UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, April 27, 2020

Albanian Language Media:

• Kurti: Govt overthrown ‘because we were ending state capture’ (Prishtina Insight)
• Veseli: Serbia must answer for its crimes before an international tribunal (media)
• Osmani: Serbia is not ready for peace (media)
• Haxhiu: Thaci must publish letter for PM candidate to LDK (media)
• “War crimes are not pardoned; they need to be tried and condemned” (media)
• Health Institute: Stop pressure on us, we cannot test everyone at once (media)
• “All data show increase of cases of domestic violence” (Radio Free Europe)

Serbian Language Media:

• North Kosovo: Five new cases diagnosed with Covid-19 (Kontakt plus radio)
• Incidents affecting Serb community in Kosovo (Kosovo-online)
• Trifunovic: 23 years we live in darkness, looking for truth about missing persons (Kosovo-online)
• Blakaj: Attacks on Gashi are wrong, we must acknowledge all victims regardless of nationality (Kosovo Online)
• YIHR and HLC Kosovo condemn criticism and protests over Gashi’s statement (KoSSev)
• Elections in Serbia in July? (media)
• UN SG Gutteres calls Belgrade, Pristina to continue dialogue (BETA, N1)
• Dacic tells UN Security Council Pristina not ready to continue dialogue (BETA, N1)
• Opposition leader calls Serbian Government to revoke holiday curfew decision (BETA, N1)

Opinion:

• Why we should be worried about the fall of Kosovo’s government? (EWB)

International:

• Kosovo PM Sacks Adviser for Criticising Wartime Guerrillas (Balkan Insight)
• Kurti Will Not Oppose Protests Against New Govt in Kosovo (Balkan Insight)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Domestic violence cases on increase compared to last year (KoSSev)
• Vucic discusses pandemic fallout with EBRD President (FoNet, N1)

• Covid-19: 32 new cases confirmed, total number 767 (media)
• Four KFOR members evacuated after testing positive for Covid-19 (Kallxo)
• Vitia: We will decide on new measures on 30 April (T7/Telegrafi)
• President's decree can only be challenged when a non-winning party is mandated (Koha)
• Kurti: Missing persons, the first thing to be discussed in dialogue (media)
• Muhaxheri: Formation of new government is close (RTK)
• Selmanaj says coalition government to be voted this week (media)
• Pacolli: We are not interested to be part of any government (Lajmi.net)
• Kurti dismisses his advisor, Shkelzen Gashi (media)
• Visa liberalisation – injustice that will not be corrected soon (media)

• Covid-19: 34 new cases confirmed, total number 703 (media)
• UN Security Council discusses situation in Kosovo (media)
• Kurti discusses Covid-19, political situation with U.S. Congressman Engel (media)
• LDK general council endorses Hoti's candidacy for PM (Koha)
• Kurti says LVV is not behind initiative for protests in May (Telegrafi)
• Gashi: I did not say KLA committed crimes but some of its members (media)

Albanian Language Media:

• Thaci sends official request for PM candidate to Mustafa (media)
• Isa Mustafa refuses to be PM candidate (Ekonomia Online)
• Hoti as PM candidate: We will fight pandemic, govt will lead the dialogue (media)
• Bislimi: If Thaci violates Constitution, he will be dismissed (Indeksonline)
• UNICEF, USAID deliver hygiene packages to families in need (media)
• Civil society associations urge citizens to pay tribute to missing persons (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic: "If anyone thinks it's time for someone to physically take away Valac and Gazivode, I beg them not to" (B92, Tanjug)
• Serb National Forum: What happened with “we will not give Gazivode away”? (KoSSev)
• Three new cases of Covid-19 infection in north, four persons have recovered (Kosovo-online)
• Vucic: ''We’re paying for a lot of things in KiM, not because all perform their duties, but we want to strengthen the
healthcare system there'' (KoSSev)
• Kurti accepts Rasic's resignation (RTK2)
• “Movement ban to be harmonized with working hours of institutions” (Radio KIM)
• Harassment of journalists and lawyer, their vehicles photographed (Radio KIM)
• Journalists’ associations request police to determine who harassed journalists in Kuzmin (Radio KIM)
• 21st anniversary of the NATO bombing of Radio Television of Serbia (RTS, B92, N1)
• 22 years ago first massive kidnappings of Serbs in Kosovo started (Kosovo-online)
• Cadez, Palmer discuss regional economic integration after pandemic (Beta, N1)
• Vucic announces curfew for weekend from Friday to Monday (B92)

Opinion:

• Let Bill Clinton's failed Kosovo strategy wither amid the COVID-19 pandemic (The Washington Times)
• Trump’s Political Survival Will Shape the Western Balkans (Balkan Insight)

International:

• Kosovo Closer to Getting new LDK-AAK Government (Balkan Insight)
• Thaci offers govt mandate to ‘whoever can command majority’ (Prishtina Insight)
• Kosovo, political crisis in times of coronavirus (Osservatorio)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Pandemic measures further complicate problems with human rights in the Western Balkans (EWB)
• Pandemic-Era Online Schooling Exposes Big Balkan Disparities (Balkan Insight)

• Covid-19: 26 new cases confirmed, ten recoveries (media)
• President Thaci offers mandate to whoever can secure majority (media)
• Kurti: We will send President to Constitutional Court (media)
• Kurti to Thaci: We have not yet replied to request for proposing PM candidate (Telegrafi)
• Osmani: Thaci cannot speak on my behalf (media)
• Abazi: Thaci is using Mustafa to divide LDK (media)
• Haziri: Osmani's post not undermined despite new circumstances (Telegrafi)
• Hasani: President trying to command political will in unconstitutional fashion (RFE)
• Haradinaj will ask his party to give one ministry to PSD (Indeksonline)
• Krasniqi: Kurti has no right to enter Assembly anymore (TV Dukagjini)
• Serbian List against new elections (RTK)
• EP rapporteur slams Thaci's decision for new government (media)
• Lajcak thanks regional leaders for supporting dialogue (media)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, April 22, 2020

