United Nations Office in Belgrade

Daily Media Highlights

Wednesday 11 January 2023

LOCAL PRESS

• Brnabic: UN resolutions apply to Cyprus, but not to Serbia; so-called Kosovo's membership not on Interpol agenda (TV Pink/RTV)
• Dacic: Hungary to vote against so-called Kosovo's CoE, EU bids (Tanjug/RTS/Politika)
• Szijjarto: Hungary to help Serbia protect its southern border from illegal migrants (Tanjug)
• Vucevic: Strong military helped resolve Kosovo crisis peacefully (B92/Beta)
• Hill believes US-Serbia partnership will become even stronger (Danas)
• Varhelyi, Lajcak discuss Belgrade-Pristina dialogue (N1)
• Dveri: National unification is needed on Kosovo (Politika)
• People’s Party: Free citizens movement leader provoking those who stayed in opposition ranks after elections (Beta)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina
• Formal ceremony on occasion of RS Day organized in Brcko District; Dodik: January 9 should be respected and celebrated regardless of threats (RTRS)
• Dodik: Anyone’s criminal reports do not concern me, I am more interested in successes of the RS; Tegeltija: Celebration of RS Day is not violation of B&H CC’s decision (ATV)
• Dodik: Brotherly relations between Serb people in Serbia and RS unbreakable (RTRS)
• Dodik: US Ambassador’s statements are not important to me (ATV)
• Kalabukhov: OHR’s criticism of Dodik’s decision to award Putin makes no sense (RTRS)
• B&H Border Police: Members of ‘Nigh Wolves’ have not entered B&H (Dnevni avaz)
• HR Schmidt says he is concerned about marking of RS Day and decisions of RS parliament to take actions contrary to decisions of court and state (Hayat/Taggeschau.de)
Croatia
• Grlic Radman: Dodik’s moves do not threaten peace and stability of region (Hina)
Montenegro
• Abazovic: I will not remove Kovac and Damjanovic from ministerial posts after attending marking of RS Day in Banja Luka (CdM)
Republic of North Macedonia
• Kovachevski – Zelensky: N. Macedonia to continue providing support to Ukraine (MIA)
• Osmani: Aim of Albanian PM’s meeting with leaders of Albanian parties is to exchange opinions, there are no conspiracies (MIA)
• Rama’s meeting with Ahmeti, Thaci, Taravari and Gashi held last night in Tirana (Libertas)
• Before the meeting with Edi Rama, Arben Taravari met Osmani and Kurti in Pristina (Lokalno)
Albania
• Leaders of Albanian parties in N.Macedonia meet Rama (ADN)
• President Bajram Begaj receives in a meeting the new head of the OSCE presence in Tirana, Guido De Sanctis (Radio Tirana)

