UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, February 15, 2023

Albanian Language Media:

• Prosecution: Over 300 witnesses in trial against former KLA leaders (RFE)
• Heusgen: Association of Serb municipalities must be implemented (Deutsche Welle)
• Beka on students’ march: We are not pushed by any political party (Albanian Post)
• Judicial Council submits request to send law on wages to Constitutional Court (media)
• Kurti thanks UK MP for speaking about situation in Kosovo (RTK)

Serbian Language Media:

• Petkovic: Pristina’s refusal to establish CSM creating a frozen conflict (Politika, BETA, N1)
• Todic writes to Quint, heads of international organisations over expropriation in north (Kosovo Online)
• Public discussion on expropriation held in Leposavic, residents demand decisions to be annulled (KoSSev, Radio KIM, Kosovo Online)
• Blinken congratulates the Statehood Day: Serbian and Kosovo leaders will make difficult compromises (Beta, N1)
• Biden congratulates Vucic on Statehood Day (N1, FoNet)
• Putin to Vucic: Moscow supports Belgrade (FoNet, N1)
• Varhelyi: Failure to impose sanctions should not affect Serbia’s EU negotiations (N1)
• Public invitations in the municipality of Orahovac only in the Albanian language (KiM radio, Radio Gorazdevac, Kontakt plus radio, KoSSev)

International:

• Inside global diplomacy with Baroness Catherine Ashton, former European Commission vice president — "Intelligence Matters" (cbsnews.com)

• Varhelyi: EC ready to work on Kosovo's application for membership (media)
• Colomina meets Kurti: NATO supports plan proposed by the EU (media)
• Colomina: NATO Strategic Concept reaffirmed WB strategic importance (EWB)
• The implementation plan of the European plan (Dukagjini)
• Lehne: I’m not optimistic about EU plan for Kosovo and Serbia (RFE)
• Mehaj: Kosovo ready to host 5,000 Ukrainian refugees (media)
• Pristina University students to march against Association today (Kosovapress)
• Gap between debt and surplus fuels suspicions about health fund mismanagement (BIRN)
• Biden writes to Vucic: Good that you supported the European proposal (media)

Albanian Language Media:

• Osmani thanks KSF teams helping save lives after Turkey earthquake (media)
• Rizvanolli: Fight against organised crime pays off in multiple ways! (media)
• Over 140 candidates to replace 500 police officers in the north (Koha)
• Beslin: Serbia and Kosovo will accept the French-German plan (RTK)
• Kosovo hosts another Afghan journalist (Radio Free Europe)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic: Serbia greatly dependent on EU, cannot move forward without it (Tanjug)
• Von Cramon's speech before the EP's Foreign Affairs Committee on the Kosovo 2022 report (KoSSev)
• Lawyer: Entire Serb community damaged by decision on expropriation (Kosovo Online)
• Lavrov to Dacic: Russia ready for further development of relations with Serbia (N1, BETA)
• Vucic: KFOR contributing to peace, stability in Kosovo-Metohija (Tanjug)
• PM Brnabic: CSM and only then resumption of negotiations (Beta, N1)
• Xi to Vucic: Joint effort to defend international law (FoNet, N1)
• Last week review: Principled acceptance of EU proposals, through mutual accusations on energy, to the discovery of drug labs in the north (KoSSev)
• UNS protest over airing Assembly session in Albanian language only (Radio KIM)

Opinion:

• The Desperate Desire to be ‘European’ (K2.0)

International:

• 'Quietly endure': north Kosovo braves security vacuum after resignations (AFP)

• US hopeful over Kosovo-Serbia agreement, Vucic not convinced (Euractiv)
• Why Kosovo's stand-off with Serbs goes on 15 years after statehood (Reuters)
• Kurti: Destruction of illegal drug labs, clear victory for rule of law (media)
• Kurti and Guerot discuss French-German proposal (media)
• Osmani and Wigemark discuss recent developments in north of Kosovo (media)
• Kurti: KSF search and rescue team saved three people in Turkey so far (media)
• Serbian products faced with boycott in Kosovo (Radio Free Europe)
• COMKFOR Ristuccia meets Kosovo’s religious leaders (media)
• An accord would close down the Balkan issue (Albanian Daily News)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, February 13, 2023

