Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: 98 new cases, one death (media)
• EU Special Representative Lajcak to arrive in Kosovo today (Gazeta Express)
• Government to Lajcak’s question on Association shortly before his arrival in Kosovo (Express)
• To Russia, thesis of removing borders between Albania and Kosovo is alarming (Koha)
• France fades Kosovo hopes for visa liberalisation any time soon (Express)
• Hoti receives new U.S. Military Attaché Stephen Rose (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• If Pristina continues blocking ZSO, Serbs announce possibility of leaving all Kosovo institutions (Kosovo-online)
• Várhelyi: Boosting and connecting the Western Balkans on the EU path (N1)
• EU envoy Lajcak makes first report on the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue to foreign ministers (N1)
• Djuric: Pristina makes efforts to suspend dialogue (Radio KIM)
• Grubjesic: Lajcak to convince Pristina establish ZSO and continue dialogue (TV Most)
• “1000 candles” lit in Ivanovic’s honor in Belgrade and North Mitrovica (KoSSev)
• Srebrenica Mothers: Serbian FM threatens all who speak of mass graves in Serbia (N1)
• Odalovic: Serbia does not hide mass graves; we checked everything that was asked of us (Kosovo Online)
• Senior German diplomat says region’s problems can no longer be put off (N1, BETA)

Opinion:

• Ring them Bells (EWB)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Balkan Govts Mull Tightened Rules as COVID-19 Cases Rise (Balkan Insight)

Albanian Language Media 

COVID-19: 98 new cases, one death (media)

Kosovo’s National Institute for Public Health said in a statement today that 98 new cases of coronavirus and one death were recorded in the last 24 hours. 

37 persons have recovered from the virus during this time. 

The highest number of cases is from the municipality of Prishtina (37).

There are currently 1,291 active coronavirus cases in Kosovo.

 EU Special Representative Lajcak to arrive in Kosovo today (Gazeta Express)

The European Union Special Representative (EUSR) for the Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue and other Western Balkan regional issues, Miroslav Lajcak, arrives in Kosovo today.

The EU Office in Kosovo said in a statement that during his visit from 13 to 15 October, he will meet with all political leaders, the international community, and representatives of civil society. The EUSR plans to discuss progress made since the resumption of the EU-facilitated Dialogue in July and next steps in the negotiations of the comprehensive agreement.

Kosovo-Serbia dialogue facilitated by the EU has been stalled after the Kosovo side has not accepted reopening of discussions on the establishment of the Association of Serb Municipalities. Following Pristina, Lajcak is expected to visit Belgrade to overcome dialogue impasse.

Lajcak will meet Kosovo prime minister Avdullah Hoti on Tuesday afternoon and the two are expected to discuss the implementation of the agreements reached so far, focusing on the implementation of the Agreement on Association of Serb-majority Municipalities. Lajcak in an interview given to Wiener Zeitung over the weekend said that time has come for Kosovo to establish the Association of Serb-majority Municipalities. Serbian side is insisting on reopening this topic again, whereas Kosovo prime minister Avdullah Hoti said that this is a closed issue reminding that Kosovo and Serbia have already agreed to establish the Association according to an Agreement reached in 2013, but the Constitutional Court of Kosovo ruled that most of the provisions of this Agreement are in  violation  with the Constitution. The EU is asking Kosovo to find modalities and implement this international obligation.

Government to Lajcak’s question on Association shortly before his arrival in Kosovo (Express)

The Association of Serb-majority Municipalities will not be a topic of discussion in the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue. This is the position of the government of Kosovo a few hours before the European Union Special Envoy for this dialogue, Miroslav Lajcak, arrives in Prishtina to convince the Kosovo side not to exclude this topic from the dialogue.

Three months ago, the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia was unblocked after 20 months of blockade, but now it has stalled again. The issue of the Association of Serb-majority municipalities has become Serbia’s next condition to sit back at the negotiating table. But for the Prime Minister of Kosovo, Avdullah Hoti, this issue is closed and will not be discussed anymore. 

