Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: 442 new cases, 14 deaths (media)
• EU to send 95,000 doses of Pfizer vaccine to Kosovo (media)
• Vitia signs administrative instruction paving way for vaccine purchase (media)
• President Biden writes to Osmani: Our partnership is rooted in common values (media)
• Aliferi: Greece supports Kosovo’s European integration path (RFE)
• Kusari-Lila: Government to soon present position on dialogue with Serbia (Telegrafi)
• LVV calls for end to government paying electricity bills for the north (Koha)
• Haxhiu: Vetting of judiciary, biggest challenge for Ministry of Justice (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Covid-19 in Serbian communities: Two people died, 36 new cases (KoSSev)
• Vucic: Serbia will not recognize Kosovo to get Republika Srpska (N1)
• Brnabic meets WHO Europe Director Klugge (Tanjug)
• Palestine requests Islamic states to cease relations with Pristina (RTS)
• Kosovo dropped eight places on media freedom list (RTV Puls)
• Journalism, a high-risk profession in Kosovo (Kosovo Online, RTS)
• Serbia’s ranking unchanged on World Press Freedom Index (N1)
• Varhelyi: 651.000 vaccines for Western Balkans, Serbia was first to extend help to the region (Kosovo-online)
• Gracanica: Performance ”Contribution to the tax” (Kosovo Online)

International:

• Biden urges to Kosovo continue ‘essential’ talks with Serbia (AP)
• Serbia’s Marko Đurić urges ‘just solution’ to bitter Kosovo dispute (washdiplomat.com)
• Balkans rocked as leaked memo explores redrawing Bosnia’s borders along ethnic lines (euronews.com)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Kosovar biologist calls newly found insect after coronavirus (AP)
• Mediation as a form of reconciliation in schools (UNICEF, social media)
• Brain drain? In Serbia, Montenegro, and North Macedonia there are signs of ‘brain gain’ (Emerging Europe)

Albanian Language Media  

COVID-19: 442 new cases, 14 deaths (media)

442 new cases of COVID-19 and 14 deaths have been reported in Kosovo over the last 24 hours by the National Institute for Public Health. 

Meanwhile, 957 recoveries from the virus were also recorded during this period.

EU to send 95,000 doses of Pfizer vaccine to Kosovo (media)

European Union, through Austria, is expected to deliver 95,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine, media report.

The shipment is part of 651,000 BioNTech/Pfizer doses, funded by the European Commission, that will be shared with the facilitation of Austria. The first delivery to all the partners in the region is due in May, with regular tranches to continue until August, European Commission said in a statement.

The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said: “It is crucial to speed up the vaccination campaigns everywhere. I am happy to announce that we have secured doses to help vaccinate health care workers and other vulnerable groups in the Western Balkans. The European Union stands by our partners in the region, who have been looking to us for support. I want to thank Austria for facilitating this transfer, showing its firm commitment and solidarity with the Western Balkans.”

Enlargement and Neighbourhood Commissioner, Olivér Várhelyi, added: “Despite the current global shortage, the EU will deliver life-saving vaccines for the Western Balkans. We have provided support from the start of the COVID-19 pandemic: First, with emergency medical equipment like masks, ventilators, intensive care units and ambulance vehicles; second, by strengthening the resilience. Now, we will help ensure the vaccination of all frontline medical workers across the region, as well as some of the other vulnerable groups. We care about the Western Balkans whose future is in the European Union.”

Austrian Foreign Minister, Alexander Schallenberg, stressed: “It is a top priority to make COVID-19 vaccines rapidly and comprehensively available to people across Europe. Against this backdrop, supporting the Western Balkans to obtain vaccines is an act of European solidarity and an investment in the health and security of the whole region. After all, blank spots on the vaccination map, wherever they may be, pose a danger to all of us. No one is safe until everyone is safe.”

Vitia signs administrative instruction paving way for vaccine purchase (media)

Minister of Health Arben Vitia has signed an administrative instruction amending a previous one to set the legal basis for the purchase of COVID-19 vaccines, media report. 

The document identifies exemptions to enable conditional or emergency marketing authorisation for COVID-19 vaccines issued by regulatory authorities: European Medicines Agency (EMA) or the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). 

