LOCAL PRESS

Vucic: Serbia must pursue independent policy (TV Happy/Tanjug/Beta)
Brnabic: Reports that Grennel, Palmer are Serbian lobbyists a vicious lie (Beta)
Without meeting of Belgrade and Pristina delegations in Brussels; Petkovic:Pristina refused to discuss ZSO (RTS)
Lajcak in separate meetings with Belgrade, Pristina chief negotiators (N1)
Mickoski: Balkans tired of waiting and false hopes (Politika)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina

Chollet meets B&H Presidency members (O Kanal/Nova BH)
Dodik: We expect international community to implement DPA and B&H Constitution; RS has no plan for secession (BNTV)
Chollet meets Covic, Izetbegovic to discuss election legislation reform (O Kanal/FTV)
Chollet: US created new set of sanctions that could be deployed against individuals who are seeking to undermine stability and unity of B&H (N1)
Turkovic: Varhelyi takes situation in B&H seriously, I think sanctions are only matter of timing (Nova BH)
OHR reminds entity competences in field of judiciary were validly transferred to B&H (N1)
EU, US and NATO should help B&H get out of crisis (Dnevni list)
Montenegro

Krivokapic meets with newly appointed Head of the OSCE Mission to Montenegro (gov.me)
Waag congratulates Abazovic on government's commitment to fight crime (gov.me)
They say “when power goes to his head…” (CdM)
Democrats claim: Everyone has the right to opinion, we don’t want to influence anyone (CdM)
Republic of North Macedonia

Zaev: Besa is still part of the government (Sloboden pecat)
Kasami denies Zaev’s claim that his party is still part of the ruling coalition (Republika)
As Minister Osmani visits Brussels, EU Commission says it hopes Macedonia and Albania will be able to open accession talks soon (Republika/TV24)
Bytyqi: We will soon get a new government “Zaev 3” with six or seven new ministers (Republika)
Albania

Blinken sends a letter to Xhacka (Radio Tirana)
Kim: Do not forget the past, democracy should be preserved (Radio Tirana)

United Nations Office in Belgrade
Daily Media Highlights
Tuesday 16 November 2021
LOCAL PRESS

• Brnabic, Dacic: Serbia a militarily neutral country but seeks cooperation with NATO (Tanjug/Politika)
• Botsan-Kharchenko with Brnabic on relations, cooperation (Tanjug/RTS/RTV)
• Selakovic: Hypocritical to accuse Serbia that it wants instability and war (Tanjug/RTV/B92)
• Full EU membership strategic commitment of Serbia (Tanjug/RTV)
• Borrell: EU expecting implementation of all Belgrade-Pristina agreements (Beta)
• EU Foreign Ministers expect progress in Belgrade-Pristina dialogue (N1)
• “Open Balkans” for better economic cooperation of Serbia, Albania and North Macedonia (Tanjug/Politika)
• Office for Kosovo and Metohija: Shameful verdict to Zoran Djokic (Tanjug/RTV)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina
• Vucic meets Dodik; Vucic: Serbia will always support DPA, Constitution of B&H and their full implementation; Dodik: RS will peacefully advocate restoring of its competences (ATV)
• Dodik: RS does not give up on return of competences transferred to level of B&H, preparation of documents for RSNA MPs is underway (RTRS)
• RS parliament receives documents on plan of return of RS’ competences, ATV publishes main conclusions from documents (ATV)
• Mazalica claims that new RS Constitution can be passed by RS parliament only because RS CoP is illegal (Nezavisne)
• Nesic invites leaders of opposition parties to meeting on 19 November (Glas Srpske)
• Dunovic blames HDZ B&H of blocking FB&H, claims HDZ B&H and SNSD support each other (Oslobodjenje)
• Field meets Cvijanovic, Cubrilovic, discuss current political, economic situation in B&H (RTRS)
• FAC discusses situation in Western Balkans, B&H at session in Brussels; Borrell: We are concerned because situation is serious, we support European perspective of B&H (N1)
• Chollet starts visit to B&H, meets Schmidt, Izetbegovic, Covic; Chollet: US supports OHR’s role in B&H (FTV)
• Dzaferovic: Sanctions represent solution to Dodik’s unconstitutional behavior and to his attack on constitutional order of state (O Kanal)
Croatia
• Croatian PM calls on Kosovo, Serbia to hold dialogue, normalize relations (Hina)
• Milanovic and Pope Francis touch upon situation in B&H; Milanovic: I support demand of Croats in B&H regarding election in B&H Presidency (Jutarnji list)
• Croatian FM: B&H’s Milorad Dodik ‘is a fact’ (Hina)
Montenegro
• Democrats and DF don’t mind external influences (Pobjeda)
• ACG a new target of Serbian World (Dnevne novine)
• Krivokapic meets with UN Resident Coordinator in Montenegro Peter Lundberg (Gov. Press service)
• Filipovic filing complaint against Informer editor Vucicevic (CdM)
Republic of North Macedonia
• Rexhepi: Let there be no speculation, I voluntarily decided not to vote for a new majority (Libertas)
• Varhelyi expects a solution to the dispute between Macedonia and Bulgaria (Nezavisen vesnik/Albanian Post)
Albania
• Bregu: The remedy against the slowdown of the EU enlargement process is the integration of the Balkans! (Radio Tirana)
• Borrell confirms support for EU integration of Albania, N. Macedonia (ADN)