Albanian Language Media:

• Kurti: I made it clear to Borrell and Vucic, Kosovo does not accept dialogue without a final agreement with recognition (Klan)
• Abdixhiku slams Kurti on French-German plan (Nacionale)
• Krasniqi: Dialogue with recognition, a sentence that sums up our interest (media)
• Haradinaj: I’m in favour of French-German plan; it includes path to NATO (Koha)
• Stano: EU ready to facilitate discussions on Association in future dialogue meetings (Sinjali)
• “Kurti given deadline for final answer on Association, matter of days” (Albanian Post)
• 57th generation of police graduates; Osmani: Diversity reflects safe environment (Koha)
• Rizvanolli reacts to report about situation in one of Trepca mines (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Brnabic: Albin Kurti's brutal lie (RTS, NMagazin, Beta)
• Kurti: Non-payment of electricity in the North "cost" taxpayers 337 million; Petkovic: Lies and nothing more (KoSSev)
• Petkovic: Nobody will be fooled by Svecla's attempt to criminalise Serbs (Beta, NMagazin, RTS, KoSSev)
• CSOs demand Kosovo government to stop all projects on expropriated land in north (KoSSev)
• Serbian List: Delevic recently shot at has nothing to do with latest arrests in north (Radio KIM, KoSSev)
• Vacancy for new police officers in north still open, although deadline was February 10 (Euronews)
• Drecun: Our position is clear, fist CSM (ZSO) then the continuation of the dialogue (TV Prva, Kosovo Online)
• Health condition of Sladjan Trajkovic deteriorates again, his wife says (Kosovo Online, RTS, Tanjug)
• Botsan-Kharcenko: The European plan – the EU's detour for Serbia to recognize Kosovo (N1, FoNet, Vecernje Novosti)

International:

• Kosovo Police Seize Drug Labs in Serb-Run North (BIRN)

• Kurti: Meeting with Vucic only in context of European plan (media)
• Kosovo ready for Kurti-Vucic meeting, Serbia doesn’t give signals (Koha)
• Kurti: Since 1999, Kosovo lost over €300 million due to Serbia’s actions (media)
• Interior Minister publishes names of arrested in the north (Telegrafi)
• Wagner mercenaries helping Serbia prepare potential attack on our nation, Kosovan president warns (The Telegraph)
• Kosovo MPs to debate on dialogue with Serbia today (media)
• Kosovo push to confiscate unjustified assets raises concerns (Prishtina Insight)
• Fact-check: For Kosovars, sky-high inflation hits harder (BIRN)
• NATO's Stoltenberg won’t seek another extension of term (Reuters)

Albanian Language Media:

• EU summit comes out with conclusions, asks Kosovo to establish the Association (media)
• EU: Kurti and Vucic's statements, an obstacle to scheduling the meeting in Brussels (RFE)
• Kurti: Serbia wants a "Zajdenica" president who would replace our minister (Express)
• Assembly Approves Law on State Bureau for Verification and Confiscation of Unjustified Assets (Prishtina Insight)
• Vacancy announcement for police officers in the north closes today (media)
• KIJ: The government has not managed to approve even half of the draft laws (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Brnabic: Community of Serb Municipalities condition above all conditions (Tanjug)
• Slovenia: Our position on CSM (ZSO) is clear, agreements must be respected (Tanjug, Radio Mitrovica sever)
• European Council says Belgrade-Pristina normalization urgent (N1)
• Drecun: Strategic geopolitical deal with US and West necessary (Tanjug)
• Vucic: We highly appreciate Cuba's support for Serbia's territorial integrity (Tanjug)
• Minister of Administration and Local Self-Government: We are ready to form the Council of the Serbian National Minority (KiM radio)
• UNS: Gracanica Municipality to stop inviting media selectively to events (KiM radio, KoSSev)

Opinion:

• A possible new crisis as an indicator of whether the agreement between Belgrade and Pristina is on the way (Danas)

International:

• EP Rapporteurs presented reports for Kosovo and Serbia in AFET (EWB)
• Ker-Lindsay: Serbia-Kosovo compromise requires either partition or autonomy for Kosovo Serbs (EWB)

