UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, August 28, 2024

Albanian Language Media:

Admiral Munsch meets Kurti in Pristina (media)
KFOR personnel carry out 24-hour operation along ABL (media)
Parties have three more days to announce pre-election coalitions (RTK)
Serwer suggests abandoning appeasing policy towards Belgrade (media)
“Serbs in north of Kosovo call for boycott of Albanian businesses” (TeVe1)
Begaj asks Albanian ambassadors to work in support of Kosovo (media)

Serbian Language Media:

‘Ethnic engineering’ in northern Kosovo - do Serbs have reasons to fear ‘albanization’? (Kosovo Online)
Can Kosovo Post replace Serbian Post in northern Kosovo? (Danas, Kosovo Online)
Admiral Stuart Munsch met Kurti, KFOR Commander Ulutas (Radio KIM, social media)
24-hour KFOR exercise along administrative line concluded (Kosovo Online, social media)
German official denies EU traded lithium for democracy (N1, Danas)
Misleading reporting in Serbian media on U.S. criticism of Albin Kurti (KoSSev)

Albanian Language Media:

Kurti: Meeting with CIA chief proves U.S. commitment to Kosovo security (media)
Selimi: CIA director’s visit seems to have had an effect in Kosovo (media)
COMKFOR meets Commander of Allied Joint Force Command Naples (media)
Kosovo Post Office expected to open in ‘Car Llazar’ square in Mitrovica North (Reporteri)
After entry into force of law on minimum wages, salaries increase from 6.8 euros (media)

Serbian Language Media:

Vucic denies Macron wants nuclear waste storage agreement (N1)
"They want to suppress and expel us, what else?"- Does Pristina want to change ethnic structure in north with new projects (Euronews in Serbian)
Ristanovic: Fear from ‘albanization’ of north justified, aim at expulsion of Serbs (Kosovo Online)
New Kosovo Post Office emerges in North Mitrovica after Serbian branches were closed down (KoSSev)
Media: Kurti avoided questions about Ibar Bridge (Kosovo Online)

Opinion:

For Serbia’s govt, law to ‘protect constitutional order’ is an anti-protest weapon (BIRN)

International:

Skepticism surrounds revived truth and reconciliation initiative in Kosovo (BIRN)
Kosovo’s capital expands tourism potential (Prishtina Insight)

Humanitarian/Development:

Why is the employment rate among women in Kosovo so low? (RFE)

Albanian Language Media:

• Kurti: Our support for Ukrainian war is broad and deep (media)
• Rohde: The people of Kosovo have felt pain of Ukrainians (media)
• EU has no official confirmation on refusal to exchange information on attack in Banjska (Koha)
• Hovenier: Commitment of USA to people of Kosovo is stronger than ever (RTK)
• Indictment filed against a Serb for war crimes in Kosovo (media)
• Haradinaj: We must change government for Kosovo to be at NATO Summit in Tirana (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• 35 bids for leasing five gas stations in northern Kosovo, two of them from Sedef Travel 2024 Doo (Alternativna.com)
• Albanian-owned market chain opens its first store in North Mitrovica under police security (KoSSev)
• Police arrested then released a Serb over ‘obstruction’ of works at public area, they do not know if permit for works was issued (KoSSev, social media)
• Representatives of Pupin Initiative: We will also highlight problems of Serbs in northern Kosovo in Washington (Kosovo Online)
• Indictment raised against Serb in Kosovo for alleged war crimes (Tanjug, media)
• Ramadani: Since visit of CIA chief there has been no more spreading of “hatred and arrogance” from Self-Determination ranks (Kosovo Online, social media)

Albanian Language Media:

Media: CIA chef talked mostly about Kosovo during stay in Serbia
Kupchan: Kurti should listen to the allies about the Iber bridge (media)
Lajcak in Alpbach: Interesting conversation about future of Western Balkans (media)
CEC: No officially declared coalitions yet, deadline August 30 (ekonomia)
Diaspora census: 600 thousand people registered so far (RTK)
Police arrest a Serb in Jarinje, wanted for threatening another Serb in 2022 (media)
Rama: Albania will have opportunity to host NATO Summit in 2027 (RFE)

Serbian Language Media:

Milenkovic, Arsenijevic on drivers’ license conversion, persisting problems (Radio KIM)
Ponos: Presence of Serbia in northern Kosovo nearing to an end, Vucic’s policy ‘treacherous’ (N1, BETA)
Petkovic responds to Ponos (Novosti)
Milivojevic: Kosovo one of key topics during Macron’s visit to Serbia (RTS)
D.N. arrested at Jarinje, sent to 48-hour detention (Kosovo Online)

International:

CIA chief visits Kosovo, meets President and Prime Minister (Prishtina Insight)

UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, August 26, 2024

Albanian Language Media:

Kurti hosts CIA Director “for an important strategic meeting” (media)
EU: Urgent implementation of Brussels agreement and Ohrid Annex (TV Dukagjini)
Kurti calls on diaspora to register (media)
Osmani: Dynamic discussion with young leaders at Alpbach Forum (media)
Embassies criticize Kosovo’s strategy for war crimes (TV Dukagjini)
Idaho National Guard’s Helicopter Battalion deploys to Kosovo (Express/DVIDS)
Reception for Ukrainians in Kosovo to celebrate Ukraine Independence Day (media)

Serbian Language Media:

President Vucic speaks about meeting with CIA chief, lack of official statement (N1, FoNet)
Deadline for conversion of drivers’ licence expired, some people did not manage to convert their licences to Kosovo ones (Alternativna, media)
EC to N1 on Kosovo driver’s licences: We welcome the step (N1, media)
Assault helicopters and almost 200 members of Idaho National Guard to be deployed in Kosovo (KoSSev)
PM Vucevic: Government reshuffle likely in six months to a year (N1)
Serbian Parliament Speaker Brnabic criticises protests against lithium mining (N1, media)
Lithium mining in Serbia sparks widespread opposition (N1, media)

Albanian Language Media:

• The head of the CIA meets Kurti (media)
• Osmani: Alliance with USA, guarantee for security, peace, and success (RTK)
• Kosovo govt. on Kurti’s meeting with head of CIA: Historical moment (media)
• Haradinaj: Meetings of CIA head with heads of state, good news (RTK)
• LDK: Krasniqi and Berishaj lead of energy mafia (RTK)
• The KSF continues with training in the United States of America (Klan)

Serbian Language Media:

• “Bridge over Ibar will not be opened, actors of Banjska attack will be held accountable”: What visit of NATO officials brings to Belgrade and Pristina? (Danas)
• FM Djuric: Germany one of Serbia’s most important political, economic partners (N1, FoNet)
• Trifunovic: Representatives of Pupin Initiative to visit Kosovo, get firsthand information about situation (Kosovo Online)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Market near Saint Nikola Church in Gnjilane place where Serbs sell their products (RTV Puls, media)

Albanian Language Media:

• CIA Chief makes stop in Kosovo as part of unannounced visit to Balkan region (RFE)
• Haradinaj: Head of CIA did not meet Kurti due to blockade from America (Telegrafi)
• Kusari: Bridge will be opened, government unanimous with president (RTK)
• Kryeziu: Kurti would not undertake any action that endangers national security (Koha)
• Svecla and Krasniqi visit families at new houses in the north (RTK)
• Bislimi claims the issue of missing persons is his priority in dialogue (media)
• Deadline for conversion of driver's licences ends today (Reporteri)
• Former Serbian policeman convicted of rape to be also tried for many war crimes (Koha)

Serbian Language Media:

• Families of missing persons: We are victims of insane politics (KoSSev, Radio KIM)
• More than 6.300 requests to convert drivers’ licences submitted by August 22 (Radio KIM)
• Djuric meets Pavuk, thanks him for Slovakia’s support on Kosovo, matters of importance to Serbia (Kosovo Online)
• Ruge concludes his visit to region: Western Balkans of strategic importance to NATO (Kosovo Online, social media)

Albanian Language Media:

RTK Workers Union asks Assembly to complete RTK Board ASAP (media)
EU without decision on lifting of measures against Kosovo (media)
Government: Keeping EU measures in force is pointless (media)
DW: After Bosnia and Serbia, CIA director is visiting Kosovo (Gazeta10)
Plane in which CIA chief is believed to have traveled to region, seen at Pristina Airport (RFE)
CBK expects 3.9% economic growth during 2024 (Koha)
Digitization of the election process begins, CEC receives software from OSCE (media)
Grenell criticizes Kurti: The whole world has condemned his unilateral actions (media)
Tahiri: Kurti has damaged, punished, and isolated Kosovo (Ekonomia)
Musliu: Veseli and friends facing the most anti-national and anti-KLA government (media)
Osmani: Honored to be awarded M100 Media Award alongside Tusk (media)

