• COVID-19: 512 new cases, 11 deaths (media)
• Kosovo introduces tougher measures in face of growing COVID-19 cases (media)
• Kurti: Kosovo is skeptical to vaccines from non-recognising countries (media)
• Plan to vaccinate Kosovo teachers in Albania postponed (media)
• Zemaj: Lockdown decision without strategy will worsen situation (media)
• Vjosa Osmani elected President of Kosovo (media)
• Osmani receives congratulations on her election (media/social media)
• PDK: President of Kosovo emerged from dirty deals (media)
• Abdixhiku: LDK to continue acting as opposition, congratulations to Vjosa (media)
• AAK: Osmani is Kurti’s president, Kosovo turns into monism (media)
• Pacolli: Happy to have contributed to president’s election (media)
• President Osmani takes over her duty today (media)
• Kurti: Human remains recovered in Kizevak belong to Kosovo war victims (Koha)
• Donika Gervalla will lead the “Guxo” initiative? (media)
• Politics Still Sways Public Sector Hiring in Kosovo (Balkan Insight)

COVID-19: 512 new cases, 11 deaths (media)

Kosovo has recorded 512 new cases of COVID-19 and 11 deaths in the last 24 hours. 524 persons have recovered from the virus during this time.

There are 15,231 active cases of COVID-19 in Kosovo.

Kosovo introduces tougher measures in face of growing COVID-19 cases (media)

The Government of Kosovo introduced new measures in an effort to slow down the spread of COVID-19. In the words of Prime Minister Albin Kurti, the new rules aim first to reduce, then stop and reverse the trend of new infections and deaths.

“We have lost precious time since June 2020, when we had the situation under control — time which has cost far too many lives. Now is the time to act,” Kurti wrote on Twitter.

In a press conference held together with Minister of Health Arben Vitia, Kurti said the trend of increasing infections was ‘alarming’ and that the measures are taken in order to make sure the healthcare capacities in Kosovo are not overwhelmed.

The new measures will be in place from 7-18 April.

Kurti: Kosovo is skeptical to vaccines from non-recognising countries (media)

Prime Minister of Kosovo Albin Kurti said that the Government of Kosovo’s Euro-Atlantic orientation makes the assistance offered by countries that have not recognised independence of Kosovo be seen with skepticism and that this situation makes vaccine supply a more delicate situation.

“We have a clear position towards different offers that may come from non-recognising countries and [those] outside the EU,” he said.

Speaking at a joint press conference with Minister of Health Arben Vitia following the introduction of tougher anti-Covid measures, Kurti said that the recent two weeks have seen a significant spike of new infections. “This increase trend has exceeded even the threshold of las year’s December. To minimise the exposure to the virus, we have taken measures and the decision was voted unanimously,” Kurti said.

Plan to vaccinate Kosovo teachers in Albania postponed (media)

Minister of Health, Arben Vitia, said that the vaccination of Kosovo teachers to Albania has been postponed until new shipments of vaccine doses arrive in Albania.

Vitia added that he is in continuous contact with Albania’s Minister of Health, Orgeta Manastirliu, who assured him that as soon as the country receives new doses, a certain number will be set aside for the Kosovo teachers.

“AstraZeneca and Pfizer vaccines have been used up, Minister Manastirliu informed me,” Vitia said adding that vaccination in Albania is continuing with China-produced Sinovax which he said Kosovo Government considered best not to receive and will instead wait for the arrival of other two types of vaccines.

Zemaj: Lockdown decision without strategy will worsen situation (media)

Former Minister of Health Armend Zemaj commented on the recent anti-Covid measures taken by the Government of Kosovo saying that if not backed up with an adequate strategy they would only prove more damaging.

He said rigorous monitoring of measures is a positive possibility to reduce the number of new COVID-19 infections and hospitalisation causes but that this cannot be done through virtual meetings but by ‘energetic involvement’ of all national capacities. “One-year experience with the virus has taught us lessons. I hope mistakes of one year ago are not repeated. Lockdown destroys,” Zemaj wrote on Facebook.

Vjosa Osmani elected President of Kosovo (media)

Assembly of Kosovo elected Sunday evening Vjosa Osmani as the new president of Kosovo with 71 votes in favour in the third round of voting which required simple majority of votes after the first two, requiring  two-thirds, were unsuccessful.

The opposition parties – the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) and the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) – boycotted the voting session altogether except for two of their MPs who voted:  AAK’s Albena Reshitaj and PDK’s Adelina Grainca who decided to join the Vetevendosje parliamentary group. The Serbian List MPs also boycotted the session.

At the same time, the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) took part in the session as previously announced but three of its MPs – Avdullah Hoti, Driton Selmanaj, and Agim Veliu – did not vote.

In the election speech, Osmani said she would be a president to all and called for a dialogue aimed at normalizing ties with Serbia noting however that Belgrade must first apologize and prosecute those responsible for war crimes committed during the 1998-99 war. “Peace would be achieved only when we see remorse and an apology from Serbia and when we see justice for those who have suffered from their crimes,” Osmani said.

