Albanian Language Media:

• Kurti: Coming weeks, critical in coronavirus fight (Telegrafi)
• Thaci writes to Kurti, says he is waiting for reply for PM candidate (media)
• Lajcak writes to Thaci about his engagement in dialogue with Serbia (media)
• Croatia remains in support of visa liberalisation for Kosovo (media)
• Slovakia supports visa liberalisation for Kosovo (Klan Kosova)

Serbian Language Media:

• UNSG Guterres: “COVID-19 Pandemic threatens international peace and security” (B92, Tanjug)
• Mitrovica North and Zvecan: New movement restrictions in place (Radio kontakt plus)
• Two new Covid-19 infected cases in northern Kosovo (Radio kontakt plus)
• Crowding in Mitrovica North increases, citizens differently on new measures (Kosovo-online)
• Spiric: Press conference live streamed without our consent (KoSSev)
• Western Balkans call for EU exemption on exports of medical gear (N1, Politico)
• ”Coronavirus death rates in the former Yugoslav republics” (N1)

International:

• Naming New PM Not A Priority During Pandemic, Kosovo’s Kurti Tells RFE/RL

Humanitarian/Development:

• Civil Rights Defenders released report on Internet freedoms in the Western Balkan Region (crd.org)
• Teachers make the push for distance learning (Prishtina Insight)

Albanian Language Media

Kurti: Coming weeks, critical in coronavirus fight (Telegrafi)

Acting Prime minister of Kosovo Albin Kurti said that the next few weeks will be critical in Kosovo’s fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

He said that the public healthcare system in Kosovo is not at a satisfactory level and that this requires more efforts in preventing the spread of the pandemic. He appealed to the citizens to respect the calls for staying at home. 

Speaking to reporters during a visit to Lipjan and Ferizaj, Kurti said: “I call on the citizens to, despite the good April weather, respect the decisions of the acting government and instructions of the health experts.”

Thaci writes to Kurti, says he is waiting for reply for PM candidate (media)

President of Kosovo Hashim Thaci has written a letter to acting Prime Minister and leader of the Vetevendosje Movement (LVV) Albin Kurti saying that he is waiting for a reply to his request to the party to propose a new candidate for prime minister following the motion of no confidence against the government of Kosovo.

“The citizens of the Republic of Kosovo and political parties represented at the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo rightfully expect the forming of a new Government and expect me to decree the candidate proposed for Prime Minister,” Thaci said in the letter.

“I have to remind you once again that my constitutional mandate obliges me to guarantee the democratic functioning of the Republic of Kosovo institutions, including ensuring the name of the new candidate for Prime Minister to form the Government of the Republic of Kosovo. As President of the Republic of Kosovo I will take this action by following all constitutional steps so that the citizens of the Republic of Kosovo have a new government in place as soon as possible.”

Lajcak writes to Thaci about his engagement in dialogue with Serbia (media)

The EU Special Representative for Belgrade-Pristina dialogue, Miroslav Lajcak, has written a letter to President of Kosovo, Hashim Thaci, informing him that he has already started his work.

Lajcak said that his appointment “signals the EU’s renewed engagement in the Dialogue” and that he plans to work ‘tirelessly’ to advance the process. “I expect Pristina and Belgrade to renew their commitment with the same determination,” he said. 

“I am convinced that with genuine political will by the two parties and through dialogue, we can achieve the results we all aim for, for the benefit of the people in Kosovo and in Serbia. I see in Kosovo’s decision to lift the tariffs an important and concrete step for the resumption of the EU Facilitated Dialogue.”

Lajcak further expressed the EU’s support for Kosovo in fighting the coronavirus pandemic and underlined that the region of the Western Balkans is of utmost importance to the European Union. 

Croatia remains in support of visa liberalisation for Kosovo (media)

Kosovo’s acting Minister of European Integration Blerim Reka met today Ambassador Daniela Barisic whose country Croatia currently holds the presidency of European Union.

