Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: 1,383 new cases, 26 deaths (media)
• First meeting of Committee for coordination and assessment of situation with COVID-19, held (media)
• Kurti discusses COVID-19 measures with municipal mayors (media)
• President Osmani to participate in the Swiss Economic Forum (media)
• Kurti to participate at Bled Strategic Forum (media)
• The third group of 139 Afghan refugees is expected to arrive today (media)
• Haradinaj: Kosovo government is joking with diplomatic missions (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Covid-19 in Serbian communities: 26 new cases, two deaths (Radio Mitrovica sever) 
• Rakic and Simic with Jenča: A large number of unresolved incidents against Serbs (Kosovo Online)
• UNICEF and WHO call for schools to remain open, with respect for measures (KiM radio, N1, FoNet)
• Trial for the murder of Oliver Ivanovic continues (KoSSev)
• The International Day of the Missing in Kosovo marked separately in Gracanica and Pristina (RTS, Radio Mitrovica sever, KiM radio)
• Blakaj: 22 years after the war, the two sides continue to count only the victims of one side (KoSSev)
• Petkovic: Evidence shows that there is a KLA archive (RTV Puls, Tanjug)

Opinion:

• Afghan Disaster Holds Lessons for Western Policy in Balkans (Balkan Insight)

International:

• EU Council Recommends Reinstating Travel Restrictions for Visitors from US, Israel, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia & Lebanon (schengenvisainfo.com)

Albanian Language Media  

COVID-19: 1,383 new cases, 26 deaths (media)

Kosovo recorded 1,383 new cases with COVID-19 and 26 deaths from the virus in the last 24 hours. 996 persons recovered from the virus during this time. There are 26,886 active cases with COVID-19 in Kosovo.

First meeting of Committee for coordination and assessment of situation with COVID-19, held (media)

The committee for coordination and assessment of the situation with the COVID-19 pandemic has held its first meeting.

Prime Minister Albin Kurti spoke at the beginning of the meeting about the dangers of Delta variant of the COVID-19 saying that every person infected with this variant, infects seven other people on average. For this reason, he asked the members of the Committee to be as strict as possible in controlling the observance of the measures, as well as in punishing their violators.

The Prime Minister instructed the members of the Committee to focus on the implementation of the new measures mainly in places and environments where super-spreading events are more likely to occur, such as: restaurants, bars and pubs, gyms and gyms, public transport, especially interurban transport, with unmasked travelers, shopping malls with unmasked clients, holding weddings, parties and funeral ceremonies contrary to government measures.

In order for the implementation of the measures to be as accurate as possible, I ask you to use all the inspection resources available to you, including FVA inspectors, MINT inspectors (especially market inspectors), Municipality inspectors and the Kosovo Police,” he said.

The Chairman of the Committee and Minister of Health Arben Vitia said that the result of the analysis dated 16 August by the Robert Coch Institute in Germany sent to the NIPH for the samples taken, showed that Kosovo is dominated by the Delta variant and its rapid spread within a very short period caused 20-fold increase of the number of infected.

Minister Vitia informed about the current situation in hospitals and the progress of the vaccination process. “We are aware that only the vaccine stops the recurrence of a new wave, even after this wave. Until the vaccination of citizens to the extent of the formation of collective immunity, despite the economic challenges we may have, the public health of citizens should and will be the main priority,” he said.

The Minister of Internal Affairs, Xhelal Svecla announced that the Kosovo Police is mobilized to oversee the implementation of measures and from today, also the Kosovo Police Inspectorate will oversee the fulfillment of police obligations, by monitoring members of the Police in relation to measures taken by the government of Kosovo.

“Already every police officer has received a copy of the law on COVID-19 and the latest decision of the government so that each of them is informed. The implementation of the decision to extend the working hours for police officers from 8 to 12 hours has also started,” he said.

The Minister of Industry, Entrepreneurship and Trade Rozeta Hajdari requested better cooperation between FVA, market inspectors and municipal inspectorates.

