vehicles from the road in the north of Kosovo (RTS)
• Dacic: Another country will soon withdraw its recognition of Kosovo and Metohija (Tanjug, RTS, media)
• Brnabic: We preserved peace in Kosovo-Metohija thanks to wise policy (Tanjug, media)
• Hill: There will be more US investments in Serbia this year (media)
• Chairman of the KJC: About the resignations of judges from the North in February (Radio Mitrovica sever)
• Kosovo Police detained, then released a physical education teacher from Kosovska Mitrovica (media)

Opinion:

• Will Kosovo’s war ever end? (UnHerd)

• Kurti wants more KFOR forces in Kosovo (RTK)
• Bonne, Plotner and Escobar to visit Kosovo this month (Klan)
• Osmani congratulates Sweden, “cooperation to get Kosovo closer to EU” (RTK)
• Balkans, a priority of Sweden's EU Council Presidency (Albanian Daily News)
• Svecla for the Swiss medium: We are not afraid of Serbia (Albanian Post)
• Germany welcomes removal of barricades (Anadolu Agency)
• NATO's highest authority to meet this month to discuss security in Kosovo (AP)
• Krasniqi doesn’t expect fast agreement; “Kurti invented deadline” (Klan)
• ‘Life is Beautiful’: Visually Impaired Kosovo Writer Rejects Limits (BIRN)
• French Museum Keeps Memory of Long-Ago Balkans Alive (BIRN)
• Activists who attacked assembly building acquitted (Prishtina Insight)
• Person of the Year for Prishtina Insight, Faruk Kukaj (Prishtina Insight)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, December 30, 2022

Albanian Language Media:

• Barricades removed, border crossings in the north still closed (Koha)
• Vela: Kosovo-Serbia relations can only be based on mutual recognition (media)
• Gervalla: Serbia creates artificial conflicts; no force can blackmail us (media)
• Italy welcomes the removal of barricades in northern Kosovo (Klan)
• Joseph: Barricades, proof how Vucic plays the U.S. and EU (RFE/Koha)
• Buhler: Serbia's threatening rhetoric is intolerable (DW, media)
• PDK submits the Law on Public Officials to the Constitutional Court (Telegrafi)
• Man in Leposavic reports he was attacked by two masked men (media)
• Barricade in Zupc removed, regular traffic begins (media)
• Vucic offers job in the ministry to young man sentenced to prison in Kosovo (Express)
• COVID-19 cases increasing in Kosovo (Koha)

Serbian Language Media:

• Removal of barricades in northern Kosovo (RTS, Kosovo Online)
• Visoki Decani Monastery on absence of international representatives in Kosovo reaction on Patriarch entry ban, impertinence of Pristina (Kosovo Online, social media)
• Dacic: Germany’s position on Kosovo different to others (N1)
• Opposition MP on Kosovo: Exercise badly played, we did what suits Kurti (N1)
• When journalists “guard“ barricades, but guards are nowhere to be seen (KoSSev)
• Lajcak: Tensions in Kosovo remain high, level of mistrust higher than ever (FoNet, N1)
• Dacic receives Romania's special Western Balkans envoy (Tanjug)
• Man arrested at Gazimestan to work on humanitarian issues at KiM Office (N1, KoSSev)

• Kurti: They put up barricades themselves, removing them themselves (media)
• Borrell praises leaders; “diplomacy prevailed in removing barricades” (Klan)
• EU wary of further Kosovo-Serbia tensions as it pushes final deal (Politico)
• Osmani meets Hovenier, discuss latest developments (media)
• NATO: We expect all parties to adhere to their commitments (media)
• KFOR: All parties should avoid any triggering rhetoric (media)
• Hill: Lucky that barricades are being removed, we want political solution (Klan)
• Rama on barricades: Nothing new, in the end everyone returned home (media)
• French Embassy comments on removal of barricades (Kallxo)
• Haziri on removal of barricades: Decision was neither Kurti nor Vucic’s (media)
• Fake News Spikes Amid High Tensions in the North (Prishtina Insight)
• Kosovo: Serbs agree to dismantle barricades after talks (BBC)
• Kosovo-Serbia tensions: Mood on the ground, possible scenarios (Al Jazeera)
• Kosovo Reopens Main Border Crossing With Serbia (VoA)
• In northern Kosovo, conflict is avoided, for now (Emerging Europe)
• Hoax Bomb Threats Leave Balkan Region Frustrated, Unnerved (BIRN)
• Serbia Investigates Kosovo Albanian for Alleged Arms Trafficking (BIRN)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, December 29, 2022