Reka thanked the EU for emergency assistance to Kosovo for fighting the coronavirus pandemic and urged the Croatian presidency of the bloc to push forward the visa liberalisation process for Kosovo, a statement issued by the Ministry of European Integration said. 

“Minister Reka informed Ambassador Barisic that even under the current circumstances of the pandemic, the acting Government and the Ministry of European Integration remain committed in implementing European reform agenda.”

Ambassador Barisic on her part stated that Croatia continues to support visa liberalisation for Kosovo. She also informed Reka that the EU-Western Balkans summit scheduled to take place in Zagreb has been postponed and is now set to take place some time in June due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Slovakia supports visa liberalisation for Kosovo (Klan Kosova)

The head of the Slovakian Liaison Office for Kosovo, Rastislav Kostilnik, said that his country has never opposed the proposal for granting Kosovo visa liberalisation.

“I would like to use this opportunity to clarify that Slovakia was never against Kosovo – visa liberalisation for Kosovo. Citizens of Slovakia think the sooner visa liberalisation happens the better,” Kostilnik told Klan Kosova. 

He also spoke about his country’s position on Kosovo’s Interpol membership bid saying it was constructive. As for membership to UNESCO, he said that the opposition to Kosovo joining the organisation was “comprehensive” and was taken after consultation with political parties, the government, and parliament. 

“It was not a decision of one person but a collective one and the reason why we were against is that Kosovo has a lot of work to do, such as return to the dialogue process with Belgrade, facilitated by the European Union.”

Serbian Language Media

UNSG Guterres: “COVID-19 Pandemic threatens international peace and security” (B92, Tanjug)

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has warned members of the UN Security Council that coronavirus pandemic is threatening international peace and security

Mr. Guterres told the UN Security Council the pandemic could potentially lead “to an increase in social unrest and violence that would greatly undermine our ability to fight the disease”.

“The engagement of the Security Council will be critical to mitigate the peace and security implications of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Guterres told council members during the videoconference, as AP reports.

On March 23, Guterres issued a call for an immediate global cease-fire to help focus efforts on fighting the virus.

“This could lead to an escalation of violence and possibly devastating miscalculations, which could further entrench ongoing wars and complicate efforts to fight the pandemic,” he said.

In a statement after the meeting, council members expressed their support for the secretary-general‘s efforts concerning the potential impact of the pandemic and “recalled the need for unity and solidarity with all those affected.”

See at: https://bit.ly/3a01B0N

Mitrovica North and Zvecan: New movement restrictions in place (Radio kontakt plus, KoSSev)

Crisis committees of Mitrovica North and Zvecan municipalities made a decision to ban movement to all persons in the period from midday to 6 a.m Radio kontakt plus reports. The measure enters in force today, April 10 and will last two weeks.

The crisis committees said the new measure is introduced because of the increased number of persons infected with coronavirus. It was also said that the decision was made in coordination with responsible health institutions.

This measure does not apply to persons engaged in supply of foodstuff, medicaments, institutions, health and security sectors, leadership and critical staffers of the municipalities as well as members of the crisis committees. Citizens in need of medical help are excluded from this measure.

According to the crisis committees, the measures introduced so far remain in force, these two municipalities are in quarantine and coronavirus-infected citizens will be placed in the student dormitories until further notice.

Gathering indoors before the curfew is prohibited, except in the case of organizations, and a physical distance of two meters must be maintained – the crisis committees said, adding that the use of protective masks and gloves is mandatory.

From here on, shops are obliged to disinfect their premises several times during the day, especially shopping carts and baskets. No more than two shoppers are allowed in stores at a time.

Mitrovica North mayor Goran Rakic called on all citizens to have support and understanding regarding these measures, stressing that this is a joint struggle.

Mitrovica North and Zvecan municipalities were placed in quarantine last Friday, and the movement  between the two municipalities was banned on Monday, April 6.

