United Nations Office in Belgrade

Daily Media Highlights
Friday 23 February 2018
LOCAL PRESS

• Brnabic, Lavrov: Economic cooperation of Serbia, Russia on the rise (Beta)
• Lavrov about his visit to Serbia: I don’t recall such an emotional reception (Tanjug)
• Lavrov: Russia highly esteems Serbia’s course toward preserving military neutrality (Beta)
• Lavrov presents medal of friendship to Dacic (Beta)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina
• Inzko: B&H needs more Brussels, less Dayton (TV1/BNTV)
• Dodik – Lavrov: Significance of respect for Dayton Accords underlined (Srna)
• Representatives of parliamentary parties from Federation of B&H fail to reach agreement on amendments to B&H Election Law (Hayat/FTV)
• Ivanic: I will not allow NATO exercise on Manjaca to be held without consent of RS institutions (Nezavisne)
• B&H increases security alert to highest level, after attack on US Embassy to Montenegro (FTV)
Croatia
• Prime Minister in Brussels for NATO meeting (HRT)
• Amnesty International reports on discrimination in Croatia (Hina)
Montenegro
• Minister of EU affairs Aleksandar Andrija Pejovic resigned over ethical reasons (RTCG)
fYROM
• Zaev hints on personnel refreshment this spring (MIA)
• Osmani: Those who are against the Law on languages are against NATO and the EU and against the country (Meta)
• Roth: Do not put up red lines, sit down and resolve the name dispute (Meta)
• Alternate FM Katrougalos announces Greece's intention to support Macedonia's bid to join Adriatic-Ionian Initiative (MIA)
Albania
• Basha urges journalists to protest against Rama (ADN)
• Results of the Transparency International Index for Albania are of serious concern (ADN)

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES

• Top diplomat presents Lavrov with Serbian football team T-shirt (TASS)

LOCAL PRESS

• Merkel, Vucic: We touched upon contractual solution for Kosovo (Tanjug/RTV)
• Brnabic: Improving economic cooperation with Iran in many areas (Tanjug)
• Zarif: Problem of Kosovo to be resolved through dialogue (RTS/Beta)
• Dacic: No Brussels agreement without ZSO (Tanjug/TV Happy)
• Kocijancic: Community, other outstanding agreements discussed (Tanjug)
• Russia’s support for Vucic has strings attached (Beta/B92)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina
• Draft material on Election Law of B&H published by B&H CEC sparks reactions among Croat parties in B&H (TV1)
• IC in B&H is determined to propose amendments to Election Law of B&H that are suitable for HDZ B&H (TV1)
• SDA expects International Community to support democratic principles that rule in EU countries in process of amending Election Law of B&H (TV1)
• Representatives of nine parliamentary parties in B&H agree that local elections in Mostar should be held jointly with general elections (Hayat)
• EBRD Western Balkans Investment Summit begins in London (BHT1)
• Plan for Radoncic’s assassination discovered thanks to security preparations for visit of Croatian President to Sarajevo (Dnevni avaz)
Croatia
• Junior coalition partner wants controversial plaque removed (Hina)
• Bosnian Croats warn about Election Law discrimination (Hina)
Montenegro
• Becic and Abazovic officially run together in Podgorica elections (Pobjeda)
• Medojevic: We won’t wait for Krivokapic to approve our presidential candidate (CDM)
fYROM
• Zaev – Juncker: Towards the EU without delay but only with deep internal reforms (MIA)
• Palmer: US remains Macedonia’s partner, supporter (MIA)
• EU, NATO accession support to be converted into political will: US ambassador (MIA)
Albania
• Meta receives EC senior delegation (ADN)
• Bushati: 2018, golden opportunity (ADN)
• Opposition supports opening of accession talks (ADN)

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES

• EU incomplete without Western Balkans: Juncker (Xinhua)
• Zarif: Iran's influence in region due to nation's resistance (MNA)

