United Nations Office in Belgrade

Daily Media Highlights

Tuesday 17 October 2017
LOCAL PRESS

• Brnabic on resolution of Kosovo knot (Novosti)
• Djuric: Most important debate seen in generations (RTS)
• Djuric: If the Serbs are not satisfied, there is no gain for the Albanians (Tanjug)
• Judges and prosecutors in north Kosovo didn’t take oath (RTS)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina
• SDA welcomes EU Council’s conclusions (Fena)
• Croat representatives refuse to attend scheduled session of HNC Assembly (Vecernji list)
• Spiric: SNSD will be part of majority at B&H level after 2018 elections (N1)
fYROM
• SEC to release final results after lodging complaints ends (Republika)
• Ivanov-Markovic: No open issues between Macedonia and Montenegro (Republika)
Albania
• Albania and Macedonia to hold joint government meeting (ADN)

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES

• EU Foreign Ministers Reiterate Commitment To Bosnia, But Call For Reforms (RFE/RL)

United Nations Office in Belgrade

Daily Media Highlights

Monday 16 October 2017
LOCAL PRESS

• Government sets up working group for dialogue on Kosovo (Tanjug/B92)
• Vucic on pressures, Kosovo (Novosti)
• Covic, Vucic agree to hold trilateral meeting of B&H, Serbia and Croatia (Beta/RTS)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina
• Dodik: Extend deadline for holding referendum on B&H Court and Prosecutor’s Office (Srna)
• Stevandic: Referendum should be postponed if ruling coalition and opposition fail to reach an agreement on it (ATV)
• SDS calls on Dodik to resign (TV1)
• Cvijanovic: We still hope that Law on Excise Duties could be adopted by end of October (RTRS)
• B&H CEC sends proposal of changes to Election Law for which there may be consent in B&H parliament (Dnevni avaz)
Montenegro
• DPS ready for a dialogue (CDM)
fYROM
• Zaev: Victory is an expression of the free will of the citizens (Meta)
• 45 municipalities get mayors after first round, runoff is slated in 35 municipalities (Republika)
• Zijadin Sela declared victory in the first round in Struga and Gostivar (Republika)
• Gruevski claims there were irregularities during the entire campaign (Meta)
• Ahmeti: It is important that all participants accept the results of these elections (Meta)
• Srbov: Election day with over 100 irregularities, public witnesses what elections organized by SDSM look like (Republika)
• MOST observers to present report on Macedonia’s local election (Republika)
Albania
• SMI, Vasili warns of parliamentary collapse (ADN)
• Parliament votes pro-electoral reform and minorities law (ADN)

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES

• Bieber: More inward-looking Austria expected, WB might lose a reform partner (European Western Balkans)

United Nations Office in Belgrade

Daily Media Highlights

Friday 13 October 2017
LOCAL PRESS

• Brnabic, Danielsson: EU membership foreign policy priority of Serbia (Beta/Tanjug)
• Danielsson: There is a link between normalization of relations and EU membership (Beta)
• Vucic: It is important that NATO remains neutral in Kosovo (Beta)
• Djuric: We have no implementation partner in Pristina (Tanjug)
• Djuric discusses dialogue with Pristina with Logar (RTS)
• Brajovic: These are the best relations in the last decade (RTS)
• Not an unexpected decision of the US to leave UNESCO (RTS)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina
• Dodik to host meeting of parliamentary parties and reps of civil society on Saturday to define joint stance on work Court of B&H and Prosecutor’s Office of B&H (RTRS)
• Opposition sends open letter to Dodik (NAP)
• OHR says decisions that would suspend or limit jurisdiction and decisions of state judiciary in part of state territory would be unconstitutional and unacceptable (TV1)
• SDS, PDP and NDP request information on implementation of referendum on state judiciary (BNTV)
• Commission for Implementation of Referendum on B&H Judiciary to convene on Friday (ATV)
• SBB B&H and DF will not support adoption of excise duties (Dnevni avaz)
Croatia
• Government sabotaging President’s visit to Russia? (Jutarnji list)
fYROM
• Zbogar: Local elections - opportunity for citizens to determine future development of municipalities (MIA)
• VMRO-DPMNE: Administration of upcoming elections must meet highest standards (MIA)
• Ahmeti: Change of Kosovo’s borders could have domino effect (MIA)
Albania
• Parliament blocked, Ruci forced to postpone session (ADN)
• Tensions in parliament related to Rama’s ties with crime - Basha (ADN)