The Prime Minister’s Office, in a response to the Gazeta Express news portal, answered the question that Lajcak asked on Sunday in an interview for the Austrian newspaper, Wiener Zeitung. 

“[Association] It is a very sensitive issue that the Constitutional Court of Kosovo has also spoken about – and this opinion should be taken into account. But those who object that now is not the time for it, I ask, “When, if not now?” “You signed this agreement yourself”, said Lajcak. 

To Russia, thesis of removing borders between Albania and Kosovo is alarming (Koha)

The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has condemned the joint meeting of the governments of Albania and Kosovo on October 2.

In a press statement issued on Monday, they highlighted that the idea of “eliminating borders” between Kosovo and Albania is “alarming”, it is a breach of UN Security Council Resolution 1244, and a violation of Serbia’s territorial integrity, of which Kosovo is part.

The Albanian and Kosovo governments held a joint meeting on October 2, with the motto “Together without borders, in a region without borders”. Several such meetings have been held in the courts of the last four years.

The motto comes amidst attempts by Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama to include Kosovo in the Mini-Schengen initiative launched by Albania, Serbia and North Macedonia. The initiative aims at eliminating trade barriers in the Balkans, and free the flow of goods, people and services. 

In relation to the alleged plan for the two countries to unite, Russia stated that the announcement of such intentions damages the settlement of the Kosovo dispute, nullifies the efforts aimed at finding a mutually acceptable solution.

They added that agreements signed between Albania and Kosovo during the meeting aimed at uniting various areas.

“There is an unambiguous impression that, despite the dubious and risky nature of their “rapprochement”, the authorities in Tirana and Pristina continue to promote Greater Albania, no matter how they conceal their plan. Such actions pose a real threat to peace and stability in the Balkan region. We count on a clear reaction to this activity from the international community – first of all, the European Union, which has been entrusted by the UN General Assembly with the mission of mediator in the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue,” the statement concluded. 

Albania and Kosovo agreed to cooperate on several areas during the latest joint governments meeting.

France fades Kosovo hopes for visa liberalisation any time soon (Express)

Kosovo is losing hope of getting a visa-free deal with the EU this year, regardless the European Commission reconfirmation that all visa requirements have been met. Some of the EU Member States, including France, are reluctant on whether Kosovo has fulfilled all the criteria, saying that Kosovo has lagged in fighting organised crime and corruption. 

Diplomatic sources in Paris told Gazeta Express that France is not convinced that Kosovo has fulfilled all visa liberalisation criteria. “A short-stay visa indicates that certain conditions should be met, especially when it comes to the rule of law and fight against organised crime and criminal activities. Currently these conditions have not been met by Kosovo,” a diplomatic source told the news portal.

French authorities say that positive developments in the rule of law area and reforms in judiciary have not yet produced tangible results. Officials in Paris consider that jointly with other European partners they will continue to closely follow the developments, especially the rule of law area. 

In addition to France, Netherlands is also among EU sceptics of waving visas for Kosovars. Until now only Germany gave unreserved support to the visa-free regime for Kosovo, but this seems insufficient, considering that France remains sceptical.

Hopes of Kosovo citizens getting visa liberalisation were high after Germany took the EU’s rotating Presidency on 1 July 2020. But regardless of Germany’s support, waving visas for Kosovo is not amongst the priorities of the European Union and this issue has not been included in the agenda of the EU Council meeting set to be held on 15 and 16 October. This was confirmed by the Government of Germany and the European Union officials in Brussels.

Kosovo leaders have continuously criticised the EU for not liberalising visas despite positive recommendation by the European Commission and European Parliament. Kosovo remains the most isolated country in the Balkans whose citizens have no right to move without visas in the EU’s Schengen Area.