LOCAL PRESS

Vucic says natural gas to be main topic of talks with Putin (Beta/TASS/Solovyev Live)
Brnabic: Serbia continues to insist on protection of world cultural heritage (Tanjug)
Brnabic: Serbia does not aspire to NATO membership, but wants to maintain dialogue and cooperation (RTS/Tanjug)
Open Balkans for better flow of goods and single labor market (Beta/Politika)
Drecun: Double warning for Kurti (RTS)
Popovic: Kosovo and Metohija to remain in preamble of Serbian Constitution (Novosti)
Dacic: Referendum on constitutional amendments due on 16 January (TV Pink)
EU foreign ministers to discuss Belgrade-Pristina dialogue on 15 November (Tanjug)
“Final solution” for Republika Srpska (Politika)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina

Collegium of RS parliament fails to schedule special session to discuss transfer of competences (RTRS)
Details of proposed Declaration on Constitutional Principles (Nezavisne)
Opposition parties claim RS ruling coalition is withdrawing from process of restoration of competences (RTRS)
Dodik: Opposition should not get excited about special session of RS parliament (FTV/RTRS)
Colo says Dodik and RS' goal is secession and possible annexation to Serbia in some future period (Hayat)
MEPs Strik, Koester visit B&H: EU must urgently impose financial sanctions against Dodik (BHT1)
Sattler: EU has different measures at its disposal including ‘carrot and stick’, but compromise is better solution (FTV/Dnevni list)
Schmidt says there is risk of B&H’s breakdown if degradation of DPA continues, Inzko agrees (Hayat/FTV)
Lavrov says western countries have chosen risky path (ATV)
Tegeltija and Kosarac react to Mehmedovic’s request for Kalabukhov to be declared persona non grata (ATV)
Croatia

EEAS prepares document which underlines worsening of political situation in B&H and prevailing of inflammatory rhetoric (Jutarnji list)
Montenegro

We have huge support of the US administration (RTCG)
Djukanovic & Lajcak: Dialogue in region and EU integration a precondition for regional and an important factor in European security (CdM)
DF announces it will continue to talk to parliamentary majority (CdM)
Republic of North Macedonia

Kiril Petkov announced a new approach and better relations with Northern Macedonia (Nezavisen vesnik)
Albania

Rama: Bulgaria is hindering the integration process of Albania (Radio Tirana/France24)

United Nations Office in Belgrade
Daily Media Highlights
Friday 12 November 2021
LOCAL PRESS

