UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, January 24, 2020

Albanian Language Media:

• Grenell heralds establishment of railway line between Pristina and Belgrade (Koha)
• Konjufca expected to resign, LVV succumbs to pressure from LDK (Lajmi)
• Vetevendosje: No reason for Konjufca to resign Assembly President post (media)
• EU: Elections transparent, well-administered; counting with major shortcomings (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic after meeting Grenell: I do not accept equality sign between retractions of recognition and Pristina’s tariffs (RTS)
• Grenell in Belgrade: If you do not reach agreement, we will withdraw (Tanjug, B92)
• Grenell arrived, bringing a "new Dayton" to Vucic? (Tanjug, B92, Srpski Telegraf)
• Godfrey: Grenell’s visit shows US interest for Western Balkans (RTS)
• Drecun: The White House wants some progress between Belgrade and Pristina (RTS, Kosovo Online)
• Dacic: Ending de-recognition campaign can not be compromise over tariffs (Tanjug)
• Young Kosovo Serb journalists visit ''Klan Kosova'' TV in Pristina (KoSSev)

Opinion:

• Belgrade-Pristina Flights Won’t Get Kosovo Serbs Airborne (Prishtina Insight)
• Balkans Risks Being Caught in Crossfire Over Middle East (Balkan Insight)

• Grenell’s message in Kosovo: Set disagreements aside, focus on economy (media)
• Grenell in Belgrade: Tax and derecognition campaign to end soon (Koha/Epoka)
• Haradinaj: Tax will not be lifted until Serbia recognises Kosovo (media)
• Osmani: Grenell energised dialogue with Serbia (media)
• Kurti has two days to decide on LDK offer (Indeksonline)
• Hoti: Kurti should mind his own affairs (RTV21/RTK)
• Abrashi: I would lift tariff today, prior to Grenell’s visit to Serbia (RTK)
• New EULEX chief assumes post (media)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, January 23, 2020

Albanian Language Media:

• Grenell after meeting Kurti: We discussed economic issues (Koha)
• Kurti: Economic development discussed in meeting with Grenell (media)
• Grenell reiterates after LDK meeting: Economic issues, focal for U.S. (media)
• Thaci: Fruitful meeting with Grenell on dialogue (media)
• Thaci: Ambassadors are not here to put pressure on internal affairs (media)
• Kosovo ranks 101 on TI's corruption perception index (media)
• Haradinaj meets Andrews, talk about Kosovo-U.S. partnership (Klan)

Serbian Language Media:

• Former Pentagon official Carpenter on Kosovo issue (B92, Telegraf, Tanjug)
• NATO tells U.S. Congressman that Serbia can buy arms from whoever it wants (N1, Danas)
• Grenell to visit Belgrade on Friday (Blic, B92)
• Vucic: I appreciate Grenell’s energy, but speeding up talks with Pristina won’t go easily (BETA)
• Grenell to Thaci: Revoke tariffs to achieve progress in Belgrade-Pristina talks (N1, KoSSev)
• Vucic: Charles Michel, EC President, to organize WB leaders meeting in February (B92, Tanjug, TV Pink)
• Serbia has over 100 million euros worth projects in Kosovo (Kosovo-online, N1)
• Djuric: Belgrade-Pristina airline economic arrangement, not political dialogue (Danas, RTV)
• German and French ambassadors to Belgrade: Serbia belongs to the EU, but must meet conditions (FoNet, N1)
• Vucic: "The point is not Amfilohije, but the thesis that I will betray Kosovo" (B92, Tanjug)

Opinion:

• How Has the UN Mission in Kosovo Delivered on Action for Peacekeeping? (IPI Global Observatory)
• The Illusion of Russian Influence in the Western Balkans (The Globe Post)

International:

• U.S. Envoy Urges Kosovo, Serbia Turn Eyes on Economy, Jobs (AP/NYT)
• Corruption Fight Faltering in Balkans, Central Europe, Transparency Says (Balkan Insight)
• Kosovo jails eight over plot to kill president and prime minister (Reuters)
• Details of Kosovo-Serbia flight deal revealed (Prishtina Insight)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Kosovo’s wealth still buried underground (Prishtina Insight)