Serbian Language Media:

Macron visiting Serbia on August 29 and 30 (Kosovo Online, media)
Vucic discussed the Ibar bridge with Botsan-Kharchenko (Danas, media)
CIA Director William Burns arrives in Serbia (N1, nova.rs, media)
Lawyer: We have offered bail for Milenkovic to be released pending trial (Kosovo Online)
Shqiprim Musliu: Bujanovac will be part of Kosovo, learn to live with that (KoSSev, Bujanovacke)
French President Macron to visit Belgrade next week amid uncertainty over CIA Director Burns’ itinerary (KoSSev)

Opinion:

Belgrade - Pristina normalization talks: the west must bridge the divide (Kosovo Online)

UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, August 22, 2024

Albanian Language Media:

Other QUINT countries against opening of bridge in current circumstances (Koha)
Issue of opening of Iber bridge discussed at Osmani-Rohde meeting (media)
Serbian media: CIA director to visit Pristina, after Sarajevo and Belgrade (media)
Kurti meets Senator Chris Murphy, discuss range of topics (media)
Kurti meets Senator Welch, discuss “deepening of relations” (media)
Osmani, Devitt sign 6th amendment to Development Objectives Grant (media)
Osmani and Tusk win M100 Media Award 2024 (media)

Serbian Language Media:

Djuric met Ruge: NATO wants Serbia to play a positive role in the region (Kosovo Online, media)
Brkljac: Police reports submitted as evidence, indictment a disgrace for the prosecution (Kosovo Online, KoSSev)
26 years since the abduction of Slavuj and Perenic: We will search for them as long as we live (Kosovo Online, KiM radio, KoSSev, Radio Mitrovica sever)
Grenell criticizes Senator Murphy and USAID: Is the USA financing Kurti's unilateral and dangerous actions? (Kosovo Online)
35,000 active drug users in Kosovo (NMagazin, Beta, Kosovo Online)

International Media:

Kosovo: Potato chips bring Serbs and Albanians together (DW)
Kosovo gets €31 million US grant despite worsened relations (Balkan Insight)

Albanian Language Media:

• Osmani on U.S. grant: Whenever we work together, Kosovo wins (EO)
• Hovenier: Challenges with Kurti govt affected quality of our partnership (media)
• NATO looks to Serbia to help ensure full accountability for May and September 2023 violent acts (media)
• CEC: Parties have right to spend up to €2 million on campaign (media)
• Camaj: Over 6,000 Serbs applied to convert their drivers’ licenses (EO)
• Maqedonci: Turkiye gives donation for KSF capacity building (media)
• Vukovic meets Kurti, “we hope, work for EU future of Western Balkans” (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic met Ruge: Necessary coordination with KFOR forces in accordance with Resolution 1244 (RTS)
• Djuric: The embassy in Bern also received threats, citizens and consular representations are safe (RTS, Beta, N1, Tanjug)
• "After a failed attempt to take over a safe house in Z. Potok, they decided to copy our idea in North Mitrovica" (KoSSev)
• KiM radio: The accused of the attack on the premises of the CEC pleaded not guilty (KoSSev)
• Resident of Gorazdevac released from custody: "They are accusing me of something I didn't do" (KoSSev, Radio Gorazdevac)
• Insajderi: “Ekrem Peci, the owner of ‘C'est la vie’, on his way to take over the multimillion-dollar land in Zvecan” (KoSSev)
• Vuletic: The election campaign in Kosovo will certainly not seek the normalization of relations with the Serbs (Kosovo Online)

International:

• Kosovo- Serbia dialogue deadlock is suffocating civic initiatives (Prishtina Insight)
• Grandfather jailed in Serbia on ‘flimsy’ evidence (BBC)
• EU rejects accusation that west played role in recent anti-mining protests in Serbia (RFE)
• Silenced by scarcity: How poverty excludes Serbian women from civil society (BIRN)
• The Director of the CIA held a Series of Meetings in Sarajevo (sarajevotimes.com)