Meanwhile, Radio kontakt plus reported citing the statement of the Kosovo Ministry of Health that in line with epidemiologic situation and recommendations of the Ministry of Health, in coordination with municipalities, a new movement timetable was introduced in the municipalities that are under quarantine already in order to prevent the spread of coronavirus. This includes Malisevo, Mitrovica North and Zvecan.

Minister of Health Arben Vitia said that in the coming days, depending on epidemiologic situation in other municipalities and in coordination with them, additional measures would be undertaken in order to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

Two new Covid-19 infected cases in northern Kosovo (Radio kontakt plus)

Two new Covid-19 infected cases have been registered today in Mitrovica North municipality, epidemiologist Aleksandar Antonijevic said, Radio kontakt plus reports.

“Until now the Institute for Public Health in Mitrovica has taken and sent 304 samples for testing, and yesterday 38 persons were tested,” Antonijevic said.

He added, the number of testing increases, and today 28 new samples were sent for the analysis. He also appealed to the local residents to go to the local health houses in case they experience any symptoms.

Until now, the total number of Covid-19 infected persons in Mitrovica North is 22, in Zvecan 10, in Leposavic 4 including the person who passed away, in Zubin Potok 3, and one in central Kosovo, thus making the total number of 39 infected persons in the Serb-populated areas in Kosovo.  

Crowding in Mitrovica North increases, citizens differently on new measures (Kosovo-online)

Numerous residents of Mitrovica North went to the city in the early morning in order to get the necessary supplies before midday, when a ban on movement starts and will last until 6 a.m on Monday, Kosovo-online portal reports.

Queues in front of the shops but also people carrying many shopping bags are the main scene that could be seen today. Under protective measures, that include wearing gloves and masks, people try to maintain recommended distance. At places where it is not the case, members of the Kosovo police also react. There are also those who used the sunny morning for a walk, the portal continues.

Citizens have dividing opinions as to whether the more restrictive measures were needed and if they would help decrease the number of coronavirus infected cases.

While some consider it was necessary, because there are irresponsible individuals adding these measures were recommended by experts, others believe such bans are counterproductive because at the times when the movement is allowed larger groups of people are going out, crowds are getting bigger and so the possibility that more people get infected.

Increased crowds and demand also impact the work of shops’ owners and workers who say they try to serve every customer and ensure needed supplies. They said limited time available and extended curfew affect their work, in particular when it comes to the supply. Still, they believe that the measures would yield results and that the situation would be resolved in a best manner for all. 

Spiric: Press conference live-streamed without our consent (KoSSev)

”Unfortunately, yesterday we had the situation in which a live stream (cf. of the press conference) was shared without our consent,” the head of the Kosovska Mitrovica Provisional Authority, Aleksandar Spiric said at a daily press conference today of the Serbian-sponsored North Mitrovica emergency team for the coronavirus outbreak.

Yesterday’s press conference was live streamed on Facebook by the KoSSev portal.

Spiric told KoSSev portal journalist, Ivan Mitic that he was sorry that we had ”too much free time ”and that we were not dealing with the fight against coronavirus, but with ”all sorts of questions” that primarily contribute to ”lack of stabilization” , and especially (cf. the possibility of) ”dealing with political issues and what is actually coming from Pristina”.

The head of the Provisional Authority then asked the KoSSev portal ”in what way we contributed and how much we have contributed as a portal in the joint struggle”. He also called for ”the best possible level of solidarity among journalists” .

When asked by the KoSSev portal journalist based on what rule are the media not allowed to live-stream a press conference, what agreement was breached, and what kind of equality or collegiality is this all about, and why KoSSev still does not receive information on the emergency team conferences, Spiric replied:

”I am terribly sorry that you have too much free time. It is clear that you are not exclusively engaged in this fight – which is to motivate young people to volunteer, to help their friends, neighbours. In what way and how much did your portal contribute to this joint struggle? The emergency team is not the only one involved in this struggle, it is a struggle of every individual.” 

