LOCAL PRESS • Vucic, Palmer: Taxes obstacle to Belgrade-Pristina dialogue (Tanjug/Beta/RTS) • Vucic asks Merkel to help revive dialogue with Pristina (Beta) • Dacic: Russia’s support for Kosovo at UN Security Council session (RTS/Tanjug) • Drecun: One more UN SC session, not “D Day” (RTS) • Gojkovic at opening of National Convention session (RTS) REGIONAL PRESS Bosnia & Herzegovina • Covic: We need formation of B&H CoM and proposal for changes to Election Law, only then we can discuss formation of FB&H government (Avaz.ba) • Covic addresses ceremony marking 29th anniversary of HDZ B&H in Zepce (Vecernji list) • FB&H MoI: Preliminary draft amendments to Law on Internal Affairs prepared to form reserve police unit in FB&H (BHT1) • Reactions of RS’ officials to FB&H MoI’s initiative (ATV) • Participation of Dodik and Cvijanovic in economic forum in St. Petersburg result in agreed gasification of RS (RTRS) • Dzaferovic: Dodik’s agreements with Russia regarding gasification of RS is not official stance of state since these issues were not discussed in Presidency (Hayat) • Migrant crisis in USC at critical level (Klix.ba/Vecernji list) Republic of North Macedonia • Parliament cancels debate on the new census law after objections from the opposition, boycott is now an option (Republika) Albania • President unveils main reason of elections cancelation (ADN) • Borchardt: Cancellation of elections an internal affair of Albania (ADN) • Germany supports Meta's decision to cancel local elections (ADN) INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES • Enlargement, going back to square one (New Europe) • Montenegro football coach Tumbakovic fired over Kosovo game (DW)

LOCAL PRESS • Stefanovic: How will Pristina respect Interpol when it beats up UN representatives (RTS/Beta) • Antic: Gas pipeline through Serbia to be completed as planned (Tanjug) • Kosovo Assembly delegation visits southern Serbian municipalities (Beta/Novosti) • Joksimovic with ambassadors of EU Member States, Head of Delegation on EC Report (Beta/RTS) • Keefe: Serbia and UK have complex relations, but share values (Beta/RTV) • Dacic: Serbia will always fight against a fake state (FoNet/Sputnik) REGIONAL PRESS Bosnia & Herzegovina • Hahn: B&H should not waste any more time on EU road, politicians must agree on authority formation soon (Dnevni avaz) • Wigemark: Failure to form authorities hinders progress on European road (Srna) • SNSD spokesperson Kovacevic accuses SDA and SDS of preparing conspiracy so that SDS’ Sarovic would replace SDA’s Zvizdic at post of B&H CoM Chairman (ATV) • Economic arrangements of Russia, RS and B&H discussed with Lavrov (Srna) Montenegro • DF is coming back to the parliamentary committees (Dnevne novine) Republic of North Macedonia • Netherlands sees Macedonia as “not there yet” regarding the EU accession talks; German parliament deeply divided (Republika) • Austrian MEPs demand opening of accession talks with North Macedonia and Albania (Nezavisen vesnik) • VMRO-DPMNE demands Zaev’s resignation, a technical government and early elections (Republika) • Zaev says early elections are possible if EU won’t allow opening of accession talks (Republika) • Austrian paper suggests creating a Balkan union instead of bringing Balkan countries into the EU (Republika/Die Presse) INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES • Federica Mogherini met with Gent Cakaj, Acting Foreign Minister of Albania (EEAS) • Germany: Maas recruits for the extension of the Bundeswehr mission in Kosovo (AFP)

