Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: 506 new cases, five deaths (media)
• PM Kurti to visit Brussels next week, meet EU officials (media)
• German FM Maas to visit Kosovo and Serbia (RFE)
• Britain’s PM Johnson congratulates Kurti on election, pledges support to Kosovo (media)
• Roth: No one in Europe can support border changes phantasies (DW)
• Hoxhaj accuses government of ‘abstaining from responsibility’ (media)
• State prosecutor and police: Avoid investigations against media and reporters (media)
• Musliu reacts after sexist graffiti: This is not in the culture of PDK (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Antonijevic: The situation more favorable, but there is no room for relaxation (Kosovo Online, RTK)
• Kosovo media: Vucic, Kurti to go to Brussels and Paris (N1, KoSSev)
• Vaccination with Pfizer without registration available in Serbia as of Wednesday (Kontakt plus radio)
• Embassy of Slovakia: We are not changing our position on Kosovo (Politika, Blic, B92)
• Selakovic: Gratitude to Iran for not recognizing Pristina’s separatism (Kosovo-online)
• Selakovic: Serbia plans to start producing Sinopharm vaccine as of October (N1)
• Vucic meets with WHO Europe Director Kluge (Tanjug)
• Petkovic: With budget rebalance we have earmarked 4 billion dinars for assistance in KiM (Kosovo-online)

International:

• Media Freedom Deteriorated In Europe Amid Pandemic, Report Warns (Balkan Insight)
• North Macedonia to Upgrade Army Despite Economic Concerns (Balkan Insight)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Belgrade Mayor: Herd immunity soon to be reached in capital (N1)

Albanian Language Media  

COVID-19: 506 new cases, five deaths (media)

Kosovo has recorded 506 new COVID-19 infections and five deaths in the 24-hour period. 761 persons have meanwhile recovered during this period.

There are currently 12,269 active cases of COVID-19 in Kosovo.

PM Kurti to visit Brussels next week, meet EU officials (media)

Prime Minister of Kosovo Albin Kurti is expected to travel to Brussels next week and meet European Union officials, several media outlets are reporting quoting Kosovo Government spokesperson Perparim Kryeziu.

In a reply to Koha, the Government of Kosovo denied the possibility of Kurti meeting Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic who is also expected to be in Brussels during next week.

“Prime Minister Albin Kurti will undertake an official visit to Brussels mid next week and meet representatives of European Union institutions. There will be no meeting between Prime Minister Kurti and Mr. Vucic,” said spokesperson Kryeziu.

Radio Free Europe reports that Kurti’s visit to Brussels will take place 28-30 April while that of Vucic from 26 to 27 April. 

RFE also quotes sources saying that Kurti will meet European Council President Charles Michel, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, High Representative Josep Borrell, and Enlargement Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi.

German FM Maas to visit Kosovo and Serbia (RFE)

Germany’s Foreign Minister Heiko Maas is expected to pay a visit to Kosovo this Thursday and to Belgrade on Friday.

According to Maria Adebahr, spokesperson for the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Maas will also discuss with officials in Kosovo and Serbia about the dialogue for normalisation of relations.

Radio Free Europe highlights that Maas’s visit comes in light of the recent media reports in the region about the existence of a non-paper allegedly drafted by Slovenian PM Janez Jansa which calls for redrawing of borders in the region. The German government has categorically opposed such ideas. 

Britain’s PM Johnson congratulates Kurti on election, pledges support to Kosovo (media)

Prime Minister of Kosovo Albin Kurti met today the UK’s Ambassador Nicholas Abbott who delivered a congratulatory letter from Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

In the letter, Johnson said they highly value the close and historic friendship that the UK and Kosovo enjoy and are committed to Kosovo’s integration into the international community and normalisation of Kosovo’s relations with Serbia.

“We look forward to working together as partners to help ensure the stability and prosperity of both Kosovo and the wider region. We welcome and support your domestic priorities of strengthening the rule of law, tackling corruption and fighting the Covid-19 pandemic. We hope the historic election result of 14 February offers new opportunities for Kosovo to make progress in the dialogue with Serbia. 

The UK, Johnson concluded, will continue to offer support in the government’s reforms programme. 