Hoti receives new U.S. Military Attaché Stephen Rose (media)

The Prime Minister of Kosovo, Avdullah Hoti, received the new Military Attaché from the United States of America, Colonel Stephen Rose, in an introductory meeting. The Minister of Defense, Anton Quni and the Commander of the Kosovo Security Force, Lieutenant General Rrahman Rama also attended the meeting.

Wishing a warm welcome to Colonel Rose, Prime Minister Hoti underlined that bilateral cooperation is very important in further advancing the aspirations of the KSF. The latter is committed to cooperation with friendly armies and to NATO integration, whose help Kosovo never forgets and always appreciates.

On the other hand, Colonel Rose, thanking Prime Minister Hoti for the reception, said among other things, that it is a pleasure to give his contribution to Kosovo, committing himself to deepening cooperation of mutual interest.

Serbian Language Media

If Pristina continues blocking ZSO, Serbs announce possibility of leaving all Kosovo institutions (Kosovo-online)

Refusal of Pristina to talk about the Community of Serb-majority Municipalities (ZSO) represents a blow to the vital interests of the Serbian people and jeopardizes its collective political, economic and social rights. This was the conclusion in a meeting of Serb political representatives from Kosovo and current and former Office for Kosovo and Metohija directors Petar Petkovic and Marko Djuric, Kosovo-online portal reports.

“Establishment of the Community of Serb-majority Municipalities is a strategic interest of Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija, and each ignoring of the obligation to establish it with all authorities that belong to it in line with the Brussels agreements would be treated as an open attack against the acquired rights of our people. Serbs agreed to take part in Pristina’s institutions because they were guaranteed that they would obtain strong guarantees of the respect of their collective rights through Community of the Serb-majority Municipalities, and that is why they, inter alia, agreed to the establishment of the local authorities and other institutions as per Pristina’s system”, conclusion reads.

It was also stressed if Pristina unilaterally decides not to implement its obligations signed before the EU, obligations of the Serbs deriving from the Brussels agreement would also cease, and possibility to leave all central-level institutions in Pristina and abolish all Pristina’s institutions in the Serb-majority areas in Kosovo would be considered.

Representatives of the Serbs also voiced concern over frequent attacks against members of the Serbian people, their properties and holy shrines, and they were in particular revolted by the attacks against children.

It was agreed to request with the help of the institutions of Republic of Serbia using all available channels and in the most decisive manner from the international community to guarantee security in all places where Serbs live.  

Kosovo-online portal also said joint dissatisfaction was expressed in a meeting over refusal of Pristina to cooperate with respective institutions from Belgrade on shedding the light on the murder of Oliver Ivanovic, as well as over all obstructions by which Pristina’s judicial bodies attempt to protect order-givers and perpatratros of this crime. Also, all attempts of political misuse of Ivanovic’s case were condemned in a meeting.

At the end Serb representatives from Kosovo and Metohija expressed gratitude to the Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and the Serbian Government for consistent and committed support and would continue without reservation supporting attempts of Belgrade to protect Serbian state and national interests in Kosovo and Metohija by diplomatic and political means.

Particular gratitude was expressed over the largest investment wave in the Serbian areas over the last couple of decades, assessing that economic self-sustainability of the Serbian people in Kosovo is one of the most important preconditions for their survival. 

Várhelyi: Boosting and connecting the Western Balkans on the EU path (N1)

Olivér Várhelyi, European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement, shared with regional broadcaster N1 a comprehensive overview of European Commission’s economic and investment plan for Western Balkans.

Read Várhelyi’s full statement below: 

Belgrade, Podgorica, Pristina, Sarajevo, Skopje, Tirana. Six capitals of the Western Balkans, at the heart of Europe, but traveling and trading between them and to other capitals of Europe takes twice as long as between cities much further apart. Yet being connected is key: for the lives of the people, for businesses and for the economies of the region, even more so now when we need to boost the recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, the economic development gap between the region and the EU must be closed faster, which will also speed up the integration process of the countries in the EU.