“The import of COVID-19 vaccines shall be done according to the legislation in force and the criteria defined in the agreement between the Ministry of Health or another public body and the contracting party for the provision of COVID-19 vaccines,” the administrative instruction says. 

President Biden writes to Osmani: Our partnership is rooted in common values (media)

The U.S. President Joe Biden wrote a congratulatory letter to Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani on her election and noted that the partnership between Kosovo and the U.S. is long and rooted in common values. He also said that the Biden family has a personal connection to Kosovo.

“My son Beau loved the time he spent in Kosovo working to advance peace and the rule of law, and I will always cherish the memory of when he brought my whole family in 2016 to attend the dedication of the highway named in his honor,” President Biden wrote. 

He underlined that he was looking forward to working together with Osmani on implementation of priorities for Kosovo which include strengthening the rule of law, fighting corruption, protecting the rights of ethnic and religious minorities; recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, economic development, and sustainable energy future. 

“Equally important, the United States will continue to support efforts to secure a lasting peace through productive dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia and ultimately a comprehensive normalization agreement, which we believe should be centered on mutual recognition,” Biden said, adding that normalization of relations with Serbia is essential for Kosovo to fully integrate into Euro-Atlantic institutions and that this will require flexibility and difficult compromises.

President Biden also made reference to a letter he received from Osmani on Kosovo’s need for COVID-19 vaccines and said that while the U.S. is a major contributor to the COVAX initiative, “as we increase vaccine supplied here in the United States, we are exploring options to work with partners to share what we can.”  

Aliferi: Greece supports Kosovo’s European integration path (RFE)

Head of the Greek Liaison Office in Kosovo, Chryssoula Aliferi, said her country supports Kosovo in its visa liberalisation and European integration processes but noted that the position towards independence of Kosovo remains unchanged. 

Aliferi stressed that Greece supports consolidation of peace, democracy, stability, security, economic development, and the rule of law in the Western Balkans region. “In this context, Greece was a strong supporter of European perspective for all Western Balkans partners, including Pristina, and of the dialogue between Pristina and Belgrade, facilitated by the EU.” 

Aliferi also spoke about the invitation that the Greek Foreign Ministry sent to Kosovo’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Donika Gervalla for an official visit, noting that the date will be timely decided. 

Kusari-Lila: Government to soon present position on dialogue with Serbia (Telegrafi)

Head of the Vetevendosje Movement (LVV) parliamentary group, Mimoza Kusari-Lila, said that the government of Kosovo would soon come out with position on dialogue with Serbia.

“This is a process that has started a long time ago and which needs to restart with clearly articulated principles and unity within the political spectrum,” she said.

Kusari-Lila said the LVV parliamentary group remains committed to work with respective groups inside the Assembly and “build compromise because there are a range of issues that are still outstanding.”

LVV calls for end to government paying electricity bills for the north (Koha)

Kosovo Assembly’s committee on economy, trade, and industry convened today to review the work plan and also tackled the issue of unpaid electricity bills by residents in the Serb-majority populated areas, particularly in the north of Kosovo.

Representatives of the Vetevendosje Movement (LVV) in the committee argued against the Government of Kosovo settling the unpaid electricity bills. She noted that the energy consumption in the north has increased over the last year by 20% while in the meantime no increase of population was recorded. 

Armend Muja, LVV MP, also said that it is illogical for the Government to continue paying for electricity in the northern municipalities. “Until 2017 these electricity bills were paid for by Kosovo consumers and as of 2017 they are paid by the Government. We are subsidising the energy there,” he said.

Members of the committee objected to the request by the Kosovo Transmission and System Operator (KOSTT) for allocation of additional 11 million euro. 

Haxhiu: Vetting of judiciary, biggest challenge for Ministry of Justice (media)

Kosovo’s Minister of Justice Albulena Haxhiu said that the priorities of the ministry she leads include the functional review of the rule of law sector and the vetting of the judiciary.

“We aim to win back the citizens’ trust in the justice system through this process. There is no dilemma as to whether a vetting is necessary as this has now become an immediate need,” Haxhiu said, adding that this is also the biggest challenge ahead for the Ministry of Justice.

