Sorry, you need to enable JavaScript to visit this website.
Skip to main content

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, March 10, 2020

Albanian Language Media:

• Thaci: Disappointing that envoys made no mention of visa liberalisation (media)
• Senator warns of U.S. reconsidering its presence in Kosovo (media)
• Kurti does not deny U.S. sanctions, says he hasn’t verified the news (Express)
• Osmani: Only the government has legitimacy to lead dialogue with Serbia (media)
• Kosovo government approves draft budget for 2020 (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• "Albanians oppose compromise, Serbs promote frozen conflict. There's no solution" (Tanjug, B92)
• Covic on blockade of US funds to Pristina – a storm in a teacup (RTS)
• Bajrami: The greater challenge for Kurti’s government is its lack of unity, not Thaci’s plans (KoSSev)
• Stanojkovic: Kurti will yield, but slowly, and this will cost Kosovo a lot (KoSSev)
• Abbot Janjic and COMKFOR Risi on situation and protection of SOC shrines (KoSSev)
• Urgent measures of the Government of Serbia adopted due to the coronavirus (B92, Tanjug)
• Jevtic: Continuation of dialogue, dropping tariffs have no alternative (Radio KIM)
• Brnabic: Clear policy of US, I wish if EU would be clearer (RTS)

Opinion:

• Crisis in the Eastern Mediterranean: hybrid warfare, the Balkans and the Near East (opendemocracy.net)
• A call to tear down the walls of bureaucracy (Prishtina Insight)

International:

• Policy Rift Widens Between Kosovo President and PM (Balkan Insight)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Six new suspected coronavirus cases in Kosovo (Telegrafi)
• Kosovo steps up measures to prevent coronavirus spread (Prishtina Insight)
• Four cases of coronavirus in Serbia, opposition demands state of emergency (N1)
• Vucic: Temporary ban can be imposed on those entering the country from affected areas (Tanjug, B92)
• Kosovo War Rape Survivor Condemns Stigmatisation of Victims (Balkan Insight)
• Balkan Countries Fear EU Green Deal Could Leave Them Further Behind (Balkan Insight)

UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, March 10

• Thaci holds news conference after meeting political leaders (media)
• DPM Abazi: Prime Minister Kurti reports only to the Assembly (media)
• Kosovo leaders to meet Franco-German delegation (media)
• Thaci: Lajcak, the most untrustworthy person to lead dialogue (Zeri)
• Opposition parties launch motion against Minister Reka (media)
• Kosovo Gov’t asked for €10 mil for coronavirus preventive measures (Koha)
• Thaci calls for preventive measures against coronavirus infections (Kallxo)
• 7 people infected with coronavirus in North Macedonia, six in Albania (media)
• Rukiqi calls for emergency measures against coronavirus (Telegrafi)
• WHO Director-General: Threat of pandemic has become very real (media)
• “Kosovo society to be ashamed of treatment of sexual violence survivors” (media)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, March 9, 2020

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, March 09, 2020

Albanian Language Media:

• Kurti: Without punishment of war crimes, there can be no justice (Koha/Zeri)
• Kurti doesn't attend meeting with Thaci (Koha)
• Thaci thanks LDK for constructivity (media)
• Haradinaj: Thaci showed no document from his meeting with Vucic (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic on Kurti’s text that agreements reached through coercion and threats have no value, compares it with Kosovo case (Tanjug, B92)
• Jeremic on Kosovo membership in UN, elections in Serbia (Voice of America, N1)
• Mihajlovic: Jeremic spreads misinformation (Danas)
• Vucic: "US won't give up pressure, some EU countries have sympathies for Kurti" (RTS, Tanjug, Kosovo Online)
• Double-headed eagle painted on wall of Serb school in Preoce village (RTS)

Opinion:

• Kurti: Agreements reached through coercion and threats have no value (FAZ/Koha)

International:

• Facebook Extends Political Ads Rules to Balkans Before Elections (Balkan Insight)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Kosovo considering stepping up preventive measures against coronavirus (media)
• International Women’s Day Marked Across Balkans (Balkan Insight)
• More Balkan Countries Confirm First Coronavirus Cases (Balkan Insight)
• Balkan States Beef up Borders against Migrant ‘Security Threat’ (Balkan Insight)
• Post-War Kosovo Becomes Hub for Mine-Clearance Expertise (Balkan Insight)

UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, March 9

• Thaci calls meetings with political leaders (media)
• Thaci: Some people want to prevent agreement with Serbia (RTK)
• Grenell reiterates call for dropping of tariff (media)
• Kurti and Haradinaj call for dialogue coordination (Koha Ditore)
• Hoti: No need for dialogue conference, Kosovo has legitimate institutions (media)
• Gender equality demanded on International Women’s Day (Koha Ditore)
• Assembly to hold special session to mark International Women's Day (media)
• Haxhiu pledges €900,000 for domestic violence shelters (Kosovapress/Koha)
• Kosovo cancels flights to Italy’s northern region due to coronavirus fears (media)

UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, March 7

• Kurti-led government with two red lines on dialogue with Serbia (Koha)
• Mustafa: Grenell warned of sanctions towards Kosovo (RTV21/RTK)
• Haradinaj: Government’s approach to tax producing first consequences (media)
• Kosovo calls for release of its citizen detained by Serbia (media)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, March 06, 2020

Albanian Language Media:

• Vraniqi: Grenell being misused for internal political purposes in Kosovo (media)
• Thaci authorises Ministry of Finance to sign new agreements with EU (Telegrafi)
• Kosovo Special Prosecution launched investigation into Prekaz events in 1998 (Kallxo)

Serbian Language Media:

• Atlantic Council associate and Beacon vice president: "The campaign in the US should not diminish the interest in the situation in the Balkans" (RTS)
• AmCham Kosovo concerned over tariffs (KoSSev, N1, RTS)
• US asks Serbia to stop buying arms from Russia, RFE reports (N1, B92, Beta)
• Dacic, Godfrey on armament Serbia bought from Russia, dialogue with Pristina (N1)
• Vulin said Serbia can buy weapons wherever it wants (N1)
• "Access point to the sea, this is a compromise offered to Serbia" (B92, Kosovo-online)
• Grenell denies Kosovo politician’s claim Washington won’t stop aiding Pristina (KoSSev, N1, RTS)
• Tadic: Vucic has better circumstances for resolving Kosovo issue, than those Djindjic, Kostunica and I had (Danas, Voice of America)

Humanitarian/Development

• Serbian Minister confirms first coronavirus case in Serbia (Serbian media)
• 53 people got tested for coronavirus over a one-month period in Kosovo (media)
• Serbian government meeting on migrants began; Vucic issued orders to the army, police and BIA (B92, TV Prva, Blic, Vecernje Novosti)
• Prof. Corac: 160 million tons of waste from Kosovo will end up in artificial lake on Ibar River near Raska (KoSSev)

UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, March 6

• Kurti calls for unity, says alliance with U.S. cannot be broken (Koha/Telegrafi)
• Grenell: Partial tariffs harm Kosovo's economy (media)
• Borrell: I am committed to support advancing the EU-facilitated dialogue (Klan)
• "Thaci resumes efforts to paralyse Specialist Chambers" (Koha Ditore)
• U.S. rep to OSCE speaks about dialogue and fight against corruption (Kallxo)
• Germany, France expected to send envoys to Pristina next week (Express/Zeri)
• Kosnett briefed on the situation of non-majority communities in Kosovo (Epoka)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, March 5, 2020

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, March 05, 2020

Albanian Language Media:

• Periskopi: Thaci and Vucic were presented with draft agreement at White House meeting
• Thaci: Lajcak voted against Kosovo's membership to Interpol (Kallxo)
• Veseli: Kosovo deserves better (media)
• “Thaci's second attempt at preventing work of Specialist Chambers” (Koha)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic: Washington absolutely that tariffs are revoked, no recognition and Serbia to get nothing (Kosovo-online)
• Borrel for the continuation of the EU-sponsored Belgrade-Pristina dialogue (NMagazin, euractiv.jutarnji.hr)
• Serbia ranked ‘partly free’ in Freedom in the World report (N1)
• Jankovic: Americans ‘dragged’ Vucic to Washington, visit below his level (Danas, FoNet)

Opinion:

• Trump is looking for a foreign policy coup in the Balkans (aljazeera.com)
• Don’t Trust Serbian or Kosovo ‘Kings’ to Achieve Peace (Balkan Insight)

International:

• Vucic: Most Serbs Prefer a ‘Frozen Conflict’ with Kosovo (Foreign Policy)
• Populist Shrug Off Protests In Central And Southeast Europe (Balkan Insight)

Humanitarian/Development

• Bosnia confirms its first case of coronavirus - regional TV (Reuters)
• "If the Greek border falls ..." (B92, Tanjug)
• Kosovo Citizens ‘Haven’t Heard of’ President’s Reconciliation Initiative (Balkan Insight)

UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, March 5

• Thaci: U.S. is taking the lead of Kosovo-Serbia dialogue (media)
• PM's office: U.S. will not withdraw troops from Kosovo (RTK)
• Haziri speaks after LDK senior leadership meeting (RTK/Telegrafi)
• Nagavci: President to respond to Kurti's meeting request (media)
• Veseli responds to Kurti's request for meeting, sets the place (Zeri/Insajderi)
• BIRN publishes air, rail, and road links agreements (Prishtina Insight)
• Thaci: I was not interviewed by Specialist Chambers (Zeri/Telegrafi)
• Kurti recaps on the government's one-month performance (media)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, March 04, 2020

Albanian Language Media:

• In absence of Assembly session, Thaci to hold press conference (media)
• Osmani: Request for Assembly session should be made days in advance (media)
• Thaci says meeting with Vucic was ‘encouraging’ (media)
• Hoti: Kosovo government’s agenda only successful with U.S. and EU coordination (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic: ''News on Belgrade-Pristina deal being reached is false'' (B92)
• Grenell resigns as ambassador to Germany: White House announced his resignation (Serbian media)
• An unannounced guest at a meeting with Vucic, Grenell retweeted (Tanjug, B92, Blic)
• Judah: We could be approaching a crunch point in KOS-SRB dialogue, land swap talks without recognition (KoSSev)

Opinion:

• Wolves In The Woods: Liberal Democracy And Its Enemies (Balkan Insight)

International:

• Serbian President Sets Election Date as Boycott Threat Fades (news.yahoo.com, bloomberg.com)
• Field Missing: Discrepancies and Gaps Plague Kosovo’s Public Data (Balkan Insight)
• Serbia Keeps Pressure on Kosovo Despite Western Push for Thaw (Bloomberg)
• Territory, Energy, Politics: Serbia’s Long-Running Border Disputes (Balkan Insight)