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Belgrade Media Report 3 February

LOCAL PRESS

Vucic with Escobar, Lajcak: Pristina refuses to fulfill the agreed (Tanjug/RTS/Politika)
Selakovic: Serbia committed to resolving outstanding issues diplomatically (RTS/Tanjug)
Dacic, Escobar: Relations between US and Serbia following an upward trend (Tanjug/RTS/RTV)
Dacic: EU, US to use their authority to influence Pristina authorities (Tanjug)
Stano: Legally binding agreement on normalization goal of dialogue (Tanjug)
Brnabic: Serbia’s goal to open Cluster 3 during French EU presidency (Tanjug/RTS/Beta)
Cooperation with Russia on projects in several areas (Tanjug/RTS)
Foreign Ministry: Serbia not part of Russia-Ukraine conflict (RTV/Tanjug/Beta/VoA)
Ponos: Take your destiny into own hands (Vreme/Beta)
Environmentalists: Protests in Serbia until dissolution of parliament (Beta/N1)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina

Dodik: We will not return to B&H parliament, RS parliament determined that reasons for boycott are not gone (RTRS)
RS opposition say Tuesday's special session was mere farce and deception (BN TV)
Ivanic claims only purpose of RS parliament session was to justify return to B&H institutions (Dnevni avaz)
Izetbegovic: Someone can stop Dodik, one cannot possibly allow Dodik to win in all of this (Hayat)
Covic sends letter to Palmer, Eichhorst stressing readiness to complete electoral reform process in B&H (AJB)
Dodik: Announcement of UK on military engagement in B&H is unacceptable (ATV)
Croatia

Milanovic: What is happening in B&H is not good, Croats in B&H need support and solidarity of Croatia (Hina)
Montenegro

Becic: Vote of confidence in the government will be discussed for four hours, Abazovic for an hour less if there is a quorum (CdM)
SPC bishops: Preserve people’s will expressed at elections, let parliamentary majority agree (CdM)
Republic of North Macedonia

Kovacevski: As allies we are strong, determined and united in our response (MIA)
Nikoloski: Government avoiding our electoral change proposals because it is afraid of early elections (TV21)
Sela in Pristina: Ahmeti responsible for situation of Albanians in Macedonia (Republika)
Albania

The decision is approved: Joint border point between Albania and Kosovo (Radio Tirana)

Belgrade Media Report 02 February 2022

United Nations Office in Belgrade
Daily Media Highlights
Wednesday 2 February 2022
LOCAL PRESS

• Petkovic: Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija should be able to vote on 3 April (Politika/Tanjug)
• Culture Ministry: Pristina violates Serbs’ right to freedom of speech (RTS)
• Pristina and Tirana plan to sign agreement on joint administrative-territorial unit (Novosti)
• NS: Decision of Tirana and Pristina in violation of UNSCR 1244 and international law (Beta)
• Djordjevic: Belgrade regime keeping quiet while a Greater Albania is being created (Beta)
• Serbian opposition presidential candidate Ponos says he wanted unity (N1)
• Cvijanovic: End of destructions from Sarajevo precondition for new start (Politika)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina
• RS parliament adopts 12 conclusions on political and economic situation in B&H (RTRS)
• RS opposition on RS parliament special session (BN TV)
• Covic addresses RS parliament (RTRS)
• Cvijanovic meets Norway’s special envoy for Western Balkans; Cvijanovic: Overcoming of current political crisis is possible through talks (RTRS)
• Gutic Bjelica: Orban’s support for RS represents success of RS and its officials (Nezavisne)
• Samardzija: Russia and Hungary are friends of RS, Russia and RS are under pressure of the West (Glas Srpske)
• Nelson: I trust it is possible to reach agreement on electoral reform (Dnevni avaz)
• Izetbegovic: HDZ with Dodik can create heavy crisis and chaos in the country (Faktor.ba)
• Bakalar: Elections will take place on 2 October (Dnevni avaz)
Croatia
• Milanovic on negotiations in Neum, accuses Bosniaks of being partners of Dodik (N1)
• Grlic Radman slams Milanovic because of his stances on B&H (HRT)
• Plenkovic meets Association of Croatian Generals, express full support to political representatives of Croats in B&H electoral reform talks (Vecernji list)
• UK Defense Secretary welcomed in Zagreb (HRT1)
• President Milanovic accuses the West of ‘warmongering’ over Ukraine crisis (Hina)
Montenegro
• Krivokapic: Fall of government means Djukanovic is reassuming his political power (CdM)
• Vujovic: Montenegro at crossroads just like in 1997-98 (CdM)
• Djukanovic: Minority government is not the best solution, but we will support it (MINA)
• Jokovic: League of Communists will return to power sooner than the DPS (Pobjeda)
• Krivokapic has scheduled a government session for today (RTCG)
Republic of North Macedonia
• Pendarovski: No need to open the Constitution at the moment (Republika)
• All necessary preparations have been made for possible scenarios in Ukraine, said Pendarovski after Security Council session (Republika)
Albania
• Constitutional Court holds presidential impeachment hearing (Tirana Times)
• Roadmap to resolve Western Balkans frozen conflicts proposed (Tirana Times)