Speaking at a debate about the rule of law in Kosovo, organised by the Group for Legal and Political Studies, Haxhiu said: “Our government is facing many challenges but I am confident that all will be addressed through the will we have. No doubt, the challenges cannot only be addressed by the government but this needs to be done also with the civil society and media.” 

Serbian Language Media

Covid-19 in Serbian communities: Two people died, 36 new cases (KoSSev)

Out of a total of 106 tested samples in Serbian communities in Kosovo in the last 24 hours, 36 people tested positive for coronavirus, and two people died, the Crisis Staff of the Municipality of Kosovska Mitrovica announced.

The number of active cases is currently 582.

The new patients are from Leposavic – 8, Zvecan and Gracanica 7 each, North Mitrovica, Zubin Potok and Strpce 3 each and one case each in Kamenica and Priluzje.

The total number of deaths since the beginning of the epidemic is now 138.

Vucic: Serbia will not recognize Kosovo to get Republika Srpska (N1)

People can “sleep in peace” and “there will be no war,” Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said in an interview with Bosnian Face TV. He dismissed speculations about any swap of territories or change of borders in the Western Balkans.

Commenting on the alleged non-paper about the change of borders in the Western Balkans, Vucic said that he has not seen it but only heard about some speculations.

“See, you say that Serbia will recognize the independence of Kosovo to get Republika Srpska in return. That’s not going to happen. None of that is real nor good nor we need it, and this is all I can say about it. I refuse to speak about something that does not exist,” Vucic said.

“We don’t need the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina,” he added.

Speaking of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s constitutional order, he said that the country has so-called “divided sovereignty” with more significant competencies held by its two entities and that he is fond of Bosnia’s Serb-majority entity Republika Srpska just like he “respect Bosnia and Herzegovina.”

“Why do you seek enemies where there are none?” Serbian President asked the interview host, Senad Hadzifejzovic, adding that he is proud of Serbia’s economy and that people in Bosnia and Herzegovina should be glad about that as well.

Asked about his relations with Serb member of Bosnia’s tripartite Presidency, Milorad Dodik, Vucic said Dodik is a “very intelligent man” whom he respects but that he does not always necessarily share the same opinion with him.

“Milorad Dodik can state his opinion but no one should speak on my behalf, I have no spokesperson and I always say openly what I think; I say what I think, I do what I say. I am very open, and I am saying honestly and sincerely what’s my policy and what I advocate,” he added.

Commenting on allegations that he is the president of all Serbs, Vucic said he is the president to all citizens of Serbia not to the Serbs only.

See at: https://bit.ly/3tB0kI3

Brnabic meets WHO Europe Director Klugge (Tanjug)

Serbian PM Ana Brnabic spoke with the World Health Organisation’s Regional Director for Europe Hans Klugge on Monday about the epidemiological situation and the course of anti-COVID-19 immunisation of Serbian citizens.

Serbian PM Ana Brnabic spoke with the World Health Organisation’s Regional Director for Europe Hans Klugge on Monday about the epidemiological situation and the course of anti-COVID-19 immunisation of Serbian citizens.

Thanking the WHO for its cooperation in the fight against the pandemic and for its technical assistance and expertise, Brnabic said the organisation’s support was very significant for Serbia, the government press office said in a statement.

She briefed Klugge on the course of the immunisation campaign and expressed the confidence that, thanks to the large number of vaccinated citizens, Serbia would succeed in creating collective immunity and in returning to normal life.

Klugge said the immunisation process in Serbia was impressive but added that, due to the emergence of new coronavirus strains, it must be accelerated, and that mutual solidarity must be shown.

He praised Serbia for the humaneness demonstrated through vaccine donations to countries in the region.

Brnabic said Serbia would continue to cooperate with countries in the region and help when able to do so.

Speaking about a project to outline a road map to health in the Western Balkans in 2021-2025, the parties said a regional meeting important for enhanced future cooperation among countries in the region when it comes to health challenges would be held in Belgrade at the end of the year if the epidemiological conditions permitted.

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

Palestine requests Islamic states to cease relations with Pristina (RTS)

Palestine has requested member states of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to cease relations with Kosovo, over the latter’s decision to open an embassy in Jerusalem, RTS reports citing Belgrade-based Novosti daily.

