United Nations Office in Belgrade

Daily Media Highlights

Thursday 9 March 2023

LOCAL PRESS

• Brnabic: State has shown that it can deal with crises (RTS/RTV/Tanjug/Novosti)
• Vucic with Botsan-Kharchenko about situation in Kosovo and Metohija (RTS/RTV/Tanjug)
• Dacic: EU enlargement policy needs to be revitalised (RTV/Tanjug)
• International community should condemn beating of Serb young men in Josanica (Tanjug/RTV)
• Todic: It is not easy to be a Serb in Kosovo, they hit where it hurts the most (TV Pink)
• Orlic: Part of opposition never requested special session on Kosovo (TV Pink/Beta)
• Dveri: European Parliament to stop pressure against Serbia (Beta)
• Stojanovic: Forming of People’s Movement for the state – one more manipulation by Vucic (Beta)
• Serbian army unit sent to peacekeeping operation mission in Lebanon (Tanjug)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina
• Dodik: International efforts to intensify pressure to solve Balkan issues, during conflict in Ukraine, are visible (RTRS)
• Dodik discusses issues of functioning and formation of authorities with Covic at working breakfast in Banja Luka (O Kanal)
• FB&H leadership comments on the authority formation in FB&H and on HR Schmidt’s possible intervention; Bradara: I am in favor agreement instead of any intervention (Nova BH/RTV)
• Sattler visits Posavina Canton (FTV)
• HR Schmidt meets Sarrazin; OHR: HR expressed his appreciation for Germany’s continued support to B&H’s efforts on European integration path (Dnevni avaz)
• Sarazzin meets with Becirovic; Sarazzin says goal of his visit to B&H is to get information on how Germany can help B&H fulfil its obligations in continuation of European path (BHT1)
• Kristo and Sarrazin discuss how to speed up Euro-Atlantic integration of B&H (FTV)
• Ambassador Murphy: Our reaction to Reis Kavazovic was not personal; Rhetoric in the country is horrible (Dnevni avaz)
• Dodik announces new law on non-governmental organizations identical to US law that labels NGO members as foreign agents (Nova BH)
Croatia
• Strong support for Kosovo on the European path (HRT)
Montenegro
• Vuksanovic Stankovic to submit SDP’s initiative: Fundamental Agreement with SPC to be assessed for constitutionality (CdM)
• Picula head of EP mission at presidential elections in Montenegro (CdM)
Republic of North Macedonia
• Strengthening judiciary at all levels in North Macedonia a top priority, says US Ambassador Aggeler (MIA)
• NATO official: Skopje under sustained hybrid attack (MIA)
• Skopje signs agreement with Bechtel Enka to build roads to Albania, Greece (MIA)
Albania
• Nikolla-La Russa: Albania, a model partner that generates stability and security in the region (Radio Tirana)
• Kim on administrative elections: The state guarantees the right to choose freely and in secret (Radio Tirana)

