• Kosovo arrests ten for corruption, including ex-mayor (BIRN)
• Svecla: Action in Brezovica did not target specific ethnic groups (media)
• Leaders sign new ‘Open Balkan’ agreements in Albania (BIRN)
• Rama: Open Balkan will continue even if others refuse to join (euronews.al)
• Varhelyi invites Kosovo to join Open Balkan; PM advisor reacts (Telegrafi)
• Von Cramon denounces Serbia deregistration of Albanians from civil registry (Exit News)
• COVID-19: Nine new cases, no deaths (media)
• Kurti receives booster shot, encourages citizens to get vaccinated (euronews.al)
• Kosovo film ‘Hive’ shortlisted for Oscars’ international feature (Express)

Albanian Language Media:

• Open Balkans invite Kosovo, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina to join (RTK)
• Open Balkans member countries sign five cooperation agreements (RTK)
• Varhelyi urges WB countries to return the Common Regional Market initiative (Express)
• Ten people arrested, among them former mayor of Shterpce (media)
• Qelaj: ERO's decision to pay for electricity in the north is discriminatory (media)
• 300 cells foe 210 million euros, complete agreement document (RTK)
• COVID-19: Nine new cases, no deaths (media)
• Albania, Kosovo sign agreement to use joint ABC textbook in schools (Express)

Serbian Language Media:

• Covid-19: 12 new cases registered in Serbian areas (Radio KIM)
• Vucic on possible participation of Pristina in “Open Balkans” initiative (Kosovo-online)
• Varhelyi: Any regional cooperation based on EU values is welcome and useful (NMagazin, Beta)
• Protest in Tirana against ‘Open Balkan’ Initiative (KoSSev)
• Serbian PM says protest in Tirana had support from Belgrade (FoNet, N1)
• Reactions on setting Serbian flags on fire in Tirana (media)
• Ten persons arrested in Strpce, including former mayor; Petkovic reacts (RTS)
• Serbian List: We condemn brutal demonstration of force in Strpce (Kosovo-online portal)
• Journalist on the Strpce case: Possible arrests of people from the Kosovo government and ministries (N1)
• Vucic on action in Strpce: “Kurti did it because of Open Balkans” (B92)
• US set to name Resident Legal Advisor for Western Balkans (N1)
• N1 documentary on Kosovo Serb “Asphalt Kings” (N1)

Opinion:

• Legal framework for Kosovo Serbs tailored to Pristina (part four): Regional and/or Albanian integration (KoSSev)
• Hill’s Return to Belgrade Spells Challenge for Serbia (Balkan Insight)

International:

• Rival Albania Opposition Leader Leads Protest Against ‘Diabolical’ Serbia (Balkan Insight)
• Leaders of “Open Balkans” seek Germany’s support (Albanian Daily News)
• Kosovo Arrests Ten for Corruption, Including Ex-Mayor (Balkan Insight)
• Former UN Spokesperson Writes Novel About Kosovo Guerrilla (BIRN)

• Kosovo Police conducting operation in Shterpce area (media)
• Kosovo, Denmark sign prison rent agreement (media)
• Ministry urges refrain from actions that "could undermine Kosovo recognition process" (Klan)
• U.S. removes from blacklist Croatian-based company (Koha)
• A convoy of KFOR vehicles to arrive in Kosovo (media)
• Rival Albania Opposition Leader Leads Protest Against ‘Diabolical’ Serbia (BIRN)
• Protesters burn Serbian flags in rally called by former DP leader Sali Berisha (euronews.al)
• COVID-19: Three new cases, no deaths (media)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, December 20, 2021

Albanian Language Media:

• Pacolli claims he has secured a new recognition for Kosovo (media)
• Women make only 15% of Kosovo Police, leaders call for greater participation (EO/Koha)
• Vela: Serbia and Republika Srpska are Russia's tools for destabilisation (Telegrafi)
• COVID-19: Three new cases, no deaths (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Covid-19: 17 new cases, one death registered in Serbian areas on Saturday (Radio KIM)
• Qerkini: “Kurti has no plan to resolve missing persons issue, called us for votes only” (KoSSev)
• Vucic: No power outages expected in Serbia (N1)
• Brnabic: Situation with electricity supply stable (N1)
• Cadez: Common labour market with “Open Balkan” states next year (Kosovo-online)
• “Referendum has nothing to do with Kosovo status” (Radio KIM)
• Pristina once again blocking CEFTA, citizens and economy suffer greatest damage (RTS)
• Euronews in Serbian on Association of Serbian Municipalities, Serbian List
• Case of Dusko Arsic – matrix for usurpation of Serb properties in Kosovo and Metohija (RTS, Radio kontakt plus)

