Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: 11 new cases, one death (media)
• Kosovo to receive additional vaccines from EU states (RFE)
• Kurti hails Kosovo’s participation in U.S.-led military exercise (media)
• Haradinaj calls for greater U.S. involvement in Kosovo-Serbia dialogue (media)
• Hoxhaj asks Kurti: What will be your next present to Serbia? (media)
• Foreign Minister Gervalla reports to Assembly’s foreign affairs committee (media)
• Hajdari: We want to exhaust regional tools to resolve problems with Serbia (KP/Koha)
• Serbian authorities release Kosovo man, arrested months ago (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Covid-19 in Serbian communities: Two new cases, one death (Kontakt plus radio)
• Vucic does not expect NATO would ever apologize for bombing of FRY (N1)
• The mayor of Kamenica confirms the desecration of St. Petka: Such vandalism is unacceptable (KoSSev, Gracanicaonline)
• Office for KiM: Twelfth Orthodox church desecrated since beginning of year (Kosovo-online)
• Protest in Stanisor over trucks (Kontakt plus radio, RTK2)
• Petkovic visits Church of Holy Apostles Peter and Paul in Istok (Radio Mitrovica sever)
• Kurti’s approach to church property is not new, but public (Danas)

Opinion:

• How to Improve the Process of Integrating the Western Balkans into the European Union (The National Interest)

International:

• Albanians Question Benefit of US Ban on Berisha (Balkan Insight)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Stop sexual harassment and abuse in Kosovo’s schools (Kosovo 2.0)
• Efforts to strengthen the WHO  (B92, AP) 

Albanian Language Media  

COVID-19: 11 new cases, one death (media)

Kosovo has recorded 11 new cases of COVID-19 and one death in the last 24 hours. At the same time, 258 recoveries have been confirmed over the same time period.

There are 3,303 active cases of coronavirus in Kosovo.

Media report that the Ministry of Health has received additional 3,510 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, part of the EU’s assistance, and that so far, over 58,000 citizens have been vaccinated against coronavirus in Kosovo.

Kosovo to receive additional vaccines from EU states (RFE)

European Union leaders  during a recent summit in Brussels announced that by the end of the year the bloc will donate at least 100 million more doses of COVID-19 vaccines to developing countries, which will include Kosovo and the rest of the Western Balkans, Radio Free Europe reported.

Sources said that Austria, Hungary, Poland, and Slovenia will soon donate vaccines to the Western Balkans region, following Croatia which also pledged to provide 10,000 doses to Kosovo and similar amounts to Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina. 

The EU, reports RFE, has also allocated €70 million to help the region’s efforts in purchasing vaccines. 

Kurti hails Kosovo’s participation in U.S.-led military exercise (media)

Prime Minister of Kosovo Albin Kurti commented on Kosovo for the first time carrying out joint military exercises with the U.S. Army on its soil.

“For the first time ever, Kosova is hosting a US Army led exercise in its territory. Our troops are showing dedication and professionalism in various exercises as part of Defender 21 in Kosova, Croatia and Albania,” Kurti tweeted.

Minister of Defence Armend Mehaj meanwhile wrote that Kosovo’s path leads to NATO. “Kosovo and its forces strongly demonstrate close and permanent partnership with USA and its forces and full readiness to contribute to peace, security, stability in the region and beyond,” he said on social media.

Kosovo Security Force is taking part in the “Defender Europe 21” exercises, led by the U.S., involving 26 nations and around 28,000 multinational forces all focused on building operational readiness and interoperability between NATO allies and partners.

Haradinaj calls for greater U.S. involvement in Kosovo-Serbia dialogue (media)

Leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) Ramush Haradinaj met today Prime Minister of Kosovo Albin Kurti as part of the latter’s initiative to meet representatives of opposition parties and discuss issues of interest for Kosovo. 

