United Nations Office in Belgrade

Daily Media Highlights

Monday 8 April 2019

LOCAL PRESS

• Vucic to Scott: Serbia ready for dialogue if Pristina scraps taxes (Tanjug/B92)
• Vucic: If KFOR doesn’t protect Serbs - there are those who will (B92/Beta)
• SzS on Vulin’s statement (Tanjug/RTS)
• Pristina-based panelist warned over calling Kosovo a “state” (Tanjug)
• G7’s message to Belgrade and Pristina - normalize relations completely through a comprehensive and legally binding agreement (Tanjug)
• Grasso: Media spreading tensions (Novosti)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina
• SDA and DF sign coalition agreement (BHT1)
• DF’s decision to join coalition with SDA sparks different reactions by HDZ B&H, SNSD and BH Bloc (TV1)
• Dodik on authority formation (Glas Srpske)
• Dodik: I am not threatening but secession of RS remains option in case of failure to make progress (ATV)
• Dodik: Some kind of integration between Serbia, RS, Montenegro, must exist in future (Espresso)
• Prosecutor’s Office of B&H launches investigation against Minister Mektic (Hayat/BN TV)
• Mektic says it would be best for all if B&H and Serbia become members of NATO (ATV)
• Belgium to prohibit denial of genocide in Srebrenica and Rwanda (Dnevni avaz)
Montenegro
• Beyer: There’s a third party behind every protest (Pobjeda)
Republic of North Macedonia
• In Washington, the country received new assurances of support for NATO (Meta)
Albania
• Political crisis, President appeals for reflection and dialogue (ADN)

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES

• Serbian, Albanian ambassadors visit Xinjiang (Xinhua)
• US donates 37 MRAP vehicles to Albania (Defense Blog)

United Nations Office in Belgrade

Daily Media Highlights

Friday 5 April 2019
LOCAL PRESS

• Brnabic: Serbia considering arbitration over Kosovo violation of CEFTA (Beta/Tanjug/RTS)
• Ljajic: Roaming charges agreement great benefit for citizens (Tanjug)
• Opposition leaders try to force their way into city assembly (B92/Tanjug)
• Jeremic: Radicalization of anti-government protests is necessary (N1)
• Rome: Serbs and Italians as victims of NATO bombs (Novosti/Tanjug/B92)
• Laketic meets Italian officials at Conference on Uranium in Rome (Tanjug)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina
• Dnevni avaz interview with Milorad Dodik (Dnevni avaz)
• Borenovic: NATO too far away to be decided upon (FTV)
• NATO HQ Sarajevo: NATO remains committed to B&H (Oslobodjenje)
• SDA announces meeting with DF and signing of principles; DF denies meeting is scheduled (Nezavisne)
• Borenovic: Basis of B&H CoM will be SDA, HDZ B&H and SNSD; We agreed on key issues necessary for progress of B&H, like Election Law (FTV)
• Govedarica: SNSD’s calls for talks is insincere (BN TV)
• Mektic and Avdic harshly react to decision of Prosecutor’s Office of B&H not to launch investigation against Kresic, Djakovic and Bandic (TV1)
• Day of RS Police marked; Comments of RS’ and Serbian officials (BHT1)
• US Embassy to request additional information on formation of police reserve in RS (Oslobodjenje)
Croatia
• Support for law on missing persons, requests for Serbia to provide information (HRT)
Montenegro
• NATO protects the security of Montenegrin territory (RTCG)
• Kolbanovski: Montenegro’s NATO membership is just a temporary occupation (Pobjeda/ eadaily.com)
Republic of North Macedonia
• Polish parliament ratifies North Macedonia’s NATO Accession Protocol (Nezavisen vesnik)
• Hahn’s statement sparks reactions in Skopje (Nezavisen vesnik)
Albania
• Opposition, no signs to make steps back (ADN/DW)

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES

• 'Kosara Hell': Parents of Deceased Hero Recall Albanian Border Situation of 1999 (Sputnik)
• Montenegrin president to EU: don’t hand us over to Russia (AP)
• The UK Might Have To Withdraw Troops From A Military Operation In Bosnia In The Event Of A No-Deal Brexit (BuzzFeed)
• Three years of support to reforms in Albania: judiciary, fighting economic crime and anti-discrimination crucial areas (CoE press release)

