Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: 247 new cases, two deaths (media)
• “Serbia is offering dark perspectives; situation may escalate” (media)
• PDK MP: Kurti has failed, disappointed and deceived (Reporteri)
• Hyseni: Foreign policy is anaemic because of Osmani and Kurti (EO)
• Mesic: Kosovo to become sovereign in every millimetre, then negotiate (Express)
• Vjosa Osmani’s “Guxo” registered as political party today (media)
• ERO: Political parties to refrain from tendencies for political points (Koha)
• At a village market, Kosovo’s ethnic tensions fade away (BIRN)

Serbian Language Media:

• Covid-19: 38 new cases registered in Serbian areas on Saturday (Radio kontakt plus)
• Diocese worried about attacks on churches (KiM radio)
• Serbian Ministry of Culture and KiM Office on SOC facilities attacks (media)
• Hasani: Deva is a Nazi collaborator; Rohde is right;Ceku’s reaction is deplorable  (KoSSev)
• Impaired relations between media and institutions in Pristina (Radio KIM) 
• Vucic to head all SNS lists during elections (N1)
• President Xi congratulates Serbia’s Statehood Day (N1)
• US President Biden congratulates Serbia’s Statehood Day (Beta, N1)
• Outgoing US Ambassador Godfrey says Serbia is regional economic leader (N1)
• Vucic: Serbia should not recognize Kosovo in any way (Tanjug)

Opinion:

• How to End the Ukraine Crisis in 4 Steps (politico.com)
• Is the international community finally waking up to election-day threats to voting in the EU? (Balkan Insight)

International:

• South-East Europe Countries Urge Citizens to Leave Ukraine (Balkan Insight)
• Time for the EU to Deal Fairly with the Western Balkans (visegradinsight.eu)

Albanian Language Media  

COVID-19: 247 new cases, two deaths (media)

247 new cases with COVID-19 and two deaths from the virus were recorded in the last 24 hours in Kosovo. There are 10,800 active cases with COVID-19 in Kosovo.

“Serbia is offering dark perspectives; situation may escalate” (media)

Kosovo’s Academy of Arts and Sciences (ASHAK) said in a statement today that Serbia is offering dark perspectives in the region and that the situation may escalate in the coming days and months. According to ASHAK, Serbia’s destabilising policies in the Western Balkans have become more aggressive. 

“Delays in reforms and in democratisation, consequent political crisis, corruption and organised crime in the Balkans societies, have created a favourable environment for the unimpeded penetration of political influences financed by powers that have influence in the region, such as Russia and China,” the statement notes. “In the same context, one should see Serbia’s initiatives for the mini-Schengen and the Open Balkan project, as an open obstruction against the European Union and as room for new political and economic penetrations by Russia and China in the Balkans, aimed at strengthening Serbia’s role in the region and to sidestep Kosovo in all regional processes.”

PDK MP: Kurti has failed, disappointed and deceived (Reporteri)

Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) MP Ganimete Musliu argued today that Prime Minister Albin Kurti “has failed, disappointed and deceived”. “Not even his biggest opponents could have predicted how amateur Albin [Kurti] will be in the real management of problems and challenges. The insecurity grows every day and Kurti’s governance is becoming a real threat to Kosovo. Unfortunately, we can summarise Kurti’s one-year governance with three words: disappointment, deception and failure,” Musliu told the news website.

Hyseni: Foreign policy is anaemic because of Osmani and Kurti (EO)

Kosovo’s former Foreign Minister, Skender Hyseni, said in an interview with Ekonomia Online that the statute of the Association/Community of Serb-majority municipalities must be drafted by experts so that it does not interfere with any tier of governance in Kosovo. 

Hyseni argued that Kosovo’s foreign policy has failed and he blamed President Osmani, Prime Minister Kurti and Foreign Minister Gervalla. 

According to Hyseni, the agreements that have not been implemented so far should be part of a comprehensive package for an agreement between Kosovo and Serbia.

“The Association is part of the Constitution, namely the Ahtisaari Package, based on which Kosovo has declared its independence. Therefore, this is an issue of drafting the statute and creativity will be required from Kosovo institutions and from the experts that will be working on this to make sure that the Association will in no way interfere with any tier of governance in Kosovo and so that it does not become a third of tier of governance,” Hyseni said.