These are the main reasons why the European Commission last week put on the table a large-scale Economic and Investment Plan for the Western Balkans. This Plan foresees to mobilise up to €9 billion of funding for investment flagships in the areas of transport, energy, green and digital transition, to create long-term growth and jobs. In addition, it aims to boost the investment capacity of the region thanks to a new Western Balkans Guarantee Facility, with the ambition to raise investments of up to €20 billion.

We need the Western Balkans better connected, be it by road or rail between capitals or with the European Union or through ultra-fast broadband internet. I firmly believe that this will help to create solid market economies by stimulating strongly and directly trade and investments. We also offer our cooperation in creating a knowledge-based economy through helping SMEs, start-ups and the research and development industries. These economies also need to work for the people: the mismatch between skills supply and needs of the labour market must be addressed and brain drain must turn into brain circulation, especially among young people.

The Plan is also launching a Green Agenda for the Western Balkans. Green and digital transitions are the EU priorities for its own recovery, and we want to support the region, in tune with realities on the ground, so it addresses pollution problems and at the same time creates sustainable business opportunities across economies. There will be a strong focus on decarbonisation, clean energy, cleaner environment and digital transformation, including the deployment of ultra-fast broadband.

In the fast phase-out from coal, the transition role of gas is of utmost importance, next to renewables. Phasing out coal could largely reduce present public health hazards swiftly. We want to bring gas to the Western Balkan to create diversity and to decrease dependencies, while long-term climate neutral solutions like hydrogen could be built on that basis.

International Financial Institutions stand ready to support our ambitious Plan. This support will be crucial to maximise the region’s huge potential to ensure the biggest benefits to the citizens and economies.

Through the Economic and Investment Plan, the Commission also aims to reinforce the regional dimension of our co-operation. Regional economic integration among the six partners is not a detour on the European path, but an outright economic opportunity to create growth, to overcome the COVID-related economic crisis, to modernise the economies in line with the EU priorities and bring them closer to the EU internal market.

The Economic and Investment Plan goes hand in hand with reforms. Reforms, in particular in the rule of law, remain at the heart of the enlargement process and are also needed to underpin this Plan, as they raise business confidence and create a better investment climate.

Together with the Plan the Commission also adopted the 2020 Enlargement Package, assessing the ongoing fundamental reforms in the Western Balkans, and presenting recommendations and guidance on the next steps for our partners. Their dynamic implementation will not only produce long-lasting results, it will also speed up progress on EU path.

The future of the Western Balkans is in the European Union. Since the first day of this Commission’s mandate, one point has been very clear: the region is a key priority for us. We are working tirelessly on bringing the region much closer and faster to the EU, pursuing three objectives: to reinvigorate the enlargement process, to open accession negotiations with Albania and North Macedonia and to speed up the economic convergence with the EU.

On the first two objectives, significant steps forward have been taken, with a revised enlargement methodology and the decision by Member States to open accession negotiations with Albania and North Macedonia for which the revised methodology proposal broke the ground. This has shown that the EU stands by its partners and delivers on its promises.

We also stood by the region during the COVID-19 outbreak, providing essential and unparalleled support, including emergency medical assistance and a financial package of €3.3 billion to address the direct consequences of the pandemic.

The new Plan is the third pillar of my approach. It will not only support the longer-term socio-economic recovery of the region and convergence with the EU, it will also increase intra-regional cooperation and trade and unleash the region’s untapped economic potential. Importantly, it will consolidate the region as an investment hub for European companies and put it on the map of investors who seek to reduce the distance to EU markets and diversify supply.

I went to the Western Balkans last week to present the new Economic and Investment Plan as well as the annual assessments in person directly to our partners. I travelled to the region to get support for the implementation of the Plan as well as a clear commitment on reforms and cooperation and I am pleased with the positive response. We will do this together, aiming to create a new economic and social landscape already in the next five years.

