United Nations Office in Belgrade

Daily Media Highlights

Thursday 25 December 2019
LOCAL PRESS

• Vucic: I will not be dividing our people any further (Tanjug/RTS/Beta)
• Brnabic: We need to talk to the government of Montenegro (RTS)
• Patriarch Irinej: Stand to be defended in parliament not on the street (RTS/Vijesti)
• Communique of the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church (spc.rs)
• Drecun: What's most important for Serbs is to respect their election will (TV Pink/Tanjug)
• Jeremic: Kosovo is issue of all issues (RTS)
• Tepic: Dacic took money from arms dealers to finance revoking of other countries’ recognitions of Kosovo (Beta)
• Serbian government proposes changes to law on local elections (N1)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina
• Komsic urges Vucic to suspend national defense and security strategy of Serbia as it would undermine regional peace and stability; Dzaferovic warns of violation of sovereignty of B&H (N1/BHT1/Al Jazeera)
• Dodik reacts to comments of Dzaferovic and Komsic (ATV/RTRS/Srna)
• Dzaferovic: Program of Reforms of B&H is first ANP for NATO (BNTV)
• SDS caucus in RS parliament demands entire text of Program of Reforms of B&H (BHT1)
• Stanivukovic calls on Lukac to resign; Opposition to organize protests on Thursday (O Kanal/N1)
• Banja Luka Police Administration says it is establishing facts on incident at RS parliament (ATV)
• Pavic and Rodic resign as DNS leader and deputy president, Trninic to be removed as RS Minister of Transport and Communications (ATV)
• US Embassy: No room for threats in democratic discussion (Hayat/FTV/N1)
Montenegro
• Djukanovic: Nobody can jeopardize Montenegro’s stability (CDM)
• Patriarch Irinej met with DF leaders, Mandic and Knezevic received blessing for fighting in defense of SPC (IN4S)
Republic of North Macedonia
• Outgoing Prime Minister: If the opposition stalls laws, I will not resign on 3 January (Republika)
• Zaev expects a new mandate and a continuation of the economy’s growth (Meta/MRTV)
Albania
• Debate with PM Rama, Haradinaj apologizes to Albanians (ADN)

United Nations Office in Belgrade

Daily Media Highlights

Tuesday 24 December 2019
LOCAL PRESS

• Vucic: Next year, Putin, Jinping, Merkel and Johnson are coming to Serbia(O2/B92/Beta)
• Vucic: Whatever we say we are interfering in internal politics (NSPM/Tanjug/O2)
• Portals close to Montenegrin authorities spin Vucic’s words (Novosti)
• Djuric: Perhaps there will be new elections in Kosovo and Metohija (TV Happy/Tanjug)
• Law on religious freedom adopted, SPC priests gathered (B92/Vijesti/Tanjug)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina
• Incomplete new convocation of B&H CoM appointed (FTV)
• Brief biographies of new ministers in B&H CoM (Hayat)
• International community welcomes appointment of new convocation of B&H CoM (FTV/ATV/BHT1)
• B&H submits Program of Reforms to NATO HQ in Brussels (FTV)
Croatia
• Presidential elections in Croatia to go into second round (HRT)
Republic of North Macedonia
• Citizens’ disappointment in the government growing, the judiciary and the Prime Minister rated very low, VMRO-DPMNE leads convincingly ahead of SDSM (Republika)
• Zaev: If Mickoski wins the elections, he will do everything to annul agreements with Greece and Bulgaria (Republika)
• Outgoing PM Zaev: There is great trust between SDSM and DUI (Republika)
Albania
• EC President Ursula von der Leyen fully supports opening accession negotiations with North Macedonia and Albania (Radio Tirana)
• RCC Secretary General Bregu reveals beneficiaries from Balkan Schengen (Radio Tirana)

