UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, October 14, 2021

Albanian Language Media:

• Kurti: We are combating multiethnic criminal groups (media)
• UK Embassy supports Kosovo Government in upholding rule of law (media)
• Stano: North of Kosovo is specific, unilateral actions damaging (G. Express)
• Police provide new details about anti-smuggling operation (media)
• Police union condemns attacks on police officers in the north (media)
• Mehaj, Escobar discuss security issues (Radio Free Europe)
• “Borrell cannot act like a police commander in Kosovo” (Paparaci)
• Former Montenegrin Foreign Minister reacts to Borrell’s remarks (Koha)
• Protesters throw smoke bomb in Albanian embassy yard in Belgrade (Paparaci)
• Bosnian journalist reveals Vucic’s plans for destabilisation (Gazeta Express)
• COVID-19: No deaths, 31 new cases (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Covid-19: 18 new cases registered in Serbian areas (KoSSev)
• A new UNMIK report on the situation in Kosovo; Guterres calls for the implementation of existing agreements (RTS)
• Stano: North of Kosovo specific, unilateral actions detrimental (Tanjug, Kosovo-online)
• Selakovic at UN tomorrow to talk also about unilateral Pristina’s acts (Tanjug, Kosovo-online)
• Barricades in northern Kosovo removed, wounded Serb out of life danger (N1)
• Simic: It is peaceful this morning, but Serbs are afraid and angry (Kosovo-online)
• Citizens from northern Kosovo, Serbian List met President Vucic in Raska (KoSSev)
• NIN journalist: Action in Kosovo for Kurti to increase his chances ahead of elections (N1)
• Janjic, Sovrlic on latest crisis in Kosovo (N1)
• Initiative OPEN calls the EU's more active involvement in resolving the increasingly frequent crisis situations in Kosovo (Radio Mitrovica sever, Kontakt plus radio, KoSSev)
• House of Rumena Ljubic, the only Serb woman in center of Pec, stoned (Radio KIM)
• Bancroft: Kosovo police action will create additional tensions between Kosovo institutions and Serbs (Kosovo Online)
• "After the recent vehicle plates war, now on table is a war against the smuggling goods'' (Nova S, Newsmax Adria, KoSSev)
• Djuric to von Cramon: You should be ashamed (Kosovo-online)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Christian NGO’s child sponsorship program angers Kosovo parents (BIRN)

• Roadblocks in Mitrovica North and Rudare removed (RFE/Koha)
• Interior Minister: Police operation not directed against any nationality (media)
• Kosovo President statement on Wednesday's police operations (media)
• US Embassy: Attacks on police, media and civilians, unacceptable (media)
• German Ambassador reacts to pressure and attacks against journalists (media)
• Rakic’s remarks about “crystal night” spark reactions (media)
• NATO comments on situation in the north (Telegrafi)
• Dalipi to Borrell: No one should portray police action as a political or ethnic problem (media)
• EP Rapporteur for Kosovo reacts to Borrell’s statements (media)
• Several journalists attacked during riots in Mitrovica (europeanjournalists.org)
• EFJ secretary reacts to reports of journalists attacked in north (Kallxo/media)
• Video published of moment when explosive device thrown near reporter (media)
• The Radio Free Europe team unable to work in the north (RFE)
• Violence in North Kosovo draws conflicting reactions (BIRN)
• Osmani to represent Kosovo at UN Security Council session (Koha)
• Kandic says it is not safe to sit with Petkovic at the negotiating table (RTK)
• Vucic: If they start violence, you protect the people; we’ll be with you (media)
• Dacic: War or peace, the international community to decide (Indeksonline)
• Djuric: Kurti’s attempts to demonstrate power before elections (media)
• Grenell: Biden must not be silent; this is dangerous and ruthless (media)
• UNS: To enable uninterrupted work of journalists in the north Kosovo (N1)
• Reactions of parties in Serbia to the Kosovo police operation (N1)

Albanian Language Media:

• Serbs in the north oppose police anti-smuggling operation (media)
• Kurti: Crime and criminal groups will not be tolerated and will be fought (media)
• Borrell: Violent incidents in the north to stop immediately (media)
• Police provide information about today's operation (media)
• Ministers: Police operation aimed at fighting criminal groups (Kallxo)
• Haradinaj: No one can attack the police, operation’s timing dilemmas to be clarified (media)
• CDHRF: Authorities to take action against all those violating the law (media)
• AGK: Albanian and Serb journalists attacked in Mitrovica North (media)
• Kosovo Government adopts concept document for vetting in judiciary (media)
• COVID-19: One death, 29 new cases (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Petkovic: Mitrovica and Zvecan showered with bursts, a showdown with the bare-handed people (N1)
• PM Brnabic: I call on the international community, KFOR and NATO to react urgently (RTS)
• Petkovic: Another provocation of Kurti, I informed Lajcak (RTS)
• Dr Elek: Patient with gunshot wound operated and stable, injured right shoulder blade and broken rib (Kosovo Online)
• Rakic before meeting with Vucic (Vecernje Novosti, TV Pink, Kosovo Online)
• Journalists of KoSSev face pressure not to report during the N. Mitrovica conflict (KoSSev)
• The Diocese of Raska and Prizren calls for calming the situation (KiM radio)
• Tear gas, shock bombs and sirens in the northern part of Mitrovica, police action and citizens' protest (media)
• Daily Blic: Christopher Hill new US ambassador to Serbia (Kosovo Online)
• Petkovic calls internally displaced from Kosovo to go to the polls on October 17th (KiM radio)
• Serbia calls on internally displaced persons to vote (KiM radio)

International:

• Kosovo police clash with ethnic Serbs during smuggling raids (AP)
• One Serb shot, 6 policemen injured in Kosovo clashes (Reuters)
• Kosovo Police Clash With Serbs in Anti-Smuggling Crackdown (Balkan Insight)

• Prishtina’s future mayor (Kosovo 2.0)
• Kosovo court remands five terrorism suspects in custody (BIRN)
• Indictment filed in case of theft of over €2 million from state treasury (RFE)
• Albanian villages in north now under administration of police in Mitrovica South (media)
• Cable operator from Serbia expanding without permit south of Ibar (RFE)
• Western Balkans Diaspora write to Biden to deter Serbia’s growing influence (Euronews.al)
• Serwer: Serbia’s current elite steals, people to think about it in elections (N1)
• EU Climate Diplomacy Week opens in Kosovo (BIRN)
• COVID-19: No deaths, 35 new cases (media)
• Serbian officials knew COVID-19 deaths three times higher than reported (BIRN)

Albanian Language Media:

• Lumezi demands maximum commitment in defending local election process (Kallxo)
• Svecla: We had excellent coordination for the operation in the north (media)
• Police Director: There were plans to destroy border crossings (Express)
• President Osmani decorates KFOR Commander (media)
• Pacolli claims three countries have provided guarantees for the accused in The Hague (media)
• COVID-19: No deaths, 35 new cases (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Covid-19: 20 new cases registered in Serbian areas (KoSSev)
• Summit of Non-Aligned Movement continues in Belgrade (B92)
• Analyst: Arms trade, Kosovo issue on Belgrade Non-Aligned Summit’s agenda (N1)
• Dacic, Cavusoglu: Serbia-Turkey relations at exceptional level (N1)
• Vucic: Pristina thinks it solves problems with fierce statements (KoSSev)
• Osmani attacks the Non-Aligned Summit due to loss of support at the international level, says Petkovic (NMagazin, Beta)
• FM Selakovic: UN SC Resolution 1244 guarantee of peace, stability (Tanjug)
• Rakic: Victory of Serbian List a matter of survival, let's show unanimity and decisiveness (Vecernje Novosti, Kosovo Online)

International:

• GRETA publishes its second report on Kosovo*

• Osmani: Serbia continues undermining the state of Kosovo (media)
• KSC judge asks Kosovo Police to declare whether it can enforce interim release conditions (media)
• Miftaraj: Pre-trial judge's request is unreasonable (Koha)
• Pressure for Association increases (Koha)
• Kosovo Court Annuls Decision on Energy Bills in Serb-Dominated North (BIRN)
• Abdixhiku: International community to be convinced to be on Kosovo’s side (Kanal 10)
• Kosovo mayoral candidates unveil plans to fight extremism (BIRN)
• Voters not to be requested vaccination certificates on election day (Telegrafi)
• COVID-19: Two deaths, 14 new cases (media)

