• COVID-19: 885 new cases, 11 deaths (media)
• Vaccine rollout delayed, expected doses also reduced (Koha)
• Rama: Albania ready to vaccinate 11,000 Kosovo healthcare staff (Koha)
• EP adopts report on Kosovo, urges EU to grant visa liberalisation (media)
• Kurti meets Osmani, refers to her as the incoming president of Kosovo (media)
• Weber: New elections are not in favour of the opposition (RFE)
• Kurti to PAK: Suspend temporarily all decisions (RTK)
• Haziri: Difficult year ahead, KSC to have huge impact in coming weeks (Telegrafi)
• Vasfije Krasniqi: Ready to take part in dialogue, throw at Serbia’s face crimes committed in Kosovo (media)
• Op-ed: It is time for Vetevendosje to finally condemn homophobia (Prishtina Insight)
• After request for her dismissal, Emilija Redzepi changes the statement (media)
• EU to Examine Whether Serbia is ‘Deleting’ Ethnic Albanian Addresses (Balkan Insight)

COVID-19: 885 new cases, 11 deaths (media)

Kosovo has recorded 885 new cases of COVID-19 and 11 deaths in the last 24 hours. 700 persons have recovered from the virus during this time.

There are 13,991 active cases of COVID-19 in Kosovo.

Vaccine rollout delayed, expected doses also reduced (Koha)

Koha reports that the arrival of the first batch of COVID vaccines to Kosovo, through the WHO-led COVAX programme, has been delayed for at least three more weeks. Furthermore, of the expected 33,000 doses as part of the first delivery, only 24,000 will be sent to Kosovo.

COVAX is reported to have sent a letter to the Kosovo’s Ministry of Health few days ago explaining the delays and stating that the remainder of the vaccines of the 33,000 will be sent to Kosovo through the second contingent.

Rama: Albania ready to vaccinate 11,000 Kosovo healthcare staff (Koha)

Prime Minister of Albania Edi Rama said they could take over the responsibility of vaccinating 11,000 healthcare staff from Kosovo against COVID-19.

“Today we are in a possibility to give a direct message to Kosovo that we are ready to immediately take over vaccination of 11,000 healthcare workers in Kosovo,” Rama said.

Koha reports that last week, around 250 health professionals from Kosovo received Covid vaccines in the Albanian town of Kukes. Albania just received additional vaccines from China.

EP adopts report on Kosovo, urges EU to grant visa liberalisation (media)

European Parliament adopted yesterday report on Kosovo, presented by MEP Viola von Cramon-Taubadel, calling on Kosovo and Serbia to refrain from inflammatory actions and urged the five EU countries to recognise Kosovo. It also called on the EU Council to grant Kosovo visa liberalisation.

“MEPs urge the Kosovar and Serbian governments to refrain from any action that could undermine trust between the respective parties. Noting that five EU member states have not yet recognised Kosovo, MEPs reiterate their call for them to do so, stressing that Kosovo’s independence is irreversible. Recognition by these remaining EU member states, MEPs argue, would be beneficial to the normalisation of relations between Kosovo and Serbia, would enhance and consolidate the stability of the region, and would facilitate the EU integration of both states. MEPs also call on the Council to urgently proceed with the adoption of a visa-free regime for the citizens of Kosovo,” European Parliament said in a press release. It added that the report was adopted by 471 votes in favour, 109 against and 104 abstentions.

Ahead of the vote, rapporteur Viola von Cramon-Taubadel said that it is the high time for the EU Council to liberalize visas for Kosovo. “People in Kosovo are overwhelmingly in favor of the European Union, in fact no country in the region shows a stronger position on the EU than Kosovo, but this fact cannot be taken for granted if we are not fulfilling our obligations, we are losing credibility and trust, it is the high time for the EU Council to deliver on its promise of visa liberalization. I share the frustration of the citizens of Kosovo, I would like the European Parliament to be able to decide on this issue.”

She also expressed her concern over the lack of supply of Kosovo with coronavirus vaccines. “Another issue is the lack of supply of COVID-19 vaccines to Kosovo. Production capacity in the EU is increasing and this should be used to supply Kosovo as soon as possible. The EU should support the rapid vaccination of medical personnel and other more vulnerable groups,” she said.

