UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, June 29, 2023

Albanian Language Media:

• “Civil Protection” and “Northern Brigade” declared terrorist organisations (media)
• Kurti on measures: EU finds in Kosovo most honest ally and partner in region (media)
• Kusari-Lila reacts to the measures that the EU may eventually impose on Kosovo (RTK)
• Borrell: If there is no contribution for de-escalation, there will be costs (media)
• Stoltenberg: Situation in Kosovo demonstrates importance of NATO-EU cooperation (Koha)
• Charles Michel supports Rama's idea for an international conference (RTK)
• Svecla: Kosovo's borders are being protected better than ever before (media)
• Scholz calls for new elections in the municipalities of northern Kosovo (DW, media)
• Svecla: Vucic is a chronic liar; his son was stopped only once (Koha)
• Explosive device thrown at KP in north, a static point/container burned (Express)
• Abdixhiku: We’ll soon present LDK plan to overcome isolation and crisis (media)
• Haradinaj: Government should listen to Secretary Blinken’s advice (media)
• Weapons and licence plates of Novi Pazar in North Mitrovica confiscated (Kallxo)

Serbian Language Media:

• Situation in northern Kosovo calm but tense, Patriarch Porfirije visits Pec Patriarchate (RTS)
• Serbian List reacts to Kurti’s visit to north (Radio KIM, media)
• Molliqaj: Kosovo police arrested Serbs without court order (Kosovo Online)
• Pristina declared "Northern Brigade" and "Civil Protection" as “terrorist organisations” (KiM radio, Danas)
• Arsenijevic: "Civil Protection" and "Northern Brigade" do not exist in the north of Kosovo (KiM radio)
• NGOs Aktiv and KIPRED published report on institutional responses to incidents targeting non-majority communities in Kosovo (media, social media)
• Pyrotechnic device with “inflammable material” thrown at police kiosk in Mitrovica North (KoSSev)
• Kosovo special police pursued a car in Mitrovica North, disturbing local residents (KoSSev)
• Vucic says guns pointed at his son, his jersey was not taken off (Kosovo Online, social media)
• Lawyer: The Pristina court extended Dusan Obrenovic's detention for another two months (NMagazin, Beta, Kosovo Online)
• The EU demands de-escalation in northern Kosovo, warns of negative consequences (Radio Mitrovica sever, RTS)
• A new international conference on Kosovo? (Danas, FoNet)
• Ilazi: Equating protests with criminal gangs means you don't know the situation in the north (KiM radio)

International:

• BIRN Presents ‘Telco Accountability Research Using Ranking Digital Rights Methodology’ (Balkan Insight)
• Balkan Mobile Users Roam Freely – Unless They’re in Kosovo (BIRN)

Albanian Language Media:

• Kurti: I call on Serbia to cease its incitements to violence before lives are lost (media)
• Von der Leyen talks to Kurti, requests de-escalation and return to dialogue (media)
• Borrell thanks Rama for engaging in dialogue: Happy to work with you on this issue (Klan)
• Osmani: I am in Podgorica to reaffirm Kosovo's peace efforts (RTK)
• Atic reacts to hand grenade attack: “organised terrorist attack” (media)
• Rama: Kurti and Vucic should not leave next conference without an agreement (Klan)
• Serbian reporter seeks help from KP, says he was assaulted at Gazivoda Lake (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• The Vidovdan declaration read in Gracanica and Mitrovica (RTS)
• Vucevic: Security situation complex, we will protect Serbs in Kosovo (Beta, Vecernje Novosti, N1)
• Vucic: Everybody knows who wishes war at any cost, Serbia does not want it (Kosovo Online)
• Serbs gathering today in North Mitrovica, Gracanica on St. Vitus; a declaration expected (Kosovo Online, Blic)
• Drecun: I do not rule out new provocations by Pristina (Kosovo Online, TV Pink)

International:

• Bajrami: Our strategic orientation is Euro-Atlantic integration. We have no doubts about this (Diplomatic World Institute)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, June 26, 2023

Albanian Language Media:

• The three Kosovo policemen released from Serbian prison (media)
• Kurti: Despite the joy, Serbia's serious offense must be reprimanded (media)
• Osmani thanks the USA for releasing the policemen (Koha)
• Svecla after release of policemen: Serbia continues to play its games (media)
• The EU considers the release of the policemen as a de-escalation step (Albanian Post)
• Krasniqi welcomes release of policemen, “now time to defuse tensions in north” (media)
• Rama: Release of Kosovo police officers paves way to de-escalation (media)
• Bujar Osmani welcomes release of three Kosovo policemen (media)
• Kearns: Release took too far, without evident repercussions for Serbian govt (Telegrafi)
• Hungary takes the credit for the release of Kosovo policemen from Serbia (Koha)
• Rama in Brussels with a new proposal for reach of Kosovo-Serbia agreement (RTK)
• Kosovo and Iowa sign agreement to further cooperation (Radio Free Europe)
• Kurti meets Foreign Secretary Cleverly in London (media)
• The new EULEX chief takes office (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Belgrade liaison officer report on Serb detainees in Podujevo and Gnjilane prisons (KoSSev)
• Court in Kraljevo confirmed indictment and released Kosovo police officers pending trial (Kosovo Online)
• Petkovic: A judicial, not a political decision - we will fight for the release of all arrested Serbs (Radio Mitrovica sever, Tanjug)
• House of Miladinovic family in Donja Brnjica robbed (Radio KIM)
• Wigemark: People in north feel unsafe, urgent de-escalation and new elections needed (Kosovo Online)
• Drecun: Situation in northern Kosovo can only be defused by withdrawal of special units and cessation of arrests (Tanjug, RTV, RTS)
• Serbian Ombudsman: All acts of maltreatment and torture against arrested Serbs in Kosovo to be investigated (Kosovo Online)
• Antonijevic: Torture of detained Serbs from the north is an alarm for everyone (Kosovo Online, Tanjug, Twitter)
• Varhelyi welcomes release of three Kosovo police officers (Kosovo Online, social media)

Opinion:

• Zoran Ostojic: Serbs in Kosovo are hostages of the West's struggle against “Greater Albania” (KiM radio, medijacentar.info)

International:

• Serbia releases 3 Kosovo police officers whose arrest fueled tensions between the Balkan foes (AP)
• Serbia Releases Three Seized Kosovo Policemen (Balkan Insight)

Albanian Language Media:

• Kosovo Police arrest suspect of violence against KFOR (media)
• Svecla: 15-20 persons beat up two Albanian youths in the north last night (media)
• Kurti: De-escalation, new elections and full implementation of Basic Agreement (media)
• Kosovo institutions don’t know how shock bombs are entering the north (RFE)
• Rama: Without return of three policemen, tensions in north cannot be defused (RFE)
• Kurti: We need help Vatican’s help to promote peace in unsettling times (media)
• Kurti: Serbia must recognise Kosovo; I am not stubborn, I am principled (media)
• Maliqi: Kurti no longer has credibility to set conditions in dialogue (Gazeta Blic)
• Surroi compares Serbian List to Dodik (Nacionale)

Serbian Language Media:

• Arrest in North Mitrovica; KP: Arrested Serb suspected of attack on members of KFOR (Kosovo Online)
• Office for KiM: New arrest just a day after the dialogue an indication that Kurti wants new crises (gracanicaonline.info)
• Serbian List: Unfounded and arbitrary arrests as a method of persecution (KiM radio)
• We want peace, freedom and harmony, message from protest in Gracanica (KiM radio)
• Protests continue in the north, trucks with Serbian goods still at the crossings (KiM radio, Radio Mitrovica sever)
• Borrell to submit report on Belgrade-Pristina dialogue to the heads of EU diplomacy on Monday (Kosovo Online)
• Joseph in Zvecan: It is important to hear the views of Kosovo (Kosovo Online, Twitter)
• DW: The German government seeking an explanation for Gasic's accusations (KiM radio)

Albanian Language Media:

• Borrell to host series of meetings with Vucic and Kurti in Brussels today (media)
• Hovenier says Kurti should accept EU three-point plan today (RTV21)
• Sources: Osmani to call a meeting with leaders of parliamentary parties (Nacionale)
• Haradinaj to PDK and LDK: Why don’t you vote on a motion against govt? (Telegrafi)
• Osmani calls for unified international reaction for release of Kosovo officers (media)
• Stoltenberg, Milatovic call for lowering of tensions between Kosovo and Serbia (RFE)
• Citaku compares Gervalla to ministers of totalitarian countries (Koha)

Serbian Language Media:

• Dacic: Pristina's ultimate goal is the complete emigration of the Serbian people from Kosovo (Tanjug, Blic)
• The EU member states leaders to discuss the tensions between Belgrade and Pristina at the Summit in June (Danas, FoNet, RFE)
• Office for KiM: The perpetrators of the crimes against the Belacevac miners have not been found a quarter of a century (Radio Mitrovica sever, KiM radio)
• German embassy denies Minister Gasic claims on Ivanovic murder (N1)
• A humanitarian disaster threatens because of Kurti, says doctor Elek (Kosovo Online)
• Gracanica: New protest due to the arrest of D.M. (KiM radio)
• When Svecla finally remembered the presumption of innocence (KoSSev)

Opinion:

• Evil spring in the north of Kosovo: A plain and simple account of a situation that is neither (KoSSev)
• Effect of the Brussels meeting today, deterioration of relations or de-escalation? (Danas)

International:

• German minister points at Pristina to deescalate Kosovo tensions (Euractive)