The Committee for coordination and assessment of the situation with the COVID-19 pandemic was established yesterday, on August 30, 2021, by decision of the government of Kosovo. The committee consists of 27 members who are representatives of various governmental institutions and bodies and is chaired by the Minister of Health Arben Vitia.

Kurti discusses COVID-19 measures with municipal mayors (media)

After the meeting with the Committee for coordination and assessment of the situation with the COVID-19 pandemic, the Prime Minister of Kosovo Albin Kurti, together with the Minister of Health Arben Vitia and the Minister of Local Government Administration Elbert Krasniqi, held a meeting with mayors of Kosovo, to discuss the importance and overall commitment in dealing with the pandemic.

“The Prime Minister said that the measures against the COVID-19 virus, recently taken by the government, are necessary, but in order to be sufficient in achieving our goal, they must be implemented precisely, ” reads a press release issued by the Office of the Prime Minister.

The specific features of the Delta variant make it strong, dangerous and unpredictable, said Prime Minister Kurti. He pointed out that the Delta variant is characterized by an extremely high reproductive number, according to which each person infected with this variant, infects seven other people on average, has an extremely short serial interval in which case any infected person can infect others on average 2.5 days after being infected and spreads mainly through super-diffuse events.

Therefore, we have no room to make mistakes in the implementation of measures, said Prime Minister Kurti, adding that the adequacy of the necessary measures does not depend only on the government.

“Close cooperation is needed between the government and municipalities, especially between the Police, municipal inspectors and FVA inspectors,” he said.

As doctors and nurses heal the effects of the virus, prevention remains the responsibility of oversight mechanisms implementing anti-virus measures, he added.

He stressed that except for the Office of the Prime Minister and the Ministry of Health, all government departments are in the service and function of this cooperation.

The meeting was attended by the mayors of 12 municipalities of Kosovo, who spke about the technical difficulties they have in their municipalities in dealing with the pandemic.

Prime Minister Kurti said that together with the Minister of Health Arben Vitia will be in constant communication with other municipalities that were not present at the meeting.

12 municipal mayors participated at the meeting as the Association of Kosovo Municipalities has called on mayors not to attend the meeting on the grounds that they were not invited to be part of the Committee for coordination and assessment of the pandemic situation.

President Osmani to participate in the Swiss Economic Forum (media)

The President of Kosovo Vjosa Osmani traveled today to Switzerland where she will participate in the Swiss Economic Forum.

At the Forum, Osmani will talk about the economic potential of Kosovo and the attraction of foreign investment. 

Ms. Osmani will give a keynote address at this Forum, which is each year attended by 1,350 personalities from business, academia, politics and the media.

Discussions in this Forum aim at exchanging ideas in the field of industrial networking. 

In the framework of this visit, President Osmani will also meet with state representatives of the Swiss Confederation, informed the Office of the President.

Kurti to participate at Bled Strategic Forum (media)

The Prime Minister of Kosovo Albin Kurti will travel for a one-day visit to Slovenia, to participate in the Bled Strategic Forum.

The forum is divided into two panels, where senior European Union officials, prime ministers and presidents of various European countries are expected to discuss.

Prime Minister Kurti will discuss in the panel “Future of Europe – Enlargement”,

On the margins of the Bled Forum, Prime Minister Kurti will hold bilateral meetings to ensure support and coordination for the management of the COVID 19 pandemic, informs the Office of the Prime Minister.

The third group of 139 Afghan refugees is expected to arrive today (media)

Kosovo’s Minister of Internal Affairs Xhelal Svecla said that the government of Kosovo has issued a decision for temporary protection of Afghan citizens who have helped the United States.

He said two groups of Afghan nationals had already arrived. According to him, the second group arrived last night after midnight. The 113 Afghan citizens who arrived were NATO collaborators together with their families. They went through the procedures based on the laws of Kosovo and were accommodated in the former camp of Bechtel Enka.

Svecla said that 139 other Afghan citizens will arrive today with a new flight and the same will be accommodated in the same camp.

He said that so far there are no Afghan citizens infected with COVID-19.

“They have been registered in the databases of the Border Police and we will continue to treat them based on the laws of Kosovo,” he said.