LOCAL PRESS
• President Vucic begins the formation of the People's Movement for the State (Tanjug)
• Another Serb arrested for an alleged war crime in Kosovo (RTS)
• The Office for KiM provided legal assistance to the arrested Arsic (RTS)
• Lajcak coming to Pristina and Belgrade to prepare meeting between vucic and Kurti (Beta)
• Scholz expects constructive results from European proposal for Kosovo (Beta)
• Belgrade University students call for rejection OF EU plan for Kosovo (Beta)
• Parties: Rally against EU agreement in Belgrade will be supra-partisan (Beta)
• People’s Party pushing for Vucic’s impeachment (Danas)
• Stoltenberg: The KFOR mission in Kosovo is important for peace and stability (Tanjug)
• US diplomat told Serbia: Russia brutally attacked Ukraine, I hope you will understand (Beta)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina
• HR Schmidt is satisfied with the results of decisions he enacted on election day (AJB)
• HDZ B&H’s Bradara takes over as FB&H President, holds talks with SDP’s Niksic (FTV)
• Stojanovic expects HR to take action if deadline for appointment of FB&H Government is missed; Cavalic: Snap elections are highly unlikely because parliamentary majority already exists (BHT1)
• Three scenarios can be expected - that FB&H Government led by Novalic enters third term, that OHR intervenes, or that FB&H Parliament adopts changes to FB&H Constitution (N1)
• SDA’a Pivic: I believe HR Schmidt will not make new intervention in favor of ‘The Eight’, but if he does SDA will use all legal means to defend democratic character of B&H; ‘The Eight’ promised third entity to HDZ B&H (Hayat)
• RS Officials on US Embassy’s reaction to Reis’ statement (Nova, ATV)
• B&H Presidency member Becirovic condemns latest verbal attacks on IZ B&H Head Kavazovic (Nova BH)
• Stano comments the case of Kavazovic’s statements: It is not EU’s business to comment every statement which is said or taken out of context (ATV)
• HR Schmidt on state property law: No one wants to abolish the RS, but distribution of property must finally be regulated and solution must be reached through negotiations of all parties (AJB)
• Dodik writes to Viskovic, expects RS Government to prepare documents for discussion in RSNA on RS Law on Immovable Property (RTRS)
• French Secretary of State Boone meets with Becirovic and Karic, expresses support to EU path of B&H (O kanal)
• There was no agreement in B&H Presidency to approve joint exercise of B&H Armed Forces and Serbian Army (RTRS)

Croatia
• Croatian President expects all EU members to recognise Kosovo (Hina)
• Croatia and Kosovo are close friends, economic relations are growing (HRT)

Montenegro
• Abazovic: The election of new ministers is not on the agenda, whoever wants to form a government should do so (Vijesti)
• Krivokapic: Protecting power at all costs leads to financial and political sanctions of the Euro-Atlantic partners (CDM)
• Kordic: It would be good if a new government is formed before Djukanovic dissolves the Assembly (Aplus TV)
• The Difficult Birth of Democracy in (Almost) Post-Djukanovic Montenegro (Geopolitika)

Republic of North Macedonia
• Lloga: No vetting without the internationals (Alsat-M)
• Clashes between the "Fiery Group" and DUI intensify (Alsat-M)

Albania
• The Franco-German plan/ Rama: The parties should accept it with all their courage! Scholz: There is progress (Radio Tirana)
• German Chancellor Olaf Scholz: Albania's voice is 100% the same as that of the EU (Radio Tirana)
• Jens Stoltenberg welcomes Begaj in Brussels: Albania's important and active role in NATO (Radio Tirana)