Speaking about whether a press conference can be live-streamed, he said:

”It’s clearly regulated. Live streaming is possible if there are technical possibilities to do so. But I do believe that we should bear the journalist code of ethics in mind, primarily through associations, I suppose you are also a part of some association. Therefore, solely for that reason, you should respect your colleagues – with whom we are all working together to be informed in the right way.”

Spiric also asked us to be ”more motivated” in the coming period in ”promoting volunteers” to become involved in helping the elderly and their neighbours and fellow citizens.

He also stressed that North Mitrovica is ”our city”  and that we must ”love and safeguard and contribute ” to Mitrovica, as well as display a ”note of humanity” .

”And we can distort the image at any time. We are not interested in it and we will always inform the people publicly and transparently, but I am returning to the question because of colleagues who have been here with us for quite a long time, like you, so nothing is disputable with your media outlet and other portals,” he said.

Following a KoSSev journalist’s comment that video streams of coronavirus media conferences are common in other media in Serbia and the world and that KoSSev wrote about volunteers as well, Spiric asked the journalist if he wanted to ”argue” with him.

”I kindly ask you to help us and to turn your attention to the fight against COVID-19 and not to all sorts of questions that primarily contribute to lack of stabilization. And especially when dealing with political issues and what is actually coming from Pristina and what is suitable for us to respond to at this moment,” Spiric said.

The KoSSev portal live-streamed a press conference of the Serbian-sponsored North Mitrovica emergency team on Facebook yesterday. The emergency team announces the latest information regarding the coronavirus outbreak in the north at these conferences, which are held daily.

In addition to the KoSSev portal journalist, the conference was attended by journalists and media crews from TV Most, Kosovo Online, Radio Kosovska Mitrovica, Radio Kontakt Plus and RTK2.

The majority of Serbian and Kosovo institutions headed by Srpska Lista officials stopped sending announcements and calls to the KoSSev portal several years ago. In addition, the heads of these institutions do not respond to our calls or written inquiries.

KoSSev will inform journalistic associations and institutions dealing with the protection of journalists and media freedom about this event.

See at: https://bit.ly/2y6Ujed

Western Balkans call for EU exemption on exports of medical gear (N1, Politico)

Western Balkan foreign ministers called the European Union to exempt their countries from the restrictions imposed on exports of medical protective equipment during the coronavirus pandemic, the Politico portal said on Thursday.

The portal recalled that the EU adopted an export authorization scheme for some things such as face masks to stop member states from imposing national export bans and increase the level of solidarity within the Union while at the same time preventing non-EU countries from buying large quantities of protective equipment.  

Politico said that The foreign ministers of Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia complained in a letter to EU High Representative Josep Borrell, Trade Commissioner Phil Hogan and Neighborhood Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi that the restrictions made it “more difficult” to buy protective gear. “Our region only has a population of 17 million people. Our purchase of these goods would not have a negative impact on the EU market,” Politico quoted the letter, dated April 7, as saying.  

It added that the EU has already exempted eight other neighboring countries from the scheme – Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, the Faroe Islands, Andorra, San Marino and Vatican City.  

The foreign ministers said in the letter that exempting the Western Balkans from the export control would “send a strong signal to our citizens that in this we are all together as Europeans.”

See at: https://bit.ly/39WGZ9F

”Coronavirus death rates in the former Yugoslav republics” (N1)

The average death rate of coronavirus-related ailments in the countries of the former Yugoslavia stands at 2.7 percent.

Death rates are calculated based on the total number infections and the number of deaths.

Data from the six countries that once made up Yugoslavia shows that there were 7,179 confirmed coronavirus cases on April 9 and 196 deaths.

Serbia has a death rate of 2.3 percent as well as the highest number of confirmed cases (2,867) and deaths (66).

The death rate in the coronavirus pandemic stood highest in North Macedonia at 4.5 percent. That country registered 663 coronavirus cases and reported 30 dead in the pandemic.