LOCAL PRESS • Vucic: I will ask assistance from the US for abolishment of taxes (TV Prva) • Moscow launches investigation into beating of Krasnoshchekov, expects Serbia to do the same (Tanjug/RTV) • Kosovo Serb delegation meets Hellbach in Berlin (Beta) • SzS: Experts’ recommendations are platform for talks with government (Beta) REGIONAL PRESS Bosnia & Herzegovina • Dodik: Meeting with Lavrov will be opportunity to discuss cooperation between the RS, B&H and Russia, as well as regional and global issues (ATV) • Izetbegovic holds telephone meeting with Erdogan (Dnevni avaz) • Radmanovic discusses authority formation with Wigemark (Dnevni avaz) • Crnadak: I discussed cooperation and importance of authority formation with Palmer (Dnevni avaz) • Dodik: Bosniak political elite cannot stand that RS exists and that there is Serb political will (TV1) • Dzaferovic: Croatia should respond to B&H’s protest note regarding ‘Salafi’ affair (BHT1) Montenegro • Montenegro has allies always willing to help (CDM) Republic of North Macedonia • Zaev: Germans fear my friend Edi Rama could initiate unification with Kosovo, I do not believe in those things (Republika) • Zaev: Government may collapse if there is no date for accession talks with the EU this summer (Nezavisen vesnik) • The name change was not a condition for enlargement, but only for NATO membership (Republika) Albania • Basha: Despite the crisis in the country, everything will be done to open the European path of Albania (Radio Tirana) • Balla meetings with the Bundestag MPs on Albania’s negotiations opening with EU (Radio Tirana) INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES • Freedom House Report on Serbia

LOCAL PRESS • Brnabic: I will not apologize, I said the truth about the ‘people from the forest’ (RTS) • Vucic thanks Russia for condemnation of police operation in Kosovo (Beta) • Volodin: Police raid in Kosovo’s north is a provocative act (Beta/Politika) • Gojkovic: UNMIK presence in Kosovo under the same mandate is vital (RTS/Beta) • Dacic: Respect the situation in the field (O2) • Lajcak: OSCE closely monitoring situation in Kosovo; Vucic: Important that OSCE maintains neutral approach (Beta/RTS) • Dacic: Dialogue is reanimated (Beta/Tanjug/RTS/Novosti) • Mustafa: National Albanian Council to be financed by Albania (Beta) REGIONAL PRESS Bosnia & Herzegovina • Cvijanovic accuses SDA of arbitrariness and attempts to use political blockades in order to push SNSD away from B&H authorities, claims that SDA uses connections with foreign factor to maintain standstill in B&H (RTRS) • Colak: Croats will insist on amendments to Law on Elections of B&H (Vecernji list) • B&H HJPC Disciplinary Council rejects disciplinary complaint against B&H HJPC President Milan Tegeltija (ATV) • Crnadak meets Palmer, discusses authority formation in B&H (Oslobodjenje) • Stoltenberg: NATO's main priority is to help maintain peace and stability and to work with entire Balkan region (Al Jazeera Balkans) Republic of North Macedonia • Stoltenberg: We are ready to welcome you into the NATO family (Nezavisen vesnik) Albania • Meta meeting Lajcak (Radio Tirana) INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES • Moscow seeks justice for Russian diplomat beaten up in brutal Kosovo attack (TASS) • President al-Assad receives Patriarch Irinej of Serbia (SANA)

Daily Media Highlights Friday 31 May 2019 LOCAL PRESS • Vucic on Thaci’s statement: If there is no EU reaction, we know what we will do (RTS) • Vucic: Trust in western part of international community destroyed (TV Prva) • Vucic visits Russian UN staffer injured in Pristina’s raid (B92) • Brnabic: Pacolli’s statmenet in accordance with policy of preventing flow of goods (Beta) • Slovak Prime Minister: EU should have reacted more firmly to Kosovo police action (Beta/Tanjug/RTS) • Vucic, Chepurin: Police operation in northern Kosovo an obvious provocation (Beta) • Stefanovic: Serbia demonstrated strength and firmness (RTS) • Fabrizi: Serbia has not progressed enough in rule of law (RTS/Beta) REGIONAL PRESS Bosnia & Herzegovina • Dodik: Nobody can humiliate RS; RS parliament will decide about status of RS because this is unbearable (ATV) • Dodik and Izetbegovic fail to reach agreement on formation of B&H CoM and activation of MAP on Wednesday (N1) • Niksic: When it comes to formation of authorities in B&H, I am not optimistic at all (FTV) • Komsic: HNS’ policy has experienced complete defeat (Hayat) Croatia • Szijjarto says INA-MOL dispute is burdening bilateral relations (HRT) Montenegro • Head of European Union Delegation in Montenegro (TMN) Republic of North Macedonia • Optimism in North Macedonia following progress report (Nezavisen vesnik) Albania • German Officials: Albania not ready for EU (ADN) • US Embassy supports Albania's integration to EU (ADN) INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES • Lavrov urges UN to respond to Kosovo’s attempts to strip Russian diplomat of immunity (TASS)