United Nations Office in Belgrade

Daily Media Highlights

Wednesday 10 October 2018
LOCAL PRESS

• Vucic thanks Kazakhstan for support to Serbia’s sovereignty (RTS/FoNet/Beta)
• Dacic: Stability of region important for stability of Europe (Beta/RTS/Tanjug)
• Dacic: Pristina on big defensive, Serbia on offensive (B92/Tv Prva/Tanjug)
• Gojkovic thanks Russian Federation for support not recognizing Kosovo (Politika)
• Gojkovic thanks Iran for principled stance on Kosovo (Beta)
• McAllister: Serbia, region doing well on EU road (Beta)
• Protection for forty-four sanctities and monuments (Novosti)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina
• B&H CEC publishes updated preliminary results of elections (N1)
• Dodik accuses Ambassador Cormack of exerting pressure on B&H CEC members (RTRS)
• US State Department concerned with shortcomings in election process in B&H (N1)
• OHR and EUD to B&H remind of crucial importance of rapid formation of authorities at all levels in B&H once election results are confirmed (TV1)
• Mogherini and Hahn expect all political leaders in B&H to engage in formation of authorities at all levels (FTV)
• Komsic: HDZ will make noise and eventually hurry into authorities! (BHT)
• Protest walk against election of Komsic; Komsic to turn office of Croat member of B&H Presidency in Mostar into library (RTRS)
• Dodik: I intend to launch initiative on recognizing Crimea as part of Russia (ATV/Oslobodjenje)
• Cvijanovic: It is logical my first official visit as new RS President will be to Serbia (ATV)
Croatia
• Croatian officials still upset with Bosnian election results (Hina/HRT)
fYROM
• Parliament committee to discuss motion for constitutional revision (MIA)
• Prespa Agreement – historic opportunity for Macedonia, Merkel tells PM Zaev (MIA)
• EP Committee on Foreign Affairs adopts report on Macedonia (MIA)
• Gov’t: Macedonia launches NATO accession talks (MIA)

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES

• ForMin Melescanu: 'Romania's EU Council Presidency can become historic regarding negotiation with Western Balkan countries' (Stiripesurse.ro)

United Nations Office in Belgrade

Daily Media Highlights

Tuesday 9 October 2018
LOCAL PRESS

• Vucic: We will do our best for dialogue to continue (Tanjug)
• Dacic: EU and West unfair toward Serbia (Beta/RTS)
• Four arrested for attacking Albanians in Novi Sad (Tanjug/B92)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina
• General elections in B&H: Unconfirmed ballots, ballots in absentia, votes collected by mobile teams and in diplomatic–consular offices, and votes via mail to be counted as of Wednesday (FTV)
• B&H CEC publishes updated preliminary results of general elections in B&H: Dzaferovic, Dodik, Komsic new members of B&H Presidency (N1)
• Updated preliminary results: Cvijanovic to be new RS President (Hayat)
• Updated preliminary results for B&H parliament: SDA wins most votes in FB&H, SNSD wins most votes in RS (Hayat/TV1/RTRS)
• Updated preliminary results for FB&H HoR: SDA wins highest number of votes (N1)
• SNSD wins highest number of votes for seats in RS parliament (ATV)
• SDA, HDZ B&H win highest number of votes in Cantonal Assemblies (TV1)
fYROM
• Government passes motion initiating constitutional changes (MIA)
• Motion for constitutional revision in parliament, two-third majority still uncertain (MIA)
• Kukan: Snap poll to create ‘mess’ in Macedonia (MIA)

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES

• Macedonia Referendum Fiasco Causes Dilemma for Serbia (BIRN)

LOCAL PRESS

• Brnabic: Frozen conflict in Kosovo potential source of threat for citizens (Beta)
• Vucic feels a bit better after agreement with Stoltenberg (Beta/B92)
• Stoltenberg: We should be ready for unpredictable (Beta/Tanjug/RTS)
• Vucic: Belgrade expects better relations with B&H and RS (Beta)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina
• CEC B&H presents preliminary election results: Dodik 54.06, Ivanic 42.79 perent of votes (Nezavisne/N1)
• Preliminary results for the parliament of RS, the SNSD in the lead, followed by the SDS, SDS, DNS and PDP (Nezavisne)
• Preliminary results for the Federation of B&H parliament, the SDA in the lead (Nezavisne)
• Preliminary results for the president of the RS (Nezavisne)
• CEC: Exceptionally fair and decent election (Nezavine)
• OSCE says election process in B&H passed in peaceful manner, without problems and in satisfying security environment (TV1)
• Wigemark: Government must be formed as soon as possible (N1)
• Cormack: US committed to election process and democracy in B&H (Nezavisne)
• Dodik: My victory is clean as a whistle, I will take oath before RSNA first (Klix.ba)
• Ivanic: Dodik won in rural, I won urban regions (Klix.ba)
• Komsic: I will serve all B&H citizens (Oslobodjenje)
• Covic: I am saddened by Bosniaks’ move (Klix.ba)
• SDA in lead for B&H parliament (Klix.ba)
• Cvijanovic declares victory (Klix.ba)
Montenegro
• Vucic: Serbs should join govt ahead of election (Pobjeda)
• Djukanovic: No doubt Russia had role in attempted terrorist attack (CDM)
• Tajani: Montenegro could join EU in 2025 (TVCG)
fYROM
• Int'l community: Current deadlock to be settled in parliament, instead of in early elections (MIA)
• VMRO-DPMNE leader Mickoski has two options to prevent new political crisis (MIA)