United Nations Office in Belgrade

Daily Media Highlights

Tuesday 10 January 2023

LOCAL PRESS

• Drecun: KFOR's response political (Tanjug/Politika/Novosti)
• Djuric: Kurti has no carte blanche support from US (TV Pink)
• West pandering to aggravation in Kosovo, Ukraine — Russian Ambassador (TASS/Tanjug)
• Dacic: Three red lines for Serbia regarding Kosovo situation (Tanjug/RTS)
• Szijjarto: Hungary to vote against Kosovo's membership in European bodies (Tanjug/RTS)
• Brnabic wishes happy Republika Srpska Day (Tanjug/RTS/RTV)
• Serbian opposition party congratulate RS inauguration day (Beta/Politika)
• Dacic: Serbia has first extended a hand, we will see the effects (TV Happy)
• Lajcak, Escobar discuss Belgrade-Pristina relations with senior NATO official (Beta)
• Grbovic: Opposition will never unite (N1)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina
• Parade held in Istocno Sarajevo on occasion of 9 January - Day of RS; Dodik: RS is republic of peace and freedom which does not threaten anyone and does not wish harm (BHT1/N1)
• Leaders of opposition congratulate RS Day; Milicevic: Current authorities cannot lead RS to progress (BN TV)
• Vucic congratulates RS Day; Comments by Dacic, Brnabic (BN TV)
• Dodik meets Dacic and Serbian delegation in I. Sarajevo (Dnevni avaz)
• Turkovic sends protest letter to Dritan Abazovic (Nova BH)
• Veterans' associations from B&H submit criminal charges against Dodik, Cvijanovic, Cosic and Stanivukovic; Hasecic blames Schmidt for not using Bonn powers (FTV)
• Parties seated in FB&H react to marking of 9 January (Oslobodjenje)
• Schmidt: Marking and celebrating 9 January as RS Day can have consequences (FTV)
• Russian Embassy criticizes OHR’s statement (Oslobodjenje)
• US Embassy: Calls for RS independence will only destroy the entity itself (Hayat)
• Dodik: No US Embassy can annul referendum on RS Day (ATV)
• Stano says political leadership in B&H and entities knows how important it is for EU that B&H adheres to letter of law (FTV)
• OSCE Mission to B&H reacts to celebration of 9 January; says decisions of B&H CC are final and binding and there is no justification for not implementing them (BHT1)
• UK Embassy: Stance on 9 January is clear and consistent (Oslobodjenje/N1)
• US’ Chollet cancels visit to B&H (Oslobodjenje)
Montenegro
• Djukanovic: If government isn’t elected by 15 March, parliament is to be dissolved (RTCG)
• Medojevic: URA and SNP blackmails come to an end, dialogue with the opposition on solving crisis needed (Pobjeda)
• Damjanovic: I was at ceremony in Banja Luka in my own name, I respect B&H’s sovereignty (Pobjeda/Nova M)
Republic of North Macedonia
• Ahmeti refused to tell Kovacevski why the “Tirana Platform 2.0” meeting was convened?! (Republika)

United Nations Office in Belgrade

Daily Media Highlights

Monday 9 January 2023
LOCAL PRESS

• Vucic: KFOR rejects Serbia’s request to return its security forces to Kosovo and Metohija (TV Pink)
• Vucic: Republika Srpska must remain foundation of stability despite challenges (Tanjug/RTS)
• Brnabic: State will request additional guarantees for Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija (Tanjug/RTS)
• Albanian shoots two Serbian boys while they were carrying badnjak (Tanjug/RTS/RTV/Novosti/Politika)
• Serb young man beaten while returning from midnight Christmas liturgy in Kosovo (N1)
• Petkovic: Attack on Serb youths a murder attempt (Tanjug/RTS/RTV/Politika)
• Thousands protest over armed attack of Serbs in Strpce (RTS/Tanjug)
• Protest in Mitrovica against SL and Vucic’s high treason (KoSSev/N1)
• Odalovic: KFOR is disgrace of international community (TV Prva/ RTV)
• EU condemns armed attack near Strpce, urges investigation (Beta)
• Chollet: Campaign for derecognition of Kosovo impeding dialogue (VoA/Beta)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina
• Dodik holds formal reception in administrative center of RS government (RTRS)
• Dodik on war in Ukraine: We do not want to interfere in conflict of two Orthodox Christian nations which with the RS has good relations; B&H got status of EU candidate because of EU’s fear of Russia (Glas Srpske)
• Vucic congratulates RS Day (FTV)
• SDA calls on PIC, OHR, EUFOR to sanctions engaged on celebration of RS Day (Hayat)
• B&H CEC confirms that SNSD has four delegates in B&H HoP, following decision of Court of B&H (O Kanal)
• SBiH and NES leave ‘The Eight (BHT1)
• NES leader Ogresevic says decision to withdraw from talks on formation of authorities with SNSD was made after adoption of Law on Immovable Property of RS and certain disputable personnel solutions (BHRT)
• Miletic strongly criticizes other political parties from ‘The Eight’, says they did favors to SNSD and changed agreement without knowledge of NES and ‘For New Generations’ (Klix.ba)
• Zvizdic: NES and SBiH’s decision to leave the state level authority did not disturb ‘The Eight’ (TV SA/Dnevni list)
• Covic: If we are wise enough, SDA will not succeed in damaging relations and destroy coalition with ‘The Eight’ (O Kanal)
• Komsic: It is concerning that ‘The Eight’ members already openly say they cannot stop Dodik (FTV)
• SDA calls on HR Schmidt to explain claims that he is preparing one-off solution to directly influence formation of FB&H authorities (O Kanal)
• SDA’s Mehmedovic: Our Response to Viskovic idea to abolish RS CoP will be to abolish constituent status of peoples (Dnevni list)
Croatia
• Dacic in Zagreb: Serbia, Croatia should compete in building peace instead of hate (Hina)
• PM: Croatian government pursues a policy of dialogue and defusing tensions (Hina)
• Plenkovic and Zelensky discuss strengthening Ukrainian defence (Hina)
Montenegro
• China’s Ambassador: Political actors to return stability to Montenegro (Pobjeda)
• Sehovic: We need dialogue in order to form a govt and prepare for elections (Pobjeda)
• Kovac and Damjanovic’s presence in RS fiercely criticized (CdM)
Republic of North Macedonia
• Mickoski: Early elections in May, constitutional change is treason (MIA)
Albania
• Rama invites ethnic Albanian party leaders from North Macedonia to a meeting (Alsat-M)

