• Kosovo: Ten new cases of COVID-19, three recoveries (media)
• Apostolova appeals for institutions to cooperate during pandemic (RTK)
• Stoltenberg: NATO’s mission in Kosovo, maintained (Gazeta Express)
• LDK votes in favour of coalition with AAK, NISMA-AKR, communities (media)
• Mustafa: LVV should not delay the issue of creating new government (RTV21)
• Lekaj: AAK will not set conditions to LDK for a coalition government (Telegrafi)
• Haxhiu: Thaci has no right to interfere in forming of new government (T7/Zeri)
• Haziri: Coalition with LVV, one step forward two steps back (Klan Kosova)
• PDK considering sending movement restriction decision to court (Kosovapress)
• Selmanaj: Ending coalition with LVV, one of the best actions (T7, RTK)
• Balje: We support forming of a new government in Kosovo (RTK)

Kosovo Media Highlights

Kosovo: Ten new cases of COVID-19, three recoveries (media)

National Institute for Public Health announced that out of 137 tests carried out in the last 24 hours, 10 have resulted positive for coronavirus.

At the same time, the Institute also announced that three persons have been declared as recovered from the virus, raising the number of recoveries to a total of 66.

At present, the number of COVID-19 cases in Kosovo stands at 387.

Apostolova appeals for institutions to cooperate during pandemic (RTK)

Head of the EU Office in Kosovo Nataliya Apostolova said the European Union sands close to people of Kosovo during the Covid-19 pandemic and appealed on the institutions to cooperate closely with each other.

“Following closely spread of #Coronavirus in Kosovo. I’ve called mayors across Kosovo faced w/ particularly challenging situations. They updated me on the situation, the measures taken and the difficulties ahead of them. I thank all Kosovo Mayors for their work & dedication!” Apostolova wrote on her Twitter account. 

Stoltenberg: NATO’s mission in Kosovo, maintained (Gazeta Express)

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said in a press conference Tuesday that NATO’s mission in Kosovo remains functional despite the pandemic.

Stoltenberg said that NATO’s mission in Kosovo – KFOR continues, with some preventive measures. “But the missions are maintained,” he said during a video-press conference.

“We have seen state and non-state actors try to take advantage of the pandemic to spread false and harmful narratives. And to try to divide us. So, Allies need to work closely together to identify, monitor and expose these efforts. An open and transparent press is the best bulwark against disinformation and propaganda,” Stoltenberg stated.

LDK votes in favour of coalition with AAK, NISMA-AKR, communities (media)

The General Council of the Democratic League of Kosovo endorsed with majority of votes t he proposal of the party leader Isa Mustafa for forming a coalition with the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK), coalition between the Social Democratic Initiative (NISMA) and the New Kosovo Alliance (AKR), and community parties if the mandate for forming new institutions is passed to LDK.

Mustafa sent a letter to 124 members of the General Council asking them if they would be in favour of such a scenario, and received replies from 114 members of which 108 said they are in support of a coalition with AAK, NISMA-AKR. 6 voted against and 10 did not reply.

Mustafa: LVV should not delay the issue of creating new government (RTV21)

Is Mustafa, leader of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) said there should not be new elections and that Vetevendosje Movement (LVV) should not delay the issue of the creation of the new government.

“There is no reason to drag the issue. It is LVV’s responsibility to take over the mandate and to try form the new government,” he said.

“For now, we only have the consent of the General Council that we can make a coalition with the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK), the Social-Democratic Initiative (NISMA), the Alliance for New Kosovo (AKR) and other political parties which represent non-majority population, so with the two parliamentary groups,” he said.

“We will not open the debate for the Prime Minister candidate until this mandate is given to us, because we will not make anyone a nominal Prime Minister until the mandate is given to us. We will carry on that procedure quickly because we have a lot of staff in LDK and I think that that is the easiest process that we can overcome,” he added.

Asked if Vjosa Osmani is going to be their candidate for the Prime Minister, Mustafa repeated that such decisions have not been made yet. “Ms. Osmani was a candidate then and now she is the Speaker of the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo. She made her statements about the no confidence motion and about the future coalitions, which means that it will remain up to her will and her statements, but the moment we open this issue, we will discuss all possible options,” Mustafa said.

Lekaj: AAK will not set conditions to LDK for a coalition government (Telegrafi)

Pal Lekaj from the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) spoke about the recent decision of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) to form a coalition with AAK, the Social Democratic Initiative (NISMA) and the New Kosovo Alliance (AKR), and community parties if the mandate for forming new institutions is passed on to LDK.

