United Nations Office in Belgrade

Daily Media Highlights

Monday 25 February 2019
LOCAL PRESS

• Vucic: There is no 17-point plan (Politika)
• Vucic urges Serbs in Kosovo not to join Albanian army (Tanjug/B92/Novosti)
• Vucic concerned by EU’s inability to pressure Pristina (Tanjug/B92)
• Stankovic: South has always been and will remain part of Serbia (Novosti)
• US Embassy: US not to dictate agreement between Serbia and Kosovo (Beta)
• Loiseau: Present state of EU doesn’t allow enlargement (Politika)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina
• Convocation of the House of Peoples of B&H headed by Spiric, Covic and Izetbegovic? (Nezavisne)
• Opposition leader questions his Bloc's refusal to join government (N1)
• Adopted answers to additional questions from EU Questionnaire (Srna)
Croatia
• Croatian and Slovenian presidents meet in Zagreb (HRT)
Montenegro
• Prime Minister: Kosovo's appeal for alliance against Serbia makes no sense (RTCG)
• Despite bad weather, protest gathered around 10,000 citizens (CDM)
Republic of North Macedonia
• Dimitrov: Main topic of the presidential elections should be our country’s future (Nezavisen vesnik)
• Opposition is getting ready for the presidential elections; the majority is yet to nominate its candidate (Nezavisen vesnik)
• France warns Macedonia that it may not approve opening of EU accession talks (Republika/MIA)

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES

• FYROM Issues Reference Guidelines for International Media (Greek Reporter)

United Nations Office in Belgrade

Daily Media Highlights

Friday 22 February 2019
LOCAL PRESS

• Scott: Serbia chose Maduro despite the reality in Venezuela (Politika)
• Reactions to Veseli’s statement (Tanjug/Novosti)
• Popovic: Compromise with Pristina, but within Constitution (RTS)
• Uganda supports Serbia’s sovereignty (RTS/Tanjug)
• Mogherini: Despite obstacles, we are approaching negotiations (Beta)
• Jeremic, Djilas and Stefanovic hold meetings in Merkel’s office (Beta)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina
• Dodik: We will continue acting in unison (Srna)
• Cvijanovic: New Council of Ministers - condition for effective communication (Srna)
• FM Crnadak urges European Union to be more present in B&H and the region (N1)
• SDA and A-SDA announce their future government coalition (Fena)
• Rajcevic: Transfer of competences to B&H level unacceptable (Srna)
Croatia
• Slovenia disappointed with lack of EU support in dispute with Croatia (Hina)
Republic of North Macedonia
• IPPGV Polls: The Albanian opposition is breathing down DUI’s neck (Meta)
• Ristovski and Janakieski attacked in prison (Nezavisen vesnik)
• Gruevski denies any involvement in the violent events (Nezavisen vesnik)

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES

• Austria hosts a conference with Western Balkan Ministers for European affairs (European Western Balkans)

LOCAL PRESS

• Vucic: I am not optimistic about reaching a deal, although I am ready to talk to Pristina as soon as taxes are abolished (TV Prva/B92/Beta/Tanjug/RTS)
• Dacic: US interested in compromise more than others (RTS)
• Burundi will not change its stance on Kosovo and Metohija (Tanjug/Novosti)
• Venezuela’s official seeks Serbia’s support for international law (Beta)
• Obradovic: Is delineation Serbia’s official policy (Beta)
• Zakharova: Moscow didn’t change position on Kosovo (Beta)
• Juncker: Without membership prospect, Western Balkans risks returning to 1990s (FoNet)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina
• Dodik: Izetbegovic to abide by official B&H policy on Kosovo (Srna)
• Dodik: Military neutrality remains RS’ position regardless of pressures (Srna)
• B&H fully committed to European integration, Zvizdic says (N1)
• Cubrilovic: RS is ahead of others, but is being slowed down by formation of other authorities in B&H (Srna)
• New convocation of House of Peoples constituted (Srna)
• Izetbegovic and Radoncic held a meeting to discuss government formation (Fena)
• Ivantsov and Dodik lay wreath to Churkin memorial (Srna)
Croatia
• Croatia and Serbia far from agreement on border (Hina)
Montenegro
• Montenegro advocates for further enlargement of NATO (Pobjeda)
Republic of North Macedonia
• Trump: Prespa Agreement is the most historic achievement in the Balkans since the Dayton Accords (Nezavisen vesnik)
• Sela cancelled the meeting with Zaev where they were supposed to talk about a joint presidential candidate (Meta)
• Authorities arrest former speaker Veljanovski and two former ministers (Nezavisen vesnik)
Albania
• OSCE: We are against any attempt to subvert democracy through violence (ADN)
• Opposition MPs resigned in Group (ADN)