As Palestinian Foreign Affairs Minister Riyad al-Maliki explained the relations should end, as Pristina by its decision to open an embassy violates the international law and resolutions, and also openly attacks Palestine people and their rights, RTS further reported.

According to Novosti, if Organization of Islamic Cooperation would accept Palestinian demand, Prisitna would face a large loss in support, since 30 out of 57 member states of OIC recognize Kosovo.

Among OIC member states that recognized Kosovo are Turkey, Albania, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Pakistan and Libya.

Countries such as Oman, Egypt and Guinea Bissau “froze” their decisions on recognition even prior to the disputable decision of Pristina to open an embassy in Jerusalem.

The daily recalled that Palestine, Azerbaijan, Indonesia, Iran, Algeria, Tunisia and Kazakhstan do not recognize Kosovo.  

Meanwhile, Palestine Ambassador to Serbia Mohamed Nabhan confirmed today his country launched an initiative to “freeze” Kosovo membership in Organization of Islamic Cooperation, Kosovo-online portal reports, adding if this is accepted member states may decide to close down their embassies or representative offices in Pristina, put contacts on hold or retract recognitions of Kosovo. 

Kosovo dropped eight places on media freedom list (RTV Puls)

This year, Kosovo fell eight places lower than last year, according to the Reporters Without Borders report on media freedom in the world, RFE reported. 

Kosovo is thus on the 78th place of the list in terms of media freedom thus being in the group assessed with a problematic situation of media freedom, quoted RTV Puls. 

According to Reporters Without Borders, the media in Kosovo, like almost everything else in Kosovo, “remain divided along ethnic lines.”

“Access to information is often limited to one ethnic or political group, with most media reporting mainly on issues related to their nationality. Some of the common concerns are physical and verbal attacks on journalists, attacks on social media against the media and non-transparency of media ownership,” the report said.

RWB points out that many media in Kosovo do not have financial stability, which is why they are “sensitive to political influence”, which often leads to self-censorship.

“Many minority media are on the verge of extinction, depending mainly on foreign donations,” Reporters Without Borders said.

They say the fate of many journalists in Kosovo remains unknown to this day, including those journalists who went missing or were abducted during the 1999 conflict.

Of the countries in the region, Bosnia and Herzegovina ranks 58th, Northern Macedonia 90th, Serbia 93rd and Montenegro 104th.

A report from 2021 says that journalism – the main vaccine against misinformation – is completely or partially blocked in 73 percent of the 180 countries that the organization includes on its list.

Among other things, the report mentions that the coronavirus pandemic was used to block journalists’ access to information sources and field reporting.

First and last on the list

Norway is at the top of the list for the fifth year in a row, although the media there complained about the lack of access to state information related to the pandemic. On the other hand, China continues to censor, monitor and conduct propaganda on the Internet at unprecedented levels, which placed it among countries with the weakest media freedom.

Journalism, a high-risk profession in Kosovo (Kosovo Online, RTS)

The conditions in which Serbian journalists have been working in Kosovo for more than two decades are especially risky. They face many difficulties which, with great professional responsibility and personal persistence, they still overcome, RTS reported, portal Kosovo Online quotes.  

In doing their job, journalists are often under pressure, sometimes exposed to threats. In often unsafe conditions in Kosovo, they strive to complete their work in the spirit of their profession.

“Journalism is still a high-risk profession in Kosovo and Metohija. There are various types of pressure and obstacles in doing our job,” said Budimir Nicic from the Association of Journalists of Kosovo and Metohija.

Longtime journalist of Belgrade daily Politika, Biljana Radomirovic from North Mitrovica says that Serbian journalists have various difficulties, and that certain places in that area are very risky for them.

Radomirovic adds that a journalist in Kosovo is always at risk, and it happened to her, as she said, that on the bridge a flare hooked her shoulder.

Vecernji Novosti journalist Dragana Zecevic said that in addition to the lack of freedom of movement, Serbian journalists in Kosovo also face violations of Kosovo’s laws on freedom of language.