See at: https://bit.ly/34Q5YLn

EU envoy Lajcak makes first report on the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue to foreign ministers (N1)

European Union envoy Miroslav Lajcak made his first ever report on the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue to Union foreign ministers on Monday, informing them of the details of the three top level and five technical level meetings since the dialogue resumed.

He also informed the ministers of the reasons for delays as well as the progress made. The ministers are reported to have given him their full support.  

Lajcak said in a post on his Twitter account that he welcomed the opportunity to address the foreign ministers on the dialogue and expressed gratitude for their interest and support. “Today’s discussion confirmed that the Dialogue is clearly linked to the European future of Kosovo and Serbia,” he wrote. 

Lajcak’s boss, EU High Representative Josep Borell said at the meeting that he believes an agreement between Belgrade and Pristina is possible within months if both sides engage themselves in a constructive manner.  

Borell said that the EU is not there to impose a solution but to ease the dialogue. He said that the EU has no intention of forcing the two sides to go faster but would not let things drag out. He said that the countries that want to join the EU have to meet obligations in good neighbor relations and regional cooperation with politicians setting examples by working together and promoting a climate of trust, respect and understanding. Each country will be judged by its achievements, he said.

See at: https://bit.ly/3nK4zi6

Djuric: Pristina makes efforts to suspend dialogue (Radio KIM)

If Pristina does not want a Community of Serb-majority Municipalities then it neither wishes normalization of relations with Belgrade, newly appointed Serbian ambassador to Washington, Marko Djuric told RTS.

By making a statement there would be no new negotiations on the Community of Serb-majority Municipalities at the time when EU Special Envoy Miroslav Lajcak would visit Belgrade and Pristina, Kosovo Prime Minister Avdullah Hoti demonstrated that Pristina is investing huge efforts to suspend the dialogue and it essentially does not wish any results, Djuric added.

“I would like to recall that the Brussels agreement, reached seven years ago, as its first point has the establishment of the Community of Serb-majority Municipalities. The question is what Pristina wants, since if it does not wish Community of Serb-majority Municipalities, then it neither wishes normalization of relations with Belgrade”, Djuric said.

He also announced that later in the day, a meeting with Serb representatives from Kosovo and Metohija would take place in Belgrade. The current situation and possible response of the Serbian side would be elaborated on during the meeting.

Touching upon eight years of his tenure as a head of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija, Djuric said he was very eager and had strong motivation, adding he would continue to fight for the Serbian interests.  

“It can always be done more and better, however, over the previous period we have managed to preserve the peace. By launching a number of projects we have managed to reconstruct and restore churches and monasteries, schools and hospitals, while thousands of families got the roof over their heads”, Djuric said.  

Grubjesic: Lajcak to convince Pristina establish ZSO and continue dialogue (TV Most)

Crucial point for continuation of the dialogue is when would Pristina implement its obligation to establish Community of Serb-majority Municipalities (ZSO) Suzana Grubjesic from the Foreign Policy Center said, adding there is no reason at this moment when there is neither compromise nor final solution is on the agenda, to talk about far-reaching decisions Serbia should make, TV Most reports.

She said EU Special Envoy Miroslav Lajcak during the visit in Pristina today is expected to use complete skills and convince Pristina to continue the dialogue with Belgrade. After Pristina, Lajcak will visit Belgrade.

Commenting on his statement that Brussels expects from Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic “a far-reaching decision” relating to Kosovo, Grubjesic said it is possible to make such a decision, if it is known that the final agreement would be a compromise.

“If there is no compromise, there is no reason to mention a far-reaching decision in a moment when we primarily talk about continuation of the dialogue, and not about signing a comprehensive agreement”, she noted.

She also opined that establishment of the Community of Serb-majority Municipalities must be on the table, and there should be no new negotiations on it, but rather to start implementation of the Brussels agreement from 2013 and 2015, when the principles for establishment of the ZSO have been determined.

