United Nations Office in Belgrade

Daily Media Highlights

Wednesday 4 December 2019

LOCAL PRESS

• Vucic with Putin in Sochi (RTS)
• Vucic and Putin: Strategic partnership between Serbia and Russia is getting stronger (Tanjug)
• Putin: Our stance on KiM is immutable (B92)
• Vucic about meeting Putin: We don’t stab friends in the back (Tanjug, Beta)
• Early helicopter delivery gesture from Russia, Vucic says (Beta)
• Vucic: Reforms of army to continue, no more weapons purchases (Beta)
• Vucic and Cerar discuss bilateral cooperation, ties in the region, EU integration (Beta)
• Varhelyi: Serbia needs to speed up reforms on road to EU (Beta)
• Weber: Continuous momentum in integration needed (Beta)
• Jeremic: SzS not giving up election boycott (Beta)
• Serbia receives agreement to open Chapter 4 in Accession Talks in December (RTS)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina
• Dodik: NATO membership is not option for RS; This is century of Serb integration (ATV)
• Two-day session of PIC SB begins in Sarajevo (BHT1)
• B&H CoM session takes place; SNSD’s Kosarac: Postponing of B&H CoM’s session and holding of session afterwards only proves disputable behavior of current B&H CoM (ATV)
• B&H Presidency members pay official visit to Slovenia (FTV, Srna)
• Representatives of RS Government confirm that new decision is being prepared with aim of protecting January 9 as Day of RS (Glas Srpske)
• Greek PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis challenges French President Emmanuel Macron over move to block EU enlargement (BHT1)
Croatia
• Nigerian students participating in World InterUniversities Championships exiled to Bosnia! (TCN)

Republic of North Macedonia
• NATO Summit in London – Zaev: Blocking EU negotiations was unfair (Nezavisen vesnik)
• Pendarovski: France will not veto Macedonia from opening EU accession talks again (Republika)
• Zaev’s corruption gives ammunition to the critics of enlargement, Mickoski tells Weber (Republika)

INTERNATIONAL NEWS ARTICLES

• Serbia "shielding" Russia from NATO (Russia Today)

United Nations Office in Belgrade

Daily Media Highlights

Tuesday 3 December 2019

LOCAL PRESS

• Vucic: I don't mind what others think, Serbia will maintain good relations with Russia and China (Beta)
• Vucic: If that's okay with them, all right and thank you, if not - thank you, anyway (Tanjug)
• Falconi: French enlargement reform proposal could benefit Serbia (Beta)
• Slovenian FM: No doubt about Serbia wanting to join EU (Beta)
• Djuric and Schieb discuss situation in Kosovo, chances for resuming Belgrade-Pristina dialog (Beta)
• Lukashenko welcomed: Anthem, honorary military salute and red carpet (Tanjug, VIP)
• SNS official says second pro-Vucic gathering spontaneous (Beta, N1, VIP)
• Opposition dissatisfied over not being invited to the meeting with EP representatives (FoNet)
• Association 1 in 5 million demands meeting EP representatives (Beta)
• Djuric: Indictments are a continuation of the pursuit, aim to blame the Serbs (RTS)
• Kosovo's power network is being separated from the Serbian power network (Tanjug)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina
• SDA is again postponing appointment of B&H CoM because of issues with forming of Federation of B&H Government (EuroBlic)
• PIC SB to discuss situation in B&H on Tuesday and Wednesday (ATV)
• Organizing Committee for Marking of RS’ Day, January 9, holds inaugural session (ATV)
Montenegro
• PM DuskoMarkovic: Montenegro is committed to reform (RTCG)
• Pazin: We’ll become EU Member State if competent institutions assume full responsibility (CDM)

INTERNATIONAL NEWS ARTICLES

• ‘Mini Schengen’: A Balkan breakthrough or political stunt? (BIRN)
• Four new Russia’s helicopters arrive in Serbia (Sputnik)