Mesic: Kosovo to become sovereign in every millimetre, then negotiate (Express)

Former Croatian President Stipe Mesic said in an interview with the news website that Kosovo must become sovereign throughout its territory before it can be equal in talks with any other party. “Political talks at the level of the EU, together with the United States, must conclude for Kosovo to become sovereign in every millimetre and then it can negotiate on anything,” he was quoted as saying.

Asked about talks on border changes, Mesic said this issue could return to the table of talks. “It could happen, but Kosovo needs to be sovereign first in every millimetre of its territory, and then as a sovereign country it can negotiate, but not in any other situation,” he said.

Commenting on the pressure that Kosovo could face to form the Association/Community of Serb-majority municipalities, Mesic said: “if there is a lot of pressure things can crack so it is better if there is no pressure and to resolve remaining issues first”.

Mesic who met with Prime Minister Kurti, President Osmani and Assembly President Konjufca during his visit to Kosovo, said: “I think they are competent, and I think they are up to the task for the current developments in Kosovo”. He also said that the “war leadership” was right for that time. Mesic said that NATO stopped the ethnic cleansing in Kosovo and praised the former Kosovo Liberation Army for picking up arms and helping Kosovo to become independent.

Mesic said he does not expect a final agreement between Kosovo and Serbia soon. “I don’t think a solution is near. There are ongoing talks and there are also neuralgic issues,” he added, referring to the situation in Montenegro. 

Vjosa Osmani’s “Guxo” registered as political party today (media)

The civic initiative “Guxo”, led by Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani, was registered as a political party today with the Central Election Commission. Guxo senior member Donika Gervalla, who is Foreign Minister of Kosovo, said: “the civic initiative Lista Guxo, initiated by President Vjosa Osmani, has entered into the institutionalist path today. This initiative has outstanding success”. Gervalla added that Guxo is a centre-right party and that they will expect contributions from everyone. 

ERO: Political parties to refrain from tendencies for political points (Koha)

The Energy Regulatory Office (ERO) issued a statement today after members of the Social Democratic Party of Kosovo (PSD) held an action in their premises today, demanding explanations for the increase in energy tariffs. The ERO said that PSD members using violent and unprecedented methods entered their premises and obstructed the work of their staff.

“The decisions of the Board are revised and legally drafted by the departments of the Energy Regulatory Office, and they are made public after comments from all board members are integrated. This is a regular process and the ERO expects to publish a draft this week. The media statement and answers to comments from stakeholders have already been published,” the ERO said.

The ERO also called on all political parties to refrain from tendencies aimed at scoring political points.

At a village market, Kosovo’s ethnic tensions fade away (BIRN)

At the popular food market near Gjilan/Gnjilane, Serbs and Albanians are too busy trading to care about who comes from which community.

Read full story at: https://bit.ly/3HQwl62

Serbian Language Media

Covid-19: 38 new cases registered in Serbian areas on Saturday (Radio kontakt plus)

Out of 97 tested samples in the Serb-populated areas in Kosovo, 38 were positive for Covid-19, Crisis Committee of Mitrovica North announced on Saturday, Radio kontakt plus reports.

New cases were registered as follows: 16 in Mitrovica North, nine in Leposavic, four each in Zvecan and Gracanica, three in Priluzje, and one each in Zubin Potok and Strpce.

Currently there are 734 active cases of Covid-19 in the Serbian areas in Kosovo, while 191 persons completed the isolation period.

Diocese worried about attacks on churches (KiM radio)

KiM radio reported that The Diocese of Raska and Prizren has expressed concern over the latest attacks on Serbian Orthodox Church facilities in Kosovo.

The Diocese called on the competent police authorities to investigate the latest cases of desecration of churches and bring the perpetrators to justice.

At the same time, an appeal was sent to the international community and their representatives to influence Kosovo’s institutions, because, as they point out, many of the attacks are the result of increased anti-Serbian rhetoric in political circles that incite violence and ethnic intolerance.

It is deeply astonishing that since the beginning of the year, three times more ethnically motivated incidents against Serbs in Kosovo have been recorded, compared to the same period last year.