Belgrade Media Report 1 February

LOCAL PRESS

Selakovic: Joint visit by Lajcak-Escobar has symbolic significance (TV Pink)
They are destroying ZSO, it reminds them of RS (Novosti)
Rinkevics believes Lajcak will find solutions to open issues (RTV/Tanjug)
Dacic, Schieb: Readiness to continue cooperation between Serbia and German parliaments (RTV/Tanjug)
Veljanovksi: Things can’t change just prior to elections (N1)
Retired professor, right-wing politician to be opposition man for Belgrade Mayor (N1)
Dacic: It’s only logical for Jankovic to be right-wing candidate (TV Pink)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina

Borrell: Withdrawal from negotiations on constitutional and election reforms that the EU also actively support will not be acceptable option (O Kanal)
EUD comments Neum talks: We call on IAWG to finalize integrity package (Oslobodjenje)
Negotiations on changes to B&H Election Law yield no results (Nova BH)
DF, SDP, Our Party officials comment on negotiations on B&H Election Law (FTV)
Aftermath of negotiations on B&H Election Law; Covic: No conditions to hold elections; HR, Bakalar: Elections will be held (O Kanal)
Nelson states elections in B&H must be held this year; Key is to implement four goals set within negotiations (BHT1)
UK Embassy confirms that UK is looking for ways to restore its military presence in B&H (Nezavisne)
Croatia

Grlic Radman: Croats in B&H are most interested in changes to the Election Law; President Milanovic should do his job (HRT1)
HDZ Croatia Presidency discusses position of Croats in B&H (HRT1)
FM describes president Milanovic as ‘vermin’ over his remarks on Ukraine (Hina)
Montenegro

Election of prime ministers after consultation with all parties (RTCG)
Abazovic: Politics to be conducted sovereignly from Montenegro; Fundamental Agreement should be signed (CdM)
Koprivica took over the protests, the organizing committee gave an ultimatum to the parliamentary majority (Pobjeda)
Djukanovic presents ambassadors with current political situation: Every next government must be strongly democratic, civil and Euro-Atlantic (CdM)
Republic of North Macedonia

British envoy visits Skopje (MIA)
Mickoski: 4.6 % advantage in the polls is more than 85,000 votes difference (Republika)
Albania

Albania's Ambassador to the UN: We support Ukraine's sovereignty (Radio Tirana)
Slovenian Ambassador: Albania to show patience for integration, there is no decoupling from North Macedonia (Euronews/Radio Tirana)
Kosovo, Albania to form cross-border administrative area (N1/Koha)

Belgrade Media Report 31 January 2022

United Nations Office in Belgrade
Daily Media Highlights
Monday 31 January 2022
LOCAL PRESS