“That is crucial, and how much Lajcak would be successful and whether the dialogue would continue within the shortest deadline remains to be seen. Giving up on the dialogue on Kosovo and Metohija was never an option to Belgrade, however, at this moment the ball is on Prstina’s side”, Grubjesic said.

Commenting on the statement of EU High Representatives Josep Borell that Belgrade-Pristina dialogue could end in a couple of months, Grubjesic said priority should be given to the content of the future agreement, and not to the pace of its reaching.

However, she noted all projections made so far on when the dialogue would end and when the two sides could sign the agreement turned out inaccurate.

“The question is when Pristina would implement its obligation to establish ZSO, but not by forcing Serbia to sign the final agreement with a promise they would establish ZSO then. That is not an option”, she said.

She also said the EU has mechanisms and capacities when it wants something to implement it, however, the question remains to what extent it would use them, and that would be seen very soon. She noted Kosovo has Stabilization and Association Agreement with the EU and interruption of this agreement, according to her, is one of the options. 

“1000 candles” lit in Ivanovic’s honor in Belgrade and North Mitrovica (KoSSev)

The thousandth day since the murder of Kosovo Serb politician, Oliver Ivanovic was marked in North Mitrovica and Belgrade last night. During the manifestation – symbolically named “1000 candles for 1000 days of silence,“ the citizens paid tribute to the assassinated politician, while also aiming to alert both Kosovo and Serbian authorities and international representatives of the lack of justice, KoSsev portal reports.

The citizens lit the candles in the late politician’s honor at the site of Ivanovic’s murder in North Mitrovica and the Church of St. Mark in Belgrade as well.

Despite the rainy weather, several dozen citizens of North Mitrovica rallied together with Ivanovic’s family and family friends. Although failing to show optimism about a possible court epilogue of Ivanovic’s assassination, they also pointed out that Oliver has left a deep mark in Kosovo Serb politics and North Mitrovica.

Ivanovic’s son Janko Ivanovic, accompanied by his mother and uncle, laid flowers at the site of Ivanovic’s murder. Janko Ivanovic underlined that the family is not certain whether there will be a judiciary outcome. He added that this is a difficult time for the family.

See at: https://bit.ly/33QlYxF

Srebrenica Mothers: Serbian FM threatens all who speak of mass graves in Serbia (N1)

The ‘Mothers of Srebrenica and Zepa Enclaves’ association asked the President of the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals, Carmel Agius, to inform the UN Security Council about recent statements by Serbia’s Foreign Minister, Ivica Dacic, arguing that he threatened “anybody who considers talking about the existence of mass graves” on Serbian territory.

“After we informed you about the shameless attacks on protected witnesses in war crimes cases, which were publicly announced by the Centre for Research of War, War Crimes and the Search for Missing Persons of Republika Srpska, Milorad Kojic, an interview with the Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic appeared in public in which he, in a shameless way, puts a target on the head of everyone in Serbia who would speak about the existence of mass graves of Albanians on the Serbian territory,” the letter said.

“For many years now, we have reasonably been suspecting that there are mass graves on the territory of Serbia that contain the remains of Croats, Bosniaks and Albanians, and Ivica Dacic in this way confirmed our suspicions and indirectly threatened everyone who dares to speak about it that they will be persecuted by the state apparatus that Dacic represents,” they wrote.

In their letter, members of the association asked Agius to inform the UN Security Council of “Serbia’s unscrupulous attacks on anyone who considers talking about the existence of mass graves on its territory.”

See at: https://bit.ly/34V9LHl

Odalovic: Serbia does not hide mass graves; we checked everything that was asked of us (Kosovo Online)

The Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Veljko Odalovic told portal Kosovo Online that the information that appeared in some Albanian media that Serbia was hiding information about mass graves was not true, because the Serbian side did everything it knew and was asked to do.  