Albanian Language Media:

• PM Kurti meets SRSG Tanin on eve of UN Security Council meeting (media)
• COVID-19: 2 deaths, 14 new cases (media)
• Health Institute warns of increased cases if people don’t get vaccinated (media)
• PDK calls on government to reconsider decision on gas pipeline (Klan Kosova)
• Court annuls decision on electricity payment in four north municipalities (Koha)

Serbian Language Media:

• Covid-19: 35 new cases, one death registered in Serbian areas on Saturday (Radio kontakt plus)
• Belgrade marking 60 years of the Non-Aligned Movement (B92, media)
• UN SG Guterres says Non-Aligned Movement has crucial role in the world (RTS, N1)
• Putin: Positive potential of the Non-Aligned Movement of special significance (Tanjug, Kosovo Online)
• Selakovic: Continuous consideration of the issue of KiM in the UN Security Council is of essential importance for Serbia (Danas)
• Lavrov in Belgrade: It is time to form the CSM, a solution that suits Serbia and resolution 1244 (KoSSev)
• Zakharova: Rama's statement on the unification of Kosovo and Albania unacceptable for Russia (B92, Kosovo Online, Tanjug)
• Simic: All ten Serbian-majority municipalities must remain in hands of Serbian people (Tanjug)
• More than 13,000 license plates stickers issued in Kosovo (N1, RTS)

Opinion:

• Kurti's wife's book (Demostat, Danas)

International:

• Kosovo Arrests Five Suspects for Plotting Terrorist Attacks (Balkan Insight)
• As Non-Aligned Summit Kicks Off In Serbia, Bosnian Serb Leader Slams International Overseer (RFE)

• Kosovo could end up being only one in the region without access to gas (RFE)
• Kosovo Police arrest five persons suspected of preparing terror attacks (media)
• Civil society wants consensus on Serb-majority commune association (euronews.al)
• Rama: Serbia recognition of Kosovo, last chapter of a painful story (euronews.al)
• Lavrov: We accept any solution with Kosovo that suits Serbia (Koha)
• COVID-19: 4 deaths, 12 new cases (media)
• Kosovo President message on Mental Health Day (media)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, October 8, 2021

Albanian Language Media:

• Kosovo takes anti-dumping measures towards certain Serb products (media)
• Police in the north have begun distribution of license plates stickers (RFE)
• Same day elections in Kosovo and North Macedonia raise dilemma for voters with dual citizenship (Koha)
• Campaign gatherings not allowed to take place inside schools' premises (media)
• COVID-19: One death, 25 new cases (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Lavrov in Belgrade for Non-Aligned conference (N1)
• Mitrovica North residents with different views on sticker regime (KoSSev)
• UNS at the EFJ's Assembly to seek the International Commission for investigation of the murders of journalist in Kosovo (media)
• Selakovic: Important that UNMIK continues working in undiminished scope and unchanged mandate (media)
• KEDS denied higher electricity bills following media reports on the price increase; State of emergency in Albania (Kosovo Online)
• UN Security Council on October 15 on Kosovo (Kosovo Online, RTV Puls)
• 'Mirëdita - Dobar dan' festival in Pristina (RTK2, KiM radio, Kontakt plus radio)

Opinion:

• Battle Over Headlines (Kosovo 2.0)

International:

• Is the EU losing the Western Balkans? (Emerging Europe)

• EU’s Balkan Billions Must Be Tied to Values, Kosovo Leader Says (Bloomberg)
• Merkel speaks of ‘modest progress’ in resolution of Kosovo-Serbia problems (Telegrafi)
• Lajcak meets EU ambassadors to UN during his visit to U.S. (media)
• EU ambassador to Serbia: Pristina-Belgrade dialogue can produce results (Klan)
• France blocking visa liberalisation, further EU enlargement, analyst says (Telegrafi)
• "Lack of EU enlargement strategy can lead to conflict in Balkans" (RTK)
• Kosovo war veterans plead innocent to witness intimidation (AP)
• War Veterans’ Leaders go on trial at Hague Court, after leaking Court documents (BIRN)
• Ministry of Health recommends extension of current anti-COVID measures (media)
• COVID-19: No deaths, 30 new cases (media)