Speaking to reporters following the meeting, Haradinaj said that he requested greater involvement of the United States in the process of dialogue with Serbia and also suggested President Joe Biden appoint a special envoy. “We notice the absence of the U.S. presence in dialogue. I think this is not a good situation for Kosovo, ruins the balance of interests of Kosovo in dialogue with Serbia,” Haradinaj said, adding that at present the biggest role in the process is played by the EU Special Representative Miroslav Lajcak which he categorised as being ‘a low level of representation’. 

A statement issued by the Government of Kosovo meanwhile says that Kurti briefed Haradinaj on the meetings he had with EU officials and the preparations for dialogue with Serbia. 

Hoxhaj asks Kurti: What will be your next present to Serbia? (media)

Acting leader of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) Enver Hoxhaj reacted to reports that the Government of Kosovo will sign another regional agreement whereby a visa issued by one of the following countries: Kosovo, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia; will be valid for travel to any other country from the group.

Hoxhaj commented on Facebook: “Albanian macro-Schengen that would enable cooperation between Kosovo and Albania with a new speed was promised by Albin Kurti during the campaign. Today, as prime minister, Albania is further than ever, there were never cooler relations than now, while the Government has put its energies and vision in the function of creating a New Yugoslavia by making Kosovo part of a mini-Schengen. Six countries – one visa, or the New Yugoslavia, is the first gift and concession Albin Kurti made for Serbia. I expected Kurti’s desertion but not so soon and not so unabashedly. What will be the next present to Serbia, Albin?”

Last week, the Government of Kosovo endorsed the proposal for signing agreement on freedom of movement for nationals of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia according to which nationals of these countries would be able to travel to one another’s territory with biometric identification cards.

Foreign Minister Gervalla reports to Assembly’s foreign affairs committee (media)

Kosovo’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora Donika Gervalla reported to the members of the Assembly’s committee on foreign affairs today where she addressed the recent decision to relieve of duty a dozen of politically appointed ambassadors. 

Gervalla said that Kosovo’s foreign service is being reformed and, as a result, a minimum of fifty percent of Kosovo ambassadors will be career diplomats. “There will be no political consuls during our governance,” she said. 

Speaking about visa liberalisation, Gervalla said the Kosovo Government will “leave no stone unturned” in an effort to convince hesitating countries, namely France and the Netherlands, to support a positive decision.

Hajdari: We want to exhaust regional tools to resolve problems with Serbia (KP/Koha)

Rozeta Hajdari, Kosovo’s Minister of Industry, Entrepreneurship said the government will not be introducing reciprocity measures towards Serbia at this stage as it first wants to exhaust all regional mechanisms in an effort to resolve disputes. 

Speaking at a regional conference, Hajdari said that her goal as minister is to strengthen regional cooperation and resolve all disputes despite, as she said, Serbia’s obstacles. 

Hajdari said Kosovo is not well represented in regional initiatives and oftentimes faces challenges “knowing we have a neighbouring country who always objects to the signature of the Republic of Kosovo.” “However, together, we will work to be constructive with all countries in the region despite the concerns we have, especially the main ones with one of our neighbouring countries,” she continued.

Serbian authorities release Kosovo man, arrested months ago (media)

Authorities in Serbia have released Blerim Macastena from Podujeve after he was arrested in December of last year for crossing into Serbia’s territory.

The news was announced by the Social Democratic Party (PSD) which Macastena represented at the Podujeve Municipal Assembly.

Serbian Language Media

Covid-19 in Serbian communities: Two new cases, one death (Kontakt plus radio)

In the Serbian communities in Kosovo, in the last 72 hours, one person died as a result of Covid-19, and two new cases of coronavirus infection were registered, the Crisis Staff of the Municipality of Kosovska Mitrovica announced today, reported Kontakt plus radio. 

Based on 36 processed samples, positive cases were recorded in the municipalities of North Mitrovica (1) and Zvecan (1).

The deceased is from Zubin Potok.

35 people came out of isolation.

