• Thaci, Vucic meet behind closed doors in Washington (media)
• Thaci: Meeting with Vucic focused on need for achieving final settlement (RFE/Klan)
• Kurti: Thaci has no authority to sign agreement with Serbia (Telegrafi)
• Kosovo PM Kurti writes to President Trump, Secretary Pompeo (media)
• Kurti: We seek a mature and not a hastened dialogue (RTK)
• Abazi: A document drafted by Thaci cripples Kosovo’s statehood (Bota Sot)
• Kosovo Assembly fails to take decision on tax (media)
• Haxhiu: Our agreement with LDK is to replace tariff with reciprocity (Express)
• Haziri: Eastern Kosovo Albanians should unite with their homeland (RTK)
• Vucic: New withdrawals of recognition of Kosovo expected (RTK)
• Dacic: Sierra Leone has derecognised Kosovo (Klan Kosova)

Albanian Language Media:

Kosovo PM Kurti writes to President Trump, Secretary Pompeo (media)
Selimi: Opposition not clear on what is asking regarding tax (media)
Gashi: Citizens have voted for removal of tax (media)
Hamza: Kosovo needs to preserve relations with U.S. and EU (Telegrafi)
Haradinaj: We kept the tax despite pressure, new government to do likewise (Koha)
Kurti invites Veseli, Haradinaj to a meeting (Kallxo)
CEC holds ballot draw for extraordinary mayoral elections in Podujeve (media)

Serbian Language Media:

Odalovic: Most important is for Kosovo to abolish tariffs and create conditions to continue the dialogue (N1, Kosovo Online)
Vucic: Parliamentary elections on March 4 (Beta, RTS, N1)
Serbia's Vucic: Grenell's right, Kurti's offer attempted hoax (FoNet, N1)
Law on the Use of Languages in Kosovo is a dead letter on paper (KoSSev)

Opinion:

The Balkans in the New Decade: Regional Opportunities Ahead (theglobalist.com)

International:

Serbia to open diplomatic mission in Jerusalem (israelnationalnews.com)
Serbian pres tells ‘Post’ he will buy weapons from Israel (jpost.com)

Humanitarian/Development:

Situation on Greek border to deteriorate, confidential Frontex report warns (ekathimerini.com)
Mirgrad – a new city for the reconciliation of Serbs and Albanians (KoSSev)
Balkans brace for another migration crisis, urge EU to wake up (euractiv.com)
Association of Journalists condemns physical assault on RTK staff (media)

• Mustafa: Tariff to be lifted as requested by the U.S. (media)
• Grenell supports Mustafa’s call for lifting of the tariff (media)
• Osmani: LDK-LVV will meet again about lifting of the tariff (media)
• Vucic: No resumption of dialogue without complete lifting of the tariff (RTK)
• Tanjug: Vucic and Thaci might meet on Monday (media)
• Rama and Haradinaj clash over tariff decision (Koha Ditore)
• Thaci: We cannot undermine partnership with U.S. (RTV21/Telegrafi)
• Kosovo government drafts four-year programme (Zeri)
• Thaci says Lajcak has no credibility to be Kosovo-Serbia envoy (Telegrafi)
• Butel: Parties to look at all options leading to final agreement (Koha Ditore)

• U.S. administration ready to assist Kosovo-Serbia agreement (RTK)
• Thaci: Wrong decisions deepen Kosovo’s isolation (media)
• Mustafa: Kosovo should not stand between the U.S. and the EU (Klan/Telegrafi)
• Haradinaj: Kurti agreed with Vucic to lift the tax (Koha)
• UK PM Johnson welcomed Kosovo’s partial withdrawal of tax (media)
• Berlin: Kurti's decision first step towards full lifting of tax (media)
• Italy supports decision on partial removal of tax (media)

Albanian Language Media:

• Kosovo government dismisses boards of Trepca, Infrakos (media)
• Osmani: Important for coalition partners to take joint decisions (media)
• Judah: Kurti defies Grenell's team while Palmer's team keeps quiet (media)
• Kosovo requests information from Romania on the killing of two protesters in 2007 (Zeri)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic: Western allies will come out with agreed plan for Kosovo (FoNet, Beta, N1)
• A slap from America: "Kurti is making a serious mistake" (Tanjug, B92)
• "No willingness to create conditions for Serbs to live better" (KIM radio, Kontakt plus radio)
• Joseph: Kurti’s decision indicator of US power (Tanjug, Dnevnik)
• Russian MFA Spokeswoman comments on Kosovo Specialist Chambers’ readiness to initiate proceedings (Serbian media)
• Nova.rs website publishes new details about Serb politician murder in Kosovo (Nova.rs, N1)

International:

• Kosovo to partially remove tariffs on Serbian-made goods (Reuters)
• U.S. Envoy Calls Kosovo's Decision To Partially Lift Serbian Import Tariffs A 'Serious Mistake' (RFE)
• Mixed reactions to Kurti’s tariff plans (Balkan Insight)
• EU's Varhelyi: Accession Talks With Two Balkan States Could Open in Weeks (The New York Times)
• Life in the Shadow of Kosovo’s new Border/Boundaries (Balkan Insight)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Mehmet Bogujevci: Boxers from Kosovo will participate in the championship in Belgrade (RTK2, Kosovo Online)
• "Turkey will no longer stop refugees" - migrants already heading towards Europe (Tanjug, B92, Reuters)
• Social Media a Help and Hindrance in Balkan Coronavirus Fight (Balkan Insight)