He said that short-term housing by law is one year, in specific cases an additional year, but according to him, there are discussions for the Afghan citizens to be accepted by the U.S.

He has said part of the Bondsteel camp is suitable for accommodation whenever needed.

Svecla said that they will be vaccinated with Johnson & Johnson vaccines provided by NATO countries.

He said that he is convinced that their accommodation will not last long enough for the children to undergo the learning process.

He added that the US and NATO have taken over all the expenses.

Haradinaj: Kosovo government is joking with diplomatic missions (media)

The leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) Ramush Haradinaj has said that the government is mocking the diplomatic missions of Kosovo with the failure to replace the 12 ambassadors who were dismissed months ago.

He wrote in a Facebook post that the non-replacement of ambassadors is an extreme procrastination of the government.

“The government of Kosovo is joking with the country’s diplomatic missions in the world. At the end of this month, it withdrew 12 diplomatic representatives without replacing them. Many of Kosovo’s missions and embassies have remained closed and out of function. This is the extreme irresponsibility of the government. I take this opportunity to congratulate all the ambassadors and charge d’affaires who resigned from the service, for their successful work and dignified representation of Kosovo in the world. Not without reason, I single out the ambassadors Beqe Cufaj, Avni Arifi and Arber Vllahiu with whom I have worked closely and I express all my gratitude for their professionalism in representing and protecting the interests of Kosovo in the respective countries,” Haradinaj wrote.

Serbian Language Media

Covid-19 in in Serbian communities: 26 new cases, two deaths (Radio Mitrovica sever) 

According to the latest data from the Crisis Staff of the Municipality of Kosovska Mitrovica, in Serb areas in Kosovo, the coronavirus was confirmed in 26 more cases – 9 in North Mitrovica, 8 in Leposavic, 4 in Zvecan, while no new cases were registered in Zubin Potok.

Two people died.

In the Serbian areas south of the Ibar, 5 new cases of infection have been recorded in the last 24 hours, four in Gracanica and one in Strpce.

A total of 153 people died as a result of coronavirus infection. There are currently 162 active cases, according to the Crisis Staff report.

Rakic and Simic with Jenča: A large number of unresolved incidents against Serbs (Kosovo Online)

The President and Vice President of the Serbian List, Goran Rakic and Igor Simic, met today with Miroslav Jenča, Assistant Secretary General for Europe, Central Asia and America in the United Nations Department of Political Affairs, reported portal Kosovo Online. 

At a meeting in Pristina, Rakic, Simic and  Jenča discussed the current political situation, the importance of the UNMIK mission in Kosovo, frequent incidents involving Serb as victims, their property, or the property of the Serbian Orthodox Church, the clarification of the fate of missing persons, and the upcoming local elections.

During the talks with Jenča,  Rakic and Simic pointed out that ”a large number of unresolved incidents against Serbs is a big problem and that the role of UNMIK is important for the Serbian people, primarily in terms of conveying the truths about the position of our people through periodic reports submitted by the UNMIK chief to the UN on the situation on the ground”.

“We are aware of the limited resources that UNMIK can engage in the field to stop incidents, but the mere presence and public action of your mission is undoubtedly a factor of stability to some extent”.

Rakic and Simic pointed out that the representatives of Serbs in the institutions have an obligation entrusted to them by their people to work on solving problems that can affect a better quality of life.

“We appeal to you to use your powers and influence, to encourage a more visible presence and engagement of UNMIK on the ground, especially in areas where the rights of Serbs are ignored and violated,” said the representatives of the Serbian List.

Rakic and Simic also pointed out that dialogue must be the basis for solving all problems, because only in that way can the results be long-term and sustainable, reported the portal.

UNICEF and WHO call for schools to remain open, with respect for measures (KiM radio, N1, FoNet)

As millions of school children return to schools across Europe, where the highly contagious coronavirus strain is dominant, the WHO Regional Office for Europe and the UNICEF Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia have called for schools to remain open, with the application of epidemiological measures. 