Vucic does not expect NATO would ever apologize for bombing of FRY (N1)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic told Czech media he does not expect that NATO would ever officially and directly apologize for the bombing of the-then Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) in 1999, N1 reports. He also said that the constant of the US policy is to continue requesting from Serbia to recognize Kosovo.

“They would keep saying they did the best possible thing and only wanted to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe. If there is any truth in that, I have to ask if the killing of thousands of people, especially 72 Serbian children was just collateral damage? I don’t believe in any kind of institutional apology from NATO”, he said in an interview for the Czech portal.

He also said he sees Czech President Milos Zeman’s apology for not finding a courage to stand against the bombing of FRY in 1999 as a Prime Minister of Czech Republic, but NATO which decides based on consensus got consent of the Czech Government for the campaign, as “a cure on the wounds of the Serbian people”, adding it would enter Serbian history textbooks.   

“If you ask me was Milos Zeman the last president who did it, I do not think so. He was the first one but not the last”, Vucic said.

He said that he does not expect any changes in Washington’s attitude towards Serbia and Kosovo. “America recognized Kosovo and will not back down. It will continue pressuring Serbia, but I should not be saying pressure but request from us to recognize Kosovo as independent. That is part of American foreign policy which does not change and I expect no changes towards us”, Vucic said.

The Serbian President said he is not an optimist in terms of the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue claiming that the Kosovo authorities are not interested in the talks. “If their intention is to wait for someone to pressure Serbia into recognizing Kosovo and blaming it for genocide, I am not optimistic… I don’t know if we will reach a compromise solution and at this time I do not view this with optimism, but I do have hope that we will one day”, he said.

The mayor of Kamenica confirms the desecration of St. Petka: Such vandalism is unacceptable (KoSSev, Gracanicaonline)

”The Orthodox church in Donja Sipasnica has been damaged, its interior was desecrated. Such vandalism is unacceptable. Faith in God and practicing religion are very personal issues and it is someone’s right to do so without facing any harm or danger. The value of our society lies in cultivating tolerance, respect, and emancipation so that prosperity would not remain an empty marker, ” reads the mayor of Kamenica, Qendron Kastrati’s reaction to yesterday’s incident in the church of St. Petka in Kamenica.

Unknown persons stole several church supplies from the church of St. Petka in the village of Donja Sipasnica near Kamenica on Monday, Gracanicaonline reported, citing the vice president of the Kamenica municipality in the Kosovo system, Bojan Stamenkovic.

The Kosovo police state that they found an overturned metal candle stand on the scene. They also said that the church ”is not being used due to age and the danger of it collapsing”.

The mayor of Kamenica, who is a member of the Self-Determination, however, underlined:

”Practicing (cf. a religion) is a basic right guaranteed by law. We must be open to different beliefs in our society because that is a precondition for equality. As institutions, we must ensure that everyone exercises their basic rights, regardless of religion, ethnicity or place of residence. Hooliganism against religious buildings is unacceptable. It is vital that different communities find a common language, instead of being separated by the assumed differences they may have,” he said in a Facebook post.

Along with the message, Kastrati also published photos of the church of St. Petka in Donja Sipasnica – both of its exterior and interior – which show an overturned candle stand.

Kastrati’s Facebook post received numerous negative comments – while some claim that the news was ”false” and that the Serbs ”did it themselves” because the Albanians ”do not destroy holy places” ; others state that the church was damaged ”by old age” , and that Serbs ”did not enter it for four years”.

Kastrati’s deputy, Bojan Stamenkovic, also condemned the incident. He called on all communities to respect each other’s dignity.

”At a time when the municipality of Kamenica, as an example to everyone, allocates money from the budget for the rehabilitation and construction of the same shrine, someone is obviously bothered by this. This hooligan act is absolutely unacceptable, and I expect the Local Council to react. Let all those who do not understand that the freedom of religious practice is respected, that the wealth of diversity and coexistence in the municipality of Kamenica presents the right path to a healthy society and that, fortunately, there are many more good people who will stand in the way of vandalism. I call on the competent institutions to shed light on this act of desecration of shrines and bring the perpetrators of this offense and sacrilege to justice,” Bojan Stamenkovic told Gracanicaonline.

