Albanian Language Media:

• President Osmani on an official visit to Portugal (media)
• Kurti: I do not feel at risk, I have not changed my agenda (media)
• Kosovo Police brings details about threat to Prime Minister Kurti (media)
• Kurti: Kosovo has never marked bigger economic growth (media)
• Serbian warnings for nonrecognition, MFA accuses Serbia of violation of agreement (RTK)
• CEC announces results of 2021 Local Elections in Kosovo (euronews.al)
• The suspected of Hezbollah connections are not Kosovo citizens (RFE Albanian)
• EU: Greater institutional commitment needed to prevent hate speech (Ekonomia)
• COVID-19: 16 new cases, no deaths (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Covid-19 in Serb areas: 53 new cases, two deaths (Kosovo Online)  
• Dacic: Principled support of China in preserving sovereignty and territorial integrity of Serbia (Kosovo-online)
• Wang Yi: China respects territorial integrity of Serbia (Tanjug, Kosovo-online)
• Brnabic with Wang Yi: Our ambition to develop relations further is great (B92)
• Rakic and Schmid: Dialogue is only way to resolve problems (Radio KIM)
• The (im) possibility of elections in Serbian municipalities (KiM radio)
• Petkovic with Ginkel on situation in Kosovo (Radio KIM)

Humanitarian/Development:

• NGO Aktiv launches campaign on rights at local level (Radio KIM)

Albanian Language Media  

President Osmani on an official visit to Portugal (media)

The President of Kosovo Vjosa Osmani began her official visit to Portugal today.

During her stay in the country, President Osmani will meet with the President of Portugal, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, the Speaker of Parliament, Eduardo Ferro Rodrigues, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Augusto Santos Silva, the Minister of Defense, João Gomes Cravinho, and the Chief of the Armed Forces. Admiral Silva Ribeiro.

President Osmani will also address the Global Women’s Summit in Lisbon, have a discussion at the University Institute of Lisbon (ISCTE), meet with businesses and a group of diaspora in the country.

Otherwise, the visit of President Osmani to this country is the first of a president of Kosovo, since the recognition of independence from Portugal, in October 2008.

Kurti: I do not feel at risk, I have not changed my agenda (media)

Prime Minister Albin Kurti spoke today during a press conference about the threat against him, which was reported in the media last night.

Kurti has said he does not feel endangered.

“At first, I do not feel endangered, but it is the security bodies that assess the threats and take action in accordance with certain circumstances. I did not change my agenda yesterday or today,” Kurti said.

The news about Kurti’s threat was confirmed last night for the Telegrafi by the government spokesman, Perparim Kryeziu.

“Prime Minister Kurti has been threatened. For this reason, as a measure of increased care, the level of security has increased,” Kryeziu said.

It is suspected that the threat was made through social networks by a person with a fake profile named “Marki Mario”.

He has offered a reward of 35 thousand euros for the person who kills Prime Minister Albin Kurti.

Kosovo Police brings details about threat to Prime Minister Kurti (media)

Kosovo Police informed through a press release about the threat to the Prime Minister Albin Kurti.

The police confirmed that all necessary measures and operative-investigative actions were undertaken immediately.

“Initially, the Kosovo Police has increased the Prime Minister’s personal security measures, including the immediate protection, but also has sent rapid reaction units from the Pristina Region consisting of two police officers, to secure the residence of the Prime Minister. Kosovo Police confirms that there were no officials of special units engaged in this activity,” was noted in the KP announcement.

It was also said that investigations into the case were immediately initiated, and that they are ongoing, while based on the investigations so far and the risk assessment, the rapid reaction unit has left the location.

“Kosovo Police will continue its commitment to providing security to the personalities of the country and its citizens, including the investigation and treatment of all cases.”

Kurti: Kosovo has never marked bigger economic growth (media)

Prime Minister Albin Kurti said today that the Kosovo economy has never experienced more economic growth than this year.

During the presentation of some measures stemming from the Economic Revival Package, together with the Minister of Finance, Labor and Transfers Hekuran Murati, Kurti said that economic activity has increased by 30 percent, exports have also increased as he said by 60, and budget revenues by an increase of 34 percent.

Minister Murati said that measures 2.1 for Investment Credit Subsidy and measure 2.4 for export support, is a package aimed at supporting local producers.

