UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, May 5, 2021

Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: 153 new cases, 4 deaths (media)
• Varhelyi on Pfizer vaccines: The most important contribution we could make (Klan)
• President’s Office: Kosovo can’t guarantee interim release of Thaci et al (Express)
• Government: Laws forbid us guarantee conditional release of the accused by the Special Court (Koha)
• Haxhiu: Government program to be voted on Friday (RTK)
• Varhelyi: News about ‘non-paper’ is not true (RTK)
• Croatian President Milanovic: I cannot offer guarantees for Thaci (Koha)
• Minister Haxhiu speaks about property confiscation and vetting (Klan)
• Excavations Resume in Serbia’s Mass Graves (Exit.al)
• Coalition of NGOs call for inclusion of Serb victims in Podujevo memorial (Prishtina Insight)

Serbian Language Media:

• Arancha Gonzalez: Spain maintains its principled position not to recognize Kosovo (KoSSev)
• Vucic on ‘genocide’ lawsuit (B92, N1)
• “Kosovo genocide lawsuit Kurti’s populist act” (Danas)
• Trajkovic: Announced lawsuit a way to suppress support to Specialist Court (Radio KIM)
• HLC: Memorial plaque of victims killed in Luzane in 1999 unveiled; names of Serbs not included (KoSSev)
• Excavations near Raska continue (Radio KIM)
• Office for KiM: House of Jacovic family in Vitina stoned (Kontakt plus radio, KoSSev)
• Additional financial assistance announced for those vaccinated (media)
• Office for KiM continues to provide housing for Serbs in Kosovo (TV Most)

Opinion:

• Easter “greetings” of Albin Kurti, humiliation and obliteration of Serbs and SOC (Politika)

International:

• EU Inaction Blamed for Proposal to Redraw Balkan Borders (Balkan Insight)

Humanitarian/Development:

• EC: EU to ease restrictions on non-essential travels; Serbia maybe on list soon (N1)

Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: 75 new cases, 4 (media)
• EC denies Kocijancic drafted non-paper, “ridiculous speculation” (Lajmi)
• Freedom of speech under threat (Koha Ditore/Radio Free Europe)
• AAK ready to join the dialogue with Serbia (media)
• Dutch PM: Netherlands supports Kosovo efforts to fight corruption (media)
• Kosovo Security Force to take part in NATO exercises in Albania (Telegrafi)
• Haradinaj welcomes KSF participation in NATO exercise (media)
• Croatia denies reports it offered guarantees for Thaci’s interim release (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• EU’s Várhelyi in Belgrade: Bloc sends 651,000 vaccines to region (FoNet, Beta, N1)
• Djuric: We have no non-papers, but our own ''yes-paper'' (Tanjug, Blic)
• Kosovo to file genocide charges against Serbia next year; Office for KiM: "Kosovo cannot sue its own state" (KiM radio, KoSSev)
• Biggest problem of media reporting is the lack of cooperation with the institutions (KiM radio, Slobodno Srpski)
• Security, freedom and work of journalists in Kosovo endangered (Kontakt plus radio, KiM radio, KoSSev)
• US State Department on Kosovo: Pressure on media, hampered restitution (media)
• BIRODI: Media in Serbia becoming industry of populism (Beta, N1)
• Vucic receives Russian ambassador (Tanjug, N1, Blic)
• SPC Patriarch: Cohabitation between Serbs & Albanians possible (media)

Opinion:

• The 'non-paper' carving up Balkans and undermining Europe (euobserver.com)
• Slovenia’s ‘Non-Paper’ is no Stunt but a Worrying Omen (Balkan Insight)

International:

• In Serbia, fake news is spread by state-backed media (euracticve.com)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Already Isolated, COVID-19 Takes Heavy Toll on Kosovo’s Disabled (Balkan Insight)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, April 29, 2021

Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: 269 new cases, 9 deaths (media)
• Kurti meets NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg (media)
• Borrell: Kosovo’s European path goes through dialogue (media)
• Government engages external experts to help prepare for dialogue (Express)
• LDK demands greater commitment on dealing with the dialogue (Kallxo)
• Lekaj: Non-paper document unacceptable (Kosova Press, media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Covid-19 in Serbian communities: 17 new cases, one death (Kontakt plus radio)
• Petkovic to international missions in Kosovo: Protect believers and SOC facilities during the holidays (KoSSev)
• "Flammable rhetoric and inefficiency of police and judiciary affects security" (KiM radio)
• On "genocide in Kosovo": Use of terminology that has not been officially proven (VoA, KoSSev, KiM radio)
• Stano: EU ready for continuation of dialogue as soon as Pristina and Belgrade agree on acceptable dates (Kosovo-online)
• Vucic in meeting with Godfrey: Serbia has always been ready for open dialogue with Pristina (Kosovo-online)
• Matthew Palmer: US unconditionally supports Bosnia’s territorial integrity (N1)
• Serbian Patriarch prays for COVID patients, Serbs in Kosovo (N1)
• Stoltenberg: Dialogue the only way to achieve a lasting political solution (Kosovo-online)
• EU Delegation denies Serbian tabloid’s claims about non-paper (N1, Kosovo Online)