The diocese reminds that yesterday morning, on the feast of the Holy Three Hierarchs, the Church of the Holy Healers in the village of Drenovce, in Kosovska Kamenica, was broken into and a certain amount of money was taken from it. The churchman noticed the broken door on the temple.

Previously, the Church recalls, all the glass on the windows and the entrance door of the church of St. Elijah in the village of Nekodim near Urosevac were broken.

This is the sixth attack on the temples of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Kosovo and Metohija since the beginning of the year, and only in January, a series of robberies of churches in Zubin Potok was recorded.

They also recalled that during the weekend, provocative graffiti was written at the Elementary School “Braca Aksic” in the village of Rabovac near Lipljan, reported KiM radio.

Serbian Ministry of Culture and KiM Office on SOC facilities attacks (media)

The Ministry of Culture and Information of the Republic of Serbia strongly condemns the attacks on the facilities of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Kosovo and Metohija because the incursions, robberies, destruction, and desecration of the Church of the Holy Healers in the village of Drenovce and the Church of St. Elijah in the village of Nekodim near Urosevac are anti-civilization acts which show the degree of endangerment of Serbian cultural heritage, cited Serbian media. 

“Not only do such vandal incidents, based on extremism and insanity, endanger the cultural heritage of the Serbian people in Kosovo and Metohija, but at the same time openly threaten the security and survival of the Serbian people,” the statement said.

“We call on all international actors to condemn all forms of extremism and within their mandate to protect the rights and freedoms of Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija, as well as cultural heritage from all forms of destruction, desecration and endangerment,” the ministry said.

KiM Office: The sixth attack on the SOC temples; derogatory graffiti on the school in Rabovac

The Office for KiM condemned the burglary of the Church of the Holy Healers in the village of Drenovce, in Kosovska Kamenica and the breaking of glass on the windows and entrance doors of the Church of St. Elijah in the village of Nekodim near Ferizaj, and graffiti at the Braca Aksic primary school in Rabovce near Lipljan.

The Office for KiM recalled, in a statement, that this was the sixth attack on the temples of the SOC in Kosovo since the beginning of the year, and in January, they said, a series of robberies of churches in Zubin Potok occurred. 

“It is alarming that three ethnically motivated incidents towards Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija have been recorded since the beginning of the year, compared to the same period last year. Such anti-civilization acts unequivocally confirm the threat to Serbia’s religious heritage in Kosovo and Metohija and indicate that the wave religious violence was encouraged by politicians from Pristina, who even publicly boast that they will not implement court decisions on returning the land to the Visoki Decani monastery,” the Office said in a statement.

It is added that the example of Pristina’s attitude towards building peaceful coexistence and religious tolerance and the values they stand for is most vividly shown by the example of “their leaders publicly praising the renovation of the house” of Nazi collaborator Xhafer Deva, but not condemning attacks on SOC temples.

“Attacks that threaten the peace of the Serbian people in Kosovo and Metohija must be strongly condemned by international organisations operating in Kosovo and Metohija, and perpetrators of such crimes must be adequately sanctioned, because that is the only way to stop extremism,” it was concluded in a press release.

Hasani: Deva is a Nazi collaborator; Rohde is right; Ceku’s reaction is deplorable (KoSSev)

When it comes to the character of Xhafer Deva, Enver Hasani has a rather firm stance. For this law and international relations professor, Deva was a collaborator, a local Nazi ideologue, and a servant of Hitler’s Germany. According to Hasani, this is what all archival and historical documents say.

The former president of the Constitutional Court pointed out that, after the end of the Cold War, the spirit of rehabilitation of figures and events “from the pre-communist past into a positive nationalist light” reigned in the former communist countries. According to Hasani, this is not right.

Commenting on the reaction of the German ambassador to Kosovo, Jorn Rohde, who demanded that the restoration of Deva’s house be halted, and linked his name to the Holocaust, Hasani assessed that the German diplomat “judging by historical facts, which are very convincing, is right”.

In an interview with Gazeta Express, Enver Hasani spoke about the concrete reason why Deva’s house should be renovated, the reaction of the Minister of Culture, Hajrulla Ceku, Xhafer Deva as a CIA man, as well as about analysts and historians who presented Xhafer Deva in a positive light and as the creator of the Albanian state.

