United Nations Office in Belgrade

Daily Media Highlights

Wednesday 11 December 2019
LOCAL PRESS

• Brnabic: Argentina has always protected Serbia’s integrity (RTV/Tanjug)
• Serbia, Greece sign declaration on strategic partnership (Tanjug)
• Serbia opens new chapter in negotiations with EU (RTS/Tanjug/Beta)
• Joksimovic: Serbia can be ready for EU membership in five years (Tanjug)
• Botsan-Kharchenko: There is no constructive condition for continuing Belgrade-Pristina talks (RTV/FoNet)
• Moscow will agree with UN SC discussion of division of Kosovo, if Serbia wants (N1)
• Foggo: Good job of KFOR over the past two decades (RTS)
• Jeremic: Participation in election under present conditions insults intelligence of ordinary people (TV N1/Beta)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina
• EU Council adopts Conclusions on EC’s Opinion on B&H’s EU membership application (FTV)
• RS CC to decide on veto of Bosniak Caucus to Information on unconstitutional transformation of Dayton structure of B&H (Oslobodjenje)
• Russian Ambassador to Serbia comments military neutrality of Serbia and RS (RTRS)
• HNS’ Ljubic: HNS has made its proposal of changes to Law on Elections, will not make new one (Dnevni list)
• Komsic and Dzaferovic meet with Afghan President Ghani who commends B&H AF for contribution (FTV)
Montenegro
• Those who want negotiations to be ready as Montenegro (Pobjeda)
Republic of North Macedonia
• Mickoski calls on Zaev to accept the changes VMRO is proposing to the law on languages (Republika)

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES

• Belgrade seeking even closer ties with Athens (ekathimerini)
• Pendarovski says he offered Macron troops for Mali and the option to expel future EU members (Sueddeutsche Zeitung)
• Nine EU Members release a new proposal for the reform of enlargement process (European Western Balkans)

LOCAL PRESS

• Brnabic with Sola: Argentina will not change its position on non-recognition of Kosovo (RTS/Tanjug)
• Vucic thanks Pavlopoulos for Greece’s support for Serbia’s territorial integrity (Tanjug)
• Pavlopoulos: Balkan wars, conflicts and differences to be left behind (Beta)
• Dacic: Greece’s non-recognition of so-called Kosovo is key for Serbia (RTS)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina
• Tegeltija receives names of ministers and deputy ministers in B&H CoM from RS and HDZ B&H (RTRS)
• Election proposals for Mostar: With agreement on the city on the Neretva River, HDZ and SDA will unblock the process of changes to the Election Law (Vercernji list)
• Bosnia Presidency Chairman's instruction to boycott Nobel Prize award ceremony (N1)
• Turkey, Albania, Kosovo to boycott Nobel ceremony in protest against Handke (Hayat)
Croatia
• Croatia joins Literature Nobel Prize boycott in protest over Handke (Hina)
Republic of North Macedonia
• Venice Commission publishes its opinion with strong criticism of the Albanian language law (Republika)
• Venice Commission ignites political debates in North Macedonia (Nezavisen vesnik)
• North Macedonia profits after Kosovo imposed 100% customs tax (Nezavisen vesnik)
Albania
• Albania to boycott Sweden Literature Nobel Prize Ceremony (ADN)

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES

• Borrell urges EU to be foreign policy ‘player, not the playground’ (Politico)
• Balkans addition 'priority' (The Budapest Times)

LOCAL PRESS

• Dacic: Pristina’s behavior doesn’t give optimism for continuing dialogue (RTS/Tanjug/Beta)
• Djuric: Albanian politicians’ careers built on lies (Tanjug)
• Petronijevic: Verdict to Todosijevic is a performance of the Kosovo judiciary (RTS)
• Government proposes members of Supervisory Board for monitoring pre-election activities (Tanjug)
• EU, Serbia to open chapter on free flow of capital on 10 December (Beta)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina
• Dodik: Program of Reforms is not secret document, many people saw it, including certain members of RS opposition (Vecerji list)
• Tegeltija to continue consultations with political parties on formation of future B&H CoM (RTRS)
• Radoncic claims that he had to accept offer to cooperate with SDA amid difficult situation in B&H (Face TV)
• Diplomatic offensive on Mostar continues; SBB, SDP, SDA welcome IC engagement and US proposals (Dnevni avaz)
• Picula: B&H should be focused on implementing needed reforms (Oslobodjenje)
Montenegro
• It’s not good to change rules mid-game, Fayon says (Dan)
Republic of North Macedonia
• VMRO maintains a solid lead over SDSM in the latest IPIS poll (Republika)
• Pendarovski says he’s not certain elections will take place in April, as planned (Republika)
• Albanian parties reject the ruling of the Venice Commission (Republika)
Albania
• Albania will receive the presidency of OSCE for 2020 (Radio Tirana)

