- Osmani to Al Jazeera: Threats do not stop Kosovo from aspirations to join NATO (Telegrafi)
- EU Urges Serbia and Kosovo for Restrain over Judge’s Suspension (Exit)
- NATO on Serbia’s elections: Act responsibly, refrain from actions that escalate the situation (Nacionale)
- PM Kurti begins official visit to Norway (media)
- Lavrov: Pristina taking advantage of situation to get quasi-independence recognised (Tanjug/Klan)
- PDK approves formation of good governance cabinet (media)
- Haradinaj: Kurti mas much more important matters than that of KLA veterans (RTK)
- EULEX to transfer dialogue-related issues to EU Office (Klan)
- Kosovo Hails Solar Energy Project as Potential Game Changer (BIRN)
- COVID-19: 16 new cases, two deaths (media)
Osmani to Al Jazeera: Threats do not stop Kosovo from aspirations to join NATO (Telegrafi)
President of Kosovo Vjosa Osmani spoke to Al Jazeera and stressed that there is nothing that will make Kosovo back down on its aspiration to join NATO. She said Kosovo joining the Alliance would bring stability and security to the whole region.
“As the president of the most pro-NATO and most pro-European country in the world, I have to say that Russia will absolutely continue with the same approach of threatening countries that choose the Euro-Atlantic path, by threatening to act as in Ukraine,” she said, adding: “A few days ago, Russia’s ambassador to Bosnia said that if Bosnia joins NATO, a similar fate as the Ukraine awaits it. This is a direct threat not only to Bosnia but to all countries in the region and beyond that intend to join the alliance. But this should not stop us from joining NATO.”
EU Urges Serbia and Kosovo for Restrain over Judge’s Suspension (Exit)
The European Union has called on Kosovo and Serbia to refrain from incendiary rhetoric and comply with a Brussels agreement on justice and disciplinary procedures in Kosovo’s justice system.
It follows the suspension of Judge Ljiljana Stefanovic, the Serbian President of the Basic Court of Mitrovica in Kosovo, by the country’s Judicial Council after she attended a meeting of the Serbian National Security Council in Belgrade on March 22, headed by President Aleksandar Vucic.
Senior EU spokesperson Peter Stano told reporters in Brussels that the 2017 agreement had enabled the integration of Kosovo’s Serbian community into the judicial system, and it should be upheld, while disciplinary procedures should also be respected, RFE reported.
Read more at: https://bit.ly/3uyoPY5
NATO on Serbia’s elections: Act responsibly, refrain from actions that escalate the situation (Nacionale)
Asked to comment on the recent developments regarding Serbia’s elections in the territory of Kosovo, NATO Public Diplomacy Division said that KFOR remains committed to the day-to-day implementation of its mandate by operating closely with EULEX Police to provide security for all communities.
“We expect all parties to act responsibly and constructively and to refrain from rhetoric and actions that could escalate tensions unnecessarily. NATO also continues to firmly support the EU-facilitated dialogue and other efforts aimed at normalisation of relations between Belgrade and Pristina. This is the only way towards reaching a lasting political solution and stability for the region,” NATO said in a reply to Nacionale news website.
PM Kurti begins official visit to Norway (media)
Prime Minister of Kosovo Albin Kurti, accompanied by several members of the government, has begun his official visit to Norway. Yesterday, they met Norway’s Foreign Minister Anniken Huitfeldt and Terje Aasland, Minister of Petroleum and Energy.
According to a press release issued by the Government of Kosovo, Kurti expressed thanked Norway for the continuous support to Kosovo, “especially for the security and socio-economic development of our country, as well as Norway’s support for Kosovo’s membership in international organizations.”
Lavrov: Pristina taking advantage of situation to get quasi-independence recognised (Tanjug/Klan)
Klan Kosova carried the statement made by the Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to the Serbian news agency Tanjug where he said that “by supporting Ukraine, Pristina just wants to take advantage of the situation and gain recognitions of its ‘quasi-independence’.” Lavrov added that Rusia’s position on Kosovo is well known and has not changed.
PDK approves formation of good governance cabinet (media)
The Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) steering council has given the green light to the formation of the Good Governance Cabinet. Leader Memli Krasniqi said that a meaningful parliamentary agenda has been consolidated and that the PDK will continue the battle for the citizens in the face of what he called, an incompetent government.
“This is not only our duty as the opposition, but it is also our duty to the citizens because the challenges that the citizens are facing require even greater commitment on our part. Not only by talking and exposing the problems, but also by offering an alternative to them,” he said.
Haradinaj: Kurti mas much more important matters than that of KLA veterans (RTK)
Leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) Ramush Haradinaj said that now is not the right time for Prime Minister Albin Kurti to be dealing with the issues of KLA veterans. He said Kurti should instead be focusing on increasing pensions for war categories and not reignite debates that have already been closed.
He also claimed that the refusal of the gas pipeline project is going to the service of Russian companies. “Not only the prime minister but all the members of his cabinet are in the service of Gazprom today,” Haradinaj said. “Our prime minister is good to Serbia when it comes to financial interests. Trade relations with Serbia continue and flourish. They give money to Serbs in the north for electricity, we refuse American gas in Kosovo,” he continued.
EULEX to transfer dialogue-related issues to EU Office (Klan)
All issues that relate to the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue will be handed over from the EU rule of law mission (EULEX) to the EU Office in Kosovo by 31 December 2022, Klan Kosova reported. It added that apart from the exhumation of potential mass grave sites, these also include border crossings between Kosovo and Serbia.
Head of EULEX Lars Gunnar Wigemark said that in general the border crossing functions well, “but there have been some problems on the Serbian part particularly, at the crossing points on Merdare and Mutivode.” He added: “However, there are some recent developments and I believe these two points will be fully operational in the coming weeks, on both sides, so this is good news.”
Kosovo Hails Solar Energy Project as Potential Game Changer (BIRN)
Through the “Solar Kosova” project, approved by the government, Kosovo is taking key steps towards reducing the emission of harmful pollutants and replacing non-renewable energy with that of sunlight.
On Wednesday, the government approved two decisions proposed by the Ministry of Environment, Spatial Planning and Infrastructure for the solar project.
The first concerns allocating a location in Shkabaj, in the Municipality of Obiliq. for investment in the solar energy project that will be realized in cooperation with Germany.
The second plans to set aside four immovable properties for the Public Enterprise Termokos of Prishtina for realization of the Solar Kosova project.
The project includes the construction of solar collectors of about 69,000 m2 that will add about 70 MW more capacity to the heating system in Prishtina and connect new neighborhoods with the solar thermal system.
The total estimated cost of the project is 64 million euros and it will be financed by Germany with co-financing from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, EBRD.
Kosovo’s Minister of Environment, Spatial Planning and Infrastructure, Liburn Aliu, said the project is of great importance for the country.
Read more at: https://bit.ly/3iN1Ovb
COVID-19: 16 new cases, two deaths (media)
16 new cases with COVID-19 and two deaths from the virus were confirmed in the last 24 hours in Kosovo. 76 persons recovered from the virus during this time. There are 597 active cases with COVID-19 in Kosovo.
