LOCAL PRESS

• Vucic, Palmer: Taxes obstacle to Belgrade-Pristina dialogue (Tanjug/Beta/RTS)
• Vucic asks Merkel to help revive dialogue with Pristina (Beta)
• Dacic: Russia’s support for Kosovo at UN Security Council session (RTS/Tanjug)
• Drecun: One more UN SC session, not “D Day” (RTS)
• Gojkovic at opening of National Convention session (RTS)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina
• Covic: We need formation of B&H CoM and proposal for changes to Election Law, only then we can discuss formation of FB&H government (Avaz.ba)
• Covic addresses ceremony marking 29th anniversary of HDZ B&H in Zepce (Vecernji list)
• FB&H MoI: Preliminary draft amendments to Law on Internal Affairs prepared to form reserve police unit in FB&H (BHT1)
• Reactions of RS’ officials to FB&H MoI’s initiative (ATV)
• Participation of Dodik and Cvijanovic in economic forum in St. Petersburg result in agreed gasification of RS (RTRS)
• Dzaferovic: Dodik’s agreements with Russia regarding gasification of RS is not official stance of state since these issues were not discussed in Presidency (Hayat)
• Migrant crisis in USC at critical level (Klix.ba/Vecernji list)
Republic of North Macedonia
• Parliament cancels debate on the new census law after objections from the opposition, boycott is now an option (Republika)
Albania
• President unveils main reason of elections cancelation (ADN)
• Borchardt: Cancellation of elections an internal affair of Albania (ADN)
• Germany supports Meta's decision to cancel local elections (ADN)

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES

• Enlargement, going back to square one (New Europe)
• Montenegro football coach Tumbakovic fired over Kosovo game (DW)

LOCAL PRESS

• Stefanovic: How will Pristina respect Interpol when it beats up UN representatives (RTS/Beta)
• Antic: Gas pipeline through Serbia to be completed as planned (Tanjug)
• Kosovo Assembly delegation visits southern Serbian municipalities (Beta/Novosti)
• Joksimovic with ambassadors of EU Member States, Head of Delegation on EC Report (Beta/RTS)
• Keefe: Serbia and UK have complex relations, but share values (Beta/RTV)
• Dacic: Serbia will always fight against a fake state (FoNet/Sputnik)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina
• Hahn: B&H should not waste any more time on EU road, politicians must agree on authority formation soon (Dnevni avaz)
• Wigemark: Failure to form authorities hinders progress on European road (Srna)
• SNSD spokesperson Kovacevic accuses SDA and SDS of preparing conspiracy so that SDS’ Sarovic would replace SDA’s Zvizdic at post of B&H CoM Chairman (ATV)
• Economic arrangements of Russia, RS and B&H discussed with Lavrov (Srna)
Montenegro
• DF is coming back to the parliamentary committees (Dnevne novine)
Republic of North Macedonia
• Netherlands sees Macedonia as “not there yet” regarding the EU accession talks; German parliament deeply divided (Republika)
• Austrian MEPs demand opening of accession talks with North Macedonia and Albania (Nezavisen vesnik)
• VMRO-DPMNE demands Zaev’s resignation, a technical government and early elections (Republika)
• Zaev says early elections are possible if EU won’t allow opening of accession talks (Republika)
• Austrian paper suggests creating a Balkan union instead of bringing Balkan countries into the EU (Republika/Die Presse)

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES

• Federica Mogherini met with Gent Cakaj, Acting Foreign Minister of Albania (EEAS)
• Germany: Maas recruits for the extension of the Bundeswehr mission in Kosovo (AFP)

