UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, February 23, 2022

Albanian Language Media:

• Lajcak: We are close to reaching an agreement on some issues (media)
• Bislimi informs about Tuesday’s meeting with Lajcak (media)
• Haxhiu: Serbia has territorial claims against Kosovo (RTK)
• Kurti: We will soon propose the level of minimum salary (media)
• Kosovo to convene its National Security Council to discuss Ukraine crisis (Express)
• Szunyog: Lack of quorum in the Assembly of Kosovo is worrying (media)
• Azemi: ITUPSK will not accept minimum salaries under €400 (media)
• Population Census to be held this year (media)
• IPA prohibits processing of personal data collected in collective buildings and orders their destruction (Telegrafi)
• COVID-19: 257 new cases, three deaths (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic responds to Ukrainian ambassador: Kiev must condemn aggression on Serbia (Tanjug)
• Petkovic expects new round of talks soon; Bislimi refused to meet face to face (N1, Tanjug, RTS)
• Vucic visits Spain (RTS)
• EU expects Serbia to align with sanctions against Russia; US welcomes Serbia's respect of Ukraine’s territorial integrity (N1, VoA)
• Haxhiu: Serbs can vote by mail or the Liaison Office (KiM radio, media)
• Trajkovic reacts to Haxhiu’s statement (Kosovo-online)
• Opposition People’s Party: Serbia to remain militarily neutral, respect territorial integrity of all countries (N1)

International:

• Serbia and Kosovo Negotiators Fail to Meet in Brussels (Balkan Insight)

• Dialogue without a direct meeting between the delegations (Koha)
• Kurti: Mistake some Muslim-majority countries don’t recognize Kosovo (media)
• Kosovo government building lights up in colors of Ukraine flag (media)
• Putin calls for recognition of Crimea as Russia, compares it to Kosovo (RFE)
• Haziri proposes internal dialogue before new phase of talks with Serbia (media)
• Surroi: Agreement with Serbia not expected to be finalised this year (RTK)
• Kosovo murder trial witnesses nervous about accusing Serb gang (BIRN)
• COVID-19: 158 new cases, one death (media)

Albanian Language Media:

• Lajcak: Intense discussions underway in Brussels (media)
• Kurti: Kosovo supports Ukraine’s territorial integrity (media)
• Foreign Ministry: Kosovo stands with Ukraine (media)
• PDK’s Hoxhaj says National Security Council must meet urgently (media)
• Gervalla: New recognitions did not stall only last year (RTK)
• Mehaj: Together with NATO and US, we will confront any threat (media)
• President Osmani discusses deepening of relations with the Holy See (media)
• COVID-19: 158 new cases, one death (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic: Pressures on Serbia after Putin’s decision will be even stronger (RTS)
• Ukrainian ambassador: Ukraine expects Serbia to condemn Putin’s recognition of Donetsk, Luhansk (N1, Kosovo Online)
• “Witnesses against Thaci fear they could be murdered” (Radio KIM)
• A new round of Belgrade and Pristina dialogue in Brussels (N1)
• Covid-19: 14 new cases, two deaths registered in Serbian areas (Kosovo-online)

Opinion:

• The Ukraine Crisis And Great Power Rivalry In The Balkans – OpEd (eurasiareview.com, TransConflict)

International:

• Greece says recognition of Ukraine breakaway regions violates international law (ekathimerini.com)
• Serbia Under Pressure to Join Sanctions Against Russia, Says Vucic (Balkan Insight)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Patriarchal mindset and fragile institutions, a challenge for victims of violence (EO)
• Mladenovic: Serbian language endangered (Radio KIM)

• Chief negotiators resume dialogue, to discuss missing, license plates (KP/Koha)
• Serbia includes April elections in dialogue agenda (RFE)
• Russia facing new sanctions after Putin recognises breakaway regions (Reuters)
• With all eyes on Ukraine, Putin to send his envoy to Balkans (AP)
• Robelli: All of Europe, not only Ukraine, is under threat (Koha)
• Kurti: Work on increasing minimum wage begins (media)
• Kosovo indicts ex-minister over extra 53 million payment for motorway (BIRN)
• Pristina Mayor meets UNMIK chief (media)
• Youth participation and culture are important for Europeanisation and democratization of Kosovo (EWB)
• Women’s low employment in Kosovo blamed on kindergarten shortage (BIRN)
• COVID-19: 101 new cases, one death (media)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, February 21, 2022

Albanian Language Media:

• Kurti: We had 17 bilateral meetings at Munich Security Conference (media)
• Kosovo Assembly to discuss the dialogue on Thursday (Koha)
• “Decision on energy tariff increase could end up at Constitutional Court” (EO)
• Kosovo continues preparations for “Dynamic Front 22” (media)
• Ukraine – Russia conflict doesn’t dim interest in Kosovo – Serbia dialogue (RTK)
• Hoxhaj: Kosovo is first line of aggressive Russian campaign in the Balkans (media)
• COVID-19: 101 new cases, one death (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Visoki Decani Monastery: SOC will use all legal means to protect its identity (Radio KIM)
• Raska-Prizren Diocese: Unacceptable that Kurti violates court’s verdicts (RTS)
• Google Maps once again shows the wrong location of Visoki Decani (KoSSev)
• Tourist panel in centre of Decani without photo of monastery (Kosovo-online)
• Slovakian Minister of Defence: Stance on Kosovo remains unchanged (Kosovo-online)
• Vucic thanks President of Iran over stance on Kosovo (Radio KIM)
• Vucic: Everybody knows our stance on Ukraine crisis (N1)
• Media: Russian official and Vucic to discuss recruitment of warriors from Balkans (N1)
• Vucic calls National Security Council session (RTS)
• EU: Belgrade-Pristina negotiating teams to meet in Brussels on Tuesday (N1)
• “Kurti accuses Serbia at Munich conference; Petkovic reminds him of crimes against Serbs” (RTS)
• Investigation against ten Serbian List officials over not reporting assets launched in Pristina (RTS)
• Ponos: Kosovo inalienable part of Serbia, to find solution for people living there (KoSSev, Nova TV)

