LOCAL PRESS

• Vucic: Compromise reached whereby Kosovo is not recognized (Tanjug/Politika)
• Stano: EU welcomes letter of intent on reintroducing Belgrade-Pristina flights (Tanjug)
• Vucic meets with officials on Davos Forum sidelines (Tanjug/RTS)
• Selakovic: Authorities in Podgorica avoided CoE’s recommendation (Tanjug/RTS/RTV)
• Djilas calls for calm among opposition (Danas/Beta)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina
• Dodik’s statement on post of Federation of B&H Vice President disturbs Komsic (RTRS)
• Vidovic: We will initiate changes of laws where constitutional framework was abandoned during transfer of competences (ATV/Srna)
• Agreement of the parties in the Sarajevo Canton reached (N1)
• NATO HQ confirmed that NATO allies accepted the Program of Reforms of B&H (N1)
• Declassified UK documents spark reactions (ATV)
Croatia
• Plenkovic: Not fair that North Macedonia is left in EU "Waiting Room" (Hina)
Montenegro
• Hybrid aggressors also operate from Montenegro (RTCG)
• Djukanovic: UK’s exit from the EU won’t affect our relations (RTCG)
Republic of North Macedonia
• Zaev held his first press conference after resigning as PM (Republika)
• Mickoski promotes his plan for Renewal of Macedonia (Republika)
Albania
• Soreca: Year 2020 will be very important for Southeast Europe and Albania (Radio Tirana)
• Rama in Ukraine: Solving crisis, priority for Europe's stability (ADN)

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES

• Lufthansa attempts to resurrect Serbia-Kosovo air link (EurActiv)

LOCAL PRESS

• Vucic and Dodik on Dayton Agreement: No changes without consent of Serbian people (B92/Beta/Tanjug)
• Djukanovic: We will not withdraw the law, Vucic has an open invitation to come to Montenegro (Tanjug)
• Selakovic: Djukanovic’s argumentation legally unfounded (Tanjug)
• Djuric: Dialogue to resume only after taxes are abolished (RTS)
• Serbian ministry signs letter of intent on Belgrade-Pristina flights (Tanjug)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina
• Covic announces changes to Election Law, reorganization of Federation of B&H government and formation of Federation of B&H authorities (FTV)
• Covic certain that local elections will be held in Mostar in 2020 (Hayat)
• Dodik: Covic has right to demand changing of Election Law (N1)
• Komsic: Changes of Election Law need to be within European standards (Dnevni avaz)
• Dzubur says changes to Law on Elections must not be precondition for formation of Federation of B&H government (Oslobodjenje)
• Borenovic: Amending of Election Law necessary to enable free and fair elections (BN TV)
• SDA, SBB B&H and DF prepare new agreement that entails for Viteskic to temporarily chair sessions of Sarajevo Canton Assembly (Hayat)
• Komsic confirms NATO Political Committee greenlighted Program of Reforms of B&H (Dnevni avaz)
• Dodik: Self-proclaimed Montenegrin Metropolitan does not deserve any attention (Srna)
• Stevandic: Believers have the right to protect the Serbian Orthodox Church in Montenegro (Srna)
Croatia
• Croatian President Elect Zoran Milanovic gives first TV interview (Nova TV)
• Croatia and Austria push for EU entry talks with North Macedonia and Albania (Hina)
Montenegro
• Message for Amfilohije: Government is formed in the elections (CDM)
• DF: EU to get involved in church issue (CDM)
• Azerbaijanis, Russians and Hungarians have invested the most in Montenegro (Pobjeda)

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES

• Statement by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on direct flights between Belgrade and Pristina (Press release)