LOCAL PRESS

• Pristina’s attempt to join ERGP thwarted (RTS/Tanjug)
• Vucic meets Grushko ahead of meeting with Putin (Tanjug/Novosti/Politika)
• Relations between Serbia, Russia at highest level (Tanjug/Beta)
• US expects Russia to respect Serbian strategic goals (Politika)
• Odalovic: “Hot winter” awaits us (RTS)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina
• Dodik: I will not act like Ivanic and I will deliver Program of Reforms to RS parliament (Hayat)
• Dzaferovic: Sending of Program of Reforms to Brussels does not depend on decision or discussion in any body in B&H (Hayat)
• Inzko: B&H needs to act in line with its laws and strategies when it comes to relations with NATO (Nezavisne novine)
• Inzko: Russia wants to expand its influence, which is why Putin found time to hold 10 meetings with Dodik and even more meetings with Vucic (Face TV)
• Inzko claims that there is 60 percent chance B&H CoM will be formed as there may be additional obstacles or new ideas (Face TV)
• Transcript from recent session of Commission for Preparation of B&H CoM Appointment denies Borenovic's claims that Tegeltija said that decisions and conclusions of RS parliament are not binding for him (ATV)
• Grabar-Kitarovic pays tribute to convicted war criminal Praljak (Hayat)
Croatia
• Croatian and Serbian Intelligence Services trade accusations (Hina)
Montenegro
• Djukanovic re-elected as DPS leader, Markovic as vice-president (CDM)
• Markovic, Zaev: EU integration has no alternative (CDM)
• Rood: Poor rule of law and Russia’s malign influence are main threats (Pobjeda)

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES

• Greece champions EU Enlargement in the Western Balkans (New Europe)

LOCAL PRESS

• Vucic: Serbia economically progresses four times faster than European countries (TV Pink/Beta)
• Dacic: Two thirds of African countries support Serbia in preserving its territorial integrity and sovereignty (RTV/FoNet)
• Vulin: Greater Albania will not pass (Novosti)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina
• Bissel: B&H Presidency’s Program of Reforms represents continuation of reforms with B&H (N1/Dnevni avaz)
• Kavalec: Agreement on formation of authorities in B&H is good news; OSCE will support and respect B&H’s decision on its NATO path (FTV)
• Dzaferovic thanks Mattarella on Italy’s support to European and NATO path of B&H (FTV)
• Ivantsov and Dodik discuss agreement on formation of state authorities (ATV)
• Abolish immunity to Americans for sake of path to EU (EuroBlic)
Croatia
• Plenkovic and Orban open Hungarian student dormitory in Osijek (Hina)
Albania
• Rama's future daughter-in-law is among dozens killed in earthquake (ADN)

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES

• Serbian, Chinese police demonstrate joint anti-terrorism capacities (Xinhua)
• Kosovo’s Kurti Set to Shake up Relations with Albania (BIRN)
• Turkey Urged to Send Special Envoy to Balkans (BIRN)

LOCAL PRESS

• Serbia sends aid to Albania in earthquake relief (Politika)
• Dacic thanks Iraq for support for Serbia’s territorial integrity (Beta)
• Djuric: Kurti fell into the trap of his own blurred reasoning (RTV/Tanjug)
• Stojanovic: Many appoint relatives, friends to control arms exports (Beta)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina
• Commission for Preparation of Appointment of B&H CoM confirms candidacy of Tegeltija for new Chairman of B&H CoM (BN TV)
• RS parliament rejects request to discuss Program of Reforms of B&H (RTRS)
• Viskovic: ‘Program of Reforms of B&H’ does not prejudge final decision on NATO membership (Glas Srpske)
• Grabar-Kitarovic to pay visit to Mostar; HDZ B&H offers its full support in her pre-election campaign (Dnevni avaz)
• Media report that Lajcak will be appointed as Special Representative of EU for WB; Dodik says B&H does not need such representative (N1)
Montenegro
• Only one process should happen in WB – EU accession (CDM)
• “Odupri se” movement set to hit streets again (TMN)
Republic of North Macedonia
• Dendias in Skopje, Tsipras in Paris to support the European prospects of North Macedonia
• (Nezavisen vesnik/MIA)
Albania
• Deadly quake claims at least 22 lives (ADN)

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES

• European Parliament confirms von der Leyen Commission (Politico)