LOCAL PRESS

• Vucic: Serbia’s priorities include EU, economic growth and regional stability (Beta)
• Jevtic: Vucic’s visit calmed down tensions (RTS)
• EU working on resumption of Belgrade-Pristina dialogue (Tanjug)
• Kuburovic: Parliament no longer has role in election of judges, deputy public prosecutors (RTS)
• Serbian Patriarch decorates Gouillon and Ritsoudis (RTS)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina
• Lavrov: Russia is against Dayton II (RTRS)
• Dodik: I know about request of Sarajevo sent to Serbia to detain me (RTRS)
• Mektic denied claims of Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic (ATV)
• Representatives of political parties met on Tuesday to discuss new model for election of B&H Presidency members (Glas Srpske)
• Colak: HDZ B&H is ready to accept election of two members of Presidency from Federation of B&H in B&H Parliament and direct election of member of Presidency from RS (N1)
• Ambassador Berton: Our position is clear from very beginning – Bosnian language is language of Bosniak people (Fena)
Croatia
• Croats from Serbia meet with Plenkovic (Hina)
Montenegro
• Markovic: After joining NATO, the European agenda is the most important topic (CDM)
• PACE sends a delegation to the presidential elections (CDM)
• Presidential and local elections cannot be scheduled for the same day (CDM)
fYROM
• Government adopts its 2018 working program, sets economy, EU and NATO membership as priorities (MIA)
• Macedonia's European perspective - main topic of FM Dimitrov's meetings in Brussels (MIA)
• Kosovo's President Thaci criticizes Macedonia's counterpart Ivanov's language bill veto (MIA)
Albania
• Rama and Tsipras meeting in Switzerland (ADN)
• Judicial reform, SMI appeal to the US and EU Ambassadors (ADN)

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES

• Challenges Facing Serbia in 2018 (BIRN)
• Zakharieva: EU is not sufficiently present in the Western Balkans (RFE/RL)
• US Pulling the Strings of Power in Kosovo – Expert (Sputnik)

LOCAL PRESS

• Vucic: They will not let Serbia enter EU without resolved border issue (TV Happy/Tanjug)
• Dacic: Dialogue once Belgrade gets information on Ivanovic’s murder (RTS/Beta)
• Dacic: For us to suggest to Russia to let Kosovo enter UN – this is a mirage (RTV)
• Vucic, Covic discuss improvement of Serbia-B&H relations (Tanjug)
• Joksimovic: EU integration supported by 52 percent of Serbian citizens (Beta)
• Prosecution: We received request for cooperation with Kosovo Prosecution (Tanjug)
• Coalition around Djilas officially formed (Blic)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina
• Credible enlargement perspective for the Western Balkans: Negotiations on B&H’s membership in EU only in 2023 (Dnevni avaz/TV1)
• SDP to withdraw from talks on changes to Election Law organized by EU Delegation, US Embassy and OHR (Dnevni avaz)
• PACE to discuss Resolution on B&H this week (TV1)
• Federation of B&H parliament session postponed (Klix.ba)
Croatia
• Croatia calls for swift probe into Kosovo Serb leader’s murder (Hina)
• Bosniak parties prompting Croats to demand third entity in B&H (Hina)
• Plenkovic to address European Parliament on future of Europe (Hina)
• Croatia and US set to intensify bilateral cooperation (Hina)
Montenegro
• Civic opposition created by some embassies and NGOs (CDM)
• There are 54 political parties in Montenegro (Dnevne novine)
• Pejovic: EU access negotiations more complex today (CDM)
fYROM
• Law on languages in parliament next Monday (MIA)
• Government says it is analyzing UN mediator’s proposals (MIA)
• Kotsias: The talks at Davos will show in which direction we are heading (MIA)
Albania
• Meta meets with Haradinaj (ADN)
• Basha’s invitation: Let’s end the two-standard governance (ADN)

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES

• Japan, China and the western Balkans (The Japan Times)