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES

• Serbian president: Some EU countries are hypocrites on Kosovo issue (RT)
• Djukanovic’s Montenegro Can Never be an EU ‘Backbone’ (BIRN)

LOCAL PRESS

• President Vucic announces legislative debate soon (Beta)
• Dacic: By the end of the year, more withdrawals of recognitions, only KFOR acceptable in KiM (RTS)
• Dacic: Frozen conflict means risk of escalation in Kosovo (TV Pink)
• Brnabic: We’re closing Pandora box; EU in our interest (FoNet)
• Ron Johnson: Tramp is interested in resolving the issue of Kosovo (Tanjug)
• Vucic: I will not go to Eastern Sarajevo (Danas, Beta)
• Vucic: Serbian government to be reshuffled (Beta)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina
• Dodik asks Vucic to postpone visit to Istocno Sarajevo (RTRS)
• Inzko: Go vote, staying home is the worst option; priority free and fair elections; results should be implemented in the shortest period; Dodik once admitted that genocide was committed (Dnevni list)
• US Ambassador Cormack calls on citizens of B&H to vote (TV1)
• Commissioner Hahn: Fair elections and implementation of results are key precondition for continuation of EU integration process (Dnevni avaz)
• EUD’s Sinno calls on citizens to vote and raise their voice (Oslobodjenje)

Croatia
• Plenkovic glad to be in Mostar to support Covic; Elections are very important for survival of Croat people in B&H (N1, HRT)
• Police found attacker on Serb minority MP Pupovac (Hina)

fYROM
• Efforts made to secure 2/3 majority (MIA)
• PM Zaev: Opposition demands 'absolutely unacceptable' (MIA)
• Osmani: We will seize opportunities to implement Agreement with Greece in parliament (MIA)
• President Ivanov meets Czech counterpart Zeman; referendum not successful any other interpretation cannot alter the exact numbers (MIA)
• Zakharova: Western countries are aiming to drag Macedonia into NATO at any cost (MIA)

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES

• Preoccupied US turns blind eye to Bosnia elections (BIRN)

LOCAL PRESS

• Serbian president orders military to stand down (Beta)
• Ivanic: If Vucic has proof of foreign interference in B&H, he should publish it before the elections (RTV)
• Vucic: Serbia and Germany reach historic level of bilateral relations (Beta)
• Dacic in Moscow: Inter-government committee in Belgrade in November, ahead of Putin's visit (Beta)
• Serbia’s opposition to collect signatures for Vucic’s ouster (N1 Belgrade)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina
• Plus Media conducts election poll which shows SNSD-DNS-SP coalition convincingly leads in RS (ATV)
• Bildt: NATO and EU should increase military presence in Kosovo and B&H (Nezavisne novine)
• Trump’s campaign manager Lewandowski holds lecture at Faculty of Political Science in Banja Luka (RTRS)

Croatia
• “Croats in areas bordering Serbia should own arms” says HDZ MP (Hina)

Montenegro
• Stoltenberg: Investments in Montenegro doubled thanks to NATO (RTCG)

fYROM
• Ruling SDSM, opposition VMRO-DPMNE define next steps following name referendum (MIA)
• Germany's CDU/CSU: Opposition must not block Macedonia's NATO and EU perspective (MIA)
• Balfour: Parliament’s failure to proceed with implementation of name agreement might lead to destabilization of Macedonia, entire region (MIA)
• Stoltenberg: Agreement with Greece - only way for joining NATO, international community (MIA)
• Turkey continues to support Macedonia's EU and NATO membership bid (MIA)
• Italy expects Parliament to approve constitutional changes after Sunday's referendum (MIA)

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES

• Interview with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic (The Washington Post)