United Nations Office in Belgrade

Daily Media Highlights

Thursday 26 March 2020

LOCAL PRESS

Vulin: US won in Kosovo (RTS)
Dacic: Modalities of health cooperation with Cuba (Tanjug/RTS)
Godfrey: US Embassy organizes flight to LA for US citizens and residents (FoNet/N1)
Fajon: Coronavirus not excuse for locking democracy, EU biggest donor to Serbia (Danas/Beta)
Total of 457 cases, seven die (RTS)
Nestorovic warns Valjevo could be under quarantine (TV Pink/N1/FoNet)
Transport Community Permanent Secretariat and CEFTA propose a set of measures for Western Balkans (Beta)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina

B&H Presidency issues joint statement calling on citizens to respect measures and trust authorities (Dnevni avaz)
B&H CoM decision preventing foreign nationals from entering B&H being enforced (BHT1)
Quarantine for people entering B&H through border crossing Samac formed (ATV)
Croatia to close down small-border crossings with B&H (Dnevni avaz)
B&H has eight new cases, bringing the total to 185 (N1)
Local healthcare center in Sarajevo-based district closed after woman (52) died of consequences of COVID-19 infection on Tuesday (O kanal)
Olympic Hall in Sarajevo to serve as quarantine where patients with mild-symptoms of COVID-19 will be relocated from hospitals in FB&H if necessary (O kanal)
Solak: We are definitely evaluating stricter and more rigorous measures (BHT1)
Pavilions of student center ‘Nikola Tesla’ in Banja Luka to serve as quarantine center for people infected with COVID-19 (N1)
Koc: Solidarity and mutual assistance only way to be successful in this fight (Oslobodjenje)
Norway prepares financial assistance for B&H to help country in fight against coronavirus infection (O kanal)
Zvizdic, Covic write letter to EU officials asking for exemption of Western Balkans from restriction decision (Dnevni avaz)
Covic: Plenkovic promised that B&H will receive help from EU (Nezavisne)
Borrell: China aggressively pushes the message that, unlike US, it is a responsible and reliable partner (Dnevni list)
Croatia

Croatia reports 481 cases and the second coronavirus victim (Hina)
Quarantine in Murter and Betina, police not allowing anyone in or out (HRT)
Montenegro

Confirmed coronavirus cases in Montenegro rise to 67 (CDM)
Djukanovic: Montenegro and UAE together in fight against coronavirus (CDM)
Republic of North Macedonia

Dimitrov-Borell: Coordination, solidarity and channeling EU support to Western Balkans (MIA)
Twenty-four new coronavirus cases in North Macedonia, total cases 201 (MIA)
Albania

Albania's leaders unite to cope with COVID-19 (ADN)
Number of Coronavirus infected in Albania increasing too fast (ADN)
COVID-19/71-year-old patient dies in infectious hospital, 6 deaths in Albania (Top channel)
Three field hospitals to be established (ADN)

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES

EU and US in opposite camps as Kosovo government toppled (EurActiv/AFP)

LOCAL PRESS

Vucic’s address on the occasion of 21st anniversary of NATO aggression (Politika)
Solidarity evidence of closeness of peoples of Serbia, Turkey (Tanjug)
Joksimovic: €94 million redeployed from IPA funds for Serbia (Tanjug)
Vucic: Belgrade, Valjevo and Nis - for hotspots of virus, special measures (B92/Tanjug)
Radojicic: The city is ready to isolate 10 central municipalities (B92/TV Prva)
Kon: No need for isolation of Belgrade (RTS)
Another 81 cases, 384 infected in Serbia (RTS)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina

B&H CoM adopts draft budget for 2020 and decision on closure of airport in B&H; Ministers from RS vote against draft of budget that implies increase of salaries, purchase of cars and buildings (FTV)
Dodik, Dzaferovic talk about coronavirus situation with Varhelyi (RTRS/BHT1)
Dodik with Lavrov: Russia is ready to help RS and B&H amid coronavirus crisis (ATV)
Two new COVID-19 cases confirmed in Konjic; Total number of infected in B&H increased to 168 (Klix.ba/O kanal)
Banja Luka City Headquarters for Emergency Situations: New measures will be introduced (ATV)
Are B&H citizens confused by different instructions coming from 13 crisis headquarters in the country? (N1)
Croatia

