United Nations Office in Belgrade

Daily Media Highlights

Friday 11 January 2019

LOCAL PRESS

• SNS discusses early elections (RTS/Beta/TV Prva)
• Serbia, Republika Srpska continue to strengthen relations (Tanjug)
• Vucic: Serbia always to be strong support to Republika Srpska (RTS/FoNet)
• Kocijancic: EU is working on a next high-level meeting between Belgrade and Pristina (Tanjug)
• Start of Serbia’s final negotiations with Eurasia Economic Union (Beta)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina
• Zvizdic and Dzaferovic end their contacts with Croatian Ambassador to B&H Ivan Del Vechio due to fact that Del Vechio attended celebration of Day of RS (TV1)
• Cvijanovic’s cabinet reminds that RS was formed before war and that it brought its territorial integrity in B&H (RTRS)
• Preda meets Dzaferovic and Komsic in Sarajevo (BHT1)
• Dodik: Military neutrality is definitive stance of RS which has to be respected (RTRS)
Croatia
• Croatian Ambassador erred by attending Bosnian Serb celebration, says minister (Hina/HRT)
fYROM
• Zaev fails again, parliament session postponed (Republika)
• Gruevski calls on MPs to reject the Prespa treaty (Republika)
• Mickoski: We will get back what is ours (Republika)
Albania
• President Meta turns down PM's candidate for foreign minister (ADN)
• Rama with Ambassadors: Albania supports Kosovo-Serbia dialogue (ADN)
• Meta: Independence, the territorial integrity of Kosovo are indisputable for Albania until the last second of my presidency (ADN)
• Tahiri evaluates Meta's decision for Cakaj (ADN)

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES

• Name Dispute: Prespes ratification issue is front and center (New Europe)
• EPP’s Weber comes out on Macedonia name change deal (EurActiv)

United Nations Office in Belgrade

Daily Media Highlights

Thursday 10 January 2019
LOCAL PRESS

• Brnabic: Making special ties between Serbia, Republika Srpska stronger (Tanjug/RTS)
• Brnabic: Frozen conflict in Kosovo not a good solution for Serbia (TV Happy/Tanjug)
• Dacic: Apologize to Serbs for genocide, then lecture others (Politika)
• Odalovic: Serbia submitted evidence of KLA crimes (RTS)
• SMATSA: No confirmation that Pristina will take over air space (Tanjug)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina
• RS Day marked in territory of this entity (BN TV)
• Viskovic: There is no B&H without RS (BN TV)
• RS Day celebration – reactions (Hayat/ATV/TV1)
• Inaugural session of Federation of B&H HoR resumes, MPs fail to elect Deputy Speakers (FTV)
• Reactions to Pompeo’s letter to B&H Presidency members (Hayat/Oslobodjenje/Dnevni avaz)
Croatia
• Croatian Ambassador to B&H recalled over controversial event (Hina)
Montenegro
• Is Vucic making a list of desirable Serbs from Montenegro? (Pobjeda)
fYROM
• Zaev is waiting for Merkel (Republika)
• VMRO-DPMNE will protest and will not participate in debate on constitutional changes (Meta)
• Zaev: Either ‘in favor’ or unseen crisis (Nezavisen vesnik)
• Taravari: Would have been good if the amendment related to the usage of languages was accepted (Nezavisen vesnik)

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES

• Uncertainty Hangs Over Macedonia’s Final ‘Name’ Vote (BIRN)

United Nations Office in Belgrade

Daily Media Highlights

Wednesday 9 January 2019

LOCAL PRESS

• Kuburovic: Interrogation records on Ivanovic’s murder sent to Pristina (TV Pink/Beta)
• Kocijancic: Vucic, Thaci to continue dialogue (Tanjug/RFE)
• Dacic: Republika Srpska is our vital interest (N1)
• Kusturica: Serbia should not give up Kosovo (N1)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina
• Pompeo calls on B&H Presidency to adopt National Annual Plan; stresses that B&H’s NATO path must not be changed (BHT1)
• Dodik: RS was and remains synonym for statehood, but also for freedom which soldiers gave their lives for in past wars (ATV)
• Salkic: Day of RS is still unconstitutional (TV1)
• B&H Armed Forces will not participate in Day of RS events (ATV)
• Only three cantonal governments in Federation of B&H formed so far, talks in other cantons underway (N1)
Croatia
• HDZ MP’s son detained for anti-Serb hate speech (Hina)
Montenegro
• Dacic: Belgrade-Podgorica relationship would benefit from Serbs joining government (Beta/Vijesti)
fYROM
• Zaev makes additional concessions to get Albanian votes (Republika)
Albania
• New foreign minister proposed by Rama, supporter of 'Greater Albania' (ADN)
• Rama welcomes Thaci’s idea for 2019 to be the year of NATO (ADN)

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES

• Kneissl urges France and the Netherlands “not to leave Southeastern Europe in a vacuum” (European Western Balkans)

LOCAL PRESS

• Vucic meets Serb political representatives from B&H, Montenegro, Macedonia and Croatia, in Belgrade on Christmas Day (RTS)
• Vucic guided by national, not party interests (Beta)
• Dacic against early elections and protests (Tanjug)
• Drecun: We must accept that Greater Albania will be created (TV Pink/Beta)
• Djuric: Pristina doesn’t want compromise (TV/Pink/Beta)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina
• B&H Presidency members Komsic, Dzaferovic have set NATO path of B&H as condition for formation of state-level authorities (TV1)
• B&H Presidency Komsic and Dzaferovic comment on Serbian officials’ statements linking RS and Kosovo (N1)
• Preparations for marking of RS Day underway (ATV/Srna)
Croatia
• SDP leader criticizes policies towards Serbs in Croatia (Hina)
• MEP Suica: It is Croatia’s constitutional obligation to protect interests of Croats in B&H (Slobodna Dalmacija)
Montenegro
• Let’s open borders between Montenegro, Serbia, and RS (CDM)
• Relations between Podgorica and Moscow are less intense (CDM)
fYROM
• Zaev: We will know if there is a majority for constitutional changes on the day of the vote (Meta)
• Zaev: I wish a consensual candidate for a president that would be acceptable to all citizens (Meta)
• Mickoski expects a big win for VMRO-DPMNE at the coming presidential elections (Republika)

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES

• Serbia’s Economy Remains a Chained Balkan Tiger (BIRN)

LOCAL PRESS

• Vucic: We need to reach compromise (Espreso/Tanjug/B92)
• Drecun: Albania looking to annex our territory (RTS/Tanjug/B92)
• Vulin: Do we need this kind of EU (Beta)
• Chepurin: Putin’s word is like a fortress (Tanjug)
• D’Addario: We are not obliged to disarm Kosovo security forces (Tanjug/RTS)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina
• Davor Dragicevic still missing; Stanivukovic questioned at District Public Prosecutors Office in Banja Luka (FTV/BNTV/N1)
• UK Embassy to B&H: Davor Dragicevic is not in UK Embassy (BNTV)
• EU Delegation to B&H states they are closely following events in Banja Luka (BNTV)
• B&H CoM fails to adopt national program of reforms as last condition for activation of MAP (N1)
• Cvijanovic: RS position on path to NATO must be respected and accepted (Srna, by Tatjana Paradjina)
fYROM
• Stoltenberg wants Macedonia and Greece to ratify the name change treaty by 15 February (Republika)
• Gjorcev: We need a presidential candidate who will articulate the growing dissatisfaction with Zoran Zaev (Republika)

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES

• Name deal to play pivotal role in 2019 (ekathimerini.com)