• Kurti announces partial lifting of tariffs on Serbia and Bosnia (media)
• Grenell: We don’t support Kurti's half measure (media)
• EU welcomes Kurti's decision: calls for renewal of dialogue (Telegrafi)
• Kurti did not consult LDK about the tariff (Koha)
• Hoti: They are waiting for us at the White House if we lift the tariff (T7)
• Haziri supports Kurti for conditional lifting of tax (RTK/Klan Kosova)
• Haradinaj reacts to partial lifting of tax, calls Kurti 'deceiver' (media)
• Veseli: Nothing new from Albin (media)
• Hoxhaj: Tariff should be lifted, no reciprocity (media)
• Kurti: EU officials should respect independence of Kosovo (Euronews)
• Kosovo President Thaci meets National Security Advisor O'Brien (media)
• PM Kurti meets COMKFOR Risi (media)
• Konjufca meets Lajcak, urges all EU countries to recognise Kosovo (media)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, February 27, 2020

Albanian Language Media:

• Greek PM: Resumption of dialogue strengthens European perspective (Koha)
• Surroi: Thaci-Rasmussen letter exchange is an international agreement (Telegrafi)
• Gazeta Express: Kurti told U.S. he will not lift tax (RTK)
• In Washington, Thaci meets DFC chief executive, Adam Boehler (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic: "They will give even more... but will seek from us de facto or de jure Kosovo's recognition" (O2, RTS, KoSSev)
• Raskovic-Ivic: Vucic never presented proposal on resolving Kosovo issue to citizens or MPs (N1, KoSSev)
• Djuric: Kurti threatens Serbia again (Kosovo-online, RTS)
• BIRODI says President Vucic dominates prime news programme on Serbian TV stations (N1)
• US to Kosovo: We expect lifting of taxes as step toward resumption of dialogue (Beta, N1)
• Albanian attacked Serbs in Grizime village, Office for KiM condemns incident (RTV Puls, Radio KIM)

International:

• Kosovo Leaders Trade Angry Words Over ‘Secret’ NATO Deal (Balkan Insight)
• NATO contradict Haradinaj’s KSF claims (Prishtina Insight)
• U.S. Reiterates Commitment To Kosovo Independence, Urges Dropping Tariffs On Serbian Goods (RFE)
• Moravcsik: EU enlargement in the Western Balkans is in the interest of member states (EWB)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Serbs, Albanians protest together against small hydropower plants in Kosovo (FoNet, N1)
• Mitrovica Rock School unites young Albanians and Serbs in a segregated Kosovo city (globalvoices.org)
• Appeals Court Upholds Nine-Month Sentence For Kosovo Soccer Chief (RFE)
• Rallies for clean air to be held on Friday in nine Balkan cities (balkangreenenergynews.com)

• Kurti: Hiding correspondence with NATO constitutes flagrant violation (media)
• NATO reaffirms: KSF cannot go to north without KFOR’s permission (Koha)
• Serbia had sought guarantees that KSF would not deploy to north (Koha Ditore)
• Thaci sends message to Kurti from Washington (media)
• Osmani: Calls for upholding Constitution should not be misinterpreted (media)
• Abazi says Kosovo's partnership with int’l allies can never be questioned (media)
• Haradinaj: KSF can be deployed throughout Kosovo territory (media)
• Veseli: Concerning that a Kosovo PM questions agreements with NATO (media)
• Thaci: Kosovo blessed with trust and partnership of U.S. (media)
• Rama to Lavrov: Kosovo should be recognised by all (media)
• Vucic: Matter of time before Serbia recognises Kosovo (media)

Albanian Language Media:

• Secret letter surfaces concerning Thaci's assurances not to have KSF go to the north (Kallxo)
• Prime Minister’s Legal Office: Sufficient basis to conclude Thaci violated Constitution (Koha)
• Hoti: Agreement with Serbia can be achieved through a government-led dialogue (media)
• Veseli: Kurti needs to clarify himself, not avoid responsibility (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Botsan-Kharchenko: Strategic partnership between Russia and Serbia on rise (BETA, N1)
• EU, US State Department comment on Serbia’s acquisition of 'Pantsir S1' system (VoA, N1)
• KIM radio: Mysterious dismissal of Tanja Ivic (VoA)
• Diplomats have forgotten fair play in Kosovo, some receive support, some face bans (Kosovo Online)
• Rakic met EULEX chief Wigemark (Radio Mitrovica sever)
• Detention of Rosic and Spasojevic extended for two more months (Tanjug, Dnevnik)

International:

• Kosovo: 2nd Former Fighter Refuses War Crimes Court Summons (AP/NYT)
• Kurti calls for Thaci’s dismissal over ‘secret agreement’ (Prishtina Insight)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Croatia Confirms Coronavirus Case as Balkan States Boost Precautions (Balkan Insight)
• Balkan cities united in struggle for clean air and environmental protection (BETA, N1)

• Thaci calls on leading think tanks to join momentum for Kosovo and Western Balkans (media)
• U.S. coordinating for a solution in Balkans (media)
• UK Minister to Kurti: We are closer and closer in defence and security (RTK)
• Kurti: Our focus is to eliminate inequality in salaries (media)
• AAK collects signatures to call extraordinary session of Assembly (Zeri)
• Vatican urged to recognise independence of Kosovo (media)
• Presevo Mayor: We want to join Kosovo (media)
• First Specialist Chambers indictments could be confirmed within six months (Koha)