Children from Serbian communities will wait to return to school at least until September 13, since the Government of Kosovo, by adopting new measures, decided that the school year in Kosovo will begin in the middle of the month, and not on September 1, as planned. On the other hand, schoolchildren in Serbia start school on time.

WHO Regional Director for Europe Hans Kluge assessed that the pandemic caused “the most catastrophic disruption in education in history”.

“That is why it is crucial that classroom learning continues throughout Europe. It is extremely important for the education of children, their mental health and social skills, so that schools can help them be happy and productive members of society,” said Kluge.

He warned that it would be some time before we left the pandemic behind, but that educating children in school must remain the primary goal, so that we do not deprive them of the life opportunities they deserve.

“We encourage all countries to keep schools open and we call on all schools to take measures to reduce the risk of Covid and the spread of different variants,” Kluge said.

The recommended measures, as noted in a joint statement by the two organizations, include offering teachers and other school staff a vaccine against Covid-19 in national vaccination plans, while providing vaccination to vulnerable populations.

“In addition, children aged 12 and older, who have health conditions that significantly increase their risk, must be vaccinated,” the statement said.

Better ventilation in classrooms, reduction of the number of students in classes where possible, physical distance and regular testing of children and staff are also recommended.

Trial for the murder of Oliver Ivanovic continues (KoSSev)

Although the media insistently qualified this as a trial for the murder of Oliver Ivanovic – that is not the case, Oliver Ivanovic’s brother Miroslav Ivanovic assessed in a statement for KoSSev yesterday.

The trial of people accused of abetting the murder of Oliver Ivanovic continued yesterday in the Basic Court in Pristina.

Oliver Ivanovic’s family has been following the trial since the second hearing. Yesterday’s hearing was attended by Ivanovic’s eldest son Nikola Ivanovic.

“Oliver Ivanovic’s family deserves truth and justice. We want justice to be satisfied and the perpetrators to be punished. The court will determine who is guilty and who isn’t. We are joining the criminal prosecution,” Nikola Ivanovic said in the courtroom yesterday.

Miroslav Ivanovic: I learned about the hearing from the media

The lawyer of the defendant Silvana Arsovic, Jovana Filipovic, told the media after the hearing that Oliver Ivanovic’s brother Miroslav Ivanovic was also supposed to testify before the court yesterday, adding that the court was unable “to get in touch” with him.

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

The International Day of the Missing in Kosovo marked separately in Gracanica and Pristina (RTS, Radio Mitrovica sever, KiM radio)

Dozens of family members, relatives and friends of the abducted and missing Serbs in Kosovo sought, at the gathering in Gracanica, to shed light on their fate, reported the media.

They laid wreaths and thus marked the International Day of Missing Persons. They carried photos of their family members and a large banner that read, “Where did they disappear?”.

“Twenty-two years have passed since the disappearance of our loved ones, that is, since the kidnapping, and we are at the beginning, the only thing that is new about this case is the formation of some new working groups and commissions, so we do not know how many organizations are involved in resolving this issue,” said Silvana Marinkovic, whose husband was abducted, on behalf of the Association of Kidnapped and Missing Persons.

Their only answers are some numbers, statistics. We gave a lot of locations in Kosovo for excavation, but it all drags on, they say it will be in the spring, then it will be in the summer, then it’s vacation time,  they say it will be in the fall, so then they tell us “sorry, now whether conditions do not allow”, and they are telling us this from year to year,” said Silvana.

She believes that the blame and responsibility lie with the international community.

“Because they were present during the greatest crimes, when Serbs were killed and kidnapped, Serbian churches were destroyed, so this is their fault because they do not want this to be clarified, so this crime is also their work because they protected the culprits. This is also a political issue, it does not suit the representatives that this ball is being unwound, because if this ball starts to be unwound, everyone will end up in prison,” concluded Marinkovic.

Sasa Perenic, the brother of the missing Radio Pristina journalist Ranko Perenic, said that just as “our kidnapped brothers, sisters and relatives have a name and surname, the kidnappers themselves have a name and a surname, and we have not come to them, or any truth”.