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

Impaired relations between media and institutions in Pristina (Radio KIM) 

Expert for legal media affairs, Flutra Kusari assessed that recent events and statements of Kosovo government officials, president’s cabinet and Self-determination Movement, as well as husband of Kosovo president have seriously impaired relations between the institutions and the media, adding they are currently on the lowest possible level, Radio KIM reports.

According to her, this is a consequence of denigrating language used on the internet and related to journalists and coming from “officials, prime minister’s office, president’s office and Self-determination Movement”.

“This way journalists are attempted to be depicted as enemies of the people, which is particularly dangerous”, Kusari said, Radio KIM reports citing Radio Free Europe in Albanian.

She also said “such attacks create some sort of impression that journalists should not be respected and freedom of the media could be impaired freely”.

Kusari further opined that the current situation will impact international assessments of the freedom of press in Kosovo, adding that such a course of events will reflect upon and cost politically those in power, who, as she said “would have to work hard to improve the image created over the last days”.

President of the Association of Journalists Xhemal Rexha said the main remarks of the journalists relates to the non-transparency government. He also termed media relations with the current government as ‘difficult’, pointing out that “it was absolutely dangerous when attacks come from people in power”.

“Those occasional attacks by individuals in power endanger the security of journalists and complicate the journalistic climate in Kosovo”, he said.  

Kosovo has been warned by several international human rights organisations over unacceptable behaviour towards the freedom of the media, Radio KIM reports.

Human Rights Watch in a report published in January said “that journalists in Kosovo are targets of attacks, threats and intimidations”, adding that perpetrators of the attacks against journalists were rarely held responsible. 

Vucic to head all SNS lists during elections (N1)

Aleksandar Vucic will be the holder of all lists of the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) during the April general election in Serbia, Prime Minister Ana Brnabic said after the session of party leadership and the Main Board in Belgrade, on Sunday.

Brnabic said that it was unanimously decided that the SNS would run in the parliamentary elections with the list “Aleksandar Vucic – together we can do everything“, and that the first on the list will be Danica Grujucic.

“Vucic is the holder of all lists, this is the motto under which we go to the polls, this is the message we all stand for, because everything we did in Serbia, we did together with the people, we can be proud of the results and we showed that together we can really do everything so that Serbia can become a victorious country“, Brnabic said.

Brnabic added that she is proud of a large number of public figures on the SNS list.

President Xi congratulates Serbia’s Statehood Day (N1)

Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory message to the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic on the occasion of the country’s Statehood Day, in which he wished Serbia prosperity and happiness to its people, on behalf of the Chinese Government and people, N1 reports.

“Serbia’s state-building has steadily achieved new results in recent years, the reindustrialization strategy is steadily advancing, economic development is accelerating, and the living standards of citizens are improving with the joint efforts of our two sides, the all-encompassing strategic partnership between China and Serbia maintains a strong development trend”, the statement reads.

Xi pointed out that the mutual political trust between the two countries is strong, that practical cooperation provides fruitful results, and the traditional friendship becomes even stronger as time passes, the Office said.

The two sides support each other on issues of essential interest and serious challenges they face, which positively contributes to the preservation of international justice and legality, the Chinese president’s congratulatory message added.

“I give great importance to the development of China-Serbia relations. I am ready to make joint efforts with you, strengthen the strategic leadership of the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Serbia and raise relations between our two countries to an even higher level”, Xi stated in his congratulations.

US President Biden congratulates Serbia’s Statehood Day (Beta, N1)

US President Joseph Biden sent a congratulatory message on the Statehood Day of Serbia to President Aleksandar Vucic, the President’s Office said Saturday.

“I encourage you and your government to continue to work hard on implementing the domestic reforms needed to make the democratic achievements available to all people in Serbia. The same reforms will help guarantee sustainable development, the rule of law and an attractive investment climate, and it will bring you closer to joining the European Union,” Biden said.

He pointed out that “Serbia’s aspirations towards the EU “also depend on the progress towards full normalisation of relations between Belgrade and Pristina, which must be based on mutual recognition.

“The United States is ready to support you in working in good faith to achieve this goal. The European family will not be complete without Serbia and all its neighbours,” Biden said.