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES

• Russia claims US is 'dragging' European countries into NATO, even as neighbors move to join Alliance (Newsweek)
• How the Balkans solved a Balkan problem (Al Jazeera)

United Nations Office in Belgrade

Daily Media Highlights

Wednesday 20 February 2019

LOCAL PRESS

• Vucic: We have exited a frozen conflict and it can only become worse (Beta/Politika/Tanjug)
• Dacic: Serbia paid 700mn of Kosovo's debt - and we'll pay more (B92/Tanjug)
• Dacic: Support to solving crisis in Venezuela through dialogue (Beta)
• Kocijancic: Final agreement between Serbia and Kosovo needs to be sustainable and realistic (Tanjug)
• Schieb: Doors to the EU open for Western Balkans as soon as countries are ready (Beta)
• Djuric: We’ll never give up on creation of ZSO (N1)
• Gojkovic thanks Kenya for its principled position regarding Kosovo (Tanjug)
• Serbian goods arrive on Kosovo market through alternative routes (RTS)
• Jeremic: Delineation fig leaf for recognizing Kosovo (Beta)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina
• Dodik: No consensus on membership in NATO (Srna)
• Cvijanovic: Other government levels in B&H to complete procedure as soon as possible (Srna)
• B&H authorities apprehend five suspected terrorists among migrants (N1)
Republic of North Macedonia
• Zaev says he’s looking into between four and six potential presidential candidates (Republika)
• Sekerinska: I do not have Serbian spies in my cabinet (Nezavisen vesnik)
• Serbia accuses Zaev of working with its opposition to undermine President Vucic (Republika)
• Bulgaria ratified Macedonia’s NATO Accession Protocol (Meta)
Albania
• US Embassy: Opposition's decision undermines the principles of democracy (ADN)

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES

• Lavrov slams West for dragging Balkans into NATO, while turning deaf ear to its peoples (TASS)
• Berlin Process before and after the Summit of Poznan (European Western Balkans)

LOCAL PRESS

• Dacic: Trump interested in resolving Kosovo issue (TV Happy)
• Dacic: Belgrade’s position in negotiations is delineation (Tanjug/RTV)
• Kenya does not recognize Kosovo (RTS/Tanjug)
• Mogherini: Talks morning after Pristina drops taxes, I’ll lock us in (B92/Tanjug)
• Djilas meets Zaev in Skopje (RTS)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina
• Covic: No agreement on formation of authorities at B&H level (Srna)
• Dodik: SNSD unavoidable factor in establishment of authority at B&H level (Srna)
• Results of early Elections for Mayors in B&H (Fena)
• Kovacevic: Convincing election victory confirms SNSD dominance (Srna)
• Law on amendments to law on B&H flag unconstitutional (Srna)
• Ratko Mladic complains to The Hague Tribunal about his deteriorating health (Fena)
Montenegro
• Macedonia learned from Montenegro to solve problems by itself (Pobjeda)
Republic of North Macedonia
• Zaev and Ahmeti cannot agree on a joint candidate, but agree that they can have one (Meta)
• SDSM and the coalition have reached an agreement for a joint presidential candidate (Meta)
Albania
• Opposition decides to burn mandates, EU-US Ambassadors meet Prime Minister (ADN)

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES

• On Kosovo: 3 presidents and a prime minister (politico.eu)