United Nations Office in Belgrade

Daily Media Highlights

Tuesday 13 October 2020

LOCAL PRESS

Brnabic: Serbia continues to work on further improving overall relations with China (Tanjug)
Vucic thanks China for supporting Serbia’s territorial integrity (RTS/Tanjug)
Petkovic: Serbs will leave Pristina institutions if ZSO is not formed (RTS/Tanjug)
Djuric: Pristina investing huge efforts to suspend dialogue (RTS)
Odalovic: Serbia not hiding mass graves (Tanjug/Kosovo Online)
Borrell: Reaching an agreement is a matter of months, not years (FoNet)
Russia: We expect a clear reaction from the EU on the intention of “erasing broders” between Albania and so-called Kosovo (RTV/Tanjug)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina

Covic and Dodik meet Vucic in Belgrade; Covic: Meeting represents continuation of regional talks on EU integration and economic recovery of Western Balkans, as well as 25th anniversary of DPA (FTV)
Izetbegovic on Vucic’s meeting with Dodik and Covic: I would have gone to meet with Vucic if he had invited me, Zagreb and Belgrade should not intervene towards B&H (FTV)
FB&H entity Vice President: Dodik, Covic continue denying Bosnian institutions (N1)
EU FMs express unequivocal support to EU perspective of B&H, call on political subjects in B&H to refrain from inflammatory rhetoric during pre-election period (RTRS)
Croatia

Grlic Radman to request EU foreign ministers' discussion on Western Balkans (Hina)
Montenegro

Krivokapic soon to set up the Christian Democratic Party? (Dnevne novine)
Vujovic: Krivokapic may consolidate SDP if he wants to (Pobjeda)
Albania

Meta calls PM to resign (ADN)
Rama calls on President to decree changes of Electoral Code (Radio Tirana)
Rama-Merkel discuss Albania’s progress on EU Integration (ADN)
Meta: No EU talks’ opening without respecting 5 June agreement (ADN)

LOCAL PRESS

Vucic: Serbia prepared to discuss compromise, but not ultimatum (Beta)
Dacic: Security Council session on Kosovo and Metohija scheduled (Tanjug/Politika)
Vucic: Important decisions next week (Tanjug/B92)
Petkovic: Thaci not for dialogue, his signature not worth anything (Tanjug)
Lajcak: Brussels expects a far-reaching decision from Vučić on the Kosovo issue (FoNet)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina

Commissioner Varhelyi visits B&H (BHT1)
Izetbegovic: B&H is responsible for everything the EU criticized it in its Report (BHT1)
Dodik: B&H will not manage to centralize itself at expense of RS for sake of European path (RTRS)
Dodik: B&H will not be EU member if it means removing competencies from RS and transferring them to state-level (ATV)
Dodik: There can be no war in B&H; RS deserves recognition just like Kosovo does (ATV)
SDP B&H, NS, NiP and NBL submit request for no-confidence vote against SC government led by PM Nenadic (FTV)
There is no doubt that reshuffling of SC government will result in reorganizations in TC and ZDC (Dnevni avaz)
Croatia

Pompeo in Dubrovnik warns Croatia against close ties with China (Hina)
Montenegro

Djukanovic – Varhelyi: Montenegro remains on its European path (CdM)
Jokovic and Knezevic: Participation in government should be in proportion to the election result (CdM)
Ibrahimovic: Bosniak Party members started consultations about entering new govt (Dan)
Albania

The majority changes unilaterally the Electoral Code (Tirana Times)

United Nations Office in Belgrade

Daily Media Highlights

Friday 9 October 2020

LOCAL PRESS

Brnabic: EU membership Serbia’s key foreign policy priority (Tanjug)
Vucic: A big assignment for the new pro-European government (Tanjug/B92)
Djuric appointed Serbian Ambassador to the US (Tanjug/Politika/RTS)
Falconi: EC report shows foundation in place, progress limited or non-existent (Radio Sto Plus/Beta)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina

Members of B&H Presidency travel to Brussels to meet EU officials (Hayat)
Belgium ‘constituent’ model and federal units are model for B&H (Vecernji list)
US Embassy to B&H urges political leaders to implement political and economic reforms to bring country closer to EU (Oslobodjenje)
‘United Srpska’ to file appeal with Court of B&H over B&H CEC’s decision (ATV)
B&H politicians, political parties react to decision of B&H CEC to ban ‘United Srpska’ participating in local elections (ATV)
Chinese Embassy in B&H sends protest letter to B&H FM Turkovic (ATV)
Turkovic: B&H should always condemn jeopardizing of human rights and rights of minorities (Hayat)
B&H HoP convenes: Information on illegal and unprofessional activities of B&H Minister Turkovic not adopted (BHT1)
B&H HoP rejects report on work of B&H CoM and B&H CEC in 2019 (N1)
Croatia