Roth: No one in Europe can support border changes phantasies (DW)

Germany’s Minister for Europe Michael Roth told Deutsche Welle that redrawing of borders will not solve any problem in the Western Balkans. “On the contrary, it would be very dangerous and risk the opening of the Pandora’s Box which is full of conflicts.”

Roth said that the future of the Westeern Balkans lies in reconciliation, close regional cooperation and detachment from nationalism. “The Western Balkans countries are and remain multi-religious and multi-ethnic societies. This is the precondition for peace, prosperity, and democracy,” he noted, adding that he was pleased that the Slovenian Government came out clearly against ‘phantasies for border changes’. “No one in Europe can be interested in that,” he said. 

“Border changes is a wrong and dangerous road for the region because no one in the Western Balkans and the EU can have a serious interest for that today. The memories of the Balkans wars in the 90’s which turned the former Yugoslavia into a big battlefield should serve as a sufficient warning for all of us.”

On Kosovo, Roth said that the Albin Kurti-led government has presented a very ambitious plan in the fight against corruption and strengthening of democracy and the rule of law. “This is a strong signal and the government can count on our support. In addition, Germany will be decisively engaged for visa liberalisation for Kosovo citizens. I hope that in the EU we will soon reach a decision on this and achieve this as soon as possible.”

Hoxhaj accuses government of ‘abstaining from responsibility’ (media)

Acting leader of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) accused the Government of Kosovo led by Albin Kurti for, as he said, abstaining from work and responsibility.

In a Facebook post Hoxhaj said that as the Government marks one month since taking office, it has yet to present a governing programme. “Improvisations, manipulations, divisive decisions and no vision on how to deal with the pandemic, economy, and education, this Government is abstaining from work and responsibility,” he wrote.

Kurti, added Hoxhaj, launched a war against the media in an effort to cover up for his poor governance. “The Prime Minister should go to the QKUK [University Clinical Center of Kosovo], where the majority of essential medicines are missing, not to mention vaccines, and see the real picture of his governance. Citizens, who apart from health problems, are also being challenged economically by having to buy everything starting from medicaments to other materials. Kurti may not know of this information from the ground but I urge members of his court to, if they dare, open his eyes with some doses of reality.”

State prosecutor and police: Avoid investigations against media and reporters (media)

Kosovo’s State Prosecutor Aleksander Lumezi met today with Kosovo Police Director General Samedin Mehmeti to address the recent developments related to protecting journalistic sources from criminal investigations. A press release issued after the meeting notes that the State Prosecutor and the Police Director General are committed to ensuring that the prosecution and police will defend the principles of free press and to entirely respect the Journalistic Sources Protection Law.

“The State Prosecutor has also issued a mandatory instruction for all prosecutors, and shared with the Police Director General, obliging prosecutors to avoid undertaking any investigative action against the media or reporters, which in opposition with the Journalistic Sources Protection Law would force reporters or other media professionals to reveal their sources of information. The instruction also reminds prosecutors that according to law, reporters cannot be legally prosecuted when they choose to remain silent about their sources of information,” the press release notes.

Musliu reacts after sexist graffiti: This is not in the culture of PDK (media)

Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) MP Ganimete Musliu took to Facebook today to react to the sexist graffiti sprayed on the wall fence of former PDK MP Adelina Grainca. “This is not in the culture of the PDK! Stop these games! Graffiti has no part in the history of the PDK!” Musliu wrote in her post.

Serbian Language Media

Antonijevic: The situation more favorable, but there is no room for relaxation (Kosovo Online, RTK)

Epidemiologist Aleksandar Antonijevic assessed that the epidemiological situation in the Serbian communities in Kosovo is somewhat more favorable and emphasizes that it is necessary to strictly respect anti-measures and that there is no room for relaxation, RTK reported, quotes portal Kosovo Online. 

“The number of newly discovered cases is still quite high, but in any case, it is better than in the previous period. We hope that in a couple of weeks the epidemiological situation will improve, because the number of examinations in dispensaries is declining, the number of tested on a daily basis is lower, as well as the number of days for testing, which indicates that the situation is better, but far from being good,” said Antonijevic.

Antonijevic emphasized that the improvement of the epidemiological situation can only come with disciplined respect of the epidemic measures and the vaccination.

“We have examples of many countries that have successfully implemented the immunization process and that have returned to the normal life, which we all are waiting for.  I note, the situation is still unstable, we must respect all rules and recommendations, because with immunization and respect for measures I hope we will get out of trouble soon,” said Antonijevic.