United Nations Office in Belgrade

Daily Media Highlights

Monday 23 December 2019
LOCAL PRESS

• Brnabic to EU ambassadors: Serbia remains committed to reform process, EU membership (Tanjug)
• Vucic: Belgrade meeting to be historic (Tanjug)
• Cadez: "Little Schengen" initiative has produced results (RTS)
• Vucic: Tahiri threatening with war and nobody reacts (RTV/Tanjug)
• High level of strategic partnership with Russian Federation (Tanjug/Beta)
• Dacic in Moscow: Russia always on Serbia’s side (RTV)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina
• DF: Serbian Minister Vulin should know border between Serbia and B&H is on Drina River, this will soon be border between NATO and Serbia (BN TV)
• B&H CoM composition to be confirmed (BHT1, ATV)
• Parties still without agreement on Mostar (Oslobodjenje)
• OHR: Elected leaders of this country should be ashamed for failing to comply with ECHR ruling (N1)
• RS parliament to discuss information about Program of Reforms of B&H (ATV)
Croatia
• Croatia Presidential Election: Grabar-Kitarovic, Milanovic go to round two (TCN)
• Milanovic: We are going into second round but not to war, wars are over (Hina)
• Grabar-Kitarovic calls on Skoro's voters to vote for her in runoff (Hina)
Montenegro
• Djukanovic: Serbian Orthodox Church and some parties are seeking to implement ideology of Great Serbian nationalism (CDM)
• Djukanovic on ‘mini Schengen’: A Balkan union cannot replace the EU (CDM)
Republic of North Macedonia
• Twelve days until Zaev resigns (Republika)
• Xhaferi says interim prime minister can be elected the same day Zaev resigns (Republika)
Albania
• Tirana: Participants of ‘Regional Meeting Western Balkans’ says doors remain open for B&H to joint Mini Schengen (N1)

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES

• Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s interview with Serbian newspaper Srpski Telegraf, published on December 20, 2019 (Russian Foreign Ministry)
• What Macron plans for Europe (Politico)

United Nations Office in Belgrade

Daily Media Highlights

Friday 20 December 2019
LOCAL PRESS

• Brnabic: EC is now giving optimistic signals for enlargement (RTS/Tanjug)
• Brnabic, Conte meet on sidelines of CEI summit (Tanjug)
• Kozarev: Serbia will not recognize Kosovo under threats (Tanjug/RTV)
• Vulin: No independent Kosovo and that’s it (Tanjug/RTV)
• Chitaku’s lawsuit against Dacic blocked with the intervention of Russia and China (Novosti)
• Zivkovic calls Serbian opposition to stand in elections (N1)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina
• B&H citizens suspected of taking part in fights on side of ISIL deported to Sarajevo on Thursday (BHT1)
• Covic: HDZ B&H and SDA are ahead of the agreement on Federation of B&H government, but ministers will not be appointed until certain reorganization (N1)
• DF drafted its own proposal of Election Law of B&H; We have not presented it to our partners just yet (FTV)
• McAllister: B&H political leaders must start taking responsibility and ensure their country is moving forward (Dnevni avaz)
• Dodik: RS has the right to celebrate 9 January (EuroBlic)
Croatia
• Prime Minister in Rome for Central European Initiative summit (HRT)
Montenegro
• Várhelyi to Markovic: I want Montenegro to be fully ready for the EU by the end of my term of office (CDM)
• Montenegro to bring debate back into parliament (RTCG)
Republic of North Macedonia
• SDSM will try to push its changes to the Electoral Code next week (Republika)
• Outgoing Prime Minister Zaev to meet Western Balkan leaders in Tirana (Republika)
Albania
• Poster of Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic as persona non- grata in Tirana (N1)

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES

• Marinelli: Serbia is becoming increasingly important partner to NATO (European Western Balkans)

LOCAL PRESS

• Dacic: Albanians frustrated due to upcoming indictments (TV Happy/Tanjug/RTV)
• Mojsilovic: KFOR only legitimate armed formation in Kosovo (Beta/Politika)
• Jeremic: Montenegro’s draft law on religious non-freedom should be withdrawn immediately (Beta)
• Fajon: We might return to Serbia before elections (Danas)
• What scenario for Kosovo and Metohija is most acceptable to Serbian citizens (RTS)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina
• B&H CEC completes vetting procedure of nine candidates for posts of ministers and deputy ministers in B&H CoM (ATV)
• Tegeltija holds consultations with SBB B&H leader Radoncic (ATV)
• SDA wants HDZ B&H nominates candidate for Federation of B&H President and that Mostar is separated from other issues, HDZ B&H’s Kristo says Law on Elections is priority (Dnevni list)
• Dodik sends RS parliament request for holding of special session on Program of Reforms for NATO; Inzko says RS parliament can only confirm program of reforms but it cannot decide on it (BN TV)
• Request of Bosniak caucus unacceptable (RTRS)
• Dodik shows support to US President Trump (ATV)
• Meeting of prosecutors from region held in Sarajevo within regional war crimes project (FTV)
Montenegro
• Markovic: Ostrog can’t belong to the Serbian patriarchate (CDM)
• Russia meddles into the adoption of the law on freedom of religion (CDM)
Republic of North Macedonia
• Grubi: DUI to run in the elections alone, Albanian opposition to unite so that Albanians don’t lose (Republika)

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES

• Provocative statements by former Supreme Allied Commander Europe of NATO Wesley Clark on Russia’s role in the Balkans (Briefing by Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova)
• EC non-paper on Serbia: Pressures on media and judiciary still very much present (European Western Balkans)