LOCAL PRESS

• Vucic: I will ask assistance from the US for abolishment of taxes (TV Prva)
• Moscow launches investigation into beating of Krasnoshchekov, expects Serbia to do the same (Tanjug/RTV)
• Kosovo Serb delegation meets Hellbach in Berlin (Beta)
• SzS: Experts’ recommendations are platform for talks with government (Beta)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina
• Dodik: Meeting with Lavrov will be opportunity to discuss cooperation between the RS, B&H and Russia, as well as regional and global issues (ATV)
• Izetbegovic holds telephone meeting with Erdogan (Dnevni avaz)
• Radmanovic discusses authority formation with Wigemark (Dnevni avaz)
• Crnadak: I discussed cooperation and importance of authority formation with Palmer (Dnevni avaz)
• Dodik: Bosniak political elite cannot stand that RS exists and that there is Serb political will (TV1)
• Dzaferovic: Croatia should respond to B&H’s protest note regarding ‘Salafi’ affair (BHT1)
Montenegro
• Montenegro has allies always willing to help (CDM)
Republic of North Macedonia
• Zaev: Germans fear my friend Edi Rama could initiate unification with Kosovo, I do not believe in those things (Republika)
• Zaev: Government may collapse if there is no date for accession talks with the EU this summer (Nezavisen vesnik)
• The name change was not a condition for enlargement, but only for NATO membership (Republika)
Albania
• Basha: Despite the crisis in the country, everything will be done to open the European path of Albania (Radio Tirana)
• Balla meetings with the Bundestag MPs on Albania’s negotiations opening with EU (Radio Tirana)

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES

• Freedom House Report on Serbia

LOCAL PRESS

• Brnabic: I will not apologize, I said the truth about the ‘people from the forest’ (RTS)
• Vucic thanks Russia for condemnation of police operation in Kosovo (Beta)
• Volodin: Police raid in Kosovo’s north is a provocative act (Beta/Politika)
• Gojkovic: UNMIK presence in Kosovo under the same mandate is vital (RTS/Beta)
• Dacic: Respect the situation in the field (O2)
• Lajcak: OSCE closely monitoring situation in Kosovo; Vucic: Important that OSCE maintains neutral approach (Beta/RTS)
• Dacic: Dialogue is reanimated (Beta/Tanjug/RTS/Novosti)
• Mustafa: National Albanian Council to be financed by Albania (Beta)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina
• Cvijanovic accuses SDA of arbitrariness and attempts to use political blockades in order to push SNSD away from B&H authorities, claims that SDA uses connections with foreign factor to maintain standstill in B&H (RTRS)
• Colak: Croats will insist on amendments to Law on Elections of B&H (Vecernji list)
• B&H HJPC Disciplinary Council rejects disciplinary complaint against B&H HJPC President Milan Tegeltija (ATV)
• Crnadak meets Palmer, discusses authority formation in B&H (Oslobodjenje)
• Stoltenberg: NATO's main priority is to help maintain peace and stability and to work with entire Balkan region (Al Jazeera Balkans)
Republic of North Macedonia
• Stoltenberg: We are ready to welcome you into the NATO family (Nezavisen vesnik)
Albania
• Meta meeting Lajcak (Radio Tirana)

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES

• Moscow seeks justice for Russian diplomat beaten up in brutal Kosovo attack (TASS)
• President al-Assad receives Patriarch Irinej of Serbia (SANA)

Daily Media Highlights

Friday 31 May 2019

LOCAL PRESS

• Vucic on Thaci’s statement: If there is no EU reaction, we know what we will do (RTS)
• Vucic: Trust in western part of international community destroyed (TV Prva)
• Vucic visits Russian UN staffer injured in Pristina’s raid (B92)
• Brnabic: Pacolli’s statmenet in accordance with policy of preventing flow of goods (Beta)
• Slovak Prime Minister: EU should have reacted more firmly to Kosovo police action (Beta/Tanjug/RTS)
• Vucic, Chepurin: Police operation in northern Kosovo an obvious provocation (Beta)
• Stefanovic: Serbia demonstrated strength and firmness (RTS)
• Fabrizi: Serbia has not progressed enough in rule of law (RTS/Beta)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina
• Dodik: Nobody can humiliate RS; RS parliament will decide about status of RS because this is unbearable (ATV)
• Dodik and Izetbegovic fail to reach agreement on formation of B&H CoM and activation of MAP on Wednesday (N1)
• Niksic: When it comes to formation of authorities in B&H, I am not optimistic at all (FTV)
• Komsic: HNS’ policy has experienced complete defeat (Hayat)
Croatia
• Szijjarto says INA-MOL dispute is burdening bilateral relations (HRT)
Montenegro
• Head of European Union Delegation in Montenegro (TMN)
Republic of North Macedonia
• Optimism in North Macedonia following progress report (Nezavisen vesnik)
Albania
• German Officials: Albania not ready for EU (ADN)
• US Embassy supports Albania's integration to EU (ADN)

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES

• Lavrov urges UN to respond to Kosovo’s attempts to strip Russian diplomat of immunity (TASS)