UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, October 13, 2023

Albanian Language Media:

• Osmani: There should be increased security guarantees for Kosovo (media)
• Kurti: Chapter of dialogue must take into account Serbia’s attempt for annexation (Koha)
• Kurti: Attack in Banjska, an act of aggression by Serbia (media)
• Sarrazin: Kosovo, Serbia to return to table to implement Ohrid agreement (media)
• EEAS senior official on two-day visit to Kosovo (media)
• Escobar highlights importance of implementing Ohrid agreement (Telegrafi)
• Inside the Banjska Monastery (RTK)
• NATO defence ministers conclude two-day meeting in Brussels (media)
• “Court decides on early release for Gucati” (Telegrafi)

Serbian Language Media:

• Serbian List: Pristina to call for elections in north as soon as possible, ready to take part in it (Kosovo Online)
• Vucic expressed hope in a conversation with Li that cooperation between Serbia and China will be even stronger (Tanjug)
• Elek: If a humanitarian disaster happens to us, all international actors will be accomplices (Kosovo Online)
• More than 1000 people from northern Kosovo demand withdrawal of Kosovo special police forces (Radio KIM, social media)
• Kisnica: KLA on the road sign, Serbian language inscription crossed out (KiM radio, Danas, Radio Mitrovica sever, KoSSev)
• Ceku: Expropriation of property at the archaeological site of Ulpijana near Gracanica has begun (KoSSev)
• Antonijevic: Freedom of expression is also being denied to Serbs in Kosovo, US and EU have to react (Kosovo Online)
• Mitic on arrests of Serbs based on photos, comments on social media (Kosovo Online)

Opinion:

• Only Extremists Stand to Benefit from Fresh Serbia-Kosovo Violence (Balkan Insight)

International:

• Kosovo’s vast Trepca industrial complex in limbo for 23 years (Intellinews)
• Google is being sued in the US for discrimination against the Albanian language (CAN)
• Census Risks Sparking Political Storm in Divided Montenegro (BIRN)
• From Religious Figures to Journalists, and Minors in Peril (Balkan Insight)

Albanian Language Media:

• Kurti: “Increasing risk of staging violent attacks by Serbian structures” (Koha)
• Konjufca: Serbia must be sanctioned (Deutsche Welle)
• Krasniqi: Everything has changed since September 24 (media)
• Hoti: Kosovo’s leadership to be careful with conditions about dialogue (media)
• Rizvanolli: Serbia is sabotaging the energy roadmap (RFE)
• Opposition criticises absence of MPs from ruling party in session on police (media)
• Maliqi to Varhelyi: With this level of deterrence, new escalations guaranteed (media)
• Rama: Kosovo’s diplomatic self-weakening is making our efforts difficult (RFE)
• Hoxhaj: My thoughts are with Israel and families of victims (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Petkovic: The only way to build peace is through de-escalation (KiM radio)
• Arsenijevic: Serbs in Kosovo left to themselves, there is a lack of medicine, food, and dinars (NMagazin, Beta, N1)
• Dveri: International community to prevent humanitarian disaster in Kosovo (Danas, FoNet)
• UN SG report on Kosovo: Main priorities are stability and reducing tensions (RTS)
• Hill: Many are telling Serbia to let Kosovo go and turn to future, but I think it's more complicated than that (Danas)
• Protected witness refused to testify against Thaci, said he is “extremely agitated” (Radio KIM)
• Serbian military gets first CASA C-295 aircraft (N1)

International:

• Kosovo Attack Casts Doubt on Future of EU Mediation (BIRN)
• Kosovo to Stop Paying for Energy in Serb-Majority North (BIRN)
• Slovenia Strengthens NATO Peacekeeping Mission in Kosovo with Additional Troops (BNN)
• Serbia’s Vucic Denounces Opposition Calls for EU to Sanction Him (BIRN)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, October 11, 2023

Albanian Language Media:

• Police carries out raids in three different locations related to Banjska attack (Koha)
• Kosovo Police supplied with drones from the United States (Koha)
• Stoltenberg: Important to increase number of KFOR troops (Koha)
• Slovenia too to send additional troops to Kosovo (AP)
• Special prosecution orders release of Serb arrested on Tuesday for war crimes (AP)
• Bislimi: Aggression in Banjska can undo entire progress in dialogue (EO/Express)
• Kulla claims he has “information that Banjska can be repeated, south or east” (Express)
• Hysa: Weight of attack in north as a failed aggression is growing after events in Nagorno-Karabakh and Israel (media)
• Mujanovic: “Attack in Banjska was attack by Serbian state; dialogue is over” (Telegrafi)
• EU says measures against Kosovo remain in force (EO)
• Tahiri: Surprised by U.S., because EU needs months to decide (Express)
• Serbian opposition to Borrell: Vucic not Serbia must be sanctioned for Banjska (Kallxo)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic, Munsch discuss worsening of situation of Kosovo Serbs (Tanjug)
• Office for KiM: International community to prevent Kurti from causing new crisis, inflaming region (media)
• Kosovo police brought in Serb from Leposavic at Bistrica bridge over photo with weapons (KoSSev, Kosovo Online)
• Gracanica: Post Office and Commercial Bank without money (Radio KIM, KoSSev)
• Serb arrested under war crimes allegations at Merdare yesterday released (KoSSev, media)
• Szunyog meets Bishop Teodosije, says SOC has an important role in reconciliation process in Kosovo (Kosovo Online, social media)
• NATO chief says increased presence in Kosovo important (N1)
• Mojsilovic receives China's new ambassador (Tanjug)