• Brnabic: Gratitude to Latvia for its contribution to security in Kosovo and Metohija (Tanjug/RTV)
• Gratitude to Latvia for support to Belgrade-Pristina dialogue (Tanjug/RTV)
• Selakovic: There probably will not be any dialogue as long as Kurti is in Pristina (RTS)
• Drecun: ZSO model agreed in Brussels the only acceptable one (Tanjug)
• Lajcak: Experts from Belgrade, Pristina discuss license plates (N1)
• Lajcak: ZSO agreement must be implemented; No one wants another RS in Kosovo (Beta/Politika/Gazetaexpress)
• SNS, SPS to run separately in elections, will continue to cooperate (Tanjug/Novosti)
• Brnabic talks with mediators in inter-party dialogue (Tanjug/RTS)
• Vucic meets with European Parliament mediators (Tanjug/RTS)
• Inter-party dialogue concludes, 16 measures adopted (RTS/Tanjug/Politika)
• Bilcik: Progress noted, along with delays in implementing pre-election steps (Beta)
• Escobar: US, EU don’t decide on distribution of power in Serbia (FoNet/Nova)
• Obstructions in processing of crimes against Serbs in B&H (Politika)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina
• Schmidt calls on all political forces in B&H to work constructively on new Election Law, says 2022 elections will be held no matter what (O Kanal)
• Komsic comments negotiations on Election Law (Hayat)
• Dodik rejects Komsic’s claim: RS acts responsibly and in line with Constitution (Nezavisne)
• RS politicians did not take part in Election Law talks in Neum (FTV)
• Dodik: Only direct election of Serb B&H Presidency member and authentic representation in parliaments is acceptable (ATV)
• Overview of proposed amendments to B&H Election Law related to strengthening electoral process integrity in seven areas (Hayat)
• Negotiations on changes to B&H Election Law conclude in Neum without concrete agreement (O Kanal)
• Covic: HDZ B&H will not allow concept of constituent peoples to be erased from B&H Constitution; Izetbegovic believes that they were not far from solutions regarding the part related to transparency and integrity of election process (FTV)
• Dodik: The fact is that negotiations in Neum have failed, optimism in Neum was not grounded, and another attempt of the US and Europe has brought no results (Nova BH)
• Dodik: Test for return of RS representatives into B&H institutions will be proposed law (ATV)
Croatia
• Granic: Serb separatist and Bosniak centralist policies are equally dangerous for B&H (Hina)
• President Milanovic: I am neither enemy of Ukraine nor friend to Russia (Hina/RTL)
• MEP: Milanovic's statement for internal face-off, but damage is in Foreign Affairs (Hina)
Montenegro
• Krivokapic: This government likely to be overthrown, all parties register rating falling except Democrats (RTCG)
• Konjevic after opposition meeting with EU, USA and GB diplomats: Elections the best solution (CdM)
• Radulovic: Krivokapic and some ministers demanded closure of embassies in region; sending protest notes to EU and UN (CdM)
• Experts to set up a political party called ‘Europe Now’ (CdM)
• Picula on situation in Montenegro: I’m worried (CdM)
• Porfirije: The basic agreement will be signed as soon as the political situation in Montenegro normalizes (CdM)
• Abazovic: I did not want Porfirije to be persuaded by manipulation into attitudes contrary to mine (CdM)
Republic of North Macedonia
• Mickoski: We will propose reduction of number of MPs and one constituency (Alsat M)
• Mickoski: United anti-DUI/SDSM front is needed against corrupt politicians if we want to have a modern state (Republika)

Belgrade Media Report 28 January

LOCAL PRESS

Starovic: Bigger escalation between Russia, Ukraine would negatively affect Serbia (RTS/Beta)
Selakovic, Pendarovski on improvement of minorities’ position in Serbia (Beta)
Obradovic running for Serbian president (Beta)
Fajon: More recommendations for Serbian elections (N1)
There is no solution in sight; There's nothing to offer to Serbia (TV Tanjug)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina

Palmer and Eichhorst meet with IAWG members, present proposal of changes of electoral legislation (Hayat)
Palmer and Eichhorst meet with representatives of several political parties (Hayat)
SDP: Election changes which will bring additional divisions of B&H along ethnic lines are unacceptable just as every asymmetric solution on election of B&H Presidency members (Dnevni list)
Hartmann: I am fully convinced that there will be elections in B&H because boycott of elections is completely unacceptable in democracy (Nezavisne)
MPs in Bundestag discuss situation in B&H; MP Wagner: Freedom and peace in Western Balkans are at risk, because people denying genocide have been living in some parts of Western Balkans (Hayat)
Grmusa: Schmidt was not appointed High Representative in B&H in accordance with Annex 10 of DPA, which is why he was not allowed to address UN SC (Glas Srpske)
Dodik announces special law on prohibition of use of term ‘genocidal’; Comments of RS officials (EuroBlic)
Dodik reveals condition for return to B&H institutions; Comments of FB&H politicians, political parties (FTV)
Softic: I do not believe that state institutions will be unblocked soon, sanctions must expand to judicial office holders too (Oslobodjenje)
Croatia

Grlic Radman: EU is against those who stall reforms and support status quo (Vecernji list)
Plenkovic says Milanovic's statements scandalous, undermine Croatia's reputation (Hina)
Foreign Minister calling his counterparts to apologise over President's statements (Hina)
Montenegro

Krivokapic: This government likely to be overthrown; I doubt that I will be the one signing the Fundamental Agreement (RTCG)
Becic says he has not seen Fundamental Agreement, he keeps silent about whether Democrats are paying for arrival of citizens to protest in Podgorica (CdM)
DF after talks with SNP: Protests if parliamentary majority makes any agreement with DPS (CdM)
Jokovic: Signing of the Fundamental Agreement with the Serbian Orthodox Church, correcting injustice towards it (N1)
Mandic and Knezevic discussing current situation with Vucic: Peace and stability in Balkans priceless (CdM)
Republic of North Macedonia

Osmani asked to testify on state of negotiations with Bulgaria (Republika)
We didn’t have essential differences with Dimitrov in the process, but in the work discipline, says Osmani (TV Kanal 5)