UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, May 18, 2020

Albanian Language Media:

• Kurti says signed documents in Berlin don't constitute agreement (Koha)
• U.S. Embassy calls on parties to refrain from politicised rhetoric (media)
• Kosovo Assembly to hold plenary session on 4 June (Indeksonline)
• EU negotiating mandate extension for its rule of law mission in Kosovo (RFE)
• Haradinaj: Kosovo not to delay reopening of economy (Klan Kosova)

Serbian Language Media:

• No new cases of Covid-19 infection in north, four persons cured (Kosovo-online)
• The official start of classes in primary schools is expected on June 1 (Kontakt plus radio)
• Radovic: Taxi associations in north will start working as of June 1 (Radio Mitrovica sever)
• War crimes’ trials in Kosovo still at beginning (KoSSev)
• UNS: Serbian List to apologize to journalist Budimir Nicic (KoSSev)
• Vucic: If situation with coronavirus epidemic worsens, elections won't be priority (N1, RTS)

International:

• Serbian President: Skopje betrayed Serbia on Kosovo to impress Germany (greekcitytimes.com)

Humanitarian/Development:

• WHO Assembly is scheduled for today, the main topic will be the COVID-19 pandemic (B92)
• UNICEF calls for greater inclusion of children with disabilities (media)
• Kosovo enters second phase of lockdown restrictions (Prishtina Insight)
• Media Literacy Project: Young journalists rarely have the opportunity to work in professional newsrooms (KoSSev)
• Belgrade airport opens, passengers to come three hours ahead of departure (N1)

Albanian Language Media:

• Thaci: Constitutional Court to work independently, free of pressure (media)
• Mustafa and Lajcak agree resumption of dialogue is a priority (Klan)
• Mustafa: LDK focused for the dialogue with Serbia to start soon (Klan)
• Haradinaj: Governing program with LDK, in its final phase (Klan)
• Kosovo-Switzerland air travel to resume by 15 June (media)
• Kurti and Minxhozi discuss economic cooperation, Covid-19 pandemic (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Borell: EU shares regional agenda with US (N1)
• No new Covid-19 infection cases in north (Radio KIM)
• Vucic & Putin on mutual relations, region and fight against coronavirus (Beta, N1)
• Pristina reinstates taxes on flour from Serbia; Belgrade’s doctors turned back (Beta, N1)
• "Now they have finally confirmed that Kosovo is a NATO project" (B92)
• Kosovo Health Ministry: Serb doctors prevented from entering Kosovo due to unclear purpose of their visit (KoSSev)
• Doctors: We were not allowed to enter Kosovo, because we had Serbian documents only (TV Most)
• Over 200 medical workers from Kosovo await permission to visit Presevo, Bujanovac and Medvedja (KoSSev, Gazeta Express)
• Opposition Alliance for Serbia says it won’t recognize election results (BETA, N1)

Opinion:

• Will Serbia have to choose between China and the EU? (EWB)

International:

• IMF Offers Emergency Support to the Balkans (imf.org)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Kosovo families seek answers 21 years after Serb conflict (AP)
• ‘Until the last person is found, we will not be satisfied’ (Prishtina Insight)
• Pastrimi protests exclusion from emergency package (Prishtina Insight)
• First country in Europe to declare end of epidemic (B92)
• UNMIK donated aid packages in Gracanica municipality (KIM radio)
• Distribution of aid packages continues in Novo Brdo (Kosovo Online)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, May 14, 2020

Albanian Language Media:

• Kurti: Let's make sure we don't lose the match in the last minutes (media)
• Public Health Institute appeals for caution (media)
• Malisheva receives donation from UN Mission in Kosovo (media)
• Konjufca: LDK brought down LVV-led govt as it was fighting corruption (Koha)
• Maas: Games with borders lead to dead end, delay solution (Express)
• Pacolli: Forming new government would be anti-constitutional (RTK)

Serbian Language Media:

• One person positive of coronavirus in northern Kosovo (Kontakt plus radio)
• Non-majority communities’ problems with the package of measures of the Government of Kosovo (Kontakt plus radio)
• Office for KiM: 20 healthcare workers prevented to enter Kosovo (KoSSev)
• President Vucic denies claims of talks to recognize Kosovo (N1)
• Pristina sees thousands ‘cleansed’ Albanians in southern Serbia, who never lived there (Sputnik)
• EC ready to include Western Balkans into plans on opening borders (Beta, N1)
• Serbian trade minister says 18.5 million Euro of goods exported to Kosovo (FoNet, N1)
• Serbian Government replies to Freedom House – report full of contradictions (FoNet, N1, RTS)

International:

• Head of Office of Kosovo and Metohija: Serbs and Albanians should decide on Kosovo fate (TASS)
• Kosovo Activists to Continue ‘Rehearsing’ Protests Despite Movement Restrictions (Balkan Insight)
• Wildly Wrong: North Macedonia’s Population Mystery (Balkan Insight)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Reports of domestic violence increase in 2020 (Prishtina Insight)
• Kosovo Businesses Complain Government’s Support Package Falls Short (Balkan Insight)
• Rakic received UNMIK delegation, thanked them for delivered aid (Radio Mitrovica Sever)
• UNMIK donates aid to Ranilug municipality (RTV Puls)
• Strpce, to whom does the land by the river belong? (KoSSev)

Albanian Language Media:

• Kurti: Government remains in duty until new elections (Klan)
• Government dismisses civil aviation director (media)
• Berisha was not discharged for signing Pristina-Belgrade airline agreement (RTK)
• Lajcak discusses resumption of dialogue with Osmani (Express)
• Kurti vows to turn old Pristina airport into a customs terminals (media)
• Kurti gives three minutes time to Ministers reporting on 100 days of government (RTK)
• Haxhiu makes the first step towards establishment of a War Crimes Institute (Koha)
• PDK presents “100 failures during the 100 days of Kurti’s government” (RTK)
• Gjilan receives food and hygiene packages from UN mission (Media)
• NATO report: Kosovo according to Russian Sputnik in Serbia (RTK)

Serbian Language Media:

• No new cases, six cured in the last 24 hours in northern Kosovo (Kontakt plus)
• Ministry for Returns and KFOR: It is necessary that entire society condemns incidents (RTS)
• Belgrade and Pristina will talk about territory swap, media say (N1, RTK2)
• Edi Rama to N1: The best ideas for the future of Europe are in the Balkans
• Serbia opens borders with four countries on June 1st (media)
• Djuric: ''A campaign of hatred is being waged against Serbian health workers'' (RTS, TV Most)
• UNS and its branch in Kosovo: Albanian media not to call for lynching of RTK2 journalist (Radio kontakt plus)

Opinion:

• Restoring civil liberties after COVID-19 (Prishtina Insight)
• The Western Balkans between the EU, NATO, Russia and China (ETHZurich)

International:

• Russia’s assistance was of great moral importance for Serbia, says politician (TASS)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Central, Eastern European Countries Maintain Tough Travel Restrictions (Balkan Insight)
• Chinese lab boosts Serbia's coronavirus testing capacity (Reuters)
• UNMIK donation for most vulnerable people in Novo Brdo municipality (Kosovo-online portal)
• When Home Is Not The Safest Place (Halotrust)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, May 12, 2020

Albanian Language Media:

• “Grenell committed to cooperation with Kosovo and Serbia” (Klan Kosova)
• Thaci meets EULEX chief, discusses measures for overcoming pandemic (media)
• Stricter measures to be introduced if Covid-19 cases increase (Koha)
• Prishtina municipality alarms: Increasing number of cases (media)
• PSD will not be part of an eventual LDK-led government (Ekonomia Online)
• Kosovo, St. Lucia agree on visa-free travel for official passport holders (media)
• LDK keeps the agreement with Serbian List secret (Ekonomia Online)
• Selmanaj: Vjosa Osmani should respect laws and Constitution (RTK)
• Kurti and German Ambassador talk about recovery after pandemic (Kallxo)

Serbian Language Media:

• Botsan-Kharchenko: Russia's interpretations of Kosovo position have raised doubts (media)
• “Without Russian ‘yes’ there can be no solution for Kosovo” (Vecernje Novosti, Kosovo-online)
• Djuric reacts to Lajcak’s statement; says solution for Kosovo must be within UN SC Resolution 1244 (Kosovo-online)
• No new cases of Covid-19 infection in Serb-populated areas in Kosovo (Kosovo-online)
• UNS: We will protect Serb journalist from RTK2, she has right to use term Kosovo and Metohija (Kosovo-online)
• SL: Announced dismissal of RTK2 journalist latest pressure on Serbs (Radio Mitrovica Sever)
• Nicic: ''Colleagues in RTK 2 are not free to do their job'' (Kosovo Online)
• Pavicevic: Doctor and nurse temporarily halted at Jarninje, then in Pec again (Kosovo, Radio Gorazdevac)
• Beta: ''French Le Figaro says Vucic using crisis to show he is savior'' (N1)
• Detention of Zlatan Krstic extended for two more months (Radio KIM)

Humanitarian/Development:

• In Kosovo, Distrust of Hague War Crimes Court Simmers (Balkan Insight)
• Kon: We clearly show that we do not behave in line with the recommended measures (B92)