Albanian Language Media:

• Kosovo Police confirms: Merdare crossing opened (media)
• Two trucks set on fire at a barricade in the north of Kosovo (media)
• New effort for final agreement; Scholz and Macron advisors visit Kosovo in Jan (media)
• UNMIK chief welcomes measures to deescalate tensions; calls for return to dialogue (media)
• German MP expects concrete actions from EU about situation in North (Albanian Post)
• The removal of the barricades hasn't started yet (Paparaci)
• Krasniqi: Kosovo is going through one of the most fragile moments since it was declared an independent and sovereign state (Klan)
• “Those who believed they protected Serbia by setting up barricades, it is a lie directed by SL” (Telegrafi)
• Tahiri: Kurti made compromises with Serbia, this time he accepted Association (Koha)
• Abdixhiku meets head of OSCE in Kosovo, discuss situation in the north (Klan)
• Haradinaj: Thanks to USA and EU, solution from explosive situation in north found (Koha)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic: Removal of barricades to start Thursday morning (N1, media)
• Ziadeh (UNMIK) welcomed the removal of barricades and de-escalation (N1, media)
• KFOR: Serbian forces don’t need permission for movements in their territory (N1)
• Two trucks at barricade near Dudin Krs, Mitrovica North burned down (KoSSev)
• Dacic: It depends upon Kurti only if there will be escalation of conflict (Radio KIM)
• Djuric: Pristina lost “blank cheque” support for its behaviour from US and international community (RTS)
• US Ambassador Hill says Kosovo crisis requires political solution (Nova.rs, N1)
• Heightened combat readiness state of Serbian Army revoked (Kosovo Online)
• Petkovic: Trampling US-EU guarantees will not be easy for Pristina (Tanjug, TV Pink)
• Vucic to receive Nedeljkovic tomorrow (Danas)

Opinion:

• "Full escalation in Kosovo only postponed": What's next in 2023? (DW, Danas)

International:

• Serbia's Vucic Says Kosovo Roadblocks To Be Removed (RFE)
• Village’s Xmas Lights Draw Thousands of Kosovars (Prishtina Insight)
• In northern Kosovo, conflict is avoided, for now (emerging-europe.com)

• Joint Statement on the Escalating Tensions in the North of Kosovo (media)
• Kurti calls on Serbs to apply for jobs in Kosovo public institutions (euronews.al)
• Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani interview with Klan Kosova
• Vucic: Removal of barricades will start on Thursday morning (RFE)
• Serbs in northern Kosovo to start removing barricades from Thursday (Reuters)
• KFOR reacts to tensions: Solution must come through dialogue (media)
• EULEX: We have neither mandate nor capacity to remove barricades (Klan)
• Prosecution: Pantic was sent to house arrest due to his health (media)
• Haxhiu: Special Prosecutor, Court chose to side with criminal groups (Koha)
• JCK and PCK react to Kurti about Pantic (media)
• Graffiti against judge and prosecutor who freed ex-Serb police officer (media)
• Krasniqi: Kurti to clarify if there was secret deal for Pantic release (media)
• Haradinaj: Situation is serious, it requires coordination (media)
• Petkovic: Vucic asked Serbs to withdraw from barricades (media)
• Hill: Patriarch Porfirije must be allowed to visit Kosovo in future (euronews.al)
• Xhacka: Serbia to stop, so-called ‘Kosovo and Metohija’ gone forever (media)
• Tension soars as Kosovo shuts main border crossing with Serbia (AFP, Reuters)
• Why ethnic tensions are flaring again in northern Kosovo (CNN)
• Germany urges Kosovo Serb militants to remove barricades (Deutsche Welle)
• Kosovo-Serbia Crisis Simmers as New Barricade Blocks Border (BIRN)
• Kosovo closes border crossing as tensions with Serbia intensify (FT)
• Kosovo to Host Five Persecuted Afghan Journalists (BIRN)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, December 28, 2022

