UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, May 16, 2024

Albanian Language Media:

• Gervalla: Government to send draft statute to court before end of May (media)
• Govt: Ready to implement Association, if internationals accept our offer (media)
• Gervalla: Letter to Council of Europe, a serious commitment (media)
• German Embassy: Draft should be sent to court before ministers meet (Kallxo)
• Position of U.S. on Association remains unchanged (Klan)
• Knaus, Martens on Kosovo’s move to prepare draft statute for Association (media)
• LDK says Gervalla's letter on Association politically and tactically wrong (media)
• Musliu-Shoshi: Propaganda and deception do not work with CoE countries (media)
• Haradinaj: Kosovo is late with draft statute, doesn’t produce right effect (media)
• O'Brien: Fulfilling its potential, vital for Western Balkans (RTK)
• Kurti: We expect mutual recognition from all countries of region (media)
• Hovenier thanks Escobar for his tireless commitment to dialogue (Koha)

Serbian Language Media: 

• Vucic: Letter to CoE with promises about CSM – new Pristina’s trick (Kosovo Online)
• Petkovic: The Statute of the CSM is negotiated and adopted in a high-level dialogue (KiM radio)
• Because of CSM draft statute Pristina was late for CoE, yet it will send to Constitutional Court its own draft, not the one prepared by EU (KoSSev)
• Mijacic: Decision on Kosovo admission to CoE is made by member states, Gervalla wrote to PACE which has nothing to do with it any longer (Kosovo Online, social media)
• The Western Balkans six, the EU and the USA representatives today in Kotor on the Growth Plan for the region (Danas, Beta, media)
• Vucic: I believe that with EU membership we can achieve important results (RTS, Radio Mitrovica sever)
• Rights of Serbs in Kosovo only on paper: Who and why is bothered by the Serbian flag? (Kosovo Online)

Opinion:

• Orban will sacrifice Kosovo to keep Serbian ally sweet (BIRN)

International:

• BIRN Journalists Awarded for Exposing Public Broadcaster’s Gender Discrimination in Top Job Recruitments (Prishtina Insight)
• From Bosnia to Ukraine: How a Serb Sportsman Became a Russian Fighter (BIRN)
• Trump Son-in-Law’s Company to Renovate Serbia’s NATO-Struck Army HQ (BIRN)

Albanian Language Media:

• Kurti on elections: Opposition must be ready, we are always ready (media)
• Kurti meets coalition partner, discuss developments and elections (media)
• Muhaxheri: PDK and VV have agreed on date of new elections (media)
• Osmani speaks with Steinmeier on Kosovo’s membership in CoE (media)
• Knaus: There is still a good way for Kosovo to join CoE soon (media)
• Civil society’s open letter to CoE in support of Kosovo’s membership bid (media)
• Damka: Conditioning CoE membership unfair to communities too (RTK)
• Malcolm criticizes EU for stalemate in Pristina-Belgrade dialogue (VoA)
• COMKFOR: Security stable but fragile, ready to respond to any challenge (media)
• Maqedonci to meet British Armed Forces Minister Docherty (media)
• Specialist Chambers: Kilaj released in Kosovo under strict conditions (media)
• Osmani meets “thriving diaspora” in Copenhagen (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Trilateral meeting in Belgrade-Pristina dialogue underway in Brussels (Tanjug, media)
• Vucic meets Allen, says US should step up engagement to help preserve regional stability (Tanjug, media)
• The census ending, and the enumerators did not knock on the doors of the citizens of North Mitrovica (KoSSev, N1)
• Raska-Prizren Diocese: Serbian Orthodox church near Pec desecrated (media, social media)
• Gervalla in Leposavic about the "beauty of the Republic of Kosovo" and the region's "brutal decade-long backwardness" (KoSSev)
• Kosovo authorities bar ‘The Book of Milutin’ crew from entering Kosovo, a move actor condemns as primitive (KoSSev)
• Protest by journalists, cameramen of newsrooms in Serbian language due to the eviction of "Jedinstvo" from its premises (Radio Mitrovica sever, RTS, Kosovo Online, KiM radio)
• UN General Assembly sets date for Srebrenica resolution vote (N1)

International:

• Former Officer Detained As Police Seize Weapons Cache In Northern Kosovo (RFE)
• Kosovo Remembers Village Massacres as PM Urges More War Crime Probes (BIRN)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, May 14, 2024

Albanian Language Media:

• Osmani to participate in Copenhagen Democracy Summit (media)
• Lajcak optimistic that agreement on dinar can be reached (media)
• Sources: PDK proposed dissolution of Assembly next week (Indeksonline)
• Tahiri: Assembly dissolution only after Kurti’s dismissal or resignation (Koha)
• Krasniqi slams conditioning of CoE membership with Association (media)
• Weber: Kosovo won’t be included in agenda to avoid failed vote (Sinjali)
• Gervalla: Serbia against EU-proposed agreement, wants only Association (media)
• Bislimi speaks of importance of Kosovo’s membership in CoE (media)
• Reuten reacts to Vahelyi: Serbian President destabilizes the region (media)
• Lajcak “insightful and inspiring meeting” with Finnish President (media)