Albanian Language Media:

• Thaci: LVV has not proposed candidate for PM (Koha)
• EC proposes €3 billion aid package for the region, Kosovo to get 100 million (media)
• LDK, AAK leaders meet to discuss new government formation (media)
• Ahmeti: A functioning govt, broad consensus in time of pandemics (Indeksonline)
• Kosnett: Corruption made many young people go to Syria (RTK)
• 58 patients at Infectious Disease Clinic (RTK)

Serbian Language Media:

• One new case of Covid-19 infection in northern Kosovo, six persons healed (Kosovo-online)
• CoE Human Rights commissioner warns of state of human rights in Europe (N1)
• Office for KiM: Pandemic must not be reason to spread propaganda and lies (Kosovo-online)
• "No end in sight to instability in Kosovo, even the relationship among Albanians deteriorated'' (RTS, B92, RTV Puls, KIM radio)
• Covic: Serbia to maintain active approach and not rush with solution for Kosovo (Prva TV, Kosovo-online)
• Reporters Without Borders: Serbia drops to 93rd, Kosovo moves up to 70th place (KoSSev)

Opinion:

• Danas: Kosovo equation with many unknowns

Humanitarian/Development:

• NGO calls on mayors to assist communities in distance learning courses (Telegrafi)
• Balkan Countries Start to Lift Some Coronavirus Restrictions (Balkan Insight)

• Kosovo: Six new cases of COVID-19 reported yesterday (media)
• Kurti: Kosovo faces three crises - health, economic, political (media)
• Waiting for President Thaci’s decision (Radio Free Europe)
• LDK to depend on PDK and Serbian List votes (Kallxo)
• Veseli says PDK will neither join LVV nor LDK in forming new govt (media)
• Muhaxheri: Mustafa sent letter to potential partners (media)
• Mustafa writes to Haradinaj about the new government (RTK)
• PDK names conditions for forming new government (Koha/Kallxo)
• Krasniqi: We will not vote Mustafa for Prime Minister (RTK)
• Kusari-Lila: New govt will depend on votes of Serbian List and PDK (Klan K.)
• “Mustafa isolated Osmani, she is now just an individual with votes in LDK” (media)
• Journalist association condemns publication of victims' personal details (Telegrafi)

Albanian Language Media:

• 55 patients are being treated at the Infectious Disease Clinic, one in serious condition (Koha)
• Mustafa: We are waiting for President’s invitation to a meeting (Express)
• Abdixhiku says he’ll respect every decision of LDK Council (media)
• Albanian-American Civic League asks Trump to relieve Grenell (media)
• UNSC to hold a video conference on Kosovo on 24 April (Koha)
• Kosovo ranked five places higher at world press freedom index (media)
• LDK condemns Kurti’s ‘denigrating and insulting discourse’ (Koha)

Serbian Language Media:

• ''Reviewing of indictments against former KLA members underway'' (Blic, Tanjug)
• Two new Covid-19 infection cases registered in north (Kosovo-online)
• Emergency teams from north refute Pristina’s allegations of 25 new coronavirus cases on Monday (KoSSev)
• UNS: Kosovo media to issue retraction over news that SOC is fighting COVID-19 by using “Russian methods” (KoSSev)
• Borell: EU has to explain its stabilizing role in Western Balkans (N1)

International:

• Kosovo Leaders Tussle Over Plan to Form New Govt (Balkan Insight)
• After the Pandemic: Perils and Promises for Western Balkans (Balkan Insight)
• Some Balkan States Waging ‘Crusade’ Against Media, Report Warns (Balkan Insight)

Humanitarian/Development:

• COVID-19 and Domestic Abuse: When Home is not the Safest Place (Balkan Insight)
• Kon: State of emergency annulment before epidemic ends in Serbia (RTS, N1)

37 new cases of COVID-19 in Kosovo over the last 24-hour period (media)
Kurti speaks Covid-19 and new elections to int’l media reps (media)
Kosovan acting PM accuses Trump envoy of meddling (The Guardian)
Thaci: I’ll take final constitutional steps next week (media)
Grenell denies talk of land swaps between Kosovo and Serbia (media)
Serwer: A really bad deal (media)
Borell: EU to work to resolve differences between Kosovo and Serbia (media)
KOSTT joins European energy operators (media)
Kurti: Veliu was part of Thaci – Vucic plan for Kosovo partition (Express)
Mustafa doesn't rule out PM candidacy (Klan Kosova)
Nagavci: Mustafa has set himself in Thaci’s service (RTK)
Shala: U.S. did not accept Kurti as head of delegation for dialogue (media)
Kurti: Covid-19 tests from Serbia should not be politicised (Telegrafi)
Osmani: No aid from Serbia can erase its committed crimes in Kosovo (RTK)
Krasniqi: Kurti enabled Vucic to try to atone genocidal crimes with tests (Klan)
EU MPs call for visa liberalisation for Kosovo as soon as possible (Express)

• 53 patients with COVID-19 are being treated at hospital, two in serious condition (media)
• Kurti: I will only meet with the President to announce elections and for the pandemic (media)
• Thaci to Kurti: Nominate the prime minister-designate “without delay” (media)
• Kurti and Lajcak agree that dialogue should resume after pandemic (RTK)
• Lajcak: I will continue to cooperate closely with the U.S. (media)
• COVID-19 won’t stop Kosovo war crimes court from filing indictments (Express)
• Konjufca discusses support on visa liberalization with German FM Mass (media)
• Osmani joins campaign against domestic violence (RTK)