• State officials pay tribute to fallen soldiers in First World War (Politika/Novosti/RTS/RTV/Tanjug)
• Brnabic: UNESCO’s role extremely important for preservation of Serbian heritage in Kosovo and Metohija (RTS/Tanjug)
• Brnabic: Kosovo membership in UNESCO would be a catastrophe (FoNet/Politika)
• Brnabic: World facing five main challenges at same time (Tanjug)
• Djuric: Serbia a reliable partner (RTS)
• Djuric wrote to all members of US Congress (Tanjug/B92)
• Department of State: We do not comment on why some countries were not invited to Summit (VoA/Beta)
• Stano: Petkovic, Bislimi to discuss implementation of agreements on 16 November (Tanjug)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina
• Vucic comments Escobar visit to B&H: Escobar is the one that should be asked about his visit – results and his satisfaction with the visit; Serbia will always support DPA (BN TV)
• Schmidt pays visit to Banja Luka, expresses support to state institutions (AJB/Glas Srpske)
• Schmidt and Baroness Helic tell CNN that dissolution of B&H must be prevented (O Kanal)
• PIC Steering Board reiterates firm support to authority and mandate of Schmidt (AJB)
• Zakharova slams PIC SB for issuing press statement in support to ‘so called High Representative’, argues Russia was not informed about it (RTRS)
• Dodik: No political goal is worth sacrificing peace; Dodik reiterates that the RS will withdraw from B&H AF, judiciary and ITA (Reuters/N1)
• Sattler: Plan of RS officials for returning entity competencies will lead nowhere; I fully support Schmidt (FTV)
• RS ministers in B&H CoM vote against all items on agenda (N1)
• Poirel talks about Election Law with B&H lawmakers (BN TV)
• IAWG fails hold session due to lack of quorum (N1)
• Maas: Crisis in B&H is concerning (Klix.ba)
• Germany has started talks in Brussels about sanctions against Dodik and others (Klix.ba/FTV)
• Dzaferovic calls for more intensive international engagement in B&H (O Kanal/N1/TRT)
• Russian Ambassador: Russia would support more autonomy for B&H's RS entity (BHRT)
• Mehmedovic demands that Kalabukhov is declared a persona non grata (N1)
Montenegro
• Krivokapic: I won’t resign, political leaders caused crisis (CdM)
• Escobar: US to continue supporting Euro-Atlantic aspirations of Montenegro and its citizens (CdM)
Republic of North Macedonia
• The government has survived, the government is holding on to glass legs (Libertas)
Albania
• Two EU Ambassadors: We are working to hold the Intergovernmental Conference within the Slovenian Presidency (Radio Tirana)
• Xhacka: The inclusion of Kosovo, essential for a more efficient regional cooperation (Radio Tirana)
• Rama attends Peace Forum in France (ADN)

United Nations Office in Belgrade
Daily Media Highlights
Wednesday 10 November 2021
LOCAL PRESS

• Brnabic: Serbia has always been on side of freedom in fight against fascism (Politika/Tanjug)
• Vucic: Putin understands Serbia (Politika)
• US Embassy dismisses accusations against Congress members as incorrect, insulting (Beta)
• Gratitude to Kazakhstan and Angola for not recognizing so-called Kosovo (Politika/Tanjug)
• Serbia determined to further strengthen bilateral relations with the Netherlands (RTV)
• Selakovic: Significant potentials for strengthening economic cooperation with Egypt (RTV)
• Government adopts Law on Referendum, People’s Initiative (Tanjug/Politika/RTS)
• Dacic: Amendments to referendum law to be adopted by end of November (Beta/RTS)
• Protest ends, rightists cheer war criminal in front of police in Belgrade (N1)
• Izetbegovic: Dodik is cause of crisis in B&H (Tanjug)
• Komsic ends interview with Tanjug due to denial of genocide by journalist (Tanjug)
• Dodik: Those who are naive believe in sanctions against me, but also against RS (Novosti)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina
• Escobar conveys video message to B&H citizens; Dayton Peace Agreement is still very important part of our foreign policy (Oslobodjenje)
• Escobar announces possibility of sanctions against leaders who conduct anti-Dayton activities but also against companies that support them (BHT1)
• Dodik: If Escobar thinks sanctions are solution, let him use them as he wants, but it is clear to everyone that this will not produce effect (ATV)
• Escobar meets representatives of RS authority and opposition; Opposition representatives point out that Dodik wants to keep crisis going for as long as possible because of next year's elections (N1)
• Dodik and Erdogan meet in Ankara, they agree that peace has no alternative, and that threat of force cannot solve any problem (ATV)
• Schmidt meets representatives of civil society: There can be no other end goal but sovereign, territorially intact and irreversibly stable B&H (Oslobodjenje)
• Podzic, Sattler stress importance of political dialogue and decreasing tensions (Dnevni list)
• OHR: Forests and forest land on the entire territory of B&H under the exclusive competence of the state (AJB/Hayat)
• UK parliament’s House of Commons discusses current political situation in B&H (N1)
• Pahor on situation in B&H and region: If there is no progress in reasonable time, it will further strengthen those ideas that it is not possible to live together (N1)
Montenegro
• Early elections are the last option for the SNP (RTCG)
Republic of North Macedonia
• Opposition bloc remains unified: All Alternative members of parliament plan to vote in favor of removing Zaev and his government from office (INA)
• Hoxha: BESA will remain in the opposition camp, our main goal is to remove DUI from power (Republika)
• SDSM party delegates asked Zaev to postpone his resignation (Republika)
• Zaev’s representatives in parliament may try to postpone the vote of no confidence (Republika)
• If the government does not fall on Thursday, it will not fall in the next three months either (Libertas/TV21)
Albania
• Santos: Opposition-majority dialogue very important (Radio Tirana)