• Rohde: Kurti administration should take concrete steps (euronews.al)
• Kosovo Parliament approves €2.75 billion budget for 2022 (Exit News)
• Palokaj: There could be visa liberalisation in first half of 2022 (Koha)
• Protests called against Serbian President visit to Albania (Exit News)
• Police mobilize for Vucic visit to Tirana and Berisha rally (euronews.al)
• Albanians and Serbs ‘influence the Balkans’, says Lajcak (media)
• How can Kosovo government approach the visa liberalisation issue? (EWB)
• How did Denmark find shelter for its inmates in Kosovo? (euronews.al)
• Afghan refugees slowly leave Balkan countries for West (BIRN)
• Last despatches: Why the Balkan wars were so deadly for journalists (BIRN)
• COVID-19: Four new cases, no deaths (media)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, December 17, 2021

Albanian Language Media:

• Osmani: Kosovo, the most successful project of U.S.-EU foreign policy (media)
• Kosovo's new ambassador to U.S. meets Escobar (media)
• Kosovo and Croatia sign MoU in the field of security and defence (media)
• State Department publishes country reports on terrorism (VOA)
• CDHRF: Agreement with Denmark legalises discrimination of Kosovo inmates (media)
• Association of Kosovo Municipalities says mayors will boycott meeting on COVID-19 situation (media)
• COVID-19: 11 new cases, no deaths (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• NATO Joint Forces chief Admiral Burke in Belgrade (N1)
• EP adopts resolution on forced labor at Chinese plant in Serbia (N1)
• Dacic: EP Resolution, example of double standards (RTS)
• Selakovic begins visit to France (Tanjug)
• Kandic: The region’s political oligarchies glorify those convicted of war crimes (N1, Beta, KoSSev, FoNet)
• State Department: Serbia invests efforts in fight against terrorism (RTS, VoA)
• Vladislav Jovanovic: I do not expect dialogue to be accelerated because it does not suit West (Kosovo-online)
• Lawyer: Arsic threatened before arrest, he wanted to reclaim usurped property (Kosovo-online)
• Tadic former Serbian president, calls for ad-hoc coalition against Constitutional changes (N1)

International:

• Western Balkan Countries Struggle to Keep Lights On (Balkan Insight)
• Political Unrest and Propaganda Spark Online Violations (Balkan Insight)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Kindergarten construction in Gorazdevac village has started (KoSSev)
• Zvecan power issue resolved (Kosovo-online)

• Kurti: With the Association, Kosovo falls for Serbia’s game (Koha)
• President Osmani to deliver annual address in parliament today (media)
• Kosovo seeks equality in CEFTA, Serbia toughens barriers (Klan Kosova)
• Denmark to rent 300 prison cells in Kosovo for deportees (Prishtina Insight)
• Croatian Defense Minister to visit Kosovo today (RTK)
• President Osmani thanks Macron and French people for vaccine donation (media)
• COVID-19: 8 new cases, no deaths (media)
• Kajtazi reports threats to police; AJK wants protection for Kajtazi (Telegrafi)
• Kosovo murder trial witness refuses to name Serb crime gangs (BIRN)
• EU to finance new wastewater plant in Kosovo (webalkans.eu)
• EP adopts Resolution on fight against organised crime in Western Balkans (EWB)
• Online Intimidation: Controlling the Narrative in the Balkans (Balkan Insight)
• Vucic to visit Tirana on December 20; Berisha announces protest (Indeksonline)

Albanian Language Media:

