• COVID-19: 205 new cases, 11 deaths (media)
• Ramush Haradinaj announces candidacy for Kosovo president (media)
• Mustafa: President post not a topic at this point (media)
• PDK’s Krasniqi: Haradinaj’s candidacy for president, unethical (media)
• Haziri: We haven’t discussed President post with our partners (RFE)
• NISMA’s Shala: Issue of president not on the table at this time (Klan)
• Kurti: Kosovo is becoming Bergamo of the Balkans (media)
• Mustafa: PDK to withdraw draft law on KLA values (media)
• OSCE calls for provisions of draft law on KLA to be reconsidered (media)

Kosovo Media Highlights

COVID-19: 205 new cases, 11 deaths (media)

205 new cases of coronavirus and 11 deaths have been recorded in Kosovo during the last 24 hours, Kosovo’s National Institute for Public Health said in its daily report.

Meanwhile, 163 recoveries were confirmed over the same time period.

Majority of the new cases are in Prishtina (45).

There are currently 4,502 active cases of coronavirus in Kosovo of the total of 11,576.

Ramush Haradinaj announces candidacy for Kosovo president (media)

Leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK), Ramush Haradinaj, has announced bid for becoming the future president of Kosovo after a meeting with party leadership.

“I thank the Steering Council for their trust in authorising me on behalf of the Alliance to lead possible talks on government reshuffling, including the issue of president. I consider the faith entrusted to me to be candidate for president if this is discussed based on the Constitution is a high responsibility and special honour,” Haradinaj wrote on Facebook.

Mustafa: President post not a topic at this point (media)

Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) leader Isa Mustafa said on Wednesday that he would discuss with “partners on the possible inclusion of the Democratic Party of Kosovo” in the government.

“We have not discussed the issue yet, but I will discuss it with our partners, Haradinaj, Limaj and the Prime Minister. I believe we can resolve all issues,” Mustafa told T7.

Mustafa also said that the post of Kosovo President is not a topic of discussion at this point and that the situation can change only if the proposed indictment against President Hashim Thaci by the Specialist Chambers is confirmed.

PDK’s Krasniqi: Haradinaj’s candidacy for president, unethical (media)

Head of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) parliamentary group, Memli Krasniqi, reacted to Ramush Haradinaj’s declared intention to become the next president of Kosovo saying any discussion on the post when the sitting president has seven more months of term is ‘unethical’.

“Calculations of ruling coalition parties in an effort to avoid possibility of parliamentary elections next year show the miserable situation in which they are but this is also an indicator of the deep mistrust the citizens have towards them. Any discussion on the post of president of the country while there is a president with a full mandate for at least seven more months is unethical to say the least. Even more so if part of these plans is the issue of potential indictments from the Specialist Chambers,” Krasniqi wrote on Facebook. 

Haziri: We haven’t discussed President post with our partners (RFE)

Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) deputy leader Lutfi Haziri told the news website on Wednesday that his party has not discussed the post of Kosovo President with partners in the ruling coalition. Haziri said the issue would be discussed only if the Specialist Chambers confirm the proposed indictment against President Thaci.

NISMA’s Shala: Issue of president not on the table at this time (Klan)

Endrit Shala, MP from the Social Democratic Initiative (NISMA), commented on Ramush Haradinaj’s intention to run for president of Kosovo saying that the time is not right to discuss the post.

“Kosovo has a president. We know when the timeline for election of the president is. Parties may wish their leaders, their members, be elected to posts [but] at present Kosovo has a president,” Shala said.

He said when the time for election of the new president nears, political parties should sit and agree on the way forward. “I consider that the Republic of Kosovo has a president and until next year this issue will not be on the table.” 

Kurti: Kosovo is becoming Bergamo of the Balkans (media)

Vetevendosje Movement (VV) leader and former Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, said on Wednesday that in the post-conflict period Kosovo has not faced a more difficult situation than the current coronavirus pandemic.

Kurti said Kosovo could soon be faced with a humanitarian crisis. “Kosovo is becoming the Bergamo of the Balkans … The situation is getting out of control,” he said in remarks aired by the Vetevendosje online channel.

Kurti also presented what he termed ‘alternative governance’ led by Vetevendosje which would focus on five pillars: Economy and finance; justice and security; health; social welfare and sports; education, culture, and youth; foreign policy, European integration, diaspora.

Mustafa: PDK to withdraw draft law on KLA values (media)

Leader of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) Isa Mustafa said that the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) should withdraw the draft law it proposed on KLA values saying there are objections to it.

Speaking to public broadcaster RTK, Mustafa said: “It would be good if PDK retracted it. There are many objections and inaccuracies.”

Mustafa also spoke about the current stage of dialogue with Serbia and denied allegations that it has moved to the technical level. “There are no elements or tendencies for a technical dialogue with Serbia. The issue of missing persons is not a technical matter,” he said.

Commenting on the functioning of the coalition with other parties, in particular the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK), Mustafa said the coalition is stable but that all concerns need to be addressed. He said as soon as Prime Minister Avdullah Hoti recovers from COVID-19, he will call a meeting with coalition partners.

OSCE calls for provisions of draft law on KLA to be reconsidered (media)

The OSCE Mission in Kosovo has called on the Kosovo’s Government and Assembly to reconsider provisions of the Draft Law on the Protection of KLA War Values which the mission said would undermine freedom of expression.

“The OSCE has been supporting freedom of speech and freedom of expression in Kosovo since 1999, in close partnership with institutions and media in Kosovo. It is in this context that we call attention in particular to Article 5 of this draft law, which would undermine freedom of expression and the right of individuals to express their personal beliefs and political views,” OSCE said in a statement.

It added: “Democracy requires tolerance of dissent and respect for disagreements, even on issues of fundamental historical importance.”