Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: 720 new cases, one death (media)
• What caused the outbreak of COVID this week in Kosovo (Express)
• Pupils, teachers get infected; many schools move to online classes (Indeksonline)
• Negative signals from France for visa liberalization (Express)
• PDK: Increased electricity tariffs, biggest blow to the people (Telegrafi)
• LDK: Government’s inaction forced ERO to increase electricity tariffs (Koha)

Serbian Language Media:

• Covid-19: 171 new cases registered in Serbian areas (KoSSev)
• EU in Serbia: Higher turnout would be better, but referendum results positive (N1)
• Pristina banned Serbs from voting in referendum; what about April elections? (N1)
• UNS and its branch in Kosovo request police and prosecution to find out who was behind cyber-attack on Kosovo-online portal (media)
• Vucic to pay one-day visit to Turkey (Tanjug)
• Brnabic: Pristina’s decision disgraceful, I will ask EU officials about it (Kosovo-online)
• Andric Rakic: Failure to hold referendum in Kosovo an overture to a ban on elections in April (Danas) 
• Escobar and Lajcak to visit Pristina on January 31, Belgrade on February 2 (Kosovo-online)
• Visoki Decani Monastery: 133 attacks against Serbs recorded in Kosovo in 2021 (Kosovo-online)

International:

• Kosovo Court Struggles to Contact Ivanovic Murder Trial Witnesses (Balkan Insight)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Kosovo families fear losing homes in post-war legal shambles (BIRN)

• Kosovo Expects Doubling of Electricity Price as Energy Crisis Bites (Prishtina Insight)

Albanian Language Media  

COVID-19: 720 new cases, one death (media)

720 new cases with COVID-19 and one death from the virus were confirmed in the last 24 hours in Kosovo. There are 5,678 active cases with COVID-19 in Kosovo.

What caused the outbreak of COVID this week in Kosovo (Express)

In the first week of January there was a slight increase in the number of new cases with COVID-19 in Kosovo, but in the last couple of days there has been a spike in new cases. For four days now, there are over 500 new cases every day in Kosovo. But what caused this spike? 

Arben Vishaj, head of the Infectious Clinic in Prishtina, told the news website that the New Year holidays and the presence of the Omicron variant have led to the spike in new cases. “Another reason is the nature of the pandemic. Kosovo cannot remain isolated from the region and Europe. Whatever happens in Europe is likely to happen in Kosovo too,” he said.

Vishaj said the recommendations of the Ministry of Health to respect the anti COVID measures and to get vaccinated must be respected. “Only by respecting them will we be able to keep the situation under control. We also support the recommendation to get the booster shot because Omicron is more easily passed with this dose,” he added.

Pupils, teachers get infected; many schools move to online classes (Indeksonline)

After the spike in new cases with COVID-19, many schools have moved to online classes and the exact number of teachers and pupils infected with the virus is not known yet, the news website reports.

A spokeswoman for the Ministry of Education told the news website that the Ministry repeatedly appeals to continue the learning process either in schools or according to scenarios foreseen in the reviewed directive for learning during a pandemic. “We can tell you that in places where the pandemic situation is more serious, it is in the competency of task forces of schools and municipalities to decide how classes will be held until the situation improves,” the spokeswoman said.

Negative signals from France for visa liberalization (Express)

France, which has the rotating presidency of the European Union, is among the skeptical member states of the European Union for visa liberalization for Kosovo. Unnamed diplomatic sources from the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs told the news website that the EU position is that Kosovo has not effectively met all 95 requirements for visa liberalization. 

“With regards to visa liberalization, we welcome the work that Prishtina has done so far and we also welcome the continued progress. The current European position is that Kosovo has not yet met all 95 criteria set out by the European Union in 2012, which must be met in an effective and sustainable fashion. In addition, we are developing a close and regular cooperation in the area of domestic security with Kosovo’s authorities in order to address our concerns, especially with regards to illegal migration and capacity building,” the source said.

PDK: Increased electricity tariffs, biggest blow to the people (Telegrafi)

The Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) reacted today to proposals for increased electricity tariffs saying that this would be one of the biggest blows to the people. PDK senior member Blerand Stavileci told a press conference that measures proposed by the government do not correspond with the current state of households. “In the grave economic situation as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, this would be one of the biggest blows to our people, who are unfortunately and unjustly facing one of the gravest electricity crisis in Kosovo’s history,” he said.

LDK: Government’s inaction forced ERO to increase electricity tariffs (Koha)

Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) member Besian Mustafa told a press conference in Prishtina today that the government’s lack of professionalism, responsibility and readiness will lead to a 42 percent increase in electricity tariffs for the citizens of Kosovo. According to Mustafa, the Kurti-led government knew in spring last year that electricity prices will go up and what steps are needed. He added that the government’s inaction has forced the Energy Regulatory Office to increase electricity tariffs.