Hashani: The candle stand was knocked down; the church has not been used for a long time due to old age and the danger of collapse

The Kosovo police revealed somewhat different findings from the field in a statement for KoSSev last night. The spokesman of the Kosovo Police for the region of Gnjilane/Gjilan, Ismet Hashani, stated that an ethnic Serb reported to the police yesterday at around 4 pm that a candle stands in the church in Donja Sipasnica had been overturned.

When the police came to the church, they found an overturned metal candle stand on the floor, but no other damage, Hashani stated in a written reply to KoSSev.

”It was observed that the church has not been used for a long time due to old age and the risk of collapse,” Hashani added.

The prosecutor was informed about the case and a report was made, the spokesman added, emphasizing that the police will work hard on investigating the case.

The police also took photographs of the scene.

See at: https://bit.ly/3bRfhPv 

Office for KiM: Twelfth Orthodox church desecrated since beginning of year (Kosovo-online)

Serbian Government Office for Kosovo and Metohija in a statement issued Monday said the desecration of a church of St. Petka in Donja Sipasnica village in Kamenica municipality is the twelfth desecration of the Orthodox churches in Kosovo since the beginning of the year, Kosovo-online portal reports.

“The church of St. Petka, in Donja Sipasnica village, in the municipality of Kosovska Kamenica, was the latest  target of the vandals, and the damages on the church was noticed by the villagers who were on their way to work in the fields”, the Office said.

It also said the attack took place in the days when Pristina institutions were trying to present Kosovo to the international public “as an oasis of religious tolerance and a zone of security for the Serbian Orthodox Church”.

The Office also demanded from competent authorities to resolve this case and punish the perpetrators adequately.

Earlier, Serbian List also condemned desecration of the church, demanding “that those responsible are found and punished”, and from police “to protect the property of citizens and our church”.

Protest in Stanisor, Novo Brdo municipality, over trucks (Kontakt plus radio, RTK2)

In Novo Brdo municipality, Serbs and Albanians from Stanisor village protested yesterday from 1 to 3 pm because of the trucks that pass through their village every day from the surrounding quarries.

The villagers expressed concerns about the safety of children, health, but also the collapse of the road infrastructure, reported Kontakt plus radio. 

The president and vice president of the municipality of Novo Brdo, Svetislav Ivanovic and Bajrush Imeri, told those gathered in Stanisor that they would help solve this long-standing problem.

Protests over trucks started in 2018, and the residents of Stanisor, as well as the surrounding villages, have been facing this problem for more than 10 years.

A new peaceful protest was scheduled for today at 1 p.m.

Petkovic visits Church of Holy Apostles Peter and Paul in Istok (Radio Mitrovica sever)

Office for Kosovo and Metohija Director Petar Petkovic during his second day in Kosovo visited the Church of Holy Apostles Peter and Paul in Istok and met the priest of this church Nebojsa Sekulic, Radio Mitrovica sever reports.

Priest Sekulic has been serving in the church in Istok for seven years and lives there with his wife and four sons. During the talks Sekulic said what they need “is a little more children and a little more freedom-which they are often denied”. He also said five or six other Serbs also live in the town and visit the church, adding “we haven’t had any major inconveniences lately”.

Media also reported yesterday that on the second day of his visit in Istok, Petkovic will visit returnee families in Dragoljevac and Dubrava villages as well as health house and a church in Osojane village.

Kurti’s approach to church property is not new, but public (Danas)

I would not call Albin Kurti’s approach to the Serbian Orthodox Church a new, but a little more aggressive approach, because when everything is taken away and added up, in the end the result is the same again, and that is disrespect for court decisions concerning the Serbian Orthodox Church and disrespect for the idea of special protected areas.

