• Covid-19: 34 new cases confirmed, total number 703 (media)
• UN Security Council discusses situation in Kosovo (media)
• Kurti discusses Covid-19, political situation with U.S. Congressman Engel (media)
• LDK general council endorses Hoti’s candidacy for PM (Koha)
• Kurti says LVV is not behind initiative for protests in May (Telegrafi)
• Gashi: I did not say KLA committed crimes but some of its members (media)

Kosovo Media Highlights

Covid-19: 34 new cases confirmed, total number 703 (media)

Kosovo’s National Institute for Public Health announced that yesterday 263 tests were carried out, of which 34 have tested positive for coronavirus.

At the same time, the Institute announced that three patients were declared recovered from the virus over the last day.

Almost have of the new cases are in the municipality of Gjilan (15) followed by Prizren (6).

The total number of Covid-19 cases in Kosovo currently stands at 703.

UN Security Council discusses situation in Kosovo (media)

The UN Security Council discussed yesterday the Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’s quarterly report on Kosovo where the Special Representative Zahir Tanin commended authorities in Kosovo for the way they have responded to combating the Covid-19 pandemic.

Tanin said it was unfortunate that current political circumstances have distracted the attention of many leaders away from the health crisis.

“These divisions have served to reduce public trust in political leadership during a time of heightened public anxiety and uncertainty,” he said.

Tanin said: “I urge political leaders to focus on unifying their energy while putting personal and political agendas aside.”

He also commended the swift action taken by public health authorities to establish measures that curtail the spread of the virus and welcomed the improved communication and coordination between health authorities in Pristina and Belgrade as well as the financial aid provided by the EU and the International Monetary Fund and at the same time called for more direct support for the most vulnerable.

Kosovo’s acting Foreign Minister, Glauk Konjufca, said in his remarks before the members of the Security Council that an independent Kosovo is a factor of peace and stability in the region. He called on all countries to recognise Kosovo saying that this would be in line with the International Court of Justice’s ruling.

“We did not send the question on Kosovo’s independence to the International Court of Justice, Serbia did. It is hypocritical to ask the court for a ruling and then no respect it,” Kojnufca said.

He said relations with Serbia can only be improved through a sincere dialogue where the parties would be on an equal footing.

“To create such an environment, the government has decided to lift the 100 percent tariff, we have taken gradual reciprocity steps to address non-tariff barriers Serbia has imposed on our goods. Serbia should remove them.”

Konjufca said that the UN SC resolution 1244 was aimed at ending ethnic cleansing in Kosovo, now is a different time and UNMIK should end its mandate.

He also spoke about the missing persons and demanded justice for war crimes.

The U.S. representative, Kelly Craft, said that her country is encouraged by the increased cooperation between Kosovo and Serbia on fighting the Covid-19 pandemic and at the same time said Kosovo needs to lift all reciprocity measures against Serbia “immediately and unconditionally.” Craft called on the parties to resume dialogue in “earnest”.

She said the U.S. believes UNMIK has fulfilled its original purpose and should close.

United Kingdom’s representative hailed the cooperation between Kosovo and Serbia in the field of health saying that fight against the Covid-19 pandemic should be the main priority of the acting government or the new government of Kosovo. He also said this is not the time for political maneuvering and that an internal and external cooperation is necessary. He said that following the motion of no-confidence against the government of Kosovo, the parties need to uphold the Constitution.

The UK representative commended Kosovo for lifting the import tariff on Serbia and called on Serbia to stop the derecognition campaign against Kosovo. At the same time, the UK urged the parties to discuss the trade disputes in a technical dialogue.

Serbia’s Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic meanwhile said that dialogue with Kosovo needs to resume as soon as the pandemic is over and once Kosovo removes all tariffs and reciprocity measures against Serbia.

Dacic said the UN resolution 1244 remains the onlu valid document for Kosovo and added that the association of Serb-majority municipalities should be in line with the above resolution.

Kurti discusses Covid-19, political situation with U.S. Congressman Engel (media)

Acting Prime Minister of Kosovo Albin Kurti had a telephone conversation with the U.S. Congressman and Chairman of the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs Eliot Engel and discussed the Covid-19 pandemic and the political situation in Kosovo.

Eliot is reported to have spoken about the position of the U.S. administration on Kosovo and that of Special Representative Richard Grenell. “He emphasised that he does not agree in any way with the intervention on who has to lead Kosovo and the process of the dialogue with Serbia. Only the citizens of Kosovo can decide such issue. The Congressman Engel expressed his full support for Kurti Government on the managing of COVID-19, and also the compliance of free will of Kosovo citizens to elect their representatives. He affirms that the aim of the United States of America since 1999 has been to support a democratic independent country of Kosovo,” a statement issued by the government of Kosovo states.

Kurti meanwhile presented the need for coordinated transatlantic relations of the U.S. and the EU in the protection of interests in the Balkans, as the only form of guaranteeing peace, democracy and progress.

LDK general council endorses Hoti’s candidacy for PM (Koha)

The General Council of the Democratic League of Kosovo has endorsed Avdullah Hoti’s candidacy for prime minister of Kosovo, a letter sent out by LDK leader Isa Mustafa announced.

Mustafa said that of 124 members of the council, 117 replied to the proposal of which 115 votes were in favour of Hoti’s candidacy and two against.

Kurti says LVV is not behind initiative for protests in May (Telegrafi)

Acting Prime Minister of Kosovo Albin Kurti said his party is not behind calls on social media for a protest to be organised in May in support of his government.

“You have to know this is not 1990 when protests were banned but is 2020. I am not here to ban protest of citizens but to serve them based on our programme and by focusing on the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic. I don’t have time to follow social networks and I don’t know what calls are being made but Vetevendosje Movement has not organised any protest,” Kurti said at a news conference.

Gashi: I did not say KLA committed crimes but some of its members (media)

Shkelzen Gashi, advisor to acting Prime Minister Albin Kurti, has refuted reports that he accused the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) of committing crimes but that he said certain members did.

He said this is something that has been confirmed by court of ICTY, UNMIK, EULEX as well as international human rights organisations. “We will protect the KLA and the fight of our people for freedom and independence when the crimes that individuals committed in our names are clarified,” Gashi said.

Gashi has been widely criticised for his remarks about the KLA while opposition representatives and KLA veterans’ associations have called for his dismissal.

Glauk Konjufca, acting Foreign Minister and member of Vetevendosje, also slammed Gashi’s statements saying he would not keep him in his cabinet but that the ultimate decision rests with PM Kurti.