Albanian Language Media:

• Osmani: There is nothing that can defeat will of people to live freely (media)
• Kurti about barricades in the north: Criminals will be arrested (Telegrafi)
• Kosovo Police: Blocking in Merdare is illegal (Zeri)
• Pantic’s detention replaced with house arrest measure, attorney confirms (RFE)
• Kurti surprised by the decision to send Pantic to house arrest (Koha)
• Von Cramon welcomes decision on Pantic, demands immediate removal of barricades (Klan)
• Abazi: Pantic’s release, failure of the entire institutional chain (Telegrafi)
• Bomb threat at Pristina Airport, passengers and staff evacuated (media)
• AAK’s Tahiri calls on Kurti to summon meeting of party leaders (media)
• LDK’s Hoti proposes four points for Kosovo to “emerge from Serbia’s trap” (media)
• Gashi: Serbs citizens in north are paid €50 daily to be in barricades (Klan Kosova)
• Kremlin: We are not pushing Serbia to incite tensions in Kosovo (RFE)

Serbian Language Media:

• Barricades entered the 19th day: Now and Merdare crossing closed (KoSSev)
• Dejan Pantic under house arrest (RTS, Blic, Tanjug)
• Vucevic: Serbia's position to seek a political agreement (KoSSev, RTS)
• Vucic: Pristina wants to banish Serbia, Serbs from Kosovo forever (Tanjug)
• A new convocation of the Zubin Potok assembly formed (RTS)
• Brnabic responds to Osmani on justice and democracy (Kosovo Online, social media)
• Hill: Important that the Patriarch be with the Serbs in KiM (Danas, Nova.rs)
• Civil society: The Kosovo government to apologise to the patriarch; international community to speak out and condemn it (Kontakt plus radio)
• Haradinaj: Kurti's statements complicate the situation; KFOR cannot be given deadlines (KoSSev)
• UNS and DNKiM: Ensure unobstructed work to Svetlana Vukmirovic and other journalists (UNS, media)
• Petkovic asks Rohde if he will condemn entry ban to RTS journalist (Kosovo Online, social media)
• Nikola Nedeljkovic arrested on June 28 at Gazimestan released after six-months sentence (Tanjug)
• Dacic: Albanian FM spurring Kurti to further provocations (Tanjug)

International:

• Kremlin Denies Kosovan Claims Russia Is Pushing Serbia to Stoke Tensions (Reuters)

• Merdare crossing closed; Serbs erect barricades on Serbian side (media)
• Osmani condemns attacks on reporters in north of Kosovo (media)
• Ministry refutes reports that KSF vehicles moved toward Mitrovica (Nacionale)
• Kosovan minister says Serbia aims to destabilize the country (Reuters)
• Why ethnic tensions are flaring again in northern Kosovo (Reuters)
• Serbia troops on ‘highest level of alert’ as tensions rise (The Guardian)
• COMKFOR: We support dialogue to find solution and ease tensions (TV21)
• Switzerland calls for refrain from actions that can inflame the situation (media)
• Xhacka to Serbia: Playing with fire is a bad idea; we stand with Kosovo (media)
• Council of Ambassadors sends letter to Biden and Quint (Klan Kosova)
• Mujanovic: I’ve received copy of Kosovo govt report sent to West (Nacionale)