This was assessed for Belgrade based daily Danas by Milica Andric Rakic, project manager of the organization New Social Initiative from North Mitrovica, on the occasion of a letter sent to UNESCO by the Prime Minister of Kosovo Kurti, President Vjosa Osmani and President of the Assembly Glauk Konjufca, asking to take down from the list of endangered heritage the four SOC monasteries. 

As the KoSSev portal reported, Pristina officials also demanded that UNESCO remove the label that these are Serbian monasteries and mark them as Kosovo monasteries, as well as Kosovo not to be called an “autonomous province”.

According to Andric Rakic, although Kurti’s predecessors did not openly try to present the position of the Serbian Orthodox Church in such a different way but, she said, the final results of the work are the same, and that was that the property of the Serbian Orthodox Church was disenfranchised.

– In addition to not respecting the decision to confirm the ownership of the Decani monastery over 24 hectares in its vicinity, the trial has now begun in the case of the lawsuit of the University of Pristina against the Serbian Orthodox Church, on ownership of the land of the Church of Christ the Savior in Pristina and this will be the reason for such similar actions and political turmoil. So I don’t see that there is a slightly different approach, because the results of these policies were the same, only this seems more aggressive and this conflict is happening entirely in public, since they publish all those letters they send regarding the status of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Kosovo – stated Andric Rakic.

She estimated that it was not smart what the Kosovo government was doing, because in that way it directly proved that there were obvious problems in the relationship between the local authorities and that religious community. According to Andric Rakic, regardless of the laws they refer to in connection with the rights of the Serbian Orthodox Church, however, what was on paper and what was happening was simply not the same.

The director of the Forum for Ethnic Relations, Dusan Janjic, reminded that the moratorium expired, for which Aleksandar Vucic and Ivica Dacic fought in connection with putting Kosovo’s admission to UNESCO on the agenda. In his view, the letter from Kurti, Osmani and Konjufca was obviously an announcement that Kosovo would apply again, or they tested the chances.

– Their letter, obviously as it was the preparation through the reaction to the Europa Nostra report, which also undermines the credibility of the Kosovo authorities to take care of monasteries, is motivated by the fact that they strengthen their position in voting for Kosovo’s membership in UNESCO, to them it would be a great trump card. Secondly, for them to show the offensive, because if we remember, previous authorities did not go so much with the offensive – explained Janjic.

Opinion

How to Improve the Process of Integrating the Western Balkans into the European Union (The National Interest)

By Valbona Zeneli, Amb. Cameron Munter

The EU and its member states need to focus on a visionary and pragmatic calculation of benefits and costs, as a rational base for a revitalization of the enlargement process.

One year ago, the European Union (EU) gave the green light to launch the accession talks with Albania and North Macedonia. The overdue decision injected some optimism not only about the future of the region, as an indisputable step towards fulfilling its EU aspirations but also heralded the fact that the union can take strategic decisions, even in the midst of a big pandemic crisis.  

Fast-forward May 2021, there are still no dates set about the Intergovernmental Conferences, the framework that established guidelines and principles governing the accession negotiations with each candidate country, a step that would make the EU decision for Albania and North Macedonia a concrete fact. Both countries have gone through serious reforms in the past few years. After several slammed EU doors to the Western Balkans countries, timing matters. 

One way of addressing this is to work on getting things started again.  Rev up the engines of the EU, this time with the help of a supportive American administration, and get the process started again.  After all, the EU accession process is the core of transatlantic policy toward the regions on the edge of the Union, including the Balkans.  However, just because the process is tried and true, since the 1990s, does that mean it is still effective?

In the Western Balkans, a question: do the leaders of the aspirant states really want to follow this path? Given the mixed results of the last decade, are leaders in the region satisfied simply to stay in power (by democratic means or otherwise) and, yes, repeat the platitudes that they know they must in order to keep European leaders happy (and funding flowing)? May we ask the question if it is still worthwhile to work with them if they no longer believe in the process? 

