• Kosovo President Osmani’s interview with CNN (media)
• Before applying for the EU, Sarrazin reminds Kosovo of five unrecognizing countries (RTK)
• President Osmani says two U.S. delegations to visit Kosovo during April (Express)
• Kosovo Assembly session postponed due to lack of quorum (Telegrafi)
• Citaku: Government to launch investigations into reports about Dick Marty (RTK)
• PDK with criticism of security strategy (RTK)
• Kosovo-North Macedonia sign MoU in the field of defense and security (media)
• Gunshots reported in Zubin Potok, KP says not related to a police case (Kallxo)
• Kosovo’s underground LGBTQ community leads ‘double life’ (AFP/France 24)
• Albania to Build New Interconnector With Kosovo, Montenegro (Exit)
• COVID-19: 14 new cases, no deaths (media)

Kosovo President Osmani’s interview with CNN (media)

The President of Kosovo Vjosa Osmani spoke on Thursday with CNN’s Christiane Amanpour, about the security situation in Kosovo and the Balkans, after the Russian aggression in Ukraine and the position of Serbia in the face of this event.

The President said that Kosovo will remain an independent, sovereign and democratic country, despite the fact that Serbia sees it as a temporary state. “Serbia continues to see us as a temporary state. It is clear that this is not true, because we are here to stand as an independent, sovereign, vibrant and democratic state. We will defend what we have achieved, and we are ready to pay any price to defend the democracy and the independent and democratic state we have today.”

Osmani said the President of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic is very good at making propaganda supported by Russia, as he had experience as Minister of Propaganda in the Milosevic government. “In the last 10 years, he has managed to increase military, political and economic cooperation with Russia to levels that have never existed before,” Osmani said.

See the full interview at: https://bit.ly/3OdNN83

Before applying for the EU, Sarrazin reminds Kosovo of five unrecognizing countries (RTK)

In an interview with RTK, the German Envoy for Western Balkans Manuel Sarrazin stated that there has been no joint meeting between the envoys for Western Balkans so far. “I had a telephone conversations with Mr. Miroslav Lajcak and another colleague has invited me to visit London, and I will also go to Washington as soon as possible to be in touch and cooperate.”

He said that Kosovo has been a topic in the newly formed coalition in Germany ‘and we support visa liberalization for Kosovo and Germany has a clear position on this issue.’ “As far as Germany is concerned, Kosovo has met all the criteria for visas, while as far as France is concerned, I cannot give any interpretation on their behalf.”

Sarrazin said that it is very important to have a successful dialogue process while on the question of whether now is the right time for Kosovo to apply for membership in the Council of Europe, the German special envoy for the Western Balkans stated that applying for a successful outcome would not be a good move for Kosovo. “However, Kosovo’s membership in the Council of Europe would benefit the country as a whole, but also the citizens, including minorities.”

The German diplomat also expressed his doubts regarding Kosovo’s aspirations to apply for membership in the European Union. “Regarding Kosovo’s application for EU membership, it should be recalled that there are five member states that still do not recognize independence.”

President Osmani says two U.S. delegations to visit Kosovo during April (Express)

The President of Kosovo, Vjosa Osmani, during a press conference in Mitrovica spoke about her visit to the U.S. and confirmed that two high level US delegations are expected to visit Kosovo during April.

“There will be several visits to the United States for different purposes,” she said. “In some visits we will be together (with Prime Minister Albin Kurti), in some we will be separate. Once we have all the details of the agenda, we will definitely inform you. Our cooperation with the US is intensive, on a daily basis, as well as with the US Ambassador to Kosovo Jeff Hovenier, with the US State Department, the National Security Council that is inside the White House, and with other officials.”  Osmani also said that two important American delegations will visit Kosovo during April.

Kosovo Assembly session postponed due to lack of quorum (Telegrafi)

Kosovo Assembly Speaker Glauk Konjufca rescheduled yesterday’s plenary session after lack of quorum.

Konjufca said the session, that had in its agenda several international agreements and a debate on the security situation in Kosovo, will be continued on Tuesday.