International media reported on Osmani’s election noting that she is a U.S.-educated lawyer and the second female leader of Kosovo. AP wrote that lawmakers in Kosovo elected and swore in a new president Sunday for a five-year term, the Balkan nation’s second female leader in the post-war period. “As president, she will have largely a ceremonial post as the head of state. But she also has a leading position in foreign policy and is the commander of the armed forces. Resuming normalization talks with former war foe Serbia is a priority in her list, even though the government of Prime Minister Albin Kurti has said it’s not high in its key goals. Reuters meanwhile wrote that Kosovo’s parliament has appointed a 38-year-old U.S.-educated female law professor and candidate of the ruling Vetevendosje party as the country’s new president, following an election in February and that Osmani represents a type of young Kosovar more familiar with life in the West and frustrated with the nepotism and ineffectiveness of the country’s traditional parties. Deutsche Welle reported that while the president’s duties are largely ceremonial, Osmani will now be the commander of the country’s armed forces and also serve as one of the country’s top diplomatic representatives. “The politician was one of the senior officials of the Democratic League of Kosovo (DLK) party. However, Osmani was ousted from the organization following inter-party strife. She remained an immensely popular figure, securing over 300,000 votes as a Vetevendosje candidate at the February election. Osmani is also seen as a role model for women in the mostly patriarchal Balkan country. Unlike Prime Minister Kurti, Osmani said it was a priority for her to resume the stalled normalization talks with Serbia.”

Osmani receives congratulations on her election (media/social media)

Vjosa Osmani has been congratulated by international leaders and representatives in Kosovo upon election as President of Kosovo.

The High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs, Josep Borrell said on Twitter: “Congratulations to VjosaOsmaniMP on her election as President of Kosovo. The EU continues to support Kosovo on its EU integration path. With the new institutions in place, Kosovo can now firmly focus on necessary reforms and the EU-facilitated Dialogue.”

EU Commissioner for Enlargement Oliver Varhelyi wrote: “Congratulations to President Vjosa Osmani on her election! EU looks forward to working with the President, new government and parliament in driving forward the European agenda and EU related reforms, in the interest of people of Kosovo. Continuation of dialogue with Belgrade is key.”

The U.S. Ambassador to Kosovo Philip Kosnett congratulated Osmani and Kosovo MPs who he said performed their duty as members of the Assembly.  “The U.S. remains committed to close partnership with the Republic of Kosovo to build a future of peace, justice, and prosperity for all citizens,” Kosnett wrote on Twitter.

“Congratulations to Vjosa Osmani on her election as Kosovo’s President. Germany will continue to be a close friend and partner for Kosovo. I am looking forward to closely work with you on further intensifying German-Kosovo relations,” wrote the German Ambassador to Kosovo Jorn Rohde.

“France sends its sincere congratulations to the new President of the Republic of Kosovo, Mrs. Vjosa Osmani” was written in a tweet of the French Embassy to Kosovo.

Nicholas Abbott, Ambassador of the UK to Kosovo wrote “Congratulations to Vjosa Osmani on her election as President. This is a success for democracy and democrats in Kosovo. Now the government can get on with tackling the challenges Kosovo faces, starting with the pandemic.”

‘Congratulations to Vjosa Osmani on her election as President of the Republic of #Kosovo and to the people of Kosovo. Italy is committed to work closely to further strengthen the partnership between our countries and support Kosovo’s Euro-Atlantic path,” wrote the Ambassador of Italy to Kosovo Nicolas Orlando.

Head of UNMIK Zahir Tanin extended congratulations to Osmani too. “We look forward to our collaboration on areas of mutual interest & we stand ready to provide support to the President & the institutions based on our mandate from the #UNSC,” UNMIK conveyed Tanin’s words on a Twitter post.

Media report that the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday congratulated his newly elected Kosovar counterpart Vjosa Osmani-Sadriu. According to a statement by Turkey’s Communications Directorate, the leaders discussed regional developments along with bilateral relations in a phone call. Underlining that Turkish society is an indispensable part of Kosovo’s multi-cultural structure and plays a constructive role in establishing a new government and elections process, Erdogan said he believed the brotherly relations of both countries, with their roots in history, would grow stronger in the days ahead. Erdogan also said the multi-dimensional collaboration between Turkey and Kosovo contributes to peace and stability in the Balkans.

Prime Minister of Albania Edi Rama joined in the congratulations saying Osmani’s election completed consolidation of institutions and guarantees the necessary stability to focus on implementation of governing programme.

PDK: President of Kosovo emerged from dirty deals (media)

The Democratic Party of Kosovo reacted to the election of Vjosa Osmani saying that Prime Minister Albin Kurti has now extended his full control over Kosovo institutions.

“Tonight, in the session of dark and dealt which will be revealed later, Kosovo slipped into monism by causing irreparable damage to the country’s democracy,” PDK said.  It went on to accuse Kurti and Osmani of making ‘deals’ with the Serbian List and of ‘buying opposition MPs’.