The rapporteur for Kosovo said that official Pristina should not abandon the dialogue process, as mutual recognition between Kosovo and Serbia is a precondition for the membership of both countries in the European Union. “The new parliament and the government must find a common language and elect a new president. Regarding the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue, the new government should continue the dialogue, despite the difficulties Kosovo should remain committed to working with the EU on the dialogue and not abandon the dialogue. Mutual recognition between Kosovo and Serbia is a precondition for the two countries to join the European Union,” she said.

Prime Minister of Kosovo Albin Kurti hailed the vote. “I welcome today’s overwhelming majority vote by @Europarl_EN in favor of visa liberalization for #Kosova. The @EUCouncil should follow both @EU_Commission and the will of the majority of the EU Parliament and act to end the unjust and unfair isolation of Kosova’s citizens,” he wrote on Twitter.

Kurti meets Osmani, refers to her as the incoming president of Kosovo (media)

Prime Minister of Kosovo Albin Kurti met yesterday Vjosa Osmani whom he referred to a Kosovo Assembly member and ‘the incoming President of the Republic of Kosovo’.

A press release issued by the Government of Kosovo states that Osmani congratulated Kurti on his new task and wished him and the cabinet success in the performance of their duties.

Kurti on his part thanked Osmani and expressed his readiness for institutional cooperation for democratic state building and comprehensive progress of Kosovo.

Weber: New elections are not in favour of the opposition (RFE)

Bodo Weber, Balkans expert from the Berlin-based Democratization Policy Council, said that the possibility of new elections in Kosovo in case president election fails is not a favourable scenario for opposition parties.

“It is difficult to assume that they would come out better in new elections which would only cut short the formation of the Kurti Government for several months and would endanger the health of the citizens by heading to new elections during a pandemic. This would damage the opposition and the epilogue would be the same or Kurti would end up winning even more,” Weber said.

He also spoke about the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia noting that the process should resume but that before it does, it needs to change the aspect of the transatlantic cooperation with the EU and the U.S. working on restoring the credibility of the dialogue.

“This process has dropped to the lowest point in the last four years of negotiations towards the so-called final comprehensive agreement. This was also caused, in part, because of the negative role of the EU team at the time, Federica Mogherini and her team, and the assumption of the lead role by the Trump administration, which greatly discredited the process. This process should resume even if it was not Kurti Government, which has a clear message on how it sees the dialogue.”

Weber argued that Kurti’s insistence that Kosovo should be treated as an equal party in dialogue should be incorporated in the process but added that there are also other principles that need to be upheld. “Problems are caused for western negotiators from Pristina’s insistence that no new compromises will be made. If this has to do with lack of compromise over the Kosovo’s status, that is absolutely right. But if you want to have negotiations with Serbia, in order for Serbia to recognise the state of Kosovo as the end goal, there needs to be something at least symbolic for Belgrade,” he said.

Kurti to PAK: Suspend temporarily all decisions (RTK)

Prime Minister Albin Kurti addressed the Privatization Agency of Kosovo with a demand to suspend until further communication any decision-making related to privatization, alienation and any other action related to the future of socially-owned enterprises, such as leases or sales without a public tender.

“Also, I demand suspension of any decision making on the socially-owned enterprises which are conditionally privatized and which are still under KPA administration,” Kurti wrote.

According to Kurti, the new government has started work this week and the governing program will be drafted soon. “In this program we also address the activities, competencies and function of the KPA. Please have into consideration this request until the further decision of the government of Kosovo,” reads Kurti’s letter.

Haziri: Difficult year ahead, KSC to have huge impact in coming weeks (Telegrafi)

Deputy leader of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) Lutfi Haziri said Kosovo faces a challenging year ahead.

“We have a very difficult year ahead, both in the political and economic aspect, not only because of the Specialist Chambers which will have an extreme impact in the coming weeks that will directly affect our lives but also due to the so-called third wave of the pandemic,” Haziri is quoted as saying.

Vasfije Krasniqi: Ready to take part in dialogue, throw at Serbia’s face crimes committed in Kosovo (media)

Kosovo Assembly MP Vasfije Krasniqi-Goodman, survivor of conflict-related sexual violence, said she was surprised by the result achieved in the February 14 elections.