United Nations Office in Belgrade

Daily Media Highlights

Thursday 5 January 2023

LOCAL PRESS

• Vucic announces this as his last mandate as President (Beta)
• Nine countries withdrew recognition of Kosovo’s independence (RTS)
• Brnabic replies to Trajkovic (Tanjug)
• Dacic: Western policy laid bare by Die Zeit piece (Tanjug)
• Petkovic: International law exists because of petty thugs like Albin Kurti (RTV/Tanjug)
• US State Department: No announcements about Escobar visit to Serbia (Tanjug)
• Botsan-Kharchenko: Serbia-Russia relations endured, but we want more, better (Tanjug)
• French Ambassador: Year of decisive elections in Serbia (Tanjug)
• Pristina extends detention for arrested Kosovo Serb (Tanjug)
• Demostat: One half of the capital supports government, the other half in favor of the opposition (N1/Beta)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina
• ‘The Eight’ denies allegations about instability and announces continuation of formation of authorities at FB&H and B&H levels (O Kanal)
• Bosniak Caucus in RS CoP invokes VNI protection mechanism, following adoption of RS Law on Immovable Property Used for Functioning of Public Authority (BHT1)
• Dodik: Criticism of ‘The Eight’ regarding property absolutely unfounded (O Kanal)
• Radmanovic: There is no state property, B&H CoM should focus on issues on which there is consensus (Glas Srpske)
• Stevandic on meeting of ‘The Eight’: SDA and Islamic Community are trying to break coalition apart (Nezavisne)
• Becirovic: State property can only belong to B&H (FTV)
• HR Schmidt warns RS officials in letter that 9 January celebration is unconstitutional and does not symbolize multi-ethnicity (FTV)
• Dodik: No contestation of 9 January celebration from FB&H, nor politically motivated decisions will challenge sovereignty of RS and its right to decide on marking of important dates (RTRS)
• Dodik: Candidate status and European path are impossible with High Representative and foreign judges in B&H Constitutional Court (Dnevni list)
Croatia
• Covic: Future FB&H and HNC governments will have many new faces, we have to use opportunities in 2023 regarding B&H’s EU path (Vecernji list)
Montenegro
• Lekic: There’ll be no governement, some forces defeated in 2020 will rejoice (CdM)
• Black on White: We can’t agree to ultimatums, we asked before session scheduling for agreed principles in writing (CdM)
• No Lekic’s government; DF claims: URA, SNP and CIVIS undermined negotiations, presidential and parliamentary elections should be held in one day (CdM)
• DPS: Precious time lost, we call for dialogue on Constitutional Court and snap elections (CdM)
• SNP: What’s the rush to form government by 19 January, coalition agreement signing first, then parliament session (CdM)
Republic of North Macedonia
• Euro-integration is an irreversible process (Focus weekly)
Albania
• "We are NATO", US Embassy in Tirana: 30 countries share the mission to protect freedom (Radio Tirana)

