• COVID-19: 33 new cases, no deaths (media)
• LDK calls extraordinary session on economic recovery bill (media)
• Government called to accountability for failed attempt to pass economic recovery law (Koha)
• German ambassador reacts to failed adoption of economic recovery bill (media)
• Kosovo President Thaci travels to Washington (media)
• Greek FM Dendias to visit Kosovo today (media)
• Hoti to report to the Parliament on 100 days of the government (media)
• Ahead of SC session, Serb propaganda against Kosovo increases (Telegrafi)
• LVV: We do not support Citaku for president (Express)
• Hasani: Ramush Haradinaj has best chances to become President (media)
• Ceku: Court’s ruling on Decan Monastery, a closed matter (KTV)
• WB: Kosovo’s economy is expected to contract by 8.8 percent (Express) 

COVID-19: 33 new cases, no deaths (media)

Kosovo’s National Institute for Public Health said on Thursday that 33 new cases of coronavirus have been recorded in the last 24 hours.

46 persons have meanwhile recovered from the virus during this time and no deaths were recorded.

The highest number of new cases is from the municipality of Prishtina (14).

There are currently 1,383 active coronavirus cases in Kosovo.

LDK calls extraordinary session on economic recovery bill (media)

Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) parliamentary group chief Arben Gashi said in a Facebook post on Thursday that this party has called an extraordinary assembly session on the economic recovery bill on Monday.

“On behalf of 61 MPs that have signed the request, I have called an extraordinary session on Monday at 10:00 to vote on the first reading of the bill on economic recovery,” Gashi said.

Government called to accountability for failed attempt to pass economic recovery law (Koha)

After the draft law on economic recovery failed to be adopted by the Kosovo Assembly for the sixth time in a row, experts have called on the Government to take responsibility for the most recent failure to secure enough votes to pass the legislation.

Head of the Kosovo Chamber of Commerce, Berat Rukiqi, criticised MPs for not voting on the law which he said was vital for citizens and businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

At the same time, Blend Hasaj from the GAP research institute said it was important the Government of Kosovo accepted responsibility when such important legal initiatives cannot be approved. “I think the Government ought to reach out to the opposition parties and achieve an understanding on a package that would incorporate suggestions from all sides.”

German ambassador reacts to failed adoption of economic recovery bill (media)

The German Ambassador to Kosovo Jorn Rohde reacted on social media following the government’s failed attempt to pass the law on economic recovery at the Assembly.

Rohde tweeted: “Sad to hear that the in today’s assembly session the draft economic recovery law did not pass for the 6th time. Where’s the Govt’s plan to work out a compromise with the opposition?

Kosovo President Thaci travels to Washington (media)

Most news websites reported on Thursday that Kosovo President Hashim Thaci has travelled to Washington D.C., after a several-day stay in Europe. The reasons for Thaci’s visit have not been announced.

Ardian Arifaj, political advisor to the President, confirmed to Koha that Thaci has travelled to the United States, without revealing any further details.

Greek FM Dendias to visit Kosovo today (media)

Foreign Minister of Greece, Nikos Dendias, is expected to pay a visit to Kosovo today and meet Prime Minister Avdullah Hoti and Foreign Minister Meliza Haradinaj-Stublla.

“The visit of the Greek minister is of special importance being that Greece is among five European Union member states that has not yet recognised Kosovo but is a country that has demonstrated high political and practical constructivity in support of Kosovo on its Euro-Atlantic path,” a statement issued yesterday by the Kosovo’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora reads.

Hoti to report to the Parliament on 100 days of the government (media)

The Prime Minister of Kosovo, Avdullah Hoti, today will report to the Assembly on the 100th day of his governing.

At the request of Vetevendosje Movement, Hoti will report to lawmakers on dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, the social and economic situation of the Kosovo’s citizens and businesses, the dialogue with Serbia and the international subjectivity of the of Kosovo.

Ahead of SC session, Serb propaganda against Kosovo increases (Telegrafi)

Telegrafi writes that ahead of the UN Security Council session on Kosovo set to take place later this month, the media and authorities in Serbia have been increasingly reporting about allegedly ethnically motivated incidents against the Serb community in Kosovo. According to commentators, this is part of the well-established Serb policy ahead of any meeting of the Security Council.

“There has been in recent days an increase of national rhetoric in Serbia through statements coming from Dacic, Vulin, namely key ministers in the Serbian government and immediately after we had the incident in Berrnice and Babimoc,” said Milazim Krasniqi, university professor in Pristina.

LVV: We do not support Citaku for president (Express)

Kosovo President Hashim Thaci issued a decree to end Vlora Citaku’s mandate as Kosovo’s Ambassador to the United States, however she will continue to represent Kosovo until the appointment of the new Ambassador.

Numerous comments that Citaku is returning to run for the President, are not welcomed by the Vetevendosje Movement (LVV). They said they would not support her election in any manner and did not exclude protest as a democratic form of objecting it.

NGO Cohu which deals with research of politicisation of the institutions, also assessed these movements as political calculation. According to Besnik Boletini, a figure with high professional background, in order to improve Kosovo’s image in the international arena.

Hasani: Ramush Haradinaj has best chances to become President (media)

Enver Hasani, former President of the Constitutional Court of Kosovo, said on Thursday that Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) has the best chances to become President of Kosovo after Hashim Thaci completes his mandate. “I believe that in the current circumstances, Ramush will get the post without any problems,” he said.

Ceku: Court’s ruling on Decan Monastery, a closed matter (KTV)

Vetevendosje MP and chair of the parliamentary investigation committee on privatisation, Hajrullah Ceku, said in an interview with KTV on Thursday that the ruling of the Constitutional Court on the Decan Monastery is not even a matter of discussion and that it must be implemented. “The decision of the Constitutional Court is not even a matter of discussion … When the Court rules, it is a closed matter,” he said.

“I have a very important detail: if you analyse the ruling of the Constitutional Court, you will see that in terms of procedures, both the municipality of Decan and another party, an enterprise that made claims, failed to respect a deadline to submit a document and certain comments, so they lost the right and ultimately they lost the case too,” Ceku said.

WB: Kosovo’s economy is expected to contract by 8.8 percent (Express)

The latest report on the economy in Europe and Central Asia, published on Thursday by the World Bank, indicates that Kosovo’s economy is expected to contract by 8.8 percent in 2020.

In the announcement on Facebook, the WB says that COVID-19 pandemic has caused a decrease in the export of services and a decrease in investments and consumption. “Kosovo’s economy is expected to contract by 8.8 percent in 2020,” the WB reported. “The COVID-19 pandemic caused a decline in service exports, and reduced investment and consumption. The government responded quickly by providing support to firms and workers; nevertheless, employment is expected to fall and poverty to increase. Increasing remittances should mitigate the impact of the contraction. The recovery is expected to be slower than projected earlier, as the pandemic is lasting longer than expected, hindering growth in 2021.”