Kosovo media: Vucic, Kurti to go to Brussels and Paris (N1, KoSSev)

Pristina-based media reported on Tuesday that Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti would go to Brussels next week for talks with European Union officials, N1 reports.

The KoSSev news portal said that they would discuss ways to restart the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue. It quoted Albanian-language media that said Vucic would go to Brussels before Kurti. Those media reported Kurti and Vucic would also pay official visits to Paris in the next few weeks at the invitation of President Emmanuel Macron.

The meetings in Brussels and Paris will focus on a new format for the dialogue with EU mediation, the reports said.

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

Vaccination with Pfizer without registration available in Serbia as of Wednesday (Kontakt plus radio)

As of Wednesday, vaccination with Pfizer without an appointment is available in the entire Serbia, Serbian Government said, Kontkat plus radio reports.

“We are also trying to have Sputnik V vaccine at disposal in Belgrade and Novi Sad as of Wednesday and in the rest of Serbia as of Thursday or Friday”, the government added.

Local authorities would also be involved in the process in order to urge citizens to vaccinate.

The vaccination is available only to the Serbian residents and foreigners with a residence permit, and not a residence report of a few days.

Foreigners living in Serbia may also get vaccinated, but not those who came to Serbia just to be vaccinated, the statement further said. 

Embassy of Slovakia: We are not changing our position on Kosovo (Politika, Blic, B92)

Slovakia’s position on the issue of Kosovo’s so-called independence remains unchanged, the Slovak embassy in Serbia stated, reports daily Politika. 

The daily recalls that PM Albin Kurti, on Monday asked the head of the Slovak Liaison Office in Pristina, Rastislav Kostilnik, for Slovakia to recognize Kosovo’s independence.

When asked what the position of Slovakia on that issue is, the Embassy of Slovakia in Serbia points out that it is unchanged, B92 wrote, Tanjug quoted. 

“Let us inform you that the position of Slovakia on the issue of the so-called Kosovo’s independence remains unchanged,” the Slovak Embassy said.

Selakovic: Gratitude to Iran for not recognizing Pristina’s separatism (Kosovo-online)

Iran and Serbia have very good political relations and that good relations should move to the field of economic cooperation, Serbian Foreign Affairs Minister Nikola Selakovic said in an interview with Iranian state news agency IRNA. He also said a Memorandum of Understanding he signed with his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif defines a mutual will for re-launching political consultations, Kosovo-online portal reports. On this occasion, Selakovic said, he is expecting Iranian delegation to visit Belgrade as soon as possible.

Selakovic in particular emphasized Serbia will not forget that Islamic Republic of Iran didn’t and doesn’t recognize separatism of Kosovo Albanians, and thanked Iran for lasting, principled and continuous support to his country.

He also said Iran and Serbia are two friendly states, with very good political relations, offering one another mutual political support in the international forums.  

He assessed political relations between the two countries being “at a high level”, noting the tendency should move to the economic relations as well.

He also touched upon Serbia’s EU accession process, noting Serbia remains committed to the EU integration.

Selakovic: Serbia plans to start producing Sinopharm vaccine as of October (N1)

Serbia plans to start producing Chinese Sinopharm vaccine as of October, Foreign Affairs Minister Nikola Selakovic announced, N1 reports.

“Four days ago we started producing Russian Sputnik V vaccine against coronavirus in Belgrade. We plan to do it with our Chinese partners as well and I hope that by mid October we will start producing Chinese Sinopharm vaccine”, Selakovic said.

He also said Serbia plans to conclude the vaccination process of its population by the end of summer. 

Vucic meets with WHO Europe Director Kluge (Tanjug)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic on Tuesday spoke with World Health Organisation Regional Director for Europe Hans Kluge, who said Serbia’s good strategy of immunisation against COVID-19 had made the country a global leader.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic on Tuesday spoke with World Health Organisation Regional Director for Europe Hans Kluge, who said Serbia’s good strategy of immunisation against COVID-19 had made the country a global leader.

At the same time, Serbia has become an example of humaneness and solidarity by providing vaccination to the elderly in rural regions and to foreign nationals and by donating vaccines to other countries, Kluge said according to a statement released by the presidential press office.