Serbian Language Media

Covid-19: 171 new cases registered in Serbian areas (KoSSev)

Out of 277 tested samples in the Serb-populated areas in Kosovo, 171 tested positive for Covid-19, the Crisis Committee announced today, KoSSev portal reports. More than half of new cases were registered in Mitrovica North.

New cases were as follows: 100 in Mitrovica North, 23 in Leposavic, 22 in Zvecan, 12 in Zubin Potok, six in Gracanica, four in Priluzje, three in Strpce and one in Prizren.

Currently there are 669 active cases of Covid-19 in the Serbian areas in Kosovo, while 36 persons completed a two-week isolation period. 

EU in Serbia: Higher turnout would be better, but referendum results positive (N1)

The head of the EU delegation in Serbia, Emanuele Giaufret, said on Monday the European Union saw the adoption of Constitutional amendments in the country’s referendum as a positive result in strengthening the independence of the judiciary, N1 reports.

Giaufret told public broadcaster RTS it was “good news for the EU that the citizens who went to the polls and supported the reforms“.

He added the EU would like the turnout to be higher but noted “that (turnout percentage) does not affect the result of the referendum“.

“Certainly, reforms are good if they result from consensus, but the result from yesterday is obvious. We welcome the fact that this step has been made”, Giaufret said.

Asked whether Brussels would monitor the adoption of numerous laws to implement the changes in practice, he said the rules were a priority “because what has been achieved must be implemented”.

“We welcome the Government’s intention to keep the Venice Commission involved in the implementation. And the EU will closely monitor, but also support it financially and technically,” he said.

Asked whether Brussels could do more than ask Pristina authorities to allow Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija to vote in the referendum, Giaofret said Pristina was publicly asked to conduct the vote.

“We called on Pristina to carry out the same procedures as in previous years, to allow the OSCE to collect the votes and transport the ballots to the voters … We are sorry that in the end, we could not find a way to have the same procedures as before”, he said.

Pristina banned Serbs from voting in referendum; what about April elections? (N1)

After Kosovo Parliament banned Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija from voting in Sunday’s referendum on Constitutional changes on its territory, they feared the same scenario might happen in April when Serbia would hold presidential, early general, Belgrade and some municipal elections, N1 reports.

In response to the ban, the Serbian List, a Serbian political party in Kosovo backed by Belgrade and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, said that wouldn’t happen, announcing an answer to Pristina’s move. 

The head of the Self-determination Movement, main Kosovo ruling party, parliamentary club, Mimoza Kusari Lila, said later Monday the general and presidential elections, which Serbia would organise on April 3, should be conducted in the same way as the referendum, i.e. that Serbs from Kosovo should vote by mail, in Belgrade Liaison Office in Pristina or at polling stations in one of the towns outside Kosovo.

The European officials asked Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti to allow the Serbs to vote in municipalities where they created a majority. It had been the case in previous elections organised by the OSCE in Kosovo, but he ignored it.

Vucic said the decision would have far-reaching consequences but did not elaborate.

Neither did the Serbian List leaders who announced reciprocity.

Milica Andric Rakic from the New Social Initiative organisation from Mitrovica North said Pristina’s move was a severe blow to Belgrade and that the Serbian List mentioning the reciprocity was “an empty threat”.

On Sunday, Kosovo Serbs voted in Serbian southwestern towns of Raska and Novi Pazar and the southern places of Kursumlija and Vranje.

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

UNS and its branch in Kosovo request police and prosecution to find out who was behind cyber-attack on Kosovo-online portal (media)

Association of Journalists of Serbia (UNS) and its branch in Kosovo requested police and prosecution for high-tech crime to urgently find out who was behind the cyber-attack on Kosovo-online portal, which took place on Sunday morning, January 16, Serbian media report.

In a statement, UNS voiced particular concern given that this was the second serious attack against the portal, following the one that took place at the end of September last year, and whose perpetrators are not found yet. At the same time, in parallel to the attack, Kosovo-online portal became a target of fake information published on the website of the Kosovo public broadcaster RTK, UNS added.

UNS and its branch in Kosovo stressed that such attacks cause harm to Kosovo-online redaction and their readers, as well as that it represents a harsh attack on freedom of journalists’ right to work.

“It is particularly unacceptable that while an organized cyber-attack against the portal was ongoing, colleagues of the Kosovo-online redaction, were accused by Kosovo public broadcaster, they are propagandists, who bring their own website down”, UNS said in a statement. 