LOCAL PRESS

• Vucic: Serbs want to survive in Kosovo and Metohija without revenge (Novosti)
• Djuric: Serbia uniting to help people in Kosovo and Metohija (Tanjug)
• Odalovic: Vucic’s visit calmed down Kosovo Serbs (Tanjug)
• Drecun: Vucic sending message to Serbs that Serbia is with them (Radio Belgrade)
• Stefanovic: No exchange of data with Pristina (TV Pink)
• Chepurin: Russia requests participation of Serbian organs in investigation into Ivanovic’s murder (RTS)
• French Ambassador: Friends tell the truth (FoNet/RTS)
• Vulin to Mondoloni: Lectures for Pristina, Belgrade keeping promises (RTS)
• DJB, Dveri to run together in Belgrade elections (Tanjug)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina
• Federation of B&H Statistics Institute warns B&H will submit two different results of population census as part of answers to EC Questionnaire (Hayat)
• Zvizdic’s high treason; He recognizes results of RS' census! (Dnevni avaz)
• Izetbegovic says work on SDA’s proposal of changes to Law on Elections of B&H continues with help of EU and US (TV1)
• Another political bloc will be established in the RS several months before the general elections (TV1)
• Parties considering scenario of indirect election of members of Presidency of B&H in B&H parliament (Dnevni list)
• SzP will offer joint candidates for RS President and Serb member of B&H Presidency (TV1)
• Dodik: SNSD will have candidates for posts of RS President and Serb member of B&H Presidency (ATV)
• Unitarianists in B&H force Serbs to secession, and Croats to third entity (Vecernji list)
• Inzko again on RS Day (EuroBlic)
Montenegro
• Presidential elections scheduled, candidates still unknown (CDM)
• Montenegro will continue contributing to the alliance (CDM)
• Montenegro and Kosovo examples of successful cross-border cooperation (CDM)
fYROM
• There is room for improvement of language bill - French Ambassador Thimonier (MIA)
• UN mediator Nimetz says his name proposal guards state's identity (Sitel)
• Hoyt Yee: Macedonia and Greece have real opportunity to solve the name issue (MIA)
• Sela: The Alliance of the Albanians is still open to negotiations for its return in the government (Meta)
• MFA condemns the burning of the Macedonian flag in Thessaloniki (Meta)

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES

• Presentation of the Enlargement strategy, February 6 in Strasbourg (European Western Balkans)
• Portentous Assassination Rocks the Balkans (Strategic Culture Foundation)
• Massive Thessaloniki protest on FYROM name concerns government (To Vima)

LOCAL PRESS

• Vucic receives Cretu (Tanjug)
• Vucic: In Serbia, everyone has right to speak- and to respond (Tanjug/RTS)
• Stefanovic: Pristina does not want to find the assassin (RTS/Tanjug)
• Djuric: Pristina has no intention to seriously conduct investigation (TV Pink/Tanjug)
• Drecun: Car meant to distract from key evidence (Beta/Tanjug)
• EU: Vucic, Thaci agree to resume dialogue (Beta)
• Rada Trajkovic: It is a public secret that Milan Radojicic has authority (Danas)
• Six lists approved so far for Belgrade elections (Tanjug)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina
• Constitutional Court took down OHR’s decisions, new solutions are necessary (Vecernji list)
• Austrian Ambassador Pammer: Implementation of court decision in ‘Ljubic’ case is crucial (Dnevni avaz)
• Croat People’s Assembly (HNS) and SDA proposals of B&H Election Law should be presented by end of January (BHT1)
• Federation of B&H opposition MPs schedule extraordinary session of Federation of B&H HoR to discuss amendments to Law on Constituencies (Nezavisne)
• Cubrilovic to HR Inzko: Name of RS is constitutional category verified by Dayton Peace Agreement (RTRS)
Montenegro
• 81% of citizens in favor of the EU (RTCG)
fYROM
• Stoltenberg/Zaev: Name dispute settlement crucial for Macedonia's NATO membership, no plan 'B' (MIA/Meta)
• Anti-NATO protest held outside Parliament during Stoltenberg's visit (MIA)

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES

• Serbia on course for EU by 2025, top EU official says (Reuters)
• Putin: We expect the opening of the EEU free zone for Serbia soon (TASS)
• Montenegro Calls Presidential Elections For April (BIRN)

United Nations Office in Belgrade

Daily Media Highlights

Thursday 18 January 2018
LOCAL PRESS

• Teodosije: A symbol of the struggle for truth and justice (RTS/B92/Tanjug/Beta)
• Vucic requests that Serbian authorities join Ivanovic murder investigation (Beta/Tanjug)
• Brnabic talks about atmosphere of threats preceding murder (B92/Tanjug/Radio Free Europe)
• Kuburovic: Kosovo organs decide whether Serbia will be part of the investigation (RTV)
• Rebic: Trace of Serbian police leads to the car used for assassinating Ivanovic (RTS)
• US Department of State refers query to 10 January travel warning (Tanjug)
• Bujanovac Mayor Jonuz Musliu dies (RTS/FoNet)
• Pajtic supports Djilas (Beta)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina
• Valentin Inzko bothered by name of RS (EuroBlic)
• B&H HoR discusses proposals on changes to Law on Elections (TV1)
• B&H will be blocked if decision of Constitutional Court is not implemented (Vecernji list)
• Dodik: I am against this kind of B&H (Srna)
• Croatian President Grabar-Kitarovic visits B&H, reactions (Hayat/BHT1/FTV)
Croatia
• Interior Minister begins three-day visit to the US (HRT)
Montenegro
• Presidential elections to be called on Friday: Brajovic expects tensions in campaign (CDM)
• Montenegro and Serbia fostering good neighborly relations (CDM)
fYROM
• Ivanov did not sign the decree on the Law on Languages (Meta)
• Russian MFA: Edi Rama continues to push the great Albanian ambitions (Meta)

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES

Bulgarian presidency – Priorities and expectations (European Western Balkans)