Lately, a ramp has been set up for journalists at administrative crossings. In Jarinje, in February, our team was rejected and returned on the fourth day after a three-day wait.

“We cannot say that institutional progress has been achieved in Kosovo and Metohija, when it comes to media freedom, but we have fought for some level of autonomy and it is being won again every day,” said the Secretary General of Serbian Association of Journalist (UNS), Nino Brajovic.

Writer and journalist Zivojin Rakocevic said that the media are the freest and most developed part of society, in the life of Serbs in Kosovo, along with culture.

“Here you push the boundaries of your personal freedom and the boundaries of general freedoms, you have a sacred mission to witness what is happening with your life and with the most important achievements of your culture, what is happening with your cities that have been kidnapped, what is happening with corruption, crime,” stated Rakocevic.

Cooperation between Serbian and Albanian journalists exist. They exchange information and contacts

“Their media, although they declare themselves to be free, are not so free. It is not the freedom to be pressured by politics. It is that freedom in the head,” said Ivan Miljkovic, editor of the “Riznica” portal.

Serbian journalists in Kosovo want an independent TV channel, which was often talked about in previous years, and after all, it fell silent. The economic sustainability of the media is another problem with which independent productions and portals are struggling.

Serbia’s ranking unchanged on World Press Freedom Index (N1)

Serbia has been ranked 93rd by Reporters Without Borders on its 2021 World Press Freedom Index, the media freedom watchdog organization said in a report released on Tuesday, N1 reports.

“Europe registered a sizable deterioration in its “Abuses” indicator, with acts of violence more than doubling in the European Union and Balkans, compared with 17% deterioration worldwide”, the report said, adding that Serbia’s position remains unchanged compared to last year’s index.

“With the political promises of previous years left unrealized, Serbia is a country with weak institutions that is prey to fake news spread by government-backed sensational media, a country where journalists are subjected to almost daily attacks that increasingly come from the ruling elite and pro-government media”, the report said.

It added that the Serbian government used the coronavirus crisis to pass draconian legislation – later repealed – under which journalist Ana Lalic was arrested at her home in April 2020 for a report about a local hospital.

See more at: https://bit.ly/3ekONGi

Varhelyi: 651.000 vaccines for Western Balkans, Serbia was first to extend help to the region (Kosovo-online)

European Enlargement Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi said today the EU with the help of Austria would start delivery of 651.000 Pfizer vaccines to the Western Balkans as of May and the shipment would continue through August, Kosovo-online portal reports.

Serbia should receive 36.000 dozes of Pfizer from this EU funded program.

Varhelyi in particular thanked Serbian authorities as they “were the first one to share the vaccines in the region”.  

“This was of great importance and we very much appreciate the efforts of the Serbian authorities to extend help to the partners in the Western Balkans”, he said. 

Gracanica: Performance ”Contribution to the tax” (Kosovo Online)

In front of the building of the Youth Council in Gracanica, a performance “Prilog za harac” (Contribution to the tax) was held due to several fines and reports handed over by the police to Dejan Dimitrijevic, the father of the beaten young man for allegedly organizing a protest after the attack on his son, reported Kosovo Online. 

By holding the performance “Prilog za harac”, the representatives of the civil society are trying to show, as they stated, the incomprehensible punishment of Dejan Dimitrijevic, who was not the organizer of any protest after the three Albanians beat his son.

“We set up a box for ‘harac’, in order to collect voluntary contributions and show that we are all guilty because we all showed up at that protest. We are all organizers and none of us is an organizer,” said Ivan Nkolic from the NGO Communication for the Development of Society. 

Nikolic announced the continuation of the campaign in order to point out the bad security situation in Gracanica, while respecting epidemiological measures.

International

Biden urges to Kosovo continue ‘essential’ talks with Serbia (AP)

U.S. President Joe Biden has urged Kosovo’s government to continue a dialogue on normalizing ties with neighboring Serbia and said that any agreement between the two former war foes “should be centered on mutual recognition.”

Biden sent a letter to Kosovo’s new president, Vjosa Osmani, whose office made the communication public on Tuesday. In it, he said Washington would “continue to support efforts to secure a lasting peace through productive dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia and ultimately a comprehensive normalization agreement, which we believe should be centered on mutual recognition.”

