UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, September 21, 2023

Albanian Language Media:

• Escobar wants Kosovo government to have “new approach” to dialogue (media)
• Osmani meets Biden in New York; “alliance of freedom, eternal alliance” (media)
• Opposition, ruling party MPs clash over inquiry committee for state reserves (Telegrafi)
• Stano on arrests of Serbs for war crimes: We’re monitoring situation (Gazeta Express)
• Begaj: We’re together with Kosovo at UN; Kurti-Rama relations are very good (media)
• “Pressure against Serbs in north comes directly from BIA and Vucic” (Kosovapress)
• German deputy ambassador: EU is not complete without Western Balkans (EO)
• Haradinaj: Kosovo Army has capacities to protect peace with NATO anywhere (Klan)

Serbian Language Media:

• Escobar: Kosovo should change "take it or leave it" approach, Milatovic agrees with American position on government (VoA)
• Vucic informed Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan about violence against Serbs in Kosovo (NMagazin, Beta)
• Rada Trajkovic: Arrest of Serbs deliberate destabilisation, Kurti wanted to be Zelensky, but I'm afraid he went the way of Aliyev (KoSSev)
• Miletic resigned from position of adviser in Kosovo PM’s cabinet (KiM Radio, KoSSev)
• Radakovic: Every autumn in north is "hot", I am afraid of mass arrests (Kosovo Online)
• Hill: US does not have many details about yesterday's arrests of Serbs in Kosovo (KiM Radio, Tanjug, RTV)
• Stano: EU closely monitors situation in northern Kosovo (RTS, Tanjug, Radio KIM)
• FM Dacic holds bilateral meetings on sidelines of UNGA (N1, BETA)

International:

• Kosovo and Taiwan Eye an Alliance of Outsiders (Foreign Policy)
• Fact-Check: Kosovo Is Attracting More FDI, But Not Where It’s Needed (BIRN)
• Romania FA sanctioned over 'Serbia' chants in Kosovo match (Reuters)

Albanian Language Media:

• Hovenier: We have full confidence in EU as facilitator of Kosovo-Serbia dialogue (RFE)
• Konjufca supports Kurti: Key of dialogue recognition and formation of Association (EO)
• Lajcak’s advisor: Disagreements, not proof that the envoy sides with Serbia (EO)
• Borrell: Preparing for next enlargement wave (media)
• Szunyog: Hate speech falls in same group with terrorism (Gazeta Express)
• Increasing hate speech, Konjufca: Politicians not a good example (Kosovapress)
• Hoti: The degradation of dialogue during Kurti-led government (media)
• Posselt: Vucic, the political son of Milosevic! (RTK)

Serbian Language Media:

• Three months without Serbian press in Kosovo (Radio KIM)
• FM Dacic: Serbia condemns Russia’s attack on Ukraine, it is not neutral (N1, FoNet, VoA)
• Two Serbs arrested in northern Kosovo (KoSSev, RTS, Kosovo Online)
• Serbian List reacts to arrests in Mitrovica North and Zvecan (Radio KIM, social media)
• Office for KIM on arrests: New deterioration and causing uneasiness among Serbs (Radio KIM, Kosovo Online)
• ACDC research: Trust in police and judiciary in northern Kosovo on drastic decline (Kosovo Online)
• Petkovic: Nervous Kurti (KiM Radio)
• PACE: Legal team to come to Kosovo and prepare a report on the compliance of the legal system with the standards of the CoE (Kosovo Online)
• Vucic: I will continue to fight for what is the best possible for Serbia (Tanjug)
• PM Brnabic on elections: Opposition says one thing, writes another (N1, BETA)

International:

• Kosovo, North Macedonia Sign Agreement for Common Border Crossing Point (BIRN)
• Serb Fighter Beat Kosovo Albanian for Aiding Journalists, Court Told (BIRN)
• Andoni: Kurti lost time with Association, this is his only mistake (Euronews Albania)

Albanian Language Media:

• Borrell on EU expectations from Serbia and Kosovo (media)
• Chollet: Good discussion with President Osmani (media)
• Lajcak meets Chollet, Escobar; “same reading of situation in Western Balkans” (media)
• Osmani meets MCC CEO Albright (media)
• Osmani: Proud of unwavering Kosovo-Germany partnership (media)
• Krasniqi: Request for resignations of mayors comes from Belgrade (EO)
• Kurti to visit ministry led by Nenad Rasic today at 15:00 (Gazeta Express)

Serbian Language Media:

• EU calls on Belgrade, Pristina to fulfil their commitments (N1, media)
• Schole: Pristina to urgently engage in dialogue with Belgrade (Radio Mitrovica sever, Tanjug)
• Lajcak discussed Western Balkans with “good friends” Cholet and Escobar in New York (N1)
• Mijacic: A note in which Kosovo complains to EU members about Lajcak ‘unprecedented amateurism’ (Kosovo Online, social media)
• Stano: Without comment on Kurti’s statement, all 27 EU member states extend full support to Lajcak (Kosovo Online)

International:

• EU Warns Kosovo, Serbia of Repercussions if Deals Not Implemented (Balkan Insight)
• In a Kosovo Mountain Resort, Villas, Bribes and a Big-Name Scandal (BIRN)
• German-French working group proposes reforms to make the EU ready for enlargement by 2030 (EWB)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, September 18, 2023

Albanian Language Media:

• Kurti says that Borrell and Lajcak were in sync with Serbia in September 14 meeting (media)
• Hoti: Kurti's reporting, lament and evidence of inability to lead dialogue (media)
• Osmani took part in marking the 10th anniversary of Women Leaders (RTK)
• Abdixhiku publishes the promises of the "New Road" (media)
• Tahiri: This mandate is the last one for Kurt as prime minister (media)
• Kumnova files a criminal complaint against Veljko Odallovic (Koha)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic this week in NY at the UN GA (Beta, Danas, KiM radio)
• Serbian List: Serbian people understood Kurti’s threats, KFOR and EULEX to be vigilant (Kosovo Online, social media)
• Petkovic: Kurti had it all out in open, so that everyone could see he does not want to negotiate (media)
• Serbian National Council asks bishop to allow gathering be held in Gracanica monastery (KiM radio)
• Covic: Repression against Serbs foundation of Kurti’s democracy (Kosovo Online, TV Pink)
• Opposition SSP adopts Declaration on Preventing Serbia’s Decline (N1, KoSSev)
• Kurti confirms he will respond to eventual court’s summon in case of D.M. from Gracanica (KoSSev)

Opinion:

• Surlic: The CSM (ZSO) not the priority need of Serbs in Kosovo (KiM radio, Slobodno srpski)

Albanian Language Media:

• U.S. will consult EU partners on next step toward Kosovo-Serbia agreement (Reporteri)
• EU denies that Kurti’s proposal was the only one on the table (RFE)
• US$34.7 mil grant agreement signed with USAID (Koha)
• Zvecan too votes in favor of joining Association of Kosovo Municipalities (Koha)
• World Democracy Day; Konjufca: Transparency, one of the key elements (KSP)
• After Radoicic threats, persons with Russian symbols place Serbian flags in north (KSP)

Serbian Language Media:

• Stano: A round of dialogue without progress, the EU did not see a willingness to compromise (FoNet, N1, Kosovo Online)
• Vucic meets Sarrazin (Tanjug, RTS)
• Petkovic: The EU said for the first time that Kurti is to blame for the failure of the dialogue in Brussels (RTS)
• Serbian List: Kurti sent a threat (KiM radio)
• Radakovic: Kurti’s message to Serbian List shameful, new type of threat (Kosovo Online)
• Gracanica: Serbian youths ordered 48 hours detention (KiM radio)
• Petkovic: Reckless beating of brothers Andrija and Mihajlo M. by the Kosovo police (Kosovo Online)
• Bus company owner: Pristina banned our vehicles from entering Kosovo – it’s discrimination (KoSSev)
• Serbian national interests in Kosovo - survival, normal life, and existence (KiM radio, KoSSev)

International:

• Struggle for Acceptance: Kosovo Societal Stigma Challenges LGBT Community’s Mental Health (BIRN)
• David Albahari, in memoriam (Kosovo 2.0)