Serbian Language Media: 

• Quint and EU statement on Kosovo Government May 13 decision not to allow entry of Serbian Orthodox Church Patriarch and accompanying clergy (media, social media)
• Stano: Pristina violated the Agreement on official visits by banning the Patriarch of the SOC to enter (Kosovo Online)
• The Mesihat of the Islamic Community of Serbia condemned Pristina's decision (KiM radio, Blic)
• Office for KiM: Transport of Zvezdara Theater equipment to Kosovo forbidden (KiM radio, N1, RTS, Kosovo Online)
• Zvezdara Theater: Crew of theater play The Book of Milutin banned from entering Kosovo (Tanjug, KoSSev, Kosovo Online)
• Vucic: Pristina's moves, Srebrenica draft resolution not contributing to regional stability (Tanjug)
• Varhelyi: I hope for Serbia’s membership in EU by 2029 (Beta, N1)
• Indictment raised against Goran Rakic for not reporting incomes while being a minister (N1, KoSSev)
• Andric-Rakic: Until there is agreement on how people will receive money from Serbia, it is irrational to start with punitive measures (Kosovo Online)
• Tutin: Unknown assailants shot at police officers in the Ground Security Zone (Tanjug)
• Olena Zelenska thanked Serbia for its support to Ukraine (RTS, media)

International:

• Kosovo Nears the End of a Challenged Census Process (Prishtina Insight)
• Political Attacks, Misogynistic Insults Continue to Pollute Balkan Online Space (Balkan Insight)

Albanian Language Media:

• Kurti: CBK regulation aims at legality, not punishment (RTK)
• Kosovo, Serbia to discuss Serbian Dinar in Brussels on Wednesday (Telegrafi)
• Kosovo off the agenda at meeting of CoE Committee of Ministers (Koha)
• Statistics Agency: Over 1,420,000 persons registered in census so far (EO)
• Heads of opposition parliamentary groups also refuse Kurti’s invitation (media)
• Svecla and Tomlinson discuss intensifying cooperation on border security (media)
• Osmani commemorates Korisha massacre: Serbia wanted extermination (Koha)
• Zimmerman: Kosovo can be accepted in CoE as associate member (Albanian Post)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic: I informed Scholz about the almost unbearable situation for the Serbian community in Kosovo (Kosovo Online)
• Ukraine’s first lady pays visit to Belgrade (N1, Tanjug)
• Lawyer: Slobodan Miletic did not take part in clash in Zvecan, was standing next to church, watching what was going on (KoSSev)
• Petkovic meets with Quint ambassadors, EU delegation head (Tanjug)
• Komazec: Jedinstvo newspaper expelled for second time, threatened by forced eviction (Kosovo Online, media)
• SPM formed Municipal Committee, opened office in Zubin Potok (Radio KIM)
• Pristina’s admission to the CoE opens numerous questions: Is Serbia ready for thousands of lawsuits from Kosovo (NIN)

International:

• Fresh start for Belgrade-Pristina after the elections? (Euractive)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, May 10, 2024

Albanian Language Media:

• Kurti: Albanians of the Valley have their unwavering support (media)
• Kurti: All evidence of crimes committed during war is being collected (RTK)
• Lajcak meets with DiCarlo, discuss the Western Balkans (ekonomia)
• EC: Progress in dialogue, condition for financial benefits for Kosovo and Serbia (media)
• Rohde urges Kosovo to take bold decision: the agenda in CoE can change (Koha)
• Osmani in Texas visits the 'Bell' helicopter company (RTK)
• Kosovo inaugurates General Consulate in Poland (media)
• Conversion of illegal driver’s license to RKS, Italy congratulates Kosovo (Koha)
• Biserko: Serbia "Trojan Horse" of Russia and China in Europe (Albanian Post)

Serbian Language Media: 

• EU: Serbia and Kosovo risk missing out on funds from the Growth Plan due to lack of dialogue (RFE, KiM radio)
• Joint statement of presidents Vucic and Xi: Objecting imposition of solution on Kosovo issue and call for compliance with Resolution 1244 (Kosovo Online, Novosti)
• Djuric: Awarding Kosovo membership in Council of Europe would be an international scandal (Kosovo Online, euronews.rs)
• Serbian List: Displaying and posting national symbols is an internationally recognized right, even according to the Kosovo constitution (Radio Mitrovica sever)
• Novosti daily on new incriminating video in Leposavic municipality (Kosovo Online)
• Two Serbs arrested at Jarinje crossing point (KoSSev)
• RCC: The Western Balkans citizens' support for EU membership has declined significantly (Beta, KiM radio)
• KFOR gets new Chief of Staff (N1)
• Vucic receives UAE defense minister (Tanjug)
• Djuric meets ambassador of Mexico, expresses gratitude for support on Kosovo issue (Kosovo Online)