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES

AP Interview: Serbian leader vows to lead nation into the EU (AP)

United Nations Office in Belgrade

Daily Media Highlights

Thursday 12 October 2017

LOCAL PRESS

• Brnabic: No successful EU integration without regional stability (RTS/Tanjug)
• Dacic: Bilateral disputes are region’s problems (Tanjug/FoNet/B92)
• Dacic: Interference of third party unnecessary (Tanjug/RTV)
• Vulin: Serbia conducts balanced defense policy (Tanjug)
• Dikovic completed visit to Serbian peacekeepers in Central African Republic (Politika)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina
• Dodik to send letter explaining reasons why Serbs should leave judiciary institutions of B&H (TV1)
• SzP: Credibility of Court and Prosecutor’s Office of B&H irreparably undermined with acquitting verdict to Oric (BNTV)
• Oric’s attorney: Serbia has no legal ground to carry out proceeding against any citizen of B&H, including Oric (Dnevni avaz)
• A committee of the UK Parliament House of Lords session within the inquiry about the UK policy towards the Western Balkans after Brexit (Dnevni avaz)
Montenegro
• These are members of the working group for OSCE’s recommendations (CDM)
• Lekic: Invitation to OSCE proves that country is in a crisis (Dan)
fYROM
• Dimitrov: We shall convince Europe that Macedonia deserves to commence the talks for the EU membership (Meta)
• Szijjarto: Macedonia should start EU, NATO accession talks as soon as possible (MIA)
• Government already focused on reforms in security system (MIA)
Albania
• Albanian President awarded Order of Independence during visit to Kosovo (ATA)

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES

• Visegrad countries call for EU enlargement in Western Balkans (Xinhua)
• Remarks by EU HR/VP Federica Mogherini following meeting with Ms Ana Brnabić, Prime Minister of Serbia (EEAS)
• Serbian PM: Kosovo major obstacle in EU talks (euronews)
• Serbia’s Parliament Using Penalties ‘to Silence Opposition’ (BIRN)

LOCAL PRESS

• Brnabic: Community of Serb Municipalities backbone of Brussels agreement (Tanjug/RTS/Beta)
• Unabated interest of European MPs for European path of Serbia (Tanjug)
• Brnabic, Hahn: Serbia’s EU integration process based on three basic principles (RTS/Beta)
• Erdogan in Novi Pazar: This is my native land (B92/RTS)
• Wallstrom: Kosovo and Catalonia not to be compared (Beta)
• Spain grateful to Serbia for delaying EU letter (Politika)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina
• Ivanic says Dodik’s call to Serbs to leave B&H Court and Prosecutor’s Office is not adequate solution (TV1)
• SDA slams Dodik for announcing suspension of work of Court of B&H and Prosecutor’s Office of B&H in RS (TV1)
• IC’ reactions to Dodik’s call for suspension of work of Court of B&H and Prosecutor’s Office of B&H (BHT1)
• Mandic: Biggest problem for registration of military property in RS is fact that there is no law that binds RS institutions to respect and implement decisions of Constitutional Court of B&H (FTV)
Croatia
• “Istria is not Catalonia, we just want our money” (Expres)
Montenegro
• Knezevic: I am not guilty, process is fake (RTCG)
Albania
• President Meta’s official visit to Kosovo; Demarcation, unfair condition for visas liberalization (ADN)
• Basha: Appointment of Ruci as speaker, shameful act (ATA)
• Albanian government gives up, recognizes Bulgarians as a minority (ATA)

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES

• Erdogan touts Turkey helping push 'prosperous' Balkans (Anadolu Agency)
• Erdogan in the Balkans: A neo-Ottoman quest? (Al Jazeera)