LOCAL PRESS

• Palmer: America wants the whole Western Balkans to have a European perspective (N1)
• Palmer: Belgrade – Pristina agreement must be acceptable to us too (RTV)
• Vucic with Brammertz: Good cooperation (RTS)
• Serbia's FM: Another four, five withdrawals of Kosovo's' recognition by the end (Beta)
• Vucic talks about little Schengen with Rama and Zaev (Beta)
• Vucic to Critics of Russian Arms Procurement: Make up Your Mind whether We Buy Clunkers or Sophisticated Systems (VIP)
• EU chief in Serbia: Law on corruption must be implemented (FoNet)_
• Vucic: SNS’s Goal to win absolute majority in parliament at elections (Tanjug)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina
• HR Inzko to present his semi-annual report on B&H before UN SC (BHT1)
• Komsic: Authorities at B&H level should be formed as soon as possible because, otherwise, elections lose meaning (BN TV)
• UK Ambassador Field: This was year of missed opportunities (Dnevni list)
• Cubrilovic: RS and B&H are dedicated to EU integration (RTRS)
• Cubrilovic schedules special session of RSNA to define agenda for session to discuss unconstitutional transformation of Dayton structure of B&H and influence on RS (BN TV)
Croatia
• Croatian ambassadors gather to discuss upcoming EU chairmanship (HRT)
Montenegro
• Brajovic: WB will be completely stable in the EU (CDM)
• Who wants EU must impose sanctions against Russia (RTCG)
Republic of North Macedonia
• Sassoli: North Macedonia is ready to start accession negotiations (Nezavisen vesnik)
• Zaev after meeting with Sassoli: Our EU membership is irreplaceable (Republika)
• Pendarovski to Sassoli: European Council’s decision may be demotivating for Macedonia (Republika)

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

• “Norwegian model” – a bird in the hand for Skopje and the neighborhood? (Deutsche Welle)
• Balkan leaders warn that EU accession delay risks stoking tensions (Financial Times)

LOCAL PRESS

• Brnabic thanks Chinese President for principled support for Serbia’s territorial integrity (Tanjug)
• Vucic: Resumption of dialogue possible within two-three months (RTS/Tanjug)
• Vucic: We will not have easy position regarding Kosovo and Metohija issue (Tanjug)
• Dacic: Serbia has strengthened its foreign policy position (Tanjug)
• Godfrey: US wants mutual recognition agreement (Beta/Politika)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina
• Dodik on Pacolli’s call to Vucic to recognize Kosovo: RS also thinks about its status and future (RTRS)
• Izetbegovic: If Serbs do not want NATO membership then B&H will not join NATO (RTRS)
• Izetbegovic’s statement on NATO sparks reactions (N1)
• Dodik says EU decision on Albania and North Macedonia denies those who advocate that every path to EU leads through NATO (EuroBlic)
• Komsic: We should not interfere in internal issues of neighbouring countries (N1)
Croatia
• Croatia wants to pass on “enlargement torch” during its EU Presidency (Hina)
Montenegro
• Germany open for discussion on reform of negotiation rules (Pobjeda)
Republic of North Macedonia
• Sela: Government is trying to postpone the elections because it’s scared (Republika)
• Andov opposes Zaev and Xhaferi: Elections don’t have to be postponed for NATO accession process (Republika)
Albania
• Hahn: EU’s decision for opening negotiations with Albania and North Macedonia will soon change (Radio Tirana)

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES

• US envoy calls EU decision on Balkans a “historic mistake” (AP)
• Balkan leaders warn that EU accession delay risks stoking tensions (Financial Times)

United Nations Office in Belgrade

Daily Media Highlights

Friday 1 November 2019
LOCAL PRESS

• UN Security Council session on Kosovo and Metohija; UNMIK Chief criticized Chitaku (Beta/Tanjug/B92)
• Pristina sole culprit for no dialogue (Tanjug/Novosti/Beta/FoNet/RTV)
• SzS accuses EU of supporting Serbia’s regime (Beta)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina
• Izetbegovic calls on B&H lawmakers not to tie work of B&H parliament to appointment of new convocation of B&H CoM (BHT1)
• Sarovic: Work of B&H parliament cannot be connected to process of formation of new B&H CoM convocation (BN TV)
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ plan of activities for 2020 includes activities related to activation of MAP (Glas Srpske)
Montenegro
• China’s ambassador: Montenegro isn’t China’s Trojan horse (CDM)
Republic of North Macedonia
• Palmer: The United States is a friend and partner of North Macedonia (Nezavisen vesnik)
• Zaev: Filling the NATO Ambassador post is a priority (Nezavisen vesnik)
Albania
• Rama-Conte joint press conference (Radio Tirana)
• Reeker: USA disappointed. Some EU leaders have 19th-century views (Radio Tirana)