He pointed out that during the 140 years of partnership, the two countries have built strong relations that support economic development and promote the prosperity of the Serbian people, provide support to democratic institutions in Serbia and the vital role of civil society and media.

“Our joint efforts also promote regional security, especially through Serbia’s long-standing state partnership with the Ohio National Guard. In November, we held the first bilateral consultations in the field of defence, after five years,” Biden said in his congratulatory message.

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

Outgoing US Ambassador Godfrey says Serbia is regional economic leader (N1)

The outgoing US Ambassador Anthony Godfrey told Finance Minister Sinisa Mali that Serbia has become the absolute economic leader in the Western Balkans, a Finance Ministry press release said, N1 reports.

It quoted Godfrey and Mali as saying that the opening of the office of the US Development Finance Corporation in Belgrade is one of the most important achievements of the past few years and that attracting American investors is important in future.

Godfrey also posted his final tweet as US ambassador in Serbia, saying that his deputy John Ginkel will take over the account, and thanked everyone who followed him.

Vucic: Serbia should not recognize Kosovo in any way (Tanjug)

Serbia should not recognize Kosovo in any way, but work with Kosovo Albanians to create better relations and trust, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on a Prva TV talk show at the weekend, Tanjug news agency reports.

Responding to a question whether the dialogue on Kosovo was heading towards recognition, Vucic said the problem was that Kosovo Albanians were refusing to hear of anything else but independence.

He recalled that the recognition of the borders of former Yugoslav republics as well as the recognition of Kosovo had opened a Pandora’s box.

“Under what principle of international law are the Serbs supposed to accept that again and remain silent?” Vucic said.

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

Opinion

How to End the Ukraine Crisis in 4 Steps (politico.com)

By Alexander Dynkin and Thomas Graham 

Two former top policymakers — one Russian, one American — have a plan they think could work.

Europe is on the brink of war. The United States and its allies are convinced that Russia is planning an invasion of Ukraine, and they are threatening “devastating” sanctions should it take that step. Moscow vehemently denies any such plans, while maintaining that Kyiv is preparing for an assault on the Donbas separatists in Eastern Ukraine. Russian military maneuvers in Crimea, Western Russia and Belarus unnerve the West, while NATO plans a buildup of forces along its long frontier with Russia stretching from the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea. Meanwhile, a fitful round of diplomacy preserves hope that the crisis can be defused without military conflict — although the leaked “confidential” U.S. response to Russian demands to halt NATO expansion underscores how far apart the two sides remain.

Read more at: https://politi.co/3GNxLNv

Is the international community finally waking up to election-day threats to voting in the EU? (Balkan Insight)

The OSCE’s recommendation to send a full election observation mission to Hungary in April marks a milestone in defending electoral integrity within Europe – but now EU member states must step up.

February 4 marked a milestone in the fight to combat the growing threat to electoral integrity in Europe, yet chances are most people will have missed it.

On that day, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) recommended that a full-scale Election Observation Mission (EOM) be deployed to Hungary for the parliamentary elections on April 3. With 18 long-term observers and a core team of analysts, the recommended mission also crucially includes 200 short-term observers (STOs) to monitor election-day proceedings.

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

International

South-East Europe Countries Urge Citizens to Leave Ukraine (Balkan Insight)

Amid warnings of a possible Russian invasion this week, Balkan governments have strongly advised their citizens to scrap plans to travel to Ukraine – and leave if they are there already.

Governments all over South-eastern Europe have urged their citizens to leave Ukraine due to concerns that the Russian-Ukrainian conflict is intensifying. Most of these warnings came over the weekend.

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

Time for the EU to Deal Fairly with the Western Balkans (visegradinsight.eu)

Interview with Eduard Kukan

They are tired of waiting. Particularly when they have not always been treated fairly.

Eduard Kukan defines himself as a ‘euro-optimist’ and believes that in seven years the EU might be ‘back to normal.’ Elected to the European Parliament (EP) in 2009 (EPP group), he chairs the EP delegation for relations with South-East Europe and is a member of the EP Committee on Foreign Affairs. He spent most of his professional life as a diplomat, serving three terms as Slovakia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs. In our conversation on the European future of the Western Balkans, he suggests that the V4 countries should not hesitate to coordinate their efforts.

Read more at: https://bit.ly/33oGvfq