• Three new Covid-19 cases in last 24 hours (media)
• Kurti: Grenell wants deal with Serbia by September (media)
• Burns: US and EU to preserve Kosovo territorial integrity (media)
• Osmani: Russia’s involvement in talks, a step backwards (media)
• Kurti: Productive phone call with Lajcak (media)
• Selimi: LDK and partners continuing to keep Assembly hostage (Klan Kosova)
• Hamza: LVV blocking Assembly’s work (Ekonomia Online)
• Ahmeti: MPs don’t deserve full salary, failed to meet during pandemic (Kallxo)
• Haxhiu: Ministry of Justice to support victims’ safe houses (media)

Kosovo Media Highlights

Three new Covid-19 cases in last 24 hours (media)

Kosovo’s National Institute for Public Health announced that of 200 samples tested yesterday, three tested positive for coronavirus.

All three new cases are from the Pristina municipality.

The Institute also stated that 18 persons have recovered from the virus over the last 24 hours.

The total number of COVID-19 cases in Kosovo stands at 989, of which 166 are active cases.

Kurti: Grenell wants deal with Serbia by September (media)

Kosovo acting Prime Minister Albin Kurti said in a video conference with Harvard University students on Monday that US Presidential Envoy for the Kosovo – Serbia Dialogue, Richard Grenell, wants a deal between Kosovo and Serbia to be reached by September.

“Grenell has called for a quick agreement and my impression is that he does not wish harm on the Albanian people and Kosovo. When you try to do something fast you apply pressure and there is a rush from his side to reach a historic agreement, focusing less on the text of the agreement. He wants the agreement as his main objective. In October he said he wants an agreement by February and now he says he wants an agreement by September,” Kurti said.

Kurti said he favors a well-prepared process of dialogue with the US and EU as mediators.

Kurti also said: “there were two failed coup attempts in North Macedonia and Montenegro. Kosovo or Bosnia could be next. Trump is preoccupied with China’s increasing role and Putin wants to use this to his advantage in the Western Balkans.”

See Kurti’s full remarks: https://bit.ly/3dWMU0U

Burns: US and EU to preserve Kosovo territorial integrity (media)

Former US diplomat Nicholas Burns thanked Kosovo acting Prime Minister Albin Kurti for a video conference with Harvard University students on Monday.

Burns tweeted: “Thank you Prime Minister @albinkurti for meeting with Harvard students today. #Kosovo is independent. The U.S. and #EU should work together to preserve its territorial integrity and to see it become a member of the UN in a free, democratic Europe.”

Osmani: Russia’s involvement in talks, a step backwards (media)

Kosovo Assembly President Vjosa Osmani said on Monday that Russia’s eventual involvement in the talks between Kosovo and Serbia would mark a step backwards.

“I don’t think Russia’s involvement in the process is necessary and let alone helpful,” Osmani said. She added that in 2010, the United Nations General Assembly decided on how to move forward with the process of talks and that it ruled out any format similar to the troika in 2007.

Osmani also said the EU has a role in the process and that the US must be involved too. “History has shown that no process in the Western Balkans and also in Europe can be successful without the involvement of the US,” she said.

Kurti: Productive phone call with Lajcak (media)

Kosovo’s acting Prime Minister Albin Kurti said in a Twitter post on Monday that he had a productive phone call with EU Special Representative for the Kosovo – Serbia dialogue Miroslav Lajcak.

“Productive phone call with @MiroslavLajcak. We discussed #COVID19 & the political situation w/ emphasis on the dialogue. I thanked Mr. Lajcak for his dcl. against the idea of land-swap, which showed his understanding for the region. He also committed to push fw visa liberalization,” Kurti tweeted.

Lajcak too tweeted about the phone call. “Very good call with acting-PM @albinkurti. Topics discussed: progress made on containing spread of #COVID19; current political situation & possible developments; expectations for resumption of Dialogue with real European perspective; need for visa liberalization,” Lajcak wrote.

Selimi: LDK and partners continuing to keep Assembly hostage (Klan Kosova)

Head of the Vetevendosje Movement (LVV) parliamentary group, Rexhep Selimi, accused the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) and its present partners of being irresponsible to the damage their actions are causing Kosovo.

At the end of the Assembly’s chairmanship meeting yesterday, Selimi said that as the Assembly is not disbanded, it should continue to perform its duties.

“I cannot stress enough the total irresponsibility of certain parliamentary groups which neither want new elections nor the functioning of the Assembly but want to continue to keep the Assembly hostage through some unconstitutional aspirations,” Selimi said.

Hamza: LVV blocking Assembly’s work (Ekonomia Online)

Head of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) parliamentary group Bedri Hamza accused Vetevendosje Movement of blocking the work of the Kosovo Assembly.

Speaking to reporters following the meeting of the Assembly chairmanship, Hamza said that his party has prepared a number of packages to help businesses and citizens cope with effects of the coronavirus pandemic but that these need a legal basis.

“There is no will from the parties and every day we are late the effect will be greater,” Hamza said.

Ahmeti: MPs don’t deserve full salary, failed to meet during pandemic (Kallxo)

Pristina Mayor Shpend Ahmeti said that the Kosovo legislators should not be getting their full salaries for the month of May as they failed to hold a single session during the biggest health and economic crisis Kosovo has seen in the last 20 years.

“Maybe they should get 170 Euros like all the rest,” Ahmeti commented on social media.

Haxhiu: Ministry of Justice to support victims’ safe houses (media)

Kosovo’s acting Minister of Justice Albulena Haxhiu held an online discussion with representatives of safe houses for victims of domestic violence, human trafficking and children without parental care and pledged to support their work.

“The Ministry I lead will remain engaged together with other relevant stakeholders to secure shelter for this category and for perpetrators of violence to receive the deserved sentences so that this situation is not repeated in our society,” Haxhiu wrote in a Facebook post.