International:

• NATO equips peacekeeping force in Kosovo with heavier armament to have “combat power” (AP)
• ‘A climate of violence’: Serbian football ultras in spotlight after Kosovo monastery siege (The Guardian)
• Serbian Journalist Testifies About Wartime Detention by Kosovo Fighters (Balkan Insight)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Osmani on Intl Day of Girl Child: We must amplify their voices and aspirations (media)

Albanian Language Media:

• Kurti will take part in Berlin Summit in Tirana, spokesperson confirms (Kallxo)
• Munsch: KFOR presence on September 24 prevented further escalation (Koha)
• Smith: KFOR will have capacities to face challenges (RFE)
• Ulutas officially assumes post of KFOR commander (Kosovapress)
• Palokaj: In EU there are structures that want to avoid sanctions on Serbia (Koha)
• Hoti: Comprehensive agreement is only solution that secures peace (Klan)
• Israeli Ambassador thanks Kosovo and Kurti for their support (media)
• Albania refuses to extradite and releases former KLA members (RFE)
• Lazarevic: Fake news “convinced” Serbs that Serbian army was returning (Telegrafi)

Serbian Language Media:

• NATO, concerned about the security of the region, announces additional troops in Kosovo (NMagazin, balkansec.net)
• Turkish General Ulutas is new KFOR Commander (Radio KIM)
• Vucic meets Iraqi Assembly Speaker, thanks him for non-recognition of Kosovo (Tanjug)
• Parliaments of Serbia, Iraq sign MoU, speakers discuss Kosovo issue (Tanjug)
• Lavrov: EU does not wish and cannot make Pristina fulfil agreement on CSM (Kosovo Online, Novosti, RTS)
• Hill: We need to know exactly what happened in Kosovo (Kontakt plus radio, RTS, Tanjug)

International:

• EU drafts measures against Serbia as Belgrade’s involvement in terrorist attack is under scrutiny (Euractiv)
• The Illegal Theatre of the 90’: House of God Became House of Actors (BIRN)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, October 9, 2023

Albanian Language Media:

• Kurti: “If Serbia is not sanctioned, it will repeat the crime” (media)
• Osmani: Serbia should withdraw its military troops from the border with Kosovo (RTK)
• EU: Serbia to cooperate unconditionally in investigation of attack in Banjska (RTK)
• Kurti travels to the United Kingdom (media)
• CoE Parliament to debate today about the attack in the north (media)
• Turkey takes over KFOR command in Kosovo from tomorrow (RTK)
• 200 soldiers of British army are coming to Kosovo as KFOR reinforcement (Klan)
• Szunyog answers on international position on confiscation of Radoicic's properties (Kallxo)
• Kurti “concerned about crimes against civilians” after Hamas attack in Israel (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Bilcik: Diplomatic solution that would help ease tensions is ZSO (RTS, Tanjug)
• Ponos: Vucic was not planning annexation of northern Kosovo, truth about Banjska must be established (N1)
• RTK director general: Tvrdisic suspended due to suspicion of omissions (Radio KIM, UNS)
• Journalist Radosevic at Thaci’s trial: KLA kidnapped and tortured me in 1998 without trial and verdict (Danas, BETA)
• Tomovic: Lack of quality journalism and low professionalism a bigger problem than fake news (Radio Gorazdevac, Radio Mitrovica sever)
• KFOR troops from Romania arrived in Kosovo (Kosovo Online)
• KoSSev editor wins “Katarina Preradović“ award (KoSSev)

Opinion:

• Bushati: United for Kosovo (Albanian Daily News)

International:

• In Kosovo Clash, New Bullets and Freshly-Repaired Mortars from Serbia (BIRN)
• Interview: Kosovo's Top Cop On Serbian Meddling And Why It's So Hard To Stop Weapons Smuggling (RFE)
• Beyond Banjska: Rada Trajkovic on the Incident’s Implications and the Future of Kosovo-Serbia Relations (tuicakademi.org)