Croatia welcomes green-light for launch of EU entry talks with Macedonia and Albania (Hina)
Coronavirus cases rise to 418 (HTR)
Montenegro

EU’s support: €3 million for healthcare system and €50 million for long-term program (CDM)
Number of coronavirus cases in Montenegro reaches 52 (CDM)
Republic of North Macedonia

Zaev: Start of EU negotiations, historic mistake fixed, no obstacles or conditions (MIA)
Twenty-nine new coronavirus cases in North Macedonia, total tally hits 177 (MIA)
Kumanovo public transport cancelled (MIA)
Albania

Rama: Finally, the accession talks are open (ADN)
Coronavirus cases rise to 146 across Albania (ADN)
Government announces state of natural disaster (ADN)
COVID-19, EU pledges 50 million Euros for Albania (ADN)

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES

Coronavirus postpones elections across emerging Europe. Except in Poland (Emerging Europe)

United Nations Office in Belgrade

Daily Media Highlights

Tuesday 24 March 2020

LOCAL PRESS

Twenty-one years since the NATO bombing without UN Security Council approval (B92/Tanjug)
Vulin: NATO crime was the last crime in the XX century that had gone unpunished (Beta/Tanjug)
Vucic: Change in approach in fighting coronavirus; very possible that we isolate Belgrade (Tanjug/RTS/B92)
Gojkovic denies request for parliament session (FoNet/RTV)
Djuric: We are not interested in Pristina’s games of throne (Politika)
Ljajic: 10 million masks arriving from China this week (RTS)
A total of 301 infected people in Serbia (RTS/Tanjug)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina

B&H has 150 COVID-19 cases, Security Minister wants airport closed (N1)
New four COVID-19 cases registered in Konjic (Klix.ba)
FB&H Civil Protection Crisis Headquarters discusses adoption of special regulation that would tighten measures for those who violate orders on self-isolation or curfew (BHT1)
No new cases of COVID-19 reported in RS (RTRS)
Dodik: Introduction of harsher measures to tackle Coronavirus necessary (ATV)
Quarantine for citizens who are not complying with prescribed measures of self-isolation to be formed in Bijeljina (BHT1)
Quarantine tents at border crossings in B&H ready for use (RTRS)
Radoncic holds video-conference with representatives of diplomatic missions and international organizations in B&H on current situation and B&H's needs in fight against coronavirus (BHT1)
Inzko: State budget a priority for stopping COVID-19 (Oslobodjenje)
Croatia

In Croatia, 361 infected with coronavirus, six of them on the respirators (N1)
Sunday’s earthquake claims its first victim (HRT)
Montenegro

In Montenegro, 29 infected with a coronavirus, 938 are quarantined (CDM)
Camaj: Albanians negotiate joint run in parliamentary elections in Montenegro (Dan)
Republic of North Macedonia

Varhelyi: EU approves opening of negotiations with North Macedonia, Albania (MIA)
Twelve new coronavirus cases registered, total tally hits 148 (MIA)
Government restricts movement of teenagers, senior citizens to fight coronavirus spread (MIA/TV24)
Filipche: Coronavirus outbreak will be over after two incubation cycles without new cases (MIA)
Army members deployed to guard vital public locations (MIA)
Albania

Coronavirus cases surge to 123 in Albania (ADN)
COVID-19 and international assistance to Albania (Tirana Times)

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES

Serbia blasts NATO’s 1999 aggression as crime against humanity (TASS)
Could Trump Spark a New Balkan Ethnic War? (The New Republic)
Only a matter of time’: Greek migrant camps brace for coronavirus outbreak (Politico)

LOCAL PRESS

Serbian government adopts new measures as COVID-19 response (Tanjug)
Brnabic thanks China on support in fight against COVID-19 (Tanjug/RTS)
Loncar: Chinese experts propose first set of new measures to combat COVID-19 (RTS)
Dodik: Gratefulness to Serbia for readiness to assist RS and B&H (Tanjug/RTV)
Vucic meets with Orban in Budapest (Beta)
Borrell: Lajcak will do an excellent job mediating Belgrade-Pristina dialogue (Beta)
Another 27 cases of coronavirus in Serbia, a total of 249 (RTS/N1)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina

Dzaferovic takes over chairmanship over B&H Presidency (N1)
Total number of infected patients with the new coronavirus in B&H is now 128 (N1)
Curfew from 1800 hrs. to 0500 hrs. in force as of Sunday (FTV/ATV)
B&H AF set tents up at border crossings (ATV)
Tuzla receives 50 new migrants’ daily; Migrants not being screened (BHT1)

Croatia

Total of coronavirus infections in Croatia has grown to 306,  52 new cases; leaving place of residence prohibited (HRT)
Earthquake rocks Croatian capital (HRT)

Montenegro

Five more infected with coronavirus in Montenegro (RTCG)
The first coronavirus victim in Montenegro, recently visited Serbia (RTCG)
Montenegro government ramped up its coronavirus measures (CDM)

Republic of North Macedonia

Number of confirmed coronavirus cases rises to 114 (MIA)
Second coronavirus patient dies at Clinic for Infectious Diseases in North Macedonia (MIA)
Filipce announced new measures to limit the movement of people over 65 and up to 18 years of age (Republika)
Army comes to aid in tackling coronacrisis (MIA)
Sugareski: If necessary, intercity passenger transport will be banned (MIA)

Albania

Fifteen new coronavirus cases in Albania, total number 104 (Top channel)
Coronavirus situation in Albania worsens, 5 deaths (ADN)

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES

Powerful earthquake puts Croatia in a coronavirus conundrum (The Week)
EU Governments Reach Breakthrough Over Balkans Expansion Plan (Bloomberg News)

United Nations Office in Belgrade

Daily Media Highlights

Friday 20 March 2020

LOCAL PRESS

Borrel to Vucic: EU doing all it can to help Serbia (RTS/RTV/Tanjug)
Norway donates Serbia five million Euros for fight against coronavirus (RTS/Tanjug)
Coronavirus epidemic officially declared in Serbia (RTS/Tanjug)
Vucic: Curfew will be extended (B92)
Serbian Army opens camp in Morovic (Tanjug/RTS)
New 15 cases of coronavirus in Serbia - 118 in total (B92)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina

Five new cases of coronavirus confirmed in B&H, 69 in total (N1)
Nine new cases of Coronavirus infection registered in FB&H, total number of infected persons increases to 18 (N1)
FB&H Civil Protection HQ adopts four new orders (Hayat)
Sixteen new cases of coronavirus infection confirmed in RS on Thursday, total number in the RS increased to 45 (RTRS)
B&H AF and B&H Border police define eight border crossings to set up quarantine tents (ATV)
Podzic confirms that B&H AF will be deployed to eight border crossings (Dnevni avaz)
Dodik, Covic, Izetbegovic and Radoncic meet with Sattler to discuss current situation caused by COVID-19 (N1)
Turkey to help B&H with medical materials (RTRS/Dnevni avaz)
Turkovic calls on heads of diplomatic-consular missions accredited in B&H to help B&H purchase respirators and other necessary medical equipment (Nezavisne novine)
B&H Border Police Director passes decision on temporary suspension of five police officers of Brod unit (BHT1)
Croatia

In Croatia, 113 people are infected with coronaviruses (N1/Hina)
Montenegro

The number of infected in Montenegro increased to 13 (RTCG)
DSC will consider information on the epidemiological situation (RTCG)
Republic of North Macedonia

Filipche: Skopje Health Center to open coronavirus testing sites next week (MIA)
Nineteen new coronavirus cases in Macedonia, a total of 67 confirmed cases (MIA)
Albania

COVID 19: Opposition leader sends letter to WHO office to seek assistance (TemA)
Total number of COVID-19 cases in Albania hits 70 (ADN)

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES

The Quiet Success of Trump’s Politically Appointed Ambassadors in Europe (The Daily Signal)
China Casts Itself as Global Savior While U.S. and EU Focus on Virus at Home (Foreign Policy)