Vucic to pay one-day visit to Turkey (Tanjug)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic will on Tuesday pay a one-day visit to Turkey, where he will attend a third session of the High Council for cooperation between Serbia and Turkey, Tanjug news agency reports.

Several documents important for furthering bilateral cooperation will be signed during the visit, the press office of the Serbian president said in a statement.

While in Ankara, Vucic will also meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdgoan.

Brnabic: Pristina’s decision disgraceful, I will ask EU officials about it (Kosovo-online)

Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic said Pristina’s decision not to allow Serbs from Kosovo and Metohija to vote in a referendum was disgraceful, adding that she didn’t understand partners from the international community who did not react to that, Kosovo-online portal reports.

She added this will be one of the topics of conversation during her stay in Brussels, on January 25 .

“In Brussels, I will participate in the Stabilization and Association Council, within the pre-accession negotiations, and I will have meetings with EU officials. I will ask them behind closed doors what they intend to do, given the ban on Serbs participating in the referendum”, Brnabic told TV Prva.

She once again said the decision of Pristina authorities was “scandalous and disgraceful”, but also that she does not understand foreign partners, international community, the EU or the Quint countries, which merely said that they did everything they could.

“You have denied Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija fundamental rights and I believe that this will have far-reaching consequences. It depends on how they approach the elections on April 3, but it will certainly be on the agenda of all our meetings with them in the future”, Brnabic said, noting consequences would certainly be political, because Serbia always maintains peace and stability.

She also said it was up to Belgrade to fight together with Serbs from Kosovo and Metohija until the final victory, and when asked what the next steps would be, she replayed it will be seen in the agreement with the Serbs from Kosovo, reiterating this will certainly be one of the topics of her visit to Brussels on January 25.

Andric Rakic: Failure to hold referendum in Kosovo an overture to a ban on elections in April (Danas) 

Belgrade-based daily Danas published an article on Monday focusing on the decision of Pristina authorities to ban holding of Serbian referendum on constitutional amendments in Kosovo and Metohija and possible implications it may have. 

“(Kosovo PM) Kurti’s move will certainly have far-reaching consequences not only for the April elections, but also for the stability of the Kosovo government, and continuation of negotiations between Belgrade and Pristina. Considering Kurti’s behavior thus far which is unusual for Kosovo politicians, we can probably expect that the April elections for citizens living in Kosovo will be held the same way as Sunday’s referendum – in Vranje, Kursumlija, Raska and Novi Pazar”, Igor Markovic from NGO Aktiv said.

According to Markovic, judging by the statement of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo published on Saturday, it was obvious that the negotiations regarding the Serbian referendum lasted for some time and that no agreement was reached, which we witnessed on Sunday. He recalled that despite the fact that Quint representatives and especially Washington and Brussels sent a recommendation to Pristina to enable the voting, it did not bear fruit solely due to the firm position of Kurti and his government that the voting organized by Belgrade will no longer take place in Kosovo.

“One of the guiding ideas of the current Kosovo government is to strengthen and expand sovereignty, not only in the north of Kosovo, but also in all areas inhabited by members of the Kosovo Serb community. In that sense, Kurti will do his best not to allow any Serbian elections to be held in Kosovo, as long as his term lasts”, he opined.

Markovic added “the only thing that could change such an stance is a harsher and more serious pressure of the international community on Kurti’s government, but not as before – only in the form of a statement (…)”.

Milica Andric Rakic from Mitrovica North-based New Social Initiative opined that failure to hold a referendum in Kosovo is an overture to a ban on elections in April. According to her, a precedent has been set, an alternative to the old practice has been established and that is why she thinks it would be impossible for Belgrade to force Pristina to negotiate the organization of Serbian elections on the territory of Kosovo in April or at any time in the future.

“Potential organization of the elections can only happen unilaterally – by smuggling election materials and opening polling stations, with a high risk of conflict with the Kosovo police, which will certainly intervene. Such a scenario is not impossible, but at the moment it seems to me that Belgrade will not do it because it can easily be blamed for causing the incident, especially now that they have shown that there is another way to vote”, she said.

On the other hand, she added the “solution” according to which Serbs from Kosovo and Metohija vote in other cities outside Kosovo is not ideal because it implies that voters travel up to two hours to their polling stations, and voting by mail or otherwise requires negotiations and constructiveness of the both, Belgrade and Pristina. 

Escobar and Lajcak to visit Pristina on January 31, Belgrade on February 2 (Kosovo-online)

Deputy Assistant of the State Secretary for Southern and Central Europe, Gabriel Escobar and EU Special Representative for Belgrade-Pristina dialogue, Miroslav Lajcak will have a two-day visit in Pristina on January 31, Kosovo-online portal said it learnt.

They will have a series of meetings in Pristina on January 31, and February 1, and after that they will pay a two-day visit to Belgrade.

