United Nations Office in Belgrade

Daily Media Highlights

Thursday 8 April 2021

LOCAL PRESS

Stefanovic: Serbia a credible contributor to UN and EU missions (Tanjug)
Shieb: Bombing of Yugoslavia in 1999 is a controversial issue but it was necessary for the sake of preventing a humanitarian catastrophe and genocide in Kosovo (RTV)
Mirovic: Shieb’s stamement not diplomatic, not true or reasonable (RTV)
Popovic: German Ambassador to apologize to Serb people over shameful statement (RTV/FoNet)
Amnesty International about Serbia: War crimes go unpunished, media under attack, discrimination persists (Beta)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina

B&H Central Election Commission holds online meeting with Sattler, Inzko, Kavalec and Nelson to discuss reform of B&H Election Law (BHT1)
Sarovic: Make full reform of Election Law during this, non-election year (Dnevni list)
Cvijanovic holds meeting with EU Ambassadors: RS remains dedicated to EU path (Dnevni list)
Montenegro

Krivokapic: Letter to the people of Montenegro (Office of the Prime Minister)
Leposavic more likely to resign (CdM)
Albanian Alternative in Montenegro considering to require that Tuz be part of Albania or Kosovo budgets (CdM)
Albania

Armed Forces take over the airport. Air traffic control strike shuts flights, prevents shipment of vaccine arrival (Tirana Times)
Surroi: Kosovo-Serbia dialogue needs to have guiding principles/ Surroi discusses at AIIS Tirana Foreign Policy Forum (Tirana Times)

LOCAL PRESS

Vucic: We have learned that from Montenegro they attend celebration of Storm and carefully listen to what NATO tells them (Tanjug/RTS/RTV)
Selakovic: UNMIK’s activity of crucial importance for Serbia (Tanjug/Beta/RTV/N1)
First political consultations between Serbia, Bahrain held in Belgrade (Tanjug)
Dacic: Belgrade-Pristina dialogue doesn’t depend on Kurti and Osmani (TV Pink/RTV)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina

Dzaferovic reacts to Dodik’s statement: Division of B&H is not possible and B&H cannot longer sustain any ethnic or territorial divisions (Hayat)
Dzaferovic: Negotiations on changes to B&H Election Law are blocked (N1)
Komsic: There is not even minimum of consensus as to what path one should take in changes to Election Law and especially possible changes to Constitution (O kanal)
Nelson with DNS, PDP, SDS leaders discusses electoral, economic and rule of law reforms (Dnevni avaz)
Several hundred citizens stage peaceful protests in Sarajevo demanding resignations of B&H CoM and FB&H government due to failure to procure vaccines (O kanal)
Croatia

Croats must agree to changes of Constitution, whilst Bosniaks must agree to legitimate representation (Vecernji list)
Montenegro

Another Leposavic’s shameful statement: In Montenegro, as in Jasenovac (CdM)
Krivokapic to Montenegro people: I made decision on Leposavic’s dismissal with a heavy heart (CdM)
State secretary in Justice Ministry to Krivokapic: You took a wrong turn (CdM)
Abazovic congratulates Osmani on her election as President of Kosovo (Office of the Deputy Prime Minister)
Republic of North Macedonia

EU doesn’t mind expert government in Bulgaria negotiating Macedonia’s history (MIA)
Albania

Palmer: Impartial and transparent rules for 25 April elections (Tirana Times)
General Prosecutor’s Office requests information from INTERPOL for 25 MP candidates (Tirana Times)

United Nations Office in Belgrade

Daily Media Highlights

Tuesday 6 April 2021

LOCAL PRESS

Vucic: Statements from Pristina are not encouraging, on the contrary (TV Pink/Tanjug/RTV)
Trilateral meetings with Greece, Cyprus to be held every six months (Tanjug/RTS/RTV)
Cyprus’ sincere support for Serbia’s path to the EU (Tanjug)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina

Cavara: We need partners who will respect rule of law, Croats want legitimate representation and stable political relations (Nezavisne)
Croatia

HNS condemns Komsic’s non-paper, calls him usurper of Croat people’s rights (Vecernji list)
Boskovic: EU and USA realized that domination in B&H is a problem (Vecernji list)
Montenegro

Djukanovic congratulates new president of Kosovo (CdM)
Montenegro Prime Minister moves to replace minister over Srebrenica genocide denial (CdM)
Republic of North Macedonia

Zaev announced meeting with Alliance and Alternative during the week (Republika)
Albania