Lekaj said the AAK would be ready to support an LDK-led government if the Vetevendosje Movement (LVV) cannot form new institutions. “If Vetevendosje hasn’t got the numbers, it will be LDK’s turn. We are ready to support a new government,” he said.

Lekaj echoed the words of his party leader, Ramush Haradinaj, in that at this difficult time, the AAK would not set any conditions to the LDK for joining a new government.

Haxhiu: Thaci has no right to interfere in forming of new government (T7/Zeri)

Acting Minister of Justice Albulena Haxhiu said that the President of Kosovo Hashim Thaci is trying to become party to forming a new government which she said he cannot do.

“President Thaci thinks he is one of political entities so that he forms a government to his liking. The Constitution is clear, his role does not go beyond an objective one,” she said.

Haxhiu said that only the Vetevendosje Movement (LVV) has the right to form a government or else Kosovo will have to head to fresh elections.

Haziri: Coalition with LVV, one step forward two steps back (Klan Kosova)

Deputy leader of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) Lutfi Haziri said in an interview with Klan Kosova that the coalition with the Vetevendosje Movement (LVV) was an issue of taking one step forward and two steps back.

“If the first step forward was reaching a coalition agreement, the first step back was not preserving partnership with America.” The second step back, according to Haziri, was the firing of then interior minister Agim Veliu.

Haziri praised the role LDK leader Isa Mustafa had in what he said was the party’s comeback in last elections. “As leader of the LDK, Isa Mustafa is the biggest winner because he managed to bring back the LDK,” he said.

As for Vjosa Osmani and her share of contribution to the party, Haziri said: “The maximum was given on 6 October. The main reason of defeat was Vetevendosje’s agresiveness towards Vjosa in the campaign, towards her personal name.” He said he doesn’t see Osmani deciding to leave LDK because, he argued, “politicians and people that want to maintain consistency need to remain in their political family. Vjosa will not move politically. She is not among that category of politicians.”

He said estimates that LVV would get over fifty percent of votes if new elections were to take place are ‘unrealistic’ and disputed the authenticity of such polls at the time of a pandemic outbreak.

Haziri said LDK would prefer a comprehensive government following the motion of no confidence as such an arrangement would provide political stability.

PDK considering sending movement restriction decision to court (Kosovapress)

Bedri Hamza, head of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) parliamentary group, said that they were analysing the recent decision by the Ministry of Health concerning restriction of movement to prevent the spread of covid pandemic to determine whether to send it to the Constitutional Court for interpretation of its lawfulness.

“We as PDK are treating this very carefully. Based on assessment, we will take concrete action,” Hamza said.

He also spoke about the party’s withdrawal from the emergency financial package proposal saying that the measures they proposed needed to have a legal basis as otherwise it would be in conflict to the existing budget law. He said the LDK showed no readiness to include these proposals as draft laws while LVV MPs did not show up at the session at all.

Selmanaj: Ending coalition with LVV, one of the best actions (T7, RTK)

Driton Selmanaj, MP from the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) said breach of the coalition with the Vetevendosje Movement (LVV) is one of the best decisions made by his political party.

“LDK was forced to make the decision to bring down this government. In the last 20 years, LDK has made the most right decisions, breach of the coalition, will be assessed as one of the best, made by LDK ever,” he said.

“LDK has not deviated, those who think so are wrong. We went to elections convinced on change, but the idea was for the changes to come from LDK and not LVV. Only LDK can bring the necessary change. We considered that Vjosa Osmani will be the one to bring changes. But what happened? We were betrayed by the coalition partner. It appears they saw LDK only as a trampoline not as a possibility of benefit for Kosovo,” Selmanaj said.

Balje: We support forming of a new government in Kosovo (RTK)

Duda Balje, Bosniak representative at the Assembly of Kosovo, said disagreements among political parties in Kosovo should stop and conclude with elections.

“We want to be part of the government of Kosovo in order to fulfill priorities of our community. Kosovo politics is undergoing major turbulences, therefore political tensions should calm because the population is scared,” she said.

“All this political noise that happened lately should conclude with a new government. Major disagreements of the big political parties should sit and initiated solutions to the problems that we are facing,” Balje said adding that Kosovo Bosniaks are facing major pressure from the created instability. “If we add fear from the virus which is spreading widely, I think all of them are worried and scared.