Deputy PM says war crimes perpetrators should answer regardless of ethnicity (Hina)
Montenegro

Djukanovic to send proposal for prime minister-designate (CdM)
Krivokapic: Today is the day of the victory of democracy (CdM)
Djukanovic: Transition of power is going smoothly (CdM)
Albania

CAA calls Albanian government to fulfill requests on Progress Report 2020 (ADN)
EU calls for improvement of political dialogue in Albania (ADN)
Netherlands discussions on EU Enlargement and Albania (ADN)

LOCAL PRESS

Serbia hands in protest note to Albania (Tanjug/RTS)
Godfrey: I am an optimist, compromise solution between Belgrade and Pristina in a year or two (Kurir/Tanjug/RTV)
Bilcik: European Commission report on Serbia objective (N1)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina

Sattler hands 2020 Report on B&H to B&H Presidency members; Dodik says it will be difficult to agree changes to Constitution of B&H; Dzaferovic: First step would be to adopt amendments to Law HJPC (Nova BH)
B&H CEC bans 'United Srpska' from taking part in upcoming local elections in B&H (FTV)
Due to B&H CEC’s decision on ‘United Srpska’ SNSD leader Dodik will ask coalition partners to reexamine their participation on upcoming elections (ATV)
PDP leader Borenovic responds to Dodik’s accusations (BN TV)
Cvijanovic: Problem with CEC is its political involvement (ATV)
Covic sends letter to international officials to warn on lack of progress in implementation of SDA-HDZ B&H agreements (FTV)
SDA calls upon HDZ B&H to behave responsibly and in line with Constitution of B&H, to complete their obligation after which negotiations on Election Law of B&H can resume (Hayat)
Dodik objects behavior of Minister Turkovic because B&H signed joint statement of 39 countries condemning violence of Chinese authorities over Uighur Muslims (Dnevni avaz)
Montenegro

Djukanovic: Steinmeier praises Montenegro’s role as promoter of European values (CdM)
Djukanovic in Germany: New government will have my absolute support for everything aimed at adopting European values (CdM)
Mass: Western Balkans will remain one of Germany’s priorities (CdM)
Republic of North Macedonia

Varhelyi calls on Macedonia and Bulgaria to resolve their dispute (Republika)
Albania

Varhelyi: I have brought good news for Albanians, we are serious about enlargement policy (Radio Tirana)
Varhelyi from the rostrum of the parliament: The future of the whole region is in the EU and our strategic interest is to bring you closer (Radio Tirana)
Rama Vulin Twitter spat: Albanian PM asks Vucic to react (Tirana Times)

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES

Berlin hosts Montenegrin autocrat Djukanovic (Deutsche Welle)

United Nations Office in Belgrade

Daily Media Highlights

Wednesday 7 October 2020

LOCAL PRESS

Joksimovic, Fabrizi: Progress report, economic package at an important moment (Tanjug)
Varhelyi: Serbia can open one chapter this year, on competition policy (Beta)
Djuric: Hoti not for dialogue, wants only recognition (Tanjug/RTV)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina

Sattler: Past 16 months was the period of stagnation, different blockades and lack of progress in the area of reforms (BN TV)
Varhelyi: B&H needs to make progress in areas of rule of law and restoring of trust of citizens to judicial system (BHT1)
Dodik: I will keep opinion on 2020 Report on B&H to myself, I am not informed about it (FTV)
B&H Presidency members Dodik and Komsic discuss mutual relations, B&H’s paths towards EU and NATO with members of Swedish delegation (RTRS)
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sweden Linde says significant progress must be made in all 14 priorities before B&H is granted status of candidate (Dnevni avaz)
Dzaferovic: B&H is on road to EU membership and it strives to join NATO; Only unreasonable ones are against initiatives like mini Schengen (N1)
Croatia

Milanovic meets with Croat representatives from Serbia, says is willing to visit them (Hina)
Montenegro

Here’s who will be running departments in a new govt (CdM)
Djeka: We won’t join the government comprising Democratic Front (Mne.ul-info.com)
Knezevic: Abazovic told he’d vote for withdrawal of the Freedom of Religion Law (Pobjeda)
Popa: Lack of dialogue and mistrust among political actors recognized (CdM)
Republic of North Macedonia

Key findings of the 2020 Report on North Macedonia (MIA)
Albania

EC report unveiled: Albania ready for Intergovernmental Conference, here are the issues that remain problematic (Radio Tirana/Report TV)
Varhelyi in the European Commission: Albania has met the conditions for the First Intergovernmental Conference (Radio Tirana)

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES

Key findings of the 2020 Report on Serbia (European External Action Service)
Montenegro has recorded limited progress in justice system (RFE)