In an interview with Klan Kosova, she said that she did not have to join Vetevendosje Movement in order to enter their electoral list and that she was not asked to do so, calling herself ‘independent on the Vetevendosje Movement’s list.

“I hope to have the space to fight for justice and to have the support of everyone, not just the Vetevendosje MPs. We must all come together to fight for justice and break the stigma together. The victims should know that they have a support inside the parliament.”

She also said that she is in favor of her participation in the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia, if required. “I am ready to slap Serbia in the face for the crimes it committed in Kosovo, and I am a living proof of those crimes. I’m ready, but this is someone else’s decision. Serbia must face up the crimes it has committed, apologize and denounce all crimes,” Krasniqi-Goodman said.

Op-ed: It is time for Vetevendosje to finally condemn homophobia (Prishtina Insight)

Can the new Kosovo Government call itself progressive if it ignores LBGTI rights groups and includes rogue homophobes? I don’t think so, writes Adea Kondirolli.

As part of the 2019 election campaign, BIRN asked a series of quickfire questions to candidates standing for MP, including whether they were for or against same-sex marriage. The question split politicians, with nearly half backing the right for same-sex couples to marry, but over 40 percent coming out as against the notion.

One of the candidates expressing their opposition to same-sex marriage was Kosovo Bosniak MP Emilija Redzepi, who on Monday became Deputy Prime Minister for Minority and Human Rights Issues in the new Vetevendosje-led government.

Considering her apparent stance on same-sex marriage, it is perhaps unsurprising that numerous activists and organizations working with Kosovo’s LGBTI community have expressed skepticism that she will be able fulfil the role assigned to her.

CEL, a leading LGBTI advocacy organisation, stated on Tuesday that “it is ironic that a person who aims to advance human rights and minority communities publicly discriminates against other communities.” CEL called on Redzepi to withdraw her previous stance on same-sex marriage, stating that LGBTI+ persons are both citizens and taxpayers of the Republic of Kosovo who deserve equal treatment and rights.

Meanwhile, Dylberizm, an Albanian language platform dedicated to LGBTQ+ issues, called on Prime Minister Albin Kurti to dismiss Redzepi, stating that the “appointment of a homophobe to the position of Deputy Prime minister for Minority and Human Rights Issues is extremely concerning, and dangerous for the respect of human rights, more precisely the rights of the LGBTIQ+ community.”

So far, neither Redzepi, nor Kurti, nor Vetevendosje, have issued a clarification on the issue, which is typical of a persistently negligent attitude the party has often taken when LGBTI issues are raised.

See more at: https://bit.ly/31hYP5f

After request for her dismissal, Emilija Redzepi changes the statement (media)

Deputy Prime Minister Emilija Redzepi has changed her statement on same-sex marriage, following a request for her dismissal by LGBTIQ + community activists.

“That statement was made earlier. But I support all European conventions on human rights. I support all of them according to the European convention. I took that as an example. These are human rights, they decide for themselves. Thank you very much,” she said for the Signal.

EU to Examine Whether Serbia is ‘Deleting’ Ethnic Albanian Addresses (Balkan Insight)

The Kosovo and Serbia rapporteurs on Thursday said the EU will investigate whether Serbia is classifying as ‘inactive’ the addresses of ethnic Albanians living abroad.

The European Parliament on Thursday adopted a resolution to amend the EU report on Serbia and investigate claims that Serbia has been classifying as “inactive” the addresses of mainly ethnic Albanians deemed no longer to be living at these addresses.

In a joint press conference on Thursday, the Standing Rapporteur for Serbia, Vladimir Bilcik, and his Kosovo counterpart, Viola von Cramon-Taubadel, said the “EU will look much deeper and deal with this”, but when asked by BIRN on the exact steps to be taken, added that the EU “needs more time to collect empirical data on the issue from the region”.

“It is something we should deal with at the European Commission and Council,” von Cramon said, adding that the probe would check “what resolutions and international treaties are binding on Serbia to interrupt this process”.

Bilcik added: “It is important to regulate the status of all people living in these territories,” hinting that the issue might be included in the EU-led Kosovo-Serbia dialogue on normalisation of relations.

See more at: https://bit.ly/2PqgpRM