Escobar earlier told Voice of America he “will soon travel to the region, together with Mr. Lajcak to signal our support to the dialogue, and show our commitment to the functioning of the dialogue”. 

Visoki Decani Monastery: 133 attacks against Serbs recorded in Kosovo in 2021 (Kosovo-online)

Visoki Decani Monastery wrote on Twitter that 133 attacks against the Serbian population were recorded in Kosovo in 2021, Kosovo-online portal reports.  

“133 attacks on Serb population in #Kosovo in 2021. n total, #Serbs and their properties have been attacked on 133 occasions in 2021. Those are recorded attacks. One attack/incident per 2,7 days. In hours, one per 65 hours, in the heart of #Europe. #HumanRightsViolation”, Decani Monastery posted on its Twitter account, along with a map of locations where incidents took place. 

International

Kosovo Court Struggles to Contact Ivanovic Murder Trial Witnesses (Balkan Insight)

The Pristina court said its summons to witnesses to testify in the trial for the murder of Kosovo Serb politician Oliver Ivanovic are not being delivered in the Serb-majority north of Kosovo and are being ignored in Serbia.

Valon Kurtaj, head of the judging panel in the trial of defendants accused of involvement in the 2018 assassination of Kosovo Serb political party leader Oliver Ivanovic, told Pristina Basic Court on Tuesday that the court is facing a series of difficulties in contacting witnesses who live in Serb-majority parts of Kosovo and in Serbia itself.

“We have problems with the postal services in the [Serb-majority] north [of Kosovo],” Kurtaj said after one defendant’s lawyer complained that the witnesses who testified on Tuesday were not the ones who were previously announced.

Read more at: https://bit.ly/32aqAAB

Humanitarian/Development

Kosovo families fear losing homes in post-war legal shambles (BIRN)

Several Kosovo families fear they will lose their homes after the Kosovo Property Comparison and Verification Agency sent them eviction notices, claiming they did not buy their property from the rightful owner.

In March 2020, Cene Krasniqi, a 59-year-old father of two from Kosovo’s capital Pristina, received a notice from the Kosovo agency that deals with the verification of property ownership, telling him to leave his apartment.

Krasniqi had bought the property in 2002 from someone who lived in the apartment in the 1990s.

But in 2007, the Kosovo Property Comparison and Verification Agency, KPCVA, made the decision to give ownership rights to another man, identified only by the initials L.L., who claimed that his brother, now deceased, had lived in the house from the late 1970s to the early 1990s.

Krasniqi took his case to the courts. But in May 2020, Kosovo’s Supreme Court decided to “overrule as inadmissible the complaint filed by Cene Krasniqi against the final decision” of the KPCVA, in the words of the court’s decision, which was provided to BIRN by Krasniqi.

He described the Supreme Court refusal to hear his complaint as a “human rights violation”.

“I am being prevented from appealing against a decision that is causing me to leave the apartment I raised my children in,” he said.

There are several other families in Kosovo, like Krasniqi’s, who face eviction from their houses or apartments because of ownership rights rulings in contested cases.

From the post-war period in 2000 until Kosovo’s declaration of independence in 2008, Kosovo was run by the UN’s interim administration, UNMIK, which together with domestic political leaders attempted to create institutions that would be able to implement a newly-established legal framework for the country.

UNMIK established the Directorate for Property Residential Issues in 1999. It was set up because after the Yugoslav authorities abrogated Kosovo’s autonomy within the former Yugoslavia in 1989, many ethnic Albanians were deprived of their properties due to their ethnicity.

The agency was intended to restore properties to their rightful owners which had been seized on the basis of ethnic discrimination.

The majority of property claims were made by Kosovo Serbs who allege that people illegally moved into their homes after they fled to Serbia in the wake of the Kosovo war in 1999, when Yugoslav forces pulled out and Serbs feared for their security. The houses they left were then sometimes sold and resold, causing a legal mess when the original owners tried to get their properties back.

Read full article at: https://bit.ly/3fwy2co

Kosovo Expects Doubling of Electricity Price as Energy Crisis Bites (Prishtina Insight)

About 200,000 households in Kosovo will pay twice the current price for electricity if a proposal by the Energy Regulatory Office is accepted.

Amid the ongoing energy crisis in Kosovo, the country’s Energy Regulatory Office, ERO, on Monday proposed doubling the price of energy for households that consume over 600 kilowatts per hour, KWh.

ERO data shows that 31 per cent of households consume more than 600 kilowatts an hour during the winter, and 21 per cent have exceeded this limit during the summer as well.

The ERO reports that since 2017, when the progressive tariff block was removed and the price levelled for all levels of consumption, household consumption has increased drastically.

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