Kluge congratulated Vucic on his leadership and personal efforts aimed at securing vaccines.

“Serbia accepted the vaccine as a life-saving product and did not look at it politically,” Kluge was quoted as saying.

Vucic thanked Kluge for his personal engagement and support during the current pandemic, in particular for technical assistance and expertise.

He briefed the WHO official on the results of the immunisation campaign in Serbia and on plans on how to provide vaccines to all citizens who are willing to take them.

The parties agreed the world should boost its vaccine production capacities and develop new adequate therapies for fighting COVID-19 and also work on raising the level of the citizens’ trust in science.

Vucic briefed Kluge on plans to enhance the operations of the Torlak Institute of Virology, Vaccines and Serums.

“We want to transform Torlak into one of Europe’s best vaccine factories,” Vucic said.

See at: https://bit.ly/3v8EMTz

Petkovic: With budget rebalance we have earmarked 4 billion dinars for assistance in KiM (Kosovo-online)

“With the budget rebalance, Serbia has earmarked four billion dinars (approx. EUR 34.2 million) to help the Serbian people in Kosovo”, Office for Kosovo and Metohija Director Petar Petkovic said, Kosovo-online portal reports.

He added the funds were to be used for financial assistance to citizens, but also for capital projects such as the construction of new hospitals, kindergartens, and the building of the University in Mitrovica North.

Petrovic told TV Pink that the Government of Serbia, on the initiative of President Aleksandar Vucic, has set aside significant financial assistance for the Serbian people in Kosovo, and that this means that “we want to invest in peace, future and the survival of our people”.

He also said the funds would be invested in the construction of a new hospital in Gracanica, where, as he said, almost 60,000 people from Metohija, Pomoravlje region and central Kosovo were gravitating towards.

Petkovic announced that the construction of 15 buildings with 180 apartments for Serbs in Kosovo was planned by the end of the year.

“It shows how much the state invests in Kosovo and Metohija, that we want to build peace and survive, to find a compromise solution in dialogue, because with all these projects and the desire for dialogue, we show what our relation towards Kosovo and Metohija is”, Petkovic underlined.

On the other hand, he said Pristina showed it didn’t want a dialogue, it didn’t care about finding a compromise solution and it didn’t participate in the “mini-Schengen” and all initiatives initiated by President Vucic.

He recalled that 2,924 days have passed since the signing of the Brussels Agreement, and that Pristina has not fulfilled anything from that agreement, and above all the first six points that refer to the formation of the Community of Serb-majority Municipalities. 

International

Media Freedom Deteriorated In Europe Amid Pandemic, Report Warns (Balkan Insight)

From Hungary to Turkey, media freedom suffered in Central and South East Europe during the pandemic with increasing government censorship and attacks on journalists, says a new report by Reporters Without Borders.

Reporters Without Borders, RSF, released its annual Press Freedom Index report on Tuesday with a warning that media freedom has deteriorated across the world during the coronavirus pandemic, with governments using the crisis to assert more control over the press.

In 2020, there was a “dramatic deterioration in people’s access to information and an increase in obstacles to news coverage”, the RSF report says.

“The coronavirus pandemic has been used as grounds to block journalists’ access to information sources and reporting in the field,” it adds.

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

North Macedonia to Upgrade Army Despite Economic Concerns (Balkan Insight)

Authorities look determined to equip the Balkan country’s outdated military with modern weapon systems – even if some query the cost in a time of economic difficulty.

NATO’s newest member state, North Macedonia, which joined the alliance last year, is on the way to modernising its military, though doing so in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic and an economic crisis has sparked criticism.

The aim is to procure new armoured personnel carriers, APCs, and light tactical vehicles to replace an arsenal of outdated, mainly Soviet-era vehicles that are not fit for purpose on modern battlefields.

See more at: https://bit.ly/2QlUHz1

Humanitarian/Development

Belgrade Mayor: Herd immunity soon to be reached in capital (N1)

Mayor of Belgrade, Zoran Radojcic said Wednesday that the herd immunity to the coronavirus could soon be reached in Serbian capital, with 70 percent of the city’s population fully immunised.

So far, as he said, 40 percent of the Belgrade population had been vaccinated and “if the immunisation continues at the same pace, a total of 70 percent of Belgraders will soon be vaccinated.”

That will, he says, make the city’s population resistant to the coronavirus.