UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, August 17, 2020

Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: 129 new cases, nine deaths (media)
• 40 coronavirus patients treated in Kosovo hospitals, in critical condition (media)
• Hoti: Final preparations underway for start of school year (media)
• Decan Mayor reacts to calls for halting road construction works (media)
• Decan Mayor sends letter to heads of state on Decan – Plav road (media)
• Vetevendosje seeks clarifications for halting of Decan-Plav road construction (media)
• Germany supports visa liberalisation, some countries still hesitant (RFE)
• PM Hoti calls on youth to join KSF (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Five cases of Covid-19 registered in Serb areas in Kosovo yesterday (Radio KIM)
• Blic: Grenell, Vucic and Hoti would discuss economy in White House, not politics
• Djuric: Pristina appeases domestic public saying it talks about independence (Kosovo-online)
• Countryman: Belgrade and Pristina not ready to reach agreement (N1, RFE)
• Hoti on suspension of works on Decani-Plav road section; Janjic: We were never against road, but its construction within SPZ (KoSSev)
• Simic: Works near Decani Monastery form of pressure before continuation of dialogue (Kosovo-online)
• KFOR Commander visited municipality and Visoki Decani Monastery (KoSSev)
• Novosti: Serbian Government and SOC to form team for protection of cultural heritage
• Brnabic: International community to clearly prevent jeopardy of cultural heritage (Kosovo-online)
• Thaci: Gazivode jewel of Kosovo, Djuric: Jewel heart of Serbia (Kosovo-online)

Opinion:

• Access to 10% of our pensions will not revive the Kosovo economy (Prishtina Insight)
• Kosovo is a test of Israel’s moral character (The Jerusalem Post)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Economic Downturn Prompts Germany to Cap Western Balkan Workers (Balkan Insight)

Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: 142 new cases, eight deaths (media)
• Ministry of Health aims to increase COVID-19 testing capacities (Kallxo)
• Thaci welcomes announcement of Washington meeting (media)
• Kurti: Grenell wants a foreign policy success in final hours (media)
• EU welcomes any initiative in support of Kosovo-Serbia dialogue it facilitates (Koha)
• KLA associations to submit request for amending law on Specialist Chambers (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• 17 new cases of Covid-19 in Serbian municipalities in Kosovo (Kontakt plus radio)
• Djuric: Hoti’s provocative messages, a cheap attempt to create a bad political climate (Kosovo Online)
• Possible parliamentary elections in a year and a half? (media)
• Vucic: Serbia not in a position to refuse talks (B92)
• Diocese warns: Construction of the Decani-Plav road within the protective zone of the monastery Visoki Decani continues (KoSSev)
• Djuric reaction on stopping Bishop Teodosije at Jarinje crossing, ''an arrogant act of arbitrariness'' (media)
• Bishop Teodosije turned back from Jarinje (KoSSev)

International:

• Week in Review: Hope Versus Fatalism (Balkan Insight)
• Trump White House Will Host Talks for Leaders of Serbia, Kosovo (Bloomberg)

Humanitarian/Development:

• SEE Digital Rights Network Established (Balkan Insight)

Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: 193 new cases, eight deaths (media)
• Hoti: COVID-19 situation in Kosovo, grave (media)
• CDHRF says citizens should not be paying for COVID-19 tests (media)
• Draft law on KLA values doesn't pass first reading (media)
• PDK MP vows to reintroduce draft law on KLA (media)
• Gucati: Sooner or later law on KLA values will be adopted (media)
• Civil society groups call on PDK to withdraw draft law on KLA values (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• In Serbian areas in Kosovo five new cases of Covid-19 (Kontakt plus radio)
• Serbian FM Dacic: "Their whole policy is based on lies" (B92, TV Prva)
• Seventeen years since the crime on the Bistrica river (media)
• Djuric: "Anniversary of the murder of Serbian children in Gorazdevac, failure of international justice in KiM" (media)
• CEAS: ''KLA Law continues to intimidate Serbs, an attempt at historical revisionism''(Kosovo Online)
• PDK MP: ''Serbs to respect the ‘KLA’ because it also fought for their freedom'' (KoSSev, Gazeta Express)
• Serbia loses € bill due to lack of foreign tourists; export to Kosovo € 86 mil (Beta, N1)

International:

• ‘Universal Enemy’: A Reappraisal of Jihadism through the Lens of Bosnia (Balkan Insight)

Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: 205 new cases, 11 deaths (media)
• ZDF: COVID-19 situation in Kosovo has spiralled out of control (Klan/Zeri)
• Committee calls for harmonised response to Serbian forces patrolling in Karaceva (Koha)
• Karaceva residents protest over patrolling of Serbian forces (media)
• AAK’s Tahiri: No coalition problems with LDK (Kosovapress)

Serbian Language Media:

• In Serb areas in Kosovo, five new cases, two cured and one deceased (Kontakt plus radio)
• Dacic: It is hypocritical to accuse Serbia and Vucic of recognizing Kosovo (Kosovo Online, Tanjug)
• Kosovo's fmr official: Over 70 pct of medical material from Serbia in 2016-2019 (FoNet, Kosovo Online, N1)
• AP: NATO committed to stronger partnership with Serbia (AP, N1)
• Vucic denies Serbia purchases Chinese AA system, says thinks about it (Beta, N1)
• Is Belgrade thinking about buying Chinese AA system, or is it a done deal? (N1)

Opinion:

• Don’t Blame Balkan Citizens For the Latest COVID Surge (Balkan Insight)

International:

• Kosovo Divisions Risk Undermining EU Push for Deal with Serbia (Balkan Insight)
• EU financial assistance signed with Kosovo and North Macedonia, agreed with Albania and Montenegro (EWB)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Kon: The vaccine will not provide the safest protection; Masks for a longer period (B92, RTS)

Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19 report: 171 new cases, 13 deaths (media)
• PM Hoti calls for coordination in security area, especially with KFOR (media)
• Vetevendosje wants intelligence chief to report to the Assembly (media)
• Osmani: Kosovo’s territory is inviolable (Ekonomia Online)
• Vetevendosje MP calls for vote on no-confidence motion (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Crisis Staff in North to receive results later today, press conference tomorrow at noon (Kontakt plus radio)
• Serbia's Justice Min: Belgrade will never give up processing KLA war crimes (Vecernje Novosti, N1)
• Deliberate dramatization of a routine action? (KIM radio)
• Vulin: Armed Forces of Serbia did not illegally cross the ABL, it was a regular patrol with KFOR (KoSSev)
• RFE: US warns Serbia over Chinese AA missile system purchase (N1, Beta)

Opinion:

• Omens for Post-Pandemic Balkans Don’t Look Promising (Balkan Insight)
• Countering Russia’s Influence Operations in the Balkans (realcleardefense.com)
• The spirit of “Greater Albania” acquires Brussels substance (moderndiplomacy.eu)

International:

• Putin: Russia becomes first country to approve a COVID-19 vaccine (Reuters)
• Will Serbia and Kosovo Open Up Secret War Archives? (Balkan Insight)
• Pompeo Visit: US’s Anti-China Recruitment Drive Targets Willing Central Europeans (Balkan Insight)
• NATO over-sensitive to Serbia’s pragmatic arms purchase from China (globaltimes.cn)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Are we approaching Covid-19 collapse? (Kosovo 2.0)
• Serbia’s Crisis Staff: The youngest return to school, combined classes for higher grade pupils (B92, Tanjug)