Bosnia-Herzegovina had 857 cases on April 9, 35 dead and a death rate of 4.1 percent. The death rate in Slovenia stood at 3.8 percent, with 1,124 confirmed cases and 43 deaths.

Croatia’s death rate in the pandemic stood at 1.4 percent. The country has 1,407 cases and a total of 20 people dead.

Montenegro has the lowest death rate (0.8 percent) with 252 people who tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus and two deaths.

See at: https://bit.ly/3c6MDHF

International

Naming New PM Not A Priority During Pandemic, Kosovo’s Kurti Tells RFE/RL

Kosovo’s outgoing Prime Minister Albin Kurti says he will not immediately respond to President Hashim Thaci’s request to nominate a new candidate to form a government because he is busy fighting the coronavirus outbreak.

Kurti was toppled on March 25 and his Self-Determination (VV) party, the largest in parliament, was supposed to renominate him or find a replacement within 15 days.

See at: https://bit.ly/3c6OCvB

Humanitarian/Development

Civil Rights Defenders released report on Internet freedoms in the Western Balkan Region (crd.org)

Civil Rights Defenders announced the release of the Internet Freedoms in the Western Balkan Region report.

Developed in cooperation with the SHARE Foundation, the report presents in-depth research on the state of internet freedoms in Serbia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Kosovo and Albania. It provides a comparative overview of specific indicators – according to the European Convention on Human Rights – and develops a set of recommendations for governments of these countries to improve the state of citizens’ freedoms online.

Restrictions and the abuse of internet freedoms for political purposes have become a concerning trend in the Western Balkans.

Most recently, on 2 April 2020 Twitter announced that it had removed over 8,500 accounts that were “engaged in inauthentic coordinated activity…to promote Serbia’s ruling party and its leader,” far higher even than in one-party regimes such as Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the UAE. Albania’s government meanwhile has ignored calls by the Council of Europe, OSCE and civil society organisations to push controversial ‘Anti-Defamation Package’ laws that would introduce mandatory registration requirements for online media and create an administrative body that could fine online outlets, without the need for a court order. Moreover, in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, governments across the region have used – or threatened to use – their emergency powers to crackdown on social media activity and ‘fake news’.

Civil Rights Defenders Director for Europe, Goran Miletic, said that “the timing of the release of this report could hardly be more relevant. As we are witnessing across the Western Balkans, governments are firming their control over the digital space, with detrimental implications on citizens’ right to freedom of expression, privacy and information. During a State of Emergency, which many countries are experiencing due to the coronavirus pandemic, this process is both accelerated and intensified. It is crucial that civil society organisations and the international community monitor the regulatory framework and its implementation, and I’m confident the report will greatly compliment these efforts.”

A specially-designed summary of the report has been produced and can be accessed in: English, Serbian, Bosnian and Albanian.

The  full research paper can be accessed in English here: https://bit.ly/34qEifh

Teachers make the push for distance learning (Prishtina Insight)

While Kosovo’s schools closed their doors to students more than three weeks ago to protect them from the spread of the coronavirus, that does not mean they are lying empty and unused. 

Since the government-mandated lockdown began in Kosovo, school halls have been filled with teachers, editors, camera operators and education experts, using classrooms, libraries and canteens as their base to develop Kosovo’s new e-learning programme. 

Sitting in the library of the Qamil Batalli School in Prishtina, Deputy Education Minister Xhavit Rexhaj tells BIRN that helping children continue their education through online and televised distance learning has been a challenge. But with the help of educators and volunteers from civil society and the media, he says, they are beginning to iron out the creases.

“Things are going well with the lessons. We’re trying to improve the quality everyday, but let’s not forget – the main aim of our e-learning project is to protect everyone’s health. That’s our number one priority,” Rexhaj tells BIRN. 

See at: https://bit.ly/2Vk2qMy