Humanitarian/Development:

• WHO: The rich used 82 percent of all corona vaccines (FoNet, N1, AP)
• Deputy mayor says almost half of Belgrade residents vaccinated (N1)

Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: 327 new cases, five deaths (media)
• Kurti will not be part of 11 May dialogue meeting (media)
• Kurti kicks off Brussels visit by meeting Belgian PM (media)
• Germany reiterates it has not authored latest non-paper (media)
• Kosovo needs systematic vetting process, U.S. Embassy says (RFE)
• Thaci congratulates Albania's Rama on projected election win (media)
• Kosovo to take part in multinational military exercise (media)
• Following petition, Netflix includes Kosovo to the list of countries (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Kurti: A new round of dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina will not be held on May 11 (N1)
• Freedom House says situation in Serbia continues to deteriorate (N1)
• Serbia donated to North Macedonia additional 13.000 vaccines (Kosovo-online)
• Office for KiM: Pristina cannot attribute non-paper to Belgrade (Beta, Novi Magazin)
• Vucic on non-paper, Osmani’s statement, Netflix (Kosovo-online)
• Jeremic: Non-paper trial balloon for Serbian Orthodox Church (KoSSev)
• Stojanovic: Non-paper on Kosovo not acceptable for Serbian citizens (N1)
• The idea of the autonomy of the North close to both Berlin and Paris (Danas)
• Trial to former minister Rikalo and others continues (Kontakt plus radio)
• Army of Serbia donates anti-Covid equipment to EU missions in Africa (N1)
• Djuric with Reeker: Confirmation of Serbia-US partnership (RTS)
• Kandic: ''Why is the Special Court of Kosovo controversial?'' (Kosovo Online, Twitter)

Opinion:

• Dangerous map games in the Balkans (ekathimerini.com)
• The baleful phantom of border changes haunts the Balkans (Financial Times)

International:

• Kosovo recalls war victims on National Missing Person’s Day (AP)
• Kosovo War Survivors Nervous About Participating in Guerrillas’ Trials (Balkan Insight)
• Serbia’s Vucic ‘treating the EU as if stupid were its middle name’ (euractive.com)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, April 27, 2021

Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: 194 new cases, 8 deaths (media)
• Rohde: Non-paper published by Koha Ditore is fake news! (media)
• French Embassy: We are not the source of the non-paper (media)
• Kosovo government reacts to non-paper (media)
• Kosnett: Dialogue essential to Kosovo economic success and integration (media)
• Michel to Kurti: Looking forward to working together (media)
• Kosnett: Fate of missing persons should not be hostage to politics (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Covid-19 in Serbian areas: 23 new cases, one death (KoSSev)
• Vucic: Non-paper composed by somebody “very, very smart” (N1)
• Deimel: No one, including Berlin officials, knows about the non-paper, maybe the test balloon (KoSSev)
• Vucic: Imagine sanctions on Russia and its support of us in return (Beta, N1)
• EU to Serbia: Improve rule of law, media freedom; adjust foreign policy (N1)
• US State Dept: Speculation on redrawing Balkan borders may foster instability (VoA, N1)
• BCSP: Majority of Serbian citizens want broad autonomy for Kosovo, but they know it is unrealistic (KoSSev)
• Serbian List condemns attack on Lazar Djordjevic in Gojbulja (TV Most)
• Bilcik: Vucic commitment to reforms crucial (N1)
• Vucic: Kosovo Serbs want to be vaccinated, Pristina authorities ban our help (Tanjug, Kosovo Online)
• Gerxhaliu: Excavations in Kizevak will start again on May 5 (Kosovo Online, RFE)

Opinion:

• Demands to relocate the Specialist Chambers are unlikely to be met (Kosovo 2.0)

International:

• Serbia, Kosovo Must Make Missing Persons a Priority: Report (Balkan Insight)
• Brussels steps up pressure on Serbia over Kosovo talks (euronews.com)
• Small is Beautiful: Citizens’ Movements Are Bringing Democratic Change to Balkans (Balkan Insight)
• Edi Rama declares victory in Albanian elections, 92% polling stations counted (EWB)