• Minister Gervalla to visit Presevo Valley today (media)
• EU: Kosovo should have allowed Petkovic's visit as Serbia did with Gervalla (Klan)
• EULEX Chief: We do not interfere directly in court proceedings, we only give recommendations (Klan)
• Mehaj receives tomorrow Croatian Minister of Defense (Klan)
• The CEC announces the results for mayor of Dragash (RTK)
• Minister Haxhiu provides details for landing 300 cells to Denmark (RTK)
• Kosovo Historians Slate Serbian Minister for Denying ‘Proven’ Massacre (Prishtina Insight)
• EP requests opening of archives of former Yugoslavia due to political crimes (RFE)
• “Energy price in Kosovo risks going up”, says expert warning on power shortages (euronews.al)
• Serbia blocks Kosovo goods at the border (RTK)
• COVID-19: 8 new cases, no deaths (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Petkovic: Kurti's arbitrariness not to allow voting is a violation of basic human rights (RTS)
• Office for Kosovo and Metohija refutes reports Gervala was prevented from visiting southern Serbia (KoSSev, media)
• Stano: Visit of Petkovic should have been allowed, EU calls on Kosovo to reconsider its decision (Kosovo-online)
• Konjufca: The decision on the land of Visoki Decani should not be implemented, the judges did not protect the Kosovo Constitution (KoSSev, Klan Kosova)
• Serbian power company CEO dismisses managers over power outages (N1)
• Serbian, Russian general staff officers discuss cooperation in Moscow (N1)
• Witness in case of Dusko Arsic interviewed (Radio KIM)
• USAID marks 20 years of partnership with Serbia, invested 882 million dollars (N1, RTS)

Opinion:

• Serbia: A Testament to People Power (carnegieeurope.eu)

International:

• Denmark to ship prisoners off to Kosovo (Deutsche Welle)
• China’s Economic Diplomacy: Where do Taiwan and Kosovo fit in? (moderndiplomacy.eu)

• Kurti on energy crisis: Government will cover electricity supply (Indeksonline)
• Looming price hikes worsen energy crisis in Kosovo (Prishtina Insight)
• Kosovo, Serbia face power outages amid winter chill, surging energy prices (Reuters)
• Konjufca: Borrell should not pressure Kosovo on Association (Klan Kosova)
• Kosovo, Serbia working groups on license plates meet for third time (Koha)
• Former Dutch ambassador: Special Court is a political cause (RTK)
• Kosovo court suspends judge based on BIRN report (BIRN)
• Vucic doing “a modern ethnic cleansing”, says Presevo mayor (euronews.al)
• COVID-19: 11 new cases, no deaths (media)
• ‘Open Balkan’ leaders to hold summit in Tirana on December 20 (Exit News)
• China in the Balkans: Controversy and Cost (BIRN)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, December 15, 2021

Albanian Language Media:

• Osmani and Pendarovski with opposite stances on Open Balkans (RTK)
• Prime Minister Kurti received the President of North Macedonia, Stevo Pendarovski (media)
• Kurti: Footnote does not reflect the reality of independent and European Kosovo (media)
• Peach comes to the region for the first time: Britain wants a secure Western Balkans (Klan)
• Donika Gervalla prohibited from entering Serbia (Express)
• COVID-19: 11 new cases, no deaths (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Problems, fears, and stances of Serbs in Kosovo, including on Kurti’s government (Radio KIM)
• UNS and UNS in Kosovo protest over mistreatment of Radio Gorazdevac crew at Rugova Valley (Radio KIM, media)
• Serbian Ministry of Culture condemned the intimidation of Radio Gorazdevac journalists (Kontakt plus radio)
• Petkovic banned from entering Kosovo again (Radio KIM)
• Christopher Hill: Attitude toward BiH crucial for US – Serbia further relations (Beta, N1)
• Botsan-Kharchenko: Trade with Serbia could reach 4 bln dollars (Tanjug)
• Vucic: Pristina has announced that it will not allow a referendum in Kosovo (KiM radio, FoNet, N1)
• Jevtic: Osmani talks about discrimination, without mentioning Serbs is example of discrimination (Kosovo-online)
• “Pendarovski on importance of regional cooperation, Osmani on dangers from Serbia and Russia” (Kosovo-online)

Opinion:

• My grandmother, Yugo-Nostalgia and an unfinished tale (Kosovo 2.0)

International:

• Bulgaria Again Blocks North Macedonia, Albania, EU Accession Talks (Balkan Insight)

Humanitarian/Development:

• WHO: ‘Omicron spreading at rate not seen with previous variants’ (Euronews)
• Western Balkan countries play a valuable role in partnering with EEA to tackle environmental and climate challenges (eea.europa.eu)