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES

• Athens takes lead to ensure Western Balkans EU path (EurActiv)

United Nations Office in Belgrade

Daily Media Highlights

Friday 6 December 2019
LOCAL PRESS

• Merkel invites Vucic to visit Germany in January (Tanjug)
• Obradovic: Crimea is undoubtedly part of Russia, like Kosovo is part of Serbia (Beta)
• Djilas to Weber: Mr. Weber, do you have any idea what country you were visiting? (Beta)
• Godfrey: If Serbian government wants legitimacy, it must secure fair elections (Juzne Vesti/Beta)
• Lajcak’s appeal (Tanjug/B92)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina
• B&H HoR appoints SNSD’s Tegeltija as B&H CoM Chairman (BHT1)
• Palmer: US not focused on B&H’s membership in NATO but on strengthening of partnership (RTRS)
• Palmer and Inzko warn of problem of Mostar, urging authorities to make it possible for elections to be held in this city after 11 years (N1)
Croatia
• Plenkovic: Bonds Between NATO and EU Inextricable (Hina)
Montenegro
• Ready to open Chapter 8 (RTCG)
Republic of North Macedonia
• Zaev returns optimistic from the NATO Summit in London (Nezavisen vesnik)
• Joint North Macedonia-Bulgaria Commission stuck – no deal for Goce Delchev (Nezavisen vesnik)

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES

• NATO’s Continuing Enlargement Aims at further Weakening of Russian Influence in the Balkans (InfoBrics)

United Nations Office in Belgrade

Daily Media Highlights

Thursday 5 December 2019

LOCAL PRESS

• Putin: Serbia will be supplied with gas (Beta)
• Vucic: Military-technical cooperation is excellent (RTS)
• Palmer: US wants normalization of Belgrade-Pristina relations; Serbia’s reliance on Russian army is not good for its progress (N1)
• Vucic: Pristina obstructs talks and dialogue (RTS)
• Djuric on Todosijevic verdict: All rights of Serbs in Kosovo are suspended (Tanjug)
• Dacic: Belgrade expects the international community to influence the new Pristina authorities to abolish taxes (RTS)
• Borrell: I want to go to Kosovo and Serbia, but not before new gov't is formed in Pristina (Beta)
• Macron: Opening of chapters doesn’t improve life in Serbia (RTS)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina
• PIC SB completes its two-day session, discusses situation at local level, migrant crisis (N1)
• Dodik: PIC is body that is not stipulated by DPA so commenting on its Communiqué is out of place; Migrant crisis is not issue that PIC should be dealing with (ATV)
• HR Inzko: Certainly Mr. Dodik from Laktasi is not one who will interpret DPA (BHT1)
• Palmer, Sattler, Inzko and Kavalec meet with Izetbegovic and Covic to discuss situation in Mostar (Hayat)
• Members of B&H Presidency start two-day official visit to Slovenia, meet Slovenian President Borut Pahor (BHT1)
• NATO Summit ends in London; NATO Deputy Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs Appathurai: NATO is not imposing anything on B&H (Nezavisne novine)
Croatia
• Twelve potential Croatian presidential candidates submit nominations (TCN)
Montenegro
• Markovic: Montenegro is in the place where it can contribute to peace and stability (CDM)
Republic of North Macedonia
• Xhaferi forwards VMRO proposal for a quick NATO vote to the Government (Republika)
Albania
• President Meta in Kosovo, praises the aid given by Kosovo’s authorities (Radio Tirana)