Opinion:

• Palokaj: Bosnia, as a warning for EU and Kosovo (Koha)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Hate speech can lead to tragedy (Kallxo)

• Kurti meets Lajcak, Borrell, insists on agreement on mutual recognition (media)
• Osmani expresses concern over Russian influence in Western Balkans (media)
• Osmani and Kurti meet Greek PM Mitsotakis (media)
• Albania, Kosovo, Bosnia deny sending ‘mercenaries’ to Ukraine (BIRN)
• Kosovo reacts to Russia's claims of involvement in recruiting mercenaries (Koha)
• Sarrazin to become German Representative for Western Balkans (EWB)
• Mehaj: Kosovo to sign security information agreement with U.S. (media)
• Why does the business community think Kosovo has failed? (euronews.al)
• COVID-19: 183 new cases, two deaths (media)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, February 18, 2022

Albanian Language Media:

• President Osmani to also take part in Munich conference (media)
• Osmani meets Lebanese prime minister, agree to advance relations (media)
• In Munich, Kurti meets North Macedonian prime minister (media)
• PM Kurti asks Commissioner Hahn for more support (media)
• Russia claims Kosovo is included in recruiting people for Donbas region (Koha)
• Kurti, Konjufca met Albanian representatives from Presevo Valley (media)
• Ministry, Judicial Council and Supreme Court sign statement pledging reforms (media)
• COVID-19: 236 new cases, four deaths (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Djuric met Gabriel Escobar (Radio KIM)
• Gracanica: Provocations on February 17 (Radio KIM, KoSSev, Radio Mitrovica sever)
• State Dept welcomes Serbia’s call for diplomatic solution to Ukraine crisis (N1)
• IFIMES: Preventing Serbs to vote in Kosovo can lead to their withdrawal from Pristina institutions (Kosovo-online)
• Dacic on Kosovo and declaration of independence (Kosovo-online)
• Rasic: Relations between Serbs and Kosovo government are at lowest level ever (RTK)
• Hearing of defendants in usurped property case of Dusko Arsic takes place (Radio KIM)
• West called on Russia not to recognize DNR and LNR at UN (Tanjug, B92)

International:

• In diplomacy, Europe’s most powerful ambassador means business (Politico)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Kosovo Dedicates Independence Monument to Women’s Empowerment (BIRN)

• Kurti: The constitutional decision on Association should be respected (RTK)
• Opposition parties criticise Kurti's speech at Assembly (media)
• Kurti to travel to Germany, will take part in Munich Security Conference (media)
• Kosovo Celebrates Independence Anniversary Amid Soul-Searching (BIRN)
• Osmani and Kurti pour out words of hope on 14th Independence anniversary (euronews.al)
• Serbia establishes local election commissions in Kosovo cities (Koha)
• Kosovo Cautioned Over “Dangerous” Verbal Attacks on Media (BIRN)
• COVID-19: 411 new cases, five deaths (media)

Albanian Language Media:

• Kosovo's institutional leaders congratulate independence anniversary (media)
• Secretary Blinken: Kosovo rightly proud of progress made in 14 years (media)
• Ambassador Hovenier: Kosovo’s progress nothing less than remarkable (media)
• Gervalla-Schwarz: There can be no compromise to the detriment of independence (RTK)
• COVID-19: 411 new cases, five deaths (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Greek PM Mitsotakis: Greek stance on Kosovo unchanged (Tanjug, media)
• Vucic: I asked Greece to keep supporting Serbia's territorial integrity (Tanjug, media)
• Kosovo independence from Serbian perspective (Radio KIM)
• Petkovic: Holding elections in Kosovo April 3 is crucial (TV Most)
• Serbian central election commission takes procedural decisions for elections (N1)
• Gouillon responds to media allegations on him (Kosovo-online)
• Covid-19: 24 new cases, one death registered in Serbian areas (Kosovo-online)

Opinion:

• Janjic: ''Kosovo's status as an independent international public legal unit remains open'' (KoSSev, Kontakt plus radio)
• Spahiu: ''Albanians do not give up independence, but they also do not respect the laws, the life of Serbs not easy'' (KoSSev, Kontakt plus radio)

International:

• Muslim nations that refuse to recognize Kosovo are making a big mistake, says PM Albin Kurti (Arab News)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Former Infrastructure Minister Indicted Over Extra €53 million Highway Cost (Prishtina Insight)

• Escobar: Kosovo-Serbia agreement to center on mutual recognition (media)
• Abdixhiku: Kurti government has abandoned its duties (media)
• Kuci: Whenever there is dialogue, there will be compromises (Dukagjini TV)
• Citaku: Serbia doesn’t have Russia’s power to destabilize the Balkans (KTV)
• Ambassador Hovenier meets AAK leader Haradinaj (media)
• Ex-Infrastructure minister indicted over extra €53 million highway cost (BIRN)
• Komsic congratulates Kosovo's Independence Day, Dodik reacts (media)
• COVID-19: 508 new cases, 3 deaths (media)