United Nations Office in Belgrade

Daily Media Highlights

Tuesday 7 March 2023

LOCAL PRESS

• Dacic: No need for new discussion in parliament, nothing has been signed (FoNet/Politika)
• Milicevic: No need for new session on Kosovo and Metohija (Tanjug)
• Vucevic: Serbia not selling arms to Ukraine via Turkey (TV Pink/Beta)
• Hill says ZSO must be formed, hopes Serbia will join NATO (Beta)
• Cochard: Progress in normalization of relations with Pristina possible without crossing red line (RTV/Tanjug)
• Giaufret says time for region to decide its future (FoNet)
• Outcome of dialogue a step forward, we will not recognise Kosovo - Spanish MFA (Tanjug/RTV)
• IMF: Fuel prices in Serbia will have to rise (Beta)
• Serbia home to 124,000 migrants last year (Beta)
• Arrested Kosovo Serb released pending ruling – lawyer (Tanjug/Politika/Novosti)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina
• Statement of Reis Kavazovic sparks reactions (Dnevni avaz/ATV)
• Lendo: Whatever HR or someone else decides when it comes to imposing new decisions regarding formation of FB&H government will be considered rape of democracy (Hayat)
• Bijedic: HR Schmidt is playing for Covic and HDZ B&H (Hayat)
• Bosniak nationalists organized via SDA are not stopping threats against ‘The Eight’ and HR Schmidt (Dnevni list)
• Grlic Radman welcomes interventions HR on the election night and repeats well-known views on the need to amend B&H Election Law (FTV)
• Prosecutor’s Office of B&H forms case against Dodik for genocide denial (BHT1/ATV)
• OHR: Proposed changes to the RS Criminal Code warrant additional public debate and consideration (O Kanal)
• Dodik, Cvijanovic: No one is targeting journalists; All fears that media community has will be eliminated in public discussion procedure (BHT1)
• Cvijanovic: EU integration is B&H’s strategic goal, but B&H first needs to demonstrate it can manage processes on its own; Foreign judges must be removed from B&H Constitutional Court (Nezavisne)
• Cvijanovic conditions holding of planned military exercise of Armed Forces of B&H with NATO on holding of same exercise with Serbian Army (FTV)
Croatia
• Plenkovic and Frederiksen tour works on the Rijeka Gateway project Domagoj Ferencic (HRT)
Montenegro
• Bastijancic and Picula: The best way to end the crisis is to hold early parliamentary elections (CdM)
Republic of North Macedonia
• Kovachevski-Peach: North Macedonia continues to serve as factor of stability in region (MIA)
• Pendarovski meets Peach (MIA)
Albania
• The National Plan for European Integration 2023-2025 is approved (Radio Tirana)
• Rama with the Danish Prime Minister: The visit has geopolitical importance! Frederiksen: You are the strongest voice in Europe for the integration of the Balkans (Radio Tirana)
• Rama commemorates the 25th anniversary of the KLA epic (Radio Tirana)

LOCAL PRESS

• Formation of Community of Serb Municipalities reality after last round of negotiations in Brussels (TV Pink)
• Serbia did not sell arms either to Ukraine or Russia (Beta)
• Dacic: Serbia not exporting arms to Ukraine or Russia (Tanjug/RTS)
• Petkovic: Belgrade devoted for normalization of relations, but it will never recognize so-called Kosovo (Tanjug/RTV)
• Djilas: Acceptance of the European plan “inevitable” (Beta/Politika)
• Opposition divided over an initiative for another parliament session on Kosovo (Beta)
• Jovanovic: West won’t allow early parliamentary elections, they need Vucic (Beta)
• Serb NGOs from Kosovo write to Patriarch (Beta/Danas)
• Giaufret: EU proposal historic opportunity, will bring investments to Kosovo, Serbia (Kurir/Beta)
• Pristina denies liaison officer's request to visit Serb detainees (Tanjug)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina
• EUD/EUSR Refrain from moves contrary to B&H CC decisions (Dnevni avaz)
• 30-day deadline for formation of FB&H government starts running (FTV)
• Covic: FB&H government most likely to be formed in next 30 days (O Kanal)
• HR Schmidt expects officials in FB&H to reach a solution on new government on their own, noting they committed to EU to do that (FTV)
• New blockades of EU path to be carried out by Dodik, because of his stances on Kosovo (Dnevni avaz)
• Dodik: B&H CC political decisions have no importance too us (Oslobodjenje)
• RS parliament to discuss Draft Law on amendments to RS Criminal Code that introduce insult and defamation as criminal offenses; RS authorities justify Law, say law will be subjected to public debate (RTRS)
• Dodik: No one is targeting journalists with draft law on defamation; Public discussion procedure to eliminate media community’s fears (ATV)
• OSCE representatives consider that criminalization of defamation in RS is step backwards in already fragile media freedom environment in RS entity (O Kanal)
• EUD: Criminalization of defamation in RS would represent setback in terms of guarantees of freedom of expression as fundamental human right (Hayat)
• US Embassy: Criminalization of defamation in RS would threaten freedom of expression as basic human right and would have direct impact on journalists’ ability to report truthfully (Hayat)
Croatia
• Covic meets with Minister Butkovic; Head of Municipality of Ravno Simunovic and Croatian Minister Butkovic sign agreement on construction of road Zavala-Orahov do- Croatian border (HRT1)
• Plenkovic survives opposition motion for his recall (HRT)
• Grlic Radman: By helping Ukraine we defend our own security (Hina)
Montenegro
• Bulatovic from Podgorica blew himself up with a bomb in Basic Court, several people injured (CdM)
• Montenegrin European Alliance – A platform for the future (CdM)
• Over 7,000 companies set up, more than half belongs to Russians (RTCG)
Republic of North Macedonia
• Osmani: Non-party consensus lays out path to European relations between Skopje and Sofia (MIA)
• Kovacevski: Constitutional amendments through broad social consensus (TV24)
• Mickoski: Constitutional changes not a priority for citizens (MIA)
Albania
• Opposition holds an anti-government protest in front of the Prime Minister's Office (Radio Tirana)