United Nations Office in Belgrade

Daily Media Highlights

Wednesday 4 January 2023

LOCAL PRESS

• Vucic: The Constitution has to be respected (B92)
• Brnabic: We preserved peace in Kosovo and Metohija thanks to wise policy (Tanjug)
• Dacic: No sanctions against Russia as long as Serbia can cope with pressure from the West (Beta)
• Dacic: Another country to derecognise so-called Kosovo soon (Politika/Tanjug)
• Chief of General Staff tours troops in Raska, Novi Pazar (FoNet)
• Jeremic: Solution to Kosovo question subordinated to rule of SNS and Vucic (Beta)
• Swedish Ambassador: We want accelerated EU accession, alignment with EU foreign policy (Beta)
• Detained Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija: Pantic spent holidays with his family, Trajkovic denied medicine (RTS)
• Pristina's police at Jarinje arrest, then release teacher (Tanjug/Politika)
• KFOR removes last barricade in north of Kosovo and Metohija (RTS)
• EC: Situation in Kosovo remains fragile (Tanjug/Politika)

REGIONAL PRESS

Bosnia & Herzegovina
• SNSD’s Sulic says projects important for RS, the implementation of which stagnated, need to be unblocked at level of B&H (RTRS)
• Turkovic expresses concern about possibility that Sulic could be appointed B&H Minister of Human Rights and Refugees from rank of Bosniak people (FTV)
• Russian Embassy in B&H reacts to Turkovic’s statement about Sulic, says Russia does not interfere in process of formation of authorities in B&H (FTV)
• NES and SB&H: Talks with Dodik need to be suspended owing to Dodik’s activities (Oslobodjenje)
• No dissolution of “The Eight” (Dnevni avaz/AJB)
• Sulic’s appointment means that Bosniaks would be left without protection mechanism in CoM (Dnevni avaz)
• Istraga.ba learns OHR erases deadline to convene inaugural session of FB&H HoP (Hayat)
• RS makes final preparations for commemoration of 9 January (O Kanal/ATV/RTRS)
• Associations of war veterans and civilian victims of war in SC announce protest for Wednesday over marking of unconstitutional RS Day (ATV/RTRS)
• Vucevic speaks about marking of RS Day, says years ahead of us must be in sign of Serb uniting (Glas Srpske)
Croatia
• Croatian FM: Good neighbourly ties are important, but Serbia needs to meet expectations (N1)
• Croatian PM marks joining Schengen area with meetings with Von der Leyen, Slovenian President (Hina)
Montenegro
• No smaller country with higher tensions: Montenegro – a year of finding a solution to big crisis? (CdM/DW)
• Vukovic: Process of Montenegro’s deterioration should be stopped asap, we need agreement of pro-European forces (Portal Analitika)
• Reformist government, not a smuggling one should be formed (Pobjeda)
• Zivkovic: Lekic to be used by DF politically for its own interest, ministries already being traded like in 2020 (CdM)
• Ibrahimovic: Minister Adrovic and I are in government because of our responsible attitude towards citizens, we lead very important ministries for state (CdM)
• Abazovic: I have a correct relationship with Vucic, he isn’t governing Montenegro (Vijesti)
Republic of North Macedonia
• Kovachevski: We always have and always will insist on good neighbourliness and solidarity, no one can achieve anything alone (MIA/Tanjug)
• Analysis: North Macedonia has opened EU negotiations, process might not resume due to constitutional changes (MIA)
Albania
• 2022 year in review (Radio Tirana)
• Immigrants leave Albania after the holidays, flow out of the border points (Radio Tirana)