United Nations Office in Belgrade

Daily Media Highlights
Thursday 22 February 2018
LOCAL PRESS

• Vucic: We are not changing policy towards Russia; Lavrov: UNSCR 1244 legitimate basis for action (RTS)
• Serbia and Russia have been through thick and thin (Tanjug/B92)
• Lavrov attends unveiling of mosaic in Church of St. Sava (B92/Beta/Tanjug)
• Vucic: Church root of our friendship with Russia (Tanjug)
• Dacic and Lavrov: Тhaci’s statement not changing anything (Tanjug)
• Selakovic: Consistent policy of Serbia – EU path but without sanctions against Russia (RTS)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina
• Dodik and Lavrov met in Belgrade (Srna/RTRS)
• Covic and Izetbegovic discuss Election Law with US Ambassador Cormack in separate meetings (TV1/Dnevni avaz)
• RS opposition shocked by SNSD’s refusal to support initiative on constituent status of Serbs in Federation of B&H (TV1)
• B&H Presidency members meet NATO’s Foggo and Everard (BHT1)
Croatia
• Opposition calls for government resignations over Agrokor (Hina)
• Missing persons issue a priority in Croatia-Serbia relations (Hina)
Montenegro
• Police suspect that Jaukovic threw a bomb at US Embassy (CDM)
• Opposition needs to find common candidate (MINA)
• Kosovo government allocates €153,000 for border demarcation (Pobjeda)
fYROM
• Name dispute edging toward solution, says Merkel (MIA)
• Macedonia deserves individual assessment over EU accession, Zaev tells Berlin conference (MIA)
• Zaev, Steinmeier commend Macedonia-Germany relations (MIA)
• Hahn: EU to back starting entry talks with Macedonia (MIA)
• Zbogar says Juncker's visit to Macedonia message in itself (MIA)
• Lavrov: EU is passive on Great Albania ideas, Ohrid Framework Agreement violated (MIA)
• Osmani: With the Swiss experience we will effectively implement the Law on Languages (Meta)
Albania
• Meta reacts on ideas for division or exchange of territories (ADN)
• US Embassy disappointed by Rama (ADN)

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES

• Merkel warns against China's influence in Balkans (South China Morning Post)

United Nations Office in Belgrade

Daily Media Highlights
Wednesday 21 February 2018
LOCAL PRESS

• Vucic to invite Putin to visit Serbia (Tanjug/B92)
• Dacic and Lavrov pen joint op-ed (B92/Tanjug)
• Strengthening strategic partnership with France (Beta)
• Serbian, Albanian foreign affairs delegations meet in Belgrade (Beta)
• Dodik: My relations with Vucic are better than with any other Serbian President; I asked Vucic not to separate issue of Kosovo from issue of RS (Prva TV)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina
• Announced NATO military exercise with depleted uranium causes many reactions (ATV)
• Dodik: plans on preparation of exercise were demystified (Srna)
• B&H HoR postpones vote on amendments to Election Law of B&H (BHT1)
• Covic and Izetbegovic receive delegation of Croatian parliament (Vecernji list)
• OSCE: Changes to Law on Elections must be agreed in B&H (Dnevni list)
Croatia
• Families of missing Croatian soldiers meet with Serbian President (Hina)
• Serbian minority leader criticizes status of Serbs in Croatia (Hina)
• Minister: Croatia is an example for national minority rights (Hina)
• Corruption perception in Croatia among highest in EU (Hina)
Montenegro
• Parliament cannot influence the work of DIK (CDM)
• This is what the declaration signed by Vujanovic and Thaci says (Pobjeda)
fYROM
• Ivanov: Macedonia expects Turkish support and lobbying for NATO accession (MIA)
• President Ivanov meets Turkish PM Yildirim, speaker Kahraman (MIA)
• Bakoyannis: We want a package deal the whole international community will accept (MIA)
• Tsipras, Merkel discuss name issue in phone call (MIA)
Albania
• Rama clarifies idea of ‘joint [resident’ (Klan TV/Top Channel)
• Negotiations with Greece, Meta indicates ‘red line’ (ADN)

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES

• The difficulties of exchanging territory in the Balkans (The Economist)

United Nations Office in Belgrade

Daily Media Highlights
Tuesday 20 February 2018
LOCAL PRESS

• Vucic: My stand about Kosovo at the end of April (Tanjug/TV Happy)
• Djuric: Silence is sometimes a source of instability (Tanjug)
• Djuric: There has been intellectual mobilization regarding the issue of resolving the Kosovo problem (RTS/Tanjug)
• If Serbia gives up Kosovo over EU it loses the right to be called a state (RTV)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina
• Inzko: Nobody should expect from OHR to resolve issue of Law on Elections through use of Bonn powers (Vecernji list)
• Genjac: I am not optimistic that process aimed to amend Election Law of B&H will be completed successfully (TV1)
• SDA loses two prime ministers and a government in only a week (N1)
• B&H CoM delegation and Qatar PM discuss improvement of economic cooperation (FTV)
• B&H BP registers 373 migrants attempting to cross state border (Hayat/N1)
Croatia
• Declaration on Rights of Serbs in Croatia published (Hina)
• Croatia refuses to open border issue with B&H (Hina)
Montenegro
• Jovicevic ready to run for the country’s presidency (Pobjeda)
• Milacic might be the opposition’s presidential candidate? (Dan)
fYROM
• President Ivanov pays official visit to Turkey (MIA)
• Zaev-Markus: Slovakia supports Macedonia's EU, NATO integration (MIA)
Albania
• EC: Rama's proposal on a joint President for Albania-Kosovo, political interference (ADN)

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES

• Milorad Dodik Wants to Carve Up Bosnia. Peacefully, if Possible (New York Times)
• Bulgarian, Hungarian PMs call for infrastructural integration of Balkans into EU (Xinhua)