United Nations Office in Belgrade

Daily Media Highlights

Thursday 4 April 2019
LOCAL PRESS

• Dacic: We are far from the essence of the Brussels agreement (RTS)
• Belgrade considering launching of arbitrage over taxes (Novosti)
• Brnabic: Continuing work on regional connectivity despite all challenges (Tanjug/RTS/Beta)
• Western Balkan regional agreement signed to cut telephone roaming charges (N1/Beta)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina
• Cvijanovic interview: Organized society not possible without strong institutions (Srna)
• B&H Constitutional Court’s failure inadmissible (Srna)
• PDP decides not to participate in ruling authority at state level regardless of SNSD’s offer (RTRS)
• Radoncic: SBB B&H needs to deal with its relationship with SDA before even considering any cooperation (N1)
• RS government adopts draft amendments to Law on Police and Internal Affairs in order to establish police reserve unit (RTRS)
• Prosecutor’s Office of B&H: There will be no investigation against Kresic, Djakovic and Bandic in ‘Salafi’ affair (N1)
• MICT denies Karadzic’s appeal to life imprisonment (N1)
Montenegro
• Sehovic: Agreement on Future is a platform for the past (Pobjeda)
Republic of North Macedonia
• Dimitrov and Reeker: Looking forward to you joining NATO (Nezavisen vesnik)
• Poland to ratify North Macedonia’s NATO Accession Protocol (Nezavisen vesnik)
Albania
• Electoral reform, parliament 75 votes pro to postpone it (ADN)

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES

• Chinese Balkans investments disrupt EU objectives, Commission warns (EurActiv)

LOCAL PRESS

• Vucic: Every day without solution to Kosovo issue problematic (Beta/Politika)
• Dacic: Maybe clouded minds plan to cause incidents in North (TV Pink/Tanjug/B92)
• Vulin: Who will criminals judge? (Tanjug)
• Strong support of Greece regarding Kosovo, European integration (Tanjug)
• GRECO: Serbia fails to fulfill a single recommendation (Beta)
• Serbian Justice Ministry: Serbia progresses to fulfill GRECO recommendation (Tanjug)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina
• Parliamentary parties from RS meet and sign statement that 9 January will resume to be celebrated as RS Day (BN TV)
• Hahn: It is necessary to continue process of formation of authorities in B&H (N1)
• PDP to give its answer to SNSD regarding the participation in state authorities on Wednesday (ATV)
• DF is acceptable if it defines itself as part of Bosniak bloc (Vecernji list/Oslobodjenje)
Croatia
• US Embassy congratulates Croatia 10th anniversary of NATO membership (Hina/N1)
Montenegro
• US flag emblazoned with ‘swastika’ spotted on ‘Resist!’ protests (Pobjeda)
Republic of North Macedonia
• Tsipras–Zaev: We need to make up for lost time and build a different story for Balkans (Nezavisen vesnik)
• Tsipras: Greece will protect North Macedonia’s airspace (Nezavisen vesnik)
Albania
• Violence against former MP, Basha threats PM (AND)
• EU Integration, Hahn hopeful that Albania will get recommendation (ADN)
• US: Justice reform won't be stopped (ADN)

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES

• Hahn: Progress was made in the Western Balkans (European Western Balkans)
• How Did NATO's Campaign in Yugoslavia Change the Alliance? (Sputnik)

United Nations Office in Belgrade

Daily Media Highlights

Tuesday 2 April 2019
LOCAL PRESS

• Brnabic: I expect nothing from people setting cookies on fire (Tanjug/B92)
• Vucic: No solution in sight for continued dialogue with Pristina (TV Prva/B92)
• Government sources deny Serbia hired US lobbying firm (Tanjug/B92)
• Difficult path to justice without Serb judges in Kosovo (RTS)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina
• Wigemark: Commissioner Hahn’s message is clear- authorities at all levels should be formed as soon as possible (Hayat)
• HDZ B&H leader Covic: Everything is ready for formation of B&H CoM (FTV)
• Dodik says SNSD ready to take over responsibility for protection of RS’ national interests in Sarajevo (ATV)
• Sources say many SDS members think SDS will get new leader and then discuss formation of state-level authorities with SNSD again (EuroBlic)
• Cvijanovic: Decision of B&H CC by which RS Day cannot be marked on 9 January is part of political persecution against RS aimed to destroy RS identity (ATV)
• Reactions to RS Minister Lukac’s initiative to establish RS MoI’s reserve police unit (N1)
Croatia
• National minorities preparing for elections (Hina)
Montenegro
• The DF and the SPC will define character of the protests (RTCG)
Republic of North Macedonia
• Mickoski and Siljanovska state their case for bringing down the Zaev regime (Republika)
• Pendarovski frames his presidential campaign around the prospect of EU membership (Republika)
• Zaev welcomes Tsipras with a new sign in front of the government building (Republika)
Albania
• Majority: Local elections even without opposition (ADN)
• Former President proposes ad-hoc structure as solution (ADN)

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES

• In 1999, it was Yugoslavia in the crosshairs of the imperialists, now it’s Venezuela (RT)