“Today we marked this day here as always alone with our families. Although we sent many invitations to the relevant institutions, only members of the Health Center were with us, who were always with us, and none of the government representatives came, to address families and tell them what their activities are related to the tragedy,” said Sasa Perenic.

Pristina: A key issue in the dialogue with Belgrade

With the gathering in Pristina, the Albanians separately marked the International Day of the Missing.

At the laying of wreaths at the monument to the missing persons, with the representatives of the Coordination of the Association of Families of the Missing in Kosovo, President Vjosa Osmani said that the deepest wounds of all people in Kosovo were the missing in the last war.

According to her, in the dialogue with Belgrade, nothing was more important than the issue of missing persons.

“Their fate becomes even more tragic when it is known that they are in the hands of the Serbian state that committed genocide. The question is no longer whether they are a priority in the dialogue,” Osmani said.

Prime Minister Albin Kurti demanded the opening of state archives in Belgrade, and claimed that “in them, the fate of the missing is being clarified”.

Kurti added that this issue is crucial in the dialogue with Belgrade and that there will be no sustainable future without clarifying their fate.

Blakaj: 22 years after the war, the two sides continue to count only the victims of one side (KoSSev)

Twenty-two years after the end of the Kosovo war, the two sides continue to count and highlight only the victims of one side, while neglecting the victims of the other side, thus creating one-sided narratives. The younger generations of Serbs and Albanians have a completely differing opinion on what happened 22 years ago.

The victims’ right to justice is crucial, but so far it has been impossible for perpetrators to be held accountable for their crimes. For both societies, victims, and families, it is important that we at least acknowledge their sacrifice and pain, the director of the Humanitarian Law Center in Pristina, Bekim Blakaj, said in an interview for KoSSev.

“The worst thing would be for us to continue to deny their sacrifice. If we continue to do so, unfortunately, we may have a recurrence of the conflict.”

On the International Day of the Disappeared, Blakaj – who is one of the few experts to speak about war crimes exclusively from a humanitarian point of view, secretly hopes that new politicians and experts dedicated to justice, truth, and reconciliation will come to power in the future.

See more at:https://bit.ly/3yq2xb2

Petkovic: Evidence shows that there is a KLA archive (RTV Puls, Tanjug)

”Pristina and Albin Kurti deny the existence of the archives of the so-called Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA), which hides the truth about Serbian suffering, but the evidence shows that this is not true,” wrote the director of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija Petar Petkovic on his Twitter account, reported agency Tanjug.

Along with the text, Petkovic also published pictures from the book of professor Nusret Pllana, in which he referred to the existence of the archives of KLA. 

“Belgrade is ready to resolve the issue of missing persons, but when will Pristina open its archives?” Petkovic asked in another tweet.

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti previously requested the opening of Serbian state archives in order to clarify the fate of the missing persons, recalled the media. 

Opinion

Afghan Disaster Holds Lessons for Western Policy in Balkans (Balkan Insight)

The West should see its humiliation in Afghanistan as a wake-up call to reconsider its strategies in other parts of the world – like the Balkans.

“The very same politicians who told us that Afghanistan was critical, that it was worth dying for, that it was an existential threat to global security… suddenly wake up one morning and say it doesn’t matter at all.” This is how Rory Stewart, former UK International Development Secretary, explains the last moments of the Afghan saga.

Stewart’s view encapsulates the resentment of those who think the West was, and is, morally obliged to do more for the Afghan people. It also conveys the disillusionment of many Afghans who believed in a better future for their country.

See more at:https://bit.ly/3t0HXwF

International 

EU Council Recommends Reinstating Travel Restrictions for Visitors from US, Israel, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia & Lebanon (schengenvisainfo.com)

The Council of the European Union has removed the United States, Israel, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Lebanon from its epidemiologically safe third countries list after a surge in the number of COVID-19 infections recorded recently in these territories.

SchengenVisaInfo.com previously reported that the EU would take such a step on Monday as the US, together with these countries, have lately been profoundly affected by the Coronavirus.

See more at:https://bit.ly/2Y350eS