• COVID-19: 32 deaths, 1,612 new cases (media)
• Kosovo expected to enter new negotiations with Pfizer (RFE)
• Government supports proposal to shorten election campaign period (Koha)
• President Osmani met with President of Switzerland, Guy Parmelin (media)
• Moratorium ends soon: Kosovo seeks recognition, Serbia derecognition (Koha)
• Hoxhaj: No alternative to dialogue concluding in mutual recognition (media)
• Rama: Kosovo has entered a dangerous cycle (RTK/Zeri)
• Montenegro explains the use of footnote on Kosovo (RFE)
• Hague Court Rejects Thaci’s Challenge to Kosovo War Crime Charges (BIRN)

Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: 32 deaths, 1,612 new cases (media)
• Osmani calls on diaspora to get vaccinated, blames Switzerland too (Koha/Blick)
• LDK leader suggests shortening local election campaign to 10 days (media)
• AAK and PDK agree with Abdixhiku to shorten election campaign (media)
• Deliu-Kodra: MPs should interrupt their holidays, situation is serious (RTK)
• Haradinaj reacts to more than four thousand fines (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• In Serbian communities 40 new cases of Covid-19, one person died (KiM radio)
• Bled Forum: Europe has no future without the inclusion of the Western Balkans (RTS)
• Vucic: Two or three countries not looking forward to Open Balkans (Tanjug)
• Rakic and Szunyog on the development fund for northern Kosovo, the current security and political situation (Radio Mitrovica sever)
• Trajković's house in Lipljan robbed (KiM radio, gracanicaonline.info)
• US to do everything for Serbia to join NATO; a strong and stable Kosovo in the interest of the US (Kosovo Online)
• Chancellor Merkel to visit Serbia before leaving office (serbianmonitor.com)

Opinion:

• Belgrade’s ‘Serbian World’ Fantasies Jeopardise Balkan Cooperation (Balkan Insight)

International:

• 22 Years On, Kosovo Plans Post-War Truth and Justice Strategy (Balkan Insight)
• Unemployment and inequalities: the pandemic penalises the youngest (balcanicaucaso.org)
• Kosovo-Serbia Dialogue: Preparations for the next meeting (Deutsche Welle)

• COVID-19: 22 deaths, 1,894 new cases (media)
• Kosovo’s COVID surge: What happened? (BIRN)
• Kosovo PM Kurti remarks at Bled Strategic Forum (media)
• Kurti, Michel discuss foreign policy issues and Kosovo role in security (media)
• Kurti meets Varhelyi, asks for visa liberalisation for Kosovo (media)
• Lajcak holds separate meetings with Kurti and Vucic (media)
• Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani participates at Swiss Economic Forum (media)
• Aliu: Construction of the Peace Highway to begin in spring next year (media)

Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: 22 deaths, 1,894 new cases (media)
• “Another lockdown would prove fatal to businesses” (KTV)
• Ymeri calls for mass vaccination before local elections (EO)
• Kurti meets Croatian counterpart, discuss economy and security (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic: Enthusiasm for joining the EU has decreased in the countries of the Western Balkans (media)
• Lajcak today with Vucic and Kurti in separate meetings, without comments on messages from Pristina (Tanjug, Kosovo Online)
• Pristina will stop the implementation of the Washington Agreement from September 4, says Vucic (Tanjug, Kosovo Online)
• Vucic says Merkel to visit Serbia (N1)
• SPO prosecutor: Witnesses in the case ''Thaci at. all'' continue to be intimidated (N1)
• Turkey to open consulate in western Serbia, FM Cavusoglu says (N1, Beta, Politika)
• In Gracanica municipality 9 new cases of Covid-19 (RTK2)

International:

• KFOR holds an operational exercise from end of August to 5 September (EWB)
• Afghan crisis shows EU needs more autonomy, says Charles Michel (DW)

• COVID-19: 1,383 new cases, 26 deaths (media)
• Kosovo receives additional vaccine doses, more expected by week’s end (media)
• Krasniqi to Kurti: COVID-19 situation alarming, requires urgent action (media)
• Borrell: Legally-binding agreement would resolve Kosovo's legal representation (media)
• Assembly Speaker Konjufca meets UN Assistant Secretary Jenca (media)
• Palmer's replacement does not change U.S. approach towards Kosovo (Koha)
• Minister Murati accuses predecessor of inflating cost for road construction (media)
• Playing War: Pitfalls and Potential of Video Games in the Balkans (BIRN)

Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: 1,383 new cases, 26 deaths (media)
• First meeting of Committee for coordination and assessment of situation with COVID-19, held (media)
• Kurti discusses COVID-19 measures with municipal mayors (media)
• President Osmani to participate in the Swiss Economic Forum (media)
• Kurti to participate at Bled Strategic Forum (media)
• The third group of 139 Afghan refugees is expected to arrive today (media)
• Haradinaj: Kosovo government is joking with diplomatic missions (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Covid-19 in Serbian communities: 26 new cases, two deaths (Radio Mitrovica sever)
• Rakic and Simic with Jenča: A large number of unresolved incidents against Serbs (Kosovo Online)
• UNICEF and WHO call for schools to remain open, with respect for measures (KiM radio, N1, FoNet)
• Trial for the murder of Oliver Ivanovic continues (KoSSev)
• The International Day of the Missing in Kosovo marked separately in Gracanica and Pristina (RTS, Radio Mitrovica sever, KiM radio)
• Blakaj: 22 years after the war, the two sides continue to count only the victims of one side (KoSSev)
• Petkovic: Evidence shows that there is a KLA archive (RTV Puls, Tanjug)

Opinion:

• Afghan Disaster Holds Lessons for Western Policy in Balkans (Balkan Insight)

International:

• EU Council Recommends Reinstating Travel Restrictions for Visitors from US, Israel, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia & Lebanon (schengenvisainfo.com)

• COVID-19: 932 new cases, 20 deaths (media)
• EU drops Kosovo from list of COVID-safe countries (Radio Free Europe)
• Kurti: EU to create new momentum for reforms; make enlargement fairer (media)
• Osmani: United Nations membership, a continuous goal of ours (media)
• Lajcak: Kosovo’s full international integration, a priority in dialogue (Koha)
• Haradinaj offers recommendations for managing COVID-19 situation (media)
• PDK calls on government to change approach to vaccination process (media)
• Kosovo PM urges Serbia to reveal truth about wartime missing (BIRN)
• “Kurti, Osmani won’t enter into talks before Serbia returns our loved ones” (ATV)
• Hoti: Kosovo to be ready; dialogue must end with mutual recognition (media)

Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: 932 new cases, 20 deaths (media)
• Kurti appeals to citizens to get vaccinated against COVID-19 (media)
• Kosovo leaders: Fate of the forcibly disappeared, top priority in relations with Serbia (media)
• ICRC: 23 years on, 1,630 people still missing in Kosovo (media)
• UNMIK calls on Pristina and Belgrade to redouble efforts for clarifying the fate of missing persons (Koha)
• EULEX and Kosovo Police develop database to facilitate investigation of war crimes and enforced disappearances (RFE/RTK)
• Kosovo receives U.S. donation of military vehicles (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Tanin reminds of the importance of clarifying the fate of missing persons (RTK2, Radio Mitrovica North, Kosovo Online)
• Gabriel Escobar the new State Department's envoy for the Western Balkans (Tanjug, Kosovo Online)
• Vucic at the Bled Forum; Rama, Zaev and Kurti at the panel on EU enlargement (Tanjug, Kosovo Online)
• ''Serbian list withdrawing from the elections is unrealistic scenario'' (Danas)
• The trial for the murder of Oliver Ivanovic continued today (Kosovo Online)
• Petkovic: And today, we ask when it will be possible to search nine locations in Kosovo (Kosovo Online)
• Rakic: Society’s moral obligation to uncover the truth about missing (Kosovo Online)
• In Gracanica six Covid-19 cases during the weekend (RTK2)

International:

• Afghans Evacuated From Kabul In U.S. Airlift Arrive In Kosovo (RFE)

• COVID-19: A record 36 deaths in last 24 hours (media)
• “Over 90 percent of victims in last 24 hours were not vaccinated” (RFE)
• Kurti: Impossible to have a long lockdown in the country (Koha/RFE)
• PDK leader: Another tragic day for Kosovo (media)
• LDK gives recommendations to government in fight against COVID-19 (media)
• First group of Afghan refugees arrive in Kosovo (media)
• Rama doubles down on Open Balkan, promises new approach with Kosovo (Exit News)
• Businesses eye boost, but also barriers, in ‘Open Balkan’ initiative (BIRN)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, August 27, 2021

Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: 2,098 new cases, 16 deaths (media)
• Government says 650,000 vaccines to arrive in early September (media)
• “Return to schools is not an alternative until COVID-19 numbers drop” (EO)
• Kosovo – Serbia dialogue to resume on September 7-8 (Radio Free Europe)
• KSF to receive donation of armoured vehicles from US on Monday (Klan Kosova)
• Ministry of Justice says vetting concept document is being finalised (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Petkovic: Annulment of verdict precondition for participation of Serbian List (Radio Mitrovica sever)
• Lajcak spoke with heads of Belgrade and Pristina negotiation teams (Radio KIM)
• Selakovic thanks Vietnam for support to Serbia’s territorial integrity (Kosovo-online)
• Serbs in Berkovo village, near Klina without water supply since July 13 (Radio KIM)
• KSF to receive armored vehicles, US donation (Kosovo-online)

International:

• Afghan Refugees Fleeing Taliban Arrive in Albania (Balkan Insight)