“The economic consequences of the pandemic that are being followed by price fluctuations highlight two factors. As a result of the breakdown of supply chains, many European countries are seeing the country closest to them as potential exporters and the need to increase domestic production is emphasized. The pandemic proved to us that local production has a key role in the economy,” Kurti said.

Serbian warnings for nonrecognition, MFA accuses Serbia of violation of agreement (RTK)

In September of this year, the moratorium signed in Washington where Serbia pledged to stop the campaign for the unrecognition of Kosovo’s independence, while the latter would stop the efforts for membership in international organizations, expired.

With the expiration of this agreement, Serbia has started with its diplomatic warnings for the campaign for unrecognition of Kosovo’s statehood.

Serbian Foreign Minister Nikola Selakovic told Serbian media that ten countries are ready to reconsider decisions on the recognition of Kosovo.

Asked by Telegrafi news portal about these warnings from the Serbian side, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora said that Serbia has never stopped the attacks on Kosovo and has not adhered to the agreements.

“Unfortunately, Serbia has never stopped the attacks on Kosovo and has continuously worked towards weakening Kosovo’s position in the international arena. It has not complied with the agreements either and officials of this state have publicly called for the de-recognition of Kosovo,” it is said in the response of the MFA.

The Foreign Ministry further stated that the government is working hard to strengthen international subjectivity.

“The Government of the Republic of Kosovo is very committed and working every day very seriously to strengthen the international subjectivity of the Republic in cooperation with international friends and partners,” is written in the MFA response.

On Wednesday, the expert on international relations from the Group for Political Legal Studies (GLPS) Arber Fetahu told Telegrafi that this one-year moratorium should have been used by the government of Kosovo, respectively the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to compile strategies, plans, to dynamize Kosovo’s foreign service around the world, and to be ready for official lobbying, for membership in international organizations and application for membership in them as well as to seek recognition from other countries, to deepen cooperation with recognizing countries and those who have a volatile attitude towards Kosovo.

The sixteen-point document in two versions, one for the Kosovar side and one for the Serbian side, was signed on 04.09.2020, at the White House, in the presence of former U.S. President Donald Trump, by former Kosovo Prime Minister Abdullah Hoti and the current president of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic.

CEC announces results of 2021 Local Elections in Kosovo (euronews.al)

The Central Elections Commission (CEC) has announced the final results of the Kosovo’s local elections, held on October 17 in all 38 municipalities, with the purpose of electing mayors and municipal councils.

The three political parties that received the most votes are as follows:

Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) – 170.177 votes

Vetevendosje Movement (LVV) – 167.519 votes

Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) – 161.283 votes

The race was tightest amongst mail-in votes coming in from the diaspora, where the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) went head-to-head with the Vetevendosje Movement (LVV). Based on the conclusive data, 21 municipalities will be heading to runoffs, because their candidates weren’t able to acquire the necessary number of votes, required to pass the first round of voting. LVV will be heading to runoffs in 12 municipalities, LDK in 9 municipalities, PDK in 8, and the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) in 5 municipalities.

According to the Local Elections Law, the second round of voting between the two most voted candidates should be held on Sunday, November 14 – exactly 4 weeks after the first round.

Local elections were held on October 17. CEC had certified 89 political subjects to participate in the elections, of which 32 political parties, 1 collation, 33 civil initiatives and 23 independent candidates.

“The suspected of Hezbollah connections are not Kosovo citizens” (RFE Albanian)

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora in Kosovo said that the persons sanctioned for suspected ties with Hezbollah are not citizens of Kosovo.

A day earlier, the Kosovo government decided to impose sanctions on seven individuals and a company linked to the Lebanese military group.

It was reported in some local and international media that these persons are citizens of Kosovo, but the MFA denied this.

According to the MFA, the measures taken demonstrate Kosovo’s commitment as an active part of international alliances against terrorism and violent extremism.

“In order to promote and protect peace, democracy and human rights and freedoms, taking such a decision would contribute to continuing to work closely with the United States, as an important ally, and other partners, in the protection of common values, peace and security,” it is said in the response of the MFA for Radio Free Europe.