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES

• Security Council: United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UN Press Release)

United Nations Office in Belgrade

Daily Media Highlights

Thursday 31 October 2019
LOCAL PRESS

• Odalovic: Situation on the ground needs to be presented before the UN Security Council (RTS)
• Highest level of cooperation, trust between Serbia, China (Tanjug/RTS)
• Valuable support of EP in establishing dialogue on election conditions (Beta)
• Vucic: Peace, stability, regional cooperation are our priorities (Tanjug/RTS)
• Fajon: No progress in media freedom (FoNet)
• Djuric: Kurti obsessed with expelling everything that is Serbian (RTS)
• McLeod: British interest in Western Balkans unchanged (Beta)
• EU funds as ramp for the Chinese (Novosti)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina
• RS government submits 22nd Report on B&H to UN Security Council (RTRS)
• Covic: ANP cannot be stated as condition for authority formation and confirms HDZ B&H will not be part of state-level authorities without SNSD (TV1)
• Komsic blames Croats and HDZ BiH for failure to form authorities in Federation of B&H (Klix)
• B&H Presidency members meet with EU officials on Tuesday, present different views on NATO path (Hayat)
• Dodik to propose at RS parliament special session for Bonn powers to be dismissed as unlawful; OHR replies (Hayat)
• Voice of the RS is being met with understanding in official Washington (Srna)
Croatia
• Croatian PM Plenkovic presents priorities of EU Presidency of Croatia (HRT1)
• Albanian President Meta continues visit to Croatia (Hina)
Montenegro
• Djukanovic: Disappointing EU decisions won’t dash WB countries’ hopes (CDM)
Republic of North Macedonia
• Zaev now says that he will fully implement the Prespa treaty (Republika)
• Zaev rejects Russian joke offer to join the Eurasian Union (Republika)
Albania
• Minister Cakaj: Albania fulfilled the conditions to open the negotiations with EU (Radio Tirana)
• President Meta was awarded “The Grand Order of King Tomislav with Sash and Great Morning Star” by President of Croatia (Radio Tirana)

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES

• Zaev fumbles after EU Enlargement let-down (New Europe)

United Nations Office in Belgrade

Daily Media Highlights

Wednesday 30 October 2019
LOCAL PRESS

• Dacic to attend UN SC session dedicated to Kosovo and Metohija (Tanjug)
• Vucic: Serbia to behave as a sovereign country (Tanjug)
• Vucic: Situation with dialogue more difficult than it seems (RTS)
• Dacic on Bytyqi brothers case: US Congress resolution presents a form of pressure (RTS)
• Exceptional bilateral relations of Serbia, Cyprus (Beta)
• Djuric: Pristina taking region to new destabilization (RTV/Tanjug)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina
• B&H Presidency members meet with Hahn, Dzaferovic and Komsic advocate Euro-Atlantic integration of B&H (TV1)
• Inzko meets Palmer and Cormack, stresses urgent need of formation of authorities (FTV)
• Zvizdic: Meeting organized by Lajcak will not contribute to progress in process of formation of authorities (Hayat)
• Dodik: RS will demand talks with Federation of B&H on matter of Bonn powers (ATV)
• ECHR renders ruling in ‘Baralija vs. B&H’ case (FTV)
Croatia
• President receives her Albanian counterpart in Zagreb (HRT)
Republic of North Macedonia
• The Prespa treaty can’t be implemented without the EU accession talks (Republika)
• Dimitrov and Osmani discuss EU’s decision in Parliament Committee (Nezavisen vesnik)
• Pendarovski-Palmer: Western Balkan countries have no alternatives to EU membership (Republika)
• Sekerinska-Palmer: Strong US support to Macedonia and its Euro-Atlantic perspectives (Republika)
• Palmer: US strongly supports Macedonia and its European path (Republika)
• Sela waiting for Kasami and Gashi to reconcile, Thaci out of the picture (Nezavisen vesnik)
• Following the failure in Brussels, ECHR warns of danger of Greater Albania (Republika)
• Russia invites Albania, North Macedonia to join the Eurasian Union (Republika)
Albania
• Mitsotakis: Bilateral agreement on mutual recognition of patents to pass soon for approval in parliament (Radio Tirana)
• Rama: The path to the European Union and the strategic alliance with the US, the only alternative (Radio Tirana)

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES

• Bulgaria Allowed Two Russian Military Transport Planes' Flyover for Exercise in Serbia on October 20 (BTA)
• Pendarovski: The Western Balkans region is not neighboring to the EU (Al Jazeera)
• Dendias: Greece will 'closely monitor' North Macedonia's compliance with Prespes deal (ekathimerini.com)