Citaku: Government to launch investigations into reports about Dick Marty (RTK)

PDK Deputy Chairman Vlora Çitaku has asked the Kosovo Government to launch a parliamentary and intelligence investigation into confirmed reports that the Serbian Secret Service has attempted to assassinate former Council of Europe rapporteur Dick Marty in order to oust him and blame Kosovars.

Citaku wrote on ‘Twitter’ that Marty’s report on war crimes in Kosovo is fed by Serbian intelligence services. “The Kosovo government must immediately begin parliamentary and intelligence inquiry into now confirmed reports that Serbian services tried to kill Dick Marty to throw blame to KLA. He is known for a questionable report on war crimes, that was also fed by Serbian intelligence services. Rotten affair,” she wrote.

PDK with criticism of security strategy (RTK)

The Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) has expressed concern about the way the Kurti government drafted the National Security Strategy.

The member of the leadership of the Democratic Party of Kosovo Besa Kabashi-Ramaj, in a press conference, said that this document of great importance for the consolidation of the security sector in the country has many shortcomings and should be rewritten.

Kosovo-North Macedonia sign MoU in the field of defense and security (media)

The Minister of Defense Armend Mehaj and his counterpart from North Macedonia Slavjanka Petrovska, signed on Thursday a memorandum of understanding for cooperation in the fields of defense and security.

Mehaj stressed that this memorandum aims to coordinate and synchronize the legal framework, measures, actions and activities that ensure the most successful implementation of all agreements. “The integration process of Northern Macedonia is an experience that we will share together in our Euro-Atlantic integration process,” Mehaj said in a statement from the Ministry of Defense.

According to the announcement, Minister Petrovska expressed readiness to deepen cooperation between the two countries, offering the experience of integration into Euro-Atlantic structures, as well as support in relevant processes at the level of the NATO member state, and the vision for peace, security and stability in the region and beyond.

Gunshots reported in Zubin Potok, KP says not related to a police case (Kallxo)

Gunshots were heard on Thursday evening in Zubin Potok, more precisely in the area of the village Bube. The news portal has learnt that the shots were heard by the Kosovo Border Police patrol but it is not known if the shooting was in the direction of the Police.

Kosovo Police spokesperson Baki Kelani said the shots are not linked to any case the police are looking into and it is not certain if they came from the territory of Kosovo or that of Serbia.

At the same time, a stoning attack took place last night in Zubin Potok. The suspects threw stones at the car of the police officers and caused material damage but no injuries were reported.

Kosovo’s underground LGBTQ community leads ‘double life’ (AFP/France 24)

For Flamur and his gay partner, freedom is restricted to the four walls of a Pristina apartment. Only behind lock and key can they be themselves while the ultra-conservative society outside still brands their love “unnatural”.

The Kosovo couple have hidden their relationship for eight years.

Whenever they meet in public, common friends are invited in order not to raise suspicion. They also hesitate to even post on social media at the same time.

“It’s difficult to live a double life,” Flamur — an assumed name he chose fearing potential stigma — told AFP.

Read more at: https://bit.ly/3JL5Tev

Albania to Build New Interconnector With Kosovo, Montenegro (Exit)

Preparations are underway to reconstruct energy connectors between Albania and Montenegro and a separate project is being developed for a new power line with Kosovo.

The Albanian Energy Regulatory Authority announced that while a current project between Albania and North Macedonia with a capacity of 400kV is already under construction, it plans to develop a secondary 110kV interconnector with Kosovo and another 110kV with Montenegro.

The ERE said it wants to increase its power export capacity.

Currently, there is a link between Vau i Dejes in north Albania and the Montenegrin capital of Podgorica, with a capacity of 278MVA. However, the line was built in the early 70s and is in need of reconstruction. As Albania plans to build more hydropower plants in the north, despite warnings they are not sustainable due to climate change, ERE argues more reliable interconnectors are necessary.

Read more at: https://bit.ly/37QC0Me

COVID-19: 14 new cases, no deaths (media)

14 new cases of COVID-19 have been recorded in Kosovo in the last 24 hours, the Ministry of Health said. 26 persons recovered during this time. There are 497 active cases of COVID-19 in Kosovo.