Biden called the normalization of relations with Serbia “essential for Kosovo to realize its potential and fully integrate into Euro-Atlantic institutions.”

See more at: https://bit.ly/3tDFaJp

Serbia’s Marko Đurić urges ‘just solution’ to bitter Kosovo dispute (washdiplomat.com)

March 26, 2018 is a day Marko Đurić, Serbia’s new ambassador to the United States, will never forget.

On that Monday, Đurić—at the time chief negotiator for Serbia’s Office for Kosovo and Metohija—was meeting with local Serbs in the town of North Mitrovica when he was violently detained for having crossed into Kosovar territory illegally.

A rather shocking video of the incident, which has been shared on YouTube more than 370,000 times, speaks for itself.

“Authorities were duly notified that I was coming. So was the EU,” Đurić said in a recent phone interview, insisting that Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić and his Kosovar counterpart, Hashim Thaçi, specifically discussed the upcoming negotiations over a dinner in Brussels three days before the confrontation took place.

See more at: https://bit.ly/3ssFfyg

Balkans rocked as leaked memo explores redrawing Bosnia’s borders along ethnic lines (euronews.com)

An explosive memo that advocates redrawing the borders of independent countries formed after Yugoslavia’s breakup and reducing Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) to a third of its current size has sparked fears of renewed conflict in the region.

The unsigned document, which is claimed to have reached the highest EU circles, proposes Serbia, Croatia, and Albania being expanded to swallow up parts of neighbouring Bosnia, North Macedonia and Kosovo.

The idea, widely criticised in the region, is to continue where the Yugoslav wars stopped and create monoethnic states – in direct contradiction with both EU and other international efforts to foster multiculturalism in the Western Balkans.

See more at:https://bit.ly/3n3uhOx

Humanitarian/Development

Kosovar biologist calls newly found insect after coronavirus (AP)

Kosovar biologist Halil Ibrahimi believes the pandemic restrictions haven’t all been bad — as a result of them, he completed his research, raised public awareness of the pollution of river basins and named a newly discovered insect after the virus.

Ibrahimi, 44, had spent years working on a research report on a caddisfly species found in Kosovo’s western Bjeshket e Nemuna (Accursed Mountains) national park. That species now bears the name Potamophylax coronavirus.

As an associate professor of the Natural Sciences Faculty at Pristina University, Ibrahimi collected the species, which turned out to be endemic to the national park, 120 kilometers (75 miles) west of the capital Pristina, and found it was quite different from the other species in the Balkans.

See more at: https://bit.ly/3el5IJ5

Mediation as a form of reconciliation in schools (UNICEF, social media)

For students who find themselves in conflict at school, mediation becomes a hand to be held and provides solutions among peers.

Prishtina, April 2021- It was the time of the short break, between the lessons, when two peers of Suada Billali suddenly started to quarrel. Suada, a seventh-grade student at the elementary school “Rilindja” in the municipality of Podujeva, recalls that the result of that quarrel was a pair of broken glasses and unpleasant moments for the whole class.

“It happened quickly, completely without purpose, but the boy broke the girl’s glasses and ended up in the directorate for the latter”, she says. The incident had passed quickly. But, shortly after that, two girls started to quarrel, but no one dared to talk about it. “We decided not to tell anyone, and those girls somehow reconciled,” says Suada, while recounting moments like these, claiming that conflicts between peers often occur even unintentionally or without bad intentions and are not always talked about with teachers.

See more at: https://uni.cf/3x5mpkp

Brain drain? In Serbia, Montenegro, and North Macedonia there are signs of ‘brain gain’ (Emerging Europe)

New research suggests that migration patterns in at least some countries of the Western Balkans are more circular than previously believed.

While the Western Balkans as a whole remains a region that is suffering from the negative impact of external migration, or “brain drain”, a recent study from the Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies (wiiw) reveals that Serbia, Montenegro, and North Macedonia are – at least among the highly-educated – experiencing the reverse: what has been dubbed “brain gain”.

Migration away from the Western Balkans is not new. For both political and economic reasons the region has long been a net exporter of people, especially when it comes to the young.

See more at: https://bit.ly/3x7Oojb