• Grenell with no preferences for coalition, wants dialogue to resume (media)
• Thaci: We will reach agreement with Serbia with President Trump (RTK)
• Grenell will first meet Kurti, then Mustafa (Indeksonline)
• LDK, LVV rule out other partners for coalition government (media)
• Osmani: Grenell’s visit, high interest of White House for Kosovo (Klan)
• Haxhiu: We will work hard to reach agreement in coming days (Bota Sot)
• LDK’s Bajrami calls for Konjufca’s resignation (RTK)
• Osmani: We want to resume talks, LVV to look into our proposal (Klan)
• Apostolova calls for quick formation of new government (media)
• Haradinaj continues to "cripple" Kosovo budget (Zeri)
• Hoxhaj: Mini-Schengen is Serbia’s idea; we cannot share sovereignty with it (Zeri)
• PDK appoints new leadership (media)

Albanian Language Media:

• Ambasador Grenell visits Pristina and Belgrade this week (Koha)
• In Davos, Thaci meets president of World Economic Forum (media)
• Finnish ambassador: There is hope for coalition agreement (Klan Kosova)
• Haradinaj and Apostolova meet to discuss latest developments in Kosovo (media)
• Haradinaj nominates Lulzim Rafuna for the Minister of Finance (RTK)
• The U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary Jorgen Andrews to visit Kosovo tomorrow (RTK)
• Haradinaj: Belgrade line is not related to tariff (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Borrell to visit Belgrade on January 30 (Tanjug)
• Vucic spoke to O'Brien in Davos (Tanjug, B92)
• Reactions from Belgrade and Srpska Lista on BG-PR flight deal (KoSSev, Radio KIM, BETA)
• Djuric on Belgrade-Pristina flight: We will inform KFOR and UNMIK (KoSSev)
• Vucic: Tariffs unsustainable, problem to be resolved after Kosovo government is formed (BETA)
• Grenell: This is just the beginning of a bright future we predict for Serbia and Kosovo (N1, Blic)

International:

• Serbia president Vučić 'fed up of being lectured' over ties with Russia and China (Euronews)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Discrimination in the name of neutrality (Prishtina Insight)

• Kosovo statehood undermined in Pristina-Belgrade flights agreement (Koha)
• EU learnt of Pristina-Belgrade flights through the media (RFE)
• Mustafa says negotiations with LVV need to be concluded by week’s end (media)
• Thaci expects new government to be formed soon (Bloomberg/RTK)
• Nagavci hopes Mustafa’s statement is not a blackmail or ultimatum (Klan)
• Beqiri does not exclude coalition with AAK, NISMA and minorities (media)
• Grenell to visit Kosovo tomorrow (media)
• Borell to visit Kosovo next week (Gazeta Express)
• Thaci meets President Trump’s adviser Robert O’Brian (RTK)
• Haradinaj to hold meeting of the government today (RTK)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, January 21, 2020

Albanian Language Media:

• Kosnett: President Trump has worked hard for agreement to restore Pristina-Belgrade flights (media)
• Veseli: Kosovo on the right track when it has U.S. support (media)
• Veliu: LDK has no other offer for LVV (RTK)
• British Ambassador visits Mustafa prior to LDK’s leadership meeting (Express)
• Mustafa confirms diplomatic pressure for the formation of the government (Express)
• In Davos, Thaci meets Croatian PM Plenkovic (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• US, Serbian presidents welcome Belgrade-Pristina flights agreement (N1)
• Serwer comments on Belgrade-Pristina flight, role of US (B92, Tanjug)
• O'Brien retweeted Vucic (BETA, B92)
• Agreement on airline unclear, however, the influence of the US is clear (Radio KIM)
• Vucic to participate with Thaci in a panel at the World Economic Forum in Davos (Tanjug, B92)
• Serbian president Vucic meets Croatian prime minister Plenkovic in Davos (FoNet, BETA, N1)

