UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, March 18, 2020

Albanian Language Media:

• PM Kurti dismisses Interior Minister (media)
• Mustafa to Kurti: Cancel Veliu's dismissal, remove tariff (media)
• Mustafa: Veliu's dismissal is unacceptable (media)
• Thaci: State of Emergency could last 30 days (media)
• Veseli supports state of emergency proposal (media)
• President’s decree has not reached the Assembly (RTK)
• Reactions on Thaci’s request to adopt decree for a state of emergency (social media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Serbian List: We reject Pristina's hidden intention to deploy troops in northern Kosovo (Kontakt plus radio)
• Djuric to Serbs in Kosovo: Respect measures of Serbian Government on coronavirus (Kosovo-online, Radio kontakt plus)
• New 11 cases of coronavirus in Serbia, a total of 83 patients (B92)
• Serbia introduced new measures last night to fight coronavirus (RTS, B92)
• Chinese Ambassador tells Vucic: Aid to battle coronavirus coming (N1)
• It's confirmed, new phase: Coronavirus hit the last country in Europe (B92, CDM)
• "Europe is epicenter of crisis" (BETA, B92, Bild)

Opinion:

• Mushkolaj: Politics with people's lives (Express)

International:

• Serbia Restricts Movement for Migrants, Asylum-Seekers (Balkan Insight)

Thaci: Get together and ratify state of emergency (RTK)
Government does not agree with Thaci’s proposal for state of emergency (Koha)
Veliu: State of emergency should be declared (RTK)
Kurti and Varhelyi agree to work in solidarity with each other (RTK)
Mustafa claims virus is spreading rapidly, urges president to declare state of emergency (Express)
Haradinaj on proposal for state of emergency (Indeksonline)
Haxhiu: Regrettable if Thaci wants primary role in these circumstances (media)
Number of infected with COVID-19 reaches 19 (media)
Apostolova calls on Kurti to remove tariff (media)

Albanian Language Media:

• President Thaci calls for mobilisation of KSF (media)
• PM Kurti address to Western Balkans Conference (media)
• Western Balkans Prime Ministers meet online (RTK)
• All incoming flights with passengers suspended (media)
• ContourGlobal halts plans to build “Kosova e Re” power plant (Media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Conflict between citizens on the Ibar River (RTK2, KoSSev, Kosovo Online)
• Djuric: Albanians try to provoke conflicts again (Tanjug, Kosovo Online, TV Pink)
• North Mitrovica mayor Rakic urge international community and Kosovo Government to prevent illegal works on Ibar River (Kosovo Online)
• Eight new cases of coronavirus in Serbia, a total of 65 (B92)
• The Government of Serbia passed the Decree: Constitution guaranteed rights restricted (B92, Tanjug)
• Sixteen years since March pogrom in Kosovo (KoSSev, N1)
• Djuric: Serbia resolved not to allow repetition of March violence (Kosovo Online)
• Brnabic: More drastic measures may be introduced tonight (B92, Tanjug)
• Democracy watchdog appeals for election postponement in Serbia, stops monitoring (N1)
• Gracanica: Increased measures of precautions (KIM Radio)
• In Serb communities in Kosovo Pomoravlje district no infected persons with coronavirus (RTV Puls)

Opinion:

• Don’t Leave Roma out of EU Enlargement Talks (Balkan Insight)

International:

• EU to Ban Entry to 26 Schengen Area Countries (schengenvisainfo.com)
• Public authorities enforce coronavirus measures (Prishtina Insight)
• Lavrov's Visit To Serbia Postponed Over COVID-19 Concerns - Serbian Foreign Ministry (urdupoint.com)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Experimental COVID-19 Vaccine Test Begins as U.S. Volunteer Receives First Shot (time.com)

Number of confirmed coronavirus cases reaches 16 (media)
President considering state of emergency (Indeksonline)
Thaci urges citizens to stay at home (media)
Health Institute: Go out only for emergency cases (media)
KSF raises readiness due to coronavirus (Koha)
Pristina Mayor: Stay at home! (Klan Kosova)
US Embassy calls on leaders to set aside differences (media)
Malisheva Mayor: Every village has visitors from Italy (media)
Hundreds of Kosovars from Italy came to Restelica (Indeksonline)
"If citizens aren't totally isolated, disastrous consequences" (media)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, March 16, 2020

Albanian Language Media:

• 13 confirmed coronavirus cases in Kosovo (media)
• Health Institute: Please stay at home (media)
• Pristina Airport with additional explanations (media)
• The infected with CoronaVirus, in a stable condition (RFE, RTK)
• US Embassy in Pristina cancels visa appointments (media)
• Haradinaj: Government unprepared in case of escalation of situation (RTK)
• Mayor: Dumnica village in quarantine (Express)
• Podujeva’s zone with first COVID-19 case disinfected, three villages quarantined (RFE, RTK)
• Kurti nominates government Spokesperson (gazetaexpress)

Serbian Language Media:

• Government of Serbia: Measures introduced during a state of emergency (media)
• Vucic urged citizens: Respect state's recommendations, we have to win this battle (media)
• Mitrovica North: There is enough food and medications, no case of coronavirus registered (TV Most, Kosovo-online)
• Seven new cases, 55 in total (B92)
• "Don't make us impose a curfew" (B92, Prva TV)
• Trial in Oliver Ivanovic’s murder case postponed until further notice (B92, Kosovo-online)
• Vucic-Merkel video-conference postponed (Tanjug)
• Montenegro closes borders over coronavirus pandemic (BETA, N1)

Opinion:

• Coronavirus: The Pandemic Stress Test (Balkan Insight)
• Preventing panic (Prishtina Insight)

International:

• Tight-Lipped Balkan Governments Scramble to Defend Against COVID-19 (Balkan Insight)
• Serbia Imposes State of Emergency, Pleads for China’s Help (Balkan Insight)
• Albania Adopts Punitive Fines for Breaching Coronavirus Restrictions (Balkan Insight)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Coronavirus: Live Updates (Balkan Insight)
• HIV: prejudice that endures (Prishtina Insight)

Four more affected with COVID-19, 13 patients in total (RTK)
Government new measures against coronavirus (media)
Health Minister calls on PM to declare state of emergency (media)
Kosovo govt declares state of emergency for public health (media)
Kurti to people: Once I called you to protest, now it is brave to stay home (media)
PM Kurti thanks MPs for adopting budget (Koha)
Osmani: We passed budget, avoiding govt shutdown (media)
EU Special Representative welcomes budget adoption (media)
PDK's Krasniqi replies to Apostolova on budget (media)
Kosovo Assembly adopts resolution on dialogue (media)
Opposition leader criticizes resolution on dialogue (media)
Hoti: Tariff must be lifted fully and immediately (media)

Albanian Language Media:
Albania shuts down border with Kosovo (media)
Surroi: Thaci cannot sign agreement on his own (Telegrafi)
Serbian Language Media:
Vucic on Serbia’s measures against coronavirus, salary increase to medical personnel (B92)
Ministry: 31 persons infected with coronavirus in Serbia (B92)
Vecernje Novosti: Trump could get rid of Kurti? (B92)
Borrell Messages to Kurti: Tariffs need to be completely abolished, Lajcak as special envoy for Belgrade - Pristina dialogue (RTS)
Djuric: Pristina violates agreement on freedom of movement (RTV Puls)
Vucic and Merkel: Video-conference instead of meeting (Sputnik)
Detention of Zlatan Krstic extended, his deteriorated health additional problem (Kosovo-online)
Djuric with Botsan-Kharchenko (media)
International Language Media:
Health system lacking basic hygienic provisions (Prishtina Insight)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, March 13, 2020

Albanian Language Media:

• Albania shuts down border with Kosovo (media)
• Surroi: Thaci cannot sign agreement on his own (Telegrafi)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic on Serbia’s measures against coronavirus, salary increase to medical personnel (B92)
• Ministry: 31 persons infected with coronavirus in Serbia (B92)
• Vecernje Novosti: Trump could get rid of Kurti? (B92)
• Borrell Messages to Kurti: Tariffs need to be completely abolished, Lajcak as special envoy for Belgrade - Pristina dialogue (RTS)
• Djuric: Pristina violates agreement on freedom of movement (RTV Puls)
• Vucic and Merkel: Video-conference instead of meeting (Sputnik)
• Detention of Zlatan Krstic extended, his deteriorated health additional problem (Kosovo-online)
• Djuric with Botsan-Kharchenko (media)

• EU: We are the sole facilitators in Pristina – Belgrade dialogue (Koha/media)
• Beyer: Unconditional removal of tariff, dialogue to resume ASAP (Telegrafi)
• Meeting called by Haradinaj does not result in political unity (Koha)
• Kosovo bans visit by senior Serbian official (media)
• Govt suspends air and landlines from Germany, France, Switzerland, Italy (media)
• Government forms special commission against coronavirus (media)

Albanian Language Media:

• Public health institute dispatches medical staff all over Kosovo (media)
• Minister wants strict measures against businesses that increase prices (media)
• Interior minister Veliu calls for closure of schools in north of Kosovo (media)
• CEC to consult President and Government regarding elections in Podujeve (Kallxo)
• Kosovo prisons freeze visits over coronavirus fears (Koha)
• PM Kurti meets EULEX chief, Wigemark (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Djuric: Schools in Serbian communities in Kosovo will not work from Monday (TV Most)
• All schools in the municipality of Gracanica working today (KIM radio)
• Gracanica: Police will start implementing the decision of the Government of Kosovo (KIM radio)
• Head of WHO office in Belgrade: Serbia is doing what it takes (BETA, B92)
• Goran Rakic, Milena Popovic suggested as witnesses in Milan Radoicic defamation lawsuit against Rada Trajkovic (KoSSev)
• Rakocevic: UN SC Resolution 1244 would be most realistic offer for normalization of relations (Kosovo-online, RTV Puls)

International:

• Is the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue really reaching and historic moment? (K2.0)
• MPs discuss Kosovo-US relations (Prishtina Insight)
• EU or US: Who's in charge of Kosovo-Serbia talks? (Euobserver)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Further measures taken by Kosovo Govt to tackle coronavirus pandemic (Prishtina Insight)
• Serbia closes some border crossings with regional countries (N1)
• Hungary declared a state of emergency (B92, Tanjug)