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UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, October 4, 2023

Albanian Language Media:
Osmani: Kosovo is under attack (media)
US says Serbian troops started withdrawal from border with Kosovo (media)
Michel: Disagreements between Kosovo and Serbia must be resolved (Koha)
Gervalla: We urge EU members to stop Vucic’s path to conflict (media)
Rohde: Last week’s attack was attack against Kosovo’s territorial integrity (KSP)
Serbia arrests Milan Radoicic (media)
IMC asks operators to stop broadcast of Serbian channels Arena Sport (KTV)
Serbian Language Media:
Hill: The withdrawal of troops and the arrest of Radoicic are good steps, the dialogue will have to continue (Tanjug, RTS, N1)
Serbian FM says Belgrade wants de-escalation in Kosovo (N1)
Serbian DefMin: Kosovo talks complex following escalation (N1)
Mojsilovic: The current situation in the ground safety zone militarily stable but unpredictable (N1, Beta, RTS)
Prosecution says Radoicic denied committing crimes (N1)
BiH will investigate allegations that Milan Radoicic procured weapons in Tuzla (N1 Sarajevo)
Petronijevic: Radoicic's apartment was searched, his weapon was temporarily confiscated (N1)
Three people arrested at the Merdare checkpoint, 24 guns were found in the car (N1, KoSSev, RTS)
Szunyog: I heard different voices about the current situation in the north of Kosovo (KiM radio, Kontakt plus radio)
The IMC requested a ban on the broadcasting of the Arena channel in Kosovo (RTK2)
Opinions:

International Media:
Nato needs to re-establish control of northern Kosovo, says Albanian PM (Financial Times)
Kosovo Serb politician arrested over role in armed ambush of police (The Guardian)
Serbia has started to withdraw forces from Kosovo border, US says (Anadolu Agency)
Analysis: Are Kosovo and Serbia on the brink of war? (Al Jazeera)
Serbia Detains Kosovo Serb Kingpin Radoicic on Weapons Charges (Balkan Insight)
European Parliament discusses Banjska attack, some MEPs propose freezing EU funds for Serbia (EWB)

UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, October 3, 2023

UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, October 3, 2023

Albanian Language Media:

State Department hasn’t verified reports about withdrawal of Serbian troops (media)
Special unit in Banjska replaced with Fast Intervention Unit (Klan Kosova)
Bislimi: Attack in the north was orchestrated and organized by Serbia (media)
Baerbock: Serbia must reduce troops near Kosovo border, no more tensions (media)
McClain: The United States must stand by Kosovo (media)
Rama, Plenkovic call for measures against Serbia because of violence in Kosovo (media)
Kosovo government condemns acts of vandalism in Medvedja (media)

Serbian Language Media:

Vucic tells CNN Serbia is last country that needs incident, it wants stronger presence of KFOR in northern Kosovo (RTS, CNN)
Djuric: Of the two military buildups in Kosovo neither is Serbian (N1)
US Welcomes Serbian troop withdrawal (N1, AFP, The Pavlovic Today)
UN SC session at which UNMIK report on Kosovo will be presented to be held on October 18 (Tanjug)
Orlic: Admission of Kosovo to CoE would be absurd (Tanjug)
Grenell: Transparent investigation needed, US to send envoy (Kosovo Online, social media)
Kosovo special forces withdraw from Banjska, members of police intervention units remain (KoSSev, media)

International Media:

After Monastery Shootout, Residents Say Kosovo Villages Feel Like a ‘Jungle’ (The New York Times)

UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, October 2, 2023

Albanian Language Media:

Svecla: “Serbia tried to annex the north; attackers trained in Serbian bases” (RFE)
Kurti meets Sarrazin, says “Serbia directly involved in attack on Kosovo” (media)
Kosovo calls on Serbia to withdraw all military troops from border (media)
German Foreign Office: Further escalation must be avoided (media)
Osmani: “Irrefutable evidence linking Serbia to terrorist act against Kosovo” (media)
Kurti: Deeply appreciate support of our allies in collective fight for democracy (media)
Kearns welcome deployment of British battalion to Kosovo (media)
Osmani holds meetings amid “security challenges” (media)
Kurti thanks Sullivan for U.S. support for Kosovo border security (media)
Wisner: Serbia to bring perpetrators to justice or hand them over to Kosovo (media)
Basha: “Attack in the north prepared by state segments in Serbia” (media)
Sukovic: Pristina a more serious player than many believed (Nacionale)
Kosovo leaders condemn terrorist attacks in Ankara (media)

Serbian Language Media:

Petkovic to present evidence that refutes Pristina's claims at press conference today (Tanjug)
Vucevic and Mojsilovic about the statement of Svecla on press conference (Blic)
Patriarch Porfirije: "All people in Kosovo and Metohija need peace" (Blic)
Witness from Banjska: ''They shot the wounded Mijailovic from two meters away'' (N1, KiM radio, TV Pink)
Svecla and Hoxha accuse Serbia of involvement in Banjska events, deny that a Serb was killed after surrendering (KoSSev)
A man arrested on his way to funeral to Serb killed in Banjska (KoSSev, N1)
“Torcida” fan club with a banner “You come close to Kosovo, you are digging your own graves”; KP forced them to take it down (KoSSev)
Vucic: We have eyewitnesses of the killing of Serbs, you will see it within 24 hours (N1)
Milan Radoicic gives statement to police as a citizen (N1)
Borrell on situation in Kosovo: Serbian military buildup is concerning and needs to stop (N1)
Blinken talks to Vucic, calls for de-escalation of tensions with Kosovo (N1)
Sovrlic on Banjska: Someone apparently convinced them that they were really returning home (KoSSev, Nova S)
Office for KiM: Three Serbs beaten in G. Varage; KP has no information, invites them to report (KoSSev)
UNS and DNKiM: Tvrdisic suspended from the post of director of RTK2 without a clear explanation (KiM radio, Kosovo Online, KoSSev, Kontakt plus radio)