Opinion:

• Buckle up, we are in for a bumpy ride (Prishtina Insight)
• EU Has Turned Enlargement into a Hamster Wheel (Balkan Insight)

International:

• Serbia-Kosovo Flights to Resume Under U.S.-Brokered Deal (The New York Times)
• Serb Policemen Plead Not Guilty to Kosovo War Crimes (Balkan Insight)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Construction on the shore of Badovac Lake a potential environmental problem (Kosovo online)
• A family denied (Prishtina Insight)
• Wounds that don’t heal (Prishtina Insight)
• The World Health Organization to hold an emergency meeting on China coronavirus (B92, Tanjug)

• 15-day countdown for Kurti begins (media)
• Reintroduction of Pristina-Belgrade air route facilitated by the U.S. (Koha)
• Kosovo leaders hail Pristina-Belgrade flight agreement (media)
• KDI seeks transparency on Pristina-Belgrade flight agreement (Zeri)
• British Embassy calls for swift formation of government (media)
• LDK to hold meeting of presidency today (media)
• Nagavci: Together with LDK, we should fulfill hopes for change (media)
• PDK: LVV responsible for current crisis (media)
• LDK nominates Abdullah Hoti caucus, LVV has not made a proposal yet (RTK)
• Thaci to participate at Davos World Economic Forum (media)
• Apostolova: EU remains committed to help Kosovo’s path towards EU (media)

Albanian Language Media:

• Vetevendosje proposes Albin Kurti as Prime Minister nominee (Klan Kosova)
• President Thaci invites Kurti to give him PM mandate (media)
• Kurti: LDK’s message ‘take it or leave it’, means leave it (media)
• Kurti needs to form a new government by February 4 (Indeksonline)
• Haxhiu: Time for LDK to prove it wants the change (media)
• LDK: Despite unilateral moves by LVV, we are open to agreement (Telegrafi)
• Pristina-Belgrade air route to be launched in the near future (Gazeta Express)
• Thaci hails initiative for launch of Pristina-Belgrade flights (Kallxo)
• Stoltenberg: KFOR retains authority over Kosovo airspace (Koha)
• Osmani claims will for reach of the agreement with LVV exists (RTK)

Serbian Language Media:

• Worrying data, but for whom - Serbia or the EU? (B92, Blic)
• Russian MFA: Post-election chaos and struggle for power continue in Kosovo (KoSSev)
• Saturday protest devoted to slain Kosovo Serb leader (Beta, N1)
• Serbian trade minister says Kosovo tariffs cause one million-euro daily damages (N1, Novosti)
• Belgrade-Pristina flight to be reinstated? (B92, RTS)

International:

• Engel Presses Top Navy Admiral on United States Policy on Serbia (foreign affairs.house.gov)
• Kosovo's Vetevendosje Party Nominates Leader Kurti For PM (RFE)
• Serbs Say Air Link May Reopen With Kosovo Two Decades After War (Bloomberg)
• Statement by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on direct flights between Belgrade and Pristina (nato.int)
• US brokers prospective flights between Serbia, Kosovo (The Washington Post)

Humanitarian/Development:

• BIRN Fact-check: The Air We Breathe (Balkan Insight)
• The World’s 2,153 Billionaires Are Richer Than 4.6 Billion People, Says Oxfam (Bloomberg)

• Thaci: Kurti should either accept or refuse nomination (media)
• Mustafa calls on LVV to show readiness for coalition agreement (Zeri)
• Osmani: No path is more righteous than people’s voice for change (media)
• Palokaj: Government to be formed for Kosovo’s needs (Koha)
• Der Standard: Kosovo towards elections if government not formed by February 24
• Engel: Serbia’s integration road closed until it recognises Kosovo (media)
• Konjufca calls meeting of Assembly presidency (media)
• Vetevendosje denies reports about Konjufca’s possible resignation (Express)