• EU: Kurti and Vucic statements hinder scheduling of meeting (RFE)
• Plenkovic: EU leaders discussed the tense situation in north of Kosovo (media)
• Osmani meets Hovenier; discuss dialogue with Serbia (media)
• Kosovo willing to establish a national council of Serbs, minister says (media)
• Informal meeting at U.S. Embassy ends; no statements to media (Kosovapress)
• Ministry: Wealth accumulated illegally by state officials will be returned (media)
• What is being built in Dren in Leposavic, “Bondsteel or police station?” (Kallxo)
• Kosovars grow weary of EU’s isolating visa regime (Kosovo 2.0)
• New President could bring clarity to Czechia’s ambiguous policy on Kosovo (BIRN)

Albanian Language Media:

• Borrell expects Kurti and Vucic to meet soon in support of proposal (RFE)
• EP calls on Kosovo and Serbia to advance in dialogue process (RFE)
• Kurti to opposition: Words you tell me, tell them to Escobar with same zeal (Kallxo)
• Krasniqi to Kurti: Dialogue is not a private matter between you and Vucic (EO)
• Haradinaj: Kurti inherited the Association; we didn’t ask Thaci for an agreement centred on recognition (Koha)
• Abdixhiku: No one knows what Kosovo has agreed to; is this a final agreement? (EO)
• Kurti: Why Serbia doesn’t give monoethnic association to its own minorities (media)
• Berlin Process agreements; Szunyog: I hope for swift ratification by Assembly (Koha)
• Assembly adopts Law on Bureau for Confiscation of Unjustifiable Wealth (Koha)

Serbian Language Media:

• Bilcik: No progress in negotiations until Serbia makes progress (N1)
• Vucic: Konjufca's statement about CSM (ZSO) expected, I congratulate them for their honesty (Beta, NMagazin)
• Vucic met Quint ambassadors to the OSCE and diplomatic representatives in Belgrade (RTS, Kosovo Online, Tanjug)
• Hill: Serbia needs to cross the final part of the road to the West (RTS)
• Bocan-Kharchenko: The final status of Kosovo after the end of the conflict between the West and Russia (NMagazin, Beta, media)
• Bislimi: The Serbian government can play with its decisions, but vehicles with "illegal" license plates are not allowed to enter Kosovo (KoSSev)
• Elektrosever: Pristina authorities accusations incorrect, we fulfil all the obligations of the Energy Roadmap (KoSSev)
• Bislimi: Part of the blame for the non-implementation of the energy agreement lies with Brussels itself (Beta, KiM radio)
• German Embassy in Pristina: We do not approve of Kurti’s conditions for CSM (N1, FoNet, Kosovo Online, Gazeta Express))
• RFE: EU leaders to discuss Kosovo dialogue (N1)
• Djurovic: Pristina's CoE membership bid not discussed on Wednesday (Tanjug)

Opinion:

• Less: Failure of the dialogue at this moment is at least as likely as success (Blic, Tanjug)
• New President could bring clarity to Czechia’s ambiguous policy on Kosovo (Balkan Insight)

International:

• Avrupa Minerals to Continue Positive Progress in Finland, Portugal, and Kosovo in 2023 (investingnews.com)
• BIRN Conference Highlights Importance of Environmental Journalism in Balkans (BIRN)

• EU makes remarks about two out of six conditions for Association (Koha)
• Discussions on Association, Hovenier to hold unofficial meeting today (Telegrafi)
• Hill asks Serbia to find solution with Kosovo: Dialogue is aimed at forming the Association (Nacionale)
• Kosovo approves three draft laws within Berlin process (media)
• Osmani: We’ll find solution with Decani Monastery on Decan-Plav road (media)
• Wigemark meets Rakic and Simic; discuss security in the north (media)
• Kosovo journalists’ association condemns threat with firearms against T7 crew in Leposavic (media)
• Osmani visits Ulqin and Tuz in Montenegro (media)
• KJC sends judge warning after BIRN report (Prishtina Insight)
• Protest will be held in Berlin against Association (Koha)