Opinions:

Kearns: ‘The UK must find its backbone in the Balkans’ (politics.co.uk)
Serwer: It’s not only about Kosovo (media)
Surroi: One of many logs has been eliminated (Koha)

International Media:

Kosovo Demands Serbia Withdraw Forces From Border (RFE)
Kosovo PM Kurti calls for NATO to help fill security vacuum in northern territories (Euronews)
Serbia will not send military forces into Kosovo, Vučić insists (Financial Times)
Kosovo Serb Kingpin Radoicic Takes Responsibility for Weekend Shootout (BIRN)
Extremists vie with politicians to capitalise on rightward shift in Balkans (BIRN)

UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, September 29, 2023

Albanian Language Media:

Osmani: Kosovo is under attack, dialogue is no longer the same (media)
Kurti: Idea that weapons entered Banjska without involvement of Serbia cannot be believed (media)
Gervalla: The association is dead (media)
Kurti responds to Edi Rama's idea that KFOR take control of the north of Kosovo (Kallxo)
Department of State: Killing of policeman cannot be equated with that of attackers (RFE)
QUINT in OSCE: Killers of Kosovo police should be brought to justice (media)
European Parliament to discuss situation in the north on Tuesday (Klan)
UAE calls for return to dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia (RTK)
Rohde: We have seen a lot of inflammatory statements, especially from Belgrade, this has to stop (media)
Police are looking for weapons and other potential victims in Banjska (Koha)
EULEX denies Serbia’s claim that it was not allowed to take part in police operation (Reporteri)
Bodies of the killed in Banjska cannot be handed over to families without scientific identification (Reporteri)
The Rashka-Prizren Diocese refuses for Kosovo to restore the Banjska Monastery (Koha)
Maliqi believes "there will be new attacks", says Vjosa Osmani "seems informed about the dangers"(Nacionale)
Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirms death of Kosovo citizen in territory of Serbia (RTK)
Kurti asks for support in clarifying the fate of the missing (Klan)
Serbian Language Media:

Vucic: Situation in Kosovo more complicated and dangerous than ever (N1)
Elek: Kosovo special police forcefully entered Clinical Hospital Centre in Mitrovica North, conduct search of some premises (Kosovo Online, N1)
Raska-Prizren Diocese responds to Kosovo institutions’ initiative to repair damage at Banjska Monastery (media, SOC’s website)
Jeremic: A broad national gathering needed in elections for protection of Kosovo (N1, Nova.rs, RTV)
Dacic meets with German MP Chrupalla, discuss Kosovo issue (Tanjug)
Mijacic: How long does implementation of freedom of movement agreement need to be waited for? (social media, Kosovo Online)
EUELX said in no way it was prevented to be present or observe Kosovo police operation in Banjska (KoSSev)
EULEX: Present during autopsy as observers, Pristina authorities conduct investigation into Banjska case (Kosovo Online)
International Media: 

Kosovo accuses Serbia of involvement in paramilitary ambush (The Guardian)
Exclusive: Kosovo's president blames Serbia for shootout, says Kosovo 'under attack' (Reuters)
Exclusive: Serbia to investigate killing of policeman in northern Kosovo, Vucic says (Reuters)
Kosovo accuses Serbia of direct involvement in deadly clashes and investigates possible Russian role (AP)

UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, September 28, 2023

Albanian Language Media:
Osmani says draft statute of Association should be prepared with U.S. (RTK)
Kurti and Gervalla meet ambassadors and diplomats accredited in Kosovo (media)
Gervalla says “Vucic regime poses threat to peace, stability in Europe” (media)
Svecla publishes document of Serbian army found in the north (media)
Konjufca and Hovenier meet, discuss events in Banjska (media)
Krasniqi: “National interest above all; Serbia should surrender terrorists” (Koha)
Rama wants EU to issue new statement on Kosovo-Serbia dialogue (RFE)
Lajcak meets incoming COMKFOR Major General Ulutas (media)
Docherty: Serbia to use its influence after attack on Kosovo Police (media)
“Exclusive: Belgrade hospital confirms Radoicic as their patient” (Indeksonline)
Serbian Language Media:
Vucic says last night peace is in Serbia’s interest, Kurti systematically destroys Serbian people (RTS, Tanjug, N1, B92, media)
Andric-Rakic: Those killed were family men, they would not have brought conflict to their children’s doorstep if they thought there was another way out (KoSSev, N1)
Dacic: Belgrade has nothing to do with armed group in Banjska (N1, BETA)
Serbian Ministry of Culture: Forgery and appropriation of cultural heritage (Radio KIM, Tanjug)
Dacic: Video of Kosovo Serb politician fake (RTS, N1)
Day of mourning observed in Serbia (N1, media)
Petkovic: Intention of Svecla is to accuse Belgrade for alleged involvement in Banjska incident (Tanjug, Radio KIM)
Serbian Prince Filip extends condolences to families of those killed in Banjska (Radio KIM)

International Media: 

Serbs in Kosovo mourn those killed in monastery shootout (Reuters)