United Nations Office in Belgrade

Daily Media Highlights

Friday 17 January 2020
LOCAL PRESS

• Vucic congratulates Mishustin : I am certain we will continue development of friendly relations (RTS)
• Vucic: Elections to be held on 19 or 26 April (TV Prva/Tanjug/RTS)
• Djuric: Belgrade devoted to dialogue, the problem is in Pristina (RTV/Beta)
• Joksimovic: Candidate Countries Should Join Debate on New EU Enlargement Methodology (Beta)
• Cadez: Serbia, region can count on US support (Tanjug)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina
• Dodik, Ivantsov: Any changes to DPA would be death sentence for B&H (RTRS)
• Dodik: Sarajevo needs to return property of Serbian Orthodox Church (RTRS)
• National agreement required in B&H without international interventions (Srna)
• EU to present new methodology for accession of candidate countries and possible candidates to EU (Nezavisne)
Croatia
• Plenkovic on working visit to Germany (HRT)
Montenegro
• Visegrad group wants WB to take part in the discussion on Europe’s future (RSE)
Republic of North Macedonia
• Ahmeti says he was given an offer to partition Macedonia, but he rejected it (Republika)
• Interior Minister Culev discusses election preparations with members of the diplomatic corps (Republika)
Albania
• Commissioner Varhelyi: EU should open accession negotiations with Albania before the Zagreb summit (Radio Tirana)
• Elections in Serbia, Albanians in Presevo Valley united (ADN)

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES

• Last Chance Saloon: Can the EU and Balkans be Reconciled in 2020? (BIRN)

United Nations Office in Belgrade

Daily Media Highlights

Thursday 16 January 2020
LOCAL PRESS

• Brnabic: Serbia will not give up until the real perpetrators of this crime are discovered (RTS)
• Cadez: Atlantic Council supports Little Schengen initiative (Tanjug)
• Djilas presents “Serbia 2020” Program (Beta)
• Witness to KLA crimes against disloyal Albanians removed (Politika)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina
• Cvijanovic and Vucic comment claims of Nacional that Milanovic and Erdogan talked about need to change DPA (RTRS)
• Croats in B&H should not choose between Serbs and Bosniaks (Vecernji list)
• Delegations of SDA and HDZ B&H meet to discuss solving of key problems at state, entity and local level including solution for local elections in Mostar (Vecernji list)
• SDS, PDP, Our Party, SDP and Independent Bloc discuss ways to change Law on Elections of B&H (Nezavisne)
• OHR provides interpretation of current situation in SC Assembly concluding Kristic is legitimate speaker (BHT1)
Croatia
• Croatia sees Montenegro as next EU member state (Hina)
Montenegro
• Markovic: We are open to dialogue about conceptual agreement (CDM)
Republic of North Macedonia
• Varhelyi pledges that enlargement toward Balkans will be a priority for the EU (Republika)
• Pendarovski meets Varhelyi (Republika)
• Xhaferi tells Varhelyi he hopes Macedonia will open EU accession talks in March or May (Republika)
• VMRO has a plan to fast-track Macedonia toward the EU, Mickoski tells Varhelyi (Republika)
• New bribery tape – Zaev says “f… the name” (Republika)
Albania
• Venice Commission to discuss Albanian parliament addressed questions at March session (Radio Tirana)
• EU should carry on the enlargement process (Republika)

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES

• Serbia’s campaign to reduce the number of countries which recognise Kosovo is working (Emerging Europe)

LOCAL PRESS

• Vucic, Borrell discuss Belgrade-Pristina dialogue (Tanjug/RTS)
• Why didn’t Grenell visit Pristina and what is Walker doing over there (Tanjug/RTV)
• Stefanovic: 28 adult Serbs in Syria, Iraq, warns participation in foreign wars punishable (Beta)
• Antonijevic expects new meeting with MEPs; topic will be lowering electoral threshold (Tanjug/Politika)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina
• Dodik and Vucic’s statements provoked only couple of reactions from Sarajevo (Oslobodjenje)
• Still no agreement on Bozovic’s appointment as B&H Minister of Human Rights and Refugees (N1)
• Dzaferovic rejects media allegations in which he was tried to be brought in connection with Iranian general Soleimani (O kanal)
Croatia
• Plenkovic presents priorities of Croatia's EU Presidency to European Parliament (Hina)
• Plenkovic: Croatia won't become hotspot for migrants (Hina)
Montenegro
• Minister Darmanovic: There’s room for dialogue with SPC (MINA)
Republic of North Macedonia
• Zaev: US continuously supports the realization of our strategic interests (Republika)
• Mickoski – Byrnes: Fair and democratic elections key to Macedonia’s future (Republika)
Albania
• Albanian political forces reached an agreement to implement electoral reform by 15 March (Radio Tirana)
• OSCE and US Embassy hails the agreement reached by political parties on the electoral reform (Radio Tirana)