At the last meeting of the government of Kosovo, held on Thursday, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Donika Gervalla said that the sanctions were imposed “in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 1373 against seven individuals and a company for their links to the terrorist organization Hezbollah and their role in the financial network in the Arabian Peninsula.

Sanctions consist of freezing assets, banning travel and banning the making available of funds by individuals and entities in Kosovo.

On June 23 2020 the government of Kosovo declared the political and military wing of Hezbollah a terrorist organization.

Hezbollah is a Lebanese Shiite group founded in the 1980s. It has previously been declared a terrorist organization by the United States and other Western states.

Hezbollah supports Tehran’s Shiite Islamic ideology and considers Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as a political and spiritual guide.

EU: Greater institutional commitment needed to prevent hate speech (Ekonomia)

The European Union Office and the Council of Europe have launched today a joint raising awareness initiative “Block Heatred. Spread love.” It was stressed here that greater institutional commitment is needed to prevent hate speech, especially on social networks.

The head of the EU Office, Thomas Szunyog, said that the European Union is working intensively to respond to hate speech.

“Hatred affects human rights. The issues that need to be addressed are numerous. The EU is working to respond to hate speech on gender equality. Cases of online hate speech, including the role of these people, are rarely used by the court.”

The Prime Minister of Kosovo Albin Kurti said that the government is committed to improving the well-being of all citizens, regardless of ethnicity.

“Such campaigns are necessary for an equal society. Human communications and interactions are no less important. The virus has made us think about all our lives. All people are born free and equal. The government is committed to the well-being of all citizens regardless of age and gender. We are committed to working for an inclusive society. Yesterday we approved the program for the promotion of human rights. We are committed to implementing the measures provided by the convention for the prevention of domestic violence against women,” Kurti said.

Verena Taylor, from the Council of Europe, said it was important to address this issue, to pave the way for harmonious living.

“Hate speech is threatening and prejudicial against certain groups. The Council of Europe is leading the ‘Block Hate’ campaign with other partners. Prime Minister, it is very important that you are here, I think we will probably be able to be more open to getting to know each other.”

Meanwhile, the People’s Advocate, Naim Qelaj, said that technology has enabled many people to abuse the freedom of expression.

“I am honored to join the ‘Block Hate’ campaign to respect the rights of individuals. The opportunity to express one’s opinion represents the foundation of a democratic society. Today the internet has radically changed our lives. We can express our words and thoughts freely. This not only enables the exchange of ideas, but it has also enabled the misuse of freedom of expression,” he said.

COVID-19: 16 new cases, no deaths (media)

16 new cases with COVID-19 and no deaths from the virus were confirmed in the last 24 hours in Kosovo. 16 persons recovered from the virus during this time.

There are 428 active cases with COVID-19 in Kosovo.

Serbian Language Media

Covid-19 in Serb areas: 53 new cases, two deaths (Kosovo Online)  

The Crisis Staff of the Provisional Authority of the Municipality of Kosovska Mitrovica announced today that in the Serbian communities in Kosovo, 53 new cases of coronavirus have been registered, and two people died as a result of Covid-19, reported Kosovo Online. 

New cases by municipalities: Leposavic (21), North Mitrovica (14), Zvecan (6), Gracanica (4), Zubin Potok (4), Kosovska Kamenica (2) and Strpce (2).

Dacic: Principled support of China in preserving sovereignty and territorial integrity of Serbia (Kosovo-online)

Serbian Assembly Speaker Ivica Dacic met today with the state advisor and Chinese Foreign Affairs Minister Wang Yi, Kosovo-online portal reports.

During the meeting, Dacic expressed gratitude for China’s principled support to Serbia in preserving its territorial integrity and sovereignty, adding that Serbia is interested in further fostering political dialogue at the highest and high levels, as well as in advancing cooperation in different areas.

In a cordial and friendly talk, as the media described it, of the two former colleagues, it was stressed that relations between the two states were traditionally good and despite all the obstacles reached a completely new level.

Dacic, also once again, expressed strong gratitude to China over the support it provided to Serbia during the coronavirus pandemic.

Minister Wang Yi said his visit to Serbia represents yet another confirmation of the friendship between the two states. He also thanked Dacic for contributions he gave, during his previous tenures, to the development of good relations between China and Serbia, stressing that Dacic was the first Foreign Affairs Minister who visited China in February last year at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic.