See more at: https://bit.ly/2T8zYQk

International

Albanians Question Benefit of US Ban on Berisha (Balkan Insight)

Following the shock decision to designate Albania’s former president and PM ‘corrupt’, experts are divided on whether the gesture will do Albanian democracy more harm than good.

The US State Department decision to declare Albania’s former prime minister and president Sali Berisha persona non grata for corruption shocked many Albanians, as was apparently intended.

But many question the decision’s efficacy as a tool to fight corruption, while pondering the decision’s wider implications for Albania’s domestic politics.

Berisha, 77, is not new to crisis. His political career was created by one – the collapse of the Communist regime in 1991. And he has survived several strong shocks in the country’s erratic transition to democracy.

Still, the State Department announcement sent waves across the country, as analysts and people pondered the practical consequences.

See more at: https://bit.ly/34bVje6

Humanitarian/Development

Stop sexual harassment and abuse in Kosovo’s schools (Kosovo 2.0)

More than ever, concerned citizens in Kosovo are raising a storm on social media and in the streets against sexual harassment and assault. 

A video that went viral earlier this month appeared to show a seventh grade boy attempting to force his genitals into the mouth of a young girl. Shpresa Shala — director of education for the municipality of Prishtina — brushed off the incident as “kids games.” That led to many people joining the street protests under the banner: “It’s not a game, it’s trauma.”

Although Prishtina has seen similar protests before, this issue will continue to fester without systemic changes.

Barely two years ago, the New York Times reported on the repeated sexual abuse of a teenager from a small village in Kosovo. Raped by a man she knew, and then again by the police officer to whom she reported the case, the girl was failed by our system twice. 

Many protesters and social activists have called for sex education classes, which would be a great way to educate students about harassment, family planning and sexually transmitted diseases. However, such classes are taboo in Kosovo’s traditional culture. At any rate, sex education is worthless once sexual abuse has occurred. 

Clearly, our school system faces a serious obstacle: Students don’t have a designated place to report harassment and abuse. All they can do is tell their teachers, most of whom lack formal training or even basic knowledge about sexual abuse. Sometimes, teachers are themselves the abusers. 

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

Efforts to strengthen the WHO (B92, AP)

French President and German Chancellor are among the leaders who want to strengthen the WHO and the ability of the world to prepare and combat any pandemic.

The unification of the leaders started after the WHO opened the annual session with the draft resolution which recognizes the mistakes in the response to COVID-19, the AP reported.

The recommendation for a resolution would call for a stronger response to the pandemic, to stabilize WHO funding and to ensure greater access to health care – including vaccines, tests and coronavirus-related treatment.

The entire European Union, the United States, Canada, Great Britain, the Philippines, the Dominican Republic, Rwanda and Vanuatu stood behind the resolution, which will be discussed during the eight-day meeting of the WHO.

The entire European Union, the United States, Canada, Great Britain, the Philippines, the Dominican Republic, Rwanda and Vanuatu stood behind the resolution, which will be discussed during the eight-day meeting of the WHO.

The intention is to create a working group that will strengthen the readiness and response of the WHO to emergency health situations. “We must have institutions that can meet the task, in order to meet our ambitions. The WHO must be large and flexible in difficult times, and it must be completely transparent so that people can trust it. There must be no political pressure, there must be no doubt that there has been any pressure”, French President Emmanuel Macron said during a video conference.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she was behind the idea of a “global health body for treatment”, adding that: “We have been talking about this for years, and now it is more important that we act”.

The resolution leaves room for little novelty and focuses mainly on reaching consensus and achieving a common goal after the economic and human devastation caused by the pandemic.

The resolution will appoint six people to the working group, which will submit a report at the annual session next year.

There are also serious shortcomings in global capabilities to prepare for, prevent, identify and respond to emergencies. The document, if approved, will ask WHO Director, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, to make “concrete proposals” on alert levels during health emergencies, “with clear criteria and practical implications for states.”

Diplomats, backing these measures, say they hope to reach consensus among 194 WHO members.

See at: https://bit.ly/3i4CWjx