United Nations Office in Belgrade

Daily Media Highlights

Friday 3 March 2023

LOCAL PRESS

• Vucic with Hill about talks in Brussels and formation of ZSO (Tanjug/RTS/RTV)
• Vucic meets with MacLeod (Tanjug/RTV)
• Dacic: Reactions to Vucic's approach in Brussels positive (Tanjug/Politika)
• Petkovic to Konrad: Pristina avoiding obligation to form ZSO (RTV/Beta)
• People’s Party opposed signing of Agreement on roadmap for normalizing relations between Kosovo, Serbia (Beta)
• Stano: Brussels meeting was not about signing EU proposal (Tanjug/RTS/RTV)
• Gori: Reforms need to continue, relations to be normalized with Kosovo for faster EU integration (Beta)
• Deception of Serbs, deception of Russia (RIA Novosti/Tanjug/Sputnik/B92)
• Zakharova: Russia concerned over allegations of Serbia’s involvement in arms sale to Ukraine (Beta/RIA Novosti)
• Hill: Belgrade-Pristina dialogue significantly affecting US investments in Serbia (Beta)
• We expect implementation of all agreements to date - Slovak MFA (Tanjug)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina
• B&H CC passes temporary measure banning application of RS Law on Immovable Property until B&H CC’s final decision (FTV)
• Becirovic welcomes B&H CC’s temporary measure regarding RS Law on Immovable Property (N1)
• Zvizdic: State of B&H is only owner of state property (BHT1)
• Dodik announces that new Law on Immovable Property of the RS is being prepared (O Kanal)
• Cvijanovic: With its decisions, B&H CC undermined rule of law in B&H (ATV)
• Viskovic: B&H CC has shown again that it is the extended arm of interests of certain international circles (ATV)
• Stevandic: B&H CC tried to correct Schmidt’s mess, thereby humiliating him (ATV/FTV/RTRS/BHT1/N1)
• RS opposition believes that property should belong to the RS, but that political games are being played when it comes to this issue (FTV/BHT1)
• Murphy and Kavazovic welcome HR’s decision to suspend Law on Immovable Property of RS (Avaz)
• B&H CEC adopts decision on establishing of results of indirect elections for FB&H President and Vice Presidents (O Kanal/Nova BH/Hayat)
• B&H HoP appoints members of commissions (FTV)
• Leaders of SNSD, SP RS, ‘United Srpska’, DEMOS, NPS and NDP sign new coalition agreement that will be valid until 2026 (ATV)
• Cvijanovic addresses Non-Aligned Movement Contact Group Summit in Baku (RTRS)
• Dodik meets with Sattler in Banja Luka (RTRS)
Montenegro
• Djukanovic: Montenegro will regain stability and become EU member in next 5 years (CdM)
• Abazovic: Support for Becic or Milatovic possible (CdM)
Republic of North Macedonia
• Parliament elects deputy-ministers, ends government reshuffle session (Kanal 5/Sitel/Alsat M)
• North Macedonia, Bulgaria MFAs hold consular consultations in Sofia (MIA)
Albania
• 110 years of diplomatic relations with Bulgaria, Ambassador Kirov: We will help you enter the EU (Radio Tirana)
• Skeates discusses the implementation of the agreement between the United Kingdom and Albania (Radio Tirana)
• Albania opens Embassy in Azerbaijan (Radio Tirana)