“Vjosa Osmani, the elected president, will never be a valid president, unifying and representing the whole population – but will be  figure of business groups, puppet to an authoritarian and the name that made the biggest blow to country’s democracy possible.”

Abdixhiku: LDK to continue acting as opposition, congratulations to Vjosa (media)

Leader of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) Lumir Abdixhiku congratulated Vjosa Osmani on her election saying that the process was democratic and that the LDK will continue its opposition role.

“We now have a president of the country, we wish her health and we hope she will exercise her constitutional role with dignity by representing all citizens of the country and by consulting all parties and leave a good mark in the five coming years,” he said.

AAK: Osmani is Kurti’s president, Kosovo turns into monism (media)

Leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) Ramush Haradinaj reacted to election of Vjosa Osmani as president of Kosovo saying that she is a president of Albin Kurti.

“All of this is an indicator for Kosovo that not good days promised to it will be ahead because we are dealing with a deceit and a system that is of one party. One person is president, prime minister, assembly speaker, and that is Albin Kurti so in a way we are going back to monism,” Haradinaj said.

He addressed criticism to opposition MPs who chose to vote for Osmani’s election saying they ‘expropriated’ the will of the citizens. “It was proved yesterday that election winners lack courage to act as stipulated by the democracy and they also shown themselves capable of vote smuggling. What happened does not do honour to Kosovo and our democracy,” Haradinaj said in reference to the two MPs, one from his own AAK and the other from the PDK, who took part in the voting process on Sunday.

Pacolli: Happy to have contributed to president’s election (media)

Leader of the New Kosovo Alliance (AKR) Behgjet Pacolli took part in the voting of the new president of Kosovo and said he was happy to have been able to contribute to the process.

“I am and remain constructive and open. I will always respect the will of the citizens. I will stand by you, Congratulations Madam Preisdent,” Pacolli wrote on social media.

President Osmani takes over her duty today (media)

The Presidency of Kosovo has announced that due to the current situation with the COVID-19 pandemic, an inauguration ceremony of the President of Kosovo will not be organized.

However, a number of activities will be organized to mark the taking of the office of President of Kosovo and which have been adapted to the current circumstances.

Among them, there will be a ceremony of the troops of the Ceremonial Platoon of the Kosovo Security Force,  then she will host the team of champion judokas, the students of the ATOMI Institute.

Later in the day Osmani accompanied by the Minister of Health Arben Vitia, will visit the Vaccination Center in Prishtina.

AT around 13:00 hours, Osmani is expected to pay homage to former President of Kosovo Ibrahim Rugova, then she will lay a bouquet of flowers at the Memorial in honor of the missing in Kosovo and at the Monument “Heroines.”

In the afternoon, Osmani Sadriu will pay homage to the Memorial Complex “Adem Jashari”.

At 17:00 hours, the President of Kosovo will receive the Commander of the Kosovo Security Force, Lieutenant General Rrahman Rama and the KSF generals.

Kurti: Human remains recovered in Kizevak belong to Kosovo war victims (Koha)

In commemorating the anniversary of massacres in Kralan and Rezalla where a total of 185 Albanians were killed by Serbian forces, Prime Minister of Kosovo Albin Kurti said they received information that the remains exhumed last year in Kizevak of Serbia belong to Kosovo’s wartime victims.

Kurti said that so far two new identifications were made through DNA testing. “The mass grave in Kizevak of Serbia is linked to the mass grave in Rudnica and we expect other persons, victims from the Rezalla massacre who are on the list of missing persons, to be recovered in Kizevak. However this will be done once the excavations and exhumations on this site are completed,” Kurti noted.

“We remain committed to continuing our work by prioritising the shedding of light to the fate of missing persons, to the best legal and institutional treatments of their families and work in establishing justice.”

Donika Gervalla will lead the “Guxo” initiative? (media)

The Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, Faton Peci, spoke about the future of the Guxo List in the political scene, writes Gazeta Sinjali.

The chairwoman of this list, Vjosa Osmani, has resigned from this list after being elected President of Kosovo, thus leaving only four deputies in this initiative.

Peci said that he believes that the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Donika Gervalla, will be the new leader of this Initiative.

“We have capacities and people with great skills. We will hold the internal assembly to determine the future but I believe that Mrs. Donika Gervalla will be the one to lead us forward. We will have a central figure, until the holding of an electoral assembly, where the new structures will emerge,” he said.

Politics Still Sways Public Sector Hiring in Kosovo (Balkan Insight)

With a fourth government in two years taking power in March, Kosovo’s publicly-owned enterprises face a new round of firing and hiring.

The most senior positions in state-run firms are traditionally filled with political appointees, who invariably depart when a new government enters office.

Amid widespread concern over the effect on the way such companies are run, the UK foreign office was enlisted in 2017 to aid in the hiring of senior staff with the aim of installing qualified professionals rather than party apparatchiks.

But BIRN has uncovered violations in the hiring of senior directors to at least two public enterprises – Kosovo’s postal service and the railway infrastructure firm INFRAKOS – as the previous government pressed ahead with a wave of recruitment even after being declared illegitimate by the country’s Constitutional Court.

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