“Serbia did everything it knew and everything it was required to, according to the information that exists. Both Batajnica and Petrovo Selo, and Perucac and Rudnica. We will work on Kozarevo these days and check the location near Sjenica. In Medvedja, we checked several locations that were presumed to be potential mass graves,” Odalovic said.

According to the Pristina daily Koha, the Serbian side has been keeping secret data on mass graves on the territory of Serbia for more than two decades, and that the fate of 1,600 people was unknown, reported Kosovo Online.  

Odalovic said that all the information they received was checked. 

“I don’t know if there is any information that is not available to us as a commission. I would like, if those exist, to be put into function, and I am not running away from doing that, because we act extremely responsible in this regard,” Odalovic stated.

He stated that the Serbian side never rejected any request, when it comes to mass graves.

“Any information that has come so far, from any source, and concern any location, whether in the central part of Serbia or in Kosovo and Metohija, we either directly check where we are in full capacity of authority, or through the Working Group, we submit to the Pristina side or the International Committee of the Red Cross with a request to check the locations. That is the mechanism of our work,” Odalovic explained.

Last week, the president of the Social Democratic League, Nenad Canak, spoke on Happy TV about the existence of mass graves with the bodies of Albanians in Serbia.

In the show “Cirilica”, Canak spoke about the statements of the then Minister of Police Dusan Mihajlovic (2001) regarding ”the existence of 16 graves for which a decision was made not to speak publicly”.

“I read what Canak said and I found his statement, but I don’t know anything about it. Those who mention it should talk about it, if they know anything,” Odalovic said.

Senior German diplomat says region’s problems can no longer be put off (N1, BETA)

A senior German Foreign Ministry official said on Tuesday that a solution to the problems in the Western Balkans can no longer be put off, N1 reports.

“Time is very important. It’s important to work together, primarily the countries of the Western Balkans. It’s important to work on establishing rule of law and the implementation of the law”, Susanne Susanne Schütz, Director for South-East Europe, Turkey and EFTA States in the German Federal Foreign Ministry, told an online conference on the situation in the region organized by the Igman Initiative.

She said that everyone should make sure that the people leaving the Western Balkans will return. “The European integration of the six countries of the Western Balkans is the priority of the European Union and Germany’s EU Presidency. The Economic Investment Plan will be a priority in the coming period”, Schutz said. 

She said that the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue is a stumbling block for the region, that Bosnia-Herzegovina is divided along ethnic lines 25 years after the Dayton Agreement, that state structures are not functioning and that it’s hard to reach a consensus on basic issues. Schutz said that Germany will work with the EU to bring Bosnia-Herzegovina closer to become a normal state, not a state led by ethnic groups and parties. She said that relations between North Macedonia and Bulgaria are very complex and that Albania has a number of conditions to meet.

See at: https://bit.ly/2SMuZ4y

Opinion

Ring them Bells (EWB)

“Ring them bells while they can still can ring “

Leonard Cohen “Anthem”

Should we say that we are happy that we are acknowledged and that we were right? In recent years, most respective and most credible civil society organisations in Serbia have repeatedly stressing alarming level of unlawfulness and irresponsibility of state officials and state institutions, political influence of the ruling party and the executive power over all other branches of government. We were emphasizing lack of media freedom, sky rocketing systematic corruption and increasing political polarization of our society. Now when all this is written in European Commission’s report for this year, I ask myself what is our next move? And what is the next step for the European Union?

See at: https://bit.ly/3lMtcZP

Humanitarian/Development

Balkan Govts Mull Tightened Rules as COVID-19 Cases Rise (Balkan Insight)

With the number of new confirmed COVID-19 cases continuing to grow in the region, some governments are imposing tougher measures to curb its spread, such as making masks mandatory outdoors.

Amid a fresh spike in COVID-19 infections across Southeast Europe, some governments are tightening measures to curb its continued spread.

See at: https://bit.ly/36Zbdeh