United Nations Office in Belgrade

Daily Media Highlights

Wednesday 19 July 2017

LOCAL PRESS

• India opposes Pristina’s membership in international organizations (RTS/Tanjug)
• Serbia committed to regional peace, stability (Tanjug)
• Dacic, Crnadak open new B&H Embassy building in Belgrade (Beta/RTS)
• Serbian government soon to debate Russian Humanitarian Center in Nis (Novosti)
• Bujanovac Municipality protests over closing down of alternative crossings to Kosovo (Beta)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina
• Vulin and Vukicevic might be summoned as first witnesses in case related to Dodik’s statement on return of Bosniaks in Podrinje region (TV1/Glas Srpske)
• SDA’s Genjac announces SDA will not support HDZ B&H’s proposal of Law on Elections of B&H (Hayat)
• Mektic’s statements spark reactions of SNSD and Croat officials (RTRS)
• Mogherini emphasizes importance of adoption of Law on Excise Duties and signing of Transport Community Treaty (EuroBlic)
• Lajcak: B&H created hostage of itself, one does not join EU with help from so-called Bonn powers or sanctions (Dnevni list)
Croatia
• President: Army should have responded earlier to contain wildfires (Hina)
• Slovenia says expects at least small signal from Zagreb regarding arbitration ruling (Hina)
Montenegro
• NATO sends help to Montenegro (RTCG/Dnevne novine)
fYROM
• Nimetz: New impetus in efforts to solve name issue (MIA)
• Mogherini: The dedication is allowing us to direct all of our energy into the reforms (Meta)
• Zaev: Agreement with Bulgaria clearly states it’s about two states, nations and languages (Meta)
• Zaev: Law on languages to be adopted before local elections so no one losses the votes (MIA)
Albania
• Yee: Politicians to keep word on reforms (ADN)

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES

• The Berlin Process - the Good Cop of the Balkans' European Integration (euinside)

United Nations Office in Belgrade

Daily Media Highlights

Tuesday 18 July 2017
LOCAL PRESS

• Vucic, Pence agree to maintain personal communication (RTS/Tanjug/TV Pink/B92/Beta)
• No solutions without Belgrade’s leadership - US senators (Tanjug/RTS)
• Frontex Director talks with Serbian ministers (Beta)
• Good European deal at Trieste Summit (Politika)
• The Dublin solution for the Kosovo knot (Nedeljnik)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina
• Crnadak calls on improvement of relations between B&H and Serbia, announces official opening of new B&H Embassy building in Belgrade on Tuesday (Nezavisne)
• B&H Prosecutor’s Office confirms it formed case upon report filed by Izetbegovic against Dodik (FTV)
• Dodik: Izetbegovic is trying to find way to bring everyone from RS before B&H Court (RTRS)
• Izetbegovic and Mektic comment ISIL threats against Islamic Community in B&H (TV1)
Croatia
• Serbian President reacts to US support for Croatia’s Operation Storm (Express)
• The Stepinac Commission finishes work (Vecernji list)
Montenegro
• Tajani: Visit to Montenegro a strong message to the region (CDM)
• Markovic with Sheikh Al Nahyan: Montenegro is safe for UAE investments (CDM)
fYROM
• Dimitrov presents reform priorities of Macedonia's new government at Brussels Centre for European Policy Studies (MIA)
• Kotzias qualifies his meeting with UN Envoy Nimetz as “interesting and serious” (Meta)
• Vucic says Serbia continues to recognize Macedonia's name (MIA)
• Stabilization and Association Council between Macedonia and the European Union in Brussels (MIA)
Albania
• Bushati- Kishi: Albania and Japan to promote relations (ADN)

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES

• Bosnia Urged To Protect Clerics From ISIS Threats (BIRN)

LOCAL PRESS

• Further improvement of overall cooperation with China (RTS/Tanjug)
• Zhang, Gojkovic on deepening Serbia-China cooperation (Beta)
• Vucic: Talks about Belgrade-Pristina, Serbian-Russian relations in US (Beta)
• Mihajlovic: Serbia is too small for any imbalance with great powers (Tanjug/RTS/B92)
• Stefanovic: Almost 50 Serbian citizens left country to join Daesh (TV Pink)
• Svilanovic: Brussels looking for a solution for Kosovo, also acceptable for us (Blic)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina
• Covic takes over chairmanship in B&H Presidency (BNTV/Fena/TV1)
• Dodik's statements regarding the return of Bosniaks to Podrinje spark reactions (FTV)
• Dodik: Inzko is passionate mercenary who does not deserve to be commented (Srna)
• Izetbegovic: I have addressed OHR, PIC and Prosecutor’s Office of B&H demanding from them to sanction behavior of RS President Dodik (Klix.ba)
• Reduce Russian influence in Balkans with millions of Dollars (Dnevni avaz)
• Anniversary of attempted coup in Turkey marked in B&H (Hayat)
Croatia
• Tensions between Croatia and Serbia to rise again? (Vecernji list)
Montenegro
• Boskovic: Army of Montenegro will not fight either Serbians or Albanians in Kosovo (Mina)
fYROM
• Zaev will present MPs the agreement with Bulgaria for an insight behind a closed session (MIA)
• Dimovski: We will vote for the declaration, but not for the conclusions from the “3-6-9” plan (Meta)
• VMRO-DPMNE: We are waiting for Zaev to bring Macedonia into the EU and NATO (Meta)
• Kotzias: The new government has toned down the rhetoric but basically nothing has changed (Meta)
Albania
• Rama: Creating a common regional market, an essentially European project (ADN)
• Rama: “New Yugoslavia” idea, biggest lie (ADN)
• Albania-Serbia, No more Taboos (ADN)