Serbia then clearly demonstrated support and solidarity in a challenging and difficult moment for China, Wang Yi said.  

Wang Yi: China respects territorial integrity of Serbia (Tanjug, Kosovo-online)

Chinese Foreign Affairs Minister Wang Yi said in Belgrade today his country will continue to  firmly support territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Serbia, and will stand close by Serbia’s side on all these issues, Tanjug news agency reports. He added that Serbian people “have got the spine”. 

Yi also said that 1.4 billion Chinese people know they have a “steel friend”” in the west of the Eurasian continent – Serbia. He also praised the leadership of President Aleksandar Vucic. He pointed out that the two countries advocate for justice on the international scene, as well as respecting principles in international relations.

“We are proud of the development of our relations. We are proud of having such an honest and good friend. We are grateful that Serbia offers us unequivocal support”, Minister Yi said.

President Vucic said that joint projects implemented by Serbia and China are worth almost eight billion dollars, that the two countries extend support to one another, strengthen trade relations and support one another in international organizations and institutions.  

Brnabic with Wang Yi: Our ambition to develop relations further is great (B92)

Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic talked with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi about bilateral relations and ways to deepen them, B92 reports.  She also thanked China for the assistance that China provided to Serbia during the coronavirus pandemic in professional medical care, equipment and support in vaccination.

That, Brnabic added, only strengthened the steel friendship between the two countries, which is deepening with the project of building a factory for the production of vaccines by the Chinese company Sinopharm.

The Serbian Prime Minister also emphasized the importance of cooperation with China in the field of infrastructure development and new large investments of Chinese companies in Serbia, despite the fact that the pandemic continues, noting that the dynamics of most projects is proceeding at an agreed pace, in accordance with the deadlines stipulated in the contract.

Read more at: https://bit.ly/3CzwGr2

Rakic and Schmid: Dialogue is only way to resolve problems (Radio KIM)

Kosovo Minister for Communities and Returns Goran Rakic stressed in a meeting with OSCE Secretary-General Helga Schmid that full implementation of the Brussels agreement is of crucial importance to reaching lasting peace in Kosovo, adding it is necessary to form Community of Serb-majority Municipalities as soon as possible, Radio KIM reports.

Rakic informed Schmid about the political and security situation in Kosovo and on that occasion pointed out “that unilateral acts and actions such as the one from October 13 in northern Kosovo do not contribute to the betterment in relations of the two peoples but rather deepen the crisis”.

He also said dialogue is the only way to resolve all the problems.

During the meeting it was said that one should not talk only declaratively about the rule of law and the laws in particular when it comes to non-majority communities, but that good laws should also be implemented.

“To support this speaks to the fact of a fundamental violation of human rights, and the true example was the recent verdict against Ivan Todosijevic”, reads the press statement by the Ministry.

Rakic also said that the returns process faces complete stagnation, due to, as he noted, lack of secure and safe environment in returns areas.

Head of OSCE Mission in Kosovo, Ambassador Michael Davenport also took part in a meeting. 

The (im) possibility of elections in Serbian municipalities (KiM radio) 

Serbs in Kosovo face numerous problems, from the lack of democracy in Serb-majority municipalities, to the fact that their political strength and freedom depend primarily on Belgrade and Pristina, it was assessed in the latest show “Agreement” (Sporazum). The participants in the show were the president of the Progressive Democratic Party, Nenad Rasic, former member of the Serbian List, Branimir Stojanovic, and analyst Fadil Lepaja, reported KiM radio..

Rasic believes that Serbs in Kosovo are generally not free to vote and to be elected. According to him, the reason for that is that the Serbian List, the only party that has the support of official Belgrade, “has huge blackmailing capacities”, where the citizens, as he said, do not have the strength to cope with various pressures

“Supported by various actions or even inactions of Pristina and the European Union, means that tacit consent for hunting for votes has been obtained. And that is an unscrupulous `hunt`, which leads to people being threatened at all levels,” said Rasic.

Stojanovic, on the other hand, believes that Serbs in Kosovo can vote freely, but not to a sufficient extent.

“Not enough to the extent needed to be able to change their lives for the better and create the conditions to survive here. It is something that we will have to fight ourselves, and no one will help us there, I am completely convinced of that,” stated Stojanovic.