Kosovo rejects Albania’s offer to vaccinate teachers with Chinese vaccine (Tirana Times)

LOCAL PRESS

Vucic: How recognizing Kosovo would help with stabilization or bring anything good to the region (Tanjug/RTV/RTS)
Ambassadors of Quint, EU convey concern over state of media (Beta)
Selakovic: Dialogue with Pristina most complex issue; Serbia to base its policy on international law and UNSCR 1244 (RTS/Tanjug)
EU: Serbia must work on reforms to speed up accession negotiations (FoNet/N1)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina

Nelson, Sattler discuss electoral reform with leaders of SDP, NiP, NS (Dnevni avaz)
It is unacceptable for opposition at B&H level for B&H Election Law to be changed only by parties that make up B&H CoM; Opinions in majority at B&H level also differ when it comes to this issue (Glas Srpske/Nezavisne)
HDZ B&H Presidency discusses changes to Law on Elections (Dnevni list)
Dodik’s initiative to merge functions of RS President and B&H Presidency member continues to spark reactions (Oslobodjenje)
Kalabukhov: Russia wants OHR to close because it believes this is good for B&H (FTV)
EU, US Embassy, OSCE and Swedish Embassy issue joint statement on recent criticism of Office of the Disciplinary Counsel (O kanal)
Larson: Corruption is like plague destroying B&H (BN TV/RFE)
US State Department publishes report on human rights in B&H; Reactions (FTV)
Montenegro

Krivokapic offers compromise, DF doesn’t even want to hear about it (Pobjeda)
Covic and Simonovic dismissed from Intelligence and Security Directorate (Pobjeda)
Knezevic: Possible criminal responsibility of Committee members for access to secret data (CdM)
Republic of North Macedonia

Zaev congratulates Kurti on new Kosovo government (MIA)
Xhaferi obstructs the move to postpone the census (Republika)
Xhaferi’s move in parliament means that the census is legally still supposed to start today (Republika)
State Department human rights report notes the persecution of journalists critical of the Zaev regime (Republika)
Karakacanov: Only schizophrenic American bureaucrats see a Macedonian minority in Bulgaria (Republika)
Albania

Impunity remains serious problem in Albania; US State Dept. (ADN/VoA)
Government slammed for not fighting corruption (ADN)

United Nations Office in Belgrade

Daily Media Highlights

Wednesday 31 March 2021

LOCAL PRESS

Selakovic: Traditionally good and friendly relations with the Czech Repubic (Tanjug/RTV/RTS)
European Parliament facilitators complete preparations for Serbia dialogue (N1)
Opposition party calls on EP to activate government-opposition dialogue as soon as possible (Beta)
EU, US to cooperate much more tightly in policy on Western Balkans (Beta)
US State Department: Human rights violations, corruption cases in Serbia in 2020 (N1)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina

Di Maio holds meetings with B&H senior officials; says Italy advocates enlargement of EU to Western Balkans and continuation of reforms and EU integration of B&H (RTRS)
Inzko informs Di Maio about status and challenges regarding implementation of Dayton agreement (Dnevni list)
‘Pod lupom’ conference on election reform: International officials agree it is necessary to change B&H Election Law (Nezavisne novine)
Constitutional law expert Lukic on Dodik’s initiative to merge offices of RS President and B&H Presidency member from RS: It is not realistic because it would require constitutional changes (Glas Srpske)
Constitutional law expert Lukic on Dodik’s initiative to merge offices of RS President and B&H Presidency member from RS: It is not realistic because it would require constitutional changes (Glas Srpske)
Basic: Nelson’s and Inzko’s letter regarding changes to Law on Internal Affairs is not a negative reaction (Oslobodjenje)
Croatia

Croatia demands changes to Election Law in B&H (Hina)
Montenegro

Radovic: Injac failed to tell truth, we’re waiting for Krivokapic to suggest new date (CdM)
Krivokapic speaks with Lavrov (PM PR Service)
Abazovic: Genocide happened in Srebrenica, whoever doesn’t understand it can’t be on public post (CdM)
Becanovic already spoke about Srebrenica as Leposavic is telling now (CdM)
Republic of North Macedonia

Amendments to Electoral Code, signed by all parliamentary groups, submitted (Republika)
Pendarovski and Filipce clash over the Serbian vaccination fiasco (Republika)
High level spat erupts as top Zaev officials blame each other for the vaccine fiasco (Republika)
Palmer calls on Zaev to do more to fight corruption (Republika/VoA)
Albania

US will have observers for 25 April elections (Radio Tirana)