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES

• Beijing’s Balkan backdoor (Politico)

United Nations Office in Belgrade

Daily Media Highlights

Friday 14 July 2017
LOCAL PRESS

• Vucic: Let EU openly say what is expected of Serbia regarding Kosovo (Beta)
• Tsipras: Greece’s position on Kosovo and Metohija known (Tanjug/RTS)
Six interstate agreements with Greece signed (RTS)
• Dacic: Citizens need to know the dynamics of EU membership (RTS)
• SPS independently to take part in Kosovo local elections (Novosti)
• From Jarinje to Kosovska Mitrovica (Blic)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina
• Covic holds separate meetings with Radoncic and Izetbegovic; Izetbegovic: SDA will not support HDZ B&H’s proposal of changes to B&H Election Law (FTV)
• Dodik proposed and Covic accepted that HDZ B&H and SNSD go together in 2018 general elections (Dnevni list)
• Prosecutor's Office of B&H files indictment regarding referendum on RS Day, Dodik and Cvijanovic not included (RTRS)
• Zvizdic: B&H CoM will not accept conditions set by RS government (Hayat)
• European path in focus (Oslobodjenje)
Croatia
• Defense Minister Krsticevic meets with US Defense Secretary Mattis (Vecernji list)
• Croats wants protection for B&H Croats, Yugo-union was not created in Trieste (Vecernji list)
fYROM
• Ivanov – Baily: New incentive for Macedonia’s NATO membership is needed (Meta)
• Foreign Secretary Johnson: Britain ready to help Macedonia on its road to EU and NATO (MIA)
• Zaev meets Slovenian counterpart Cerar (MIA)
• Tsipras: Name issue must be resolved before our tiny neighbor joins NATO, EU (Meta)
Albania
• Albania has made contribution to regional cooperation of tangible benefits, FM Bushati says at Trieste Summit (ATA)
• McAllister: No new membership until 2019, Montenegro and Serbia closer than other countries (ADN)
• Albania with a smaller government in September (ADN)

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES

• Democracy in the Balkans is under siege, and the West is looking away (The Washington Post)
• Howard: NATO respects Serbia’s neutrality (European Western Balkans)

United Nations Office in Belgrade

Daily Media Highlights

Thursday 13 July 2017
LOCAL PRESS

• Brnabic: Serbia dedicated to regional cooperation (Beta/Politika)
• Serbia determined to continue with its EU integration (Beta)
• Dacic: Europe not complete without Balkan region (Beta)
• Stable Serbia is the key to progress in the region (RTS)
• Serbian Orthodox Church and Academy prepared to join resolution of Kosovo issue (Novosti)
• Opposition suspicious concerning Vucic’s dialogue on Kosovo (Danas)
• Tadic: We are now before a fait accompli (Blic)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina
• 2017 Western Balkans Summit within Berlin Process begins in Trieste (TV1)
• Crnadak meets Hahn (Hayat)
• Conclusions to lead to complete isolation of B&H (Oslobodjenje)
• Zvizdic meets Merkel, discusses EU integration and reform processes (Oslobodjenje)
• New German-Turkish initiative considers civic B&H? (N1)
• Trial of SBB B&H leader Radoncic resumes before B&H Court (FTV)
Croatia
• Slovenian and Croatian Prime Ministers meet in Ljubljana (24sata.hr)
Montenegro
• Markovic with Merkel: Now is a real opportunity to come to Montenegro (CDM)
fYROM
• Zaev: Good neighborly relations, Euro-integration not political issues, but necessity (MIA)
• New Macedonian, Serbian PMs hold first meeting at sidelines of Western Balkan Summit (MIA)
• Merkel voices support for Macedonia’s reforms, Euro-Atlantic integration (MIA)
• Hahn: The requests of the civil sector in the Balkans are acceptable (Meta)
• Athens tells Roth to refrain from giving history lessons (Meta)
Albania
• Rama: The stronger and more democratic Macedonia, the stronger and better Albania will be (ATA)
• Bushati: Trieste Summit to focus on concrete avenues for two initiatives (ATA)

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES

• Western Balkans: further than ever from EU membership? (Eurotopics)