Lepaja believes that it is important how people look at the concept of freedom, because according to him, “most Serbs today think that they are not free, because they live in a country where they do not want to live”.

He believes that democracy in Serbian communities will “hardly function” until the relations between Belgrade and Pristina and Serbs and Albanians are resolved.

“Simply when a person cannot breathe, all other health problems are unimportant. It needs to be explained to people, that in fact they need to work on themselves, to build themselves in a democratic sense. We, Albanians, may have succeeded somehow after 20 years, and I think that maybe the Serbs will succeed as well,” said Lepaja.

Rasic says that the authorities in Pristina were not able to conduct democratic elections in Serbian communities, and that the recommendations of European Union election observers had been a “dead letter on paper” for years. He says that he still does not believe that Kosovo institutions are able to conduct normal elections, not even in Klokot and Gracanica, let alone in Zubin Potok and Mitrovica. 

On the other hand, Lepaja is of the opinion that Pristina should not interfere in the election process in Serbian communities.

“What could the Kosovo institutions do? I think they did one good thing, because they are not looking for honest Serbs, as honest Albanians used to be sought for power, but they are simply leaving the Serbs to solve it on their own,” Lepaja pointed out

Stojanovic believes that the situation of Serbs in Kosovo is not simple. According to him, above all, there is a dishonest attitude of Albanian leaders towards Serbs in terms of solving numerous problems related to the Serbian people.

“Some (Albanian leaders) constantly attack the Serbian List, which I have no intention of defending, that it is their fault that something is wrong. On the other hand, important things could be achieved for this nation. More Serbs could be employed, let’s say, in a thermal power plant, there are no Serbs there. There were several thousand of them before 1999. The decision of the Constitutional Court on decani Monastery could be implemented or to enable, maybe, the completion of the temple in the center of Pristina and other important things that are in a symbolic and practical sense very important for a person here,” said Stojanovic, emphasizing that the Serbian List also has its flaws.

“I am one of those who made that list, believing that it would be a reasonable path and what was my struggle within the Serbian List is to develop that democratic potential within the Serbian List,” he said, adding that unfortunately, ”the SL turned into a kind of private company in which a small group of people absolutely monopolize all power, which is ultimately very harmful for this nation, because we have come to a situation where no one today will, or must not, speak about huge problems we have,” concluded Branimir Stojanovic.

Speaking about the role of civil society in creating democratic conditions, especially in Serbian communities, Fadil Lepaja says that this potential has not been sufficiently used.

Representatives of the Serbian List, Dalibor Jevtic and Igor Simic, were also invited to the show, but they did not respond, reported KiM radio.

Petkovic with Ginkel on situation in Kosovo (Radio KIM)

Office for Kosovo and Metohija Director Petar Petkovic briefed US deputy ambassador to Serbia John Ginkel on recent unilateral Pristina’s acts that have provoked tensions in northern Kosovo and could endanger peace and stability on the ground, but also in an entire region, Radio KIM reports.

During the meeting Petkovic voiced concern over Pristina’s disrespect of the agreement on energy.

“It is of high importance that the Brussels agreement is respected, because if Pristina would timely fulfill undertaken obligations, the mentioned crisis situation would certainly have been avoided”, Petkovic said.

He also said Serbs agreed to take part in the latest local elections in Kosovo because they expect immediate implementation of all agreements made thus far, foremost establishment of the Community of Serb-majority Municipalities. 

Humanitarian/Development

NGO Aktiv launches campaign on rights at local level (Radio KIM)

The aim of the campaign “And My Municipality” is to inform the local population on the services offered by local institutions. The campaign will run in Leposavic, Pec and Strpce municipalities, and is implemented by Mitrovica North based NGO Aktiv, Radio KIM reports.

“Amplifying Local Voices for Equitable Development” (ALVED) is a project financed by the British Government and is being implemented in the period from September 2020 to August 2022. This project will be implemented in five Kosovo municipalities, in the places where municipal administration and civil society demonstrated commitment to improving the lives of citizens and could benefit from the projects such this one.

The project is managed by konzorcium lead by Peaceful Change Initiative, charity organization registered in Great Britain, and in close cooperation with People in Need, international non-governmental organization registered in Czech Republic and in partnership with NGO Aktiv, Radio KIM added.