UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, October 21, 2020

Albanian Language Media:

• Minister of Health: 124 new cases of COVID - 19, no deaths (media)
• Hoti: We have taken over the government at the worst situation (RTK)
• Hoti justifies dismissals of heads of Police, KTA and Customs (RTK)
• “Pausing from membership bids, so we don’t fail in the future” (media)
• Rohde reacts to disbanding of Anti-Corruption Task Force (media)
• NISMA and AKR with a joint parliamentary group (media)
• Tahiri invites the U.S. to open defense department office in Kosovo (RTK)
• Haxhiu: Vetevendosje members are being accused without facts (media)
• Kosovo’s Ambassador to France reacts amid threats (media)
• Budget committee doesn’t adopt economic recovery bill (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• 17 new cases of Covid-19 registered in Serb areas in Kosovo (KoSSev)
• Security Council today on the report of the UN Secretary General on Kosovo (media)
• Vucic: Elections latest by April 3, 2022, Dacic Assembly Speaker (RTS)
• Brnabic: Authorities face risk with early elections (BETA, N1)
• Reactions to Serbia's early vote (N1)
• Djilas: Vucic admitted that boycott succeeded (Danas)
• BETA's editor: Vucic starts campaign for early vote in Serbia he sets for 2022 (N1)
• Vucic and Medvedev on Moscow-Belgrade relations, coronavirus pandemic (N1)
• Djuric: Future government will deal with protection of state and national interests in Kosovo (Radio Mitrovica sever)
• Where is Biden's plan for Serbia? (B92)
• Hoti: No ZSO with executive powers (KIM radio, RTV Puls)

Opinion:

• Vucic Announced New Elections Even Before New Government Constitution (Balkan Insight)

International:

• BSF: Western Balkans is influenced by strong anti-Western narratives (EWB)
• EU-Western Balkans: Time is of the essence (eureporter.co)

Humanitarian/Development:

• New UN gender study: Women ‘far from having an equal voice to men’ (news.un.org, N1)
• Andjelka Cup received award for reporting on poverty (Radio KIM)
• Kon: Face mask and physical distance – 99 pct protection (N1)
• Coronavirus second wave: Which countries in Europe are experiencing a fresh spike in COVID-19 cases? (euronews.com)
• For Kosovo’s Judo Stars, Medals Must Wait (Balkan Insight)
• EU commissioner advocates joint migration management with Western Balkans (N1, Hina)

Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: 130 new cases, one death (media)
• Hoti: Unified character of Kosovo will not touched (media)
• Thaci announces date for mayoral elections in Podujeve, Mitrovica North (media)
• PM Hoti gives consent to opening diplomatic mission in Israel (media)
• Surroi: No conditioning the issue of missing persons (Koha)
• Former U.S. ambassador welcomes Biden program on Kosovo, Albania (media)
• Vetevendosje leader in Albania arrested by police (media)
• GLPS: Dissolving anti-corruption task force, attempt to interfere in judiciary (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Guterres called on Belgrade and Pristina for flexibility and creativity in overcoming differences (Danas, NMagazin, Beta, N1)
• Stano: Kosovo must fulfill obligations, if it has ambition to eventually join EU (Kosovo-online)
• Serbia's Vucic among 11 politicians awarded by Israel (N1)
• Belgrade marks 76th anniversary of liberation in WWII (BETA, N1)
• Journalists’ Association of Serbia and its branch in Kosovo condemned the attack on journalist Shkumbin Kajtazi (Kosovo Online)
• Rakic met with US delegation to discuss Washington agreement (Radio kontakt plus)
• Raska-Prizren Eparchy informs public on new protective measures ahead of festivities season (Radio Mitrovica sever)
• Serbian PM-designate met potential coalition partners, no statements (N1)

Opinion:

• Will Belgrade give in to Western demands & shift toward ‘mutual recognition’? (rt.com)

International:

• EWB panel: “Anti-Western Narratives in the Western Balkans” on the Belgrade Security Forum (EWB)
• Can Serbs determine the course of the American election? (Wall Street International Magazine)
• Joe Biden Woos America’s Bosnian, Albanian Voters Before Polls (Balkan Insight)
• Relations between Russia and Serbia are the best in history, says minister (TASS)
• How the EU candidate countries in the Western Balkans stand with fight against corruption? (EWB)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, October 19, 2020

Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: 118 new cases, three deaths (media)
• Zemaj warns on stricter measures (media)
• Lajcak misinterpreted, constitutional changes apply to Belgrade as well (RFE)
• Horti: Government taking necessary steps to implement Washington Agreement (media)
• Kosovo marks the EU Anti-Trafficking Day (media)
• PDK MP writes public letter to Lajcak (media)
• Basha: Ahtisaari’s package is Kosovo’s compromise (T7, RTK)
• Thaci and Daka discuss election dates for Podujeva and North Mitrovica (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• 11 new cases of Covid-19 registered in Serb-areas in Kosovo on Saturday (Radio kontakt plus)
• “ZSO must be formed as it was agreed” (Radio KIM)
• Odalovic: Brussels has instruments to make Pristina establish ZSO (RTS)
• Lavrov to visit Serbia later this month (N1)
• Dmitrijevic to Serbian journalists’ associations: “Novosti” daily jeopardized safety of SOC clergy and Serbs in Kosovo (KoSSev)
• UNS: Could truthful reporting jeopardize Serbs in Kosovo? (Kosovo-online)

International:

• Kosovo Leaders Condemn Gun Attack on Journalist’s Car (Balkan Insight)
• ‘Easy Money’: Fake Forex and Fraudulent Balkan Call Centre (Balkan Insight)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Epidemiologist Kon: Situation unfavorable, especially in Belgrade (Prva TV, N1)
• The "corona generation" is coming and it will not be good (DW, B92)

Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: 104 new cases, two deaths (media)
• Zemaj: No lockdown, we will take tough measures to combat COVID-19 (Telegrafi)
• Osmani slams Lajcak's statement calling it 'concerning' (media)
• Tahiri: Serbia to change its Constitution, not Kosovo (Klan/Kallxo)
• CDHRF: Lajcak inciting another war in Kosovo (media)
• Draft law on KLA values, dialogue resolution fail to pass Assembly (media)
• New U.S. troops to join NATO in Kosovo (media)
• Hoti: Kosovo to ban use of 5G equipment from untrusted sellers (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Djuric: Tahiri can change the constitution if she wins the elections in Serbia (Radio Mitrovica sever, Tanjug)
• Petkovic with Bocan-Kharchenko on Belgrade - Pristina dialogue (RTS)
• Petkovic with Lajcak: European Union's ability as a mediator being tested (RTS)
• "If true, it was done behind Belgrade's back and means betrayal by the EU" (B92, Sputnik)
• Vucic: This is a plan that is little talked about in the Serbian public (Tanjug, B92)
• "For eight years I have been listening about Vucic preparing to betray Kosovo" (B92, Vecernje Novosti)
• Father Sava: The priest from the video has nothing to do with the Diocese (KiM radio)
• Redzepi: I expect elections in a month and a half (RTK)
• EIB helping revive Serbian railways, regional office chief says (Beta, N1)
• Unclear whether Bosnian Presidency voted against recognition of Kosovo (N1)

Opinion:

• Pribicevic: Albanian side missed its momentum in dialogue with Serbia (N1, Kontakt plus radio)
• Thousand Days After: Why the Murder of Oliver Ivanovic Should Be Brought to an International Tribunal? (KoSSev, zorancicak blog)

International:

• Brussels Vows to Settle Kosovo Serb Municipal Association’s Status (Balkan Insight)
• The EU needs a step-by-step integration plan for the Western Balkans (emerging-europe.com)
• Serbia expects Russian foreign minister’s visit soon — president (TASS)

Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: 77 new cases, no deaths (media)
• Lajcak: Association has to establish, you committed in 2015 (RTK)
• Mustafa and Lajcak discuss conclusion of Kosovo-Serbia dialogue (RTK)
• Americans want Kosovo in OSCE (Gazeta Express)
• Whyte: There will be no Republika Srpska in Kosovo (RFE, Koha)
• Krasniqi reacts after Lajcak's statements on Association (Telegrafi)

Serbian Language Media:

• Lajcak: Pristina must show consistency by implementing the agreement on ZSO (RTS)
• Russian ambassador denies media claims about Putin visit (N1)
• Andjelkovic: Putin's visit cannot be canceled, because it was not even scheduled (N1, Nova S)
• Gracanica Mayor: We have the right to withdraw from the institutions if the ZSO is not formed (RTS)
• Was progress made with Lajcak's visit? (KIM radio, Danas)

International:

• Lajčák: International organizations are “eyes and ears” in Kosovo (EWB)
• Snarky Facebook post sparks diplomatic incident between Russia and Serbia: What’s behind it? (neweasterneurope.eu)
• Mariano: Western Balkan states could contribute to security and defense of NATO (EWB)
• EU and the Western Balkans, a long engagement (balcanicaucaso.org)

Humanitarian/Development:

• The Latest: WHO: European cases rocket, strong limits needed (apnews.com)
• International Day of Rural Women: I love the countryside, I love to produce (Radio Gorazdevac, KoSSev)
• Platform Initiative launched to support clean energy transition in coal regions in Western Balkans and Ukraine (balkangreenenergynews.com)
• Femart’s 8th edition celebrates resilience and solidarity in challenging times (Prishtina Insight)